Brambleheart by Henry Cole

4/10

I read this about 9 months ago. The kids' elementary school has done a cool thing the last three years where they give every kid the same book and a reading schedule and everyone reads it in a fairly quick time. I always read them with the kids and it's been a fun time. This, however, was my least favorite of the three they've done so far. The story just never really took off in any interesting way. It also ended in a bit of a cliffhanger as well which was off-putting and presumptuous, as if we'll all be running to read the next one. The kids liked it well enough at least.

For fun, I'm going to rank the three books referenced above:

1. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
2. The One and Only Ivan
3. Brambelheart
   

 

 

Because of Easter by Ron Millburn

 

10/10

I read this nearly a year ago. I have to give it a 10 because my Dad's the only one who reads my blog. Although, probably not anymore since I don't post consistently. But actually, I really liked this one. I've liked his others as well, but I think this one was my favorite so far. Good mix of insight, scripture analysis, and personal stories. Good job, Pops. Also, it should be known that the picture of him on the back cover was taken while he was visiting me in Cleveland and is in front of the Christmas Story house. As with my other posts that have come a year later, I will have to cut this post shorter than I otherwise would have if I posted right after finishing the book. Maybe some day I'll get caught up again.

The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck

8/10

I read this one a little over a year ago. Another Steinbeck winner. I really enjoyed this one. Not only was it a great story that gets you hooked from the very beginning with interesting characters, but it actually had a significant impact for many people during World War II. It was used widely as Allied propaganda in Nazi-occupied Europe. Very fascinating look at the thoughts and ideas and feelings of both those being occupied and the occupiers. It was also fun to see Steinbeck outside of the labor struggle of coastal California and write a war book in a style that only Steinbeck can.

Rankings of the Steinbeck books I've read:

1. The Grapes of Wrath
2. Of Mice and Men
3. East of Eden
4. The Moon Is Down
   
5. In Dubious Battle
6. Tortilla Flat
7. Cannery Row
8. The Winter of Our Discontent
9. The Pearl
10. The Long Valley

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

 

10/10

I read this over a year ago. Just a super obvious 10/10. This is my ideal type of book and what I hope all books resemble when I pick them up and start to read them. Tom Sawyer is one of the all time great fictional characters. Always scheming and always hilarious and always getting into a pickle of his own creation during an excellent adventure. Again, because of my delay in making this post, I don't have anything specific to say other than how I loved it and love Mark Twain's writing.

Rankings of Mark Twain books I've read:

1. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (easily a top five book all time for me)
2. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
   

Clearly, I need to read more Mark Twain. I like how both characters appear in each other's books, although briefly. Just such fun, lovable characters.

If Thou Endure It Well by Neal A. Maxwell

 

10/10

I read this one over a year ago (yes, I have fallen massively behind on this blog). From what I recall, this was another solid and inspiring Maxwell book with the usual great quotes. He did a great job covering the topic of enduring to the end from several different angles that I hadn't considered before. Lets go ahead and put some quotes below:

 "Thus enduring well is clearly an essential part of mortality's planned refining process. Refining requires heat. Refining also requires time. Furthermore, if whatever constitutes 'it' is to be endured well, refining also requires of its recipients a genuine and continuing confidence in the Refiner."

"It follows, then, that you and I cannot really expect to glide through life, coolly air-conditioned, while naively petitioning: 'Lord, give me experience but not grief, a deeper appreciation of happiness but not deeper sorrow, joy in comfort but not in pain, more capacity to overcome but not more opposition; and please do not let me ever feel perplexed while on thine errand. Then let me come quickly and dwell with thee and fully share thy joy.'"

"[G]rit thy teeth rather than grind them destructively."

"Without utilizing fixed principles, confused mortals will find things very hard to fix."

"Nowadays people are so much more easily offended, while being much less concerned about offending God."

"Decrease the belief in God, therefore, and behold the large increase in the numbers of those who wish to play at being God. Such societal supervisors may deny the existence of divine ways but they are very serious about imposing their own ways."

"He sees the end from the beginning. You and I, on the other hand, are in the muddled, mortal middle."

 "The larger and more untamed a person's ego, the greater the likelihood of that person's being offended, especially upon tasting his portion of vinegar and gall or upon encountering irony, the hard crust on the bread of adversity. Understandably, protesting words may issue: 'Why me?' 'Why this?' 'Why now?' It is hoped, however, even if we utter such words momentarily, that we will not give way to inconsolability. From inconsolability it is a surprisingly short distance to bitterness."

"Each of us might well ask, 'In what ways am I shrinking or holding back?' Meek introspection may yield some bold insights. For example, we can tell much by what we have already willingly discarded along the pathway of discipleship. It is the only pathway where littering is permissible, even encouraged. In the early stages the debris left behind includes the grosser sins of commission. Later debris differs; the things being discarded are those that have caused the misuse or under use of our time and talent."

"Strange, isn't it, how those with the longest lists of new demands also have the shortest memories of past blessings?"

"The family circle, when finally completed in time for the world to come, may yet be larger than we may now imagine; late arrivals, after having paid a severe price and thus being finally qualified, may be more than a few."

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck

8/10

I read this book about 7 months ago. Another Steinbeck winner. He just doesn't miss. This one is right in the Steinbeck wheelhouse, paesanos in Salinas California just doing their thing, drinking some booze, hanging around getting into shenanigans, failing at almost anything they do despite their best efforts. Very easy to root for these characters and you can enjoy the book no matter where Steinbeck wants to take you. Very similar to Tortilla Flat, but I think that one was slightly more comical which is why it gets the edge in my updated rankings below.

Rankings of the Steinbeck books I've read:

1. The Grapes of Wrath
2. Of Mice and Men
3. East of Eden
4. In Dubious Battle
5. Tortilla Flat
6. Cannery Row
7. The Winter of Our Discontent
8. The Pearl
9. The Long Valley

 

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

 

8/10

I finished reading this about 5 months ago. I enjoyed it. It's one of those books that is so unique that I can't think of any other book quite like it. Kind of like how there's no other book like 1984, for example, even though both are what smart people call dystopian novels. It's one of those books where people love to say how it was written so long ago but could have been written yesterday based on the accuracy of predicting how the world would become. This book gets a 7/10 on the premise of the book alone. 

This story deals with genetic engineering performed by a futuristic society and its manipulation of the populace where they all appear to be perfectly content. The main character thinks a bit outside the box and some fun discoveries are made. Some very interesting dialogue takes place toward the end of the book involving one of the leaders of this society. I liked the story for the most part, the writing was good, and there was quite a bit of lessons to be learned throughout. At the end of the book, there were a few things I wish Huxley could have pursued further or other routes that seemed ripe for the taking but weren't which is the reason for the 8/10. Fun read though. And I liked it better than 1984.