Sarah Bishop

Sarah Bishop, by Scott O'Dell

This story for school-aged kids is about a young girl living during the American Revolution. Her mother is dead, so she is the woman of the household, her brother is a Patriot, and her father is a Tory.

As the story progresses, it leaves the reader with the feeling of, "Gee this girl can't get a break." I imagined the female, teenage version of the book of Job. She loses her father and home to some lawless Patriots, discovers her brother has died on board a British prison ship, and is being hunted by the British for something she did not do.

Her subsequent journey is a depiction of what life would have been like back then for a single woman in war time with no guardian but herself. She did what, in my opinion, was a smart thing to do: go off in the woods and live alone until the whole thing is over. But even that created some problems for her, which I am glad she managed to work out. At 3/4 of the way through the book, I was positive she was going to die in the end, but thankfully, the author did something unexpected.

It is good when authors do things the readers do not expect. Too much predictable stuff makes a boring story. The other thing that was interesting is that Sarah is narrating the story (meaning it is written in first person) but it is told in a very detached way, as if Sarah has an emotional disorder that keeps her completely level at all times except the most extreme moments. However as the story goes on, I began to think that this way of narrating was an indication of constant, extreme emotional distress lurking below the surface and that if Sarah were to allow that emotion just a little freedom, then it would all come crashing out and she would lose all ability to function in the crazy world in which she was trying to survive.

This gives the story some excitement and the feeling that she is a ticking time bomb and that at any moment the story may end because she has gone off. But in giving her that detached method of relaying events, the author also made her somewhat accessible, in a sense, to a wider range of people who may understand what she is going through.

I think this is a good book for kids, anyone interested in historical fiction, anyone who enjoys reading like a middle schooler again, and anyone who ever thought "My Side of the Mountain" was a cool book. Incidentally, that may have to be another book I review here.

Grimms' Fairy Tales

Grimms' Fairy Tales, by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Mrs. E.V. Lucas, Lucy Crane, and Marian Edwards.

This book contains all the fairy tales your parents were afraid to tell you, because they didn't want you climbing in bed with them at night. It also contains some stories your parents did tell you, but in a different version, because if your parents told you the real version, you would be afraid of the dark.

Examples of the stories include: Twelve Dancing Princesses, King Thrushbeard, Jorinda and Joringel, the Wolf and the Seven Goats, Sweetheart Roland, the Frog Prince, Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty), Rumpelstiltskin, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Elves and the Shoemaker, the Golden Goose, Red Riding Hood, Tom Thumb, Hansel and Gretel, Faithful John, and Iron Hans. And yes, I am sure there are a few familiar ones on that list, and perhaps a few that you know but which I've left off. But I am sure that once you start reading the stories you will think, "What? That's not how I remember it!" That is because your parents changed it on you.

I can understand why the brothers Grimm decided to write their stories. They generally contain warnings to children to behave, warnings to young adults to heed their parents' advice, lessons to lovers about relationships, and lessons to everyone about morality, all peppered with the occasional hope that in the story of humanity, there will be a happy ending. But this is not a book I would give my children until they are at least in high school.

Still, despite the "WTH, this was intended for children?" reaction, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading of the book. I would recommend it to everyone over the age of 16 who wants a new look at old tales, who wants to study historical literature, or just wants a good collection of short stories.

Edit: Favorite quote from the book: "Then the children went home together as happy as possible, and if they are not dead yet, then they are still alive." No zombies for the Brothers Grimm.

The Circle Trilogy

The Circle Trilogy, by Ted Dekker

Although this is technically three books titled Black, Red, and White, the copy I read was bound in one hardcover volume. Additionally, the first two books end with cliffhangers, so the trilogy is properly named; it is indeed only one story. Or perhaps I should say two stories.

The story begins with a man in Denver who falls asleep and wakes up in another world. If he is asleep here, he is in the other world, and when he sleeps there, he wakes in this world. Additionally, the other world is actually still earth, but 2000 years in the future. This means that if he learns the history of events on earth, he can wake up here in 2010 and know what is going to happen in the future. Which is essentially what happens. He learns of a coming apocalypse and works to avert it. Additionally, crisis and chaos are about to break out in the other world as well. So, it is essentially two stories happening simultaneously to one character.

Although I admit the time line and storyline made my head spin at times, and occasionally made me feel as if I was watching the life of a man with multiple personality disorder, Ted Dekker has once again woven a captivating story which I found difficult to put down, even when I was frustrated with the time travel element (I really don't handle time travel that well). If this book were a movie it would be the Matrix, except that the world Neo crosses into would be fanciful Narnia with friendly animals and biblical metaphor. Cross that with any Asian action film utilizing "wire-fu," add a Tom Clancy-like politically-motivated apocalypse, and give it the time line from the Terminator movies, and you have the Circle Trilogy.

I would recommend this book to pretty much everyone. There is something in it for all age groups and walks of life, for people who want entertainment, and for people who have questions about life.

Real Sex: The Naked Truth About Chastity

Real Sex: The Naked Truth About Chastity, by Lauren F. Winner

This book is not like the normal "Don't have sex before marriage" books. Many times, I find that the authors of those types of books have been good little boys and girls all their lives and while I'm sure they have valid points, their words often come across as repeating a mantra instead of being a warning sign put up by someone who has "been there, done that." This author stands out in that she has done things in her past which she later came to believe were sinful, and boldly confesses what she did and how it affected her life.

Additionally, this book promotes the concept of chastity over purity or virginity. The difference is that virginity is a state of being, which once altered, can never be restored. Chastity, on the other hand, is a lifestyle. Something that is chosen each and every day. Chastity is something that must be constantly on one's mind and maintained.

The author maintains that many of the reasons given by believers (collectively as "the Church") for reserving sex for marriage are actually quite inadequate. She dedicates two whole chapters highlighting the misinformation we have today about sex: lies our culture tells about sex, and lies the church tells about sex.

This book is not an easy read; the author is well educated and it is evident within her writing. The book is gratifying in that she has an expansive vocabulary and she is willing to use it without second-guessing herself, which I feel presents her as she is, without a facade. The book is also organized as if it is a book of philosophy with each chapter building on the foundation laid by the next, so that in the end we are presented with a relatively flawless argument. However, like all philosophy, this book can be argued back and forth when discussed by the right philosopher. I am not argumentative and choose not to channel Descartes in my discussion of this book.

What I find refreshing is that Ms. Winner chooses not to base her argument on the writings of Paul, because of the ambiguity of the translation of the original Greek which is highly debated in many churches. Paul's writings augment her argument, but the foundation lies in the Old Testament and God's vision for what married life should look like, instead of Paul's tendency to promote proper moral behavior with less emphasis on a rightly-ordered sexual life within a spiritual journey. Throughout the book, and specifically in chapter 7, the author discusses the idea of sex within marriage and chastity outside of marriage as a spiritual discipline, which are on the same level as training yourself to do daily devotions, prayer, learning forgiveness or mercy, worship, and fasting.

Another interesting topic is the idea that sex is not a private event. Sex leads to parenthood, which is where the future generation learns to interact with society. It is the basis for all our cultures and societies, therefore everyone has a responsibility to society to make good choices regarding sex and to be held accountable for their actions by those who are affected by the society or culture (everyone). In this way, chastity becomes a civic duty and a lifestyle, in the same way that marriage is viewed communally and as a lifestyle.

I would recommend this book to anyone with questions about the morality of sex, anyone who is tired of "the Church's" pat answers about why sex is wrong, and anyone interested in a look at sexual ethics from an educational, rather than religious, standpoint.

The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield

Although a modern novel, this book seems to be styled after the 19th century gothic novels that are mentioned in its pages. It really reads like one of the old classics, and I wonder why it is not yet a movie.

The plot is somewhat complicated, but is this: Margaret Lea works in a second-hand bookshop owned by her father and has known books all her life. However, she's never dealt with modern fiction, so she is surprised when a famous author contacts her to be her biographer. Adding to the surprise is that every newspaper interviewer who has asked about her life is given a different story, and questions arise about why the author has decided finally to share her story.

This author, Vida Winter, is known for publishing a book of twelve re-fashioned fairy tales, however in the original publication the title of the book problaimed it to be thirteen. Ever since then, the public has wondered about the thirteenth tale.

If the thirteenth tale is actually the story of her early life, then it involves death in childbirth, grief, incest, illegitimate-or-maybe-not children, rape, a ghost, a governess, a mansion in decay, more death, more illegitimate children, and a horrible fire. I'd love to share more, but I don't think I can without spoilers. The story is very intriguing, and while the reader may always have some kind of guess as to where the author is going with the plot, the author is always one step ahead, and merely leading you to be just where she wants you. At the same time that Margaret Lea has an "AHA" moment, the reader also has one, or perhaps a few moments later. All the pieces suddenly come together, and you realize the clues have been there all along, throughout the entire story, but you have no idea why you didn't piece it together before this.

It was quite a fascinating read, and I would suggest it to anyone who likes a good plot, a good ghost story, 19th century literature, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, or anything written by Austen or a Bronte for that matter.

Go Ask Alice

Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous

This book is the published version of a teenage girl's diary. At age 15, she went to a party, and was handed a can of cola. Unbeknown to her, 10 out of 14 of the sodas had been laced with LSD. In a sort of Russian roulette drinking game, she was unwittingly sent into an addictive, dangerous lifestyle.

The book's language and cultural references indicate the girl was probably writing during the 60s, but most references to people and places have been omitted or changed to protect anonymity. The person who recommended it to me indicated that it should be read by every teenager to keep them off drugs.

In some sense, I agree with this assessment. The author described in vivid detail what the drug trips are like for several different substances, as well as the vivid details of what happens when you get a bad batch of drugs and the trips become nightmares. She also captures quite accurately what life is like as a teenager, with the constant desire to fit in, and the fear that the kids will not like you, and when you go against the grain, the all-out war against you.

In some places, the book is quite depressing, but it is wonderful to see her pulling herself out of her ditch and taking steps to quit (several times). I had the thought that all that stuff could not possibly happen to one person and perhaps the book was actually a compilation of stories as a way to scare kids away from the drug scene before they ever enter it. However, if it is, the book is flawlessly written with one voice and is extremely well done. If not, and all that stuff did happen to one person in a little over a year, and she wrote as if it was a commonplace thing happening all over America, then I suppose in some ways it is a social commentary on life in the 60s. I am not saying all that stuff does not happen today, but I feel with inflation and today's economy, the affordable drugs are the tamest drugs, and kids only become pothead high school dropouts trying for a GED so they can flip hamburgers, instead of strung-out homeless crack whores.

That being said, drugs are still bad, and a real threat in today's society. I think that my kids will be required to read this... after they are old enough to have heard all the curse words. I forgot to mention, there should be a warning about language somewhere in this entry. I recommend this book to any optimist who will not be dragged too severely down by some of the entries, any person, specifically teens, who might be interested in learning what the drug scene is really like, and anyone who would like to see what the sixties were like. Do not read this book if you are currently depressed or taking antidepressants.

The Boleyn Inheritance

The Boleyn Inheritance, by Philippa Gregory

This book is about two of the wives of Henry VIII. It begins with Anne of Cleves, wife number 4, and depicts his dislike of her, his interest in one of her maids-in-waiting, the trial against her, his marriage to Katherine Howard, and the eventual downfall of Katherine as well.

In the Author's Note at the end, we are told that these two Queens are the ones historians know the least about, and I assume that this is why it is easier to write a novel about them instead of one of the other Queens. I know for my own writings, I would prefer to make my own story instead of trying to be a fiction writer conforming to an actual, non-fiction person. However, references are made to other historical figures about whom historians know quite a lot: the characters essentially tell the stories of Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Seymour (Henry's the first three wives). Because I'm at the end of my "historical novel phase," I got the idea from this book that it would be unnecessary for me to read the author's book, "The Other Boleyn Girl" because I got the gist of the story from this one, and I was glad because I'm tired of reading historical novels.

I thought this book was one of the have-trouble-putting-down types, but I think the author knew that, and was kind enough to insert a few episodes here and there which felt "conclusive" enough to put the book down long enough to eat, shower, and get other things done.

I found myself identifying a lot with Anne of Cleves, not really because I am German and a Protestant, but because I think that if I were in her place, I would have made many of the same choices she made. In the end, she was the lady of two estates, living as a single woman in the 16th century, which is quite remarkable. That being said, I am quite glad I live in a country with no monarchy, no one trying to place themselves in a position closer to the throne through marriage or accusations. I am very glad we change leaders every 4 or 8 years, and very glad that, usually, the common people choose who leads.

The plot and language of the book are gripping. The author does not go overboard on descriptions, but does not leave the reader in the dark about things either. Some of the scenes appeared to be repetitive, although I assumed this was because the book was written from three different perspectives (Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, Jane Boleyn) and therefore the same event could be seen by three different eyes. For the most part, however, once an event occurs, the plot moves forward when the next chapter shifts to another character, instead of staying on the same event.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical English politics, or in the stories of any of the first 5 wives of Henry VIII.

In the Company of the Courtesan

In the Company of the Courtesan, by Sarah Dunant

As you can tell from the title, this book is about a successful courtesan, Fiammetta, and her loyal dwarf Bucino. The story begins in 1527 with the sack of Rome by Charles III, the Duke of Bourbon, in the name of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Fiammetta and Bucino lived in Rome at the time, and the first several pages depict their efforts to survive the war zone and escape. The events described, although from Bucino's point of view instead of third person, are roughly exactly as described in Wikipedia, with the names of actual historical figures appearing alongside the fictional characters created for the purpose of the book.

Bucino and Fiammetta escape to Venice, where they attempt to begin their lives again. While there, they meet or are influenced by more historical figures, such as the artist Titian, the writer Pietro Aretino, the architect Jacopo Sansovino, Niccolo Machiavelli, and the healer/witch Elena "La Draga" Crusichi. With the exception of the architect and Machiavelli, these characters play large parts in the plot of the story, and in the end, we discover Fiammetta to be the unknown courtesan who posed for Titian's "Venus of Urbino" which depicts nothing from Urbino at all, but the painting eventually was owned by the Duke of Urbino and received its title from him.

Because the story is written from the point of view of Bucino, this book is unique in that a "deformed" character is the hero. In many books and movies, the hero must be perfect in appearance and morals, unless of course he is an anti-hero, in which case he must be perfect in appearance but a complete jerk. Bucino is neither a jerk, nor perfect in appearance. He is business-like, and can be gruff when business demands it, and occasionally makes mistakes like any human, but on the whole I think that he is a great character, loyal to Fiammetta, and kind to everyone he meets until they give him a reason not to be kind.

I would be extremely interested in seeing this book turned into a movie, if only because there are so many great actors out there who are passed up for the main roles because their growth was stunted or they don't look like Hollywood expects people to look. The exception would be Martin Klebba, who became fairly well-known after Pirates of the Caribbean, but who has since starred in a few projects. But lets face it, there are too few movies out there with abnormal-appearing actors in the main character roles.

For a book about a courtesan, this book is surprising in that there are no sex scenes. Sure, there are some pretty specific descriptions of body parts, but after the first few times, the reader begins to realize that these parts are tools of the trade for the characters and to omit those references would be like a book about a construction worker that omitted any reference to a hammer and nails. In fact, one of the things I particularly like was that the author was often able to use crude descriptions and beautiful poetry within the same sentence. Bucino mentions that this is something Fiammetta is able to do, and says that it is in a way a reflection of herself, however I would venture to argue that it is more a description of the cities of Rome and Venice- beautiful sculpture and architecture, holy and pious cities, that are also known for their corruption and prostitution.

The plot of the book was somewhat rambling, but still entertaining, especially in the last half of the book. It is also interesting to note that all the little adventures or episodes that occur become more intertwined in the last third or quarter of the book, and as the plot progresses, you begin to see how everything actually was connected. I enjoy books like that, although I'm sure it never happens in real life (which is probably why I enjoy books like that).

All in all, I would recommend this book to adults who are interested in non-conventional characters, the history of Italy (specifically Venice), or who have an interest in art with a preference for Titian over, say the artists with Ninja Turtle namesakes.

The Illuminator

The Illuminator, by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

This book takes place in the late fourteenth century. I found it to be a transparent description of life in that era. In no way does it romanticize or idealize the exploitation of the people by those in power. The power that the church held over the people is maddening, as is the general treatment of the serfs. Many books avoid the gritty details; this is not one of them. I have to say though, that when I read a book I intend to escape for a little while. This book was no vacation, and at times it irritated me that the fourteenth century couldn't have been nicer.

The plot of the book intertwines the lives of actual historical characters with fictional characters. The author writes from several characters' points-of-view, so it is sometimes difficult to figure out just who the main character is. In the end, one can deduce that those still living must have been the main characters. Here is the gist of it: Lady Kathryn is a widow trying to hold onto her lands long enough for her oldest son to come of age and inherit them. Finn is an illuminator of holy manuscripts with a daughter roughly the same age as Kathryn's twin sons. Because of his daughter, he can't stay at the monastery while doing his work, which is just as well because he has had dealings with John Wycliff (the guy who translated the Bible into the common language). Side plots include the stories of Half-Tom the Dwarf and Julian the Anchoress of Norwich (Julian is an actual historical figure). About midway through the book all hell breaks loose for the characters involved, and it appears as if the evils of church and crown are going to triumph. It was at this point that I realized this book was intended to bring to light the events leading up to the Peasant's Revolt of 1381. When I stopped reading it as an historical romance and started reading it as historical fiction, the book began to make more sense.

Because I am mildly familiar with the historical events of the time period, there were some parts of the plot that did not surprise me. Also, because I have spent a lot of time analyzing the plots of fictional TV shows, movies, and books, there were a few created (non-historical) plot twists that did not surprise me. One in particular was Half-Tom's choice of a wife at the end. It was clear for a portion of the book which girl captured his eye however, even before they met, I had thought to myself, "I bet she and Half-Tom will find each other by the end of the book." And they did. Other parts of the plot seemed a little cliched as well: the identity of the priest's murderer, the way in which the blame was laid on the innocent non-murderer, the greedy, conniving and evil Sheriff of Notting- I mean... Norwich, who steals loyalties and tries to marry into more wealth.

A note about the language of the book: the author writes in a very descriptive language, however, it did not strike me as unique. The plot was entertaining enough to keep me reading, but I did not find myself thoroughly invested in the settings or the characters. In other words, the picture painted by the language of the book did not draw me into the story, but allowed me to stand outside and observe with interest.

All in all, I would recommend this book to adults with an interest in life in the fourteenth century and historical events involving the church and politics, as well as someone seeking a thought provoking discussion on what it means to have a meaningful religious life.

Outlander

Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon

My aunt loaned me this book, informing me that it was a must-read. Upon discovering that it is nearly 900 pages long, I put it on my shelf and avoided it for a long time. However, out of curiosity and some small measure of guilt, I finally worked up the courage to open the book, which turned out to be gripping and ended up taking me probably 60 hours to read (over the weekend).

The plot is gripping, if a little confusing. It is post-war 1945 and Claire, a war nurse, has reunited with her husband Frank, a genealogist, for a second honeymoon in Scotland, while he researches his ancestors, and she studies the local wildlife and herb-lore. While there, Claire hears some Scottish folk stories about fairies kidnapping people through invisible portals, the origins of Scotland, and of course, the Loch Ness monster.

While visiting a henge (a circle of upright stones whose purpose is still unknown to anthropologists today), she places her hand on a rock and is transported to the Scotland of 1743. While there, she becomes known for her healing powers (she knows what germs are), discovers the true identity of the Loch Ness "monster," meets a girl who also fell through the crack in time (from the year 1967), and learns what actually causes the "witch marks" on those who've been burned at the stake (I'd tell you, but I don't want to ruin the surprise).

Oh yeah, and she meets her husband's ancestor, gets forced into a marriage to the archenemy of said ancestor, falls in love with him by accident, kills some people with no idea of what kind of effect it might have on 1945, and in general messes with my head. Time travel drives me nuts. However, this book is not really science fiction, it falls more under the realm of fantasy and therefore requires less explanation on the details of the effects of time travel. Its not as hard to understand as, say, the plot of the Terminator movies. Any flaws in the logic can simply be explained away by the magic of the Wee Folk (fairies, pixies, elves, what-have-you).

Plot-wise, the book was incredibly entertaining, and having Scottish blood myself, I do have some loyalty to the culture and history of Scotland. I made an interesting discovery with this book. I dislike movies because I feel the plots are too short, and prefer TV shows because their plots are more drawn out. However, in books, I find I get irritated with long plots. So while it was incredibly entertaining, and would make an awesome TV show, I found myself wishing the book would end sooner. Some people may not be afflicted with this preference as I am, probably most people in fact, so this should not affect your decision to read the book.

One thing I noticed is that some of the scenes seem a bit disjointed and episodic. An explanation for this seems to be that the author (according to Wikipedia) writes them that way, and then arranges them into a coherent plot, rather than writing from beginning to end. Although this seems like a more economical way to use your time and imagination (working on parts you want to work on at the moment), I think that it is important to use some good transition work as well. An example would be something that happened frequently. Claire and her 1743 husband, Jaime, often have some quiet, intimate moments at night, in which they are standing together staring off into the sunset. In one moment, they are standing or sitting together and then suddenly Claire is sitting on a fence, without a mention of how she got there. It is a minor thing- the reader could take it as a compliment that the author assumes you have logical intelligence and do not have to be informed of every petty thing in order to follow a plot.

However, under these same lines, there were a few parts in which the author left things unclear which were not explained until a page later. Reading that, I would say, "Ohhhh!" and then go back a page to read it again and then suddenly that previous page made sense. In some cases, it was a conclusion one of the characters may have jumped to in which I did not follow that leap, and in other cases it might have been a statement I simply "didn't get." For the most part however, I generally didn't care if I "got it" or not, because the plot was good and I wanted to know what happened next, so I kept reading. Because of this, I'd imagine this book might be rated at a higher reading level than most books.

My last point (or possibly a warning) is that this book as a movie would be "PG-13" for most scenes, and then swing to "X" in others. The relatively benign excitement of some of the battle scenes and language are interspersed with scenes that are dramatically more mature. There are two attempted rape scenes, descriptions of an attempted rape that occurred to a character in the past, and a character's heartbreaking description of a homo-erotic torture scene in a dungeon. All other sexually-oriented scenes do occur in the marriage bed, so its not something entirely unGodly that a Christian would need to be warned about. However, the scenes do feel somewhat like voyeurism, so that is why I have decided on the warning anyway.

I would recommend this book to adults, including those who enjoy fantasy or time travel, who enjoy a good love story or historical fiction, who likes long books or has a whole weekend to kill, and who enjoys reading books in which the author presents explanations to common, unexplained phenomena using ancient folklore or vice versa. I didn't touch too much on that for spoiler reasons, but the author is quite clever at making everything connect in the end.

The Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action

The Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action, by Wendy Northcutt

Most people by now know about the Darwin Awards. Darwin's theories state that those organisms with superior physical or mental capabilities will survive to pass on their superior genes to the next generation. The Darwin Awards celebrate those individuals who support Darwin's theories by removing their dumb genes from the gene pool. Only those people who have successfully killed or castrated themselves through their stupidity are eligible for the award.

This book is a collection of the stories of yearly Darwin Award winners, as well as honorable mentions (those who have stupid accidents but are still capable of passing their genes along), personal accounts (stories from followers of the Darwin Awards who have to add their own two cents), and urban legends (stories of stupidity that have not been proven as truth).

It is an entertaining and somewhat morbid read, not a daunting length, and not challenging as far as the writing or reading level is concerned. I would recommend this book to anyone who revels in the justice of stupidity being rewarded by death, and anyone who is not turned off by gruesome or bloody tales.

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

As a story, this book is somewhat complex, with some foreshadow and a few jumps in the story line. However, its not as complex as some of the other classics and required high school readings. In a nutshell, the narrator is telling a story about a man who fell in love with a woman whose husband is cheating on her with another married woman. The shady morals are only hinted at as being wrong, but the overall message comes across as: when you screw around with the wrong kind of love, people die. Its kind of a morbid message to be sending to a high school English class, however there is a greater reason to use this book for educational purposes.

F. Scott Fitzgerald is a genius with the English language. His writing contains just enough sarcasm to suit my tastes, and yet appears to be an accurate image of the picture he is trying to portray. Take, for example, "the intimate revelations of young men or at least the terms in which they express them are usually plagiaristic." In many cases, the narrator does more than simply narrate. He uses words which are not neutral, which insert his own feelings into the story.

Also of note is the following metaphor: "The lawn started at the beach and ran toward the front door for a quarter of a mile, jumping over sun-dials and brick walks and burning gardens- finally when it reached the house drifting up the side in bright vines as though from the momentum of its run." Many authors today use descriptive language like, "the lawn was a brilliant emerald green, and the gardens" ...etc. It is rare to find an author using a metaphor to describe the setting, rather than 15 adjectives. This particular metaphor is fascinating for its movement. It is not a passive metaphor, and a lawn, which usually just sits there, is transformed into an active and living part of the setting.

While not using adjectives is refreshing, Mr. Fitzgerald's use of adjectives in other, surprising places is another reason I love this book. "And now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music." Yellow music? In some strange way, it really does tell you what kind of music is playing.

Rather than bore you with everything in the book that I underlined in fascination, I'll simply give you what I consider to be the author's crowning accomplishment: "Mr. Wolfshiem swallowed a new sentence he was starting and lapsed into a somnambulatory abstraction." If more authors were capable of using words like somnambulatory in a sentence, and more high schoolers were made to read things like this, our society would learn to quit using curse words and begin to actually express themselves (for real!). We'd have less people depressed and unable to share their emotions. We would have more potential, as a country, to do great things.

I recommend this book to everyone, especially those who feel they received a less-than-adequate high school education.

Every Woman, Every Day

Every Woman, Every Day, by Shannon Ethridge with Stephen Arterburn

This book is laid out in a 365-day format, so it took me a year to read. While I found Stephen Arterburn's other books and ideas mildly helpful, this book made my stomach turn. I did not get the impression that Shannon Ethridge grasped Mr. Arterburn's vision for his "Every" series of books. (If you are not aware, the "Every" series- Every Man's Battle, Every Young Man's Battle, etc- deals with issues of sexual purity.)

Some issues I had with the book is that I felt it was taking a step backward in terms of women's progress. I'll be honest, I am NOT a feminist in any way, however, I felt that the book emphasized women as doormats, regardless of the faults of the man, all the while, putting up a front that said, "Draw near to God and your sex life will be awesome if and when you have one."

In many cases, I felt that the statements in the book were presented as fact, without supporting statements proving them as fact. The book seems to assume that any reader has already read the Bible cover-to-cover, understands it like a theologian AND is willing to accept it unquestioningly as God's law for his people. Very few people fit into all three of those requirements. Any explanation of the Biblical references, such as Paul's original Greek words and how they were translated into English, is not supported with any reference to source material.

Also, there are a few statements that do not seem to be supported Biblically in anyway, such as the statement that a married woman has "traded away all her rights and freedoms" in order to marry. This statement is not Biblical as I have been taught to understand the Bible. Yes, women submit to their husbands, but they still have a power and a freedom all their own, which is demonstrated very vividly in Proverbs 31, as well as in the character studies of Ruth, Esther, and many of the women of the Bible.

There is at least one reference that I found to be somewhat racist. "She doesn't dress to seek male attention, but she doesn't limit herself to a wardrobe of ankle-length muu-muus, either." To me, this implies that the first part of the sentence is one end of the extreme, and the second part of the sentence is the other end of the extreme- that muu-muus are not attractive enough to catch the eye of a man. It gives the wrong impression of the Hawaiian culture, and is just plain incorrect anyway. Type "muu-muu" into a Google Images search engine, and you will find plenty of beautiful women in loose-fitting dresses. You will even find Angelina Jolie, whose dress stood out at the SAG awards (and was ridiculed behind her back) for its inability to display her hips and yet, will you take a look at the gawker? She clearly has a man's attention:

I also took issue with the book's attempt at science, with the claim that masturbation "can warp the brain's hardware." Masturbation destroys neurons?? Seriously? And you aren't going to back it up with any reference to a medical journal?

I'm trying to go through the references I took issue with chronologically, and I've only gotten to August 5, which seems to imply that men are too dense to understand the basic differences between men and women. I felt that the book made broad generalizations about men and women, without taking into account that there are often cases where a woman is wired differently than most women, or men are wired differently than most other men. The result appears to be degrading to both sexes. Although I continued reading to the end, I think August 5 is a good place to stop this review.

To be perfectly fair to the book, I will admit that every day's reading was taken from one of the other "Every Woman" books, and its meaning could be obscured purely because it was taken out of context. However if that is the case then there is absolutely no reason for this book to exist. I would need to read the other books to understand fully what is meant by each day's reading.

If you must read an "Every Woman" book, I do not recommend this one to anyone. Since most of the statements I took issue with came from "Every Heart Restored," that one may or may not be recommendable either. Like I said, I would have to see how the paragraph is used within the context of the book.

Prophet

Prophet, by Frank Peretti

Although this is an excellent book, I don't think that this is the author's best work. I know that he is capable of some pretty gripping plot lines and action scenes, and I felt that this book fell short of his other works. I struggled to continue reading for the first few chapters, and part of that was due to the fact that although I thought, "Peretti book = great book," another part of me said, "Ahhh!! He's using the A word!!" The A word stands for abortion.

The plot is this: The main character, John, is a news anchor. He and another reporter uncover a government scandal and reveal what a scumbag the governor is. They also uncover who killed John's father and make discoveries about family and God. My problem is that the government scandal could have been anything, but it was regarding an abortion. Don't get me wrong, I believe firmly that abortion is murder. However, I don't want to read about it, I avoid politics in general (any topic), and I don't think that people in the entertainment industry should be using their positions for things other than entertainment.

To be fair to Mr. Peretti, I will acknowledge that this book's message had to do with the privacy laws allowing minors to get abortions without parental consent. Because a minor is often incapable of making quality decisions, there is the opportunity to choose a clinic with low quality standards, inexperienced or unlicensed staff, or other qualities that might endanger the safety of the procedure. While this is a valid concern, the book was written nearly 20 years ago, and its message may have been important at the time it was written.

However, in the 20 years since the book was written, times have changed. People are willing to sue the pants off a McDonald's because they sell hot coffee. A doctor who botches an abortion? Serious trouble because of the willingness of people to sue. According to the Harvard Medical School, less than one out of 100,000 abortions ends in the death of the mother, which comes out to less than 13 deaths a year. Thanks to people's stupidity, greed, and frivolous lawsuits, our nation's pregnant teenagers can murder their children in safety.

Yes, that was a little bit of sarcasm at the state of the world now compared to how it was when this book was written (I was in first grade, and it was easier back then). To return to the topic of the book, rather than politics, I feel that Mr. Peretti's mission in writing the book was skillfully accomplished. He DID get me, the reader, thinking, talking, and researching the topic of abortion, and that I think was the reason he wrote it.

In addition, he emphasized, or the character of John emphasized, the importance of telling the truth. John's career was compromised because he told the truth, and in some ways, I wonder if the author felt the same way in writing this book. He was telling the truth about a controversial subject, risking his reputation as a writer. 20 years later, he's still writing awesome books, so I think we can safely say that the truth was the right story to tell.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good murder mystery, courtroom drama, or anyone interested in a behind-the-scenes look at the news/television industry. Also, there's a good side story about John's family, so I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in supernatural occurances, or patching up a broken relationship.