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SeaStar
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| Posted: May 12 2015 at 4:24pm | IP Logged
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Erin wrote:
Melinda
Hey you read Spoonful of Sugar  what did you think?
Haven't got far in my String and Tuppence as dh grabbed it and has been reading, he just finished it last night. |
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Are you kidding- I loved it! It was fascinating to read about the families she helped and who she worked for. I wonder what the real deal was with Suzanna's family; she stayed there 15 years. I am scheming ways now to get the sequel (library doesn't have it 
But I did just finish reading Organic: A Journalist's Quest, which was very eye-opening, to say the least.
The basic premise of this book is that the writer bought a bag of organic walnuts at Trader Joe's that were rancid. The bag said product of Kazakhstan. Since he had been a political journalist in that region of the world, he highly doubted that the walnuts were 1) from there or 2) organic. So he started investigating ( the walnuts and also a can of organic beans from Bolivia).
Interestingly, TJ's refused to help this guy in any way other than give him a new bag of nuts (nonorganic and from CA). The company would not discuss the origin of its food, and neither would the company that certified the nuts as organic (paid by TJ's to certify them).
It is really mind-boggling the corporate run-around TJ's gave this guy.
Also, I did not realize that TJ's house brands (ex. the TJ's pita chips) are really made by a big name company (GM or Kraft, I think) and just relabeled with the TJ label. Hmm....
I did not realize that items labeled organic can have up to 5% nonorganic ingredients mixed in and was pretty sad to read that until a couple of years ago, organic apples were legally treated with tetracycline to slow mold growth. It's not legal anymore to do that.
This book is a pretty intense look at the organic system... are you really getting what you pay for?
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Booksnbabes
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| Posted: May 13 2015 at 1:02pm | IP Logged
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That one sounds really interesting, Melinda!
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Booksnbabes
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| Posted: May 13 2015 at 1:12pm | IP Logged
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I finished the latest Maisie Dobbs book, A Dangerous Place. This one is less about the mystery and more about Maisie's personal emotional healing. I was pleased that it put marriage and family in a better light than some of the earlier books.
I also finished the Odd Thomas series with Saint Odd. I love this series, and the final book is no exception. It wasn't my favorite of the series, but it was very good. I laughed, I cried--I'm sorry the series is over. However, I am glad Koontz did not try to do more with it than he did. He knew when to quit, and that is a good thing.
Yesterday I read The Jeweler's Shop. I enjoyed the first and second acts better than the final act, but overall it was very good. Saint Pope John Paul II was an amazing individual.
For YA literature I recently read Rain Reign. It was from the perspective of an autistic child and deals with the child losing her beloved dog and dealing with a difficult home life. I found it well-written and interesting.
I also read Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms which was another very interesting read. I'm not even sure how to describe this one as an outline of the plot--a girl who has been raised in Africa with a lot of freedom to run is sent to a boarding school in England after her father passes away and her guardian marries (the guardian's new wife is not a nice person, the evil stepmother if you will). The adjustment does not go smoothly, but she finds strength in the kindness of a few. One of the strongest things about this book is its voice--definitely unique! There is occasional swearing. I would not say it is a book for the preteens as stated in it's description, but that's a parental judgement call. There was the same love for Africa in it that I felt when reading Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books.
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MarilynW
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| Posted: May 18 2015 at 7:50pm | IP Logged
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SeaStar wrote:
Just finished The War That Saved My Life. I saw it displayed in the children's section of the library and took it home. It is labeled as young adult, but I more adult/older teens.
I read it in two days because I could not stop reading it.
But warning: the first few pages are very, very hard to read, IMO... so terribly sad. After that- wonderful. I just take for granted that all kids are loved and cared for. I can't imagine how some children live. But after reading this book, and A Spoonful of Sugar, I can see that very ordinary thing: clean clothes, love, a smile, kind words, basic health care, are not really very ordinary at all. |
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I read this in one evening. Incredible book. Really hard to read sometimes. My 3 teens have already read it (including twin boys who don't read quickly - finished it in a few hours) I think the hardest part for me was the bit at the end before the better bit at the end, when both kids had to hear what their mother said. (trying not to give spoilers here)
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4 lads mom
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I’m wondering if that book would be good for WWII studies? I have an almost 14 year old who is moving through that time period. It sounds like a compelling but oh so sad story.
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SeaStar
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4 lads mom wrote:
| I’m wondering if that book would be good for WWII studies? I have an almost 14 year old who is moving through that time period. It sounds like a compelling but oh so sad story. |
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Definitely would be good for that! You might want to pre-read the first few pages... they were incredibly sad. Also, one of the main characters is mourning the death of her friend... the book doesn't say it in so many words, but they might have been more than friends... just a heads up there.
But the book is very rich in detail about life during WWII and it does have a happy ending.
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MarilynW
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| Posted: May 19 2015 at 10:39am | IP Logged
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SeaStar wrote:
4 lads mom wrote:
| I’m wondering if that book would be good for WWII studies? I have an almost 14 year old who is moving through that time period. It sounds like a compelling but oh so sad story. |
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Definitely would be good for that! You might want to pre-read the first few pages... they were incredibly sad. Also, one of the main characters is mourning the death of her friend... the book doesn't say it in so many words, but they might have been more than friends... just a heads up there.
But the book is very rich in detail about life during WWII and it does have a happy ending. |
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Hmm - I did wonder about the "friend" situation but preferred not to think about it as the book is good. I thought maybe she went against the grain in getting an education and not getting married.
As well as the first few pages - I think just before the end is incredibly sad too - not sure that my 11 year old would handle that or the "cabinet" details - so would not let him read it.
I was scared that this was going to be like the Goodnight Mr Tom story. Someone had recommended the movie when we were doing our WW2 unit. We started watching it and it made me physically sick, and I quit it...
But this book is not like that.
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MarilynW
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| Posted: May 19 2015 at 10:43am | IP Logged
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SeaStar wrote:
But I did just finish reading Organic: A Journalist's Quest, which was very eye-opening, to say the least.
The basic premise of this book is that the writer bought a bag of organic walnuts at Trader Joe's that were rancid. The bag said product of Kazakhstan. Since he had been a political journalist in that region of the world, he highly doubted that the walnuts were 1) from there or 2) organic. So he started investigating ( the walnuts and also a can of organic beans from Bolivia).
Interestingly, TJ's refused to help this guy in any way other than give him a new bag of nuts (nonorganic and from CA). The company would not discuss the origin of its food, and neither would the company that certified the nuts as organic (paid by TJ's to certify them).
It is really mind-boggling the corporate run-around TJ's gave this guy.
Also, I did not realize that TJ's house brands (ex. the TJ's pita chips) are really made by a big name company (GM or Kraft, I think) and just relabeled with the TJ label. Hmm....
I did not realize that items labeled organic can have up to 5% nonorganic ingredients mixed in and was pretty sad to read that until a couple of years ago, organic apples were legally treated with tetracycline to slow mold growth. It's not legal anymore to do that.
This book is a pretty intense look at the organic system... are you really getting what you pay for?
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I have this book and am going to start reading it. Sad because TJs is one my favorite stores, and this is going to show another side of them. Funny thin is that for years my dad has been telling us to be careful of organic food and not overpaying for food that is not reliably certified. When I got the book I showed it to him so that he could chuckle that he was right!!
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4 lads mom
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| Posted: May 19 2015 at 12:01pm | IP Logged
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Oh goodness, I need to hang out here more often, eye opening stuff!! 
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stefoodie
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| Posted: May 19 2015 at 4:29pm | IP Logged
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I just finished reading Anthony Esolen's Life Under Compulsion which we will now use as a spine for my incoming freshie.
I badly need to read something light, but don't know what. 
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4 lads mom
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| Posted: May 19 2015 at 4:35pm | IP Logged
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Oh, do share, Stef, how that is going to look....I am determined to get that book this weekend. ;)
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MarilynW
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I LOVED your review Stef. This was going to be my beach read but I now I want to read it sooner. I sent your review to my local homeschooling groups.
I loved his "Destroying the Imagination of your child" book - every sentence gave me pause for thought. This looks like it will be fantastic too.
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MarilynW
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| Posted: May 19 2015 at 6:12pm | IP Logged
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I would love to have a discussion on the Esolen book over the summer - any body up for cyber discussion?
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SeaStar
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| Posted: May 19 2015 at 6:46pm | IP Logged
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Sure- I am in.
At the grocery store yesterday I picked up a bag of frozen organic spinach... checked the label and it was a "Product of Turkey". Really??? We don't grow organic spinach here? I put it back.
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Booksnbabes
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| Posted: May 20 2015 at 10:00am | IP Logged
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I'd be up for a summer book discussion!
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stefoodie
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I'd love to have a summer book discussion on Esolen's book!! The only thing is, there are so many things in it that make me just want to cry. But maybe the book discussion will give me a better perspective 
4ladsmom, our plan is quite simple. Read the book together, discuss, go on rabbit trails if we want to. We'll just take it easy and take as much or as little time as we want with each chapter. I may assign specific books that Anthony Esolen quotes from or talks about, if I feel like there's a need to "go there" with my child. If I happen to put together a more detailed plan  I'll be sure to share!
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MarilynW
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Stef - is the book depressing?
Yesterday I had a mom in my homeschooling book comment that she thought that the Imagination book was depressing and unchristian because of the lack of hope in it. Whilst I am not a huge fan of satire, I like the book and found it quite thought provoking and also inspiring.
Is the new book written in the same ironic style? Does it lack hope?
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stefoodie
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It's depressing in the sense that he sees things very much like I do (people say I can get depressing or alarmist sometimes) -- if you're aware of what's going on, then there isn't much there he says that you don't already know. But you know how he gives examples of this and that, and he tells you how things used to be, and how things are now, and you kinda just wanna go WAAAAHHHHHH at the things we've lost as individuals, as families, as a nation... that type of thing.
I don't think it's unchristian at all, no. But I can see why your friend would say there's a lack of hope. I see it more of a "This is how things are. If we don't do anything about it, then things are going to get worse." Since we're homeschoolers, I think we're already doing something, everything we can do to turn back the culture. So in that sense, it has as much hope as you want to put into it. Does that help? I do wish more people would read his books.
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SeaStar wrote:
At the grocery store yesterday I picked up a bag of frozen organic spinach... checked the label and it was a "Product of Turkey". Really??? We don't grow organic spinach here? I put it back.
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What?? Sigh.
Thank God for local farmers. I'm trying to grow spinach right now but I forget where I planted it so I'm just checking all the spots I might have put it every day. But at least my salad (mixed lettuces) is up!!
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MarilynW
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Thanks Stef - I am probably like you - I don't see it as hopeless - I see it as a chance to sound the alarm and try to change things!
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4Real Forums : Book Club
Topic: Book List 2015
