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MicheleB
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| Posted: Sept 26 2011 at 6:49am | IP Logged
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SuzanneG wrote:
Erin~
St. John Vianney was a young boy during the French Revolution. If I remember correctly, the Vision book about him touches on this at the beginning..... |
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I am trying to choose between the St. John Vianney book by Vision and the book by Mary Fabyan Windeatt. I think one book is recommended for 5th grade and one for 7th; dd is in 6th. Are the depictions in either book about his dealings with the d*v*l disturbing to children? Thanks 
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Sept 26 2011 at 7:11am | IP Logged
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MicheleB wrote:
SuzanneG wrote:
Erin~
St. John Vianney was a young boy during the French Revolution. If I remember correctly, the Vision book about him touches on this at the beginning..... |
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I am trying to choose between the St. John Vianney book by Vision and the book by Mary Fabyan Windeatt. I think one book is recommended for 5th grade and one for 7th; dd is in 6th. Are the depictions in either book about his dealings with the d*v*l disturbing to children? Thanks
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I can't remember the particulars of either book's depiction of St. John Vianney's encounters with the devil, Michele, but I much prefer the writing style and content in the Vision books.
One way I've handled a book that might have some content that may have an effect on my sensitive children is to pre-read/skim it. (By the way, my children, who can be quite sensitive about some things, are not sensitive on this topic. It can sometimes be very helpful to a child to let them know that the devil is still alive and well, and prowling about seeking the ruin of souls. Often, we hear messages to the contrary.) Then, rather than having the student read it independently, I read it aloud. I may skip a bit, or reword a small amount.
We spent an entire year and a half delightfully enjoying our Vision books read aloud, and they prompted some of our most wonderful discussions. I'd read a chapter while the big kids cleaned up after lunch (at the time, big kids were 8th and 4th grade). They were a captive audience, but the writing style in the Vision books is quite captivating all by itself! I have tucked away the memories of that time as some of my favorites (hope I don't sound too sappy!  )
I know this doesn't answer your particular question and I hope someone that remembers better can help you with this....just wanted to offer a preference for the Vision books overall.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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MicheleB
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| Posted: Sept 26 2011 at 7:17am | IP Logged
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Thank you, Jen! I am not overly worried about the depictions of the devil, just curious.
I have been having a difficult time choosing between the Vision and Windeatt series. dd10almost 11 has recently read the Vision Thomas More and the Windeatt Rose of Lima with her history studies. I've been wondering which series is deeper, richer, better over all. So thank you!
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Erin
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| Posted: Sept 26 2011 at 7:37am | IP Logged
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We always choose the Vision over the Mary Fabyan Windeatt books. The Vision books portray the character really well. MFW is more a plot outline.
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Erin
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Sept 26 2011 at 7:46am | IP Logged
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Ok...thought I'd take just a few minutes to grab both copies of the book from my shelf to give you some specific passages to consider.
Vision - The last chapter is entitled "Temptations". There are many descriptions of the devil's attempts to tempt and frighten the Cure, but none are described too vividly so as to be disturbing, or at least I did not think so. Here is an excerpt:
Quote:
| One night he was awakened by a dreadful din that seemed to come from the yard outside the window. It was as if a pack of howling wolves had gathered there. He hurried over, but the light of his lantern, held out the window, revealed only an empty yard. Once, his bed was moved across the room. Once, the curtains were torn from their posts. One night he awakened to find them burned to ashes. |
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Mary Fabyan Windeatt - the stories of the temptations are interwoven more chronologically in this book than in the Vision book, and they're told in the first person, from St. Jean-Marie Vianney's point of view. In reading them, I could see how these accounts might be a little scarier, even though, this book is supposed to be more appropriate for youngers. An excerpt:
Quote:
Then, on a night when a heavy snowfall had blanketed Ars in spotless white, things came to a climax. Around midnight I was awakened by an unusual tumult in the front yard. It seemed as though an army were pitching camp there. Such shouting! Such confusion! Why, it was enough to waken the dead!
"But how strange!" I told myself. "I can't understand a word that these newcomers are saying."
My heart in my mouth, I crept downstairs. Surely Anthony and John must be aware of what was happening? My friends on guard in the church tower? Then why didn't they come to investigate?
At the front door I hesitated, breathing a short prayer for help. Then I turned the key, pushed back the bolt and threw open the door. But even as I did so, the blood froze in my veins. Why, there was no one in the front yard at all! The snowy surface was smooth and untrampled! And yet....and yet the tumult of a foreign army pitching camp there was as loud as ever...
In my great terror I could not utter a single sound. All I could do was stare and tremble on the threshold like a man bereft of his senses. Yet after a while my mind did start to work.
"It's the Devil and his angels who are making all this commotion," I told myself fearfully. (...) |
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Hopefully that gives you some sense of the differences in the two books for your consideration, Michele.
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Jen Mackintosh
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MicheleB
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Thank you both for your answers! I probably should have started a new thread to compare the two.  The differences between passages you used to illustrate do surprise me. I think I will stick with the Vision books. But we will probably go ahead and read the MFW books I already have, Blessed Marie of New France and de Montford. Thank you so much!
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JennGM
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I'm like Jen, I prefer the Vision at any time. I only have a few Windeatt titles, and really don't plan on using them or acquiring more.
To add one more recommendation for Cure d'Ars, Newmann Press has reprinted The Man Who Fought the Devil by Eva K. Betz.
Librovox recording
I haven't reread as an adult, so I don't know remember the "scariness" of the devil, but I do remember how much I enjoyed the book, and how much has remained with me. Deep impressions!
Anything by Eva K. Betz I would totally endorse. As an author she writes very exciting living books.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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MicheleB
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| Posted: Sept 26 2011 at 1:26pm | IP Logged
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Thank you! We love listening to librivox here - well, when there is a good reader! I hope I didn't sound reluctant to teach my children that the devil is dangerous, but I never want them to be fascinated, KWIM? Obviously a saint overcoming the devil would be a positive example for them!
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Nov 04 2011 at 12:38pm | IP Logged
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Adding another book for our collection of French Revolution resources:
The Fall of the Bastille by Kitty Benedict. (5th grade +) - Recounts the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 which was one of the first acts of the French Revolution.
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Jen Mackintosh
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SuzanneG
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There is a movie out on DVD now, War of the Vendee that I haven't seen yet, but wanted to link here before I forgot.
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Suzanne in ID
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MaryM
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SuzanneG wrote:
There is a movie out on DVD now, War of the Vendee that I haven't seen yet, but wanted to link here before I forgot.
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I haven't seen it but but my daughter did with a group of the local teens. I think they liked the story pretty well, but I did hear it was a bit hard to follow in a way. It is an all youth cast and there is really no attempt to make them "older" by costuming or makeup so it is confusing to have young people playing older parts but they don't seem older and gandparents can be "younger" than the granchild, etc.
ETA: And I see that Fr. Z addresses the youth actor issue in the review he wrote.
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Mary M. in Denver
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4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Topic: Books for the French Revolution
