END OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION

I am sorry, we will not celebrating our reading project tomorrow, December 28 at planned.

We will celebrate instead on Monday January 10, 2011 at 6 pm.

The library will provide a sandwich buffet and door prizes.

You will be invited to share a few of your favorite reads from the year and to reflect back on what you learned about yourself in recording what you reading.

I want to hear from you about how useful the blog was and to share a new idea – Shelfai as a way of sharing books.

Hope to see you on the 10th and bring a friend.

Elaine

WOW! The girl with the dragon tattoo

Wow is right! What a page turner. Mystery, suspense is all in this book. I am not going to give even a teaser because it could ruin the story. It is a bit graphic and has some rough language. The second book (The girl who played with fire) is even better (if you can believe that) than the first. I don't want the book to end. I am relieved there is another book in this series (The girl that kicked the hornets nest) Mr. Steig Larsson is the author of these exciting books. Check out the library website to put your name on hold for them TODAY! And hold on, YIKES is the word!

Stepping Into The Sunlight

Author Sharon Hinck has written a book that captures the reader and gives them an insight into post traumatic stress.

I think this book has been beautifully written. A story about a woman who has faced death, whose husband has been deployed, who has become a temporary single mother, has to face the nightmares of a near death experience and questions where God is in the midst of her world that is caving in.

I had a hard time putting this book down and the lessons on trust and faith and what they mean when bad things happen to good people are valuable.

Have a Little Faith

This book by Mitch Albom is a gem. It has quickly become one of my very favorites and I believe I will read this book every year.

Have a Little Faith is a book about two very different men. One, a Rabbi, who has asked the author to give his eulogy at his funeral. The other man, just a man who is seeking God in the midst of pain and suffering. Neither of the men know (or knew each other) but both men had a huge impact on the author.

This book was fantastic!

A Few More

The Husband Habit by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
I love this book. The main character is a chef and as she described what she saw or felt it was always in terms of food and it made my mouth water...but besides that it was a good read.

Candles on Bay Street by KC McKinnon
This was a good read as well.

The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
This book was fabulous and beautiful! I didn't want this to be over. I was intrigued by all the characters and did not see the end coming! I will read this again!

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
I do not ever want to be in a blizzard (or an entire winter) like this ever. It was a relief when spring finally came.

Too Many To Write About

I have read too many books to write about them all in detail. So I will just give a rating for each book: 1 being don't even try to 5 being absolutley worth it!

That Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers Rating: 5
Gap Creek: The Story of Marriage by Robert Morgan Rating: 5+ (This book is a total must)
Unafraid by Francine Rivers Rating: 3
Dear John by Nicolas Sparks Rating: 2.5
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket Rating: 4
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle Rating: 3.5 or 4
Harry Potter and the Order if the Phoenix by JK Rowling Rating:4.5
Sisterchicks in Gondolas by Robin Jones Gunn Rating:4
No One Noticed the Cat by Anne McCaffrey Rating:4.5
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (read this with my 6 year old) Rating:4

If you have any questions about any of these, feel free to ask!

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

This book is about the earth in the future, when all sadness is engineered out of society. Below is my post for the book club (although this was my own choosing, not on the book club list).

I really enjoyed this book. The first chapter especially was a little creepy when they were describing how they engineer society, but beyond that the story was very interesting. The idea of a "happy" society that has no troubles or cares sounds nice, until you realize that they have all lost their free will. Being engineered to a certain class, trained up from birth to like what you do, and being drugged to continue to think there is nothing wrong with that. It's very interesting.

I thought the contrast between Lenina, Bernard, Helmholtz, John (the Savage), and Mustapha Mond was interesting. They represented the different people in the society, the different levels to which they fit into that society. Lenina represented the majority of people, going along with what they had been taught, not wanting to see any of the bad, and willing to take "holidays" as often as possible. Bernard and Helmholtz were on the fringe, having minds and ideas of their own, not wanting to just go along with everyone else. The difference, however, between Bernard and Helmholtz is that Bernard, I think, was just tired of not fitting in, being made fun of and spoken of negatively, and used that as an excuse to be a renegade, whereas Helmholtz truly did not go along with society and was not afraid to speak out and be different. He didn't care that he didn't fit it. I think deep down, Bernard really just wanted to be like everyone else and was upset that he wasn't.

John was raised outside of the society, always dreaming of being a part of it. Since his mother was from the civilized world, but he was born as a savage, he was rejected by the people he grew up with. When he did make it in to civilized society, he found that he didn't want to be there. Because of the works of Shakespeare he had read, he thought civilized society was what it was before they all became happy and productive. John was looking for what the world used to be, when people had real feelings.

The character that surprised me the most was Mustapha Mond. He had the knowledge that Helmholtz and John had, but he declined the opportunity to go to an island to be with people like him in order to keep society the way it was. I thought that decision was intriguing.

Life as I Know It by Melanie Rose

This was the 2nd book I read for the book club. Better than the first, but still a little lacking. This book is about a woman named Jessica who is struck by lightening. When she wakes up in the hospital, she finds herself in another woman's body. As a single woman, Jessica has to adapt to being a wife and mother of 4 children. My impression:

This was an interesting book. Like "Something Borrowed" the ending was a little too convenient for my taste, but the story and the process that Jessica went through to grow as a person is worth discussing.

The question of God was brought up, but it didn't seem to be resolved. Jessica thinks that there is some sort of supreme being out there somewhere, but she's unclear as to how it operates, what involvement is has in our day-to-day lives. Jessica determines that her soul has been brought into Lauren's body because her family needs Lauren. There is no specific reference to how it happened, but it seemed to be determined that the children needed a mother so much that Jessica was brought into Lauren's life. But that seems to be where the explanation ends, there is no specific reference to Jessica finding God, or some deeper understanding of a supreme being, through the experience.

One aspect of the book that I really liked is that Jessica is able to enter into this family of strangers and become the mother to the four children. She recognizes their needs and is willing to make sacrifices in her life as Jessica in order to be a good mother to the children, and the genuine interest she takes in their lives.

One of the aspect of the book that I found very disappointing (and I am starting to get the feeling that many modern books are like this) was Jessica's relationship with Dan. It was superficially based on love at first sight, tingling feelings, and sex. I didn't see anything that made me feel that they learned about each other's characters or really knew anything about each other, other than a few historical facts.

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

I read this book as a part of an online book club I joined. It is about a woman who has an affair with her best friend's fiance. But she is the hero of the book and actually is the good guy in all of this. I'm sure the book jacket makes it sound much more interesting. Below is what I wrote about my impression of the book:

It only took me a couple of days to read this book, and it was interesting to read, I kept reading so much because I just wanted to find out what happened. However, I can't say that I really liked the story very much. The entire time, I kept thinking about how wrong everything was. I especially did not like the ending. It was a happy ending and everything, but then everything seemed to work out just right for everyone. A little too convenient.

I noticed at the end of the book that there is a sequel, the story's continuation told from the friend's point of view. I'm trying to decide if I should read it or not. I'm kind of interested to see what it's like, but at the same time I don't want to be disappointed.

(Since I wrote this, I decided that I definitely don't want to spend my time reading the next books. I don't think they would be worth the time it would take to read them, and I'm not convinced that they will prove to be better for my mind or soul than the first one was.)

The Last Sin Eater

This was a good one!

Set in the 1800's in the Appalachian mountains, a community of people place all their hope on the Sin Eater, a man who will come to their grave and eat their sins so they can have eternal life...and as he does this, he assumes their evil debt and accepts that he will go to hell for the sins of the community. Until...

This really was such a fabulous read by Francine Rivers. The children and the burden they carry. The sorrow of the community and the secrets that some would die for. I could not put this book down. And after everyone was in bed asleep, I would sit and read quietly out loud in my best Scottish accent.

I recommend this book!

The Finishing School

A small finishing school in Switzerland. Rich kids who believe they have the right to be there. A headmaster who is obsessed with writing a novel he cannot finish and a student who is able to get one finished. The headmaster's wife who does not love the man and is sure he is sleeping with other women. This is the beginning, the middle and the end.

Spoiled children, adultery and a final homosexual understanding.

I've heard that Murial Spark is a genius and I don't doubt it. I just don't get it.

By The Shores of Silver Lake

This book may so far be my favorite in the Little House series.

The Ingalls have moved to the Dakota Territory to make a go at a new land. The railroad really does change everything! Laura is now 13 and is in charge of the girls as Mary has gone blind. The responsibility and her mother's dream of Mary becoming a teacher has been shifted onto Laura and she reluctantly, yet silently, takes the lead just as her mother expects her to do.

This was a wonderful read. My daughter asked every night for another chapter and is excited to start the next one (after the 5th Harry Potter, of course).

My recommendation for all families is the read this series together. It really is quite wonderful.

The Wedding

Oh, how Nicholas Sparks does it again!!!

I loved The Notebook, the romance of Noah and Allie. And here we see Noah again, still very much in love with his wife who had died several years earlier. But this book is not about them, not entirely. It is the love story of their oldest daughter Kate and her husband of 30 years, Wilson.

It really was a wonderful read. I had it done in less than a day. I just couldn't put it down. And the third best part? No tragedy! Although I did have a few tears in by the second page, they only came as a result of a writer who knows how to spell out in words the deep love a husband has for his wife...even after 30 years.

Loved it!

Splitting Harriet

The preachers kid, who rebelled against everything her father taught and believed, was rescued. Eight years later, as she works at the church, lives in a mobile home retirement community, is a part time waitress and hangs around with people 40 years and older than her, Harri won't let go of who the bad girl was and where she would take her if she got out of the cage. So, she lives her life safe and predictable until a church consultant begins messing with her ministry, mind and heart.

This was a good book and forgiveness and what it means to actually let yourself be forgiven and live in that forgiveness. I think I like author Tamara Leigh.

On The Banks Of Plum Creek

As I go through the Little House series I am reminded of how easy I have it here in my life. No fires to make, bread to bake, curtains to sew and yet I am drawn into the lives of this family and wish that I could give my children the opportunities of life that the Ingalls had...even though it is hard and sometimes heart breaking.

The family has moved to Plum Creek from Indian Territory and are making their home on the vast prairie. They work hard through a hard winter and then watch their crops be eaten by grasshoppers, yet their faith and determination never falters. It'll be better next year, Caroline.

This is the book where readers are introduced to Nelly and Willy, to school with Mrs. Beetle and an adventure that seems to never end. And yet it is all told within a couple of years.

I am enjoying this series with my daughter.

Because of Winn Dixie

This story about India Opal and her first summer in a new place is wonderful. From the moment when she declares that Winn Dixie is her dog to when she and the preacher go searching for him, I could not put the book down. I love the story and the characters. Otis and his music, Amanda and pinched face and Ms. Franny Block and her books and stories make this book a must read!

I love this book by Kate DiCamillo. This is the third time I have read it. The first time by myself, the second with my then seven year old and now I have finished it with my five year old and I look forward to reading this one again. It is on the list of children's books that every adult should read.

Faking Grace

I loved the character, Grace, that Tarama Leigh gives in this delightful story about a woman struggling to build a career and do the right thing and then having to choose between the two. It is a dilemma that many people have to go through and I really did feel her being stretched between the two desires. The author did a fantastic job describing everything Grace felt while working in the soup kitchen and gave a picture of what a person feels when they are caught between faith and just letting go of what could be.

I liked this book so much that I picked up another one from this author - Splitting Harriet - and so far I am loving it!

Through Another Lens: My Years with Edward Weston by Charis Wilson

This is officially one of my favorite books. I learned early in life that I enjoy biographies, but then I discovered autobiographies and memoirs, which are much better. This memoir was written by Charis Wilson, the second wife of photographer Edward Weston.

I have read this book 2 times before, but I am now reading it with my husband who is a photographer. One of the things that I love about this book is that it can interest both me and my husband. The photography aspect interests him, while the writing really draws me into their story.

This story chronicles the approximately 11 years that Edward and Charis spent together. It not only tells their story of falling in love, sharing their lives, and eventually their growth apart that eventually led to their separation, but also gives insight into their photographic travels and the collaboration they shared. A good portion of the book details their Guggenheim trips, the first of which resulted in their book, California and the West (another book I would recommend.)

Charis Wilson is a wonderful story-teller who shares her innermost thoughts and feelings in this book. I highly recommend this book.

Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom

I saw this book by Julie Kenner at Savers and thought, "hmmm, that looks interesting." It was actually a good book; I laughed out loud and was totally sucked into the world of suburia and demons.

Kate Conner is a retired demon-hunter living a quiet life as a stay-at-home-mom, raising a teenage girl from her first marriage (Eric was killed) and a two year old little boy with her husband, Stuart, the lawyer seeking endorsements for his up coming campaign. It was in Wal-mart that she notices the first sign that she may be coming out of retirement, an old man with putrid breath. And there begins the adventure of saving the world while trying to put together a dinner party.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

This really is one of my favorite books of the series. Actually it is this one (#4) to the end that I love the most. What adventure! The Tri-Wizard tournament to me shows such great imagination. To go underwater? Wow! What a whole new world that opened up when you get to go into the lake at Hogwarts. And Voldemort creeps me out (but is it weird that I think he is a little attractive in the movie - except for his feet?), as does Wortail and the snake. Anyway, these are just fun reads!

I am reading through JK Rowling's Harry Potter series with my daughter. I like reading these books, I think she (my daughter) only wants to get through them so she can watch the movie. I know, I am a mean mom because I force the "READ IT FIRST AND THEN WATCH IT RULE." We read a Harry Potter book and then take a break with a Little House on the Prairie book from that series. It is good to go back and forth.

Redeeming Love

Francine Rivers took over my life for almost 4 days. I could not put this book down. My husband would come down stairs and ask if I would be coming to bed anytime soon.

This is the story of Hosea and Gomer. Micheal is a man driven to marry a prostitute, to rescue her from a life of worthlessness and will not stop to give her what she needs because he loves her so deeply. Angel is a prostitute who knows that she does not deserve to be rescued, but more than that, she believes that Michael deserves so much more than who she is or what she can possibly give to him.

This book is a fantastic read and one that will not be forgotten.

The Deep End of the Ocean

This novel made my heart hurt. It was wonderful and heart breaking and moving and so real. It is a story of a child being kidnapped, what happens to the remaining children and family in the wake of that nightmare. It is a story of a family who loves and hates and blames. It is a story of finding what was lost and learning the hard lesson things don't turn to complete joy when what you have prayed for for so long actually comes to be.

Jacquelyn Mitchard is a personal writer who knows how to get into your heart and soul. Her characters are so complex, so very real that it makes you think, "...this could be me..." and yet I prayed, please don't let this ever be me. I couldn't sleep for a couple of nights because the story is my deepest fear...losing a child and not knowing.

This was a good read. I am looking forward to another one of her books.

First Dawn

First Dawn opens a reader's eyes to the 1870's slaves that have been freed and are searching for a home of their own. With the promise of land and a town made up of "coloreds," families from Kentucky pay $5 for a plot of land and then move to Nicodemus, Kansas only to find that the promised town has not yet been built. The families have to figure out how to stay alive throughout the long cold winter.

A second story runs through the book of a white prominent family from Kentucky, who does not agree with slavery. The father moves his family to Kansas also, just a few miles from Nicodemus. The interesecting of the two stories is really beautiful.

Judith Miller has done her homework with the history of this book. I am excited for the day when my family has the opportunity to go to Nicodemus, Kansas and visit these sites first hand.

This is the first book in the Freedom's Path series by Judith Miller.

Crime & Clutter by Cyndy Salzmann

Crime and Clutter is A Friday Afternoon Club Mystery. A group of friends, who get together every Friday, learn about the secret past of one of their own. When they help her to discover who she really is...or who her father is...they are in for an adventure and learn a great lesson on forgiveness.

Although this book was a quick and fun read, the best part about it is the recipes. Every chapter gives you the recipe for what the characters or eating or talking about it. There is everything from homemade twinkees, beef stew, lavender lemonade to do it yourself air freshners. I am excited to try some of these new recipes. Especially Turkish Coffee and Biscotti!

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

Wow. That is what I have to say about Water for Elephants. Wow.

This book transports you back into the past and gives you a glimpse of what it was like during the depression working for a circus. Jacob, who is in his 90's (he can't remember how old he is), lives in a nursing home and flashes back to when he joined the circus. The pressure of the working man and the performer is astounding and the way that she writes really does give such a clear picture of what you are reading. I even had dreams about this book. I had to read it quick so I could just know how it ended.

I can say that this really is a fanscinating read and is on my top 10 of books to read. I can even look past the language, because it was just that good. I would love to go on and on about Water for Elephants but I know that I would give too much up...and to me there is just no way to stop when explaining it. READ THIS BOOK!

The Christmas Scrapbook by Philip Gulley

The Christmas Scrapbook is a laugh out story about a man who cannot give his wife a good gift...EVER. So when he comes up with a plan to make her a scrapbook of her life, he learns that he is in way over his head. His scrapbooking teacher is a scrapbooking nazi and he can do nothing right in her eyes. He even gets kicked out of class. But in the meantime, his wife, who doesn't believe the lie he tells her about where he is going on Wednesday nights, has an imagination that runs wild about what her husband is doing. The rumors fly around town and by the end, this man, a pastor in the community can not catch a break.

This is a short fun little read.

Into The Woods by Lynn Gardner

I saw this play about 15 years ago but really did not remember what it was about. When I saw the book in the children's section while getting books for my kids I thought, "I should read that." It was so good. It is a mixing a a few different fairy tales, it gives you the "real version" of how they are suppose to go and I loved this book. The heroine is a strong little girl who doesn't think that her mother loves her, but when she (the mother) dies, she gives her daughter a gift that on the outside looks like nothing much, but has the potential to save her world. She and her sisters are introduced to vivid characters and they are reminded that they should not judge by appearances. This really is a lovely story and I am excited to check it out again and read it to my three girls.

The Pregnancy Test by Erin McCarthy

I am a person who judges a book by it's cover. I know I shouldn't, but if it looks good on the outside, you know, fun, different, neat pictures, I choose it. Usually, I have done ok with this, but this time, the book was way different than what I usually read.

The Pregnancy Test is about a single girl in New York who finds that she has become pregnant by her older boyfriend, and he has no desire to have anything to do with her. She finds a new job and also finds her boss extremely attractive. As does her boss of her. It goes on from there...very descriptive sex scenes, which is a first for me...those really aren't the books I like. There is some suspence about the boss' first wife but to me, it was very unrealisitic. It made me keep saying to myself, "Really? That's pretty far fetched." And I even read a little to my husband, who shook his head first asking, "What in the world are you reading?" and then stating, "People really do not talk like that." I mean really...who uses the word clitoris on a regular basis?

Not my kind of writer or my kind of story. I do not need literary porn.

A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor and The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro

I group these two books together because they are both collections of short stories. I have not read very many short stories before this year, and it has been a little difficult to get used to. The style used for a short story is quite different than that for a novel. It made me rather uncomfortable at first. However, now that I am a little more used to the short story, I have been able to enjoy them.

The first collection I read was "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor. I can't say that I overly enjoyed her writing, but by the end of the book I started to get used to it. One thing that I immediately liked about it was that it's easy to read a story and then put the book down. When I read novels I tend to keep reading and reading, no matter how late it gets. Since reading Flannery O'Connor's biography, knowing her background has also made her short stories make more sense and gave me a better understanding for her writing.

The second collection that I read was "The Love of a Good Woman" by Alice Munro. I enjoyed her stories more. There were a couple that really struck me, particularly the story called "The Children Stay" about the process/rationalizations a woman goes through when leaving her husband and two young children for a short-lived affair.

The American by Henry James

I picked this book up for 25 cents at the Idaho Youth Ranch Thrift Store. It was one of the best purchases I have ever made.

This is one of the rare books that I have liked from the very first chapter and enjoyed the whole way through on the first reading. One thing that surprised me about this story was that, although this book is about an American it does not take place in America, most of the story takes place in France.

It is a love story, but not one of those overly romantic love stories. It doesn't even have a typically happy ending. In fact, when I think back on it, the ending isn't happy at all, but I didn't notice so much because all the very sad parts took place well before the end of the story, so that I suppose by the time I got to the end of the story I was used to the idea of the sad things that happened. And although there was no happy ending, it was a good ending.

I highly recommend this book.

Christmas, Present

I just finished Christmas, Present by Jacqueline Mitchard. This book was wonderful. It was such a beautiful story about a woman spending her last few hours surrounded by her family and her throughts about what she needs to get done before she leaves this earth. It had me in tears and I just could not put it down.

I also finished A Bend In The Road by Nicolas Sparks. This book is definately my very least favorite book by him. Although it was typical Nicholas Sparks (love, heartache, what is he going to do, twists and turns) it was slow and I had a hard time getting through it. Usually I can't put his books down and am in tears...but I was glad that this one was done and I could take it back.

The Judas Tree

D.J. Delffs' book The Judas Tree is a surder mystery who-done-it book where a local pastor becomes involved in the intestigation of the death of one of his friends. It takes place in the Amish country of Tennesee and really highlights the simple life of the Amish culture. Although I finished the book, it was kind of slow. I did appreciate learning about the Amish, but really was distracted with how the police allowed man to become so involved in the case, including encouraging him to do his own investigative work. I got through the book and know a little more about the Amish...so I guess knowing a little more than I did a week ago is a positive.

Heaven's Wager by Ted Dekker

This was a great book. It had me from the very beginning. It is the first book of the Martyrs Song series. I had read the 2nd book in the series a few years ago, not realizing that it was part of a series. The neat thing about this series, though, is that you don't have to read them in order. It is recommended, but not necessary, so I wasn't lost when reading When Heaven Weeps.

Heaven's Wager is about a man who loses everything and does whatever he can to get what he thinks he deserves in life. It is an ultimate good verses evil book, but is written so well that I just had to know what was going to happen next. It is creepy and edifying at the same time.

I liked it.

Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor by Brad Gooch

Last fall I read a review of this biography which made me realize that I have never read anything by Flannery O'Connor, so I resolved to read the biography and some of her work.

I started by reading her collection of short stories, "A Good Man is Hard to Find." I wouldn't say that I enjoyed the book, but the stories were well written. The stories were rather depressing and filled with all sorts of horrible events. I wasn't sure what to think.

I then borrowed "Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor" hoping that learning more about her life would help explain her writing, and it did.

I really enjoy reading autobiographies and memoirs, but I have found that I struggle with biographies (this one took me about 3 weeks to read). The beginning seemed a little slow and uninteresting, going through her childhood, but once I got about 1/3 of the way through and to where she was writing professionally the book became much more interesting. It was very interesting to see how her life and beliefs tied into the stories she wrote. I would definitely recommend reading this biography in order to better understand Flannery O'Connor and her stories. I look forward to reading her first novel, "Wise Blood" and well as re-reading "A Good Man is Hard to Find."

The Forger's Spell by Edward Dolnick

I had made a goal to read a book a week this year when I found out about 52 Weeks 52 Books. I started my own blog on the books I am reading, so if anyone wants to check that out, it's at eclecticreader1.blogspot.com. I especially like nonfiction, but I am always looking for recommendations of good books to read.

My first book of the year was The Forger's Spell by Edward Dolnick. I have checked out this book from the library several times, but didn't get it read until this year. What a gem! This is the story of how a painter who had been dismissed by the mainstream art community made $30 million selling his Vermeer forgeries to leaders of Nazi Germany and others. These are the things I particularly like about it:

• short paragraphs make it a fast read
• solid research on every angle of the story
• lots of interesting information on a wide variety of subjects. (For example, do you know how to test a painting for forgery, when plastic was invented or who were Monuments Men?)

American authors

I have spent the last 2-3 months reading American authors, something I haven't done much of since high school. I started off with The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand and East of Eden by John Steinbeck. They were both excellent books. A couple of passages that I really enjoyed from each book were:

from The Fountainhead:

There were a few seconds of silence. Then the thing which happened hit Keating on the back of the head; it was not a sound nor a blow, it was something that ripped time apart, that cut the moment from the normal one preceding it. He knew only shock, at first; a distinct, conscious second was gone before he realized what it was and that it was applause.....

It was a long time before silence came suddenly, as abrupt and shocking as the roar; the loud-speaker died, choking on a high note. Those in the lobby stood still. Then came a voice.

"My friends," it said, simply and solemnly. "My brothers," it added softly, involuntarily, both full of emotion and smiling apologetically at the emotion. "I am more touched by this reception than I should allow myself to be. I hope I shall be forgiven for a trace of the vain child which is in all of us. But I realize - and in that spirit I accept it - that this tribute was paid not to my presence, but to a principle which chance has granted me to represent in all humility tonight."

It was not a voice, it was a miracle. It unrolled as a velvet banner. It spoke English words, but the resonant clarity of each syllable made it sound like a new language spoken for the first time. It was the voice of a giant.

from East of Eden:

"After two years we felt that we could approach your sixteen verses of the fourth chapter of Genesis. My old gentlemen felt that those words were very important too - 'Thou shalt' and 'Do thou.' And this was the gold from our mining: 'Thou mayest.' 'Thou mayest rule over sin.' The old gentlemen smiled and nodded and felt the years were well spent. It brought them out of their Chinese shells too, and right now they are studying Greek."

Samuel said, "It's a fantastic story. And I've tried to follow and maybe I've missed somewhere. Why is this word so important."

Lee's hand shook as he filled the delicate cups. He drank his down in one gulp. "Don't you see?" he cried. "The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in 'Thou shalt,' meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the most word timshel - 'Thou mayest' - that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if 'Thou mayest' - it is also true that 'Thou mayest not.' Don't you see?"

"Yes, I see. I do see. But you do not believe this is divine law. Why do you feel its importance?"

"Ah!" said Lee. "I've wanted to tell you this for a long time. I even anticipated your questions and I am well prepared. Any writing which has influenced the thinking and lives of innumerable people is important. Now, there are many millions in their sects and churches who fell the order, 'Do thou,' and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in 'Thou shalt.' Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But 'Thou mayest'! Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win." Lee's voice was a chant of triumph.

Adam said, "Do you believe that, Lee?"

"Yes, I do. Yes, I do. It is easy out of laziness, out of weakness, to throw oneself into the lap of deity, saying, 'I couldn't help it; the way was set.' But think of the glory of the choice! That makes a man a man. A cat has no choice, a bee must make honey. There's no godliness there. And do you know, those old gentlemen who were sliding gently down to death are too interested to die now?"

Adam said, "Do you mean these Chinese men believe the Old Testament?"

Lee said, "These old men believe a true story, and they know a true story when they hear it. They are critics of truth. They know that these sixteen verses are a history of humankind in any age or culture or race. They do not believe a man writes fifteen and three-quarter verses of truth and then tells a lie with one verb. Confucius tells mean how they should live to have good and successful lives. But this - this is a ladder to climb to the stars." Lee's eyes shone. "You can never lose that. It cuts the feet from under weakness and cowardliness and laziness."

Adam said, "I don't see how you could cook and raise the boys and take care of me and still do all this."

"Neither do I," said Lee. "But I take my two pipes in the afternoon, no more and no less, like the elders. And I feel that I am a man. And I feel that a man is a very important thing - maybe more important than a star. This is not theology. I have no bent toward gods. But I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed - because 'Thou mayest.' "

THURSDAY READ!

We had a great discussion today at the THURSDAY AFTERNOON READ! BOOK CLUB.

Our next meeting will be on February 11 at 1:30 - the title is Ivan Doig's This House of Sky.

Everyone is welcome, if you need a copy of the book let me know.

Elaine

HELLO FROM ELAINE

Sorry it has taken me so long to send your "invitation" to join. Now you should be able to do your own posts! If you didn't receive an invitation let me know and I will add you to the list.

Regarding the rules - there really aren't any. The library staff are not going to question what you read, how you "read" it - (of course audio books count) or even why you read it!

52 weeks 52 books is really a self-guided book club meeting, as it were, on line.

Thanks so much for the great start. I hope to have some events along the way to let us meet face to face.

Elaine