Words on Wednesday: Kitchen Table Genius

Quote from the September issue ofReader's Digest
originally taken from What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell.

Book Review: A Spy Among Friends

This book is a bit of a slow-starter. The cast of characters is immense and it feels like you're introduced to about a cast of 300 in the first thirty pages (yes, I am exaggerating for effect).

That said, it would be difficult to make the story of Harold "Kim" Philby and the Cambridge Five spy ring boring. Macintyre is a strong writer and he handles this material with ease.

Unlike previous Macintyre books I've read (Agent Zigzag and Operation Mincemeat, among others), this book contains less humor. The humor is there, in places, but it's altogether a more serious work because the cost of Philby's betrayal was high, both in human lives and politically.

This work deals primarily (though not exclusively) with the relationship between Philby and Nicholas Elliott, a fellow MI6 officer. Elliott would have considered himself one of Philby's best friends and yet he was completely surprised by Philby's duplicity.

Philby's betrayal of his family, his country, and his friends is still hard to understand. Macintyre does as good a job as anyone at trying to unravel the tangled web woven by this one difficult, yet apparently charming, man. Philby's dedication to communism seems abrupt and yet he remained dedicated to the Soviet Union, despite the passing of time and all the evidence of the harm he was doing. With some items still classified by MI5, MI5, The CIA and the FBI (not to mention files held in the Kremlin), one suspects there will continue to be books published about Philby for some time to come.

Recommended for: history buffs, anyone who has seen "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," or similar stories. Just remember that this one, unlike a James Bond movie, is true.

To find out more about this book or its author:

• A Spy Among Friends
• Ben Macintyre

Books mentioned in this post and other works by the same author:

I received a copy of this book for review from Blogging for Books, opinions are my own.
This post contains affiliate links. These links help support this blog. See my disclosure page for more about this.

Reading Through World War 1

("Another war soon gets begun," is a line from a prescient poem by Robert Graves)
Today is the anniversary of the declaration of war by Great Britain on Germany, following Germany's invasion of Belgium. A terrible series of events, starting with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, led to one of the most catastrophic conflicts in history.

Americans tend to know less about this war than others, probably because America was neutral for most of it. In some ways it feels remote from us. Really, it isn't. The effects in Europe, The Balkans, Russia, and elsewhere are still felt today. Decisions made in 1919 have repercussions even now.

Don't believe me? Just read a small selection of the books in this list.

This content can now be found at Living Unabridged.


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Book Review: The Good News About Marriage

We've all seen the statistics: marriages just don't last. 50% end in divorce. Christians divorce at the same rate as the rest of culture. Second (or third) marriages are doomed from the start.

But what if those things just aren't true? Would it change how we talk about marriage? How we think about marriage?

It should.

Shaunti Feldhahn doesn't write about what she wishes were true: she does the research (and examines research done by others). She crunches numbers (and I'm thankful that there's someone out there willing to do that. All the numbers tend to make my eyes glaze over). She analyzes the evidence and reports what she's found.

You can probably tell from the title, the evidence simply does not support the awful headlines. Here's what Feldhahn discovered (spoiler alert!):

• The actual divorce rate has never gotten close to 50 percent.
• Those who attend church regularly have a significantly lower divorce rate than those who don't.
• Most marriages are happy.
• Simple changes make a big difference in most marriage problems.
• Most remarriages succeed.

You'll need to read the book to see her evidence and whether you find her arguments persuasive. 

I did. Marriage is definitely a challenge in today's world. But let's not make it harder than it has to be. Let's find out how to encourage each other in our marriages and how to speak hope instead of negative inevitability. 

This book can help with that.

I do recommend reading this one in context with her previous book,The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages: The Little Things That Make a Big Differencesince they are related and it will help you make sense of this second book.

Neither book takes long to read and my husband and I have enjoyed discussing them. (Yes, these are books about marriage that a husband can enjoy too.)

Want to know more?
You can find Shaunti Feldhahn at her website: Shaunti.
On Facebook: Shaunti Feldhahn.
Or on Twitter: Shaunti Feldhahn.
To find out more about this book, or to order a copy: The Good News About Marriage.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Books to Inspire a Love of the USA

How do we teach our children to love our country? By our actions, by our words, and, my favorite: with our books. These are some of my favorite books that teach a child to love America without lecturing or being simply about patriotism:

Book Review: How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare

I have to confess: I was excited to review this book. I had read the first couple of chapters because our library has the hardcover version of book. The problem was it is so popular I could never keep it long enough to read the entire thing. When the paperback version (soon to be released) was offered for review, I jumped at the chance.

I know now why our library couldn't keep it on the shelves. This is not a book you'll want to borrow. You will want your own copy so that you can refer to it whenever you wish.

Ludwig's love of Shakespeare is evident on every page and it is infectious. He walks a fine authorial line, always offering more information that his readers may not know, but never talking down or condescending.

Helping our children to enjoy Shakespeare by memorizing selected passages just makes so much sense. Ludwig presents his choices and explains how to teach them in a step by step way, never overwhelming parent or child.

Our family has looked at Shakespeare using Lamb's adaptations, Nesbit's adaptations, and the brilliant picture books by Bruce Coville. In our new school year, I'm excited to add these suggestions from Ludwig to our repertoire. (See this post for more about how we've started studying Shakespeare: Another Homeschool Year, Shakespeare Edition.)

Shakespeare is referenced in so many stories, movies, & sayings. Quick quiz: where did the proverb, "Neither a borrow nor lender be," come from? I've actually met people that thought the Bible said that. Answer: it's in Hamlet, and there are plenty more quotes where that came from. So many phrases even in our currently degraded English come from Shakespeare. Knowing the source makes reading, movie watching, or even conversation between friends that much richer.

This book isn't just for homeschool families, either. You can use it no matter what educational system you use. And, if your own education was sadly lacking in Shakespeare (most are) you could use this book to start your own study. This book isn't just the how, it will also explain the why. With all the resources he lists in the back (more reading, recommended movies or audio versions...), this will be a book I use for reference throughout our year.

Highly recommended for anyone. This book will inspire you to read more, learn more, or just revel a bit more in the genius that is Shakespeare.

For more info:

• How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare publisher's site
• Ken Ludwig 
• How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare site including resources and downloads described in the book

Linking up with:

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review. Opinions expressed on this blog are my own.
Shakespeare image credit: Brian, The Lincolnian.

Favorite Fictional Fathers

OK, favorite real fathers are, of course, my own & my husband. They are truly fantastic dads. (And don't even get me started about my grandpas because they're amazing too.)

But what about those other dads we met while we were growing up, the ones who lived in books? So many children's books feature orphans, with dead or absent fathers. The good guys tend to stand out.

These may be fictional (though some are based on real people), but here are a few of my favorite dads from books:

Book Review: Heart Wide Open

Heart Wide Open: Trading Mundane Faith for an Exuberant Life with Jesus by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Heart Wide Open is one of those books where you feel like you've pulled up a chair in the author's kitchen and you're sharing over cups of tea or coffee. The tone is chatty, but deep truth and scripture is handled with care and precision.

It may not be the most groundbreaking book on Christian Living, but the 8 chapters get right down to the nitty-gritty of what it means to live a life devoted to Christ, what that looks like, what it sounds like, and what to do when we (inevitably)mess it up.

I would recommend this book for a ladies' Bible study. There are helpful questions for each chapter (these are located at the end of the book instead of after each chapter as I would prefer, but that's simply a matter of preference) to help you get started.

Here are a few quotes that I copied into my commonplace book:

The practice of acknowledging God and living for Him rather than struggling to be known for our own accomplishments frees us from the need [...]for the world's approval.

Everyone feels the occasional need to talk things through with a flesh-and-blood person, but it shouldn't be because we haven't taken or won't take the time to dispose of our feelings correctly by taking them to our Father.

Every word or act we can't forgive is a word or act we are bound to relive, and with each remembrance the bitterness spreads deeper into our souls.

See? I enjoyed the author's friendly Southern tone (and she can make her readers laugh out loud) but she also doesn't mind stepping on your toes. And that's a good thing.

You can find out more with these links:

• The Belle of All Things Southern, the author's website
• All Things Southern on Facebook
• About this book: Heart Wide Open
• Read the first chapter: Heart Wide Open Sneak Peak

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions are my own. Post may include affiliate links.

Book Review: The Power of a Half Hour

The Power of a Half Hour: Take Back Your Life Thirty Minutes at a Time by Tommy Barnett

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Practical, encouraging reminder that good things can be planned and completed in very limited amounts of time. The author's style is engaging, optimistic, and upbeat. This reader got the idea that he has far more ideas and energy than he has time to use.

I appreciated the single page summary at the end of the book content. Then there's a section of "Personal Power of a Half Hour Action Plans". These include short chapter summaries and steps to follow. I would have appreciated these coming at the end of their respective chapters instead of all at the end, but that's just personal style preference.

The book also includes a small-group study guide which can be completed in a half hour a week. These additions to the book are great resources.

The only drawback of the book for me: the author and I would not agree on several major points of doctrine. I found myself turned off by some of the name-dropping and aspects that smacked of a prosperity gospel which are sprinkled throughout.

That little disclaimer aside, I recommend this book. Don't just let your time slip away: use it purposely for good!

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this honest review.
View all my reviews

For more information about this book:
The author's website: Tommy Barnett.
Sneak Peak: video about The Power of a Half Hour.
To order: The Power of a Half Hour by Tommy Barnett.
This book is also available for Kindle:The Power of a Half Hour: Take Back Your Life Thirty Minutes at a Time

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure page for more about this.

Read More in 2014

1. Plan now - resolve to read more this year
2. Set a goal - a number gives you something to measure success. (Later I'll suggest a few goals & share my own goal for this year)
3. Keep track. Join Goodreads. Or buy a notebook just for recording all the book titles you finish this year. You can write your favorite quotes in there too and then you have a Commonplace Book. Or do both, which is what I do. (See below for notebooks that would make great Commonplace books)
4. Make reading a priority - no TV, no computer, no phone, NO SCREENS until you've read a set amount, either a certain time (like 15 minutes) or a specific quantity (like 10 pages).
5. Include your kids. If Reading Time is part of the routine, they'll acclimate. Eventually they'll miss it when it gets cancelled once too often.
6. Always carry your Kindle or a paperback with you. There are many lost minutes in a day - fill them with a good story or book.
7. Turn off the TV. (I know, I'm repeating myself already.) No Netflix.Put Amazon Prime in its place. These can be huge timewasters. One reason I read a relative lot of books is because I don't watch many shows or movies.
8. Keep a stack of books at the ready. You don't want to run out one night and be unable to get to the library right away. Don't let this happen to you. Be prepared with a book stack!
9. Variation can be key. If you've already read 15 sweet Amish romances this year (WHY?), maybe it's time for some non-fiction. If you've only been reading autobiographies of famous Americans, maybe a British mystery will cleanse your reading palate.
10. Don't give up. OK, yesterday was busy, you fell into bed and you only checked Facebook and read the junk mail flyers that came in the mail. You might have read the label on the milk carton but then your toddler spilled it. Tomorrow is another day. 
11. Don't say negative things about your reading life like, "I don't have time," "I'm behind with my reading list," or "I'm not a Reader."

You are a Reader and 2014 is your year.

Here are a few ideas, of varying difficulty, for your 2014 Reading Plan:

• plan to read 2 more books than you did last year
• plan to read 12 books - 1 a month
• plan to read 24 books - one fiction and one nonfiction each month
• plan to read 52 books - one a week
• plan to read 5 classics you've never read before
• plan to read all of an author you love (may I suggest Austen or Gaskell?)
• plan to follow a recommended reading list
• plan to join a reading challenge. For 2014, I suggest these two: 1. Reading to Know Classic Book Club 2014 or 2. Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge 2014.

My personal goal for 2014: to finish 110 books. This is slightly more than two a week, but much lower than my goal last year (150). I anticipate a busy year this year and I don't want to set myself up for failure. See? The goal should work for you, not the other way around.

And, just in case you're interested, here are a few notebooks that I think would make good Commonplace books (affiliate links):



So, what will your goal be this year?
This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure page for more.

Books of 2013 - Reading Year in Review

I'm pleased with this reading year: I finished 147 books (3 shy of my Goodreads goal), which is fairly close to my average since I've started keeping track. I felt like the quality of the books this year stayed reasonably high.

Summary: Fiction 73, Nonfiction 74. How very balanced of me.

Most Books Finished: tie between March and January, each with 17.
Fewest Books Finished: tie between December and July.
Most Fiction finished in a month: January, with 10.
Most Nonfiction finished in a month: March, with 11.
Average number of books finished each month: 12.25
Average number of books finished each week: 2.83

If I had to give 2013 a title, I'd call it "The Year of the Mystery". I finished mysteries by the following authors:
C.S. Harris - 8 (all the Sebastian St. Cyr series to this point)
Ngaio Marsh - 3
Josephine Tey - 3
Anne Perry - 3
Rennie Airth - 3 (The John Madden series, no, not football related)
Sarah Caudwell - 3
Jill McGown - 3
James Anderson - 3 (Inspector Wilkins series)
Sally Wright - 1 (first in the Ben Reese series)
Edmund Crispin - 1
Agatha Christie - 1
Charles Todd - 1 (the latest in the Inspector Rutledge series)
M. C. Beaton - 1 (the latest Agatha Raisin)
Deanna Raybourn - 1 (Lady Julia Grey series)
James Runcie - 1 (first in the Sidney Chambers series)
Victoria Abbott - 1 (first in the Book Collector series)
Ashley Gardner - 1 (Capt. Lacey series,  too like romance novel so I won't be reading more)
Christopher Fowler - 1 (first in the Peculiar Crimes Unit series)
Susan Hill -1 (first in the Simon Serrailler series)
Margery Allingham - 1 (first in the Albert Campion series)

My favorite series was probably the Inspector Wilkins series by James Anderson. Such a shame there are only three.

Number of books sent to me for review purposes: 4
Best book I reviewed:Humble Orthodoxy: Holding the Truth High Without Putting People Downby Joshua Harris.

Number of books about writing: 4


Best Show / Book combo: the only one I can think of is Call the Midwife.

Funniest: Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan.
Funniest, runner-up: The Honest Toddler: A Child's Guide to Parenting

Top 3 "Just for Women" Books:
1. Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go of the Try-Hard Lifeby Emily Freeman
2. Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wildby Mary Kassian.
3.What Women Want: The Life You Crave and How God Satisfiesby Lisa T. Bergren & Rebecca Price.

Best book on Prayer:A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World with Bonus Contentby Paul E. Miller.
Most powerful & Moving: A Severe Mercyby Sheldon Vanauken. (Also wins: best C.S. Lewis tie-in for the letters from Lewis published in this book)
Book I most need to re-read:The Mind of the Makerby Dorothy Sayers.

Best Parenting Book:Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Childby Anthony Esolen.
Best Parenting runner-up:Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesusby Elyse Fitzpatrick.
Book that made me feel better about our larger than average family:What to Expect When No One's Expecting: America's Coming Demographic Disasterby Jonathan Last

Best US President Related Book:Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
President Related Book runner-up:Coolidgeby Amity Shlaes.

Best Royalty related book:King George Vby Kenneth Rose.
Best Churchill related book:A Daughter's Tale: The Memoir of Winston Churchill's Youngest Childby Mary Soames.
Favorite book read as research:London War Notes, 1939-1945by Mollie Panter-Downes.

Top 3 in Austen-related works:
1.Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandomby Deborah Yaffe.
2.The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever Afterby Elizabeth Kantor.
3.Jane Austen's Englandby Roy & Lesley Adkins.

Best new Kids' or YA series (though not necessarily as a read aloud):The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Placeby Maryrose Wood.

Favorite Covers:


If you'd like to know more about these or the rest of the books I finished in 2013, just use the label "Books of 2013".

Previous years: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007.

What did you read in 2013? Please share, whether in the comments or by leaving a link to a blog post.
This post is linked to Modern Mrs. Darcy's Favorite Books of 2013, Semicolon's Saturday Review of Books and Booking Through Thursday.

If you have a Goodreads account (it's free!), you can find me here: Candid Diversions

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