What I read this week:

I didn't want to begin my book review without mentioning the tragedy in Texas, but at the same time I didn't want to trivialize it by just putting a small paragraph before my book review.  I write these posts as a memory book of sorts, something to leave our girls as a snapshot of our day to day life.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  So, even though I follow up my last post with this one, I do NOT for one second want to trivialize what unfolded this past week in Texas.

I don't know if it is because our days are so hard or if it is a result of how I am hard-wired, but I love to read books and stories that almost borderline fantasy world.  Kind of like living in Disney World on the best day with no crowds, no rude or mean people, no arguments about politics - the Disney that Walt imagined.  

I do not love reality when it smacks me in the face while reading a book.  For the most part I read to escape whatever is going on in the moment, and travel and see and do things I would never actually do in real life.  Like solve a crime or live in Imperial Russia or come of age in Victorian England.  That is why I love the cartoon movie Anastasia (the one where Meg Ryan voices Anastasia and Angela Lansbury voices the Dowager Empress).  I was heartbroken, disgusted, and appalled when I tried to read a historical fiction book about Anastasia earlier this year.

I have never read a book by Michael Crichton, until this week when I checked out The Great Train Robbery from the library.  On the one hand I loved the history and how the story unfolded, almost as an aside looking back with current scenes splashed throughout.  It provided such depth into what the characters were thinking and what was the result of those thoughts and deeds...it proved to be a very effective way of detailing such a fantastical tale.  I am impressed with Crichton's talent as a writer, it is sad that he passed away in 2008.  

What I did NOT love about this book was getting an up close and personal bird's eye view of the dark underbelly of Victorian England.  I much prefer to read the gentler tales of gentlemen and ladies with the occasional scoundrel sprinkled in.  

All that to say, this was an overall fascinating read.  It really helped that the girls and I recently spent time studying about the Crimean War and the last Czars of Russia as well as the Sepoy mutiny - so the amount of research Crichton effortlessly and artfully wove into the fictitious accounts, was in short, superbly done.  It underscored the fact that this crime was truly daring and unbelievable.  If you like historical fiction, pick up this book.  Be warned though that you will get a view of Victorian England that will likely turn your stomach.

The second book that I am reading (actually wrapping it up today, tomorrow at the latest) is Teaching to Change Lives by Dr. Howard Hendricks.  I LOVE this book.  I have started it several times, but always had to lay it aside, even before getting through chapter one.  There is nothing wrong with chapter one, it just always seemed life would implode about that time, or something else more pressing would arise...anyway, a few days ago I resolved 'I am going to just read this book' - and so I am happy to report I did in fact start at page one and made it all the way through chapter one the first day I started!  YAY!  This is a book that is SO so good.  I think every single person who is responsible for teaching in any way, shape, or form should read this book.  From homeschool to public or private, from Sunday school or book clubs/Bible studies...this is a fantastic book that uses John Milton Gregory's classic The Seven Laws of Teaching as a springboard.  Make sure you have a pencil and/or pen to take notes and get a good paperback copy if you can...it is ever so much easier to flip back and forth with an actual book.