The Man in the Brown Suit by Dame Agatha Christie

The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie surprised me. I had read enough about the story to know it isn't the run of the mill murder mystery. (It's a spy-thriller set in exotic South Africa and includes diamond thieves, murderers, and political intrigue.) What came as a surprise to me was the fact it is also a romance.

Yes, you heard me right -- The Man in the Brown Suit is a thriller/adventure/romance. And it's a good one! But this really shouldn't come as a surprise; Christie had some experience writing for that genre as well. In addition to her numerous mysteries and short stories, published under the name of Agatha Christie, she also had at least six romance novels published under the name of Mary Westmacott. I've not read any of these, but I might check them out some time once I've completed her mysteries.

I am a big fan of mysteries, especially those by Christie. A few months ago on a whim I decided to read through all of her mysteries starting with the first published and working book by book to her last. What I like about this is that I get a variety of characters (a little Hercule Poirot here, Tommy & Tuppence there or even a Miss Marple), and I'm also able to see Christie's writing mature over the years with each book.

Last night I finished The Man in the Brown Suit. The copy I had was borrowed from the library and 232 pages was a very fast read (I finished it in 2 days), of course the story itself pushed me along so I don't know that page count would have mattered much. Published in 1924, The Man in the Brown Suit is Christie's fourth mystery. Right away I noticed a few unique features of this book. First, it's a spy thriller, unlike the majority of her books, which are "Who Dunit" murders. Second, there is a void of Christie's famous detectives -- no Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple here. Instead the narrative is shared between two people -- a man and a woman -- neither of whom reappear in any of Christie's other works. (Although one of the supporting characters does return at least three times in future novels.)

My first inclination as I began the book was that it would not be one of my favorites. I was particularly turned off by the focus on Plaeolithic history (i.e. Neanderthal, primitive man, etc.) in the first few pages. What could this possibly have to add to the story? I wondered. But my concerns were premature. This focus soon faded, though it did remain a single thread that wove through the story as part of one character's background, which though not necessary to the story did add to the uniqueness. So for those of you out there who might find it likewise irritating, hang in there, the book is worth breezing through the rare parts you may not agree with.

As for the rest of the story -- I found it clever, exciting, and captivating. One particular character had such a wonderful dry wit I had to stop and read aloud a couple passages to my husband, who even though he hadn't a clue what was going on in the story still enjoyed the joke. As I mentioned, the romance came as a surprise to me, but I enjoyed it. I often find modern stories that mix murder with adventure and romance can be a little on the cheesy side, but I didn't find that to be the case here. Christie captured all elements in an excellent way leaving me, the reader, completely satisfied in the end.

Before reading The Man in the Brown Suit I would have said that Murder on the Links was my favorite Agatha Christie novel, but now I might have to reconsider. Or at the very least Murder on the Links is my favorite "Who Dunit" and The Man in the Brown Suit is my favorite spy/thriller.

If you are a reader who is looking for a great mystery, or maybe you're into adventure, or even if it's romance you're looking for -- you will find it all in this book. I highly recommend it to your reading list. Though I'd say borrow, don't buy, but only because once I've read a mystery I don't tend to go back and re-read since I already know the secrets.

As a post script I thought I'd mention a little detail about the Queen of Mysteries. Agatha Christie is considered the world's most published author, with only the Bible outselling her books. Interesting...

A Bit of a Thinker

Ok, so I totally swiped the title of this post and the idea for the meme from another bookworm, Carrie, at Reading to Know. She in turn got the idea from another bookworm. But it is too good an idea not to take and make my own.

Here's how it works: In this meme I am to post the first lines of 11 of my favorite books (this part is hard!). If you can guess them (all) correctly, I will mail you a copy of one of my favorite books (included in the meme). Feel free to guess as many times as you like. Just make sure you leave me with some way to contact you if you have guessed correctly. Also, please play honestly. Don't Google search for the answers. That's no fun. Be fun, be fair and we'll see what happens!

1. Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress.

2. When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen.

3. This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure, and what a Man's resolution can achieve.

4. It is a Truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

5. William Wilmer was twenty-nine years old before he discovered that he could converse with animals.

6. "Edith!" said Margaret, gently, "Edith!" But, as Margaret half suspected, Edith had fallen asleep.

7. "I Wonder when in the world you're going to do anything, Rudolf?" said my brother's wife.

8. On the morning of the eleventh of November, 1937, precisely at eleven o'clock, some well-meaning busybody consulted his watch and loudly announced the hour, with the result that all of us in the dining car felt constrained to put aside drinks and newspapers and spend the two minutes' silence in rather embarrassed stares at one another or out of the window.

9. The worst winter in fifty years, the old Scotsman had told me. I'd only been around for sixteen, but it was the worst I'd seen, and I was willing to take his word for the other thirty-four.

10. I believe that a well-known anecdote exists to the effect that a young writer, determined to make the commencement of his story forcible and original enough to catch and rivet the attention of the most blase of editors, penned the following sentence...

11. They didn't say anything about this in the books, I thought, as the snow blew in through the gaping doorway and settled on my naked back.

Let the games begin! (And if you decide to participate in this meme, leave a comment with your answers or a link if you decided to post your own meme.)

A New Kind of Bookstore...

So who knew you could add to your library collection of Classics while shopping at Target? I certainly didn't, until yesterday.

While perusing the book section looking for a gift for a friend's 2 year-old I came upon a rack of paperback books for only $4.95! The shelf included: Treasure Island, Oliver Twist, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Huck Finn to name a few. Also for a couple dollars more there was The Mysterious Benedict Society.


After a quick browse of the store website I found dozens more prized between $3 and $10. The only downside to these books is that they are mass market paperback, so if you are into collecting Classics in hardcover or original looking bindings than these books are not for you. You'd be better checking out a used book seller or Amazon.

But if you are wanting a quick and inexpensive way to add some more classics to your personal library while you're doing your weekly shopping than this might be the place to look.

What's On My Nightstand

You may have noticed the little picture link on my sidebar for "What's On Your Nightstand?" It is a new section of the website 5 Minutes for Books. I decided to participate since it looked like fun.

On the last Tuesday of the month each participant is to post varying versions of What's On Their Nightstand. Anyone can join in the fun, just link over to through the picture link here. The rules for posting a "What's On Your Nightstand?" meme are rather simple and flexible, so my monthly posts on this topic may not always be in the same format. This month I am choosing to list the books I am currently reading and give you the "back story" on why I have chosen these specific books at this time.

For those interested I keep a running list of my "What's On My Nightstand" through the website Shelfari.com. As I mentioned in a previous post, I also keep a list of books I want to read as well as books I've finished reading, the latter also posted here on this blog. I find Shelfari a wonderful resource for keeping track of my books, especially since I tend to select books based on my current mood and often have up to five books going at the same time. So that being said, here goes:

What's On My Nightstand?

I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith. This is a coming-of-age novel about a girl, Cassandra Mortmain, who lives in a run down castle with her family on the edge of poverty. The book spans the course of six months and during this time Cassandra keeps a journal hoping to perfect her writing skills. In the process she finds love and adventure.

Before receiving a recommendation for this book from my friend Suzanne, I had never heard of the book or its author, Dodie Smith. I later discovered that Ms. Smith was also the author of the famous 101 Dalmatians (the book and predecessor to the Disney movie). Suzanne, who is also a member of the book club I belong to, has a great taste in books. On her recommendation alone I added this book to my "To Read list" but it was quickly moved to my "Nightstand" when I came upon an inexpensive copy at the local bookstore. I'm only a few chapters in, but so far it's a unique and enjoyable story. Look for a review on this book in the coming days/weeks.

Keep a Quiet Heart by Elizabeth Elliot. I've never been a fan of Elizabeth Elliot, though I have read a couple of her books. However, because an older woman (whom I respect very much) recommended this book I went and purchased a copy. I have found, as this woman said, Keep a Quiet Heart is a wonderful book to use for personal devotions, especially for the busy mom. Since each chapter is only 1-2 pages long I've taken to reading a chapter after my Bible reading each morning. The only downside of reading through the book this way is that it is taking a long time to finish, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Some books are meant to be devoured and others enjoyed in little nibbles.




Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. This is another book that I had not considered reading even though I have heard it has influenced many a person. But I changed my mind upon the recommendation of my brother-in-law. Thus far I have found Mere Christianity to be very interesting, though at times a little more weighty than I have the attention span available and so like Elliot's book, I am working my way through this book at a rather slow pace.



The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie. I love mysteries, especially those by Christie. Earlier this year I decided to reaed all of her mystery books starting with the first ever published and working through them book by book according to their date of publication. This has proven to be an interesting method since it often means I will read several before reaching another of the same detective. Without looking ahead I am always surprised as to who the main characters will be and what type of mystery the book will include (not all of her books were murder mysteries, some were spy novels). The Man in the Brown Suit is not likely to be a favorite of mine, but I am enjoying it for it's thrilling plot and simple reading. Look for a review on this book in the coming days.

Thus I have currently am working through four books. I'd love to hear what you are currently reading. Please feel free to leave a comment with your "Nightstand" list or link to your blog so I can read your own list or reviews.

My Grandfather's Son by Justice Clarence Thomas

The following review is from my personal archive. This book, like the three previous Gaskell books I reviewed, was one I read earlier in the year. Look for reviews on new books I've read later this week.

My Grandfather's Son by Justice Clarence Thomas was a very good read and one I’d recommend to anyone I know. The book is well written. Even those without a legal education who may worry the book will be dry or difficult to understand because of legal jargon should put their fears aside. The book is interesting, clear, and an effortless read. The copy I read was borrowed from my local library and was a total of 289 pages.

My first memory of Thomas was in 1991 when the Senate’s confirmation hearing was broadcast on TV. I remember being at my grandparents house and asking my parents what was going on. I was told that a man (Clarence Thomas) had been nominated to the Supreme Court by President Bush and the Senate was holding a hearing to determine if he should be a Justice. They also mentioned that the Democrats were being difficult and causing problems and that some woman named Anita Hill had come forth with a story that the man had done bad things to her, but it wasn’t true.

Eight years later I was able to see Justice Thomas in person when I attended a hearing at the Supreme Court. Thomas doesn't talk very much during the hearings, in fact he's quite notorious for sitting and listening and only speaking on rare occasions, leaving the questions and arguments to his fellow justices. On that particular day I was at the Supreme Court I did not hear Justice Thomas speak, however he did call a clerk over and whispered something to him. A few minutes later the clerk returned with a large atlas. I’ve always wondered why Thomas wanted the atlas as it didn’t seem to fit with the current conversation between the lawyer and the other Justices, but then… who knows.

Over the years I have always been curious about who Justice Thomas and Justice Scalia are. For years both men were the only true "strict constructionists" on the bench, but I knew so little about them.

Reading Thomas' memoir changed that – at least as far as Justice Thomas. He begins the book by recounting his birth and childhood in the deep south of Georgia in the late 1940s and ends after he is sworn in at the Supreme Court in the early 1990s. In between I learned who Clarence Thomas was and how he went from being a very poor uneducated child to one of the most esteemed men on the bench of the highest court in our country. Thomas discusses his faith, family, life choices, education and careers in a very candid manor. Of course, and yet unfortunately, the memoirs could not be complete without the retelling of the three-ring-circus that was his confirmation hearing with the US Senate and the "Anita Hill scandal". (Be warned, there are some explicit details of the harassment she claimed to have experienced.)

At times it felt very surreal to read this book. Persons in and around the political circles of DC were mentioned as they came in contact with Thomas. Many of these people are people I or my husband have heard of, seen, or even met in our work. And some are just familiar names from the news.

At the end of Thomas' memoirs, I came away with even more respect for him -- as a judge and as a person. Thomas is a man of faith who has worked hard to get where he is and truly desires to what is right and just. We all could learn a lot from him. If only more people – and I don't just mean conservatives – would read his memoirs and take what he says to heart.

First Ladies by Margaret Truman

First Ladies: An Intimate Group Portrait of White House Wives by Margaret Truman is an interesting book about the women behind the most powerful men in our country.

Margaret Truman's authority as an author of White House and First Lady history is grounded not only by her degree in American History, but also her personal experience in the White House. Her father, Harry Truman served as Vice President under Franklin D. Roosevelt and later as President on his own right. Thus, Margaret had first hand experience living for several years with a First Lady, her mother Bess Truman.

My first thought when I picked up this book was that it would include biographical sketches of each First Lady and maybe a little of what life was like for her in the White House. I was in for a surprise.

While some biographical information is included in this book, it is by no means a biography of the 43 First Ladies (*The book was published during the Clinton administration, so while the count at the time was 42 Presidents the First Lady count includes second wives of Presidents). The best way to capture what this book is about is to use Harry Truman's quote from the beginning of the book, an obvious inspiration to his daughter, "I hope some day someone will take time to evaluate the true role of the wife of a President, and to assess the many burdens she has to bear and the contributions she makes." That is exactly what this book is about.

Throughout the book Margaret Truman highlights various First Ladies during their life in the White House and their relationship with the President, their husband. Very little information is given about their childhood and life proceeding the White House or life after the White House. As I said, it is not meant to be a biography.

I should note that Truman does not include every one of the First Ladies. I noticed that some of the lesser known ladies were not mentioned at all and a few were mentioned only in a passing. I was a little disappointed in this as the book didn't seem quite complete without a paragraph or chapter dedicated to each first lady, but that may be just my opinion.

One other note that is rather obvious to the reader from the very first chapter -- Harry Truman was a Democrat. Margaret Truman writes as a Democrat and she makes no apologies for her worldview.

A case in point: the set up of the chapters. For the first half of the book Truman's focus is mainly on Presidents and their wives elected from the Democratic Party starting with the "darling" of them all -- JFK and his wife Jackie. After a few chapters of mid 20th century politicians (Kennedy, Truman, Roosevelt, Wilson, etc.) Margaret turns to the first First Ladies (i.e. Martha Washington, Dolly Madison, etc.) and focuses on early politics (Federalists and Anti-Federalists).
Oddly enough -- or maybe because of her political views (or... maybe the fault of the book's editor), Margaret doesn't get around to discussing Republican Presidents and their First Ladies until over halfway into the book. When she does get to them she has very little in the way of positive comments to make about either husband or wife, an exception being her admiration of the relationship between certain Republican Presidents and their First Ladies, although she also makes the statement that while she admires this, she cannot admire their political views. Fair enough, we were warned -- she is a Democrat. To be fair, I think Maragret made an effort to be objective as she wrote, but in the end her political views did color her text.

If a reader has a dislike for the Democratic party they may find the book a little irritating at times, but if the reader is willing to look past this, they will find an interesting portrait of our First Ladies.

Interesting... That is exactly how I found the book. It was interesting, but not by my definition fascinating. My copy was 355 pages and for the most part was an easy read, though not one I could do in one sitting. It took me about a week to work this one. I'd recommend it to anyone curious to learn more about the relationship between First Ladies and their President husbands as well as what they accomplished while in the White House. I'd also suggest borrowing it from your library if you can. I was gifted my copy and think I may donate it to our library now that I'm done with it. It wasn't in my view one worth storing on my bookshelf to re-read in the future.

On the other hand, if you run across Margaret Truman's The President's House I highly recommend reading that book and even purchasing a copy. It's a book on the history of the White House and its grounds. I read it a few years back and found it absolutely fascinating, a book I definitely plan to re-read some day.

As a side note, I noticed two other recently published books on First Ladies available through Amazon.com. The First Ladies Fact Book: The Stories of the Women of the White House from Martha Washington to Laura Bush by Bill Harris and Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation by Cokie Roberts. I've heard little to nothing about either of these books and would be interested if anyone out there has read them and what they thought of them.

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

Crandford, the last in this week's unofficial "Gaskell review" series, is also the most recent Gaskell novel I've read. Like North and South, Cranford was first published in serial form in the magazine Household Words and was edited by Charles Dickens. It first appeared in 1851 and is her second novel.

After reading and thoroughly enjoying two of Gaskell's other novels I had high expectations for Cranford and Gaskell did not disappoint.


Cranford is a novel about a little town in England in the mid 1800s. Most of the town's occupants are widows or spinsters, but their lives are by no means dreary. Throughout the story (told in first person by a young woman visitor, Mary Smith) you hear of the adventures of these women, both in the past when they were younger and in the present.

As always Gaskell's writing is superb. The humor was great and I found myself laughing out loud on various occasions. And there were so many quotable passages! Something else I enjoyed about this book was the fact that each chapter could stand alone -- almost as if it was a short story itself and yet they tied together to weave a story from cover to cover. This made it easy to read here and there as I had time without worrying about where I left off in the story.

In many ways Cranford is not like Gaskell's other works, but it is delightful in its own way and a quick and somewhat light read for the era. I highly recommend it. The copy I own is a Penguin Classics edition, clocking in at 187 pages. Additional reading is included in the notes, glossary, and three appendixes which are useful and informative.

Shortly after reading Cranford PBS' Masterpiece Classics aired a new mini-series adaptation of the novel. The mini-series was well made with great costumes, sets, and a who's who of classic British actors and actresses. Unfortunately I found the mini-series dull in comparison to the book and a little irritating as several liberties were taken and characters were added to "fluff" or dramatize and "fill out" the story, both I felt completely unnecessary. In my opinion, Cranford as a novel had plenty of "meat" to make it a worthwhile story without having to add anything to it.

Post Alert

I was browsing some book blogs I've found and came across a post from May where the blogger reviewed Gaskell's North and South. Just in case my review wasn't enough to get you to read the book, maybe theirs will? You can read their review here.

Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell

After reading North and South I wanted to read another of Gaskell's books, but wasn't quite ready to plunge into the weighty 650-some page novel Wives and Daughters, so I opted for Gaskell's third novel, the little-known novel Ruth, originally published in three volumes in 1853.

Ruth is considered a social novel as it deals with a Victorian society's views on sin and illegitimacy.

At the beginning of the novel the heroine, Ruth, is a young woman (about 16) who is orphaned and apprenticed by her guardian to a dressmaker. During this apprenticeship she meets upon a handsome and rich young squire, Henry Bellingham. Bellingham is drawn to Ruth's sweet innocent beauty and begins to seduce her. Without the moral guidance of a family member or guardian nearby Ruth is oblivious to any wrong she has done. All she knows is that she is alone in the world and madly in love with someone who loves and cares for her.

It is only when her lover abandons her and Ruth is treated cruelly by those around her that she realizes how wrong she has been and how great her sin. Alone in a Welsh village Ruth, pregnant and despairing, is rescued from committing suicide by a kind and godly minister and his sister. In an effort to protect Ruth's child from a life of cruelty for his mother's sin, the minister and his sister pretend that Ruth is a distant relative and a widow. This earns her and her child respectability in their neighborhood. Meanwhile as Ruth grows and matures as a woman and mother you learn of her repentant spirit and love for God. It looks as though her past is finally behind her... until her lover returns... her secret is unveiled... and the shunning begins...

The story has a beautiful, but bittersweet ending and overall it is so well written. One aspect I particularly enjoyed is the depth of the relationship between Ruth, the minister and his sister, and God. This isn't a shallow "Christian" novel. Gaskell's writing is as good as Jane Austen, but she isn't afraid to be open and clear about sinners, the repentant, and how Christians should behave towards such people. In my opinion this novel would put any modern Christian novel to shame for it's shallowness and cheap writing, which is why I tend to avoid Christian novels published after a certain point.

What I found intriguing about this book is that it is recorded as being the first novel to have a "fallen woman" as the heroine. In today's society an unwed mother is not nearly as scandalous as it was two-hundred years ago. While I certainly do not advocate such life, I truly believe as the minister, Mr. Benson, explains -- if Christ could forgive a woman such as Mary Magdalene's character when she repented, so should we and not treat people with cruelty. I won't say anymore, if you want to know how it ends you'll have to read the book yourself. It will be worth it, I promise.

The copy I borrowed from the library (purchased upon my request) was a Penguin Classics edition and steady, but fascinating read at 432 pages. As a Penguin publication footnotes on the text are included and are often useful to the reader.

North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell

While I work through my current book selections (I hope to post reviews on them next week) I thought I might as well post some reviews I wrote on a few books I enjoyed earlier this year. Today I am reviewing the first, a novel, written by Elizabeth Gaskell (aka Mrs. Gaskell). Be sure to check back over the next few days for the rest of my reviews.

I am a real fan of Gaskell's work having read three of her books with a fourth on my "To Read" list. Before last year I knew nothing of this author. She was a contemporary of Charles Dickens (Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, etc.) and Wilkie Collins (The Woman in White, The Moonstone, etc.) and in fact had many of her stories published by Dickens in serial form. She also co-wrote a book with Dickens and Collins.

Elizabeth Gaskell is most noted for her books North and South and Wives and Daughters. BBC has adapted those two plus the most recent Cranford to film -- all of which were well made, though the first two were by far the best adaptations.

I read Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South a few months after viewing the BBC film adaptation (which, by the way, I really enjoyed). Although the movie stayed very true to the story, there were a few minor changes, but nothing disturbing to the reader if they were to see the movie after reading the book, or vice versa. Still, I have to say I enjoyed the book even more than I expected. I had expected the book to be just like the movie, but it was even better.

Originally published in serial form in the magazine Household Words during the years 1854 and 1855, North and South was one of many stories written by Gaskell and edited by Charles Dickens. The story follows the heroine, Margaret Hale, from London to the south of England where she lives with her parents before being uprooted to the north of England to an industrial town and a total change of lifestyle. At this time she meets the haughty and rich owner of a local mill, John Thornton. An "Elizabeth/Darcy" type of misunderstanding clouds Margaret and John's views of each other at first, but unforeseeable situations force them to take a closer look and reconsider their views of each other, themselves, and those around them.

The book is more than Margaret's story and more than a love story; it addresses themes of responsibility, duty, class, and the day-to-day struggles of those you meet throughout the novel.

I enjoyed Gaskell's writing style. I did not find it any more difficult to read than Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, or even Charles Dickens. Although, Gaskell’s style might be considered more Austen-like if compared to those three. The one part of the story that I had difficulty following was the dialect and thus conversations of two characters -- those being Nicholas Higgins and his daughter Bessie. It took me several pages before I figured out exactly what some of their words meant. One example is, "hoo" instead of "she", but once I figured that out I was able to read their conversations much more clearly and quickly. (And speaking of Nicholas Higgins. Talk about irony. I knew a Nicholas Higgins once... and a John Thornton too.)

North and South was a steady, but enjoyable read. The copy I own is a Norton Critical Edition publication, which was only 395 pages and included footnotes that I found very helpful as I read. As a bonus readers can enjoy some of Gaskell's short stories (i.e. Lizzie Leigh) and letters included in the appendix.

If you enjoy 19th century novels, or at least Jane Austen, you should definitely add this book to your reading list. Particularly if you're a fan of Pride and Prejudice or Persuasion you will enjoy this book. I love a good romantic ending to a book and I don't mean romance as described through vividly worded pictures of passion that you find in modern books; the romance I mean is more a subtle 19th century passion of the heart. North and South's ending was... well you'll have to just read it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Children's Literature

I'm currently in the midst of reading four books, none that are near completion, so it may be a couple days until I'm ready to post another review. Thus, in the meantime I thought I might post a review or two on my favorite children's books.

Personally I love children's books. If I ever get a book published, I suspect it will be a book for children. In fact, the only story I've ever had published was in fact for a children's magazine.

I chosen three books to discuss today:

Caps For Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business Told and Illustrated by Esphyr Slodbodkina.

The title pretty much gives you the plot of the story, but for those wanting a little more detail here it is: One day a peddler who sells caps decides to take a walk into the country and rest under a tree. He sleeps for a long time and when he awakens he discovers all the caps, but his own checkered one, are missing! What he discovers is a large number of monkeys have absconded with them high up into the tree. Now he has to figure out how to get them back, but the monkeys have a plan of their own (think "Monkey See, Monkey Do").

Caps For Sale is a simple story, but a fun read aloud for children (especially if you include hand and foot motions which I always have). Originally published in 1940, the book is definitely a children's classic. The pictures are colorful and fun. As long back as I can remember this has been a favorite of mine. I have a memory of "reading" this book even before I could read, just because I knew it so well. I've purchased a copy of this book to read to ny daughter and hope she'll enjoy it as much as I did.


The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf (Drawings by Robert Lawson). This is another old, but good book. I am particularly fond of the artist, Robert Lawson's drawings (I'll post more about Lawson later).

Ferdinand is a bull who lives in Spain, but he is not like the other bulls. He does not like to fight. Instead he prefers to sit in the shade of a tree in the middle of the field and smell the flowers, which he does... until one day he accidentally sits on a bee. Stung by the bee Ferdinand rushes and butts his horns about the field looking quite mad. Unfortunately for him, he is seen by some gentlemen who just happen to be looking for the next bull to fight in Madrid.

Published in 1936, The Story of Ferdinand is a comical story and, like Caps for Sale, a wonderful children's classic that has survived the test of time. I've also purchased a copy of this book because I want to be sure to share it with my daughter.

The drawings are especially fun, even though they are black and white. Robert Lawson is mostly known as an artist, but he was also an author. Some of his books include: Rabbit Hill, Mr. Wilmer, and Ben and Me just to name a few. You may have seen his artwork in books such as Mr. Popper's Penguins, Pilgrim's Progress, and They Were Strong and Good (again, just to name a few). All of these books I've listed are excellent and worth tracking down -- though they are generally for older readers (8 years+), unlike The Story of Ferdinand (3-8 years).

Corduroy by Don Freeman is also one of my all-time favorites. The first in a series of books about a teddy-bear with green corduroy overalls, Corduroy was first published in 1968.

The story begins with Corduroy living in a department store and wishing for a home. A little girl sees him and wishes to take him home, but her mother won't let her because he is missing a button, and besides they've spent too much at the store as it is... Corduroy had no idea he was missing a button and so when the store closes for the evening he goes on the hunt for his missing button.

I loved this story so much I even had my own Corduroy bears growing up -- the first with the authentic green corduroy overalls and the second, a replacement for the first, with customized navy blue corduroy overalls (my favorite color). This book is a wonderful addition to a children's library and as the child grows you can add the other Corduroy books to their collection. Right now I only have the first, but I am on the lookout for: Corduroy Lost and Found and A Pocket for Corduroy.

What are some of your favorite children's books?

My book of books

About ten years ago I my first "book of books", which in reality is really just a blank journal. For the avid book reader I highly recommend something like this.

A "book of books" is not only a wonderful way to track what you've read, or what you are currently reading, but it's also a great place to keep all your favorite quotes and phrases from the books as you read.

I generally list the title, author, number of pages, and the start and finish dates for each book I've read. I sometimes don't have a quote or phrase from the book I've read and other times I have numerous quotes or notes. These books can be handy to if you belong to a book club. One of the ladies in my book club has kept her "book of books" since the club's formation 15 years ago. It has been fun to listen when she reads over past readings, most long before I joined and many long forgotten book selections.

Since I joined the book club I started jotting down thoughts I wanted to remember during the next book club meeting. Likewise, since starting this blog, I've begun jotting down thoughts for my book review in my "book of books" which has been very helpful, especially since I don't like writing in my books and certainly can't when they are borrowed.

If you're not into keeping a hard copy "book of books" then I highly recommend an online source. Shelfari.com or Goodreads.com are two such websites. On these websites you can track what you're reading, what you have finished (along with your own review, date read and other notes), as well as books you would like to read. Also, you can network with other book lovers including your friends (if they have an account).

"The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it."

~James Bryce

[P.S. As a side note, I recently viewed the film Penelope (which the book I read by Marilyn Kaye was based from) and have updated my review on the book because of this. To read my updated review please click here.]

Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy

Last summer I went on a BBC/Masterpiece Theatre movie spree. I borrowed several of the films from our local library, one included Under the Greenwood Tree, which was loosely based off the novel by the same title. I say loosely because now having read the book I find little the same between the book and the film.

Under the Greenwood Tree follows the concerns of the Mellstock Quire and the romance between a young member of the choir, Richard "Dick" Dewy, and the beautiful new schoolmistress, Miss Fancy Day. Over the course of a year (divided into five parts within the book) Dick pursues Fancy... who also happens to be pursued by two other eligible men: a rich older farmer, Mr. Shiner, and the young vicar, Mr. Maybold.

That much, the framework of the story, is the same between the movie and the book, but when it comes to the details and specific scenes there is little the same. Until nearly the end of the movie you are left clueless as to how things will turn out -- who will win Fancy's love? Who will she choose, will it be the one she loves, or the one she's bound by duty to marry? The Mellstock Quire's story, a starring role at the beginning of the film and book, soon fades to a supporting role. The book is less surprising. Just a little past the half-way mark of the book a reader has a very good idea how it will end.

I found the book a pleasant and fairly quick read. It is only 198 pages and for the interested there are appendixes with notes regarding various statements or phrases or words used in the text that might be unfamiliar to readers today. Hardy's writing was easy to follow, though at times I felt some scenes with supporting characters seemed to drag on a little too long. The story is a glimpse of English country life in the 1800s, but it's not without its own humor. The text was ripe with quotes and I couldn't help jotting down a few of my favorites in my "Book of Books".

Comparing the movie and the book -- I did miss some of the scenes that the screenwriter created (by reading between the lines of the book text?) mostly because of the drama or intensity that they added to the story, but over all I still very much enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who is interested or has seen the movie. One might find watching the movie first a little helpful before reading the book, but not entirely necessary.

Surprisingly Thomas Hardy was once considered as famous an author as Charles Dickens, though in all honesty before seeing the Masterpiece film version of this book I'd never heard of the man or any of his works. Under the Greenwood Tree was originally published anonymously in 1872, but later as Hardy's writing became more prolific and popular he began using his real name. Though UTGT is considered by many as one of Hardy's more "gentle and pastoral" novels, Hardy himself struggled with his faith and views of Christianity. If I stumble across another of Hardy's novels I might include it in my "To read" list, but I think I've read his best in this book.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Austere Academy

The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket is book five in A Series of Unfortunate Events. I started it yesterday... and I finished it in less than two hours. (But perhaps I shouldn't crow too loudly since, after all, it is a children's book and thus shouldn't take an adult very long to read.)

A while back when these books were still being published (there are 13 of them) I thought about reading them, however I was turned off by the fact that the first book starts off telling you that if you like happy endings (which I do)... the series is NOT for you and you'd better put the book down. It was only after a friend and fellow book-lover mentioned how funny the series was that I decided to pick the first book up again and give it a try.

The first book starts of with the tale of the three Baudelaire orphans (Violet, Klaus & Sunny) who have just learned that their parents were killed when their house burned to the ground. Their parents entire fortune has been left to the children when they come of age and in the meantime they are to be sent to live with a guardian... who turns out to be the villainous Count Olaf, who's only goal is to get rid of the children and steal their inheritance. Each book after the first follows the orphans as they move from one guardian to the next one home to another, including the most recent -- a preparatory boarding school with the motto "Memento mori" -- Latin for "Remember you will die".

In The Austere Academy the children make friends with two-thirds members of a triplet, a brother and sister Duncan and Isadore Quagmire who are likewise orphans and in their own way come to the rescue of Violet, Klaus and Sunny. It seems at this point in the story that things, in spite of how bleak the school experience is, might be looking up for the Baudelaires... until Count Olaf shows up, attempts to gain control of the orphans and in the end causes problems for the triplets too before escaping.

I don't think it would be a spoiler for me to say that in each book of the first five books the Baudelaire's adventures, or rather misadventures, include trying to foil Count Olaf's evil plans and happily in each book they have, but on the other hand, unhappily also in each book Count Olaf escapes, always just in the nick of time.

Overall, I've enjoyed the books. The stories are very simple and thus make for a very quick read. I find that I can blow through the 200 pages in less than two hours. The happenings in each story are both funny and completely ridiculous and often impossible. Because of this a reader will either like or hate the story -- it just depends on how the reader chooses to accept what they are reading. I have chosen not to take it seriously and thus have found myself amused. One other issue that some might have with the books is the authors habit of interrupting the story to define words, especially words that generally for any avid reader do not require definition. However, I've found that it somehow fits along with the quirky story and perhaps since the stories were originally intended for children it is a useful quirk. So once again -- a reader can either ignore it or hate it, I chose to ignore it and accept it as part of the quirkiness of the book.

The one aspect of the book that I am uncertain about is the repetitive plot. As I mentioned above, in each of the first five books the Baudelaires arrive at a new home and face a new set of ridiculous circumstances, including evading Count Olaf. Each book (so far) ends with them narrowly escaping his clutches as he narrowly escapes capture. I still have eight more books in the series. I'm starting to wonder should I stick it out... or should I just skip to book 13? I may give them one more book to see how the author shakes things up because there were definitely some differences between books 1-4 and book 5.

My recommendation? A Series of Unfortunate Events is a series of books designed to mimic the Victorian era "Penny dreadfuls" -- a nickname for a variety of publications, generally in serial form, that were considered cheap sensational fiction. As such, don't take them seriously. If you are curious to read this series, borrow, don't buy (almost every library has the complete set). Read if you enjoy a quick and quirky read or if you have a spare hour or two and no other urgent books waiting your attention.

The Man Who Was Thursday -- Reviewed

I first heard about The Man Who Was Thursday through my book club (see sidebar link for "A Ladies' Book Tea...").

At the time I wasn't particularly interested in the book. I had two reasons -- first, because it was written by G. K. Chesterton. Not that I had anything against Chesterton, it was just that once before I had attempted to read (or rather listen to an audio version of) a book by Chesterton. I couldn't get beyond the first few paragraphs. It was because of this that I had no interest in reading his other works. However, I now realize I was wrong in passing so quick a judgment. Looking back I think the problem I had with the other book was not Chesterton as an author, but the audio book actor. His voice was so emotionless, so dry... so dull...but I digress...

The other reason I was turned off by The Man Who Was Thursday was its subtitle, "A Nightmare". As you will quickly learn about me -- I like action thrillers and I like mysteries, but I HATE horror and I definitely dislike anything along the lines of a nightmare story. I didn't like Frankenstein when I read it and I won't pick up a copy of Dracula.

But The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare was chosen for Book Tea's August meeting so I decided to give it a chance. I started by reading up on the book at Amazon and at once I changed my mind. I knew I had to read it! The plot sounded so intriguing.

The first chapter was a little confusing, but the story quickly picked up and I was hooked. Chesterton's writing style was easy to follow and often made for some excellent sound bites and quotes, which I jotted down in my "Book of Books" (more on that later). In spite of the fact the subtitle calls the book a "Nightmare" I actually found myself smiling and sometimes even laughing at some of the surprisingly comic moments in the book. The end closed up in a way I didn't expect and I found myself going back over the last couple of chapters and rethinking the story, but I still came away glad I read the book.

The Man Who Was Thursday is Chesterton's most popular book and apparently has never been out of print since it was first published in 1908.... Here we are 100 years later with readers picking it up for the first time, no wonder.

I definitely recommend The Man Who Was Thursday. It's a clever little story and a quick read.

Recently Read & Reviewed

In spite of how busy life has been the last couple of weeks I was still able to finish a couple books.

A few weeks back I read The Silver Pencil by Alice Dalgliesh. (Once long ago I read another of Dalgliesh's books, the more famous The Courage of Sarah Noble.) I came across The Silver Pencil while browsing the Youth section of our library, something I do from time to time.

I've hesitated posting about this book only because I wasn't sure how to sum up my thoughts or even the story. I will sum it up this way: The story is about a girl who spends her youth in the Caribbean island of Trinidad and later travels to the UK and the US for schooling. Most of the story centers around her life as a teacher and writer in the United States during the early 1900s (around WWI). TSP is a great book for a youth to read or to have someone read to them, but it is also a good story to read as an adult. There is something pure, innocent, and gentle in the book that I enjoyed. In a sentence, The Silver Pencil is a sweet story with some old fashioned humor, a worthwhile read (think Besty-Tacy).

The next book I finished was a very quick read, Penelope by Marilyn Kaye. This book is based off the screenplay for the movie of the same name. The movie was produced by Reese Witherspoon and came out in 2006... though it is only coming out on DVD this month (2 years later).

The book itself was good -- a cute, modern fairytale with a good moral tucked neatly in at the end. However there were a couple aspects I didn't like about the book. First, it read like a book based off a screenplay. This made it easy to visualize things, but in my opinion it wasn't great writing. Another book written as a fairytale which I just finished reading (more on that later) was written with a much better style. The other thing I didn't care for in Penelope was some of the modern aspects to the story. For example, the almost too obvious comment about alternative lifestyles being "fine if that's your preference". I felt as though the author felt compelled to include that and so it was there and thus stuck out rather irritatingly and as text useless to the story, just some attempt to be PC. That aside, it was a cute/clever story and worth the quick read, or at the very least -- worth tracking down the DVD.

***[UPDATE: After viewing the movie I wanted to quickly update my final thoughts on this book. Normally I'm a "book over the movie" type of person, but I have to say I loved the movie more than the book. Perhaps it was watching the story come alive on the screen... or maybe it was the fact that the things that annoyed me in the book weren't noticeable or weren't included in the movie. Either way, I definitely recommend that you check the DVD out, even if you decide to skip the book. It's a great modern fairy tale and worth the time.]***

The most recent book I read is Elizabeth Goudge's The Little White Horse. Years ago I read two of Goudge's other books (Green Dolphin Street [aka Green Dolphin Country] and Pilgrim's Inn). I never felt too favorable towards either of those books, so I never bothered to read any of her other works. Now years later I feel differently towards GDS -- I think I would recommend that book to others, though I'm still on the other side of the fence re: PI.

That being said, when I came across The Little White Horse I decided to give it a chance. I am so glad I did. This fairy tale type story is set in the countryside of England during the early 1800s. In a way there is almost a sort of Dickens-ish about the book, though maybe it is only in the type of people you meet in the story. The writing is good and the descriptions of Moonacre Park and its surrounding lands, homes, and manors are beautiful. The names of the characters and their descriptions are unique and fairytale in a way. The story itself is charming and very enjoyable with a perfect ending that doesn't leave you feeling disgusted at its sweetness. It was definitely worth the read and if I ever stumble across a copy of this book I think I would even add it to my collection.

Bookworm Meme

I found this Meme posted on another book lover's blog (see sidebar link to Reading To Know) and thought it would be a fun way to start off here.

Do you remember how you developed love for reading?

I loved having books read to me as a child. As long as I can remember I have loved books, but I don't know at what age that love started. I remember being 5 years old and wanting to grow up to be a librarian, or a writer, or both.

What are some books you read as a child?

My favorite story as a young child was Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. When older I read the Nancy Drew books, Betsy-Tacy books, Anne of Green Gables and Emily books, and many others of various genres.

What is your favorite genre?

I don't think I have a favorite genre per se. Currently (and for the last couple of years) I've been reading a lot of "classics", but that includes books for youth as well as for adults and mixed in there I've read some non-fiction, mysteries, and even some chick-lit. If classics aren't my favorite genre, I'd have to say mystery is.

When do you usually read?

Because I work part-time and have a 12 month old, plus have to keep house and make meals for our family I don't get as much time to read as I'd like. My reading time comes during little snippets of time during the day (naps or when my daughter is quietly playing). I get my heaviest reading time in during the evenings and sometimes even the weekends.

Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time?

Yes. I rarely if ever have only one book going. I suppose this is because my moods affect what I want to read, thus I generally have more than one genre of books that I'm reading at a time.

Do you read non-fiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?

Not really. I might find that I am faster at reading a fictional story, but it really depends on the writing style of the author and the topic/plot of the book.

Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library?

I'd say it's a 40/60 split between buying the books and borrowing them from the library. I haven't borrowed a book from a non-library source in a very long time.

Do you keep most of the books you buy? If not, what do you do with them?

Generally I keep all the books I buy. However, if it's a book that I didn't like, or know I won't read again I donate the book to a local library.

Do you have children, what are some of the favorite books you have shared with them? Were they some of the same ones you read as a child?

Yes. I'm constantly looking for favorite reads from my childhood to share with my daughter. Some of the books I've read have included the Little Bear series, Frog and Toad, Caps for Sale, Runaway Bunny, Goodnight Moon, Ferdinand, Make Way For Ducklings, and Corduroy. As she gets older I plan to read to her or share with her some of my favorite chapter books.

What are you reading now?

The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton, Under The Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy, and Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis.

Do you keep a TBR (To Be Read) list?

Yes. I utilize Shelfair.com's site. I may even post a widget on this blog with my current reading list and my already read list.

What's next?

Not sure. I'd have to look at my "To Be Read" list and see what strikes me.

What books would you like to reread?

Currently the Besty-Tacy series, though there are many more I'd love to re-read as time allows, but right now I'm focusing on books that I've never read.

Who are your favorite authors?

Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Agatha Christie to name just a few.

Welcome

As long as I can remember I have loved books. One of my favorite past times is reading and I find that no matter my mood it is a great way to relax. In a way I do find that a library, including my own, as a hospital for my mind. When I pick up a book I can put away everything around me and travel somewhere else. Reading for me is a respite.

Through this blog I hope to share some of my readings, favorite quotes, and thoughts on books. Because this is a very new blog the format and template/layout may change as I settle in, but welcome, I am glad you're here!