Stephanie > Recent Status Updates

"How could she prove her uncle's guilt? ... She could stage a play about a second son murdering a king and hope he confessed. No, that was ridiculous".

Slow but steady progress continues since my bookclub discussion was postponed...

Much that is interesting to read followed by (too many) lines of who killed who and how...

This Pocket Book caught my eye in a little free library at the Lewis and Clark Lake welcome center. I saw "Pulitzer Prize-winning book" on the cover, thought I'd give it a try while we were camping there for the weekend, and was immediately hooked.

I made it to Fort Laramie but am going to have to take a short break from it to get through a few more chapters of The Iliad.

10 slow chapters in. Thankful that a a friend recommended listening to o the discussions on Ascend - The Great Books Podcast. I'd likely have thrown in the towel, otherwise.

Halfway through before we get to the beginning of the story of the Iliad. I do appreciate this kind of chronological arrangement with all the backstory laid out. I think the audience of The Iliad would have known the stories that Fry presented in the first half.

Tonight, I read a couple of short chapters - and then a third because each is leaving us in suspense. My son said, "Are these movies? They should make these into a movie." I'd say that's pretty high praise from a 6th grade boy.

"Never underestimate the power of stupid."

"We were just trying to sell our advertisers' products...I mean, sure, we knew some of our techniques were a little...oh, addictive...but...we didn't expect the government to start using the same techniques.". "You mean, you didn't expect the government to start using them on *you*." p 205

"Science is neutral. It's what people do with their knowledge that matters." p 224

The long introduction was a very interesting / informative perspective from which to begin this book that was "never intended for children" but was written as "an allegory about the weak and powerless in the world"

I've been reading this to my 5th (soon to be 6th grade) son. We set this aside during July; but with only 7 chapters left, we're making it a goal to finish before school starts next week.

Finished Book 2 .

I borrowed this book through Libby on the Friday after my bookclub discussed "My Name Is Asher Lev". I thought I have some free time before my son's high school graduation weekend - I'll just read the first chapter ... five days later ... I've finally finished the first chapter.

Finished Volume 4. Will circle back around to Volumes 1-3.

I find the visions pertaining to physical details interesting but am reading more for the spiritual insights such as, " All that Jesus did for us in time brings forth fruit for Eternity, but we must in time cultivate and gather that fruit, otherwise we shall not enjoy it in eternity." (p356, Vol 4)

I had to borrow a different audiobook. I was not following Nicholas Coster well, and am starting over with Jonathan Cecil's narration.

I borrowed the audiobook to listen to this story while finishing a puzzle. I started having a hard time following the story after they got to the Savory Den. Heather and Emma's voices are too soothing and too much the same and then I couldn't understand Doctor Zeiger at all ... I had to pick up the book to read everything I missed.

I'm making slow progress. Chapters are long and I need uninterrupted quiet time to focus because a lot of the information being presented in this book is new to me.

Many books published by TAN recommended within these pages including titles that I own and have not read. (The Four Last Things, The Dogma of Hell, and Humility of Heart stand out, so far).

Some Calvinist beliefs I disagree with showing up strongly in this 2nd half of the book...

The whole 4/5th Commandment thing really threw me because I learned the order differently as a Catholic and, also, our theology about predestination is TOTALLY different.

So...Marilynne Robinson is a traditional Calvinist and there is a lot of Calvinist theology in this. I had to look up what they teach about predestination. What? No. Also, that whole section about the 5th Commandment was super confusing until I realized their commandments are ordered differently...and then I still disagree with his proposal.

Only four chapters in and I'm crying already...

I think Sefawyns accent is supposed to be similar to Scottish, but I keep hearing one of the guys from "Strange Brew".

Nebraska really is just like that. 😆

Wait a minute - is this going to be the story of "The Treasure" (Uri Shulevitz)?

I needed an audiobook for the kids to listen to for part of a long drive and this was the next available Paddington that we hadn't yet read. They weren't very excited about it and we're struggling to get through the last couple of chapters. The chapters about cleaning Mr. Brown's chimney and fixing the neighbor's plumbing are the only ones I can even remember...this last one about cricket was dismally boring.