Category Archives: American Literature

Too Much Magic: Wishful Thinking, Technology, and the Fate of the Nation by James Howard Kunstler

American Literature

Synopsis: Kunstler’s latest jeremiad about how America is unprepared for what will happen when we run out of oil. Review: It took me forever to finish Too Much Magic because I get so anxious thinking about all of this stuff. I am definitely mindful that I want my girls to learn traditional skills like cooking, sewing, knitting, building, and the like because I just don’t know what kind of future they will inherit. I am definitely a little obsessed with Kunstler and I’m not sure…

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The Casting by Joyce Shor Johnson

American Literature 1 Comment

Synopsis: In 4th Century Ireland, Robyn yearns to become a bronze caster, but family pressures and outside forces threaten to keep her from achieving her dream. Review: The Casting was a well-written story with a strong female protagonist that will definitely appeal to middle grade readers. My inner 12-year-old kind of fell in love with her. I wished that the secondary characters had had just a little more depth to them, but I don’t think it’s anything that the target audience for this book would…

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Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek and Steve Friedman

American Literature

Synopsis: The memoir of ultramarathon champion Scott Jurek, who recently set a record for running almost 168 miles in only 24 hours. Review: Ultramarathoners are crazy–running races that are 50, 100, 150 miles long, pushing themselves well past the point of insanity. And Scott Jurek is even crazier than most. In Eat and Run, Jurek describes how being a vegan (and mostly raw) has been his secret of success. With running tips and recipes interwoven with his racing history as a champion, the books readable…

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Beyond the Wall: Exploring George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, From A Game of Thrones to A Dance with Dragons by James Lowder, Ed.

American Literature

Synopsis: A collection of essays about A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin. Review: As a huge ASOIAF fanatic, I couldn’t wait to read Beyond the Wall, even though it doesn’t totally make sense to release a book of criticism on an unfinished series. But like many fans, my appetite for all things Westeros will take whatever it can get. I liked the diversity of essays in the book. My personal favorite was one on post-traumatic stress disorder as a condition affecting…

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Mindset for Moms by Jamie C. Martin

American Literature

Synopsis: A collection of bite-sized ideas for moms to stay calm and care for their families and themselves. Review: I picked up Mindset for Moms because Jamie C. Martin is a contributor to Tsh Oxenreider‘s Simple Mom family of blogs. I’ve heard her on the Simple Mom podcast and I really like her ideas and philosophy of life. This book had some nice ideas that stayed pretty basic, and sometimes that’s just want you need to change your perspective. This is a book I’ll definitely…

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Eerie by Jordan Crouch and Blake Crouch

American Literature

Synopsis: A cop and his prostitute sister find themselves trapped a a malevolent force that won’t let them leave her brownstone. Review: Eerie scared the absolute crap out of me! At one point I was too scared to even get out of bed to use the bathroom. The claustrophobic atmosphere was a big part of the power of this story–I really felt trapped in that house right along with Paige and Grant. I can’t say I was fully satisfied by the outcome of the story,…

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For the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macauley

American Literature

Synopsis: A classic text on homeschooling using Charlotte Mason’s methods. Review: For The Children’s Sake was a very inspiring read for me, as I’m homeschooling my girls and very drawn to Charlotte Mason’s work. That should come as no surprise, since the Charlotte Mason method is all about learning from living books. Susan Schaeffer Macauley is the daughter of the famous Christian leader Francis Schaeffer, founder of the L’Abri institute in Switzerland, so I feel like I can really trust her point of view. I…

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The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

American Literature 2 Comments

Synopsis: A present-day murder case in a fundamentalist Mormon enclave told alongside the story of Ann Eliza Young’s escape from Brigham Young’s polygamous harem. Review: I think the fact that I kept falling asleep while listening to The 19th Wife says it all–I was so primed to love this book, given my obsession with the FLDS, but I was just so disappointed with the execution. I finally gave up near the end when it devolved into a story-free lecture on stuff we’d already seen. I’m…

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The Third Floor by Judi Loren Grace

American Literature

Synopsis: It’s 1962 and a 15-year-old girl is spending the next 4 months in a home for unwed mothers, waiting to give up her baby. Review: The Third Floor was an emotional read for me. As a mom my heart went out for Judi and her struggle. I can’t imagine having to give up my child. And then as a mom of daughters I would just hope that if I were ever faced with this situation I would handle it better than Judi’s family did.…

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See Me Naked: Stories of Sexual Exile in American Christianity by Amy Frykholm

American Literature

Synopsis: Biographical essays about people whose stories didn’t follow the script they were given by their parents and their American evangelical churches. Review: I read See Me Naked after the thoughtful review in Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics blog. I think the very premise will make people uncomfortable and that’s a good thing, because evangelical kids get exposed to a lot of really messed up stuff. Anyone who works with Christian teens really ought to read this book and see that not everyone’s challenges can be met…

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