jjvors - My 75+ books for 2012

My daughter reads about a book a day, I estimate I read about a book a week. With just a little more time, I will be able to meet and possibly exceed the 75 book goal.

If you peruse my book list here on LibraryThing, you'll see it is heavy on SF and Fantasy, classics, Christian, business and process books, science and history. By no means have I entered all the books I've read, either recently or historically.

I will go to my library now and see what I've completed since January 1 and be right back!

Here you go: my 2012 books read summary.

Summary of my first three months:

January
Safely Home - by Randy Alcorn -1
Holidays in Heck PJ O'Rourke -2
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith, -3

February:
Eats, Shoots, and Leaves Lynn Truss -4
Saltation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.-5
Privilege of Persecution by Carl Moeller, the head of Voice of the Martyrs organization. -6
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson. -7
CJ Cherryh book The Goblin Mirror. Very good. #8.
CJ Cherry's book Brothers of Earth. Reminiscent of the atevi/Foreigner series. Written in 1976. #9
Rats of NIMH, a Newberry book winner from 1971. I last read it about 15 years ago. #10.
Hunter of Worlds--a really great early book of Cherryh's. I would say it's as good as Fortress in the Eye of Time and faster paced. = #11
Crispin by Avi. Very good young adult book. - #12

March:
Young Fu, another Newberry award winner. My goal is to read all the Newberry award books. I have been very pleased reading them. They are all well written and since they span the years from the '20s to now, they give a good sense of the changes in American culture over that time. - #13
Read Homeschoolers, Hippies & Heirloom Tomatoes by Philip Ward Newton. A warm and funny young adult book. #14
Read Borrowers Afield by Mary Norton. I first read the Borrowers series when I was 12 or 13--over 40 years ago! Having seen the movie Arrietty by Studio Gibli with my family, my daughter Olivia (the one who reads a book a day) went out and got the whole Borrower series. (6 books) #15
Read Invasion by Mercedes Lackey That's number 16 this year.
I also read Borrowers Afloat, #17
Read another book by Mary Norton, Old Stainless. #18
Read the original Borrowers by Mary Norton. There was much I didn't remember, from over 40 years ago! #19.
Hit #20 with A World Divided - Book 2" by Mercedes Lackey, et. al.
# 21, Where the Moon Meets the Mountain by Grace Lin. Combines Chinese fairy tales with an interesting narrative. a Newberry award winner.
#22: The Borrowers Aloft, by Mary Norton.
Read The Borrowers Avenged, which I had not read before. It was published in 1982, well after I had finished the Borrower books. Very good, and also somewhat different than the other Borrower books. Mary Norton introduces both ghosts and elements of Christianity. That was No. 23.
I also finished Little House in the Big Woods. I had not re-read the Little House books for 15 years or so, when I read them to my children. I really like the 1st person glimpse into 19th century frontier life. That was No. 24.
I finished On Basilisk Station by David Weber on March 31st, making 25 in 3 months--well on my way to 100!

April
Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder #26
Action Trumps Everything, Charles F Kiefer and #27.
Ghost Ship by Steve Miller and Sharon Lee and The Forlorn by Dave Freer. Both are excellent SF. That's #28 and #29.
Master Walk by Steven Miller. A fine book with an alien species, accepting human beings as equal researchers with them.
That makes 30 this year. At this rate, I'll read 120.
Honor of the Queen, David Weber, number 31
Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson, Newberry Award winner of 1944, #32
A Short Victorious War by David Weber, #33
Field of Dishonor by David Weber, #34
Flag in Exile by David Weber, #35.
Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz , #36
Honor Among Enemies, #37
Wizard of Karres, Mercedes Lackey, #38

May
In Enemy Hands David Weber #39
On The Banks of Plum Creek Laura Ingalls Wilder #40
Echoes of Honor David Weber #41
Ashes of Victory David Weber #42
Sorceress of Karres David Freer #43
War of Honor David Weber #44
7 Truths That Changed the World: Discovering Christianity's Most Dangerous Ideas … by Kenneth Richard Samples
#45
At All Costs David Weber #46
Sounder William H. Armstrong #47
A Gathering of days Joan W. Blos #48
Mission of Honor David Weber #49
A Rising Thunder David Weber #50
The Little Red Guard: A Family Memoir by Wenguang Huang #51
Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger
#52

June
Wild Robert Diana Wynne Jones #53
Changeless Gail Carriger #54
Blameless Gail Carriger #55
Heartless Gail Carriger #56
The Dark Frigate #57 Charles Boardman Hawes Newberry Award Winner, 1924
Carry On Mr. Bowditch #58
No Longer a Slumdog #59 KP Yohannan
Pushing the Limits #60 Henry Petroski

See the second half of the year at post 50!

Read "Coming Home" by Randy Alcorn this month. It's a great book about the underground Chinese church.

Do you mean Safely Home? I've heard so many amazing things about that one. Unfortunately, I worked in a Christian bookstore around the time that the book came out, and a co-worker read it, gushed about how amazing it was, and in the same sentence, spoiled the ending. As a result, I've never read it myself, but I think I'm just bitter about having the end ruined. Oh well!

Yes dk_phoenix, it was "Safely Home". And it is worth reading, even if you know the ending, realizing it is an accurate depiction of the underground Chinese Church. Now let me add two books that I've read:

"Holidays in Heck" PJ O'Rourke - lots of family fun by this humorist. Be sure to read the chapter about skiing in Ohio!

"The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party" by Alexander McCall Smith, gentle, humorous, and wise, these books are highly entertaining primarily because of great characterizations of the people and the land of Botswana.

That makes three this year! I've got two more underway.

Yes dk_phoenix, it was "Safely Home". And it is worth reading, even if you know the ending, realizing it is an accurate depiction of the underground Chinese Church.

Read "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves"

Read "Saltation" by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.

Read "Privilege of Persecution" by Carl Moeller, the head of Voice of the Martyrs organization. That makes six this year. I'm up to one per week; not bad, considering I started January 27th.

Read "The Alloy of Law" by Branden Sanderson. Dumb title, very good book. That's #7 this year.

Finished CJ Cherryh's book "The Goblin Mirror". Very good. #8.

Finished CJ Cherry's book "Brothers of Earth". Reminiscent of the atevi/Foreigner series. Written in 1976. #9

To my amusement, I just realized I had not joined the 75 book group, although I had started a thread!

Heh. It's not a requirement!

Just finished "Rats of NIMH", a Newberry book winner from 1971. I last read it about 15 years ago. #10. At this rate (10/8 weeks) I'll read about 65. However, I've read 7 this month. At that rate, I'll read another 70 before the end of the year. I think I'm in good shape for the challenge.

I'm glad P.J. O'Rourke has come out with a new travel book. Holidays in Hell was a lot of fun, and I need to get my hands on the new one.

Rats of NIMH brings back some memories!

@carlym: I've not read "Holidays in Hell"--it's on my "to read" list. Hey, let me go off and reserve it at our library! I did read "Eat the Rich", which was both educational and humorous.

Just read "Hunter of Worlds"--a really great early book of Cherryh's. I would say it's as good as "Fortress in the Eye of Time" and faster paced.

Read "Crispin" by Avi. Very good young adult book.

That's books 11 and 12: Hunter of Worlds and Crispin.

Finished Young Fu, another Newberry award winner. My goal is to read all the Newberry award books. I have been very pleased reading them. They are all well written and since they span the years from the '20s to now, they give a good sense of the changes in American culture over that time.

That is the 13th book I've read this year.

Read Homeschoolers, Hippies & Heirloom Tomatoes by Philip Ward Newton. A warm and funny young adult book. Number 14 this year.

Read Borrowers Afield by Mary Norton. I first read the Borrowers series when I was 12 or 13--over 40 years ago! Having seen the movie Arrietty by Studio Gibli with my family, my daughter Olivia (the one who reads a book a day) went out and got the whole Borrower series. (6 books) That's number 15 this year.

I'm on a young adult kick right now. They're quick and as enjoyable as adult books. Don't worry--I'll turn adult again, eventually.

Read "Invasion" by Mercedes Lackey. That's number 16 this year.

I just found out I'm limited to 200 books, unless I pony up $10. Sigh. Maybe I will.

How was the Borrowers movie? I had such a specific mental picture of the Borrowers from reading the books as a child that I'm not sure I would enjoy the slightly anime-looking characters that I have seen in the previews.

@carlym: The movie was faithful to the spirit of the book and the characterization was spot on with Homily, Arrietty, Pod, and Spiller. By all means watch it, especially if you have not seen a Miyazaki movie before. He throws in wonderful backdrops and incidental animation like ants and pill bugs (wood lice).

I also read Borrowers Afloat, book 17 this year.

Read another book by Mary Norton, Stainless. Number 18 this year.

Read the original Borrowers by Mary Norton. There was much I didn't remember, from over 40 years ago! That's number 19.

Hit #20 with "A World Divided - Book 2" by Mercedes Lackey, et. al.

No. 21, Where the Moon Meets the Mountain by Grace Lin. Combines Chinese fairy tales with an interesting narrative. Caldecott Award winner.

Er. make that a Newberry award winner.

No. 22: The Borrowers Aloft, by Mary Norton.

Read "The Borrowers Avenged", which I had not read before. It was published in 1982, well after I had finished the Borrower books. Very good, and also somewhat different than the other Borrower books. Mary Norton introduces both ghosts and elements of Christianity. That was No. 23.

I also finished "Little House in the Big Woods". I had not re-read the Little House books for 15 years or so, when I read them to my children. I really like the 1st person glimpse into 19th century frontier life. That was No. 24.

I finished "On Basilisk Station" by David Weber on March 31st, making 25 in 3 months--well on my way to 100!

Summary of my first three months:

January
Safely Home - by Randy Alcorn -1
"Holidays in Heck" PJ O'Rourke -2
"The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party" by Alexander McCall Smith, -3

February:
"Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" -4
"Saltation" by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.-5
"Privilege of Persecution" by Carl Moeller, the head of Voice of the Martyrs organization. -6
"The Alloy of Law" by Branden Sanderson. -7
CJ Cherryh's book "The Goblin Mirror". Very good. #8.
CJ Cherry's book "Brothers of Earth". Reminiscent of the atevi/Foreigner series. Written in 1976. #9
"Rats of NIMH", a Newberry book winner from 1971. I last read it about 15 years ago. #10.
"Hunter of Worlds"--a really great early book of Cherryh's. I would say it's as good as "Fortress in the Eye of Time" and faster paced. = #11
"Crispin" by Avi. Very good young adult book. - #12

March:
Finished Young Fu, another Newberry award winner. My goal is to read all the Newberry award books. I have been very pleased reading them. They are all well written and since they span the years from the '20s to now, they give a good sense of the changes in American culture over that time. - #13
Read Homeschoolers, Hippies & Heirloom Tomatoes by Philip Ward Newton. A warm and funny young adult book. #14
Read Borrowers Afield by Mary Norton. I first read the Borrowers series when I was 12 or 13--over 40 years ago! Having seen the movie Arrietty by Studio Gibli with my family, my daughter Olivia (the one who reads a book a day) went out and got the whole Borrower series. (6 books) #15
Read "Invasion" by Mercedes Lackey. That's number 16 this year.
I also read Borrowers Afloat, #17
Read another book by Mary Norton, Old Stainless. #18
Read the original Borrowers by Mary Norton. There was much I didn't remember, from over 40 years ago! #19.
Hit #20 with "A World Divided - Book 2" by Mercedes Lackey, et. al.
# 21, Where the Moon Meets the Mountain by Grace Lin. Combines Chinese fairy tales with an interesting narrative. a Newberry award winner.
#22: The Borrowers Aloft, by Mary Norton.
Read "The Borrowers Avenged", which I had not read before. It was published in 1982, well after I had finished the Borrower books. Very good, and also somewhat different than the other Borrower books. Mary Norton introduces both ghosts and elements of Christianity. That was No. 23.
I also finished "Little House in the Big Woods". I had not re-read the Little House books for 15 years or so, when I read them to my children. I really like the 1st person glimpse into 19th century frontier life. That was No. 24.
I finished "On Basilisk Station" by David Weber on March 31st, making 25 in 3 months--well on my way to 100!

Nice progress in March! I like your idea of reading all the Newberry Award books, and being able to see the changes in American culture. I do hope you'll give a synopsis of your observations once you make it through the list!

You have prodded me to action--tomorrow! I read Little House on the Prairie and "Action Trumps Everything" #26 and #27.

Here you go dk_phoenix, and anyone else who cares:

Newberry Award Winners and my comments on them:
Crispin: The Cross of Lead is a 2002 children's novel written by Avi. It was the winner of the 2003 - This was a good depiction of medevil England. It resonated with my memories of Barbara Tuckmen's history of the 14th century, "A Distant Mirror". There is very little hint of current American culture in the story, other than a tacit approval of rebellion against tyranny and injustice. A good coming of age story for a young boy under difficult circumstances.

Young Fu,by Elizabeth Foreman Lewis Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1933. Reading this right after Crispin made me realize early 20th century China was about as poor as 14th century England. Many similarities between the books, although the two boys could not be more different. American culture only comes through in the positive impression given of the missionaries and the western modernizations which were beginning to appear in Chungking at the time of the book. The Chinese culture is depicted dispassionately, with both its strengths and weaknesses. Another great book for widening the world of a young adult. Another coming of age novel, again with a boy who is the son of a widow and who was treated unjustly.

Where the Moon Meets the Mountain by Grace Lin. Combines Chinese fairy tales with an interesting narrative. a 2010 Newbery Honor Book mention. Not a winner, as I thought. Very Chinese fairy tales, this time with a female protagonist. Very much encourages independent, positive, innovative thinking. Very creative plot in how Ms. Lin weaves together fairy tales with the overall story arc. Another very poor Chinese family, one with a mother and father who are opposites in many respects, yet still love each other. Interestingly, the mother in this book is similar to the mother in Young Fu.

Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson. Here is a very gentle story with anthropomorphic animals that is not trite nor cliche. Rather, the animals are portrayed with a variety of personalities somewhat like the Redwall books by Brian Jaques. And there is a surprise twist at the end. Newberry Award winner from 1944--the perfect antidote to the numbing brutality of WW II.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh Robert C. O'Brien 1972 Newberry award winner. Here, scientists were the villains to the good mice and rats. Set in England, it provides a scientific reason for anthropomorphic animals. Very appropriate for the '70s, where we began to question the advances science had given us.

As I read more, I'll add my comments!

Read "Ghost Ship" by Steve Miller and Sharon Lee and The Forlorn by David Freer. Both are excellent SF. That's #28 and #29.

Read "Master Walk" by Steven Miller. A fine book with an alien species, accepting human beings as equal researchers with them.

That makes 30 this year. At this rate, I'll read 120.

Honor of the Queen, David Weber, number 31

Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson, Newberry Award winner of 1944, #32

A Short Victorious War by David Weber, #33

Field of Dishonor by David Weber, #34

Flag in Exile by David Weber, #35.

I'm really enjoying re-reading Honor Harrington series after 10 years off.

I'm reading other books simultaneously with my Honor series; I'll report when complete.

50 books in 5 months. And it's really 47 in 4 months. I think 144 for the year is a real possibility. We'll see!

Just read two great Newberry Award winners: The Dark Frigate -- think of it as a grittier, 17th century Treasure Island. The protagonist is 19 and orphaned and can fight with the best of them. 1924 Newberry winner--the first one.

Then I read Carry On Mr. Bowditch - a seafaring novel set around the Revolutionary war period to end of the century. Very different and very much based upon a real life person. 1956 Newberry winner, the year I was born.

Post 48 The Parasol Protectorate series is utterly ridiculous: a steampunk Victorian setting with vampires, werewolves, and "soulless".

Has anyone noticed the similarity between Alexia in Heartless and Emily Peabody?

July to December books:

61 - Timeless by Gail Carriger
62 - Shadow of Saganami by David Weber
63 - Storm from the Shadows by David Weber
64 - Torch of Freedom by David Weber
65 - The Living Reed by Pearl Buck
66 - In Fury Born by David Weber
67 - God Can! by Calvin Rychener
68 - Monster Hunter Legion by Larry Correia

Fewer books in July, but they were long ones! The Weber books were all 800 pp or more.

August

69 - Living a Life of Fire: An Autobiography by Reinhard Bonnke
70 - The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
71 - By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder
72 - Who Is This Man? by John Ortberg
73 - Gray Matter: A Neurosurgeon Discovers the Power of Prayer . . . One Patient at a Time by David Levy
74 - North Korea: Good News Reaches the Hermit Kingdom by Todd Nettleton
75- Friends Forever by Jan Vermeer
76 - Great by Choice by Jim Collins
77 - Fresh Faith, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala
78 - The Creator and the Cosmos by Hugh Ross

September

79 - Dave Barry Turns 50 by Dave Barry
80 - Tricked by Kevin Hearn
81 - Boogers Are My Beat by Dave Barry
82 - Breakthrough Prayer by Jim Cymbala
83 - The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith
84 - Dave Barry's Money Secrets by Dave Barry
85 - The Long Winter by Laura Ingals Wilder
86 - Peace Kills by P.J. O'Rourke
87 - Grace At Ground Zero by Jim Cymbala
88 - He's Been Faithful by Carol Cymbala

October
89 - Kim by Rudyard Kipling
90 - Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Hardin
91 - Hobbit by JRRR Tolkien ( Illustrated Edition)
92 - Dodger by Terry Pratchett
93 - Two Ravens and One Crow by Kevin Hearne
94 - Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
95 - The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley
96 - Creating Life in the Lab by Fazale Rana
97 - Calamity's Child by Sharon Lee

68 - Monster Hunter Legion by Larry Correia

Hit my 75! Will probably read 3-4 more this month and 48 more before the end of year. That'll put me at 128. Let's try for 130!

Congrats!

Thanks, drneutron! I noticed we have 18 books in common and not common books at all. Nor have I entered all my library, as you have. We recently gave away 300 books that were not being read--old text books and unwanted novels, mostly--and the 1967 Guiness Book of World Records.

We *do* share some interesting books!

My next book to read will be Kim by Rudyard Kipling

Review, 5 stars: Kim by Rudyard Kipling I first read this book about 40 years ago in my teens. I found it confusing and hard to understand: Kipling used dialect and a lot of Indian and British vocabulary. I also was more focused on plot than the descriptive sections.

Forty years later I read it again and thought it was one of the best books I've read all year. It is a "coming of age" yarn, with deep background on British ruled India, the relationships between various Indian cultures, and the ruling British.

For the 21st century American reader, what is striking about Kim's tale is how little material benefits are considered valuable; rather, it is the quality of one's work that is prized by the British and the Indians alike. There is no political correctness in the book: various cultures strengths and weaknesses are depicted and the English do not come out as the most noble of the group.

That is all background. For the plot, Kim, an Irish solder's orphan (Kimball O'Hara), lives on the streets of India, passing as a Indian. What may be missed by Americans is that at the time, this was rather counter cultural of Kipling to make the hero an Irish lad. Kim's nickname is "Friend of All the World", for he befriends all, but is taken in by none. Then he gets involved in intelligence work with the British foreign service while accompanying an aged Tibetan lama.

By all means read this book, and enjoy it.

Review, 4 stars: Escape from Camp 14 is a story of an improbable escape from both a high security camp in the North Korean gulag by an improbable person--a young man reared in prison with no knowledge of life outside the camp. The camp was so secure that only two prisoners had escaped in its 50 years of existance--and both from less secure areas.

The young man, Shin, had no knowledge of North Korea, let alone the outside world. He had no motivation to escape until he learned there was an abundance of food outside the camp, and outside North Korea. His perspective is best illustrated by the impression North Korea made upon him when he escaped: he was amazed at people's freedom to laugh and talk without being beaten.

Highly recommended, to help anyone understand North Korean better.

Review of The Hobbit, 5 stars:

JRR Tolkien's children's book is the introduction to the Lord of the Rings. Reading it again, I realize what a fine story this is. It reads as if it were read aloud, which, no doubt, Tolkien, told to his children. It's filled with foreshadowing and allusions that all will come out well at the end. This is necessary, since it has plenty of perilous adventures; in fact, the peril increases from the beginning to the end. Tolkien kills off several of his key characters in the end, no doubt dramatizing the evil of war. Tolkien was a veteran of WW I and had no illusions about war. His battle scenes in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings include deaths of good as well as evil.

Reading the book, it is apparent that Tolkien even at this time (1939) intended to write a more complete tale later. He alludes to the "Necromancer" and the ring and even to Gollum's past life under the sun--all developed fully in his later novels.

The Hobbit can be enjoyed from childhood to adulthood, as I have over the past 40 years.

Review of Pilgrim's Regress by C.S. Lewis, which I have read, but not this year.

In some ways this is a double allegory; it is an allegory of C.S. Lewis' spiritual journey to Christianity and it is an allusive allegory to Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Whereas Bunyan's book shows a steady, if slow, march to conversion and faith in God, C.S. shows he started in a Christian home, move far away to agnosticism and atheism and then returned to Christianity.

Given knowledge of Bunyan's book and the facts of Lewis' life and conversion, the allegory is understandable; without this, the book would be confusing and meaningless. With the keys to the allegory, the book is entertaining and clever; without the keys the reader is left wondering what all the symbols mean. With the background information, one can glean Lewis' view of the Church of England, agnosticism, atheism, and other philosophies. I recommend reading a biography of Lewis, even his Wikipedia article before you read this book.

I only give the book three stars, average, because its appeal is so narrow. Yet because Lewis is such a towering literary, philosophical, and Christian figure, it will have enduring value

Thanks to drneutron and his library for suggesting I add this to my library.

"Dodger" A wonderful book by Terry Pratchett; he departs from Discworld to Victorian England, but his humor and well drawn characters are the same. I recommend this book without any reservations!

Two Ravens and One Crow Another hilarious book by Kevin Hearne in the Iron Druid series. It's actually a novella, but quite long enough to be satisfying. It picks up six years after the last novel in the series, Tricked, ends, and continues some loose ends the Druid has with various Norse gods.

Read Wee Free Men and The Silver Bowl. My review for Wee Free Men follows:

Just when you think Terry Pratchett couldn't wring any more creativity out of Diskworld (the flat disk world carried on four elephants on top of a giant turtle swimming through space) he goes and creates a brand new character, Tiffany Aching. Tiffany is 9, has read through all five books in her house, including the dictionary, and is the 7th child of her parents. She spent much time with her grandmother, Granny Aching, a pipe-smoking sheep healing vet of their little land of Chalk. Then a green haired monster appears local river and Tiffany doesn't get scared--she gets anger. A brutal application of an iron frying pan does for the monster, but Tiffany want to know what it was doing there. She asks the local witch, Miss Tick, who is impressed by Tiffany, but realizes bigger trouble is afoot. Fairyland is impinging upon the land of Chalk. Miss Tick goes off to fetch reinforcements while Tiffany makes friends with a band of randy, hard drinking thieving blue men with red hair--who are six inches high, and indestructible--the Wee Free Men. Together they must go off to Fairyland to rescue Tiffany's brother.

Now for my review of The Silver Bowl.

I started this book with low expectations, knowing it was a young adult book, and was pleasantly surprised. The author, Diane Stanley, plays with the classic "scullery maid meet a handsome prince" motif and gives it many an original turn. The book has magic, romance, coming of age narrative, and a murder mystery. What else could you want?

Calamity's Child by Sharon Lee A very short (150 pp) work of two short stories or novellas--both excellent. The first, Sweet Water, is a bittersweet tale of a civilized spacefarer among a primitive society of hunter gatherers. It is quite a departure from Sharon Miller's normal science fiction fare in the Liaden Universe.

The second tale, "Calamity's Child" is a society where magic is known and taught in college like engineering. One of the leading researchers is mysteriously killed and the lead character must investigate the murder and the cause thereof. He finds a new magical technology and a surprising murder and murderer.

Both stories are well worth reading.

Read Creating Life in the Lab by Fazale Rana My review:

Excellent survey of the current efforts to create life in the laboratory. Dr. Rana covers the difficulties and successes of origin of life researchers over the past 50 years. He highlights how even successes prove the existence of a Creator God and that Christians need not feel threatened by this research, but to rejoice in the benefits that will result from it.

Necessity's Child (Liaden Universe) is another fine book from the Liaden Universe by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. The action centers around Syl Vor, the son of Nova, former delm of Korval. The other main character is an agent of change, who has lost his memory. The third main character is Kezzi, the member of a Gypsy-like clan on the world Surebleak. The three interact and blend fascinatingly until the dramatic conclusion.

My one complaint is an unnecessarily detailed sex scene. With two of its three characters pre-adolescent, that seems inappropriate for a book that seems more aimed at the young adult audience.

I read an advanced reader's copy (ARC) and there were a few typos. I expect additional refinements in the next version.

November Books Read
98 - Necessity's Child (Liaden Universe) - Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
99 - Revelation for Everyone - NT Wright
100- The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth
101 - Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright
102 - Dragon Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
103 - Rite by Tad Williams
104 - Restricted Nations: China (The Blood-Stained Trail) by Riley K. Smith
105 - Spirit Rising by Jim Cymbala
106 - God's Blueprint for Bible Prophecy by Kay Arthur

December Books 'Read
107-The Complete Chronicles of Conan by Robert E. Howard
108-The Man Jesus by Tindale House
109-The Jezebel Spirit by Francis Frangipane
110-No Easy Day by Mark Owen
111-At Home by Bill Bryson
112-The Five Ancestors Book 5: Eagle by Jeff Stone
113-Outcast of Redwall by Brian Jacques.
114-Mouse (The Five Ancestors, Book 6) by Jeff Stone
115-The Dragon (The Five Ancestors, Book 7) by Jeff Stone
116-Taggerung (Redwall, Book 14) by Brian Jacques
117-Seeing Further by Bill Bryson

NT Wright provides an easy to read survey of the book of Revelation in his book Revelation for Everyone and its possible interpretation. His approach is more historical and metaphorical than literal, so don't expect any timelines or direct interpretations of the various symbols in the book. He does however, state he could well be wrong and misunderstanding how it will work out; a good attitude for any commentator on Revelation.

I think his best analysis is over the last two chapters of the New Heavens and the New Earth, where heaven unites with the re-created Earth and all things are made new. His picturesque language and use of modern examples make many local cultural references in the book fresh and relevant.

The book is well worth reading whether you're a prophetic literalist or amillenialist. Recommended.

The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth - A 1931 Newberry Award winner and well deserving of it. The book describes and poor artist in Japan who adopts a very well mannered cat--who turns out to be very lucky. The cat prays before the statue of Buddha--and the artist is visited by the Buddhist priest to perform a commision--at painting of Buddha at his death.

The book describes how the artist reviewed the life of Buddha and paints the animals who came to visit Buddha--with the cat last. A surprise twist at the end completes the story.

Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright - A Newberry Award winner from 1939 that well captures rural America of the '30s--both the hard times and the good times.

The story covers the summer of a 9 year old girl, Garnet, who finds a silver thimble during a drought and then whose luck changes, with the drought breaking that night. Garnet has a series of amusing adventures while performing normal farm work: threshing, baking lime for construction, traveling to the country fair.

I was struck by the great innocence of the time: Garnet hitchhikes 18 miles to a town and back with no danger and no worry.

The book is well worth reading for kids of any age.

Dragon Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Another great book in the Liadin Universe series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Here Theo Waitly conducts her shake down cruise with her AI sentient ship and new crew, while waiting for her lover, Win Ton, to be healed of a deadly nanite induced illness in an ancient healing unit. She gets into and out of trouble several times, the last by taking an irrevocable step.

Rite by Tad Williams - An anthology of shorter works by Tad Williams, some from the very beginning of his carreer. I was disappointed in the overall quality; while some were creative and entertaining, others were less good: depressing or pointless. Nothing was on the level of the Dragonbone Chair series. But the shorter works were quickly read, so you did not lose too much of your time reading them. Overall rating: uneven.

Restricted Nations: China (The Blood-Stained Trail) by Riley K. Smith A sobering, but informative history of Christianity in China and the persecutions Christians have suffered. Beginning with the arrival of Christianity in the 7th century and continuing to the 21st century, Mr. Riley K. Smith condenses an amazing amount of information into 108 pages. This book is useful for students of Christianity, martyrdom, and China, as well as those who pray for Christians in China.

Spirit Rising by Jim Cymbala

Once again Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle writes a gripping and helpful book, this time about the Holy Spirit. He gives many examples of how the Spirit teaches, leads, guides, heals, and delivers from members of his multi-national, multi-racial congregation in Brooklyn. He shows how the early Church in the book of Acts was led by the Spirit to send Paul and Barnabas into the mission field, how the Spirit directed Annias of Damascus to anoint the persecutor Saul and heal him of blindness, how the Christians prayed in the Spirit and the earth shook in response, and Peter was delivered from prison. Then he asks the tough questions: Why aren't churches bearing this fruit today? Why aren't we asking for the Spirit's guidance in every decision, even in the Church services?

I highly recommend this book for everyone who wishes to work with God's Holy Spirit to do His work.

The Complete Chronicles of Conan by Robert E. Howard

If you want to read everything Robert Howard ever wrote about Conan the Barbarian, this is the book. Reading through the entire omnibus (925 pp) you see pattern of his devices: beautiful women to rescue, horrid monsters to slay, formidable military opponents, demoniac wizards; yet he continually is able to surprise and delight with new plot twists and devices.

This book is best read one story at a time, with other reading material spaced in between; otherwise it becomes too much of one thing. The editors managed to get all of his written manuscripts on Conan in one volume so that I, who had read several Conan collections before, found at least half the volume new and fresh material.

In addition to the stories, Robert Howard also supplies a history of the Hyborean age and a description of its various races plus a world map. Afterward, there is a short biography of Robert Howard.

The Man Jesus by Tindale House

A very readable blend of the four gospels into one narrative. Based on the Living Bible, it reads like a novel. Discerning Christian students may disagree with the translation or the arrangement of the gospel stories, but the meat of the gospel is all there. I recommend it for people who have never read the Bible before and are curious about Jesus.

God's Blueprint for Bible Prophecy by Kay Arthur

This is a companion book to the more detailed inductive study on Daniel published by Kay Arther and the Precept ministries. It is easy to read, but gives a lot of detailed instructions on how to study Daniel. The inductive approach has you break down each chapter by key words and themes and see what pattern emerges.

I recommend this for people starting out a study of the book of Daniel. The full workbook is best for a more detailed study.

The Jezebel Spirit was the first book I've ever read by Francis Frangipane, but I'll try to read others by him. The small book is a Biblical studey on Jezebel, her spirit, and how it negatively affects men and women, churches and secular organizations.

I read the book skeptically, thinking this might be very speculative extrapolation of the Bible, but the thoughts and conclusions are soundly based in the Bible. I recommend this book to any Bible student, and especially to those studying Revelation, where Jezebel is directly mentioned, 800 years after her life time.

Bill Bryson's At Home is a highly entertaining stroll through the history of the home. He shows the history behind each of the rooms in his 1851 English home. He covers the spice trade, slavery (The Kitchen), men and women's fashions (The Dressing Room), health, medicine, and sex, (The Bedroom), as well as English architecture (The Garden). And that only scratches the surface. Prepare to enjoy this book, even if you hate history. It is a series of highly entertaining stories about interesting people, places, and things that made our houses what they are today.

Outcast of Redwall is another well plotted story from Redwall world of Brian Jacques. I like how he ties this story back to earlier ones, providing generational history of badgers and mice. Highly entertaining reading, with distinctive personalities for moles, shrews, ferrets, foxes, mice, hedgehogs, and badgers. Aside from his characterization and plotting, Mr. Jacques provides amusing descriptions of the various foods the anthropomorphic animals eat. He also creates a variety of songs and poems for his characters to sing and recite. This book is enjoyable for all ages.

Taggerung is another great addition to the Redwall chronicles. Brian Jacques does a good job creating a new wrinkle--a kidnapped otter babe becomes the destined head of vermin: the Taggerung. How he grows up, what happens then and afterward makes the interesting substance of the book. Add in a colorful hare, adventerous mouse, delicious food and a book long mystery about who the next abbess will be, and you have one of Mr. Jacques' better works.