Well I ask you -
Is it likely I would not think well of a book written by a Minnesotan; a Lutheran; a son of Lutheran missionaries; a U.S. Army veteran who speaks some German; a youth who played with a championship football team at Concordia, Moorhead; who earned a degree at the University of South Dakota?
Not likely.
What is more, this youth - Greg Mortenson - details in his book, "Three Cups of Tea," his extraordinary and notable effort to promote peace. His goal was not to be a peace pilgrim; his goal was/is to build schools for children in the remote mountainous regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan where no schools exist. Awesome, and great credit to him. Although it is not a focus of his book, a reader becomes more knowledgeable of the war in Afghanistan, of the incredible geographic obstacles to conducting a war in Afghanistan or Pakistan, the loose unity of people in those regions, the lack of national identity and their remoteness from the 21st Century. This book is timely. It is inspiring. It is a pleasure to read. ]]>
If one were teaching a course on memoirs in American literature, Ezra Bowen's"Henry" would be three-fourths along the way between Henry Adams' education and JR Moehringer's bar. Bowen is convivial, bemused at some turns, amusing. Sometimes, behind what is being said, there seems a suggestion of condescension toward characters in the book, sometimes a vague taste of vengeance. Bowen's good spirits and humility are not unfailing. Bowen is a son of a distinguished American writer, Catherine Drinker Bowen. ]]>
Raymond
read and liked a piece of writing titled "If I Were Ted Kennedy"
by Amanda
"If I were Ted Kennedy:
I'd have perfect, orgasmic sex every hour, on the hour, for the rest of my life.
I would photograph every sunrise and every sunset from now 'til eternity. " ...read more »
"If I were Ted Kennedy:
I'd have perfect, orgasmic sex every hour, on the hour, for the rest of my life.
I would photograph every sunrise and every sunset from now 'til eternity. " ...read more »
With, "Thanksgiving," Glenn Alan Cheney has brought to market a contemporary and concise retelling of those sometimes devout and often malcontent Englishmen who crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the oak ship Mayflower and established their community named Plymouth. "Thanksgiving" is a small volume and is likely all that very many people will want to know of the Forefathers. Cheney surely will delight all who revel in lists. He will try the patience of some readers with his unremitting barrage of probably, possibly, perhaps, may be, may have been, might have been. Never forget: the actual record is thin. Cheney lays out some delightful trivia, none better than the native Pokanokets' tabuttantam (thanks), on to taubotenananawayen (I thank you). Tabutantamoonk: "the closest known word to thanksgiving."
Readers intrigued by the experiences of the Mayflower people still will find delight and broad enlightenment in George F. Willison's 1945 book, "Saints and Strangers (Being the Lives of the Pilgrim Fathers & Their Families, with Their Friends & Foes; & an Account of Their Posthumous Wanderings in Limbo, Their Final Resurrection & and Rise to Glory, & the Strange Pilgrimages of Plymouth Rock.)" ]]>
]]>
]]>
]]>
Raymond
took the never-ending book quiz.
| questions answered: | 4 |
| correct: | 3 (75.0%) |
| skipped: | 0 |
| best streak: | 2 |
| questions added: | 0 |