false 31 321 319 true 5688819 read 1 true 1291307 currently-reading 1 true 1291306 to-read 92 false 3350441 pre-2004 51 false 7935722 2006 51 false 7935739 2008 47 false 7935732 2007 46 false 7935745 2009 43 false 7935714 2005 29 false 7938335 to-read-again 14 false 7935444 2004 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79604485 to: American History Stories You Never Read in School but Should Have Vol.2 (Paperback) by Mara L. Pratt
bookshelves: 2009
Another good book for young kids and early readers with lots of interesting stories. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79321196 to: Across Five Aprils (Paperback) by Irene Hunt
bookshelves: 2009
The book was alright. I can't say I learned anything from it. It was interesting to have the close up view of the family perspective during that time. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79268023 to: Slightly To The Right (Paperback) by H.L. Richardson
bookshelves: 2009
This book was a little funny. It gave some tips on how to better communicate with others when talking about politics. Most were common sense, but many made me more aware of how I might better approach a discussion to make it more beneficial to myself and the poor sucker that gets trapped having to listen to me. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78600642 to: The Naked Capitalist (Paperback) by W. Cleon Skousen
bookshelves: 2009
I think Skousen said it best...
"...the great contribution which Dr. Carroll Quigley unintentionally made by writing "Tragedy And Hope" [and Skousen intentionally pointed out in "The Naked Capitalist":]was to help the ordinary American realize the utter contempt which the network leaders have for ordinary people. Human beings are treated en masse as helpless puppets on an international chess board where giants of economic and politcal power subject them to wars, revolution, civil strife, confiscation, subversion, indoctrination, manipulation and outright deception as it suits their fancy and their concocted schemes for world domination." ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78504451 to: American History Stories You Never Read in School but Should Have (Vol.1) by Mara L. Pratt
bookshelves: 2009
These are really great stories that are very simplified. Useful to read to young children or adults who learned nothing in the government schools about history (like myself). My problem with the book is that she made it sound like the early pilgrims had a wonderful happy, cozy, loving home, and that the slaves were mostly content and well treated. I think both groups had a pretty hard-crappy life. Nor do I think the women in both those groups enjoyed doing dishes outside in the winter. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78046950 to: Rascal (Paperback) by Sterling North
bookshelves: 2009
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78046631 to: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave and Essays (Wadsworth Classics) by Fredrick Douglass
bookshelves: 2009
This book is a reminder of how precious freedom is and how horrible life is without it. Man-made laws that violate God's laws should be broken. I respect all those who fled slavery and all those who helped shelter them and brought about the change that got rid of such an atrocious abomination as slavery.

I particularly liked his condemnation of the hypocritical "Christians" that were involved in slavery. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77468361 to: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Dover Thrift Editions) by Harriet Ann Jacobs
bookshelves: 2009
Human trafficking is pure evil. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76214525 to: On the Beach (Hardcover) by Nevil Shute
bookshelves: 2009
I wanted to read this book for two reasons: first, I like reading books on survival and overcoming difficult circumstances such as war (I prefer true stories, but occasionally novels have much to learn from). The second reason is because the song “Walk Me Out In The Morning Dew” was based on this book. It is one of my favorite Grateful Dead songs.

On The Beach was written in 1957 and takes place a year after WWIII in 1963. Atomic bombs have obliterated the northern hemisphere and the radioactive clouds are slowly moving southward. The people of Melbourne Australia have 6 months before the radiation gets to them. The radioactive fallout is completely lethal, wiping out all animal life as it moves southward. There is no place to go, and no hope of escaping.

In some ways this book was slow and boring, but that style also helped the book. It gave me time to quietly reflect on what I would do in such a situation as I was reading. I was a bit frustrated that nobody in the book tried to survive by making shelters, and other TEOTWAWKI preps. Even if you have no chance, you can still try…

A very clean doomsday book, yet very haunting.
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75503304 to: Incident at Hawk's Hill (Paperback) by Allan W. Eckert
bookshelves: 2009
I read this book with my 6 year old. Both of us really enjoyed it. Its been a couple weeks now that we have finished the book and I am still wondering about eating raw rodents and snakes. I am also wondering how to instil that commitment to survive in myself and my children that Ben seemed naturally gifted with, (among his other gifts like observing and befriending animals). ]]>