David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

I somehow heard about Malcolm Gladwell's books--possibly initially through the New York Times Best-seller List--and decided to read David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants.  This is a nonfiction book that integrates psychology, history, and other resources to prove the author's idea that disadvantages in life may actually be advantages.

This was a pretty interesting book--especially at the beginning.  (I was really engaged in the first few sections, but I started losing interest and getting confused by how things came together as the book went on.)  I was fascinated by some of the research he presented and by the idea that bad things that happen in people's lives can often shape them into something better than they could have become otherwise.  It just helped me look at things in a different way.  I'm glad I read the book, and I will probably read more of his books.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig

I randomly read something about Lou Gehrig recently, and even though I already knew the basics about him, it sparked my interest.  I found Luckiest Man by Jonathan Eig (a biography of Lou Gehrig) at the library.  It tells about his rough beginning, his dedicated mother, his involvement in baseball, his time with the Yankees, his relationship with Babe Ruth, and his sudden downfall and subsequent diagnosis with ALS.

This was a wonderful, beautiful book.  It gave me so much respect for Lou Gehrig as a baseball player and as a person.  He was an incredible man who seemed to make the most of his life and appreciate every day he had--even before the terrible diagnosis.  Jonathan Eig is a great writer--biographies can be incredibly boring, but this one was entertaining, enlightening, and heart-wrenching.  I'm so glad I read this book.  I loved the last line in the book--"ALS is a disease of weakness, but Lou Gehrig's disease is associated with strength--the strength of a stricken man who said he felt lucky."

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Another Day as Emily

I saw Another Day as Emily by Eileen Spinelli on the shelf of new children's books at the library, and it looked like a good one.  It is about a girl named Suzy whose summer does turn out like she wants it to when she gets ignored and her 4-year-old brother is suddenly labeled a local hero after calling 911 when the neighbor collapses.  Then her birthday gets ruined and she doesn't get a part in the neighborhood play.  Luckily she has Tween Time at the library, where she learns about Emily Dickinson.  Suzy decides that Emily had the right idea about being a recluse, so Suzy begins dressing in white dresses, staying in her room, and corresponding via only letters.

This was a fun read.  It was written in verse, which I always enjoy in books.  I thought the story was cute, and I liked Suzy and the other distinct characters (Gilbert, Alison, Mrs. Harden).  It was a really quick read which not much depth beyond the regular storyline, but I liked it.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Son

I've been aiming to read Son by Lois Lowry for forever and finally got to it.  This is the conclusion to the books that go along with The Giver, and it brings together the other three.  It tells the story of Claire, a young girl who was assigned to be a Birth Mother in her community until things went very wrong.  Later she finds herself outside of the community with no memory except a yearning for her son.

This was a really neat book.  I loved reading it as it pulled together the characters and worlds in the The Giver, Gathering Blue, and The Messenger.  Claire was such a lovable character, and I loved watching her transformation and her relationship with Einar.  I also just loved how everything concluded and wished there was more to the ending.  I think this series by Lois Lowry is just really fun--they are unique stories that keep me interested and wanting to read more throughout every book.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

In a Heartbeat

My parents gave me In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy awhile back, and I just got around to reading it.  It is the story of the couple featured in the movie The Blind Side--in their own words.  The book shares their backgrounds and the circumstances that led to them welcoming Michael Oher to their family.  There are also brief chapters from the Tuohy children, Sandra Bullock, and Tim McGraw.  The book tells the story but also teaches lessons in parenting, love, and giving.  The books starts with a quote from Anne Frank that defines the entire book: "No one has ever become poor by giving."

I really enjoyed this book.  It kept me interested throughout the whole read, and I thought it really taught me a lot and inspired me to be more giving.  I think I'm always waiting for the right time to start donating to a cause, but if I wait till that abstract time, I will miss out on many opportunities right here and now.  I loved hearing about things like how they gave Christmas gifts to the garbage man, or paid to get a kid at the private school free lunch every day, or paid bills for a friend in need.  Giving is just a beautiful thing.  The authors emphasized that we don't have to look hard for a "cause"--the people in need are right in front of us, and we just have to respond to what we see.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)



Some quotes from the book that stood out to me:

• "True character was about how we treated people."
• "God gave us problems to see how we would handle them. And He gave us difference to see if we could learn to live with one another."
• "A person's true character is judged by how he acts and reacts to someone who has no consequence in his life whatsoever."
• "Along with a larger income came larger responsibilities....'To whom much is given much is required'....God gave us what we have to see what we're going to do with it."
• "We too often confuse the power of giving with the effectiveness of giving. Giving was powerful by itself; it needed no help from the recipient to be meaningful. Giving worked on the giver's heart and made it expand; that was the most important thing. What the recipient did with the gift--whether he used it to change the world or buy whiskey--was up to him. If what we gave went down a hole, then that was on the head and heart of the person on the receiving end of the gift. God would judge his heart, and that was His responsibility, not ours....My responsibility is to be happy with the act of giving, without expecting a result."
• "It's easy to be nice to George Bush. But the guy who cuts George Bush's yard, that's the one you're supposed to be nice to. Because not everyone is going to be nice to him."
• "Giving didn't always have to be tangible. It was just as important to give passion, time, faith, encouragement, or exposure to something new."
• "God puts things and people in your life for a reason. Usually it's to show you a path. And this clearly was a path that our family needed to go down."

Wonder

I re-read Wonder by R.J. Palacio just because I recommended it to some friends recently.  My friends were reading it and making comments about it, and I decided I wanted to read it again.  I stand by my original review that said I LOVED this book.  It is just a beautiful read--it made me laugh, cry, and think hard about being kinder, better person.  This is probably one of my top favorite books of all time, and that is saying a lot.  :)  Please read it!  And have your kids read it!

Messenger

I've been meaning to read the rest of The Giver companion books for awhile but finally got around to it and read Messenger by Lois Lowry.  (Connor and I read The Giver and Gathering Blue together months ago but never got to the last two, so I'm just reading them on my own.)  Messenger follows Matty from Gathering Blue in his new village, which accepts the outsiders from villages everywhere else.  The community is a happy, welcoming place, but suddenly things start to change--people are trading away the deepest parts of themselves, and the forest is thickening.  While Matty notices all of this, he also notices a new, powerful gift in himself.

This was a really good read.  It was a quick read--I finished the entire book while Emmeline was at preschool.  I was very interested in the story and characters and didn't want to stop reading.  The end was getting so intense that I kept wanting to peek ahead to see what was going to happen (but I didn't).  I thought it was a beautiful story of sacrifice while also being heart-breaking.  I also loved how the book connected back to the characters from The Giver.  I'm now really excited to read the fourth companion book, The Son.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)