Reading as a Reader

 

Over the years, I’ve attended a number of writers’ conferences and read many books on how to write fiction. Usually I agree with the advice that the presenters and authors give, but not always. One piece of advice that I do NOT agree with is this: read with an eye to discovering what the writer does right or wrong. If I had time to read a book again right after the first read, I suppose I would be okay with doing that on the second read, but I have too many books on my reading list to read any of them twice.

Why do I disagree with the advice on a first read?

I read for two main reasons: research and pleasure, and sometimes a book (such as a diary or journal) provides both. If I’m reading for research, I’m interested in the facts or the situations or the emotions that are portrayed, and how well the book is written is often irrelevant. If I’m reading for pleasure, I don’t want to get distracted by analyzing the writing. Because that’s what it is: a distraction that takes me away from the story.

That doesn’t mean I never notice the author’s skill or use of particular writing devices. Sometimes I do, especially if the devices are themselves a distraction that pulls me out of the story. I’m going to use my next few blog posts to highlight some of these devices that I would classify as pet peeves. As a reader, you will probably agree with me, and if you’re a writer, I hope you will get the message and avoid using them.

Next week I’ll talk about obvious filler.

Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Stories

 

This year, I felt like reading some classic stories about good old-fashioned Thanksgiving celebrations. Here is my “reading” list, with the first one to watch rather than read.

·       A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. This is not as well known as A Charlie Brown Christmas or It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, but it does highlight the real purpose of the holiday. It is available on DVD or for streaming from one or more services.

·       Over the River and Through the Wood is a poem by Lydia Maria Child about the trip by sleigh to Grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving. It has been published in picture-book form numerous times using different illustrators.

·       “An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving” is a short story by Louisa May Alcott. When the parents leave to visit a dying Grandma, can the children handle Thanksgiving on their own? You’ll have to read the story to find the answer.

·       “Aunt Suzanna’s Thanksgiving Dinner” is a short story by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The main characters are already young women, but children will also enjoy this story of how they save Aunt Suzanna’s Thanksgiving dinner.

·       “Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen” is a short story by O. Henry. Although there is nothing in the story that is inappropriate for children, it is typical O. Henry and works better for adults.

Happy reading.

__________

The illustration is “Homestead Winter” by Currier and Ives, circa 1868. It is in the public domain because of its age.

Permission to Stop Reading

No, I’m not giving you permission to stop reading altogether. Rather, I’m giving you permission to put an individual book down before you finish it and to never pick it up again.

Growing up, I knew it was okay to be selective about which books I read, but I thought it was a crime to start one and not finish it. I even made it through Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence in a college class on English novels. (Well, maybe putting that one down would have been a crime since it was part of the grade, but I hated every word.)

Then I got to graduate school, where new students in the psychology program were required to take an introductory seminar. The only thing I remember about the seminar is that we were assigned Portney’s Complaint by Philip Roth. Hard as I tried, I could not get through it. Fortunately, the seminar was ungraded, but that was the first time I gave myself permission to leave a novel unfinished.

Even after that, I felt guilty whenever I didn’t complete a book. It got easier after that, however. Now I believe it’s a crime to waste my time on a book that I don’t enjoy unless it’s research or there is some other educational reason for reading it. For example, reading a highly-rated book that I find totally boring may give me insight into how readers think. Or it may not. If it isn’t doing even that, I won’t keep reading.

That’s one of the lessons I’ve learned in life. If a book isn’t worth reading, don’t waste your time on it.

You have my permission to stop.

Free Books are Worth What You Pay for Them

Following up on last week’s blog post, one of the ways I evaluate a Kindle book is by the price, by which I mean that I rarely download a free book. There are exceptions, such as classics that are in the public domain and some Amazon “First Reads” selections, but mostly my experience has been that free books are worth what you pay for them.

I subscribe to a service called BookBub, which notifies me of daily e-book deals. The prices for a Kindle version range from $2.99 to free. It often lists books by authors I am familiar with and enjoy, and I’m happy to pay for them.

On the other hand, the free books are by unfamiliar authors or, once or twice, by authors I have read and vowed never to read again. Sometimes they are even touted as having “over 5000 five-star Goodreads ratings.” I’m convinced that those authors join a network of writers who agree to give five-star ratings to each other’s books without even reading them.

Still, there have been times in the past when I was suckered into “buying” a free book, such as the one in the photo at the top of this page. After all, what did I have to lose? A lot, as it turns out.

I’m a busy woman who already has a long reading list. Any time spent on a bad book is time I can’t spend on a good one. And although I’m much better than I used to be, something in me still balks at putting a book down before I’ve finished it. (That’s the subject of next week’s blog post.) So I don’t usually buy free books.

As I said, there are exceptions. Classics that are in the public domain are often turned into e-books as a public service, so you can find novels by Charles Dickens and Jane Austin for free. Some of versions are better than others (e.g., fewer transcription errors), but the content is there.

The other exception is Amazon First Reads. This is a benefit available to Prime members that provides early access to books that will be released to the public the following month. Members who have signed up for the benefit usually get one free book out of about eight choices each month, although occasionally Amazon ups it to two free books. There are some months where none of the books sounds interesting, so I don’t take any. If something does sound interesting, I wait until a number of people have read it and posted reviews, and I decide then. Sometimes I download a book, start reading it, and decide it wasn’t worth the price, but many of them are. And at least I know that a traditional publisher has vetted it.

Most of the time, however, a free book is worth what you pay for it.

 

Choosing a Good Read

 

I read approximately ten books a month for fun, which does not include the ones I read to research my own books. Granted, those ten books include some middle-grade novels that aren’t as long as adult novels, but it’s still quite a bit. The problem, though, isn’t that I read so many but that I can’t read more. Even though I’m choosy about what goes on my “to read” list, it never seems to shrink and sometimes grows. So how do I ensure that the books on the list are worth the time?

Mostly I take advantage of two tools offered by Amazon and other book sellers: the “look inside” feature and customer reviews.

I generally start with the “look inside” feature to get a feel for the author’s writing style and word use. Sometimes that’s enough to tell me that I don’t want the book on my reading list. For example, if the author consistently uses bad language or throws the heroine into bed in the first few pages, then I know it’s not for me. But my experience has been that many authors wait until they think they have you hooked before they go there, so if I’m still interested after reading those first pages, I put most of my reliance on the reviews.

Reading tastes differ, and I don’t usually find the more glowing reviews to be helpful for books. So although I look at the overall rating (4.1 in the example above), I go straight to the one-or-two star reviews. Among those, I discount the ones that show a general dislike for the author’s style since, as I said, reading tastes differ. Instead I look to see if any of the reviews point out excessive swearing or explicit sex or—perhaps worst of all—bad research. Those reviews tell me that the book would be a waste of my time.

Unfortunately, there are still times when I start reading a book only to discover that it was a mistake, but the “look inside” feature and the customer reviews weed out most of the bad ones.

And I’m grateful for that.

Being Too Quick to Judge

 

Some of my main characters spend a lot of time reading. Since I write historical novels for children, I believe that it’s important to have them reading books that were actually around then. I have a long list of children’s classics and always check the initial publication dates.

Unfortunately, I recently read a book that reminded me that not all authors do that. I didn’t consider it one of the most egregious instances that I have seen, but it still bothered me.

Then I read it again.

The book I was reading is A Girl’s Guide to Winning the War by Annie Lyons, which takes place during World War II. The story is written for adults and has an adult protagonist, but her young niece is a prominent character. At one point the main character is reading Little House on the Prairie to her niece while a friend listens. That part is fine since Little House on the Prairie was published in 1935 and may well have made its way across the ocean by the beginning of the war. But the book is new to the friend, and the protagonist asks, “Didn’t you read these books with your mother when you were little?” Since the friend would have been a teenager by the time Little House on the Prairie came out, I was disappointed that the author would think it had been around that long.

That was going to be the theme of this blog: emphasizing the importance of researching publication dates before mentioning a book in historical fiction. When I looked for the quote to include in this post, however, I discovered a very big mistake on my part. It wasn’t the protagonist who asked the question but her young niece, who obviously wouldn’t have had any clue that the series hadn’t been around that long.

So even though Annie Lyons isn’t likely to read this blog, I’m apologizing to her now.

More importantly, it goes to show how important it is to read or listen carefully before criticizing someone for what they say. Otherwise, it’s way too easy to get the meaning wrong. That’s how misunderstandings—and even wars—begin.

So don’t be too quick to judge.

My Growing Reading List

I read an average of ten books a month, and yet my reading list keeps getting longer rather than shorter. In fact, it seems to multiply faster than rabbits do.

The problem is simple: I’m addicted to reading. One year Roland got me a sweatshirt that says, “Lead me not into temptation . . . especially bookstores.” When I see a book that sounds interesting, I have to get it, or to at least put it on the list for later. But if it’s available for Kindle at a decent price, I will probably buy it right away so that I have it handy when I’ve read the books ahead of it on the list.

So where do those titles come from? I’ll start with the books in the stack at the top of this post. Nellie vs. Elizabeth: Two Daredevil Journalists Breakneck Race Around the World  is a children’s book based on Nellie Bly’s 1889 race around the world to see if she could match the trip in Jules Verne’s novel Around the World in Eighty Days. (She did.) I came across the book when I was looking through the entries for a SCBWI award that I, as a member, will be voting on in several weeks. Looking through lists of children’s award-winners is one way I discover books to add to my list.

The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue is the second in a series of children’s books about a present-day family (the series is similar to The Penderwicks or, for those of you who are old enough to remember them, The Five Little Peppers). I bought this one from a school book fair because I wanted to support my daughter’s school, and I had read the first one in the series and enjoyed it.

Letters to My Love is by one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Cadell. As a writer, she is not Charles Dickens or Emily Bronte, but her books entertain me when I want a break from heavier reading. This book is on my list because every time I go on the internet to buy another Cadell novel, I find several that sound interesting. So I pick one for my immediate enjoyment and add one or two others to my reading list.

Then there are the books mentioned by friends with similar reading tastes. I read Christy by Catherine Marshall many years ago, but when a friend mentioned it the other day, I knew I’d like to read it again.

Two other ways I find reading material are worth mentioning. I get a daily email from BookBub that highlights Kindle books on sale for $2.99 or less. I do find some of my books that way, but, unfortunately for me, I already have most of the good ones.

I’m also a member of Amazon’s First Reads, which lets me pick a free book each month from new releases by its affiliated publisher. Unfortunately, the selection isn’t the best. Sometimes I do get a good book, but at other times I can’t find anything that interests me or, worse, I start reading one and put it down when I realize it isn’t right for me.

All of this is to illustrate that there are many ways to find good books to read, and there is no shame in having a book list that multiplies faster than rabbits do.

Because we can never have too much to read.

I Love Adult Books, Too

 

Last week I talked about my love for children’s books, but I enjoy adult books, too. Some genres, anyway.

My first foray into adult books came in junior high or high school when I raided Mama’s store of novels from her college days. They included The Mill on the Floss and Silas Marner by George Eliot, both of which I loved, one or two novels by Charles Dickens, and some Shakespeare. I still enjoy much of the work by those three authors, although I can’t seem to get through George Eliot’s Ramola.

High school also found me hooked on what are now classic mysteries. I had a subscription to the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, where I was introduced to Rex Stout, Ellery Queen, and others. I especially enjoyed Agatha Christie, and over the years I collected and read every one of her books. Like anyone with a long career, some of her mysteries are better than others. A few even make me cringe when I reread them these days, and I wonder if she was pressed for ideas after writing so many others. Still, she remains my favorite mystery author, and my very favorite among them is her first one, Murder at the Vicarage. You can read more about my love affair with Agatha Christie in my February 22, 2016 post. 

I’m not sure when I discovered Jane Austin, but I’ve read each of her books as well. I even have an idea for finishing one of her unfinished novels, although I’ll probably never get to it.

Elizabeth Cadell is a more recent discovery. Light-hearted and often humorous, her books range from family stories to romances to mysteries. Staying on the lighter side, I also enjoy the Miss Read books, which explore life in small-town England. Both authors had their heyday in the latter half of the 20^th century.

I do also like some contemporary authors. My favorite books include The Chilbury Ladies Choir and other books by Jennifer Ryan and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shafter. They are historicals that take place during or shortly after World War II.

So as you can see, my favorite adult genres are classic mysteries and historical novels, although I also enjoy lighter reading.

But whatever genres you enjoy, you’ll never regret reading a good book.

I Love Children's Books

 

I just finished reading The Star that Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson, and I thought, “This may be one of my new favorite books.” Not THE favorite, but near the top.

I love reading children’s books, and especially middle-grade fiction. The Star that Always Stays is about a girl living in Michigan in the early 1900s. Most of it takes place among people who don’t share her Ojibwe heritage, and she doubts herself for several reasons. I won’t tell you any more in case you want to read the book.

It isn’t my top favorite of the recently published books for children, however. That distinction goes to The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, which tells the story of a British girl who evacuates to the countryside during World War II. The sequel, The War I Finally Won, is almost as good. Again, I won’t give you any details in case you want to read them.

Then there are all the books that I grew up with or read to my own children. When asked, I usually say that my favorite is Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery, but I'm not sure that’s true. That list is probably topped by The Borrowers by Mary Norton. I love the creativity involved in finding a different use for ordinary objects.

The list of my favorite children’s books would be incomplete without Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series, C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series, Louisa May Alcott’s books, and the more recent historicals by Sandra Dallas.

I can’t finish without mentioning some books for younger children. The Amelia Bedelia books make me laugh as she takes everything literally, and The Boxcar Children series starts with the same creativity I enjoy in The Borrowers.

Actually, this list barely scratches the surface, but it makes the point.

I love reading children’s books.

Finding Time to Read

 

In 2022 I read 122 books purely for fun. Well, maybe “purely for fun” is the wrong way to phrase it since I’m always picking up writing tips (both dos and don’ts) from reading other authors, but that number doesn’t include any of the nonfiction—including the many journals—that I read as research. I even left out the children’s fiction that I read to see how other authors have treated the same subject I’m looking to write about.

“Read” may also be a slight misnomer, since seventeen of them were audio books that I listened to while walking for exercise or doing housework.

Four of the 122 were novellas, and 42 were middle-grade novels, which tend to be shorter than adult fiction. Even so, that’s a lot of books in a year.

In spite of being retired from my legal career, I still lead a busy life. I consider myself a full-time writer, and although those writing hours include reading for research, I left those books out of the count. I'm also involved in several church ministries (e.g., choir, leading a Bible class) and am active in a local camera club. I even find time to watch Jeopardy in the afternoon and a few other game and reality shows in the evening and on weekends.

So how do I find time to do so much reading? Listening to audio books is one way. We all have moments when our body is busy but our mind isn’t. That’s the perfect time to listen to an audio book.

Then there is waiting time. If I have a doctor’s appointment or am going anywhere where I may have to wait around, I take a book. It’s usually my Kindle since that fits into my purse, but I have taken paperbacks and hardcover books, too.

I also use time that would otherwise be wasted. such as reading during commercials while watching TV. That probably won’t work for everyone since your mind has to be able to pick up the story where you left off a few minutes ago. But it does work for me.

If I’m eating a meal by myself, I read. Actually, I sometimes read when I’m eating with Roland, too, but he’s reading as well. I realize that reading while sharing a meal with others won’t work for everyone. Some people think it’s rude, but when you’ve both agreed to the practice, I don’t see it that way. And when we feel like talking, we do.

Then there are the times when most people read. An evening with nothing interesting on TV. A free Sunday afternoon. I take advantage of them, too.

If you complain that you can’t find time to read, you haven’t tried.

So read some good books this year.

Read for Free: PDF Chldren's Classics

If you want to encourage your children or grandchildren to read but would prefer that they read a paper copy or don’t want the Kindle version for some reason, there are a number of websites where you can download a free copy as a PDF, plain text, or versions for other types of ebooks. Some of these sites, such as Project Guttenberg, may even have free Kindle versions that you couldn’t locate on Amazon.

Planet eBook has a limited selection of PDF books and no search function but offers some of the best children’s classics, including:

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Aesop’s Fables by Aesop

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Andersen’s Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Grimm’s Fairy Tales compiled by the Grimm Brothers

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Kidnapped by Robert Lewis Stevenson

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

The Tales of Mother Goose by Charles Perrault

Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson

Or do your own search for one of your childhood favorites at one of these sites:

Project Gutenberg at www.gutenberg.org

Internet Archive at https://archive.org

Full Text Archive at www.fulltextarchive.com 

Freeditorial Publishing at https://freeditorial.com

These resources can also be used to find adult classics.

You now have access to plenty of reading material, so make the most of your time indoors.

__________

The picture is an illustration John Tenniel drew for the original edition of Alice in Wonderland. It is in the public domain because of its age.

Read for Free: Kindle Chldren's Classics

With sports and other extra-curricular activities cancelled, children have more time to read for fun. This is a good chance for them to explore some of the old classics that their parents and grandparents read at their age.

But the libraries are closed and money is tight, you say. I can’t afford to buy them any more books.

While it is true that physical library locations are closed, some libraries are still “open” for patrons who want to borrow ebooks or audiobooks. Check yours out.

Another option is to “purchase” Kindle books that are offered for free, which is often the case with older publications that are in the public domain. If you don’t have a Kindle, you can download the free Kindle app for your other devices.

A few cautions, however. Free versions may have typos or formatting errors, and some of them are abridged from the original. They are generally worth the price, although you may want to look at the one-and-two-star reviews first. Collections can be the exception, however. Before downloading a free collection, make sure the table of contents has links to locations within the book. I downloaded a Mark Twain collection, only to discover that I had to “guess” at the location of a particular book. The trial and error was frustrating and more trouble than it was worth.

Here are a few suggestions for free Kindle books you can get for your children or grandchildren on Amazon. (Another caution: they were free when I looked them up, but that could change.)

·       Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge

o   https://www.amazon.com/Brinker-Silver-Skates-Mapes-Dodge-ebook/dp/B004UJHBWW/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2LAM7M1PEB9Z4&keywords=hans+brinker+or+the+silver+skates&qid=1585000727&s=digital-text&sprefix=hans+brink%2Caps%2C199&sr=1-4

·       The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

o   https://www.amazon.com/Wind-Willows-Kenneth-Grahame-ebook/dp/B0083Z9D7U/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WDHMI9AQP1Q8&keywords=the+wind+in+the+willows+free+kindle&qid=1585000908&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+wind+in+the+will%2Cdigital-text%2C180&sr=1-1

·       The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

o   https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Garden-Frances-Hodgson-Burnett-ebook/dp/B0083Z614S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CVXN39BTXMTB&keywords=the+secret+garden+kindle+free&qid=1585001034&s=digital-text&sprefix=The+Secr%2Cdigital-text%2C258&sr=1-1

·       Heidi (Gift Edition) by Johanna Spyri

o   https://www.amazon.com/Heidi-Gift-Johanna-Spyri-ebook/dp/B004TRPTT2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=heidi+johanna+spyri+kindle+free&qid=1585001178&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

·       Black Beauty (Young Folks’ Edition) by Anna Sewell

o   https://www.amazon.com/Black-Beauty-Young-Folks-Sewell-ebook/dp/B00848O64Q/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=black+beauty+anna+sewell+kindle+free&qid=1585001261&s=digital-text&sr=1-2

·       Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sydney. This is the first in a series, and the others may also be available for free.

o   https://www.amazon.com/Five-Little-Peppers-They-Grew-ebook/dp/B0083Z4XZW/ref=sr_1_7?crid=G7USQ6708CT1&keywords=five+little+peppers+and+how+they+grew&qid=1585001327&s=digital-text&sprefix=five+little+pepper%2Cdigital-text%2C161&sr=1-7

·       A Little Maid of Old Maine by Alice Turner Curtis. Many of her other Little Maid books are also available for free.

o   https://www.amazon.com/Little-Maid-Old-Maine-ebook/dp/B004UJS950/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=A+Little+Maid+of+Old+Maine+kindle+free&qid=1585001394&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Then there are the lesser-known books written by well-known authors. For example, some middle-grade girls have read Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott but nothing else by those authors. The following are available as free Kindle books.

·       The Story Girl by Lucy Maud Montgomery

o   https://www.amazon.com/Story-Girl-Lucy-Maud-Montgomery-ebook/dp/B0082QFL0S/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+story+girl+kindle+free&qid=1585001501&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

·       Chronicles of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery

o   https://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Avonlea-Lucy-Maud-Montgomery-ebook/dp/B0082RBUBQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=chronicles+of+avonlea+kindle+free&qid=1585001571&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

·       Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

o   https://www.amazon.com/Little-Men-Women-Book-ebook/dp/B004UJH4C4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=little+men+kindle+free&qid=1585001625&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

·       Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

o   https://www.amazon.com/Eight-Cousins-Louisa-May-Alcott-ebook/dp/B004UJD62Q/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=eight+cousins+kindle+free&qid=1585001716&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

But maybe you would rather print off a paper copy or don’t want a Kindle version for some other reason. Next week’s post will provide additional resources.

__________

Frank T. Merrill drew the picture for the original edition of Little Women. First published in 1868, the illustration is in the public domain because of its age.

A Silver Lining: Time to Read

Even the worst situations can have a silver lining. Being stuck at home gives me more time to read. Yes, I already read one or two books a week, but church and photo club meetings took a lot of my spare time. So I might as well take advantage of the break to catch up on some of those classics that I either read long ago or planned to read “some day.”

The illustration at the head of this post is from Silas Marner by George Eliot. She has been one of my favorite authors since high school, and it hasn’t been that long since I re-read The Mill on the Floss and Middlemarch. But I finally got around to re-reading Silas Marner, and it reminded me how much I enjoy some of the old classics.

I’m going to read Moby Dick next. I can’t remember if I ever have, but it would have been a long time ago, anyway. I also downloaded a free version of War and Peace for my Kindle, although I’m not guaranteeing that I’ll read that anytime soon.

Then there are multi-published authors like Charles Dickens. Wikipedia lists twenty “notable works,” and I’ve only read about half of them. I’ve read every book Jane Austin wrote, but if you haven’t, consider picking up Persuasion or Mansfield Park, which are among her lesser-known works.

As you sit at home trying to keep busy, consider reading or re-reading the classics. And if you have children or grandchildren, this is the time to get them interested in the books you read as a child.

That’s the subject of next week’s post.

__________

The illustration was drawn by Hugh Thomson for a 1907 edition of Silas Marner. It is in the public domain because of its age.

I Need More Pocket-Sized Books

I’ve been spending a lot of time in waiting rooms lately. I don’t mind as long as I have a good book to read, but I worry about forgetting it if I set it down. And since I don’t always want to carry a purse, I prefer to read something that fits in my pocket—generally known as mass market paperbacks.

Once upon a time, publishers printed many books as mass market paperbacks. They print some, but the selection is mostly limited to romance and best-selling authors, which aren’t my usual reading preferences.

Years ago, I collected Agatha Christie mass market paperbacks. I didn’t intend it as a collection at first. I just bought them to read them, and the size was perfect for taking to the doctor or the dentist or anywhere else I might have to wait. Several years ago I decided my Agatha Christie mysteries were a collection after all, albeit with a few holes. Unfortunately, when I tried to buy those missing volumes, they no longer came in the 4 X 7 inch mass market size, so my nicely arranged shelves are marred with several books that are an inch too wide and an inch too tall. And, unfortunately, those books don’t fit in my pocket.

When did publishers and readers decide that bigger is better? Maybe more people would buy paperbacks if they were easier to carry when going out. Or have we become so narcissistic that we want our books large enough so that everyone to see what we are reading and commend us for being trendy or sophisticated or intellectual?

I’d rather have a book I can put in my pocket.

A Reading Inspiration

My mother would have been 100 years old on Wednesday.

Mama gave me too many gifts to list, with the greatest being a Christian example that radiated her love for God. She taught me to sew and to love music (although not enough to motivate me to practice piano), and she also instilled in me a love of reading. This last is the subject of today’s blog.

Both my parents made sure my brothers and I were faithful library patrons. Daddy taught me to read before I went to school, and he always encouraged my interest. But Daddy’s taste was very different from mine, and it was Mama who really sparked my love for reading.

As a girl, I read many of Mama’s books. When she married Daddy, she left a number of her childhood books at the Iowa farm where she grew up, and I read them on visits to my grandparents. My favorites were the books from the “Little Maids” series by Alice Turner Curtis. I probably could have taken them home with me, but it was nice to have that special library to look forward to on our trips to Danville.

In junior high and high school, I discovered the classics Mama had read during her college days. My favorites were The Mill on the Floss and Silas Marner by George Elliot. I also enjoyed Mama’s many Grace Livingston Hill romances.

Mama continued to be an avid reader until the end. Whenever I took her to the doctor or the dentist, she was sure to have a Guideposts magazine in her purse. She also subscribed to Readers Digest, two Christian romance book clubs, and several newsletters from groups active in the Middle East.

Our tastes diverged somewhat as we aged, but I’m still following Mama’s example, and I want to keep reading right up to my death just as she did.

Happy birthday, Mama.

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I took this picture on Mama’s 96^th birthday, which was the last one she celebrated on this earth. The other people in it are my son-in-law, Pete; my daughter, Caroline; and my older brother, Donald.

Don't Donate That Book!

Last week, I mentioned that Roland and I have been volunteering at a summer reading program held at Ascension Lutheran Christian School in Gary, Indiana. When the school put out a call for new and used books, it was flooded with contributions. I was reading one of them during a break and realized that not every book is a good candidate for donation. This isn’t a matter of censorship. I’m a big supporter of the First Amendment and would never advocate banning books. But I do believe in using good judgment.

The problem isn’t what you might think. There is nothing in the book that is insensitive. It doesn’t contain bad language, sex, or violence. It is simply out-of-date.

In the book, the protagonist’s father is a photographer who uses film and develops his own pictures in a darkroom at home. The process spills over into the kitchen, with chemicals and other equipment spread out everywhere. Then there is the typewriter the neighbor buys because everyone else in her class has one and the test the protagonist had trouble reading because the purple ink from the mimeograph is too light.

So why is this an issue? Because donated books often go to children who aren’t good readers or need to be motivated. If they come across outdated technology that they don’t understand, they may become frustrated and give up. (For simplicity, I’ll continue referring to technology although the same applies to outdated customs, modes of dress, and anything that might become a passing fad.)

When I mentioned the book to Roland, he said that children need to learn about how things were in the past. I agree, and if they were reading these books with parents who could explain them, I’d be all for it. But I don’t think that’s the situation for most of the recipients.

In this particular book, the chemicals for developing film are important to the story, but the mimeograph and the typewriter aren’t. The story was appropriate in its time and might still be a good read in the proper circumstances, but it isn’t a good book to donate.

This doesn’t mean that I’m ruling out all books that were written before the current technological age. On the contrary. Many books that were placed in a contemporary setting many years ago are still easy reads. Louisa May Alcott set Little Women in her own time, and E.B. White did the same with Charlotte’s Web. But they avoided getting too specific about the technology of their day. To use the donated book as an example, the mimeographed test would have worked equally well if the text merely mentioned “ink” or “print,” and the story would have had a longer life. 

Historical novels are a better way to help children learn about the past. The well-written ones don’t frustrate the reader because the author places the story at a clear time and uses context to explain the technology, customs, and other now outdated matters. Although many do include references to the pop culture of the time, they make it self-explanatory.

I’m not trying to discourage writers from using I-Phones and Twitter and the fad of the moment in their stories if they don’t care about longevity. But I am saying that these are not good books to donate after the technology becomes outdated. 

Just because something is old doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be donated. But books that assume the reader understands the technology don’t wear well, and volunteers and staff may not have the time to weed them out. That means the person donating the book should be the first reviewer.

So if you want children to catch your love for reading, don’t donate books that will frustrate them instead.