One time while visiting a local book warehouse, I found a rather small book in the religious section. Out of the Garden: Women Writers of the Bible
was different from many of the others, and I immediately snatched it up
as a good book to trade for. (For two of my own books, they will give
me one of theirs.) It's a collection of essays from Jewish and
Christian women who were asked to choose a theme, person or story from
the Old Testament in a quest to see how contemporary women read the
Bible.
I started reading it a couple days ago, and have already found some
thought-provoking stuff. I enjoyed the alternate view of Lot's wife
turning to salt. Such a clever ending to that essay by Rebecca
Goldstein!
During a chapter on Rachel and Leah, I decided to jot down a few
observations (some pointed out in the book; some my own). These aren't
necessarily new "aha!" moments for me, but I don't believe I've
mentioned them here before.
Here goes:
--- Have you ever noticed how many barren women are mentioned in the Bible?
---
The author mentioned this one: Rachel demanding from Jacob children
lest she die (Genesis 30:1). And then she died having her second son
(Genesis 35:18).
Also, why would she demand children from Jacob when it was clearly her inability to conceive? (It seems women in the past were often blamed for infertility when it was not their faults, but clearly Jacob was fertile.) So why demand children of Jacob this way? Any ideas? (The author has one, but I'll see what you say first.)
--- Also, ever notice this verse from Deuteronomy 21, and how often it wasn't necessarily followed before it became Law? By God's decree even?
15 If
a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear
him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, 16 when
he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the
firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual
firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love.
--- Read this from Genesis 30:
14 During
wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake
plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah,
“Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”
“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”
16 So
when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet
him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s
mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.
The
joys of polygyny? Jacob seems reduced to a token between his two wives
who decide it's fair to exchange a night in his company for plants.
I'll see if I have more as I continue the book.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
October Books
I don't think I'll finish another book before tomorrow, and tomorrow will be busy with Halloween so here's the list for this month. Are you dressing up for Halloween? Having a party? Hope you have a good one! :)
Ciao, America! by Beppe Severgnini -- an Italian living in the United States for a year offers his insights to life here; see previous post
Those Crazy Germans! by Steven Somers -- Ever wondered about the various tents at Oktoberfest, and what they offered, and how hard they were to get into? The red light districts near the train stations? How regulated the prostitution industry is in Germany? The names of German cities? What's up with all the nude people in parks? The spa life? Bicycling? Politics? The love of news? The work week? Holiday customs? If so, you may enjoy this "light-hearted guide to Germany" by a self-proclaimed Germanophile. The chapters are short, easy-to-read, and informative. I certainly learned some new things, then again, I really didn't know that much about Germany since it was never a country I adored.
Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton -- I picked this book up at the library and read it all in just a couple of hours (and I took a Facebook break or two during those hours.) I got it mainly because it reminded me of Andrew's trip to Kenya last year. The Maasai, the Samburu, even South Horr was mentioned at some point. I enjoyed reading of Lemasolai's growing-up years, the reason he went to school (the Kenyan government required one child per family to go and he was selected) and certain customs among his people (like the circumcision ceremonies - Andrew attended one.)
The Road from Coorain by Jill Ker Conway -- I found this book at the book warehouse and enjoyed reading about Jill's life in the outback of Australia and how they moved to the city and she went to school and university there. Both parts were quite interesting to me as she learned to adjust to a new life - she never had a female playmate until she left the outback. Her thoughts on life fascinated me so I've already looked to see if any of her other books are available at my local library. They are! Yay.
My Forbidden Face: Growing Up Under the Taliban: A Young Woman's Story by Latifa -- a story that takes place in the years preceding 9/11 and the US-led invasion of Afghanistan. This book reminds me again why the Taliban and any religious fundamentalists who impose their will on others are so awful.
The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul by Wayne A. Meeks -- A book from my wishlist. It was a bit more technical and deeper than I expected. That's not all bad, just maybe I would have enjoyed it if the author dumbed it down for me. :) This book discussed the urban environment of Pauline Christianity, the social level of Pauline Christians (were they all poor, mostly rich, middle class?), the formation of the ekklesia, governance, rituals, and patterns of belief and life.
Even After All This Time: A Story of Love, Revolution, and Leaving Iran by Afschineh Latifi -- I'm not sure how my library got so many memoirs of Iranian ladies who grew up in Iran, but it seems I've found a few of them the last couple of years. And they've been some of my favorite books! This was no exception as I was moved to tears reading of the Latifi's father and the struggle of the family after his execution. The author made everything seem so real, yet she has a marvelous sense of humor. If you are interested in stories surrounding the Iranian revolution and families moving abroad, you may enjoy this book as well. Without exception these families tend to be what I would give as examples of "secular Muslims."
I enjoyed reading about the Latifi sisters schooling in Vienna (especially since I was there not eight weeks ago) and Virginia. Also the author attended law school in nearby Winston-Salem, NC at Wake Forest. Really interesting book!
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain -- I enjoyed reading about myself in this book. I'd seen this lady's TED talk so when I saw the book at the library, I grabbed it!
"Finland is a famously introverted nation. Finnish joke: How can you tell if a Finn likes you? He's staring at your shoes instead of his own." (pg. 14)
"America has shifted from ... a Culture of Character to a Culture of Personality." In the former, "the ideal self was serious, disciplined, and honorable. What counted was not so much the impression one made in public as how one behaved in private. The word personality didn't exist in English until the eighteenth century, and the idea of 'having a good personality' was not widespread until the twentieth.
But when they embraced the Culture of Personality, Americans started to focus on how others perceived them. They became captivated by people who were bold and entertaining. 'The social role demanded of all in the new Culture of Personality was that of a performer,'...'Every American was to become a performing self.'"
"By 1920, popular self-help guides had changed their focus from inner virtue to outer charm...'To create a personality is power,' advised [one]."
Culture of Character guides emphasized: "citizenship, duty, work, golden deeds, honor, reputation, morals, manners, integrity"
Culture of Personality guides celebrated qualities: "magnetic, fascinating, stunning, attractive, glowing, dominant, forceful, energetic"
"It was no coincidence that in the 1920s and the 1930s, Americans became obsessed with movie stars."
(pg 21-24)
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui -- a story about a young Yemeni woman's life and how she fought for a divorce
Walking the Trail: One Man's Journey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears by Jerry Ellis -- I found this at the local library; the author traveled from Oklahoma back home to Alabama all the while talking to people he met along the trail
Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas and Micah Sparks -- I thought this was going to be more of a journal of a trip, and it had that of course, but it was so much more. In between telling of his adventure to Easter Island, the Outback, the Taj Mahal, Norway and various other places, this book is a memoir of Nicholas' growing up mostly in California. It was quite interesting to me, and made me very sad at times. I love the devotion of these brothers to each other - very inspirational. I loved Micah's sense of devotion to his family, the way he took care of them in typical older-child fashion. I admired the optimism of Dana, the youngest member of the family and the only sister. A really emotional books for me - both awe and wonder and laughter and disbelief to hurting for them.
And so odd to me, what are the chances that my AAA Carolinas magazine this month focused on a couple of the places mentioned in this book? I read both within a day of each other, and the timing was weird. But I notice that a LOT lately... too much. Is there something in the air? Hmmm :)
Ciao, America! by Beppe Severgnini -- an Italian living in the United States for a year offers his insights to life here; see previous post
Those Crazy Germans! by Steven Somers -- Ever wondered about the various tents at Oktoberfest, and what they offered, and how hard they were to get into? The red light districts near the train stations? How regulated the prostitution industry is in Germany? The names of German cities? What's up with all the nude people in parks? The spa life? Bicycling? Politics? The love of news? The work week? Holiday customs? If so, you may enjoy this "light-hearted guide to Germany" by a self-proclaimed Germanophile. The chapters are short, easy-to-read, and informative. I certainly learned some new things, then again, I really didn't know that much about Germany since it was never a country I adored.
Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton -- I picked this book up at the library and read it all in just a couple of hours (and I took a Facebook break or two during those hours.) I got it mainly because it reminded me of Andrew's trip to Kenya last year. The Maasai, the Samburu, even South Horr was mentioned at some point. I enjoyed reading of Lemasolai's growing-up years, the reason he went to school (the Kenyan government required one child per family to go and he was selected) and certain customs among his people (like the circumcision ceremonies - Andrew attended one.)
The Road from Coorain by Jill Ker Conway -- I found this book at the book warehouse and enjoyed reading about Jill's life in the outback of Australia and how they moved to the city and she went to school and university there. Both parts were quite interesting to me as she learned to adjust to a new life - she never had a female playmate until she left the outback. Her thoughts on life fascinated me so I've already looked to see if any of her other books are available at my local library. They are! Yay.
My Forbidden Face: Growing Up Under the Taliban: A Young Woman's Story by Latifa -- a story that takes place in the years preceding 9/11 and the US-led invasion of Afghanistan. This book reminds me again why the Taliban and any religious fundamentalists who impose their will on others are so awful.
The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul by Wayne A. Meeks -- A book from my wishlist. It was a bit more technical and deeper than I expected. That's not all bad, just maybe I would have enjoyed it if the author dumbed it down for me. :) This book discussed the urban environment of Pauline Christianity, the social level of Pauline Christians (were they all poor, mostly rich, middle class?), the formation of the ekklesia, governance, rituals, and patterns of belief and life.
Even After All This Time: A Story of Love, Revolution, and Leaving Iran by Afschineh Latifi -- I'm not sure how my library got so many memoirs of Iranian ladies who grew up in Iran, but it seems I've found a few of them the last couple of years. And they've been some of my favorite books! This was no exception as I was moved to tears reading of the Latifi's father and the struggle of the family after his execution. The author made everything seem so real, yet she has a marvelous sense of humor. If you are interested in stories surrounding the Iranian revolution and families moving abroad, you may enjoy this book as well. Without exception these families tend to be what I would give as examples of "secular Muslims."
I enjoyed reading about the Latifi sisters schooling in Vienna (especially since I was there not eight weeks ago) and Virginia. Also the author attended law school in nearby Winston-Salem, NC at Wake Forest. Really interesting book!
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain -- I enjoyed reading about myself in this book. I'd seen this lady's TED talk so when I saw the book at the library, I grabbed it!
"Finland is a famously introverted nation. Finnish joke: How can you tell if a Finn likes you? He's staring at your shoes instead of his own." (pg. 14)
"America has shifted from ... a Culture of Character to a Culture of Personality." In the former, "the ideal self was serious, disciplined, and honorable. What counted was not so much the impression one made in public as how one behaved in private. The word personality didn't exist in English until the eighteenth century, and the idea of 'having a good personality' was not widespread until the twentieth.
But when they embraced the Culture of Personality, Americans started to focus on how others perceived them. They became captivated by people who were bold and entertaining. 'The social role demanded of all in the new Culture of Personality was that of a performer,'...'Every American was to become a performing self.'"
"By 1920, popular self-help guides had changed their focus from inner virtue to outer charm...'To create a personality is power,' advised [one]."
Culture of Character guides emphasized: "citizenship, duty, work, golden deeds, honor, reputation, morals, manners, integrity"
Culture of Personality guides celebrated qualities: "magnetic, fascinating, stunning, attractive, glowing, dominant, forceful, energetic"
"It was no coincidence that in the 1920s and the 1930s, Americans became obsessed with movie stars."
(pg 21-24)
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui -- a story about a young Yemeni woman's life and how she fought for a divorce
Walking the Trail: One Man's Journey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears by Jerry Ellis -- I found this at the local library; the author traveled from Oklahoma back home to Alabama all the while talking to people he met along the trail
Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas and Micah Sparks -- I thought this was going to be more of a journal of a trip, and it had that of course, but it was so much more. In between telling of his adventure to Easter Island, the Outback, the Taj Mahal, Norway and various other places, this book is a memoir of Nicholas' growing up mostly in California. It was quite interesting to me, and made me very sad at times. I love the devotion of these brothers to each other - very inspirational. I loved Micah's sense of devotion to his family, the way he took care of them in typical older-child fashion. I admired the optimism of Dana, the youngest member of the family and the only sister. A really emotional books for me - both awe and wonder and laughter and disbelief to hurting for them.
And so odd to me, what are the chances that my AAA Carolinas magazine this month focused on a couple of the places mentioned in this book? I read both within a day of each other, and the timing was weird. But I notice that a LOT lately... too much. Is there something in the air? Hmmm :)
Monday, October 8, 2012
Five!
Just think five years ago right now, I didn't even know how my life would change the next day when I opened a private message "From Damascus" that was sent to me on a MySpace account I'd had all of three months. I mentioned the Middle East on my profile, and something must have prompted Samer to contact me. His note was a slight challenge, albeit very polite.
On October 9, 2007 I read the message, wrote him back, and he wrote me back within an hour. It was during Ramadan so he was up despite the seven hour time difference. I remember wondering if he were legit. What are the odds that some Muslim Arab guy in Syria would write me? Was he one of those internet weirdos they warn you about on the news?
Maybe so, but we became fast friends. Family really. And I'm thankful for three times we've met in real life. Once in Syria (where we met his mom, brothers and sister, and friends) and twice now in Germany.
I'm thankful to God for what he has taught me - and where He has taken me - through knowing Samer!
On October 9, 2007 I read the message, wrote him back, and he wrote me back within an hour. It was during Ramadan so he was up despite the seven hour time difference. I remember wondering if he were legit. What are the odds that some Muslim Arab guy in Syria would write me? Was he one of those internet weirdos they warn you about on the news?
Maybe so, but we became fast friends. Family really. And I'm thankful for three times we've met in real life. Once in Syria (where we met his mom, brothers and sister, and friends) and twice now in Germany.
I'm thankful to God for what he has taught me - and where He has taken me - through knowing Samer!
 |
| Eagle's Nest - August 2012 |
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Foreign Impressions
I often find it interesting to hear of people's experiences in other
countries.*** A friend told me of two German coworkers who visited the
US (San Mateo, CA) for the first time recently. Their impressions:
Americans are louder, much more open and friendlier. A waiter or waitress thinks nothing of telling you about his day or her family. (Apparently small talk amongst strangers doesn't happen much in Germany!) Also the younger guy said no one smokes. In fact when he did light up in a parking lot, someone threatened to call the police! He noted our love of ice - we 'overwhelm' them with the stuff. And they were surprised by the huge amount of Coke served with their meals. (In Austria and Germany on our recent trip it was about 3 euros for a small bottle - cold, but no ice, no free refills.) And also the people here are fatter. Maybe because we drink too much Coke and don't smoke..hmmm?
I was reading Ciao, America! by Beppe Severgnini and he made many similar observations. He lived with his wife in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. for a year. He noted the ice (he really felt strongly about it. Why are ice cubes so offensive? Because they crunch?), the frigid air conditioning, the differences in Mass, the bureaucracy involved in getting services (piece of cake compared to Italy), and the talkativeness of random strangers. I was especially laughing at the bit about waiters and waitresses telling about their lives and running to serve when they (Beppe's family) just wanted to be left in peace to eat. It wasn't all negative. In fact it was mostly just observations and reactions to life here. I found it amusing. And these I shared on Facebook as a sample.
"Relationships are good with the rest of the neighbors and conversation comes easily. Americans tell you more about themselves in an hour than the British do in ten years. The main thing is not to mistake this cordiality for friendship. It's more a sort of cosmetic to perk up everyday life, and should be treated as such." (pg. 98)
"There's always a note of alarm in American weather forecasts. TV weatherpeople have glassily inexpressive eyes. Even when they're making one of their little jokes, they give the impression that they're keeping back some tragic piece of news. There's an entire channel (the Weather Channel) that deals exclusively with the subject. In fact, it ferrets out disasters in every corner of the Union. Hurricanes, floods, storms, downpours, eclipses, landslides - any calamity will do. It's the meteorological version of a horror film, and we foreigners are unaccustomed to the concept. ... During the summer it is not sufficient to communicate infernal temperatures. There's also a comfort index, calculated from the combination of heat and humidity. And winter is not just a question of bitter cold. There is also the windchill factor, ... Knowing the exact quantity of discomfort - being able to say exactly how badly you feel and why - is the first step toward the goal of every U.S. citizen: to feel good." (pg. 64-65)
Earlier today I was in downtown Graham running errands. Walking them really. And a little girl saw me.
"Where's your car?"
Me: "Around the corner and up the street. I parked at the library."
"Ohhhh. I like your blue bag" (I was carrying some things I'd found for Zach at Little Blessings, and the bags *are* a pretty color.)
Me: "Thank you. I hope you have a good day, sweetie" I said as I smiled and started to walk away.
I hear floating after me: "I looooove you"
Sweet Stranger Moments.
And, yes, I did wonder what Beppe would have thought if he'd encountered such an outgoing little girl during his time in the United States. :)
My apologies to those who are Facebook friends and have already read much of this.
*** This is why one of my favorite places on the web is Malik's blog. He's from Jordan and lives in Missouri. I love when he writes posts dealing with differences in Arab and American culture or what he finds picture-worthy. Sadly, Samer doesn't blog because he has some good stories of life in Germany, and I enjoy hearing what he has to say about the differences in his experiences in Germany and Damascus. Thankfully he gives me full permission to share them. I got the German coworker impressions from him. Bet you never would have guessed that, huh?
Americans are louder, much more open and friendlier. A waiter or waitress thinks nothing of telling you about his day or her family. (Apparently small talk amongst strangers doesn't happen much in Germany!) Also the younger guy said no one smokes. In fact when he did light up in a parking lot, someone threatened to call the police! He noted our love of ice - we 'overwhelm' them with the stuff. And they were surprised by the huge amount of Coke served with their meals. (In Austria and Germany on our recent trip it was about 3 euros for a small bottle - cold, but no ice, no free refills.) And also the people here are fatter. Maybe because we drink too much Coke and don't smoke..hmmm?
I was reading Ciao, America! by Beppe Severgnini and he made many similar observations. He lived with his wife in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. for a year. He noted the ice (he really felt strongly about it. Why are ice cubes so offensive? Because they crunch?), the frigid air conditioning, the differences in Mass, the bureaucracy involved in getting services (piece of cake compared to Italy), and the talkativeness of random strangers. I was especially laughing at the bit about waiters and waitresses telling about their lives and running to serve when they (Beppe's family) just wanted to be left in peace to eat. It wasn't all negative. In fact it was mostly just observations and reactions to life here. I found it amusing. And these I shared on Facebook as a sample.
"Relationships are good with the rest of the neighbors and conversation comes easily. Americans tell you more about themselves in an hour than the British do in ten years. The main thing is not to mistake this cordiality for friendship. It's more a sort of cosmetic to perk up everyday life, and should be treated as such." (pg. 98)
"There's always a note of alarm in American weather forecasts. TV weatherpeople have glassily inexpressive eyes. Even when they're making one of their little jokes, they give the impression that they're keeping back some tragic piece of news. There's an entire channel (the Weather Channel) that deals exclusively with the subject. In fact, it ferrets out disasters in every corner of the Union. Hurricanes, floods, storms, downpours, eclipses, landslides - any calamity will do. It's the meteorological version of a horror film, and we foreigners are unaccustomed to the concept. ... During the summer it is not sufficient to communicate infernal temperatures. There's also a comfort index, calculated from the combination of heat and humidity. And winter is not just a question of bitter cold. There is also the windchill factor, ... Knowing the exact quantity of discomfort - being able to say exactly how badly you feel and why - is the first step toward the goal of every U.S. citizen: to feel good." (pg. 64-65)
Earlier today I was in downtown Graham running errands. Walking them really. And a little girl saw me.
"Where's your car?"
Me: "Around the corner and up the street. I parked at the library."
"Ohhhh. I like your blue bag" (I was carrying some things I'd found for Zach at Little Blessings, and the bags *are* a pretty color.)
Me: "Thank you. I hope you have a good day, sweetie" I said as I smiled and started to walk away.
I hear floating after me: "I looooove you"
Sweet Stranger Moments.
And, yes, I did wonder what Beppe would have thought if he'd encountered such an outgoing little girl during his time in the United States. :)
My apologies to those who are Facebook friends and have already read much of this.
*** This is why one of my favorite places on the web is Malik's blog. He's from Jordan and lives in Missouri. I love when he writes posts dealing with differences in Arab and American culture or what he finds picture-worthy. Sadly, Samer doesn't blog because he has some good stories of life in Germany, and I enjoy hearing what he has to say about the differences in his experiences in Germany and Damascus. Thankfully he gives me full permission to share them. I got the German coworker impressions from him. Bet you never would have guessed that, huh?
Saturday, September 29, 2012
September Books
So this month I ended up reading two books dealing with China, and two
memoirs about people leaving their faiths. I didn't know the two latter
books would delve so much into childhood sexual abuse when I started
them. I was thoroughly disgusted at how two powerful churches (one for
sure; the other maybe was falsely accused) have used their money and
clout to cover abuse for the sake of their churches' reputations!
Children be damned as long as the faith is protected? Horrible! And
even though these two churches are not my own, I condemn any who
cover abuse for the sake of their reputations. How about some character,
people...not hypocrisy! And I would dare to speak for God and say He
is thoroughly disgusted by this as well. Yes, your church might go
through bad publicity - as it should! And it IS shameful. And it IS a
horrible testimony. And it DOES cause unbelievers to blaspheme God in
many cases (see II Samuel 12). But these things must be dealt with. You
can't expect sin to stay hidden, that you will always be able to
protect the guilty. God knows what is going on. He's not giving you a
free pass. Sorry, I had to get this out. I see my precious nephews. One
is ten and a half, the other almost 17 months old, and I cannot stand
the thought of anyone abusing them and getting by with it because some
church doesn't want bad publicity. And don't get me started on churches
that know of sexual predators and reassign them to other posts where they can prey on a new batch of children. Grrrrr.
Boy, I rarely get this testy when doing my monthly book reports, huh?
Among the Righteous: Lost Stories From the Holocaust's Long Reach Into Arab Lands by Robert Satloff -- This Jewish man researches the stories of Arab treatment of Jews in North Africa. I enjoyed the story of Khaled Abdul-Wahab and the author's attempt to get him accepted as the first Arab remembered by Yad Vashem for his role in saving Jews during the Holocaust. He comes across many roadblocks as more recent politics play into whether Arabs want to be known for helping Jews. Also Jews sometimes deny the Holocaust's reach into the Arab countries.
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang -- I didn't realize this book was so long when I picked it up, but over 500 pages later, I must say that I enjoyed learning the story of these three women. The author shared about her grandmother who was a concubine to a general and later married to a much older doctor. The family dynamics of her coming into this family made me appreciate the simplicity of marriage in my own culture. (Her new husband's oldest son ended up shooting himself in a fit of rage because of this proposed marriage. He died.) This story involved the author's mother and father, and their commitment to the Communist Party. I enjoyed the examples of life in China at this time and during the reign of Mao and the Cultural Revolution. I had to smile when she told of how "eat all your food because there are poor capitalists in the West who are starving and would love to have the food you are eating" was used on them as children. (I've heard a similar version growing up.) I was struck by the patriarchy of this traditional society and how Communism declared women and men more equal. I got to wondering just how far back patriarchy goes and where did repressing women and elevating men begin?
I just thought this was interesting.
"Following the custom, my great-grandfather was married young, at fourteen, to a woman six years his senior. It was considered one of the duties of a wife to help bring up her husband." (pg. 22)
With some exceptions like books on Mao's writings and "revolutionary operas," among the many things banned or seen as too "bourgeois" during the Cultural Revolution in China -- books, paintings, musical instruments, sports, cards, chess, teahouses, bars, flowers, grass (yes, grass was pulled up as if it were an enemy!), films, plays, concerts, long hair for women... (pg. 332)
"To me, the ultimate proof of freedom in the West was that there seemed to be so many people there attacking the West and praising China. Almost every other day the front page of Reference, the newspaper which carried foreign press items, would feature some eulogy of Mao and the Cultural Revolution. At first I was angered by these, but they soon made me see how tolerant another society could be. I realized that this was the kind of society I wanted to live in: where people were allowed to hold different, even outrageous views. I began to see that it was the very tolerance of opposition, of protestors, that kept the West progressing." (pg. 472)
The Lost Daughters of China by Karin Evans - a friend sent me this book thinking I'd like it and I did! The author and her husband adopted a little girl from China (two actually),and she tells some of their story and also bits of stories from others. She explores the reasons women would give up their daughters, the hardship of life in China, orphanage life and adjusting to life in the US among other things. I shed a few tears for the innocent ones who are abandoned and left behind in orphanages as well as the ones who never have a chance at life because they are either aborted or killed upon delivery. Also I cried for those women who would have chosen to keep their children, but could not for the sake of society. I can't imagine how difficult that must be.
Here is one excerpt I wanted to share.
Re: the only-children of China being spoiled: "'Many parents of the nineties,'...'were part of the lost generation of the Cultural Revolution. After suffering so much themselves, they were determined not to deprive their only child. Beijing's biggest toy store was always jammed with parents buying toddler-sized fake fur coats, imported baby shampoo and red Porsche pedal cars.'
Yet she saw good things coming out of the situation. 'Many people thought that a country populated with Little Emperors was headed for disaster. I disagreed. Granted it might be unpleasant to live in a nation of me-first onlies, yet I saw a social revolution in the making. For generations, Chinese society had emphasized the family, the clan, the collective over the individual. Now, for the first time in four thousand years of history, the relationship was reversed. Where the Mao generation failed, the Me generation just might succeed.' She quoted a British friend, Michael Crook, 'If you have a population of Little Emperors, you can't have little slaves. Everyone will want to tell everyone else what to do. You'll have democracy.'" (pg. 234)
Losing My Religion by William Lobdell - I found this at the local Friends of the Library book sale; a reporter talks about his faith in Christ, how he got a job reporting religious news for a newspaper and eventually lost his faith. The book was very respectful, really, but made me sad because he admits he saw very little difference in the majority of Christians' lives compared to the general population. I don't think it's supposed to work like that!
"So what has taken the place of God in my life? A tremendous sense of gratitude. I sense how fortunate I am to be alive in this thin sliver of time in the history of the universe. This gives me a renewed sense of urgency to live this short life well. I don't have eternity to fall back on, so my focus on the present has sharpened. I find myself being more grateful for each day and more quickly making corrections in my life to avoid wasted time. I've tightened my circle of friends, wanting to maximize time with people I love and enjoy the most. I've become more true to myself because I'm not as worried about what others think of me. ... That's what losing God has done for me. Permanent death - I don't think I have the escape hatch to heaven anymore - now sits squarely in front of me, unmoving as I rapidly approach. And you know what? My breakfast does taste better. I feel the love of my family and friends more deeply. And my dreams for my life have an urgency to them that won't allow me to put them off any longer. I can no longer slog through each day, knowing that if my time on Earth isn't used to its fullest potential, it's no big thing, that I have eternity with God ahead of me." (pg. 278-279)
Leaving the Saints by Martha Beck -- I've often been driven to tears and disgust and anger and laughter and joy, but I don't think a nonfiction book has creeped me out until I read this book. Really it wasn't that creepy, but I just so happened to read a part (about Danites if you must know) right before bed and it must have upped the "creep factor" in my mind. Like I told someone else, I take most leaving the faith stories with a huge dose of salt (as opposed to a mere grain) because I realize sometimes people won't present their former faiths in the best lights due to their own personal experiences. For others, the faith is a hugely wonderful thing partly because they haven't experienced those awful things. So, that said, I enjoyed this book and some of the talk of sealing in the temple (she didn't go into great detail because she knows it's sacred), wards (I often wondered what those were pg. 54), heavenly mothers (yes, plural, since God is a polygamist, too pg. 75), BYU (pg. 77), the Mormon view of heaven and its levels (pg. 87), the Egyptian papyri that early Mormons bought from a traveling guy who showed the papyri for a living (pg. 155), more talk on polygamy and how women and men viewed it (pg. 177), the victimization of the Saints in history (pg. 181) and much more. I stopped noting it after awhile.
By the way, this lady came out as sexually abused by her father, apparently a well-known Mormon apologist. I decided to look him up.
This is her father, Hugh Nibley
A Q&A with her after the Mormon Church responded and a sampling of some of the responses she's received by email. It's sad how many others have been sexually abused.
A collection of sites about this book - not sure how fair these are, but there are a number of links.
And when I mentioned this book to a Mormon blogger, she said she'd read the book, it did not ring true and she wasn't the only one who thought this way.
Boy, I rarely get this testy when doing my monthly book reports, huh?
Among the Righteous: Lost Stories From the Holocaust's Long Reach Into Arab Lands by Robert Satloff -- This Jewish man researches the stories of Arab treatment of Jews in North Africa. I enjoyed the story of Khaled Abdul-Wahab and the author's attempt to get him accepted as the first Arab remembered by Yad Vashem for his role in saving Jews during the Holocaust. He comes across many roadblocks as more recent politics play into whether Arabs want to be known for helping Jews. Also Jews sometimes deny the Holocaust's reach into the Arab countries.
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang -- I didn't realize this book was so long when I picked it up, but over 500 pages later, I must say that I enjoyed learning the story of these three women. The author shared about her grandmother who was a concubine to a general and later married to a much older doctor. The family dynamics of her coming into this family made me appreciate the simplicity of marriage in my own culture. (Her new husband's oldest son ended up shooting himself in a fit of rage because of this proposed marriage. He died.) This story involved the author's mother and father, and their commitment to the Communist Party. I enjoyed the examples of life in China at this time and during the reign of Mao and the Cultural Revolution. I had to smile when she told of how "eat all your food because there are poor capitalists in the West who are starving and would love to have the food you are eating" was used on them as children. (I've heard a similar version growing up.) I was struck by the patriarchy of this traditional society and how Communism declared women and men more equal. I got to wondering just how far back patriarchy goes and where did repressing women and elevating men begin?
I just thought this was interesting.
"Following the custom, my great-grandfather was married young, at fourteen, to a woman six years his senior. It was considered one of the duties of a wife to help bring up her husband." (pg. 22)
With some exceptions like books on Mao's writings and "revolutionary operas," among the many things banned or seen as too "bourgeois" during the Cultural Revolution in China -- books, paintings, musical instruments, sports, cards, chess, teahouses, bars, flowers, grass (yes, grass was pulled up as if it were an enemy!), films, plays, concerts, long hair for women... (pg. 332)
"To me, the ultimate proof of freedom in the West was that there seemed to be so many people there attacking the West and praising China. Almost every other day the front page of Reference, the newspaper which carried foreign press items, would feature some eulogy of Mao and the Cultural Revolution. At first I was angered by these, but they soon made me see how tolerant another society could be. I realized that this was the kind of society I wanted to live in: where people were allowed to hold different, even outrageous views. I began to see that it was the very tolerance of opposition, of protestors, that kept the West progressing." (pg. 472)
The Lost Daughters of China by Karin Evans - a friend sent me this book thinking I'd like it and I did! The author and her husband adopted a little girl from China (two actually),and she tells some of their story and also bits of stories from others. She explores the reasons women would give up their daughters, the hardship of life in China, orphanage life and adjusting to life in the US among other things. I shed a few tears for the innocent ones who are abandoned and left behind in orphanages as well as the ones who never have a chance at life because they are either aborted or killed upon delivery. Also I cried for those women who would have chosen to keep their children, but could not for the sake of society. I can't imagine how difficult that must be.
Here is one excerpt I wanted to share.
Re: the only-children of China being spoiled: "'Many parents of the nineties,'...'were part of the lost generation of the Cultural Revolution. After suffering so much themselves, they were determined not to deprive their only child. Beijing's biggest toy store was always jammed with parents buying toddler-sized fake fur coats, imported baby shampoo and red Porsche pedal cars.'
Yet she saw good things coming out of the situation. 'Many people thought that a country populated with Little Emperors was headed for disaster. I disagreed. Granted it might be unpleasant to live in a nation of me-first onlies, yet I saw a social revolution in the making. For generations, Chinese society had emphasized the family, the clan, the collective over the individual. Now, for the first time in four thousand years of history, the relationship was reversed. Where the Mao generation failed, the Me generation just might succeed.' She quoted a British friend, Michael Crook, 'If you have a population of Little Emperors, you can't have little slaves. Everyone will want to tell everyone else what to do. You'll have democracy.'" (pg. 234)
Losing My Religion by William Lobdell - I found this at the local Friends of the Library book sale; a reporter talks about his faith in Christ, how he got a job reporting religious news for a newspaper and eventually lost his faith. The book was very respectful, really, but made me sad because he admits he saw very little difference in the majority of Christians' lives compared to the general population. I don't think it's supposed to work like that!
"So what has taken the place of God in my life? A tremendous sense of gratitude. I sense how fortunate I am to be alive in this thin sliver of time in the history of the universe. This gives me a renewed sense of urgency to live this short life well. I don't have eternity to fall back on, so my focus on the present has sharpened. I find myself being more grateful for each day and more quickly making corrections in my life to avoid wasted time. I've tightened my circle of friends, wanting to maximize time with people I love and enjoy the most. I've become more true to myself because I'm not as worried about what others think of me. ... That's what losing God has done for me. Permanent death - I don't think I have the escape hatch to heaven anymore - now sits squarely in front of me, unmoving as I rapidly approach. And you know what? My breakfast does taste better. I feel the love of my family and friends more deeply. And my dreams for my life have an urgency to them that won't allow me to put them off any longer. I can no longer slog through each day, knowing that if my time on Earth isn't used to its fullest potential, it's no big thing, that I have eternity with God ahead of me." (pg. 278-279)
Leaving the Saints by Martha Beck -- I've often been driven to tears and disgust and anger and laughter and joy, but I don't think a nonfiction book has creeped me out until I read this book. Really it wasn't that creepy, but I just so happened to read a part (about Danites if you must know) right before bed and it must have upped the "creep factor" in my mind. Like I told someone else, I take most leaving the faith stories with a huge dose of salt (as opposed to a mere grain) because I realize sometimes people won't present their former faiths in the best lights due to their own personal experiences. For others, the faith is a hugely wonderful thing partly because they haven't experienced those awful things. So, that said, I enjoyed this book and some of the talk of sealing in the temple (she didn't go into great detail because she knows it's sacred), wards (I often wondered what those were pg. 54), heavenly mothers (yes, plural, since God is a polygamist, too pg. 75), BYU (pg. 77), the Mormon view of heaven and its levels (pg. 87), the Egyptian papyri that early Mormons bought from a traveling guy who showed the papyri for a living (pg. 155), more talk on polygamy and how women and men viewed it (pg. 177), the victimization of the Saints in history (pg. 181) and much more. I stopped noting it after awhile.
By the way, this lady came out as sexually abused by her father, apparently a well-known Mormon apologist. I decided to look him up.
This is her father, Hugh Nibley
A Q&A with her after the Mormon Church responded and a sampling of some of the responses she's received by email. It's sad how many others have been sexually abused.
A collection of sites about this book - not sure how fair these are, but there are a number of links.
And when I mentioned this book to a Mormon blogger, she said she'd read the book, it did not ring true and she wasn't the only one who thought this way.
Monday, September 17, 2012
New Books and My Pretty Picture Book!
These are books I got within the last few days. One was sent to me by a friend who thought I'd enjoy a book she'd finished. Two I bought at our local Friends of the Library sale, and five I got today when I traded in ten books of my own.
We were here three weeks ago right now...sigh. I loved it. God really blessed us with wonderful weather, and a truly great trip!
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| Innsbruck, Austria |
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| Eagle's Nest, Bayern, Germany |
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| Salzburg, Austria |
Sunday, August 26, 2012
August Books
American Nations by Colin Woodard -- Do you ever wonder why
Americans seem so divided? In this book the author tells about the
eleven nations that make up North America. He argues that the reason we
have divisions now is because we've always had divisions. From New
England which had a more communal Puritan base to the Deep South settled
first by the sons of English slavelords who lived in Barbados, to the
more libertarian Far West and the Scots-Irish throughout Appalachia --
this book covered the beginnings of each nation, what they fought for
and against and how their influences linger even today.
These were some things I shared as trivia questions on Facebook. I'll include them in my notes here since they are already typed.
In the early 1600s the Netherlands was the most modern and sophisticated country on Earth, producing art, laws, business practices, and institutions that became standards for the rest of the world. They invented modern banking, creating at [their bank] the first clearinghouse for the disparate coins and currencies of the world, all exchangeable for [their money], which became the preferred medium of international exchange. (pg. 67)
"Rather than trying to produce cash crops for export, the Borderlanders embraced a woodland subsistence economy...Life in Britain had taught them not to invest too much time and wealth in fixed property, which was easily destroyed in time of war. Instead, they stored their wealth in a very mobile form: herds of pigs, cattle, and sheep. When they did need cash, they distilled corn into a more portable, storable, and valuable product: whiskey, which would remain the de facto currency of Appalachia for the next two centuries." (pg. 104)
In South Carolina the backcountry made up three-quarters of the colony’s white population but had only two of forty-eight seats in the provincial assembly; this arrangement led one agitator to denounce the planters for keeping “half their subjects in a state of slavery,” by whom he meant not blacks but Borderlanders like himself. Here few “loyalists” cared about Britain, but they aligned themselves with the king simply because he was fighting their lowland enemies. (pg. 137)
"When confederal and federal authorities started trying to collect taxes and seize property, the Borderlanders took up arms and tried to leave the union they now thoroughly disapproved of. This Appalachian resistance movement raged for more than a decade ... It began in 1784, when people in the western territories of North Carolina (now eastern Tennessee) became disgusted with Tidewater control. Their solution was pure Borderlander: they created their own sovereign State of Franklin on nobody's permission but their own. They drafted a constitution that prohibited lawyers, clergy, and doctors from running for office, set up a government in the village of Greeneville, and passed laws making apple brandy, animal skins, and tobacco legal tender. They even applied for membership in the Continental Congress and were supported by seven states; opposition from Tidewater and the Deep South delegates denied them the necessary two-thirds majority." (pg. 160)
Peace Meals: Candy-Wrapped Kalashnikovs and Other War Stories by Anna Badkhen -- I found this book at a dollar store for $1 and it was very much worth it. This Soviet-born journalist shared stories from war zones and places of famine all the while telling stories about life back home in Russia and friends she'd met along the way. Each chapter talked about food shared in these places and she includes recipes. And they are often written with funny things thrown in there. Like when she boils a lobster for the first time and is glad her sons didn't get to see it because it was a bit more traumatic than she thought. And when she talks about caviar, she doesn't bother with a recipe, but writes "wait! you have caviar? Can I come over?" I enjoyed her sense of humor even though much of the book was about sad things. These were just two bits from it that I shared on Facebook.
"In preying on the women of a vanquished nation, the fighters continued a millennia-old tradition that proliferates in all wars. Japanese troops raped Chinese women in Nanking in 1937 and early 1938; Allied troops raped all the women they could lay their hands on in defeated Nazi Germany in 1945; Hutu men raped Tutsi women in Rwanda in 1994. In this century, Somali nomads called the Janjaweed raped women farmers in Darfur. In Iraq, I have interviewed Sunni and Shiite Muslims, Christians and Sabean women who had been raped by men of other sects or religions. Rape is a common front line of war, a front line that often remains hidden because of the stigma attached to sexual violence by many societies, and because in many societies, the targets - women and girls - are considered less important than men, the fighters." (pg. 90)
In speaking about reporting across the Middle East, the author says "the Jewish state is a country That-Must-Not-Be-Named, and that the very mention of the I-word is bound to rile someone. This is why Western reporters in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Gulf States refer to Israel among each other as 'Dixie' - as in, 'Justin Sullivan from Getty Images and I worked together in Dixie in 2002.'" (pg. 140)
In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson -- Travel journalist talks about his days exploring Australia. I enjoyed the tidbits of information about places to visit and the people, sights and so forth. His humor was an added bonus.
Many non-native animals were introduced to Australia and "the consequences for native species have often been devastating. About 130 mammals in Australia are threatened. Sixteen have gone extinct - more than in any other continent. And guess what is the mightiest killer of all? According to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, it is the common cat." (pg. 137)
These were some things I shared as trivia questions on Facebook. I'll include them in my notes here since they are already typed.
In the early 1600s the Netherlands was the most modern and sophisticated country on Earth, producing art, laws, business practices, and institutions that became standards for the rest of the world. They invented modern banking, creating at [their bank] the first clearinghouse for the disparate coins and currencies of the world, all exchangeable for [their money], which became the preferred medium of international exchange. (pg. 67)
"Rather than trying to produce cash crops for export, the Borderlanders embraced a woodland subsistence economy...Life in Britain had taught them not to invest too much time and wealth in fixed property, which was easily destroyed in time of war. Instead, they stored their wealth in a very mobile form: herds of pigs, cattle, and sheep. When they did need cash, they distilled corn into a more portable, storable, and valuable product: whiskey, which would remain the de facto currency of Appalachia for the next two centuries." (pg. 104)
In South Carolina the backcountry made up three-quarters of the colony’s white population but had only two of forty-eight seats in the provincial assembly; this arrangement led one agitator to denounce the planters for keeping “half their subjects in a state of slavery,” by whom he meant not blacks but Borderlanders like himself. Here few “loyalists” cared about Britain, but they aligned themselves with the king simply because he was fighting their lowland enemies. (pg. 137)
"When confederal and federal authorities started trying to collect taxes and seize property, the Borderlanders took up arms and tried to leave the union they now thoroughly disapproved of. This Appalachian resistance movement raged for more than a decade ... It began in 1784, when people in the western territories of North Carolina (now eastern Tennessee) became disgusted with Tidewater control. Their solution was pure Borderlander: they created their own sovereign State of Franklin on nobody's permission but their own. They drafted a constitution that prohibited lawyers, clergy, and doctors from running for office, set up a government in the village of Greeneville, and passed laws making apple brandy, animal skins, and tobacco legal tender. They even applied for membership in the Continental Congress and were supported by seven states; opposition from Tidewater and the Deep South delegates denied them the necessary two-thirds majority." (pg. 160)
Peace Meals: Candy-Wrapped Kalashnikovs and Other War Stories by Anna Badkhen -- I found this book at a dollar store for $1 and it was very much worth it. This Soviet-born journalist shared stories from war zones and places of famine all the while telling stories about life back home in Russia and friends she'd met along the way. Each chapter talked about food shared in these places and she includes recipes. And they are often written with funny things thrown in there. Like when she boils a lobster for the first time and is glad her sons didn't get to see it because it was a bit more traumatic than she thought. And when she talks about caviar, she doesn't bother with a recipe, but writes "wait! you have caviar? Can I come over?" I enjoyed her sense of humor even though much of the book was about sad things. These were just two bits from it that I shared on Facebook.
"In preying on the women of a vanquished nation, the fighters continued a millennia-old tradition that proliferates in all wars. Japanese troops raped Chinese women in Nanking in 1937 and early 1938; Allied troops raped all the women they could lay their hands on in defeated Nazi Germany in 1945; Hutu men raped Tutsi women in Rwanda in 1994. In this century, Somali nomads called the Janjaweed raped women farmers in Darfur. In Iraq, I have interviewed Sunni and Shiite Muslims, Christians and Sabean women who had been raped by men of other sects or religions. Rape is a common front line of war, a front line that often remains hidden because of the stigma attached to sexual violence by many societies, and because in many societies, the targets - women and girls - are considered less important than men, the fighters." (pg. 90)
In speaking about reporting across the Middle East, the author says "the Jewish state is a country That-Must-Not-Be-Named, and that the very mention of the I-word is bound to rile someone. This is why Western reporters in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Gulf States refer to Israel among each other as 'Dixie' - as in, 'Justin Sullivan from Getty Images and I worked together in Dixie in 2002.'" (pg. 140)
In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson -- Travel journalist talks about his days exploring Australia. I enjoyed the tidbits of information about places to visit and the people, sights and so forth. His humor was an added bonus.
Many non-native animals were introduced to Australia and "the consequences for native species have often been devastating. About 130 mammals in Australia are threatened. Sixteen have gone extinct - more than in any other continent. And guess what is the mightiest killer of all? According to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, it is the common cat." (pg. 137)
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