“You don’t have to eat the entire turd to know that it’s not a crab cake.” – Bean in Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card

“I realized that when everything is stripped away from you and you have nothing, you find out what you really are down deep inside.” – In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham, p. 162

“I can’t believe she ran out of answers before I did.” – Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, p. 14

“…you must also own Religion in his rags, as well as when in his silver slippers; and stand by him, too, when bound in irons, as well as when he walketh the streets with applause.” – Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, p. 92

“Human nature seems to find ways to justify its wrong doing, to move ahead with what serves its self-interest, and then to figure out an explanation so it doesn’t sound so bad.” – In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham, p. 192

“The Cross is God’s answer to the question ‘Why don’t you do something about evil?’ ” – If God is Good by Randy Alcorn, p. 206

“It’s hard to believe the old saying that ‘things happen for a reason’ when the things happening to you are god-awful and you just want them to be over with.” – The Year We Disappeared by Cylin Busby and John Busby, p. 142

“…to my fellow Christians I feel compelled to say [about Islam]: We need to find ways to defuse the raging resentment and hatred that fuels ‘holy war’ and introduce a God who does more than demand rituals–he truly loves us.” – In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham, p. 304

“And I’ve discovered that most people I’m afraid of are actually very friendly.” – When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, p. 26

Sorry so many quotes. It’s really more for my benefit…I want a central place for me to be able to find them! If a few catch your eye as well, that’s great.

“I remembered thinking how hard it was to contemplate death from a comfortable chair.” - The Host by Stephenie Meyer, p. 127

“As will be the case throughout your life, no matter how long or brief [the urge], the choice is, in the end, yours.  Simply bear in mind that most every choice will have consequences, and in this instance those consequences would likely be quite grave.” – Everything Matters! by Ron Currie, Jr., p. 4

“Whether we agree or not, the process of engaging my children in critical examination of the books they read, the television they watch, the films they see, and the video games they play is essential.” – “Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum, p. 48

“We will all become the men and women we strive (or don’t strive) to be.” - Do Hard Things byAlex and Brent Harris, p. 56

“…here in East Carmine curiosity only ends one way.”

“Death?”
“Worse–enlightenment.” – Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, p. 110

“In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer–proof again of the contradictory human being.  So much good, so much evil.  Just add water.” – The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, p. 164

“Perhaps we were none of us as rare as we thought.” – The Host by Stephenie Meyer, p. 619

“Forgive me if I have tried to add anything to the one foundation,
if I have unconsciously relied upon my knowledge, experience, deeds and not seen them as filthy rags,
if I have attempted to complete what is perfect in Christ;
May my cry be always, only Jesus! only Jesus!” – “The Life Look” in The Valley of Vision, p. 54

“For a combat soldier, the difference between success and failure is your ability to adapt to your enemy.” – Jack Bauer in 24, season 7, 8:00 AM

“…a human being is a shell made of skin keeping the cells, blood, and chemical components in place.  Very few end up in history books.  Most people succomb and disappear without a trace.” – Character Martin Vanger in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, p. 453

“We’re not like them, Kate.  That’s the entire point of trying to stop them.” – Milligan in The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilious Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart, p. 255

“There is a great gulf between the Christianity that wrestles with whether to worship at the cost of imprisonment and death, and the Christianity that wrestles with whether the kids should play soccer on Sunday morning.” - The Hidden Smile of God by John Piper, p. 164

“I find myself thinking: ‘I didn’t mean to be White, I realy didn’t mean it.’ ” – quote in “Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum, p. 102

“The four of you really think you can stop this.” – Renee Walker

“We have to. It’s as simple as that.” – Jack Bauer, 24, 2:00 PM

“Whom you take out a mortgage with is mostly an accident of geography and economics, and has nothing to do with destiny.” – Everything Matters! by Ron Currie, Jr., p. 62

“Plus, maybe we all felt a bit guilty about leaving him on his own in Hell, even though that’s what he’d wanted.” – Killing Frost by John Marsden, p. 75

“Why do Black youths, in particular, think about themselves in terms of race?  Because that is how the rest of the world thinks of them.” -“Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum, p. 53

“Most of the White people I talk to either have not thought about their race and so don’t feel anything, or have thought about it and felt guilt and shame.  These feelings of guilt and shame are part of the hidden costs of racism.” - “Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum, p. 94

“Yes, Ellie the Fearless was embarrassed to be seen with bad table manners. I think that’s when I knew for sure I wasn’t a natural born terrorist.” – Killing Frost by John Marsden, p. 219

“I knew that I had a choice.  I could give in to my resentment and allow it to dig me into a deeper and deeper hole both psychologically and emotionally, or I could choose to believe what God’s Word says to be true whether I felt it was or not.” – In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham, p. 142

“I stood looking at it thinking how they’d both make good engineers when they were older, then went into a big downer reminding myself that they were unlikely to survive long enough to have the luxury of becoming engineers or anything else.  Becoming a corpse wasn’t much of a future.” – The Night is for Hunting by John Marsden, p. 184

“If man created problems, man can solve them.” – Mitchell Joakim in a Honda commercial

“I am concerned that our reading and our writing is gravitating to the lowest common denominator so completely that the great themes of majesty and nobility and felicity are made to seem trite, puny, pedestrain….In this day and age having nothing at all to say does not disqualify a person from writing a book.  The sad truth is that many authors simply have never learned to reflect substantively on anything.” – Richard Foster in The Hidden Smile of God by John Piper, p. 153

“I woke up each day with nothing to accomplish–nothing at all, except to stay alive.” – In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham, p, 70

“…belief in odd things isn’t against the Rules, as long as it’s done on your own time and you don’t try to convince anyone else.” – Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, p. 40

This is by no means a new topic here on the Ignorant Historian. [Time out. Should there be quotes around a blog title? Italics? Seems like it should be treated like a book or a play, and the post titles be treated like smaller works like articles.  If anyone knows of anything about this, I'd love to hear it.  Actually, this goes nicely with the theme of this post!]

I obviously love to learn, which is why I read so much.  Even still, there are times when I enjoy learning more than others.  And this is one of them.

Of the five books I’m reading now (I read across 5 categories: current (since 1950) fiction, classic fiction, biography, spiritual growth, and other nonfiction), all 5 are hard to put down.  I’m enjoying them, and learning, and pondering about many different things, posts to come.  The thought of continuing my formal studies is appealing, until I realize that higher degrees get more specific, not more broad.  There’s not one thing that I want to learn everything about, but there are plenty of things I want to learn a little about.  I want to be well-rounded, not an expert (except maybe in learning).

If I had to choose ONE area to study, I’m not sure what I’d choose.  Nineteenth-century literature, perhaps?  What about you?

Photo by victoriapeckham

Last week I talked about what I thought made for a good novel.  During that discussion, I was asked what were my favorite reads this month.  It’s a logical follow-up, isn’t it?

These are the favorite books I’ve read this year (so far I’ve read 94, so there were a lot to choose from!).  For fairness, I only included books that I read for the first time this year.

10. Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

This is the only classic to make it on the list (though there is one other that might be considered a classic).  This was my first Collins book, and I really wasn’t sure what to expect.  Compared to a lot of books written in that time (published in 1860), it’s really easy to read with modern eyes.  It’s part mystery, part romance.  An all-around good read.

9. Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

This is the first of 2 children’s books on my list.  Unlike the other title, I don’t really feel like this is a children’s book.  Of course, it’s companion novel, The Giver, is also considered not-suitable for children so that shouldn’t come as a surprise.  I guess what I’m trying to say is that this book is so much more than a children’s story…and I don’t think children will get the deeper themes without being guided.  If you liked The Giver you would like this one, too, though it isn’t a sequel.  Also reminds me of The Hunger Games.

8. Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley

This is the only non-fiction book on my list.  By far the best non-fiction book I read this year, and probably the best title for Christian women that I’ve ever read.  Easy to read and brings up some great topics.  I was incredibly impressed by this book…you should pick it up!

7. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Okay, okay, I know this title is so last year.  Or the year before (or the year before that?).  I had put off reading it because I thought it sounded stupid.  A book about a boy stuck on a boat with a tiger?  Sure that’s a brief synopsis, but it’s SO much more than that.  Just trust me.

6. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson

One of 4 Young Adult books on my list.  It’s a story about a 17yo who wakes up from being in a coma for a year with many questions and no one who will answer them.  It’s here because I loved discovering with Jenna the truth of her past and her current situation.  Don’t want to say more and give it away, but it’s highly recommended.

5. In the Name of God by Paula Jolin

Though this is a YA book, I read it at the recommendation of a friend before I was on my YA kick.  It’s the story of a typical teenager in Syria…who plans on being a suicide bomber.  Well researched and presented, revealing that teenagers are teenagers no matter what their situation and have similar struggles.

4. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

So, I guess this is sorta a classic, though it’s still rather young.  Sure, I don’t agree with a lot of Rand’s philosophies (any system based on greed will fail), I love how she presents them here.  She really was a gifted writer.  Though this is a long book, I enjoyed every page (except the 75 page monologue near the end…that got a bit much).  Not for the faint of heart, but if you’re a big reader, I think this is a worthy book to tackle.  If it wasn’t so long, I’d want to re-read it.  In fact, I might just do that, anyway.

3. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

This book should be under the tree for every uninitiated middle-grade child…it’s just that good.  Full of adventure and brain puzzles, it’s the story of 4 gifted children (gifted in different ways) who must work together to save the world.  I love how it’s an adventure book, but teaches children that there are adults they can learn from and that they can accomplish more working together.  Really, it’s a treat for all ages, too.

2. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Okay, this is no surprise.  I’ve gushed about it before.  The short of it is that Katniss (hate the main character’s name, though) is among 24 teenagers put in an arena and forced to fight to the death.  Won’t say more, but I can tell you I was surprised many times.  Plus, I think it has some pretty interesting, thought-provoking themes in it.  Read it!

1. Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl

This is the book that I read when I was made fun of for reading for the first time.  I suppose it’s the title…it DOES sound like a scientific book, but really.  Calamity physics?  Does that really sound like something real?

When I first reviewed this, I only gave it 4 stars because I just wasn’t sure about it.  I’ve thought about it now for another 6 months, and I do believe it’s earned this spot as the top book this year.  I mean, how many books can make me think about it for MONTHS?  I related to Blue, the main character, and what she was struggling with as she dealt with the death of a beloved teacher and so much more.  The style can be a bit wearing for 500+ pages (written in the over-wrought style of a well-read high schooler) which is why I only gave it 4 stars, but the story itself is well-worth it.  I’ll be re-reading this very soon!

So that’s it for 2009, but I’m looking forward to the good books that lie ahead!

I know this is a huge number of quotes, but I can’t exclude any.  Really, this is as much for me…I enjoy these quotes and by putting them here, I not only get to share them, but I get to access them.  I hope you’ll enjoy and/or ponder them like I did!

“Large numbers of books always depressed her, as did people who liked to read large numbers of books.” – Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, p. 159

“I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” – Abraham Lincoln, quoted in Amen, Amen, Amen by Abby Sher

“And know this: people who seek only happiness never find it.” – Blue in Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 350

“I was like a lost moon–my planet destroyed in some cataclysmic, disaster-movie scenario of desolation–that continued, nevertheless, to circle in a tight little orbit around the empty space left behind, ignoring the laws of gravity.” - New Moon by Stephenie Meyer, p. 201

“As people like Stubbs and MAx Carter have taught me, education and piety are not mutually exclusive, and the sooner this school’s higher-ups take this to heart, the sooner Liberty students can go about the business of loving God with their minds.” - The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, p. 249

“It was so unfair.  I didn’t ask to be white.  I didn’t think I was being braver just because I was white.” – Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, 160

“How did you know about Steampunk?”
“Uh, you mentioned it online somewhere.”
“You’ve been reading my blog. A lot.” – “Random on Purpose,” NCIS: LA (probably how my first conversation with a date would go, minus the Steampunk)

“Suddenly Kira knew that although her door was unlocked, she was not really free.” - Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry, p. 153

“I could remember every stupid thing I’d ever said or done, recall them with picture-perfect clarity.  Any time I was feeling low, I’d naturally start to remember other times I felt that way, a hit parade of humiliations coming one after another to my mind.” – Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, 294

“The dictionary says my identity should be all about being separate or distinct, and yet it feels like it is so wrapped up in others.”  - The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson

“Hope the French fleas eat you both alive.
And your room smells
And the toilet doesn’t flush
And locals treat you mean
And the service takes too long.” – “Mon Amour” sung by Shakira (I have nothing to be bitter about, but I thought this was funny)

“Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.” – Psalm 20:7, NASU

“Why, Scarlett!  You must have been reading a newspaper!  I’m surprised at you.  Don’t do it again.  It addles women’s brains.” – Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, p. 331

“I gave you my heart and a sweet love letter
but you gave them right back and said you like her better” – “Average Girl” sung by Emily Osment

“Because it made her happy to think so, she believed he would.” – Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

“But there’s not a coward in the world who doesn’t dream of the day when he might find himself capable of great courage.” – Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 350

” ‘What is it about writing for teenagers that leads to so much censorship?’ ….It’s because grown-ups don’t remember what it was like when they were teenagers.  Not really.  They remember something out of a Disney movie and that’s where they want to keep us.” – Liar by Justine Larbalestier, p. 137

Since I’ve been doing a little reading lately (like my use of understatement there?), I’ve been thinking about what makes a book good.

A good book, to me, has some/all of these characteristics:

1.  Great vocabulary. I’m a strong believer in the idea that there is only ONE word that is just right.  Sure, the English language has synonyms, but they have various shades of meaning.  An author who labors to get it right is much appreciated.

2.  Well-crafted sentences. Writing is hard–the little I’ve done has confirmed this–but when it’s done well, it shouldn’t be noticed.  It should seem like the book was birthed whole.

3.  Makes me think. Neither confirms my current thinking nor tells me everything I’ve ever thought was stupid.  Challenges me and brings to light ideas I’ve never thought to question.

4.  Continues to make me think long after I’ve closed the cover for the last time. Most books I’ve almost completely forgotten within a month…I know it’s good if I haven’t.

5.  A well-developed protagonist, one that’s true-to-life.  That means they should have more than one flaw (*ahem* Stephenie Meyer), and can be inconsistent.  Hey, we all are!  It’d also be great if other characters were well-developed, but this one is essential.

6.  Just something special. There should be something about the book that sets it out from the other hundred I’ve read this year.  Not an easy task!

7.  Not too much description. I’m growing in this area, but I still struggle when there are pages of description.  I don’t realize how much I skim these descriptions until I’m listening to a book on tape and space out for minutes at a time (Gone with the Wind, I’m talking about you).

8.  Symbolism. I’m sure there is so much I’m missing in the books I read, but I want to see it.  Not overly obvious (that’s worse!), but it should be there if I have my eyes open.

What makes a good book for you?

Photo by Zitona

Read. Read. Read-a-thon All Day Long!

Anyone who knows me in real life could probably guess what I’m doing this weekend.

And anyone who only knows me through this blog would have a mighty good chance of guessing it as well.

I’ll be reading.

Reading in the Read.Read Read-a-thon.

Here’s what I’ll be reading (no, not all of it!):

Click on the picture for the titles.  And no, don’t pay attention to the fact that there is a whole OTHER stack of library books behind those for this weekend.

I hope you all have wonderful weekends, too!

“If I truly believed the rapture was “imminent,” as Liberty’s official doctrinal statement says, I think I’d do things a lot differently.  I might not buy green bananas, for starters.” - Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, p. 99

“I know I’m not trustworthy. How likely is it that the world is true if I’m not?” – Liar by Justine Larbalestier, p. 84-85

“I saw I was better at appreciating art than producing it.” - 31 Hours by Masha Hamilton, p. 155

“We’re not stupid, we’re just poor!  And we have a right to want to insist on this distinction.” – Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 275

“But it was crazy of me to expect that I could situate myself among these people twenty-four hours a day, befriend them, and adopt their mannerisms without also internalizing and grappling with their beliefs.” - Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, p. 96

“We thought we had such problems.  How were we to know we were happy?” - The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, p. 51

“I had this secular/liberal paranoia that when evangelical students were among themselves, they spent their time huddled in dark rooms, organizing anti-abortion protests and plotting theocratic takeover.” - Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, p. 38

“Making things seem a way they aren’t is making them better.” – Mr. Curtain (the bad guy) in The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart, p. 292

“I would like to be ignorant.  Then I would not know how ignorant I was.” – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, p. 263

“When they write poems or sing songs in the West, they speak for all humanity.  They’re human beings–but we’re just Muslims.  When we write something, it’s just called ethnic poetry.” – Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 279

“The moment of betrayal is the worst, the moment when you know beyond any doubt that you’ve been betrayed: that some other human being has wished you that much evil.  It was like being in an elevator cut loose at the top.  Falling, falling, falling, and not knowing when you will hit.” – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, p. 193

“They’re supposed to stop me lying.  Yet they believe everything I tell them.” Liar by Justine Larbalestier, p. 11

“But one thing has become clear: these Liberty students had no ulterior motive.  They simply can’t contain their love for God.  They’re happy to be believers, and they’re telling the world.” – Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, p. 64

“Don’t laugh at the spinsters, dear girls, for often very tender, tragical romances are hidden away in the hearts that beat so quietly under the sober gowns, and many silent sacrifices of youth, health, ambition, love itself, make the faded faces beautiful in God’s sight.” – Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, p. 526

“You can be anything you want to be, his parents told him, but they lie.d  Truth was, an enormous breach existed between one’s ambitions and one’s reality.” – 31 hours by Masha Hamilton, p. 59

“Destroy grammasites with extreme prejudice — and shun any men with amorous intentions.” – Miss Havisham in Well of Losts Plots by Jasper Fforde, p. 187

“But if unhappiness were a genuine reason for suicide, half the women in Turkey would be killing themselves.” – deputy governor in Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 14

“It can’t be easy being an amalgamation of all that has been written before.” – Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde, p. 46

“But now, because we’ve fallen under the spell of the West, we’ve forgotten our own stories.” – Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 78

“I don’t want to be alone on this planet they call earth.” – “Taking Chances” as sung by the Glee cast

“At times like these he had felt most guilty; all he’d wanted was to forget about Turkey and everything and go home and read books.” – Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 175

“Most of them were too unhappy to sleep; they took pleasure in knowing that the cigarettes they smoked were killing them; they began sentences, only to let their voices trail off as they remembered how pointless it was to carry on; they watched television not because they liked or enjoyed the programs but because they couldn’t bear to hear about their fellows’ depression, and television helped to shut them out; what they really wanted was to die, but they didn’t think themselves worthy of suicide.” – Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 194-195 [sorry for 2 quotes about suicide...it's a theme in Snow, not in my thoughts]

“Still, whenever she awakened in the wee hours, she wanted nothing more than to breathe in time with another human body — a desire that pointed to a primitive quality in her, she thought, one not suited to this modern life.” – 31 Hours by Masha Hamilton, p. 1-2

“Don’t worry.  Love that blooms this fast is just as fast to wither.” - Ipek in Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 211