Some book ponderings

I'm sorry if I'm missed some of your comments on other posts. My daughter told me this morning that she'd left a comment about the children's books and I hadn't seen it. I need to have comments come through my e-mails to keep me updated!

A couple nights ago, I pulled Gladys Hunt's Honey for a Woman's Heart off the shelf for perhaps the hundredth time. It is my "go to" book to find out about other books, especially fiction. I've read numerous books at her recommendation. I have found all her recommendations to be great in the book but she does have other people making recommendations, too. Some of them are books I wouldn't read (not my type) but that doesn't make her book any less valuable.

It was through this book that I started my son reading one of his favorite series of books, The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. The first book in the series is Taran Wanderer. He tells me I would enjoy them, too.

It was also through her book that I decided to purchase I Capture the Castle when I saw it at a thrift shop. That's the book I thought good except I think I would have liked it more if I had read it through in a couple of days instead of over a few weeks, as I had opportunity. I recently purchased Cold Sassy Tree at Goodwill on her recommendations, too. I haven't read it, yet, but I'm looking forward to reading it on a cold, snowy night...it seems that kind of book.

Another series I love that I read about in her book are the Cadfael books by Ellis Peters. They are simply wonderful, about a priest (who became a priest after a colorful life) who solves mysteries, often using his knowledge of herbs and such. My friend, BB, told me this series was on PBS at one time and I finally got to see them when we lived in the Detroit area. I believe they are now out on DVD. I was surprised that they were as good as the books but I'd read at least one of the books before watching the DVD/video. You will like these if you like reading about medieval times.

The books I wanted to recommend today aren't on any of her lists but they are two of my all time favorite novels. They are written by Melanie M. Jeschke, a homeschooling mother and writer extraodinaire. The first book is called Inklings and the second called Expectations. Both take place at Oxford in England, the first beginning soon after C.S. Lewis has died and the second having more to do with Tolkien.

Both stories have something that every age group would enjoy, from the teen years through the great-grammie years. While these two books center around college age students, they bring the parents into the story enough that you don't get the impression they are only "college" stories. They also treat homemakers with great respect, one of my favorite characters in the books is the mother of one of the students, who is a pastor's wife and mom to many children.

Reading these books made me feel as I were in 1960s Oxford, chatting with a group of likeminded friends about Lewis and Tolkien, literature, theology, England...things I find wonderful to read about. Her third book has recently been published in the series, I'm looking forward to reading it. I will actually pay full price at Barnes & Noble (now you know how good these books are). The author does have a website for further information. Even if you don't read much fiction, I think you would enjoy these books.