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cosmicbookworm's reviews
309 reviews
Mississippi Bridge by Mildred D. Taylor
The Logan Family experience from the perspective of Jeremy Simms a white boy who sympathizes with and wants to be a friend. A short story really.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The next in the Logan Family Series. This one won the Newberry Award....and for good reason. Mildred D. Taylor's work is extremely important and I believe should be required reading for both children and adults. This one was written from the vantage point of young Cassie Logan. While it can be read as a stand alone book I am finding it helpful to read the series from the beginning.
In the Margins: A Transgender Man's Journey with Scripture by Shannon T. L. Kearns
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A compelling memoir about Shannon Kearns' struggle with Christianity, sexuality and gender. https://www.shannontlkearns.com/about/ From his official bio: "Shannon TL Kearns is a transgender man who believes in the transformative power of story. As an ordained priest, a playwright, a theologian, and a writer. All of his work revolves around making meaning through story."
I recommend this book to Christians who struggle to make room for people who are different than themselves or different from what the company line has always told them is "right" or "normal."
I feel this book has an important message for anyone who is on a mission of "Read Until You Understand."
I recommend this book to Christians who struggle to make room for people who are different than themselves or different from what the company line has always told them is "right" or "normal."
I feel this book has an important message for anyone who is on a mission of "Read Until You Understand."
Goldenrod: Poems by Maggie Smith
3.0
While I can relate to a few of Maggie Smith's poems I found several of them personal enough that I could not relate to and others depressing enough that I was not in the mood for. I guess maybe I was looking for something that would give me a little more hope.
Song of the Trees by Mildred D. Taylor
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
A story about a black family in Mississippi during the depression, and about what they must do to protect their land and their future among people who do not value them and feel entitled to deprive them of what is theirs, in the name of superiority. I am reading through the Logan Family series, which was introduced to me by teachers who valued teaching through Mildred D. Taylor books as a way of teaching empathy and discussing civil rights.
The Well: David's Story by Mildred D. Taylor
Important reading for students. Deals with human pride, human dignity, racial hatred and bias, resilience and overcoming.
The Land by Mildred D. Taylor
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A couple of my teacher friends recommended Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. They loved that book so that they could communicate with their students about racism and Black history. Unfortunately that book has been on some banned book lists. When I went to read it I learned that there is a series so went back to the beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed The Land and look forward to the rest of the Logan Family series.
The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed this story but at times it was slow and tedious and at times predictable.
Glittering Vices: A New Look at the Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies by Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung
5.0
Excellent book. Practical insight into how we live our lives. Takes a look at the work of Thomas Aquinas and helps us apply it to our life in the current generation.
Gently convicting and eye opening. Points us to the root of our problem....pride.
1 John 4:18 English Standard Version (ESV)
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
This will be a book I return to.
The most frequent command in the Bible is "do not be afraid."
"When we are afraid we won’t get what we need, or worry that we won’t have enough, it makes sense to spend our energy on constant acquisition, pursuing abundance to achieve self-sufficiency- this is the vice of avarice. When we are afraid that justice will not be done or that we won’t get our just deserts unless we personally take charge of doling out vengeance in the way we see fit then the vice of wrath takes hold. When we are afraid that we will not be accepted by others, that we won’t fit in or live up to others’ expectations, and thus do our best to hide behind a falsely inflate reputation- this is vainglory. When we are afraid we are not worth anything unless we are better than others, and we are afraid we can’t compete with them, so we engineer their downfall - this is envy. When we are afraid we will always feel empty and needy, so we fill ourselves with pleasures we can supply for ourselves - this is gluttony. When we are afraid we are unlovable, so we use people to gratify ourselves without ever giving ourselves in return - this is lust. When we are afraid of the effort loving others will cost us, we hold everyone, even God, at arm’s length in indifference - this is sloth…….the more we understand the dynamics of sin and the deep network of its combined forces in us, the more amazing we will find the grace and power promised to us to help us change.”
Gently convicting and eye opening. Points us to the root of our problem....pride.
1 John 4:18 English Standard Version (ESV)
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
This will be a book I return to.
The most frequent command in the Bible is "do not be afraid."
"When we are afraid we won’t get what we need, or worry that we won’t have enough, it makes sense to spend our energy on constant acquisition, pursuing abundance to achieve self-sufficiency- this is the vice of avarice. When we are afraid that justice will not be done or that we won’t get our just deserts unless we personally take charge of doling out vengeance in the way we see fit then the vice of wrath takes hold. When we are afraid that we will not be accepted by others, that we won’t fit in or live up to others’ expectations, and thus do our best to hide behind a falsely inflate reputation- this is vainglory. When we are afraid we are not worth anything unless we are better than others, and we are afraid we can’t compete with them, so we engineer their downfall - this is envy. When we are afraid we will always feel empty and needy, so we fill ourselves with pleasures we can supply for ourselves - this is gluttony. When we are afraid we are unlovable, so we use people to gratify ourselves without ever giving ourselves in return - this is lust. When we are afraid of the effort loving others will cost us, we hold everyone, even God, at arm’s length in indifference - this is sloth…….the more we understand the dynamics of sin and the deep network of its combined forces in us, the more amazing we will find the grace and power promised to us to help us change.”