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Book Review – The Little Prince

19 Aug

You will forgive me if I can’t wait til the monthly review to share this book with you!

My eldest brother introduced me to it years ago- and while I’ve loved it ever since I’m not sure I’ve read it again until just this week. Shocking, I know.

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Synopsis:

First written in 1943, the author reminisces when he met the Little Prince; he’d been forced to land his plane in the Sahara desert and out of nowhere a small boy appeared. The story the Little Prince then shared is full of adventure and lessons for anyone, even grown-ups, to learn.

I just HAVE to share a snippet from the book:

“So I lived my life alone, without anyone that I could really talk to, until I had an accident with my plane in the Desert of Sahara, six years ago. Something was broken in my engine…I set myself to attempt the difficult repairs all alone. It was a question of life or death for me : I had scarcely enough drinking water to last a week… I was more isolated than a shipwrecked sailor on a raft in the middle of the ocean. Thus you can imagine my amazement, at sunrise, when I was awakened by an odd little voice. It said:

“If you please – draw me a sheep!”

“What!”

“Draw me a sheep!”

I jumped to my feet, completely thunderstruck. I blinked my eyes hard. I looked carefully all around me. And I saw a most extraordinary small person, who stood there examining me with great seriousness…”

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(image from google)

Review:

I enjoyed the adventures of the Little Prince far more than I thought I would! Like I said, my brother gave me this book….erm, when I was an early teen probably, and haven’t read it since so I really didn’t remember much about it at all. But! I enjoyed the writing style, where the author talks to you, the reader. The pictures he drew, and subsequent explanations of them, are beautiful in their simplicity.

littleprincepic2 (image from google)

The different planets that he traveled to, and those he met there, are captivating. I do think I like the fox the best though.

I highly recommend this short novel for anyone. It was a quick, very fun read. As you can see, my copy is in very rough shape, over half the pages are falling out!  I’m going to have to get another one before I read it again. Which I will be doing!  Have you heard that a new adaptation is being made?! I am so excited for it, check out the trailer!

Happy Reading,

Laura

update 8/18/2016 – the movie is now on Netflix!! I enjoyed it so much. The way they weaved together the story of the Little Prince and the little girl, her mom and the old man i.e. the Pilot was so seamless and didn’t take away from the original story at all. I kept saying over and over ‘they did so good on this! I love it!’  so much that I think my OH was going crazy by the end of the evening. If you’re on the hunt for a great movie to watch with the whole family (or by yourself), give this one a try!!!

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Little Britches Series Review

16 Aug

I was introduced to Little Britches by a friend of mine and I enjoyed it so much I grabbed as many books of the series from the library as I could. There are a few more, Shaking the Nickel Bush, The Dry Divide and Horse of a Different Color but I don’t think I’m going to get to them this go-round.

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Little Britches – It was 1906 when Ralph Moody’s family moved from the east coast to Colorado. Ranching is full of challenges, ones that his father teaches him to think through and overcome. Through wind storms, water wars and family picnics, Ralph shares the hardships and pleasures of ranching. He was also being groomed to be a man, and to take his father’s place when the time came.

 Man of the Family – Ralph Moody has had to shoulder the responsibilities of a man at only 11 years old. The family is determined to stay together though, so Mother and Grace start baking and repairing lace curtains while Ralph builds frames, trades rabbits and delivers the baking.

The Home Ranch – At 12, Ralph goes to work on a cattle ranch for the summer, earning a grown man’s wage, a dollar a day. He soon loves the life of a rancher but has a lot to learn about cattle, horses and people. He teaches a new friend some trick-riding stunts and eats his weight in flapjacks.

Mary Emma  and Company- The family has moved to Massachusetts and now must struggle to become independent again. Through his job at the grocery store, Ralph (now 13) finds them a house they can afford. Mary Emma starts a laundry business and little by little, they win the war against poverty.

Fields of Home – Ralph is sent to his grandfather’s farm in Maine after some trouble in Boston. Ralph has always had a knack for making things so the job is easier but his grandfather doesn’t like machinery and farms the way his daddy taught him. Uncle Levi comes by and helps but both Ralph and Grandfather have to learn to give a little.

~What a fun series to read! I think I told my OH the general story for each one of these books as I read them – I just HAD to share them with someone! The only one I didn’t enjoy right off the bat was Fields of Home and that was just because the grandfather was so crotchety and always calling Ralph a ‘tarnal fool boy’ that I put it down for a week or so. I ended up really enjoying the last half though! These books would be great to read with your kiddos or for the older ones to read on their own!  Little Britches has a few ‘minor’ cuss words in it but there aren’t any in the other books.    The adventures that Ralph has are so fun and it’s just amazing to think that they all actually happened! I feel so silly saying that, but once you read the books, you’ll understand what I mean! What a life he had! 

~Laura

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Work in Progress – Amelia’s first caller

12 Aug
I am going to be sharing a scene from my current work in progress – that I am REALLY hoping to finish by the end of October! I realized the other day that it has been a long time since I’ve shared any of my writing – I do have a few short stories in my drafts folder but I just can’t seem to finish them!
Setting: East Coast, late 1890s. The Main Character, Amelia, is expecting Mr. Greenwahl any minute – it is their first “date”, also happens to be her very first caller. Grace is her lady’s maid and friend. I did shorten the scene here so if there’s some odd gaps, that’s probably the culprit, although I did try and smooth them out. I hope you enjoy!
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“The length of the parlor wasn’t nearly enough to walk out any nervousness,
but Grace found Amelia pacing it when she entered to chaperone. As she settled
in one of the chairs set in the back of the room, she admired her friend; little 

remained of the girl that had shown up in a wrinkled traveling dress and braids.
The fine gown and fashionable angled hat highlighted her beauty. She wasn’t sure the long gloves would survive the evening though, as she watched Amelia crush them in her hands.
Catching a glimpse of Walter heading for the front door, Grace cleared her throat.
“You might want to stop strangling those gloves and put them on.”
Amelia was surprised at Grace’s words; she’d been so focused on remembering the proper etiquette for the evening that she’d not noticed nearly breaking one of the major rules:
A lady is never without her gloves.
She tried to calm her nerves as she worked one, then the other up her forearms, and then
straightened each finger. The familiarity of the movements helped to soothe her
and she moved near a chair, having heard Walter greet Mr. Greenwahl. Shooting a glance toward Grace, she tried to draw on her friend’s calm.
“Mr. Greenwahl is here to see you, Miss Hughes.”
The first thing she noticed about him was the way his suit fit him perfectly, showing off his broad shoulders and slim waist. Blushing slightly, she curtsied. When he neglected to say anything, she looked up at him, confused.
Her glance seemed to snap him out of a daze, for he jerked and quickly bowed, moving toward her before he had fully straightened.
I apologize, Miss Hughes. You ah…͟” He grasped her hand, kissing it. “You took my breath away.”
“It…it’s quite alright. Shall we sit?”
“I realize that it’s not quite proper to say so, but…͟” He paused as he sat.”I do seem to have gotten myself into a spot, haven’t I?”
At his disarming smile, Amelia found some of her nerves lessening.
“Thank you for allowing me to come this evening.” His deep voice still held a touch of embarrassment over his blunder.
“Thank you for asking.” Even to her ears, she sounded stiffer than she’d intended. Seeing his slight wince, she darted a glance at Grace again.
“I did notice your aunt wasn’t with us. There is nothing wrong, I trust?”
“She’s not feeling well this evening. My lady’s maid is here in her place.”
She was impressed when he nodded at Grace instead of merely ignoring her.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I first met Mrs. Barrington a few years ago through
a mutual friend, Mr. Smith, at a benefit. It was supposed to be the event of the
year…but I don’t think that handkerchief can handle much more.”
Shocked, Amelia’s eyes flew to her hands, to find that her handkerchief was
twisted and turned through her fingers. Her cheeks flushed and she clenched  her
hands, trying to hide it.
“Miss Hughes”.
His voice was soft but Amelia couldn’t bear to look at him.
She hadn’t known she was fidgeting with it, but she was so nervous that…
“Miss Hughes, may I interest you in a stroll in the garden?”
Realizing she would have to look at him eventually, Amelia raised her face and put her hand in his.
“I didn’t mean to bore or embarrass you. I apologize.”
“You weren’t boring me. I’m just…not used to this.
“It does bring out the nervousness, doesn’t it?”
They passed through to the garden, Grace several paces behind.
The smell of roses beckoned and calmed her……

And so the evening passed, walking arm in arm, around and around the
garden. When they grew tired of that, they went inside and sat just across from each other, eager to learn more about the other.”
I will add that I didn’t intend to have her court anyone, Mr. Greenwahl just showed up and I fell in love with his character instantly. Hopefully you did too =)
~Laura

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Symptoms of my Lyme Disease

9 Aug

Here is the ‘short’ list of symptoms I’ve been dealing with the past decade odd. I pulled this from the book Why Can’t I Get Better? by Richard Horowitz M.D. – and as such, each one has the different options that can happen. Like the second symptom down, I’ve only had weight gain, not loss. But either one can be a symptom so I put them down.

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unexplained fevers, sweats, chills or flushing

unexplained weight gain or loss

fatigue, tiredness

unexplained menstrual irregularity

upset stomach

change in bowel function

chest pain or soreness

shortness of breath, cough

heart palpitations, pulse skips, heart block

joint pain or swelling

stiffness of the joints, neck or back

muscle cramps or pain

twitching of the face or other muscles

headaches

neck cracks, neck stiffness

tingling or numbness, burning or stabbing sensations

eyes/vision: double, blurry, floaters

ears/hearing: buzzing, ringing, ear pain

increased motion sickness, vertigo

light-headedness, wooziness, poor balance, difficulty walking

confusion, difficulty thinking

difficulty with concentration or reading

forgetfulness, poor short-term memory

disorientation: getting lost, going wrong places

difficulty with speech or writing

mood swings, irritability, depression

disturbed sleep: too much or too little or early awakening

 

Many of these come and go. Nausea, legs or feet cramping, mood swings, heart palpitations for example. But the majority are on a daily basis, disturbed sleep, difficulty concentrating, maintaining normal temperature and disorientation. It’s a fun thing, being in this body of mine. heh. So often, I feel like I’m looking at the world through a hazy, gauzy veil – so close to being a part of it, but not able to quite reach through and get there. At the grocery store, the coffee shop or out to dinner – there’s a shroud that makes it hard to fully connect unless I focus. And, sometimes I mean really focus. Whether it’s migraine, leg cramps, overstimulation or mentally testing how my body feels to decide if I need to take another pain pill, there’s always something there to make it that much harder to connect.

Anyway, if you realize you have several of these symptoms I URGE you to go get tested for Lyme Disease. Pay attention to what your body is doing, don’t just assume that some things are just ‘how you are’ or that everybody deals with it. If I had mentioned some of these symptoms to my Dr. years ago we might have been able to diagnose me a lot sooner.

~Laura  

 

 

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6 Aug

 

I decided all you lovely readers needed to see some cute photos of my dogs. They are too cute and happy and what else do you need on a saturday morning?

I will point out that in the last picture she’s looking at her favorite toy (yes, it’s the sprinkler) all confused because she has started nudging it as she plays. well, she nudged too hard and turned it over… So confusing. Yet so cute.

 

 

Have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you next week with a short story!

~Laura

Book Review – July 2016

3 Aug

Ahem. Let’s just pretend that it’s  about 4 days ago, shall we?! What with traveling and trying to get through a monster of a book about Lyme Disease, I went for light reads last month.

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Just Above a Whisper (book 2 Tucker Mills Trilogy) by Lori Wick – Indentured servant, Reese Thackery’s life gets another hit when the owner of her contract dies and the bank becomes the holder of her fate. The bank owner’s son, Connor Kingsley, comes to investigate and soon releases her from service. He then hires her to keep house for him, but Reese can’t decide how she feels about him. Can both put aside the hurt of the past and learn to trust again?

~Honestly, I think these two characters are some of my favorites of Wick’s. Reese’s attitude throughout her trials is how I would sincerely like to be! If I could move to the small town of Tucker Mills, I would do it in a heartbeat. And I always forget that this is smack dab in the middle of a trilogy, but it certainly works as a stand alone!  There is nothing in this novel that I don’t like! An absolute favorite. 

An Assembly Such as This bk 1 by Pamela Aidan – Darcy can’t believe the company he’s forced to keep when he follows his friend, Charles Bingley to Hertfordshire to check out an estate for sale. As he spends his days fending off Miss Bingley’s attentions and supervising Bingley, he finds himself falling for Elizabeth Bennett, quite unwillingly. When an old nemesis unexpectedly shows up in the form of George Wickham, Darcy is left dealing with old emotions, and growing concern about Elizabeth’s friendship with him.

~I found this novel while browsing a used bookstore years ago and am SO very glad I took a chance on it and grabbed it! To finally find a well-written novel from Darcy’s perspective (of Pride and Prejudice)  is like a literary dream come true. I enjoy the characters that Aidan creates in Darcy’s world. His butler, Fletcher, is one of my favorites. If you’re a fan of Jane Austen, you simply MUst read this book! IF you’re a fan of the Regency Era, you must read it!! 

The Hero and the Crown by Robin Mckinley – With rumors of her mother being a witch from the North, Aerin has never been accepted as rightful heir of Damar’s king.  It’s said in whispers that her mother entrapped her father into marrying her, and then died of despair after having a daughter instead of a son. And so, Aerin grew up as a bit of an uncomfortable oddity, not able to hide completely but not able to properly claim her place in court. No one knows the truth of her destiny, that she is to become the wielder of the Blue Sword.

~ This is another novel that I took a risk on in a bookshop, one in Cannon Beach Or! I’ve read it once before and enjoyed it just as much this second time. Aerin’s journey is exciting as she goes from awkward reminder to hero. And we all love a female hero who wonders at the calm in her voice and how she instinctively knows what to do. 

 

Come back for a review on Ralph Moody’s Little Britches series!

I never did finish the Trim Healthy Mama book or Captivating…. They just fell by the wayside with everything going on. You’ll see I’m still reading Why Can’t I get Better? , it’s a good book about Lyme disease and chronic pain but it’s so in-depth and also written for doctors that i’m getting bogged down by it all. I’m starting to think of returning it to the library early and finding another book about Lyme that maybe isn’t so hard to get through.

 

Currently Reading:

Why Can’t I get Better? by Richard Horowitz, M.D.

The Fields of Home by Ralph Moody

Duty and Desire bk 2 by Pamela Aidan

 

To-Read List:

Mary Emma and Company by Ralph Moody (bk 6)

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

The rest of the Tucker Mills Trilogy by Lori Wick

While covering different genres, I do not read anything that has blatant sexual content. I will tell you if there is any sort of such (typically very mild and delicately put) in them and if I don’t think they’d be appropriate for young/teenage readers.

 

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Health update – July 27th ’16

27 Jul

What with a trip to N.C. , my parents visiting this past weekend and a yard that’s been begging for TLC, writing here at SGL has been sadly neglected! I have also started two different posts, and have another one just waiting in the wings to be written, but it’s so infernal hard to concentrate today that this is all I can get down!

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Overall Health: I’ve been very tired lately. Not sure if I can claim it’s adjusting back to this time zone anymore either. The first week and a half I only had one severe, long lasting migraine, this past half a week I’ve had two or three. My skin cleared up almost over night which was wonderful. My memory hasn’t improved yet but I must be getting more used to it….oy.I had to quit taking the Samento and have just started Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Focusing on anything for long is difficult right now as well. Still slowly gaining weight.

Treatment: I had to stop taking the Samento about 2 weeks ago because my reaction to it was just too strong. Once off of it, the achy weakness has disappeared and while I’m still tired it’s not anywhere near like it was before. I just picked up Xiao Chai Hu Tang yesterday and have started taking it. I have taken it previously and it helped with migraines, digestion etc, so I’m hopeful to notice a difference rather quickly. Plus, I don’t have to wait 30 min before eating like I did with the Samento!

Migraines: As long as I remember to take Pulsatilla and/or Belladonna and/or Clonidine when the pain starts, it doesn’t get so severe. When it does hit, most of the time it doesn’t stay bad for long. When it stays severe,  nothing I do seems to help.

Digestion and TMJ : No change to report. which is good!

Mood: I’ve finally evened out to feeling more like my old self, the one who notices the little things ( the fridge needing wiped down, for instance)

Sleep and Memory : nothing has changed here either. both are still iffy but not worse!

Daily Vitamins:

Clonidine – still averaging 2 a day probably.

Fish Oil – have upped to 2 a day every other day (1 on the other days)

and of course, the list from the first update!

I’m a little disheartened by such little progress but there really shouldn’t be any since I was off anything extra these past few weeks. If I could get better sleep and not be so ridiculously tired, that would help so much!

Here’s a link to the last update as well!

Thanks for stopping by, and I PROMISE to get some book reviews up soon!

~Laura

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Fighting Lyme and Chronic Migraines

8 Jul

well, these two weeks have FLOWN by and now it’s time to update on how fabulously I’ve been feeling. Ha! Not fabulous, let me tell you that first off. Oy. But we were able to have a lot of fun over the 4th of July weekend! Thank you to everyone that came to our first BBQ! It was SO much fun and we had such a great turnout! OH (other half) and I look forward to hosting another one. We also got down to Bend to see family and friends for a few days and had an absolute blast. Family barbeque where the kids just couldn’t get any cuter. Abby learning to swim in the pond. Holding a sweet little baby. Line dancing at midnight. Dinner with my parents and Auntie and Uncle.  The fun continued right until we left!

 

Ok, I’ll quit playing with pictures and get to the update…. if you missed the first update, check it out!!

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Overall Health: I seem to feel either really good or really awful, there hasn’t been much of an in between these last few weeks. My memory hasn’t improved, which makes remembering to take the treatment hard! Sleep hasn’t improved either. My skin has slowly started to clear up, thank heavens! The house is staying in pretty good shape , now I’m dreaming of working in the yard and cleaning my car!

Treatment: I’ve been back on the Samento for 10 days now and good grief, it’d be nice if I could remember to take all 3 drops each day. I’m doing good if I take 2. I’m thinking I’m gonna have to set alarms on my phone… Remember, I have to wait half an hr after taking it , to eat. AHEM. Not cool, because I tend to remember when I’m sitting down to eat. sigh. I Will get the hang of this because I’m not reacting near as strong as before. I have run out of Riboflavin though, so I’ve Got to get some today, remind me of that will you? hehe.

Migraines: This might be TMI for some of you reading this and I’m sorry… Due to it being that wonderful time of the month, my migraines have been predictably severe. This morning I don’t have one but that hasn’t been the norm the past week and a half. The pain has been severe, and stayed so most of the day this past week especially.

Digestion: This past week I seem to have gotten past my stomach freaking out at almost every meal I eat. Which is a wonderful change.

TMJ: I don’t seem to be clenching my jaw during the day as much – at least I haven’t caught myself doing it like I was. It’s been popping more the last few days, and is super tender in the mornings. Hard to chew harder foods sometimes.

Mood: I feel more myself although I still tend to overreact to the littlest things.

Sleep: hasn’t changed at all – still have to take Melatonin or Theanine every night. Still wake up at least twice. I’ve been taking a  lot more naps since I got back on the Samento.

Brain Fog/Memory : Fog hasn’t been as bad as in the past but memory is deplorable. I’m still struggling to remember things I’ve always known, and to find the right word. Still haven’t been able to write much on my novel. Focus has been a little better in some situations, (able to watch movies now)

Daily Vitamins :

Still averaging 2 Clonidine a day (it’s been 3 a day these past several days though)

I’ve been trying to up my intake of Fish oil to 2 a day without reaction.

I’ve run out of Riboflavin, getting more today! Need to up my intake though

Seem to be doing fine off the Cordyceps

And that’s it! I’m gonna start working on the list of symptoms, I want to get it up before I go on vacation next week. This blog has wonderful info on Lyme disease, I’ve been following her for a few years now.

Do you have any tips on remembering to take the Samento? Or do you have direct experience with Samento? I’d love any advice!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Laura

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June 2016 Book Reviews

1 Jul

Happy Fourth of July weekend friends! Due to a long writer’s block, I have been reading a lot this month. A migraine is kicking up it’s heels inside my head so I’m going to finish this off quick (yes, I write my intro dead last every book review post…doesn’t everyone?) But I have to tell you the book I scored at the book sale at the Happy Valley Library a few weeks ago. “A History of the Twentieth Century – Volume one : 1900-1933” by Martin Gilbert. It weighs probably ten pounds and I’m SO excited about it. With plans of of more novels written in the early 1900’s I’m expecting this to be very helpful. Did I mention that it was 50cents?? Oh yes. SCORE.

Ahem. Alrighty, I hope you find something in this list of books to check out! Happy Weekend!

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Lydia’s Charm by Wanda E. Brunstetter – New widow, Lydia King and her son move to Charm, Ohio to help her mother with her grandfather. But when gifts are left on her front porch, is she ready for the chance at love?  ~A father of four boys, Menno Troyer is also recently widowed and has come to realize his boys need a mother. While he doesn’t think he’s ready to love again, he has to think of his boys first. ~Levi Stutzman has dedicated his life to caring for his family, all handicapped by dwarfism. He decided long ago that he would never marry, but his heart is big as he helps anyone that needs a hand. ~ When tragedy strikes Lydia again, will the mysterious gift giver be there to help her through?

~ I have to be honest, I wasn’t very excited about this book. I’d picked it up several times this past year but never made it past the first few pages. But I’m trying to go through the books I own and have never read, so I persevered. I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was a fun twist on an Amish romance, although I did get mad when a certain tragedy struck. I am pretty sure I yelled at the book, which prompted concern from the OH and the puppy….yeah. It was that upsetting. BUT! Brunstetter delivered yet again with a very enjoyable story. This one is staying on my shelf, I’m happy to say!

Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle – A charming description of life in Provence, as can only be told by someone who lives there – stories of finding gold in the garden, pig-hunting truffles, a stray dog named “Boy”, and decadent feasts and wine.

~This is a book that I’ve owned for several years and never read, although I am pretty sure I’ve read Mayle’s  ‘A Year in Provence’  that precedes this book. While this was a fun book to read, it’s not captivating enough for me to read again. Each chapter is a different story of Mayle’s adventures so it’s an easy, light read. Hearing about the different customs and superstitions of some of the characters was delightful. But, whether it’s due to eating kosher and the French most definitely do not (hehe), I think I’ll be passing this book along to a new owner.

Little Britches by Ralph Moody – It was 1906 when Ralph Moody’s family moved from the east coast to Colorado. Ranching is full of challenges, ones that his father teaches him to think through and overcome. Through wind storms, water wars and family picnics, Ralph shares the hardships and pleasures of ranching. He was also being groomed to be a man, and to take his father’s place when the time came.

~I had never heard of this book until a few months ago when a friend lent it to me. And now, I can’t believe I didn’t read these growing up! The writing is so good, you get quickly sucked into the early twentieth century as Ralph learns how to fit in at school, be a cowhand and to be honest no matter what. I absolutely LOVED how his father taught him, if I can be such a parent! This was a completely delightful story and I was so excited to find out that Ralph wrote more than just this one! I am now on the third book and still loving them. 

Man of the Family by Ralph Moody – Ralph Moody has had to shoulder the responsibilities of a man at only 11 years old. The family is determined to stay together though, so Mother and Grace start baking and repairing lace curtains while Ralph builds frames, trades rabbits and delivers the baking.

~you know what , I’m going to just wait on reviewing these for a series review!!! Come back and check it out!

Beware the Ticking Lyme Bomb by Craigger Creed – BEWARE! Lyme disease-infected ticks can be picked up anywhere outside – in your yard, the woods or a park. Learn about this complex ailment before it comes knocking on your door, in an easy-to- read book which includes some personal experiences  and comparison spreadsheets to show you how the symptoms and treatments vary between the patients.

~This was a great book to start off learning more about Lyme disease. It’s lighthearted but the warning is often repeated – Beware! Don’t wait! Pay attention to symptoms and go to a doctor now! Take charge!     I’m so glad I grabbed this off the library shelves and highly recommend it to others who want to learn more without getting overwhelmed with in-depth information. 

Currently Reading:

Why Can’t I Get Better? : solving the mystery of Lyme and Chronic Illness by   Richard  Horowitz, MD

Fields of Home by Ralph Moody

Trim Healthy Mama plan by Pearl Bennett and Serene Allison

Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge

 

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Lord of the Rings Series Review

27 Jun

 

The Lord of the Rings series is a high-fantasy novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien and first published in 1954/55. I never understood what all the hype was about this series until my OH got it for me and finally read it. I will admit to it taking far longer than I wanted, to get through all three volumes but that can be blamed on life and not wanting to eat and read at the same time (i mean, the book is gorgeous, I didn’t want to get anything on it!) I finally caved though when I couldn’t put it down. Hefting that through the house as I took care of the dogs, made meals, etc was interesting but the world of Middle Earth and the amount of details he put into backstories, languages, etc, was fantastic.

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I had already seen the movies (totally did it backward) but I think it helped me, having an idea of who these characters were. Normally I don’t like that, it shapes what you think about them to the degree that when they are different in the book (as they inevitably are, movies tend to take SO much license…….) but, for some reason, it helped.

I also read some about Tolkien and the parallels of himself and others in his life in some of his characters, which added a whole other layer to it.

Yes, it’s violent (it’s a WAR, man!) so I wouldn’t recommend this for young readers – unless you’re reading aloud to them and then you could skip over those bits! Other than the violence ( in the mood for some head-lopping? Gimli and Legolas keep count.), this series is CLEAN.  Why can’t more writers keep it that way?

I was watching an interview of Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachan, two of Bollywood’s biggest stars recently and loved their answer when asked why they don’t kiss in their movies. “you have this intimate moment and then suddenly, snap, cut, you’re in the mountains singing and dancing. It’s a lot more interesting…I’d much rather that.”   I got so excited when he said that! People can fall in love – and express that love – without getting all physical and mucking up the whole story.

ahem. Sorry…. Stepping down off my soapbox…..

So. I so appreciate the little bit of love and romance in these stories, it’s romantic, sweet, honoring and respectful. And isn’t that the love we all dream of?

The Fellowship of the Ring – book 1 by J.R.R. Tolkien – Frodo Baggins had no idea just what he was inheriting from Bilbo that night. But soon he knew that the Ring Wraiths were hunting him and the Ring of Power that he had. The Ring that could change the future of Middle Earth. Sauron wanted it to spread his evil through the land. So Frodo, Sam and those who would help him, must destroy the Ring in Mordor – the dark land where Sauron reigned.

 

The Two Towers – book 2  by J.R.R. Tolkien – The fellowship has been scattered. Some of them are dealing with treacherous Saruman. Some are preparing for the onslaught of war against Sauron. Only Frodo and Sam are left to take the Ring of Power to Mordor. Their guide through the dangerous lands is Gollum, the sneaky creature whose mind is filled with the Ring.

 

The Return of the King -book 3 by J.R.R. Tolkien – The fight continues against the evil Sauron –  Aragorn has joined with the Riders of Rohan. Gandalf has returned and defeated Saruman.  Merry and Pippin, having escaped the Orcs,  meet the Ents. Frodo and Sam continue their perilous journey into Mordor guided by Gollum. Through it all, the armies of Sauron are massing.

Gah! Just writing the synopsis’ (or is that synopsi?) makes me want to read them all over again. I also highly recommend The Hobbit, which is the prequel. I am going to give The Silmarillion a try although I’ve been warned it’s pretty much a history book of Middle Earth.

These books are very easily attainable, I’d bet you could get them at almost any used bookstore you wander into. Or Amazon is always a great option!

Have you read LOTR? What did you think?

~Laura

 

 

 

 

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