I loved this book. From the very first chapter describing the miracle of Reuben's birth, I was hooked! The book reminded me of Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the family dynamic especially. The strength and weaknesses of Jeremiah Land reminded me of Atticus Finch, another strong single father. I loved Jeremiah's relationship with God; he could and did show his kids that they could go to the Lord with anything and that faith works miracles. Jeremiah's faith was described by Reuben as legendary and it certainly seemed so. His "healing" of the principal and the way he walked on air while praying on the truck bed are some of my favorites. I also loved how he taught by example, for instance you should always help people regardless of the rewards. I loved it when the traveling salesman came around and Reuben feared for his favorite soup, but it didn't matter because Jeremiah made sure there was plenty of food. And then to top it all off, the annoying salesman left his beloved AirStream to Jeremiah just when they needed it most.
The one thing I didn't really care for was Davy killing the 2 boys in cold blood the way he did. I know it was necessary for the odyssey to begin but I don't agree that justice was served. It wasn't exactly self-defense; Davy knew by attacking them first they would attack back. Davy thought that his justice was the only appropriate justice for the crime of hurting his sister. I don't agree with that and I think that Jeremiah and Reuben struggled with Davy's choice. Although if Davy had not shot them who knows who else would be hurt by the boys (sorry I can't remember their names, I am at work and don't have a copy of the book with me but I wanted to post).
I also loved Swede and her writings, how incredible to have that talent at 9 years old! I loved Sundown and Valdez and how Swede used her characters to show her feelings for Davy. I didn't care for the ending of the story, with Swede and Reuben not being as close as they were as children on this incredible experience. I loved that Roxanne was found just when the family needed her most and it seems almost like Jeremiah knew his kids would need a loving parent as he would not be around for too much longer. This book is definitely one that I will pick up and re-read. Good choice!
Wednesday, May 31
Tuesday, May 30
Peace Like a River
Ladies,
I enjoyed reading KT's, Laurenda's and Katrina's responses to the book. (I decided to sneak a peak before I posted my response.) We can all thank Rod for the choice of this book. (He knew I would love it. Thanks, Rod!) I found the message to be powerful and the characters interesting. (Swede reminded me of a girl in my ward growing up.) And the presence of miracles in our lives . . . Rod and I have started calling them, "tender mercies." I have noticed God's tender mercies more in the past few months than I ever did before and I feel such gratitude. Like Katrina, I just think that there aren't many coincidences any more.
There is another reason that I loved this book in addition to all the reasons I have already described and that is the incredibly beautiful way the book is written. Every paragraph . . . even some sentences . . . were works of art in and of themselves. How did Leif Enger ever learn to write like this?!?! page 103 ". . . he was up, sitting in the kitchen with frayed King James--oh, but he worked that book; he held to it like a rope ladder." page 111 "Winter was a train crawling north." page 213 "It shot through me that I would not see him again--that the horse with every upward plunge bore us nearer a ruthless parting I was bound to keep secret." page 297 "Not one of us asked about Andreeson, though he lit on my heart, staying there like a guest on the porch you hope will give up and leave." page 299 ". . . we cleared our throats and armored our hearts and stepped out into the sunrise." page 304 "Dad held my hand, and I felt the music growing in his fingers."
Rod convinced me to choose this book by simply reading the first 3 pages to me. Enger puts images and phrases together in such an unexpected way . . . it is mind boggling. Someday, I would like to be able to write that powerfully. There were times, like Laurenda, when I wanted to get on with the story, but I didn't want to skip ahead because I didn't want to miss one of those amazing sentences :)
I am glad you enjoyed reading it. Thanks, KT for putting together Les Liseuses and for providing us the opportunity to read interesting books and share each other's observations.
--Karen S.
I enjoyed reading KT's, Laurenda's and Katrina's responses to the book. (I decided to sneak a peak before I posted my response.) We can all thank Rod for the choice of this book. (He knew I would love it. Thanks, Rod!) I found the message to be powerful and the characters interesting. (Swede reminded me of a girl in my ward growing up.) And the presence of miracles in our lives . . . Rod and I have started calling them, "tender mercies." I have noticed God's tender mercies more in the past few months than I ever did before and I feel such gratitude. Like Katrina, I just think that there aren't many coincidences any more.
There is another reason that I loved this book in addition to all the reasons I have already described and that is the incredibly beautiful way the book is written. Every paragraph . . . even some sentences . . . were works of art in and of themselves. How did Leif Enger ever learn to write like this?!?! page 103 ". . . he was up, sitting in the kitchen with frayed King James--oh, but he worked that book; he held to it like a rope ladder." page 111 "Winter was a train crawling north." page 213 "It shot through me that I would not see him again--that the horse with every upward plunge bore us nearer a ruthless parting I was bound to keep secret." page 297 "Not one of us asked about Andreeson, though he lit on my heart, staying there like a guest on the porch you hope will give up and leave." page 299 ". . . we cleared our throats and armored our hearts and stepped out into the sunrise." page 304 "Dad held my hand, and I felt the music growing in his fingers."
Rod convinced me to choose this book by simply reading the first 3 pages to me. Enger puts images and phrases together in such an unexpected way . . . it is mind boggling. Someday, I would like to be able to write that powerfully. There were times, like Laurenda, when I wanted to get on with the story, but I didn't want to skip ahead because I didn't want to miss one of those amazing sentences :)
I am glad you enjoyed reading it. Thanks, KT for putting together Les Liseuses and for providing us the opportunity to read interesting books and share each other's observations.
--Karen S.
Peace...
Normally I don't read the other reviews until after I've written mine, but I went ahead and read them first this time around. I appreciated that this book did, indeed, make one ponder about miracles in our own lives (I remember the trip, Katrina! And I hope Pugsley okay) and faith and/or lack thereof.
I really relished the book. I loved the characterization of Reuben, the protagonist and the witness, to these amazing things his father did. I loved that he would briefly step aside and talk to us, the reader, of his own weaknesses and developing faith concerning these miracles (ie: when his father was pacing the truck, when they were driving through "town" after town and never once were seen by the authorities) or his own childishness (the courtroom scene). He seemed very human and real--all the characters did. Jeremiah "Dad" Lands, Swede, Davy...even Mr. Andreeson (okay, I can't remember his name, but he was the fed who met a harsh end). You know who Jeremiah reminded me of? My father-in-law. Talk about someone who endures adversity based on his relationship with the Lord--sometimes to the chagrin of people around him who don't understand why he puts up with such and so, or would call him weak. When Jeremiah gives up his pursuit of a worldly profession to become a "mere" custodian after his experience with the tornado, or later when he was fired but still cured the Principal, I thought of Jerry. Children learn lessons in all different sorts of ways, though we often don't understand them until we are older and my husband has often spoken of how high his father has set the bar for so many things because of his quiet example.
Like I said, this book made me reflect and think. I enjoyed reading it (though, I have to admit, I sometimes skimmed some parts--like some of Swede's poetry verses--so I could get to the "good" stuff, thus exposing my own impatiences with rhymed poetry! lol) and was kinda sad to see it end. Very good book choice! Thanks Karen!!!
I really relished the book. I loved the characterization of Reuben, the protagonist and the witness, to these amazing things his father did. I loved that he would briefly step aside and talk to us, the reader, of his own weaknesses and developing faith concerning these miracles (ie: when his father was pacing the truck, when they were driving through "town" after town and never once were seen by the authorities) or his own childishness (the courtroom scene). He seemed very human and real--all the characters did. Jeremiah "Dad" Lands, Swede, Davy...even Mr. Andreeson (okay, I can't remember his name, but he was the fed who met a harsh end). You know who Jeremiah reminded me of? My father-in-law. Talk about someone who endures adversity based on his relationship with the Lord--sometimes to the chagrin of people around him who don't understand why he puts up with such and so, or would call him weak. When Jeremiah gives up his pursuit of a worldly profession to become a "mere" custodian after his experience with the tornado, or later when he was fired but still cured the Principal, I thought of Jerry. Children learn lessons in all different sorts of ways, though we often don't understand them until we are older and my husband has often spoken of how high his father has set the bar for so many things because of his quiet example.
Like I said, this book made me reflect and think. I enjoyed reading it (though, I have to admit, I sometimes skimmed some parts--like some of Swede's poetry verses--so I could get to the "good" stuff, thus exposing my own impatiences with rhymed poetry! lol) and was kinda sad to see it end. Very good book choice! Thanks Karen!!!
Friday, May 26
Peace Like a River
OK, I'll be first again.
I read this book before Karen selected it for the book club. I found the title intriguing Peace Like a River. In my experiences with rivers (kayaking, white-water rafting, etc.), I have not found rivers to be peaceful. They are in constant motion - one might say turmoil. This is how I found this book. The lives of the characters were in constant motion (and turmoil).
There was one time when the lives of the children were peaceful - with Roxanna (I really liked her). The writing style, especially with Roxanna, was peaceful even if the events being written about weren't (how's that for good sentence structure?)
In the description on the back of the book (my book at least) says this is a story "in which 'what could be unbelievable becomes extraordinary.'" Maybe it's my LDS beliefs, but I found nothing in the book to be unbelievable, although I can see how the world would see that. The miraculous healing of baby Reuben, Reuben and his father meeting in that brief after-death period, etc. All of that seemed like "yeah, of course that could happen." Miracles haven't ceased.
The way the tone of Swede's writing matched the events going on around them was beautiful. Swede, Reuben, dad, etc. could all be calm on the exterior, but we got a peak into how they were feeling (especially Swede) through the Sundown adventures.
Nice pick, Karen. Thanks!!
I read this book before Karen selected it for the book club. I found the title intriguing Peace Like a River. In my experiences with rivers (kayaking, white-water rafting, etc.), I have not found rivers to be peaceful. They are in constant motion - one might say turmoil. This is how I found this book. The lives of the characters were in constant motion (and turmoil).
There was one time when the lives of the children were peaceful - with Roxanna (I really liked her). The writing style, especially with Roxanna, was peaceful even if the events being written about weren't (how's that for good sentence structure?)
In the description on the back of the book (my book at least) says this is a story "in which 'what could be unbelievable becomes extraordinary.'" Maybe it's my LDS beliefs, but I found nothing in the book to be unbelievable, although I can see how the world would see that. The miraculous healing of baby Reuben, Reuben and his father meeting in that brief after-death period, etc. All of that seemed like "yeah, of course that could happen." Miracles haven't ceased.
The way the tone of Swede's writing matched the events going on around them was beautiful. Swede, Reuben, dad, etc. could all be calm on the exterior, but we got a peak into how they were feeling (especially Swede) through the Sundown adventures.
Nice pick, Karen. Thanks!!
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