Thursday, March 30, 2006

Beach Read

No, I'm not sitting in paradise somewhere, but with the 80 degree Memphis March, my best friend leaving for vacation today, and the new news that my Matthew will soon be living just steps away from the ocean, I’m feeling a tad summer-y. Not that I'm ashamed of anything that I ever read, but I don't make a habit of reading books targeted at tweenagers, but make an exception from time to time. Today is one of those such days. Upon high recommendation of yes, a colleague (who is a few years older than me at that, mind you), and the knowledge that many people will soon trade in copies of the Wall Street Journal for something they could pick up on the paperback bestsellers rack, I am reading… The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
It is light, fun, and even at times, thoughtful. Another one of those books that attracted enough attention to make a movie of (which is on my Blockbuster list for this weekend now), probably a lot more of you took your daughters to see the movie than sat down to read a 300 page book. But it really does have some redeeming read-worthy qualities to it.
First of all, before each chapter, a relevant quote from a well-known person is presented. They range from Winston Churchill to J. R. R. Tolkien to Jerry Seinfeld. This is a great way to expose yourself, or a young person in your life, to the wisdom of others.
Another redeeming quality that really does make this a good read is the resonant qualities and principles that seem to flow from these high school characters. Even if you don’t remember being that age, so many of the things they are dealing with as sophomores, I’ll stop and notice that I’ve thought something similar just last week. For example, one of the four characters is taking in a sunset and comments at her frustration in not being able to capture the beauty of it sufficiently. She questions herself, “Why did she always fell she had to do something in the face of beauty?” Pretty profound for 15.
But by far, the most wonderful thing about this book is the sense of community and fierce loyalty these girls have. I know most of us wish for, spend a good part of our lives looking for these types of “bosom buddies” (to steal a phrase from another wonderful book for young ladies, Anne of Green Gables). These girls have found friends that are different from themselves, but yet interesting, and confident, and loving, and committed to each other. If only we could all find even one such friend. Well, in the meantime, we can live vicariously through Bridget, Carmen, Lena, and Tibby.
Read it. I know you’ll love it.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

A Modest Proposal

Before I suggest that you go out and immediately buy/borrow/sit in Barnes and Noble's for 6 hours reading this next book, I must confess that although I've read it several times, it's not what's in my bag currently ("Prison Angel" by Jordan & Sullivan is, but I've only barely read the preface and the first chapter, so more on that later). I was just reminded of this book from reading a blog by Lauren Winner (Laurenwinner.net--really, really good author and thinker). She has written a book called "Real Sex" (which I have not yet read) and seems to be currently a leading Christian thinker these days about modern chasity.
Well, the book I'm suggesting today, "A Return to Modesty," by Wendy Shalit, is not written necessarily from a Christian perspective, but it is quite conservative. It's really excellent. I suppose it's mostly directed at women, but the main themes have nothing to do with the hemline of your skirt or the neckline of your blouse, so I think men would do well to read this too. It ranges from moments that make you think to disturbing statistics about the shape of our sexual culture today, to hilarious synopsis of the "pre-hook-up post-break-up check-up" theory. A good read, and Ms. Shalit, I read your book about 2 or 3 years ago, and am dying for more. Please, please write more.

Friday, March 17, 2006

Happy Father's Day

Yes, I know, I've got my holiday's mixed up. It's St. Patrick's Day (pinch, pinch), but June 18th has more in common with my book selection than green beer and shamrocks (though for some of you, the dad-beer correlation is strong too).
Now before I hail the greatness of my latest book recommendation, I must start by saying that I have the best father, no Daddy, ever.
My Daddy is kind, supportive, loving, firm, stable, and strong. It's almost unfathomable to me to have lived without that support. I'm certain though, I would be a vastly different person. I have many friends though that weren't so fortunate. I have a precious friend who had an amazing daddy, until she was about 10 years old. He was heroicly killed fighting a fire. I have other friends who's dad's lived in the house, but had little interaction with their sons. What they did teach them was to run around on their woman, or to withdrawl emotionally from their families.
I've never met Don Miller, but after reading 3 books by him, I feel like he's a friend. His father left when he was young, so he does know what it's like to grow up without a dad.
"To Own A Dragon" is about his journey to find out what he missed growing up. By the time the book starts, Don has already realized the hole that this void has left him with. And Don explains the processes he went through, from teenage neighbors next door, to youth ministers, to roommates, that all played a part in the stand-in dad.
If you grew up an absolute Daddy's girl like I did, this will only make you appreciate what you never had to miss, but if you grew up like Don, perhaps his healing will show you a bit of grace.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

King of Beasts, Beautiful Villian, and a Gateway into...

Narnia.
Everyone's familiar with it these days, especially with an onslought of popularity of the classic writer C. S. Lewis and the recent release of the movie "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."
I'll keep this short, but to the point. If you read no other book this year, read LWW. The movie's great. It is. But the book is so much richer. Please read. And let me know your thoughts when you do.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Gee, That's Swell!

If you've been to Target in the last, say year or two, you've noticed some really positive changes. I remember a time where Tar-jay (as the rednecks trying to be fancy call it) was just another Wal-mart (ew! a topic for another day, I know, but Wal-Mart is notoriously dirty, overstocked, but never in the items you want, and understaffed by people that always look like they've been up for about 3 weeks straight and could care less if you can't finds the aisle where wrapping paper is located), but now with the "Issac for Target" brand apearing in fashion magazines, and the "Design for All" campaign, Target is a place where most shop regularly, and where most females, demographed between the ages of 19 and 31 don't let a week pass without visiting.
Speaking of these females, my most recent book acquisition is a book, designed for young women called "The Swell-Dressed Party." The Swell brand is another brand carried by Target, featuring kitschy, cutesy items for the home and entertaining. Designer Cynthia Rowley is one of the contributors to the Swell designs and line of books, and her ideas are simply... charming, in the truest sense of the word.
Light and flighty, the Swell ladies take you from an over-all journey of being a Swell girl, to making your home a Swell place, to now, in the latest installment, entertaining like "your mom went to charm school, in Las Vegas."
Second only to books, is my hobby of planning parties. This book is chock full of ideas for arranging for the perfect get-together. Glittery, practical, whitty, and easy breezy fun... if you like Sex in the City and Martha Stewart, you'll love Swell-Dressed Party.