July Reading Notes

Johnny Tremain--I finally finished reading this book to the three youngest kids. (Since we usually read at the bus stop, our routine falls apart in the summer.) It's been almost thirty years since I read it initially, and I'd forgotten everything except the very basic premise: boy in Boston at the start of the American Revolution. I was surprised by the sophistication of the language, which was a definite step above most of the children's books I've read recently.

New York--My first Rutherfurd book, Sarum, has a very Mitchneresque feel. It literally starts with the glaciers receding from Europe. This book starts in New Amsterdam in 1664, and although I was disappointed to see so little of the Native American experience reflected in the book, the shorter time period does make this story more cohesive than Sarum. It's a great overview of the history of New York City since the Europeans settled the area. I learned new things and remembered things I had learned but forgotten. Definitely a good book to read in preparation for my trip to NYC in September.

The Secret Magdalene--My friend who loaned me Queenmaker, loaned me this book also. It takes the premise that the Apostle John and Mary Magdalene are the same person (remember The Davinci Code?) and tells a story of how that came to be. The first half of the book dragged, and I came very close to quitting . There are so many other books on my To Read list, I wasn't sure I wanted to spend any more time with this one. But I have a hard time not finishing a book I have chosen to read, and I'm glad I stayed with it. The book's coverage of the events in the Gospels is more interesting than the coverage of the lost years. I don't think this is a plausible version of what happened, but it did make for an interesting look at Jesus through gnostic eyes.

Harris and Me--This is the assigned summer reading for the twins, so I thought I should read it. It's not great literature, but I did laugh out loud several times. Harris is a delight.

Of Mice and Men--One of the two books EM must read this summer. It met my two expectations: depressing and well-written. The surprises were the length (it's practically a short story) and the Gollum-like scene at the end.