Dragonwriter edited by Todd McCaffrey

Dragonwriter edited by Todd McCaffrey

When Anne McCaffrey passed in November 2011, it was not only those closest to her who mourned her death; legions of readers also felt the loss deeply. The pioneering science fiction author behind the Dragonriders of Pern® series crafted intricate stories, enthralling worlds, and strong heroines that profoundly impacted the science fiction community and genre.

In Dragonwriter, Anne’s son and Pern writer Todd McCaffrey collects memories and stories about the beloved author, along with insights into her writing and legacy, from those who knew her best. Nebula Award winner Elizabeth Moon relates the lessons she learned from Pern’s Lessa (and from Lessa’s creator); Hugo Award winner David Brin recalls Anne’s steadfast belief that the world to come will be better than the one before; legendary SFF artist Michael Whelan shares (and tells stories about) never-before-published Pern sketches from his archives; and more.

Join Anne’s co-writers, fellow science fiction authors, family, and friends in remembering her life, and exploring how her mind and pen shaped not only the Weyrs of Pern, but also the literary landscape as we know it. (blurb from Goodreads)

Rating: PG, 4 stars
Trigger warnings: none

As I mentioned in my review of Dragonsong, I am a huge Anne McCaffrey/Pern fan. I’d been looking for an excuse to move Dragonwriter to the top of my to-read list for awhile, and since I had to present on Dragonsong in one of my classes, I thought that was the perfect reason.

I have to say, this book isn’t quite what I’d expected. I’d been anticipating essays on the importance of Anne McCaffrey’s place in science fiction and analyses of how her world and writing work. What I found instead was much more personal, and it really made me appreciate Anne McCaffrey’s legacy more from a personal standpoint than a writing standpoint. I did end up learning quite a bit about the world that McCaffrey started writing in--a world where women didn’t really write science fiction (or at least where they weren’t recognized for writing science fiction). I learned that McCaffrey’s novel The White Dragon was the first hardcover sci-fi novel to make it onto the New York Times bestseller list, period. Not the first woman. The first author. Ever.

That sort of information provided important context for me. I started reading the Pern books in the early 2000s, while most of the famous ones were published in the 1970s. That’s a lot of time for things to change, both in the world in general, and in the writing and publishing worlds specifically. When I started reading Pern books, there were a plethora of other speculative novels on the market that featured strong female protagonists. By reading essays by women who saw themselves in science fiction for the first time in characters like Lessa and Menolly, I gained a new appreciation for the importance of the Pern novels.

I suppose my biggest disappointment with the book is that the essays barely touched on the Harper Hall Trilogy, which is one of my favorite parts of the series. Most discussion of female empowerment centered on Lessa, which makes sense as she is the protagonist for most of the series as a whole, but I was bothered by the unintentional slighting of Menolly, who I think is an invaluable character for people who come to Pern at a younger age. As a kid, Lessa intimidated me in ways that Menolly never did.

All in all, this book is a must-read for fans of the Pern books or McCaffrey’s other work. It would also be interesting for those who are interested in the history of the science fiction genre and how much one person’s legacy can impact that history.

Thrill of the Chaste by Valerie Weaver-Zercher

Thrill of the Chaste by Valerie Weaver-Zercher

Browse the inspirational fiction section of your local bookstore, and you will likely find cover after cover depicting virtuous young women cloaked in modest dresses and wearing a pensive or playful expression. They hover innocently above sun-drenched pastures or rustic country lanes, often with a horse-drawn buggy in the background—or the occasional brawny stranger. Romance novels with Amish protagonists, such as the best-selling trailblazer The Shunning by Beverly Lewis, are becoming increasingly popular with a largely evangelical female audience. Thrill of the Chaste is the first book to analyze this growing trend in romance fiction and to place it into the context of contemporary literature, religion, and popular culture.

Valerie Weaver-Zercher combines research and interviews with devoted readers, publishers, and authors to produce a lively and provocative examination of the Amish romance novel. She discusses strategies that literary agents and booksellers use to drive the genre’s popularity. By asking questions about authenticity, cultural appropriation, and commodification, Thrill of the Chaste also considers Amish fiction’s effects on Amish and non-Amish audiences alike. (blurb from Goodreads)

Rating: PG, 4 1/2 stars
Trigger warnings: none

As an Ohioan, Amish fiction is something I can’t avoid. I grew up about an hour away from Amish country, and so Amish novels were everywhere--stores, the library, even the occasional Amish-owned or Amish-style restaurant. While I’ve never actually read any Amish fiction, I have many Amish books on my to-read list, just because I think it’s an experience I should have at least once in my life. Anyway, when I saw that there was a book which analyzed the popularity of the genre, I knew that I had to read it, and Thrill of the Chaste didn’t disappoint.

I found this book absolutely fascinating. I never felt lost, despite my lack of first-hand experience with the genre and with the principles of evangelical Christian fiction. I really appreciated the author’s interviews with actual Amish people, and I found their varied perspectives of the presence of Amish fiction to be really interesting. I also found that I learned a lot about how varied Amish communities are, and the number of Amish people in the US is much larger than I had initially thought (a good thing, in my opinion).

Overall, I think this book is an excellent critical introduction to the phenomenon of Amish romance novels. Fans of the genre may find it a little too skeptical of the books for their taste, but those unfamiliar to the genre are likely to learn a lot of interesting information and may find it all fascinating enough to pick up an Amish romance for themselves. I would be really interested in seeing similar books for other new subgenres.

And Then There Were Nuns by Jane Christmas

And Then There Were Nuns: Adventures in a Cloistered Life, by Jane Christmas

Bestselling author Jane Christmas decides to enter a convent to discern whether she is, as she puts it, "nun material." But just as she convinces herself to take the plunge, her long-term partner, Colin, surprises her with a marriage proposal. Determined not to let her monastic dreams get sidelined, Christmas puts her engagement aside and embarks on an extraordinary year-plus adventure to four--one in Canada and three in the U.K. Among these communities of cloistered nuns and monks, she (and occasionally rails against) the silent, reverent, pared-down existence she has sought all her life. With insight and humour, she provides a glimpse into a seldom-seen lifestyle. (blurb from Goodreads)

Rating: R, 4 stars
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, sexism

I thought the premise for this memoir was really interesting. I was raised Catholic, and for awhile when I was a kid, I thought that maybe being a nun was the path for me. Add to that the fact that I spent some time last year at a Buddhist monastery with a bunch of nuns, and you can tell that nuns interest me a lot. I thought the idea and perspective were really unique in this book, and I love that it did include some interfaith dialogue, since the author spent time among both Catholic and Episcopal nuns.

Where I had trouble with the book was with the inclusion of Christmas’ backstory and her experience with sexual assault. Her coping with her assault and her time spent among nuns are completely interrelated, but the way the book was written, I felt that it was either too short, and more time needed to be spent on both the past and the present, or that it needed to be two separate memoirs entirely. I recognize that the author spent a lot of time coming to terms with what happened to her while she was exploring a monastic life, but so much of it was glossed over that the emotional balance of the book just felt off. Also, the book’s blurb mentions nothing about the sexual assault, and I would caution anyone who picks up this book that there is a huge trigger warning for that aspect of the book.

Overall, this book was really interesting, and it was very thought-provoking for me. Again, having grown up Catholic, I learned a lot about other denominations of Christianity (I didn’t even know other denominations had monastic communities!), and I learned a lot about monastic communities in general. Having spent some time in a Buddhist monastery, I was surprised by some of the similarities and differences between Buddhist monastics and Christian monastics. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is interested in monastic life and would like to get an insider look from an outsider.

God: A Story of Revelation by Deepak Chopra

God: A Story of Revelation by Deepak Chopra

In Deepak Chopra's powerful, groundbreaking, and imaginative new work, a unique blend of storytelling and teaching, the New York Times bestselling author explores the evolution of God. By capturing the lives of ten historical prophets, saints, mystics, and martyrs who are touched by a divine power, Chopra reveals a riveting portrait of a constantly changing God. Our belief—and therefore God itself—transforms with each passing century. In this new novel, Chopra brings to life the defining moments of our most influential sages, ultimately revealing universal lessons about the true nature of God.

Job in the Old Testament experienced something completely different from Paul in the New Testament, Socrates chased a mercurial spirit almost unrecognizable to the strange voice that called to Rumi, and Shankara moved from town to town sharing the truth about a God that stood in marked contrast to the one that guided Anne Hutchinson—yet one sees an undeniable pattern. These visionaries took the human race down unknown roads, and Chopra invites us to revisit their destinations. Tearing at our hearts and uplifting our souls, God leads us to a profound and life-altering understanding about the nature of belief, the power of faith, and the spirit that resides within us all. (blurb from Goodreads)

Ratings: PG, 4 stars
Trigger warnings: violence

This book was not at all what I expected, and I’m not even sure what, exactly, I was expecting. I suppose I was anticipating either a straight novelized narrative, or a nonfiction analysis of the mystics in this book. What I got was a strange mixture of both. Each chapter in this book starts out by narrating a scene or two from the mystic’s life. It starts off very specific--for example, the chapter on Anne Hutchinson starts with her seeing a beached whale with her children. After the specific scenes, the narrative continues on for a bit in a more general light. The second half of each chapter provides analysis about what that individual can tell us about God, both in general and in context of their life and historical era. I suppose, in a way, it was little bit like the gospel and homily part of Catholic mass--first you get the story, then you get the application of the story.

This unexpected formatting did make the book slow-going at first, but once I got into it, I really enjoyed the format. The chapter-by-chapter focused allowed Chopra to introduce the reader to a wide variety of mystics from a wide variety of religious traditions. Each individual that the book covered caught my interest, often for different reasons.

I know that Deepak Chopra has written other books in a similar vein to God, and I now look forward to reading them. God is an interesting read from both spiritual and historical perspectives, and if the format doesn’t bother you, I highly recommend it.

Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution by Shiri Eisner

Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution by Shiri Eisner

Depicted as duplicitous, traitorous, and promiscuous, bisexuality has long been suspected, marginalized, and rejected by both straight and gay communities alike.

Bi takes a long overdue, comprehensive look at bisexual politics—from the issues surrounding biphobia/monosexism, feminism, and transgenderism to the practice of labeling those who identify as bi as either "too bisexual” (promiscuous and incapable of fidelity) or "not bisexual enough” (not actively engaging romantically or sexually with people of at least two different genders). In this forward-thinking and eye-opening book, feminist bisexual and genderqueer activist Shiri Eisner takes readers on a journey through the many aspects of the meanings and politics of bisexuality, specifically highlighting how bisexuality can open up new and exciting ways of challenging social convention.

Informed by feminist, transgender, and queer theory, as well as politics and activism, Bi is a radical manifesto for a group that has been too frequently silenced, erased, and denied—and a starting point from which to launch a bisexual revolution. (blurb from Goodreads)

Rating: PG-13, 4 stars
Trigger warnings: see review

This book took me a long time to get through, but not because I didn’t like it. I found it absolutely fascinating. The problem was, with school and all, I often found it hard to focus while I was reading it. In those moments, I would call it fascinating, but dense. From the perspective I have now, from having finished it over Thanksgiving break, I recognize that it wasn’t so much that it was dense, but more that it was more similar to the books I was reading for classes than the books I read for fun. So it took me awhile, but that wasn’t a bad thing.

In a way, I’m glad it took me so long to finish this book, because that gave me plenty of time to process. When it comes to ideological stances, I find that I often either accept or reject the whole of the ideology almost immediately. Not so with this book. I found there were things I definitely agreed with, but there were also things that I definitely disagreed with, and there were even things that I was (and am) on the fence about. It wasn’t comfortable, but I’m glad about that. This isn’t supposed to be a comfortable book. It asks tough questions about what it means to be bisexual, and the answers are no more comfortable than the questions.

This book was incredibly user-friendly. Like many textbooks from my primary school days, it highlighted “vocabulary words” right in the text and defined them in a separate box on the same page. This is very handy for people who might not be familiar with feminist and queer jargon. Trigger warnings were placed before the sections of the book that were relevant, even down to the paragraph, and there were additional “warnings” placed at the end of the triggering sections. I absolutely loved this idea, and I wish more writers (or editors?) took this approach. The availability of trigger warnings within the text is why I didn’t include them above (mostly because I’m slightly lazy and didn’t want to look up specific trigger warnings, because many of them were very specific). All I can say is that Eisner covered her bases when it comes to potentially triggering passages.

One aspect of the book that I definitely have mixed feelings about is the type of parallels she draws between bisexuality and other social issues/oppressed groups. While Eisner always makes clear that true parallels really don’t exist, and that one oppressed group isn’t better/worse off than any other (because you can’t compare them like that), she does often compare the bisexual movement to other movements, and she often chooses movements that she has connections to or experience with, such as trans* movements and movements specific to Israel/Occupied Palestine. This is where the mixed feelings come in. It was often hard for me to make the connections, because she used movements that I really have no familiarity with. This frustrated me, but I also recognize that Eisner isn’t an American author, so it wouldn’t even make sense for her to solely use American social movements, not to mention the fact that movements besides mainstream American social movements deserve attention. I recognize that my frustration comes from a place of privilege, and part of me enjoyed learning about social movements that I really had no prior knowledge of. But I was also frustrated quite a bit. Hence my mixed feelings.

Overall, this book is an excellent, both for bisexuals and those who identify on the queer spectrum, but also for feminists and anyone who is open to learning about bisexual issues. Be prepared to be uncomfortable while reading, maybe even angry--but hopefully you’ll take that discomfort the way I did by appreciating how relevant it is to the discussion this book is starting.

Note: I received a free ebook copy for review, but I also purchased a copy when I was financially able to. 

Wild, Weird, and Wonderful by F.W. Glasier

Wild, Weird, and Wonderful by F.W. Glasier

In both glory and grit, these remarkable photographs give us the American circus during the most vibrant period in its history, capturing both the intensity of the routines and the spirit of camaraderie of the performers. Glasier's work was unique in many ways, not the least of which was the offhand elegance he allowed his subjects, even the wonderful animals. His striking portraits make us recall the sober and revealing work of August Sander. (blurb from Goodreads)

Rating: PG, 4 stars
Trigger Warnings: racist/ableist language

There’s probably going to be an influx of circus-related books on the blog, as I’m writing an honors thesis about the circus this coming school year and have to do lots of research. I was really excited when I found this book, because it covers the time period I’m working with (turn-of-the-century) in photographs. It’s surprisingly hard to find old photos of the circus, particularly the kind of photos I want from the time period I want.

These photographs were all really cool, and the captions, when possible, gave a lot of details about the who, what, where, when, and why of each photograph. It was not at all a text-heavy book, but it’s a good companion to reference books and books like Queen of the Air, which I hope to read and review in the near future.

In the captions there is some language that could be considered racist or ableist. I appreciate the efforts to keep early 1900s circus jargon intact, but I did wonder sometimes about the manner in which that was done.

If you have any interest in circuses, or even turn-of-the-century Americana, this book is worth a look through. It won’t take too long, and the photographs really are a fascinating look at daily life for circus employees of that era.

Quiverfull by Kathryn Joyce

Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement by Kathryn Joyce

Kathryn Joyce's fascinating introduction to the world of the patriarchy movement and Quiverfull families examines the twenty-first-century women and men who proclaim self-sacrifice and submission as model virtues of womanhood—and as modes of warfare on behalf of Christ. Here, women live within stringently enforced doctrines of wifely submission and male headship, and live by the Quiverfull philosophy of letting God give them as many children as possible so as to win the religion and culture wars through demographic means. (blurb from Goodreads)

Rating: PG-13, 4 stars
Trigger warnings: misogyny, domestic abuse, religious abuse

After being fascinated by the culture of the Westboro Baptist Church in Banished, I thought I’d give Quiverfull a try to look into the Christian patriarchy movement. This is a movement that gets surprisingly little attention, despite its increasing numbers and downright subversive potential. Quiverfull did an excellent job of satisfying my curiosity about this movement.

One thing that I loved about the book was the sheer number of interviews that Joyce managed to get. By using direct quotes from those within or formerly within the Christian patriarchy movement, Joyce not only gave herself more credibility, but I felt that the book was more balanced. Clearly, the author did not agree with the movement, but I also didn’t feel like she was just ranting against it the whole time. By providing quotes from people on both sides of the movement, I felt like the author left some room for the reader to come to their own conclusions.

I was also intrigued to see detailed reasons for why the Christian patriarchy movement believes what it believes. Through the interviews and Joyce’s own research, I was exposed to the biblical passages that these families most often follow to the letter, along with interpretations of what those passages mean in today’s society. It was nice to get all that background information laid out in such a detailed manner.

I do think the title of the book was a bit misleading, since not all Christian patriarchy families also follow the quiverfull philosophy, and there are only a few chapters that discuss the quiverfull lifestyle. I would have been interested to hear more about that, but the lack of information and interviews there may have been outside the author’s control.

I think this book could be triggering for anyone who has had particularly nasty experiences with organized religion, particularly with Christianity. There are several women interviewed in the book who discuss being advised to “fix” a marriage by being a proper wife even when their husbands were abusive. The book is also chock-full of misogyny from those in the movement--the evils of feminism are brought up several times in both interviews and quotes from pamphlets and books from within the movement. Joyce herself is clearly feminist, and these sexist notions come from the movement and not the author.

I recommend Quiverfull to anyone who is concerned about extremist Christianity or who is merely curious about American Christian culture and the different forms it can take. Quiverfull is a fascinating glimpse into a culture that is all the more interesting because I disagree with its tenants so much. It is a well-researched and gripping read.

Banished by Lauren Drain and Lisa Pulitzer

Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church by Lauren Drain and Lisa Pulitzer

NOW A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER You've likely heard of the Westboro Baptist Church. Perhaps you've seen their pickets on the news, the members holding signs with messages that are too offensive to copy here, protesting at events such as the funerals of soldiers, the 9-year old victim of the recent Tucson shooting, and Elizabeth Edwards, all in front of their grieving families. The WBC is fervently anti-gay, anti-Semitic, and anti- practically everything and everyone. And they aren't going anywhere: in March, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the WBC's right to picket funerals. 

Since no organized religion will claim affiliation with the WBC, it's perhaps more accurate to think of them as a cult. Lauren Drain was thrust into that cult at the age of 15, and then spat back out again seven years later. BANISHED is the first look inside the organization, as well as a fascinating story of adaptation and perseverance. 

Lauren spent her early years enjoying a normal life with her family in Florida. But when her formerly liberal and secular father set out to produce a documentary about the WBC, his detached interest gradually evolved into fascination, and he moved the entire family to Kansas to join the church and live on their compound. Over the next seven years, Lauren fully assimilated their extreme beliefs, and became a member of the church and an active and vocal picketer. But as she matured and began to challenge some of the church's tenets, she was unceremoniously cast out from the church and permanently cut off from her family and from everyone else she knew and loved. BANISHED is the story of Lauren's fight to find herself amidst dramatic changes in a world of extremists and a life in exile. (blurb from Goodreads)

Rating: PG-13, 3 stars
Trigger Warnings: emotional abuse, familial abuse, religious abuse, homophobia

The Westboro Baptist Church is pretty well-known today as an organization that pickets funerals and spews hate and negativity, particularly targeted at gay people. When I heard that a former member of the "church" had written a memoir of her time with the organization, I was really interested in seeing what she had to say.

I have to say, I love how balanced the book was. Of course, Lauren Drain left the WBC for a reason, so the book wasn't completely unbiased, but I thought that she painted a compelling picture of her state of mind while she was still in the WBC and how that deteriorated over time. I appreciated recognizing the abuse of her father even while she was explaining how she justified his words at the time.

I also liked being able to the members of the Westboro Baptist Church as people and not just picketeers. I vehemently disagree with everything they stand for, but I appreciated seeing their good sides as well as the bad. Humans are complex creatures, and it is easy to forget sometimes that even people we disagree with are good and bad.

I was particularly intrigued by Drain's portrait of the leaders of WBC. For example, before reading this book, I had no idea that any of the Phelps had jobs outside of the WBC. It didn't surprise me to find out that most of them were lawyers, however.

Due to the nature of the Westboro Baptist Church, the book may be upsetting or even triggering to those on the LGBTQ spectrum, survivors of emotional abuse, those who have had bad experiences with organized religion, and those who are or know people impacted by Westboro Baptist Church's pickets, especially those with ties to 9/11. Even so, the book is a fascinating read for anyone who is curious about the Westboro Baptist Church and would like a rare inside perspective.

Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

Rating: PG; 3 stars

Summary: Heaven is For Real is the story of a little boy, Colton Burpo, who, after nearly dying in the hospital, started telling his parents things about God and heaven that a four-year-old shouldn't have known. Although at first his parents wrote him off as just telling stories, after several repeat incidences, they began to believe him. The book describes this journey starting from before the hospital and ending with how the family decided to deal with what seemed like a gift from God.

Opinions: I want to make it very clear that my opinions on this book do not stem from whether or not I believe Colton's account. I picked up this book because I curious as to how much I would find believable. After reading it, there were some things that I did believe, and some things that I didn't.

My disappointment with this book lie in the writing style. While I appreciate the need for Colton's father to write this story because of how young Colton was, I think that he occasionally lost sight of what the book was about. In particular, I thought there was too much focus on the father: his thoughts, feelings, and motives. I got the book expecting to read a story about Colton, and instead what I got was a story about how Todd dealt with Colton.

Now don't get me wrong, there are times when Todd's perspective really did improve the book. I really liked the parts about how both parents dealt with Colton talking about the holes in Jesus' hands, a grandfather he never met, and other things that were just unbelievable. These were moments that were really crucial to hear from the parents' perspectives. However, I felt that the parents' perspectives were used too much. I don't think that I need to know all of Todd's thoughts and emotions step-by-step when Colton is in the hospital. However, maybe I would think differently if I was a parent.

I think that in general, this book was misrepresented. I expected a story about a boy's cohesive narrative of heaven, and that's not what the majority of the book was about. However, I do think this is a worthwhile read if you like spiritual nonfiction. I don't think that you have to completely believe everything in it to enjoy it, however I do think it becomes more enjoyable if you keep an open mind while reading it. Because of the subject matter of the book, the Burpo family's religious ideals and interpretations are quite out in the open. It is quite likely that many readers don't see eye-to-eye with their views. I approached this book with an open curiosity, and that's the attitude that I recommend.

I gave this book 3 stars for writing style, perspective, and misrepresentation. However, I still did enjoy this book. I read almost all of it in one sitting. The tone makes it very easy to read. This isn't a book for everyone, but I think those with an open mind will definitely find some things to think about in reading it.

The Secret Life of Pronouns by James W. Pennebaker

The Secret Life of Pronouns by James W. Pennebaker

Rating: PG; 4 stars

Summary: Function words, the little words that our eyes glaze over when we read, are more than they appear to be. In The Secret Life of Pronouns, author James Pennebaker reveals exactly what the title suggests: the hidden meanings and uses of words like pronouns that we use every day without even thinking. The book is divided into ten chapters, and although each discusses a different aspect of function words and psychology, there is, understandably, a lot of overlap. The book utilizes psychology and statistics to track how people use function words in various situations, and what that might reveal about their personality and motives.

Opinions: Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book. Then again, that shouldn't be surprising; I am an English and French double major who formerly considered going into linguistics. In short, I am a word nerd. I thought that this book provided some really interesting insights into the way language is used in culture today. I was absolutely fascinated by the examples pulled from fiction, perhaps because I am a creative writer.

I was a bit disappointed by the lack of definitive results in much of the research discussed in the book. Then again, in my experience with psychology, research is rarely definitive. I am glad that Pennebaker admitted to the gaps in the research and didn't try to cover them up or even lie about them. It makes the book (and him!) seem more credible and reliable.

I was a little frustrated with the overlap in topics of each of the chapters, but at the same time, I was also grateful for it. There was a lot of information being thrown at me, so the reminder was a good thing. I wish there was a way to keep the information fresh without having to rehash it all.

Still, despite my few complaints (or, in some cases, wishful thinking), I really did enjoy this book. The ideas it presented were really fascinating, and they were presented in a very engaging manner. Not once did I feel like I was reading a dry textbook, although someone who is not as interested by words as I am might disagree. By the time I finished the book, my sister was sick of hearing me talk about function words.

I have to say, it's interesting to write a review on a book about function words, because it really makes me wonder how I'm using function words in this review, and whether they are revealing anything about my personality...hmm...

I gave this book four stars because it really was enjoyable. I had a few complaints, but I still fully enjoyed the book. I gave it a PG simply because reading level. I really can't see anyone younger than high school reading this and understanding it in a meaningful way; some of the vocabulary related to statistics and psychology is a bit advanced, and there are some cultural references that children might not get. I just think that a kid would probably lose interest.

In general, I think that people who love words will enjoy this book. I also recommend it to writers, because it sheds some interesting light on writing fiction. This isn't a book for everyone; many people are bored reading about words. I, however, found it fascinating, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Little Princes by Conor Grennan

Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan

Rating: PG-13; 5 stars

Summary: Connor Grennan wanted to travel the world. To kick things off, he volunteered at an orphanage in Nepal. Little did he know that the Little Princes orphanage would change his life forever. While volunteering, Grennan learned that the civil war in Nepal had led to families in remote regions selling their children, in the hopes that better lives would be available elsewhere. Though the parents had good intentions, they were actually endangering their children. Grennan decided that he needed to help, and so he did.

Opinions: This book is what I wanted the book Three Cups of Tea to be: focused on the kids. I understand that the books' respective organizations have different goals, but the end result in both cases is for the kids. Little Princes was wonderful in its focus on the children, how they lived, how they changed, their hardships and triumphs.

This story is a sad one: parents and children separated in a third world country, assuming they will never see each other again. In many cases, the assumption was that the children or the parents were dead. I probably spent close to half of this book in or near tears. That being said, there was actually a lot of humor in this book. Children are resilient creatures, and the kids Conor Grennan was involved with are no exception. Despite hardship in their lives, their still children. They play and wrestle and do anything that kids do. I found myself either laughing or crying for the majority of the book.

I also loved how honest Grennan was. He admitted from the beginning of the book that his motives for going to Nepal weren't great. He wanted to volunteer for a few months so that when he traveled the world vacation-style, his friends wouldn't give him funny looks for being wasteful. He admitted that he knew next to nothing about working with kids. And yet...and yet he was successful. His honesty from the get-go made this book seem all the closer to me, although I have never been to Nepal.

I loved learning about Nepali culture. I realize that there are probably a million books in the world that are specifically about Nepali culture, and not focused on children, but I loved it anyway. I took Hindi a couple of years ago, and I get very excited about anything I can connect to what I learned. I recognized many Nepalese words as variants on words I knew in Hindi. I also enjoyed all the Buddhism references in the book; I took a course on Buddhism last fall, and ever since, it seems as though I can't get away from it. Neither Hindi or Buddhism are things that other readers would necessarily care about, but they made the book a little more personal for me.

I gave this book 5 stars because I just really enjoyed it. I have this feeling that because now that I'm at college and don't have time to read for pleasure as much, I'm being really lenient on book ratings. I don't really care about this, but I just figured I'd warn people. I loved this book, and if a sequel comes out for whatever reason, I'll definitely read it. This merited a PG-13 for two reasons: the subject matter can be difficult, both to grasp as reality, and just to understand. This book is also definitely written for an older crowd; I believe that younger readers would find themselves bored very quickly. I normally don't rate books based on certain age groups getting bored or not understanding, because everyone develops at their own pace. However, since this is non-fiction, I figured I'd include it in the rating.

In general, I'd say if you like kids and learning about different places and cultures, this is an excellent book. Nonfiction isn't everyone's cup of tea (no pun intended), but if you like it, this is definitely a worthwhile read.