Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickman

Homer Hickam, the author, upon hearing tall tales about his mother’s alligator, Albert; eventually sits down and captures them in writing. Labeled a novel, based upon near truth; the unreliability of memories and the way stories become stretched and exaggerated over time blend to tell his family history. He tells of Elsie Hickam, his mother, who “loved Albert more than just about anything in the whole world”, but Elsie’s new husband, Homer sr, finally issues an ultimatum: “‘Me or that alligator.'” After thinking it over, Elsie reluctantly agrees to give up her beloved pet, returning him to his native Florida. The young couple’s road trip from West Virginia to Florida involves more adventures than most people have in a lifetime – meeting John Steinbeck, witnessing industrial rebellions, joining the coast guard, starring in a movie, and experiencing a hurricane – are condensed into one epic journey.” It explores the ups and downs of love and marriage, and celebrating uniqueness and the real effort it takes to fall in love and make it stick. 

As a book, it a fun read. As a insight into love and devotion it a good read. It reminds one of the effort it takes to really get to know your life’s partner even after you commit to each other. And of the multiple dimensions of a relationship be they emotional, physical, social or otherwise. Not a deep philosophical solution to the world’s problems but an enjoyable palette cleanser between more serious fare. Just right for a road trip.

The almost nearly perfect people by Michael Booth

The almost nearly perfect people by Michael Booth 

A must read for the vacationing American heading to Scandinavia a corner of the globe oft over-looked, and over-glamorized (or someone trying to understand the inner workings of Minnesotans going beyond listening to A Prairie Home Companion).

The author is a Brit who marries a Dane and ultimately lives in Denmark and tries to capture his insights in this short overview / travel guide / analysis, an essentially observational discussion, of the Scandinavian experience. Scandinavian deep-rooted instinct for consensus of conformity, the democratic systems, universal free education, redistributive tax systems ensure they look at each other in the eyes as equals. Americans want the freedom ‘to do’ the swede the freedom ‘to be’. It is easier to be eccentric in a diverse society- strong sense of self, your own values - Scandinavia offers comfort in conformism , sameness but in a good way - benign totalitarianism.

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I know the Christian orientation of all these countries has diminished in terms of active Christianity over time. It was particularly striking in Sweden how the state has replaced the church and the family, both find people go to the state for those historic value orientations and traditional supports. The author and Scandinavian society tend to express little remorse in this change. Finding it an appropriate evolution in becoming ‘modern’.

The book provides an interesting narrative of experience and research in delineating between Sweden Norway Finland Denmark and Iceland. Subtle differences (whether they be wealth well, heritage, population size, food, social interaction etc.) but differences nonetheless to make an interesting read.

[Editorial comment: that it's interesting when people compare America today & Scandinavian countries because theirs is such a small homogenous population (even with current immigration )swede being the biggest with 10 million Max and barely approach the population of United States trying to accomplish great things on a greater scale.]

Here is the review that captures the essence most succinctly - 

“Bill Bryson goes to Scandinavia.” ―Christian Science Monitor

So if you find yourself as we did having lived a lifetime among the American version of Scandinavia – Minnesota; and taking a two week ground tour starting in Copenhagen, then nearby Federicksborg, heading to Oslo , up to Josetedal , over to Bergen, back to Oslo and down to Malmo cross back to Copenhagen and out; you will find yourself continually reading out loud factoids and short clips to the driver in competition with books on tape; and saying: ‘ ya yu bet’cha ’ that sound just like Ole and Sven that Tom Anderson told me about.

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris

I was looking for a biography somehow got pointed towards this. didn't quite realize I was jumping into eight hundred pages; nonetheless I quite enjoyed the book. I wasn't very current in my history of the late 1800s which was interesting I equally wasn't very current with my history of Theodore Roosevelt -a truly compelling individual. 

Roosevelt  was a man born to wealth, of status and position ; which he worked to optimize through doggedly trying to achieve and excellence. He overcame obstacles of bad health trying family times and premature death of his wife. He was comfortable to roam the halls of Harvard, hobnob with the wealthy in New York , ride the  range of the  Dakotas, know the cities of Europe,  a great nature conservationist who loved to hunt, and be a hero of the Spanish-American war in Cuba with the Roosevelt Roughriders. He was a prolific writer publishing dozens of books in his lifetime with a broad range of expertise and averaged reading a book a day throughout his life.

"He was a politician born to articulate the longings of the inarticulate; a scholar able to interpret current events in the light of ancient and modern history; a man of peculiar uprightness and abounding vitality and marvelous memory; who stuck to his policy with all the tenacity of a snapping turtle."

"Adams found Roosevelt repulsively fascinating ... His vitality was indecent, his finances ridiculous, and he was about as subtle culturally speaking as a Bullmoose . there's no denying his originality, his extraordinary ability to translate that into deed ...he was pure act."

“Spectacles glittering, teeth and temper flashing, high-pitched voice rasping and crackling, Roosevelt surges out of these pages with the force of a physical presence.” He is one of the most articulate most well read and written the most books of any of our presidents a truly extraordinary man.

"Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time " 

Reminds me of why I like a biography you can find great writing, a comprehensive look into history, insights into the making of people of strong character , and inspiration for yourself to improve.

Sent from tim wilson

How Children Succeed by Paul Tough

"Why do some children succeed while others fail? The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence. Paul Tough argues that the qualities that matter most have more to do with character: skills like perseverance, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and self-control.”

That quick overview says it well. Its an interesting read in context of today’s world where there is affront on family and certainly the value of character om many sides. Key contributors and indicators of success in college and after-college life are basically maternal attachment and character development.

I frequently reflected, during my reading, on the scout law and its list of: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent;And if ever young man between 11-16 was involved in scouting, what a difference it would make. Couple it with the core of self-control and willpower. (perhaps showing the video of the marshmallow test to discuss with kids self-control and will power would be a good thought starter)

Teenagers have an issue with “incentive processing system” which makes you more sensation seeking more emotional and reactive more attentive the social information works in conflict with cognitive control system allows you to regulate urges. Metacognitive substitute for willpower by making yourself a rule you can sidestep the painful internal conflict between your desire for and willful determinations to resist them. Provide structure preparing preparing us for encounters with tempting stimuli redirecting attention elsewhere (eg. sing a hymn when a bad thought arises -create a default response to ft do the good thing)

Optimism was identified as a critical attribute. Pessimist react to negative events by explaining them as permanent personal and pervasive Optimist look at them for the specific limited and short term

High-quality mothering connect a child to the powerful buffer against the damage that adversity and fix the child stress response system (maternal attachment). Parents can overcome histories of trauma and poor attachment they can change their approach to their children. Poor attachment can be broken because there's opportunity for growth and improvement.

Whether or not intelligences is malleable mindset certainly is-switch kids from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset -character attributes are equally Malleable. He cites multiple testing where character ratings are better indicator of college success than cognitive skill test such as SAT.

Critical component of college success non-cognitive academic skills during study skills including study skills,work habits, time management, help seeking behavior , social/academic problem solving skills-taught by emphasizing resourcefulness ambition Professionalism  resilience integrity -with work in character development destinies are malleable past performance is not indication of future results

Kids need the ability to manage failure. In fact they need the opportunity to fail to develop the life-long skill and coping devices. Need for a secure relationship with a care giver teaching them to manage stress. As such Family functioning matters! 

Character matters -GRIT, CONSCIENTIOUSNESS, RESILIENCE, PERSEVERANCE, OPTIMISM; add: curiosity, self-control, self-confidence, gratitude

Unfortunately society debates over character attributes being to value oriented. As for me I’m on the side of character development. I embrace the LDS Youth Program and the ideals of scouting: “The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law”

There is a real necessity to help all youth, regardless of religious orientation, to get on the first wrung to the ladder of success; and it appears that family and character is a great place to begin. 

The Traveler's Gift - "7 decisions that determine personal success" by Andy Andrews

today I just happened to finish a book about dealing with lives challenges.  The Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews , offers a modern day parable of one man's choices—and the attitudes that make the difference between failure and success. It's a quick and enjoyable read taking you through the protagonist 's interactions with several famous, and not so much , characters throughout history; and the life lesson they had to teach David Ponder. You can find it in the library - quickly read it -and come away with some added resolve and energy. I think you would like it.

A sneak peak into who you will meet and what they will say

The seven decisions that determine personal success :

THE BUCK Stops here    President Harry Truman

I WILL SEEK WISDOM: King solomon. 

I AM A PERSON OF ACTION:  Joshua Chamberlain

I HAVE A DECIDED HEART:  Christopher Columbus

TODAY I WILL CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY: Anne Frank.

I WILL GREET THIS DAY WITH A FORGIVING SPIRIT: Abraham Lincoln:.

I WILL PERSIST WITHOUT EXCEPTION:  Archangel Gabriel

Headlines are just that headlines. If you want the substance then read the book!

Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King by Rich Cohen

 Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana Kingby Rich Cohen X

 A book I recommend reading if you want to synthesize several pieces of history. This takes one part- history Central America , one part-  history banana industry, one part- history american Jewish immigrant , one part- history New Orleans , one part- history CIA and ties it all together through the life of Samuel ZeMurray.

He inserts the famous poem by Peablo Neruda, which cast a large shadow over the view of a well- doing America and instead shines a light on the growth and expansion at all cost realty of America at the turn of the century and into the wars.

"THE UNITED FRUIT CO."

When the trumpet sounded,
all was prepared on the earth

and Jehovah parceled out the world
to Coca-Cola Inc., Anaconda,
Ford Motors, and other entities:
the United Fruit Company Inc.
reserved for itself the juiciest bit

the central coast of my land,
the gentle waist of America.

It rebaptized these lands
as "Banana Republics,"and over the sleeping dead,
over the restless heroes,
who had conquered greatness,
liberty and flags,
The Company established a comic opera,
drove all free will insane,
handed out crowns of Caesar,
unsheathed greed, and attracted
the dictatorship of the flies,
Trujillo flies, Tacho flies,
Carías flies, Martínez flies,
Ubico flies, flies moistened
by humble blood and marmalade
drunken flies buzzingover the tombs of the common people,
circus flies, wise flies
well versed in tyranny.

Among the bloody flies,
The United Fruit Company steps ashore, 
devastating the coffee and the fruits,
in its ships that sail
like trays
taking away the treasure
of our drowning lands.
All the while, near the sugary deep of the harbors,
the Indians fell,
buried in the morning mists:
a corpse tumbles, a nameless thing,
a fallen number, a bunch of putrid fruit
thrown on the compost heap

Translation by Mac Williamson

tzedakah- Traditional Jews give at least ten percent of their income to charity. ... "Tzedakah" is the Hebrew word for the acts that we call "charity" in English: giving aid, assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. Very clearly Zemurray supports Jewish and Israeli causes and the author uses this is as an example of Zemurray's Jewishness.but it seems as though it's a force fit; none of his kids were Jewish kids they all became Christian; he wasn't a faithful attendee of synagogue nor a big reader of the Torah. This appears to be the authors agenda (early works include the title of Tough Jews) he wants to look backwards make them into looking forward. 

" By 1954 the network of connections had grown so  extensive it was I hard to tell where the government ended and the company began, 

Those who manipulate the unseen mechanism of society constantly invisible government which is truly is true ruling power - if you're not familiar with that part of American history might be a surprise to you that's the reality of expansionism and conquest through capitalism.

The lesson learned from the Guatemalan war - by Hunt the head of the CIA was the same lesson learned by Che Guevara revolutionary :compassion is weakness mercy a disease; you must be willing to go all the way. How sad both chose the bitter lesson as opposed to the better lesson from war - and demonstrated that , in the future.

ZeMurray would be "insane it's cheaper to buy a donkey than a colonel in Guatemala". He Measured everything in business assets. Zemurray was defined by his PR master -Edward Bernays Who believe the public must be controlled by manipulation supposed to governing. And people can be mean behaves you want them to behave as possible to control the masses according to our will without their knowing about it. 

Those who lived in the banana lands were ruled not by foreign nationals bringing civilization and the word of God but by businessman looked on the field with a cold moneymaking eye.   To some a business hero others it's a story of the pirate the conquistador who took without asking.  Sams defining characteristic was his belief in his own agency his refusal to despair. 

“If you want to understand the spirit of our nation, the good and bad, you can enroll in college, sign up for classes, take notes and pay tuition, or you can study the life of the banana man - you'll enjoy the read.

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History.  By Brian Kilmeade & Don Yaeger.

A quick and easy history in narrative form that chronicles the early US strivings to protect its commerce and its citizens from pirates and the governments that supported said pirates along the north coast of Africa. In reading reviews of the book it appears that some of the research might be faulty but in whole it tells the right story . And yes, I had forgotten the details of the Barbary Wars, to which this is a good refresher. 

The Pirates Islamic credo that they called upon as justification of their actions, not too dissimilar to today's jihadist: "all nations which had not acknowledged the Prophet were sinners, whom it was the right and duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave" (today's version would include blowing them up). This is juxtaposed by Jeffersonian views of  all people were "endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights."

Kidnappings, ransoms, disguised bombs and vessels; it reads so much like today's headlines like the recent 'truck bomb' in Nice France. The Tripoli wars in fact never seem to have been won, nor finalized. Simply suspended while the sides regroup and the players shift chairs. It an enjoyable , quick read. Leaves the question unanswered - will there ever be reconciliation . If so how, if how, when?

An Amelia Peabody Novel of Suspense by Elizabeth Peters

An Amelia Peabody novel of Suspense .... By Elizabeth Peters

Peters had a PhD in Egyptology but her real  name is Barbara Mertz. The series of books written are an historical mystery series centered in Egyptology in the Middle East.  The books are a diversion  and fun to read. I think I've read all the books in the series a couple maybe twice.so quickly I digested " a river in the sky".   Set up in Jerusalem as opposed to the normal books in Egypt. the quick read with pseudo Egyptology in the Middle East studies making me think I'm traveling in the turn-of-the-century as an English explorer- not. My dad read "Cat who.."  by Lilian Jackson Braun and the "Cadfael Chronicles" by Ellis Peters (I think we got into them by mistake confusing I was Ellis peters with Elizabeth peters -both turned out to be winners )among others as his fun reads. I shared reading them with him. Interested in the series of Elizabeth peters ? start with "the crocodile on the sand bank"

Enjoy .

Understanding the Book of Mormon by Grant Hardy

A thoughtful book that examines the Book of Mormon as literature.

That being said, close examination of the manuscripts and various printed editions of the Book of Mormon help readers appreciate the true integrity of its text. This kind of scholarly examination of a text is called a “critical text” analysis(Rs)

Examples:

the first two-thirds of the book of Alma according to a series of parallels" (304). Alma 4-16 includes three sermons delivered to three different cities. Alma 36-42 includes Alma's three charges to three different sons (Alma 36-42). The sermons and charges overlap in theme, respective length, order, and source (primary documents are utilized in each case). This city/son parallel is even more interesting considering Alma preached in five cities but only three accounts are included in the narrative. Altogether, this indicates remarkable coincidence or deliberate construction: Zarahemla/Helaman (morally ambiguous), Gideon/Shiblon (clearly righteous, shortest), Ammonihah/Corianton (clearly wicked, longest)

In speaking of geographical details provided in the BOM (there are upwards of 1000 passages of potential geographic significance.[5]) Hardy finds"Amidst this dizzying array of details, the text’s demonstrable geographic consistency shines forth as a powerful witness to the sophistication and complexity of the Book of Mormon.[14] Upon careful inspection, Grant Hardy, a professor of history, has found, “It requires considerable patience to work out all the details of chronology, geography, genealogy, and source records, but the Book of Mormon is remarkably consistent on all of this.”[15] 

Royal Skousen in a recent  essay observed that: The Book of Mormon’s title page, translated by Joseph Smith,[i] ends with a rather intriguing disclaimer for a book of scripture: “And now if there be fault, it be the mistake of men. Wherefore condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of Christ.”[ii]

By its own admission, the Book of Mormon is not a perfect text, something the book’s authors and compilers themselves frequently insisted (1 Nephi 19:6; Mormon 8:12, 16–17; Mormon 9:31; Ether 12:23–25).

Many have wondered how this could be if there were possible mistakes made in the book’s textual history. Latter-day Saint scholar Hugh Nibley answered this question by distinguishing between the message of the Book of Mormon and the “mechanical details” of its printing:

Joseph Smith . . . proclaimed [the Book of Mormon] the most correct book on earth. Most correct in what sense? . . . What is a “correct” book? One with properly cut margins, appropriate binding, a useful index, accurately numbered pages? Not at all; these are mere mechanical details, as are also punctuation, spelling, and even grammar—those matters about which the critics of the Book of Mormon have made such a to-do.[iv]

Scholarly study of the Book of Mormon and discovered Anachronisms in the Book of Mormon don't give me fear.  They give me further cause to study, pray and ponder. To seek out through the Spirit what I need to learn and live by. It seems clear that the Book of Mormon is the “most correct book on earth” because by living and applying its teachings one can come closer to God than by any other book. If you want food for thought - it's a good and meaningful read; if you are intellectually lazy or of faint heart - skip it.

In the light of what we know By zia haider Rahman

In the light of what we know

By zia haider Rahman 

An enjoyable book to read. I wasn't sure where it was heading and what I was to learn from it. And as such, the author invested 125 pages more in writing than I devices value from.  Rahman distracts us with a fair amount of material.

The  final few pages of the novel left me wanting for some closure on characters and situations that just didn't happen though  "the narrator reaches some easy metaphor about Kurt Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem and the nature of truth and friendship".

"The book is all about knowledge — who has access to it, who doesn’t, and how people who do have access use it. But it is equally about ignorance, and how people may, consciously or unconsciously, choose to shut out certain information so that they can go through life without questioning their perceptions of themselves

Sometimes a person will only  face the truth when The situation outside becomes so dire that the outside begins to notice." It is a story of classes, the stratification of society. As grandma Blair  use to say ' poor people have poor habits'' it's inverse is true ,and the book gives rise to the question can one migrate between the two. 

I was enjoying the book , just enveloping myself in the words; and for that reason was not going to pull quotes out. However,  there were enough that arrested my reading and we're giving me pause, and slowing my reading that I concluded I might as well pull some out.

"It is well to have a few memories of extravagance in store for hard times vs it is the memory of extravagance that makes the other times hard"

 "That one what one takes to be a change in another person is in fact only in improvement of one's own understanding of that person or that what we thought we knew is shown to be a false presumption of our own making

His personal tragedy was the tragedy of all men they cannot shake off the lives that might've been and the unlived lives that follow them"

"Evangelize by all means ,and if necessary use words"

 St. Francis of Assisib

"The best lessons have no teacher only a student...You"

Bad math teacher early  in one's life is devastating for all future math understanding 

"In Mathematics station ,position,  authority do not matter who you are counts for nothing"

"Answers can only begat questions- honesty commands declaration not of Faith but of ignorance"

"There are Different lights and different truths Depending on matters of simple caprice" 

"It is an obtuse notion that a given game of chess stands alone and apart, that is free of past and future an egoistic notion that the game at hand is that one game that matters. Only arrogance can allow such of view.  What matters is the beat and rhythm the heave and ho of game after game so in the cumulative history shows One the texture of what might be, what is inherent in the 32 pieces and the 64 squares and most of all the board..."

"take a real risk write it down on a piece of paper in a mind map redefine the situation"does free will really exist is choice an illusion "

Pgs 270-277

"A metaphor is useful only for transforming what happens in enriching it  in someway. it never tells you what exactly happened how it happened why it happened. ( interesting aside in 3nephi no parables are used just the straight doctrine ) Everything new is on the rim of our view, in the darkness, below the horizon so that nothing new is visible but. in the line of what we know.... We cannot see the light rays going across our field of vision and we are only seeing the impressions left by the dust particles fortuitously sent in the direction of our eyes . The conclusion of this is that if we look on a ray of light from the side and the air is free of dust , then the light will in fact be invisible!"

"Choices a trick of the light"

" Listening is hard as my friend once said because you run the risk of having to change the way you see the world."

"The world is mostly divided between mad men who remember and madmen who forget"

"His departure from the strange world a little ahead of me that means nothing press believing physicist distinction between past present and future is only a stubborn illusion" Einstein 

Ingredients to successful marriage trust and respect

"It was hard not having someone to talk about making decisions with something about doing it with someone else...and just talking about it something about I would leave to feeling afterward decisions seem lighter everything is lighter "

"There are those who do not talk because they have no one to talk to those who do not talk because they have nothing to say and those who did not talk because they hold their own hand to their mouth. talking is easier said than done."

Th book is a compelling read. However don't expect to walk away with all the answers. Though you should expect to add a few questions to the list.