Lots of Reading

I am so overdue when it comes to posting on this blog--especially because for some reason I have been doing a ton of reading this summer! I'm not sure why that is, because it seems like I really don't have that much more time. I think that one reason is because the books are there, so I am picking them up and carving out little niches of time to read. Actually, some of these books have been so compelling that I start out with a little niche, but end up having to finish. So, here are some thoughts about what I have been reading for the last while. I know that this reading hasn't been as highbrow as Mary's, but I have enjoyed it.

First of all, The Blind Side. Mary gave me this--for Mothers' Day? (Notice that appropriately placed apostrophe?) I really enjoyed that book. The author tries to tell two stories at once: the evolution of the position of left tackle, and how the Tuohys changed Michael Oher's life. Certainly the second story is the more compelling of the two. I found it hard to stop reading in the sections that talked about Michael's life. Still, the football sections were interesting, too. They were just harder reading. I enjoyed reading about the science of football. My reaction was similar to when I started taking classes for library school. I had been to libraries all my life. Who knew there was so much to learn about them? The same thing was true as I started reading the football sections. That was how a professional thought about football. It was saddening to read about all of the superficial people who operated on a level of "What's in it for me?" but I was really uplifted by the Tuohys and their simple Christian idea of doing the right thing by a person who needed it. Sure they helped Michael become a NFL football player, but they also taught him how to be an honorable man, to rise above adversity, and to do good in the world--skills of eternal importance.

I also read the Dwarf Home trilogy this spring by Douglas Niles. The three books that make it up are The Secret of Pax Tharkas, The Heir of Kayolin, and The Fate of Thorbardin. If you remember, Douglas Niles wrote the Watershed trilogy that Mary owned and that the rest of us read to pieces. He is a talented writer and has a lot of output. Lately he has been one of the contributing authors to the Dragonlance series. I really enjoyed this trilogy. Most fantasy books deal with the interactions of multiple "races". These books were basically about dwarfs, although there were three kinds of dwarfs in this world. The story starts out kind of dark, but I really enjoyed it. One thing that sets Niles up a level higher than some authors is that he does a good job developing characters. After a little bit of a slow start he creates a compelling story line. He also does a good job of tying up loose ends in a believable way. So if you are looking for some good recreational reading, you would probably enjoy this.

To be continued....