September 2023
I started the month with a gnarly ear infection. Not sure where I got it, but it was bad enough that I scheduled my own doctor’s appointment and got some meds to clear it up. It was bad enough to give me some mild vertigo issues. 0/10. Would not recommend. The kids are getting back into the school groove. We had teacher conferences. My kids have the teachers fooled. I’ve been working to finish the last bit of my basement. A couple of my favorite people were generous enough to come and help me install the electrical. Next, drywall. I’m hoping to finish by the New Year.
Here are the books I finished and my reviews of them:
Shorts-
Fables or parables are short stories that illustrate a deeper truth by mixing it into a narrative which makes it easier to understand. This parable is about self-worth and where it comes from. The Wemmicks are small wooden people, carved by a woodworker named Eli. The Wemmicks give each other stickers- gold stars for good things and grey dots for bad things. These stickers are a great source of pride and pain for them. Punchinello is a particularly unlucky and untalented Wemmick who is covered in gray dot stickers. The gray stickers bum him out, but one day he meets Lucia, who has no stickers. She tells him she visits Eli each day, and that Punchinello should go see Eli if he wants to get rid of his gray stickers. Eli explains to the little wooden creation that his own opinion is the only one that matters, and that he thinks Punchinello is pretty special. So, the more we trust the maker’s love, the less the opinions and labels of others will stick to us. I loved this little story. It reminded me why I don’t have to worry about what people think about me, and that is liberating and freeing.
Fiction Books
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The sky was blazing red of fire, pure white of snow, and coal black the three times the narrator (death) saw the book thief. I realized that these are the colors of the Nazi flag, the dominant symbol of World War II Germany, where the story is set. The book thief is a little foster girl named Liesel. This is her story and the story of those she met and changed during her career stealing books. Her foster Mama and Papa bring her into a poor home, but through their shared struggles, they pull close together. The book thief starts her career in a graveyard, where she steals a grave-digging guide. Being elementary school age at the time, she can’t read it. She gets bumped back a grade at school because she can’t read. Her new Papa, Hans, is not a great reader, but he is patient and kind. When he rescues Liesel from nightmares, they work on reading together. One letter, and one word at a time. Liesel steals several books as the story goes on. One, she steals from the embers of a book-burning pile. Others she steals from the Mayor’s library as payback after the Mayor fires Liesel’s foster Mama from doing his laundry. My favorite character in the story is Hans. He’s old, and gravely, and kind. He doesn’t let the war crush his kindness. He loves sacrificially. He’s a good Papa. The language or writing style that Zuzak uses is imaginative. It feels a bit like Neil Gaiman’s style. This story's narrator is death; of course, he was everywhere during that time. It’s fascinating to listen to this story and absorb the atrocities that Hitler and his regime perpetrated on the world, including his own citizens, from the point of view of a conscientious objector like Hans. It’s good to have examples of heroes who are willing to do the right thing even in the face of war and oppression. I love this book and it’s a tough, emotional read. It reminds us that our words are heavy. They have the power to shake the world.
This is for the rebels, the book thieves, and the word shapers.
(Rated PG-13, Score 10/10, audiobook read by Allan Corduner, 13:56)
The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
The little philosopher Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes are so funny. They spend the winters making very dramatic and creative scenes with snowmen and blasting each other and the neighbor girl Susie with snowballs. Calvin, like most little boys, hates school. His imagination runs wild and his little-boy energy fights the classroom restriction and boredom of homework. In the summer, the duo explores the neighborhood, spends time in their treehouse club, and generally terrorizes Calvin’s parents. Calvin has a huge vocabulary and a philosophical bent, though classic slapstick mishaps often interrupt his views. Reading these comics always lifts my spirit and makes me chuckle.
This is for anyone needing a lift or a laugh.
(Rated G, Score 9/10, hardcover, 255 p.)
The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson (Wingfeather Saga #4)
Janner turns thirteen at the start of the book and gets blind-plopped in the middle of nowhere as part of a Durgan ritual designed to test the young man’s skills at survival, orientation, and navigation. During his trip back, the Fang army attacks Ban Rona with an air assault- Bat Fangs. Kalmar alerts the backup troops about the secret assault and saves the city from being overrun. Lilli discovers that her whistle harp has the power to turn the tide of battle. She also uses her dog-speak gift to send messages and to send reinforcements where they are needed. The Fangs pull back and the city stands for the moment. Kalmar knows that he is fading toward becoming an evil Fang more and more as time passes. He knows that the only way to win the war is to cut the head off of the snake- Kalmar goes after Gnag The Nameless in the Castle Throg. On his way, he finds Janner, who happens to be in the company of a young troll named Oood. The trio heads toward the deeps of Throg. On their way they go through Clovenfast, they meet the queen and spark hope with the creatures there. On the doorstep of the deeps, a herd of toothy cows takes out Oood. The boys make it into the Castle Throg, steal the ancient stone, and run away from a Bonnifer Squoon spider creature. At this point the plot takes a downer- Gnag isn’t in his castle. He is capturing Lilli. The boys are captured at the bottom of their escape route from the castle, and the children are taken to the Isle of Anniera, where Gnag forces the jewels to open a secret chamber called the Fane of Fire where he steals a much bigger ancient stone of power. Gnag forces Lilli to summon the dragons and tricks the ancient dragon Yurgen into melding with him creating a giant, nasty Gnag dragon. The Gnag dragon and the Wingfeathers join the massive battle for Ban Rona. The Fang army is joined by the Ridgerunners. The Hollowsfolk army is joined by Oood, an army of cloven warriors, and the remaining dragons. Finally, the children come together with their mother and Mr. Reteep and combined, they learn that Gnag was named and loved by his mother, not abandoned and spurned like he believed. Together, they tell Gnag his name. They tell him the truth, and the truth, along with all the pain, weariness, and his wounds from the war prove to be too much for the villain and he dies. The end of the book is a story of ultimate sacrifice as the Wingfeather brothers seek to heal the fangs and the cloven who will be the seeds that begin the renewed kingdom of Anniera. This is my favorite book in the series. It is the most complete. It ties up almost all of the loose ends. It takes you through the darkest depths, and tension and sorrow and loss, but restores your hope. It’s a reminder that we are all loved and named by the maker. It says that little boys are made out of much more solid stuff than we give them credit for. Let’s challenge them and teach them and grow them. Let’s help them do dangerous things, carefully. I loved going through this saga with Jet. He’s my wild little boy that needs more adventure in his life. Thanks, Mom, for giving these books to Jet. They are wonderful.
This is for adventurers, seekers, and healers.
(Rated PG, Score 10/10, audiobook read by the author, 13:46, hardcover, 512p.)
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
I was a different person when I read this book back in high school. I didn’t remember the story very well and I’m pretty sure I was conflating some bits with Uncle Tom’s Cabin as I tried to remember it. Well, I found a copy on my son’s bookcase, grabbed the audiobook from the library, and was pleasantly surprised at the layers, characters, and depth I found. I don’t know why we expect kids to understand all the emotions and complexities in a book like this and maybe the point isn’t that they understand them, but to expose them to those things in the hope that it expands their minds. Scout and Jem Finch are kids growing up in Alabama in the 1930’s. Their father Atticus is a lawyer, a single father, and a bit older than some of the other kids’ fathers. The story introduces many of the folks in the neighborhood and explains some of the tension and dynamics race causes. Most of the book focuses on how the town handles the trial of Tom Robinson, a young black man who is accused of raping a young white girl. Atticus is appointed as Tom’s lawyer, and despite all the backlash and anger in the community, he gives Tom’s defense his absolute best. Most of the story is through Scout’s eyes. Giving it a naive perspective. She reminds me of Millie in some ways, like her fiery attitude and grit. My favorite part of the story was the bit where Atticus makes Jem read to an angry old lady each day for several weeks. Jem didn’t realize it at the time, but he was helping the woman to conquer a morphine addiction. Atticus’ kindness, compassion, and long-suffering stood out to me. We live in a culture that wants any excuse to lash out and take sides. Atticus, in contrast, did right and good things for those who were actively persecuting him. I want to have that much patience, wisdom, and grit. The woman eventually beat the morphine addiction and died in peace, beholden to nothing and no one. That’s courage. Also, it reminded me that we have no idea what demons people are battling on their own. There are many little nuggets of wisdom scattered about in this book, as well as quite a few laughs. I truly enjoyed it. If you haven’t read it since high school, maybe it’s time to read it with a whole new perspective.
This is for all of us trying to love our neighbors (even if they don’t deserve it).
(Rated PG, Score 9/10, audiobook read by Sissy Spacek, 12:17, hardback, 284p.)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter #1)
I never really understood the Harry Potter hype when it was big. I lost a few friends for a couple of weeks each time a new book would be released. I tried reading this first book a few times but couldn’t get into it until I discovered audiobooks. Then I was able to get past the weird, non-magical intro bit where Harry is abused by his adopted muggle family. Harry discovers he is famous, a wizard, and goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry spends his first school year becoming immersed in the new magic culture, battling a troll, sneaking out of his room at night with his father’s invisibility cloak, and generally getting into all kinds of trouble. The getting into trouble bits really make Jet nervous as we listen to the story, so I’ve been trying to explain tension and resolution and how Harry is basically in trouble for all the books. Harry and his friends combine their skills and all the tricks they learned in their first year to solve a series of challenges protecting the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry faces his nemesis to keep the school safe. I appreciate the story structure a bit better after hearing it again. The characters are fantastic. There’s even a dragon. You may have to give this one more than one shot to get into it, but once you get hooked, you have to read all seven books.
This is for little wizards and witches.
(Rated PG, Score 7/10, Audiobook read by Jim Dale, Hardcopy illustrated by Jim Kay, 256p.)
Non-Fiction Books
The Twenty-Ninth Day by Alex Messenger
I’ve always wanted to go fishing up in Alaska or Canada. To enjoy nature and freedom in the real wild. So this book started out as music to the adventurous part of my soul. A call to hike and fish and live off the land. The story is about a group of six young men; 5 teenagers and a guide, who challenge the waters of northern Canada on a 42-day canoe trip that would cover 600 miles over rivers, lakes, and a few short treks over land. Alex had trained and practiced for the previous three summers on shorter trips before taking on this massive challenge. The team is dropped off with three boats and all the gear and food they would need to sustain them on their trip. They paddle using maps and compasses to navigate. Over the first four weeks of their trip they run into only a handful of other humans. Their solitude is nearly complete. They rely on each other and their training and skills to survive. They fish to support the rations they brought in huge waterproof barrels. Alex describes their trip in fantastic detail from the scenery to the wildlife, the watercraft required to safely navigate the rapids on the rivers they traveled, and the food they shared. Of course, the title of the book gives away the twist. On the 29th day of the trip, Alex is hiking alone when he is attacked and mauled by a grizzly bear. Alex passes out when the bear bites down hard on his right upper leg. Thinking the boy is dead and no longer a threat, the bear leaves. Alex wakes up to see the bear ambling away. The rest of the book is much darker and more frantic as the team works to keep Alex safe, to treat his wounds, and to navigate closer to civilization where he can receive the medical care he needs. The weather turns against them, driving them into their tents, and stealing one of their boats. The boys stick together and rely on their courage, skills, and advice from the camp headquarters that they get over the satellite phone. On day 36, after battling infection, weather, and near disaster, the team is forced to split up. Alex and one of the other boys are picked up by helicopter, ending their trip early, and taking Alex to the hospital for stronger antibiotics and a series of rabies vaccinations. This is a powerful account of the resiliency of young humans and the danger and power of the wild. By the way, I still want to go fishing in Canada, but probably not for 42 days, and probably not without a big gun. Thanks, Dad for recommending this book to me.
This is for adventurers, and those not easily upset by blood or medical talk.
(Rated R, Score 8/10, audiobook read by the author, 7:42)
30% of the population is sensitive, so odds are, you are, or know someone sensitive. You might not have the words or awareness to describe exactly what that means, but it’s not hard to figure out. Sensitive people feel more deeply. They absorb more of the sensory overload from this crazy world. They can sense what others are feeling. They see the world at a deeper, more colorful level. Granneman’s goal in this book is to help everyone identify and be aware of sensitive people, how they might be different from less sensitive people, and identify ways that being sensitive can be a superpower. She describes five gifts of sensitivity: empathy, creativity, sensory intelligence, depth of processing, and depth of emotion. These gifts are powerful when they are identified and leveraged. Unfortunately, sensitive people are often misunderstood and treated differently because of their reactions to our too much, too loud, too fast world. Sensitive people are especially drawn to narcissistic people because of their empathy. Transitions are hard for sensitive people because of the depth and engagement they experience. Granneman also talks about how to help sensitive kids, which I found to be particularly helpful and affirming because both of my kids are sensitive, though in different ways. Jet is deeply empathic, so I learned that I need to help him move from empathy to compassion. That helps him move from feeling the emotions strongly, to focusing on how to help. I learned and relearned a lot going through this book. I’m certainly more aware of what sensitive behavior looks like, and I intend to do better about helping my sensitive people cope instead of telling them to toughen up. Thanks, Aunt Sandra for recommending this book.
This is for everyone seeking to understand people better.
(Rated PG, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Patty Nieman, 7:22)
Just Culture: Restoring Trust and Accountability in Your Organization by Sidney Dekker
Working in the aircraft industry can be very challenging. Lives are at stake. Being a big, public company adds financial pressures which can be fickle and immense. Having the right culture is critical. Understanding the culture is often nuanced and complex. Having the right words to express the ideas around culture can be the difference between building a healthy culture and perpetuating an unhealthy one. This book provides frameworks and language to help understand just cultures and unjust cultures. There are many helpful ideas and case studies included, but the biggest lesson I learned was about the balance each company must have between restorative justice and retributive justice. Retributive justice asks “Who messed up and how do we punish them so that justice is served?” Restorative justice asks, “What went wrong, who was hurt, how can we fix the processes, and how can we heal those who were hurt?” Retributive justice often seeks scapegoats. Restorative justice seeks learning and healing. Dekker describes three types of errors or mistakes that can be made in our high-speed work environments: 1) Human errors or honest mistakes. 2) At-risk behavior or errors made by workers dealing with great or unknown risks. 3) Negligence. Workers ignoring risks, rules, or requirements and making decisions that cause harm. The challenge is that it is often hard to draw a line between what is okay and not okay. It is hard to determine where to start consequences. Often our vocabulary and logic fail us and we do more harm than healing when sorting out what to do following an error or mistake. Justice is a matter of perspective. Dekker also spends a lot of time describing the second victims. These are the people who suffer as a result of a mistake, error, or choice they made working in these environments such as a police officer who kills someone in the line of duty, a nurse who makes a fatal medical mistake, or a pilot who causes a crash. These people are often hurt and may spend years suffering from guilt, shame, loss of credentials, jail time, or in the worst cases, they may even take their own lives after an incident. These second victims are often the scapegoats and can be forgotten or abused by retributive justice cultures. Restorative justice cultures seek these victims out too and seek to learn from them and their experiences and use those lessons to fix systems that failed. Dekker describes the following theories which are used to describe why people break the rules or make mistakes: labeling theory, control theory, learning theory, bad apple theory, stupid rules or subculture theory, and resilience theory. I’ve seen examples of all of these at work and in other areas. Understanding them helps give language to some of the interesting psychology they describe. Dekker also talks about the interesting dynamics of reporting and disclosure, and how leaders or regulators can incentivize individuals and organizations to open up about mistakes and learn from them before an accident or legal case forces the action. This isn’t a very long book, but it is packed with good lessons, examples, and language to help understand complex ideas about company cultures. I’ll reread this soon to soak up more of the lessons.
This is for anyone seeking to learn about justice.
(Rated PG, Score 10/10, audiobook read by the author, 5:07)
Preview/Currently Reading-
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey (The Expanse #1)
The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #2)
I track my books in a database called Goodreads. You might find it helpful in managing your reading lists.
Final Thoughts-
Last month I read Andy and Sandra Stanley’s relational approach to discipline. It made a lot of sense to me. They talked about figuring out how to restore the relationship when you make a mistake or hurt someone. The point was to think about who had been hurt and how to get the kids thinking about what it would take to restore that relationship. This month I learned that this is called having a Restorative Justice Culture. It’s always interesting when the same ideas pop up and resonate with me from different authors in totally different genres. So, when bad things happen, ask who was hurt and what needs to happen to heal them.
One other thing that I’ve been pondering is the parable of the talents. I always thought the story was about managing money, but that’s too narrow of a view. It’s about managing all the resources and opportunities we are given. A lot of times those opportunities look like pain, hurt, struggle, challenge, or problems. I’m learning that sometimes the only way you can learn and grow is by taking on the problem that everyone else is avoiding. Sometimes you can make a big difference just by showing up. Sometimes just being there for a friend makes all the difference in the world. You don’t have to be an expert or have all the answers. Stop worrying about that. It’s crazy. Just take advantage of the opportunity in front of you. Ask the brave question. Connect people. Reach out. Only in that weird, unmapped, unknown place can the magic happen. No risk, no reward. I’m often surprised how the only risk was the monster in my head. In the parable, the servants who multiplied their talents were the ones who leaned into the challenge, not the one who hid his opportunity in a hole. For me, that means tackling problems at work, helping out with the kids on Jet’s soccer team, and being a good neighbor.
Thanks for adventuring with me.
Joshua
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