Toots and Other Stories by Anna Adams Gordon

Toots and Other Stories, Anna Adams Gordon

I picked this book up either at a thrift store or an estate sale. I love antique children's books and readers. I find them fun and charming to read, but this one just didn't strike my fancy. This book was published in 1906, and is full of little vignettes and poems heralding the virtues of temperance. Often mentioned, in almost every story are Frances E. Willard and different Temperance Societies. Each story has something to do with abstaining from alcohol or shows how alcohol destroys people, families, and finances, and shows children vowing never to drink alcohol.

It's a book with noble ideas, I just feel it wasn't written in a way that was interesting. The pictures are mostly photos and have a charm about them. If nothing else, it made me do a deep dive on Frances E. Willard. Here is what I discovered:

According to the Encyclopedia Brittannica, Frances Elizabeth Caroline Willard was born September 28, 1839 and died February 18, 1898 at the age of 59. She was a native of New York, and was an educator, reformer, and founder of the World Woman's Christian Temperance Union. She spent much of her life lobbying, and was a leader of the national Prohibition Party, and spoke often on temperance, prohibition, and women's suffrage.  This book mentions her often, in a way that seems to glorify her as a saint, which perhaps that is how the writer saw her. However, it doesn't really go into her history, just kind of name drops in each story, assuming the reader already knows who she is. 

Perhaps it was enjoyable in its time. I just feel more could have been done to flesh it out. 

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Food Freedom Forever, by Melissa Hartwig

Food Freedom Forever, Melissa Hartwig

This is a companion to the Whole 30 book. Whole 30 is a diet re-set, where you remove specific types of food for 30 days, then reintroduce them one at a time to see how they affect your body, mood, etc. This book is less about how to do the diet, and more about our behavioral habits. It's a given that you will re-set, reintroduce, then fall back into old eating habits. The key is to not beat yourself up about it, but to recognize it for what it is and take control before it gets bad. It's about learning to listen to yourself. Do you want a cupcake? Then have it. But do you really need to eat the whole cupcake to gain pleasure out of it, or is the first one or two bites enough. It's learning to stop instead of devouring 3 or 4 cupcakes, or stop at 1 bite or serving instead of mindlessly devouring. It teaches you how to keep your Sugar Dragon at bay instead of letting it control your life. 

I have read the Whole 30 books, but haven't followed through with it yet. This book was very good at getting me to look at areas I need help in (I can eat cheddar jalapeno Cheetos chased with almond M&Ms and eat way more than I should before I realize what I have done!!) and stop the emotional eating while looking for better ways to deal with my emotions or tiredness. I felt no judgment from the writer of this book, just ways to help. 

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China Dolls, Lisa See

China Dolls, Lisa See

I find the best way for me to learn is through stories, whether fictional or non fiction. It sticks with me better in story form. That's one thing that is so great about this author, Lisa See, is they way she weaves history into her stories. This is not the first book I have read by this author, nor will it be the last. I started out with Shanghai Girls, about two sisters in 1930s China and the struggles they overcome, coming to America and moving to ChinaTown, the secrets they hide, and how they are treated as non-whites and foreigners in a country that is supposed to be a melting pot of nations. Then I read Dreams of Joy, its sequel, which is a story set in Communist China. Definitely worth reading, and very eye opening.

However, this story is a little different from Shanghai Girls. This takes place in the same time frame and general area as some of Shanghai Girls, but this is the story of three young Asian American women with very different pasts, who all end up in Chinatown in San Francisco, and all become dancers at a swanky Chinese night club. They all three carry heavy secrets, which affect their lives, careers, and relationships. 

We learn about Chinese culture in 1930s America, the family dynamic, racial prejudice, the night club life, and World War 2 and the fear it brought to Asian Americans. The Japanese were corralled into internment camps under suspicion of espionage, and Chinese had to make sure others knew they were not Japanese so they would be treated better, and not arrested. 

Despite all their challenges, they learn to overcome adversity, grow, reach for their dreams, and create a bond of sisterhood among themselves.

If you love learning about Asian culture or American history, this is a good one to read.

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The Gospel of John, Holman Christian Standard Bible

 

The Gospel of John, Chapter 1

Written by John the Revelator, one of Christ's disciples, this book has a different writing style and perspective than the other three Gospels. There are plenty of studies out there on the significance of each Gospel. I am just going to talk today about the first chapter.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This first part of the chapter is about Jesus, of course. It testifies to the fact that Jesus is eternal, that Jesus is God but also with God (Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are the same yet separate), that Jesus was part of the act of Creation, and that life and light have always been in Him and part of Him.

Verse 12 is powerful: But to all who receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. 

This is a powerful chapter, and a powerful book testifying to the life of Jesus. There is so much in here, definitely worth a deeper study.

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II Kings, Holman Christian Standard Bible

 This book of the Old Testament continues the records of the kings of Israel and Judah. The theme throughout this book seems to be that God offers blessing and protection if the kings will honor and obey him and not turn to evil actions and idolatry. Over and over again, we see more kings turn away from God to follow evil than we see good kings who obey God. Those that do obey God are given blessing for their reign. 

I think this theme can be applied to our daily life as well. If we turn away from evil and embrace and obey God, He will guide and bless us. That doesn't mean life will always be perfect, but He will have His hand on us and bless us and those around us.

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Bookbinding Basics, Paola Rosati

 

Bookbinding Basics, Paola Rosati, Sterling Publishing

I have no idea where I picked up this book, most likely from a garage sale. I am always interested in learning new things, and since I did a little bit of book binding in college, this book piqued my interest. The projects in this book are a little beyond what I did in my one printmaking/bookbinding class, but I found it interesting and inspiring. This book talks about the history of bookbinding, gives an explanation of supplies, and takes you through the techniques of creating a couple different kinds of books. 

I plan to keep this one in my collection. Hopefully someday I can sit down with it and attempt to make a book or two. The photographs are great, taking you through every step, but honestly, I think it would be a good idea to find a YouTube video to supplement it, just to see each step in action. 

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Old Stories of the East, James Baldwin

Old Stories of the East, James Baldwin, 1895, American Book Company

This beautiful antique book has been in my family for many years. I don't know where it came from but it is one that I remember seeing in a bookshelf in my home when I was a child. I have read this one twice, once years ago, and I just re-read it this year. 

It is a re-telling of stories from the Old Testament, geared toward children, with simpler writing and edited stories with a lot of gory details omitted.

This book was written by James Baldwin. I found some information on him from  this website, https://www.mainlesson.com/authors/baldwin.shtml . Here is an exerpt from The Baldwin Project website: 

(1841 - 1925)

According to his biography in the Junior Book of Authors (1951), Baldwin, a native of Indiana and largely self-educated, began teaching at the age of 24. After several years he became superintendent of the graded schools in Indiana, a post he held for 18 years. The last 37 years of his life he worked with publishers, first with Harper and Brothers and later with the American Book Company. In addition to editing school books, he started writing books of his own. After the publication in 1882 of The Story of Siegfried, he went on to write more than 50 others. His influence was widely felt because at one time it was estimated that of all the school books in use in the United States, over half had been written or edited by him. Unfortunately, his works are much less widely known today. So far as I know, none of his books are in print today.

I found the language in this book much more formal than what we use today. It's interesting how language changes, even through it is the same words we use today, it has a different feel to it. 

I can't forget the illustrations fount inside, by E. B. Edwards and lithographed plates but I can't make out the artist on them. Here is an example, showing Noah building the Ark. You just don't find illustrations like this anymore:

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