"A Rope And A Prayer" by David Rohde and Kristen Mulvihill

A Rope And A Prayer by David Rohde and Kristen Mulvihill is the true story about a husband being abducted and what both he and his wife faced. This non-fiction book is my pick for my March book of the month and here are the reasons why:

(1) It is the true story of David being kidnapped and held for over six months!

(2) It’s the story as told by Kristen, newly married, sharing her feelings as her husband was being held.

(3) It gives really wonderful insight into the Taliban and what they think and believe.

(4) The writing is so very good that I got the sense of what David and Kristen went through.

(5) Has a great ending too!

I highly recommend this book!
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Townie" by Andre Dubus III

Townie by Andre Dubus III tells the true story of the author growing up with his family and friends.  His mom and dad split up and this book tells of his life that took a lot of twists and turns.  I could never really get into it 100 percent.  Parts were very good while other parts I could have done without.  This is not one I can recommend.
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua

I read Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother by Amy Chua just to find out what all the hype and controversy was about and I liked it. It is a true story about a Chinese mom, two daughters and two adorable dogs with superb writing and a great ending. I didn't want to put this one down and highly recommend it! Read and enjoy!
(Gerard's review)

Karen read it too:
The Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother by Amy Chua is a non-fiction book points out the differences between parenting styles of Western culture and Chinese culture through the eyes of a Chinese mother living in the United States with a Jewish husband and two daughters. Amy, the determined, mother is a law professor at Yale who raised her two daughters the Chinese way to give her children skills that will open doors for a bright future. She wrote this book to show the Chinese way to be the best way to raise kids but discovered that the best way is a combination of the two.

Amy Chua raised two amazingly talented daughters: Sophia the obedient, well-behaved one who was good enough on the piano to get to play at Carnegie Hall at 14, and Lulu, the one proficient on the violin but more rebellious and willful. I liked both daughters and thought the mother was obsessed with success and too driven. At times, I thought her methods were crazy! I found myself cheering for Lulu, the younger daughter who finally was able to choose tennis while not being so focused on the violin. Thanks to her mother, she developed a great work ethic that she applies to tennis without her mother’s help.

I think Tiger Mother is interesting and enjoyed the pictures and touches of humor throughout. Their dogs are really beautiful and I liked how the mother’s attitude about dogs changed for the better once they got one. I thought it was interesting to see how children in the same family, raised the same can be so different. It proves that children are individuals and should be treated as such. What works for one, doesn’t always work for the other.

Here are a few of my Favorite funny quotes:

Thank God we live in America, I thought to myself, where no doubt because of the American Revolution rebelliousness is valued. In China, they’d have sent Lulu to a labor camp. (p. 38)

. . . there’s nothing I hate more than all these festivals and projects that private schools specialize in. Instead of making kids study from books, private schools are constantly trying to make learning fun by having parents do all the work. (p. 64)

Lulu: “I wish I had a pet.”
mom: “You already have a pet,” I snapped. “Your violin is your pet.” (p. 65)

Once, when I came back from a “walk” with my elbows scraped and my knees grass-stained, Jed said, “It’s her Samoyed nature. She thinks you’re a sled, and she wants to pull you. Let’s forget about teaching her to walk. Why don’t we just get a cart that you can sit in and have Coco pull you around?

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Dilemma: A Priest's Struggle With Faith And Love" by Father Albert Cutie

For me Dilemma by Father Albert Cutie was an eye-opening look at just what it means to be a Catholic Priest.  Father Cutie became one but then fell in love and had to make a choice.  Dilemma gives very good inside accounts of how he made his decision and what other people thought of it and him.  I enjoyed reading his story.

Here's my teaser from p. 144: 

"But I also very much felt called to be a married man, even a family man. I was a priest in love and contemplating marriage; I no longer believed the two things to be incompatible as I had been taught."

(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Half A Life" by Darin Strauss is a "Must Read"

Half A Life is a memoir of Darin Strauss, who at age 18 while driving, had a car accident that killed a girl.  This book is good; read it in two days.  It was hard to put down because I never read anything like it before.  It is all about how Darin handled what happened.  I kept thinking about what if I did this?  Half A Life is an outstanding and a memorable read.  The writing is superb!  I highly recommend it!  (10 stars)
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"You Had Me At Woof" by Julie Klam

You Had Me At Woof by Julie Klam tells the true story of Julie Klam and her dog. One day she decided to get a dog, and her life changed forever! There are some good stories in this book that all dog owners will relate to, some funny and some sad. You Had me At Woof is a quick read (I read it in two days.) Can’t say there is anything exceptional in this book, but I enjoyed reading it!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Dewey's Nine Lives" by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

Vicki Myron, best-selling author of Dewey, The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World Library Cat, is back with more stories about Dewey and other stories about people who have had their lives touched by cats in her book, Dewey‘s Nine Lives.  This is just an outstanding read.  The stories about Dewey are good and the other stories are really good too!  I enjoyed this book so much!  So, welcome back, Dwey, and the friends he brought along.  This book will make my top 10 for the year for sure!  I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys reading about pets, people‘s everyday lives and cats.
(Gerard's review)

Dewey's Nine Lives by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter is a collection of nine short stories about different people and how Dewey or another cat affected their lives.  Although I did not enjoy it as much as Gerard did, I did like it okay.  It is a touching book but not one I couldn't wait to get back to see what happened next.  It's about ordinary people who had some unusual experiences with different cats.  I liked seeing the pictures of the different people with their cats.

I was amazed at how tough "Spooky" was.  He survived being tossed onto a moving car from quite a distance, riding on a goose, riding a motorcycle, being swatted by a bear and thrown  through the air and being dumped in the garbage by his owner's landlady and walking back home 20 miles.
(Karen's review)

"Buzz: A Year Of Paying Attention" by Katherine Ellison

Buzz by Katherine Ellison is a true story of Katherine who takes a year off from her job to pay attention and be with her son, Buzz, who has Attention Disorder Deficit (ADD).  Katherine finds out she has ADD too.  She tries to help both Buzz and herself. 

I think this is a great book for parents going through this because there are lots of tips and resources in it.  It's a good story too!  I'm rooting for you, Buzz!
(Gerard's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Alex And Me" by Irene Pepperberg

"Alex And me" by Irene Pepperberg is an amazing story about Alex, a gray parrot, and the woman who worked with him, Irene Pepperberg. As you read the story you forget that this is a parrot. He is not supposed to be learning and doing what he is doing. Also, the friendship between Alex and Irene is very touching. If you're looking for a nice short book to read, choose this one! A Remarkable Story (8 stars)

(Gerard's review 2/25/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Armed With God's Power--Changing Brokeness To Victory Through God's Love" by Nora White

Armed With God's Power--Changing Brokenness to Victory Through God's Love by Nora White is about how God helped Nora through very difficult situations in her life including, depression, divorce, domestic violence, and losing a husband to cancer. She tells an amazing story of how God spoke to her and brought her through some terrible times.

I couldn't put this one down because I was anxious to see what happened next.  It certainly gives hope to anyone in similar situations. She is an example of a woman with great faith. I would recommend this book to any woman.


Nora White attends our church and is actively involved in leading women's Bible studies, does counseling and is founder of Healing Hearts Ministries.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Longest Trip Home" by John Grogan

Even Better Than Marley & Me!  15 stars
The Longest Trip Home is about John Grogan (author of Marley & Me) growing up.  The childhood stories he tells are so funny!  He had experiences for sure.  If you grew up Catholic like I did, you will really identify with that part of the book:  being an altar boy, going to confession, the sacraments, it's all in here.  His brothers and sister interaction is very good and the "stars" of the book are his parents.  The end deals with them getting older and is so good.  I loved this book!  I got into it real fast and it was hard to put down.  I read it in three days.
(Gerard's review 2/10/09)

Karen's review 2/19/09:
I enjoyed reading John Grogan's memoir, The Longest Trip Home. It gave me insight into Catholicism through his humorous experiences as a kid growing up and also the confrontations with his parents as an adult concerning his lack of faith. It shows how religion can be divisive in relationships but how love can still triumph. I felt bad for his parents who were devout Catholics seeking to raise their children in their faith and not having any of them really embracing it as they had.

If you like stories about families, humor and dealing with elderly parents, this has it all. If you have Catholic background you would probably identify with many of his religious experiences.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Man Behind The Nose" by Larry Harmon

The Man Behind The Nose by Larry Harmon is definitely worth reading.  It tells the story of Larry Harmon, aka Bozo the clown.  He tells very interesting stories. Larry Harmon is a man who was really determined to reach his goals.  I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would.  I admire Larry Harmon for what he did to bring joy to thousands of children and adults as well.  Rest in peace, Larry.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Lucky Man" by Michael J. Fox

"Lucky Man" was a very interesting book to me because it was about Michael J. Fox, the star of "Family Ties," a show I liked a lot because of the part he played as Alex.  Michael had a tough start and did a lot of drinking, but married the girl who was Alex's girlfriend on "Family Ties."  She stayed with him through his drinking and his illness and was a good wife to him.  Book gave great insight into Parkinson's disease and ended on a positive note--he quit drinking, became an advocate for Parkinson's research.  He shared a lot about his family and his failures as well as his successes.  He was down but never quit.    He has quite a story to share!
(Karen's review 2/5/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Flight To Heaven--A Plane Crash--A Lone Survivor--A Journey To Heaven and Back" by Captain Dale Black

Flight To Heaven:  A Lone Survivor--A Journey To Heaven and Back is an amazing true story about Captain Dale Black who was the lone survivor of a plane crash.  He wrote about how he recovered and what he went through which is the essence of this book.  What a testimony to his faith in Jesus this book is.  Flight To Heaven is a remarkable read.  I enjoyed it very much! 
(Gerard's review)

I never read a book like this before.  It is Captain Black’s true story about his Flight to Heaven—a plane crash…a lone survivor…A Journey To Heaven—And Back.  At age 19, he was the lone survivor in a plane crash.  His body was wrecked and he was in a coma for three days, during which time he experienced a bit of heaven.  His story is both interesting and amazing!  The book takes the reader through his spiritual journey as well as his physical one of making a recovery to fly again just a year after he crashed and became a pilot giving God the glory!  It was when he surrendered his will completely to God and let God be the “pilot” of his life instead of the co-pilot that his ankle was healed.  Dale Black shares his personal testimony about his faith in God, the time of testing he went through and how he came out with a deeper desire to take them along on the flight to heaven.  My favorite quote from this book is “. . . although I am small, I am connected to a very big God!” 

Flight to Heaven by Captain Dale Black is a fantastic story that I highly recommend to anyone.  It was interesting to me that he said love from and for others is the closest thing on Earth to heaven.  I liked that this book looked at his life on two levels, not only the physical recovery but also his personal spiritual journey.  This one is a "must read."

(Karen's review)

visit www.flighttoheaven.org
Related Review by The Parchment Girl

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"In A Hearbeat" Leigh Ann and Sean Tuohy

If you read The Blind Side and saw the movie, then you have to read In A Hearbeat by Leigh Ann and Sean Tuohy.  What I loved about In A Hearbeat is that each member of the family told their story and the actors who played their parts in the movie told their story too.  The true stories are very interesting!  It is a fast read and an amazing story about an ordinary family who helped out Michael Oher, a homeless teenage boy who became an NFL football player, by letting him live with them.  An example of Christianity in action!


Here's our thoughts about the movie, "The Blind Side" about Michael Oher.

Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

A Dog’s Life--Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin

A Dog’s Life--Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin is my favorite dog book!  A Dog's Life is about a stray dog written from the dog's perspective and wasn't boring at all. I read it straight through in just a few hours. It shows how cruel some people can be but also how nice others can be. It's a story of the dog's life from when she was born to when she grew old but at least it has a happy ending and I'm glad the dog didn't die in the book.

I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about animals or who likes dogs. I wasn't surprised to see the author works with an animal rescue organization.
(Karen's Review 2/09)


Told By a Dog--Awesome! 15 Stars
This is just an awesome book.  Never read a book with a dog telling the story.  You really do feel like you are seeing this through the dog's eyes.  This dog is a stray that first loses her mother and then her brother.  Later she meets a friend.  There are so many good adventures in this book.  Anyone would love this book because you get into it fast and it is hard to put down.
(Gerard's Review 2/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Quiet Strength" by Tony Dungy

Quiet Strength is Tony Dungy’s autobiography (Colts head coach). I was very impressed with Tony Dungy's definition of success:

God gives each one of us unique gifts, abilities, and passions. How well we use those qualities to have an impact on the world around us determines how “successful” we really are.

I liked this book because it was about so much more than football, although he did include some coaching techniques and philosophy. 

Two of his teaching/coaching principles that stood out to me were:
1) Treat everyone fairly but not necessarily equal. What motivates one, doesn’t work for everyone.
2) Focus on those behind or who struggle and help them succeed.




Quiet Strength is an inspirational book that I highly recommend.  He shares how he relies on God in his daily life.  If you wonder where the role models are in sports, Tony is definitely one of them.  I enjoyed this book very much but couldn't get Gerard to read it because he just doesn't like the Colts.



(Karen's review 1/08)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Tuesdays With Morrie" by Mitch Albom

Thought Tuesdays With Morrie was a bit slow reading, but it was touching and certainly thought provoking. It's a record of conversations between a man and his former college professor who he admired and became friends with when the professor was dying from Lou Gehring's disease. The professor shared his feelings about a variety of subjects, including how he felt about dying and becoming like a baby again, helpless. It was sort of depressing, but yet had enough good philosophical thoughts to keep me reading. The one I liked best is that he said "Love Goes On." When the professor was asked if he worried about being forgotten when he died, his answer was,

I don't think I will be. I've got so many people who have been involved with me in close, intimate ways. And love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone.

I agree with this because the loved ones I've lost are still alive in my thoughts.
(Karen's review 3/09)

 Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Going Rogue" by Sarah Palin

OK, I’ll admit I like Sarah Palin.  I like her a whole lot more after Going Rogue.  I enjoyed meeting her family and hearing about them.  The part about her campaign with John McCain was really fascinating stuff.  She pulled no punches!  If you can put your politics aside, I think you will find this book enjoyable too.

(Gerard's review 1/10/10)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Confessions of a Prairie Bitch" by Alison Arngrim

 I enjoyed reading Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim because it was mostly about the TV show I liked called “Little House On The Prairie.”  Alison was the actress who played Nellie Oleson on the show, the mean, snobby girl.  In her book, she shares how people really hated her because of her character on TV when she made public appearances dressed as Nellie.  She shares about her childhood which was so heartbreaking that she thought of the cast as her family and loved the diversion.  I liked reading about her auditions for the show, all that she had to go through in shooting the scenes and how the character of Nellie helped her to be more confident and outgoing.  It was amusing to read about her friendship with Melissa Gilbert (Laura on “Little House”) and her relationships with other people on the set.  The fact that people knew her from playing Nellie on the show opened doors for her to make a difference in social causes.  I recommend this book to anyone who loved watching “Little House On The Prairie.” 
(Karen's Review)   

Confessions of A Prairie Bitch gives the reader a good behind-the-scenes look at "Little House on the Prairie." I thought this was a great book. I enjoyed getting to know Alison too. It is a quick read and funny!
(Gerard's review)

We also read Melissa Gilbert's autobiography, Prairie Tale.

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?