Edith Hamilton

I just thought that you all might find interesting the biography of the woman who's quote is on our header. Here's the link to the auspicious Wikipedia article. :)

The Bronze Bow

First of all, I'm glad you liked The Glimpses of the Moon, Julia. I was hoping you would. I thought it was good because every character seemed so realistic to me. And there was such a wide array of characters--like you said--to display the difference of the eat, drink and be merry crowd to the more worthwhile life. I also like the descriptions of marriage in it, and how the author made the point that yes, in a marriage you can mess it all up, but if you really love someone you can forgive and move on again. Also I love that no one character was perfect, all had flaws, albeit very different flaws. Really, I just love Edith Wharton for that--she captures the multitude of humanity in her characters with all their many facets too. Her characters are never one-dimensional. So good.

Anyway, I did read The Bronze Bow, although I'm still in the middle of Hamlet. I really don't have much to say on it, but I did really like it. I never realized it was by the same author as The Witch of Blackbird pond before.

First of all, what I thought about most after reading it was what happened next? When Christ was crucified would Daniel stay converted, or would he lose faith? Was Joel ever converted? Would Malthrace's father ever allow her to marry Daniel? What happened with the Roman soldier and Leah? Obviously, from my many questions, the author did an excellent job of sucking me in and ending it just right, since neatly tied up books bother me--too unrealistic.

Secondly, I agree with Andrea that mostly the book was about Daniel growing up--losing his idealism that hallmarks youth and gaining wisdom in the process. Joel in this sense bothered me, he seemed as smart as kid as Daniel, but after his capture and escape, he did not seem to grow up at all. That was the only part that didn't ring true to me. Why would he still wish to join Rosh, if Rosh had refused to help him? Surely Daniel would have explained what happened. I guess as a secondary character the author just conveniently whisked him off to Jerusalem to clear the way for the end of the story. However, she could have just as easily had him sneak off to tell Daniel that he had made the choice to go to Jerusalem and wanted to see him one last time. Anyway, as you can tell that bothered me a bit. Funny how such little things drag at a story.

My favorite description that I thought the author captured superbly was how Daniel felt when he went back to join the thieves for the second to the last time. He saw their unconcern for him, he knew the other side of their robberies--the people who were losing out. He saw their hypocrisy, and finally recognized Rosh for what he was. While in less extreme situations, I think that is one of the main things any person learns as they grow up, that things are never the same when you go back. No matter how much you wish for your friends or your family to remain unchanged, whenever you leave--or even as you learn--they (or you) won't ever have the same feeling as they had when you were last amongst them.

I also liked how the author had the character of the Roman soldier who liked Leah. Through that one random soldier and the one line from Leah who said he was homesick, the whole of the Roman army gained humanity. Without that, as a reader, you might never really have sympathy for them or truly be able to apply (in context of understanding the book) the teaching of Christ to love your enemies. It was brilliant.

Well, those were my thoughts, brief as they were. Someday I'll finish Hamlet and post about it. Chao.

Found It

I found the list.

Book List?

I've looked over the blog posts and cannot find the book list we decided upon.
Can you please remind me what is after Dividing Lines? Thanks!
JULIA

The Glimpses of the Moon

I finished it. It was a beautiful story. I loved the endings (I'm a stickler on endings, they make or break a book for me). So, it was definitely worth reading. Still not my favorite style of writing, that era is just weird to me. Very lias fare (sp?). I guess that's what the book was all about though, wasn't it. The attitude of "eat drink and be merry" vs. the more honest and grounded lifestyle of Nick & Susy. Thank you for the recommendation!

I am currently reading "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova. It's a novel about the history & myths behind Dracula. I'm just barely into it, and it's a thick book! But, I'm starting to feel it build, and hear it is a very good book!

Dividing Lines: I tried . . . and tried . . . and tried to get itnot it. Didn't happen for me. I just couldn't get into it and then it was due today. So, I'm going to have to move onto the next one. What is it? :-) I'll figure it out.

different topic

I'm reading "Imperial Woman" (Pearl S. Buck) for RS bookclub. Have any of you read it? Thoughts? I'm only about 1/3 - 1/2 through it so far. Chinese culture always fascinates me. I love reading what they would think of British/American foreigners.

What's in a name

Kammers, her name is JuliA. She doesn't like Julie. Thought I should tell you since she'd probably be too polite.

I'm naming my next boy Jude. I've decided having kids named after 60s/70s songs is the way to go.

In response...

I just wanted to say, Julie, that I thought your idea about core values and the Proclamation on the family was dead on. And, I get worn out and want to go to bed with all this home schooling talk.
The end.

More from Me?

I agree with Kelly! When I first read the "Ingredients" book I was like, "I have to change my whole house to match theirs!" I'm a lot more calm now, realizing that it's my family. :-)

I was going to post this site earlier, and forgot: Tanglewood Education It's generally Charlotte Mason style. And I had yet another epiphany yesterday (for my family). I printed off the "Create Your Own Cirriculum" Plan for both John, Brooklynn and myself which we can each fill out for our individual plans for next year's studies. I'm excited to see if it will work.

**********************
I'm sorry! I could exhaust this topic to death! NOW we can get back to book blogging! :-)

JULIA

It's Not the Gospel

I just want to add something about TJED. It's not the gospel. It is not necessarily a heaven-inspired thing - therefore you just take what you want.

For the sake of balance, you might like to read this BLOG that is anti-TJED (to put it simply). The comments get a little viscious. And some of the things that are said are not true based on what I've read and heard. The reason I like reading this is because it gives me perspective and helps me to clarify what I like about TJED. Some quotes that the author of the blog uses to argue his point did not have the same negative application in my mind when I read "A Thomas Jefferson Education". And, I've done a lot more studying of TJED than he seems to have so I could see where some things that he quoted in the book have been clarified to make better sense in later articles by the DeMilles and others.

Julia mentioned the ingredients. I will say that some of those have definitely worked for me, and some have not, and that's okay. And of course, as is mentioned, we each have to do what is best for our family. No one method will work for one family completely - or perhaps for all their children. Which is why my homeschool research never really ends. I'm always learning new ways to present information and encourage my children. Along with TJED I have read some about Charlotte Mason (see www.amblesideonline.org) and liked what I read, and Maria Montessori (read her whole book and liked some, didn't like other parts). I've read Susan Wise Bauer's book "The Well-Trained Mind" and some of her other articles and books. I like her. I use her history curriculum. So I definitely have a mishmash, although I still consider myself to be basically a TJED parent. The big thing about TJED for me, is that is inspired ME to be better educated and a better educator. And that says a lot about the program's value. It's not meant to be followed lock-step (just do what the DeMilles do and you'll be fine - not!!!), it's not meant to be an excuse to sit around and read while your children do nothing all day. I think that "done" properly, this is harder than almost anything else because you are teaching your children through exciting/inspiring means, setting an example through your own studies, and working together (that's much harder than sending them out to play while you clean the house). It's a full-time job!!! Definitely not for the lazy. ( I think I got off on that tangent because that is one of the arguments made by the blog author that I disagreed with).

I got the link for the anti-TJEd blog from the LDS Homeschooling in CA yahoo group. But there was a reply to that, so I'm going to post it, too.

I hadn't yet read the anti-TJEd blog when I wrote my previous post about
TJEd.

He writes, "I don't view it as a waste if I can open the eyes of just one
TJEd devotee and prevent them from subjecting their children to this
impoverished pedagogy. I am doing it out of the goodness of my heart. I am
seeing too many relatives & acquaintances spend time and money on this."

I know Oliver DeMille personally, but I do not consider myself to be a
devotee of anyone except the Savior. And I resent the implication that my
children have received an inferior education. My husband and I have six
children, four of whom have graduated from college; the fifth receives his
AA this month, and the youngest is still under my tutelage. Just a couple
of weeks ago all my children were at home, and they began reminiscing about
their homeschooling experiences. The consensus was that it was so much fun
- and that they had read literally thousands of books.

Although I had a credential and had taught professionally, when I began
homeschooling, I felt a great weight of responsibility to understand how
children learn. There was no Internet and few books. I took extension
classes at a nearby university and read a lot. Probably the person who had
the greatest impact up to that time was Jeannette Vos. The second person
was Susan Kovalik.

Under their guidance and on my own, I discovered the same educational
principles outlined in TJEd (line upon line, precept upon precept), as I
homeschooled my own children. I did not read A Thomas Jefferson Education
until 2000; I had filed my first PSA in 1988.

Before that I was a college teacher for 9 years. If my students are to be
believed, I was a great teacher.

What does it mean when you say that so-and-so was a great teacher -- or
recall that that was a great book? What made them great?

It is that there ARE true principles of education -- and agency is one of
them.

I firmly believe that parents have stewardship for their children, and it is
their right to choose the educational model they will use. But that also
places a great responsibility on parents.

I would say that each of us has the responsibility to find out all we can
about the physiology of learning and the nature of education - especially as
it is outlined in the scriptures - even if we are not homeschooling. After
all, parenting is really synonymous with mentoring.

And the point of understanding the concepts of a leadership education (of
which TJEd is but one model) is not so that we can all use the same
terminology, but so that our children will realize their potential, maintain
their freedom, and ultimately fulfill the mission to which their Heavenly
Father called them.

That is not the purpose of the type of education most children receive using
the efficiency model of the public school system. The purpose of that
system is to prepare people for the work force. I want more for my children
and grandchildren.


Ok. I'm done with this!!! Just wanted to toss that out there.