{Click on photo to enlarge}
So I recently finished the book for my ward book club, Hoot by Carl Hiaasen.
I really don't want to say this, but I did not like the book, not even a little bit. I don't' know if it was because I was waiting for some big thing to happen that never did, or because I couldn't find the house of where the book club was so I didn't get to go. I am so curious why they picked that book for their book club because it is a yearling book. I know I can't complain about it to anyone here because Carl's niece is probably in our ward. But it was seriously painful for me to finish to book.
Anyway, so I went back to reading my Killer Angels ( a book about Gettysburg) book which I have been dying to read. And two nights ago I almost threw it against the wall because I was so frustrated. I seriously rolled over and looked at the book and thought you are not going to get me! It is so hard for me to get into the story. There are so many characters, they call each army three different things, I can't ever figure out if they are talking about the north or the south. This shows my lack of patience. And to think I wanted to teach High School history...ha!
I am so intrigued with the civil war and feel like I want to learn everything there is to know about it, but can't seem to even get through one book! Jeff in the meantime has finished the book along with the two others, which makes me insanely jealous, because ever where we drive he says, "oh this is where to north fought this.. or this where the south surrendered.. etc" So last night after telling Jeff and I can't read this book, it is too much for my little brain. I go downstairs to check my email (ha and an hour later) I come up stairs Jeff is working on the above photo. It is a map of the characters of the story, all the different names they call the two armies, how the commanders know each other etc. So incredible. But of course I make some silly comment on why he had to do it on the paper he did with the skull and graph side and why he didn't do it on the back blank side. He looked at me with the "Kristi be grateful not greedy look" So I didn't think that was the best time to tell him how hard his handwriting is to read either, I am no dummy!
So we stayed up for an hour with him teaching me all the people's names, where they are from, how they know each other. It was great. So now my internal civil war of whether to read the book or not is going in the way of reading it.
I also came across the Sparks Notes and think this will be a huge help to. (not quite the way I used them in High school.. hee hee)
Thanks Mr. Jeff my new history teacher!
17 comments:
Okay- Jeff has got to be the coolest husband. How cute that he made you not only a cheat sheet on the characters, but also stayed up and explained it to you for over an hour. Wow- seriously is he going for husband of the year?
I have a hard time reading historical novels too. There are always way too many characters and for whatever reason the writer assumes you know things you don't. Kudos to you for sticking with it.
Okay, he is way too much. What a great guy to do that for you. I am like you though, I would have found something wrong, not that I don't appreciate it, just sometimes I don't get the appreciation out first.
I have a horrible time reading historical books, but I really would like reading more.
I love it that he wrote those notes for you and that he did it on the skull paper! He's such a great guy. I understand your frustration with the book though that's why I generally avoid books like that. They don't interest me or aren't worth the work to get through them. I'm impressed that you're sticking with it though, because if you are interested in the Civil War and if you're living near so many of the historical sites, it will be more real for you. Don't be too hard on yourself, you just became a real reader and don't have to plunge into the heavy stuff right away.
Also, I'm sad you couldn't find the house for the Hoot discussion. I wonder if the discussion would have changed your mind at all. I hated reading The Ultimate Gift for my ward book club last month, but came away from the discussion feeling like it wasn't a total waste.
I started reading that book (Killer Angels) too, and I gave up too. I'm reading that Founding Mothers book right now too and I like that much better. How nice of Jeff to sit down and do that for you. Maybe you'll read it after all?
I have had several books like that, with many names and tons of characters. I actually make notes inside my book. Once, I finished the book to find a family tree right in the back of the book! Now, I check that first! Stick with it Kristi!
And that really stinks that you couldn't find the house!! REALLY!
I used to have Killer Angels on 6 cassette tapes. It was condensed, the book is longer than six tapes. It was easier to tell who was North and who was South by listening to the accents. I bought it for $30 and sold it on Amazon for $25.
I don't think the movie Gettysburg was supposed to be based on Scharra's book, but both are about the same thing. After you read KA, you should watch Gettysburg (Martin Sheen is R.E.Lee, and the guy from dumb and dumber, not Jim Carrey is a northerner).
I too am amazed at these heavy reading choices. Good for you. Kudos for Jeff to hang in there with you and give you that kind of support. Love it!!
Max read Hoot and enjoyed it. I never read it so I don't know anything about it. I'm sorry you couldn't get to book club, because the discussion is always interesting, and it's just fun to get together and talk!
I'm so amazed by Jeff. What a guy! That is so cool that he thought to do that and took all the time to help you get through the maze of that book. I think you will feel such a sense of accomplishment when you finish it! And it will be great to be able to see places where things happened and know what is going on. Good luck!
Sister Cutler,
I am reading the book hoot now. I think it is okay, but I saw the movie first. I have a blog now too. I miss you. Tell Annie Kate Hi.My blog name is
www.thegroovygirl.blogspot.com
Liesel G
The question is now that he explained it are you going to read it? I hate when I don't understand what I am reading. How nice for Jeff to be around and give you his insight. I I too am envious of Doug and his great knowledge of history. I am so dumb when it comes to that.
P.S. My favorite part was the stationary he wrote it on--you gotta love medical notepads!
Jeff is pretty great! He just keeps doing things to up the ante! He'd DIE if he knew you bragged about him like this though tee hee! I love the "be grateful not greedy" look part. You'll have to tell me more about what that looks like, I am not familiar with it, as Dave NEVER gives it to me...(do you believe that for a second???)
T
I think this is the sweetest thing! and have thought about it a couple of times today. After you slog through the Civil War...you might want to try John Adams by David McCullough--it's readable and I'm really enjoying it.
Your husband is just the sweetest!! I have been following your blog and I am just amazed by all that you have been doing! It is so great that you are exposing your girls to so much history and I LOVE all the fantastic pictures, I feel like I am there!
Howdy stranger- if it helps you feel better, my husband had to do that same thing for me with the BOM. It's sad I didn't pay more attention in seminary (Pat. Blair was my teacher!!) I did learn lots during the other years, but the BOM year was so mixed up to me. I think I was distracted by cute boys or something, anyway I never understood who did what, and how they were connected. My husband drew out the neatest chart, and made notes and time lines. It made everything clear. So there is great hope for you and your book :-) !
Hope all is well. Love the photos and reading about the history trips. Don't forget to go see Dorothy's red ruby slippers at the Smithsonian. Take care, KMS
ps- yesterday the fabric came in for Christmas Presence, it is actually really pretty, not to dark. I'll email you all the info. I need to get the details, and will update you right away.
Lastly- Bevan is brilliant- great idea with the books on tape.
I love that jeff made you a break down flow chart to help make sense of the civil war and the different people and the sides they were on. What a guy!
Jeff's handwriting is actually pretty good especially considering his choosen profession or my ability to decipher chicken scratch is really good because of my choose profession.
thats so cool because I am reading that right now!
Liesel
Kristi,
You have got to read "The Spy", by James Fenimoore Cooper. Why mohicans was made into a movie and not Spy is beyond freakin me. Spy is very confusing, but worth it for the ending. It is Revolutionary not Civil, but don't hold it against the book.
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