130. Christmas Day in the Morning

Christmas Day in the Morning. Pearl S. Buck. Adapted by David T. Warner. 2020. 48 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Robert woke suddenly and completely. It was four o'clock, the hour when his father had always called him to get up and help with the milking. That was fifty years ago.

Premise/plot: Christmas Day in the Morning is a short story written by Pearl Buck originally published in 1955 for a magazine. Robert, the narrator, is reflecting back on the true meaning of Christmas. In remembering one particular Christmas of his childhood--he is inspired anew to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I haven't read any of Pearl S. Buck's shorter works so this was nice. I did like the theme of this one--that Christmas is all about giving and receiving love. I would recommend it to adults (or to readers of any age) that enjoy sentimental, feel-good, Christmas-themed books. 

This one includes several blank pages in case readers are inspired to write a message to a loved one and pass it along. 

 

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Historical Cats

Historical Cats. Peter Gethers and Norman Stiles. Illustrated by William Bramhall. 1996. 86 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Nathan Hale's Cat: "I only regret that I have but nine lives to give for my country."
Albert Einstein's Cat: Ran around the living room at the speed of light for no reason at all, relatively speaking.
Sigmund Freud's Cat: Discovered that the primary motivating factor behind all behavior is the urge to rub up against furniture.

Premise/plot: What if historical figures had cats? Cats who were perhaps just as famous or just as worthy of being famous?

My thoughts: If you love cats--I'm talking LOVE cats--and are easily amused this may be a good fit for you. It is a super-quick read. Each page features an illustration and one or two sentences. I think the aim of the book was to be clever and funny. I'll be honest, there is a LOT of hit or miss within the pages.

I paid fifty cents for my copy. I'm wishing it had been a quarter instead.

• Marie Antoinette's Cat: "Let them eat dry food."
• Ponce de Leon's Cat: POUNCE de Leon discovered the fountain of catnip.
• Eva Peron's Cat: Felita: "Don't meow for me, Argentina."
• Pablo Picasso's Cat: Accidentally ran into window and created cubism.

My favorite:

Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Cat. Wrote Crime and Punishment and Do It Again Anyway, a complex novel about an evil Russian Blue, Raskolnikat, who eats off his owner's plate despite many stern warnings. Raskolnikat has overwhelming feelings of guilt but looks so cute he is never punished and ultimately dies weighing 57 pounds. 

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Anne of Green Gables Treasury

Anne of Green Gables Treasury. Carolyn Strom Collins and Christina Wyss Eriksson. 1991. 208 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Although both of us read and loved the Anne books as children, we became intrigued with them again when our daughters began to read them several years ago. We found ourselves enjoying these "children's books" even more as adults than we had as children!

Premise/plot: In Anne of Green Gables Treasury, the authors share their research with fans of all ages. Their research started with making lists of what their daughters wanted to know more about as they read through the series. The authors also added questions of their own. (I'm sure as they did research, they found out things they weren't particularly searching for but found fascinating enough to include. That's just how research is!)

The book is divided into sections:

L.M. Montgomery and the Anne books. Provides a brief biography of the author, L.M. Montgomery, a map of Prince Edward Island, brief summaries of each book in the series along with a picture of each original cover, a map of Avonlea, and Anne's family tree.

Anne's World. Provides descriptions of Green Gables then and now, a map of Green Gables and Anne's favorite places, and house plans for Green Gables.

Through the Years. Provides readers with context for Anne's world by including an extensive timeline. The timeline starts in 1866 with Anne Shirley's birth, and, concludes in 1919 with the ending of Rilla of Ingleside. Some facts are from the Anne books, and others are from the real world.

School Days, Special Days. Provides readers with information about what nineteenth century life was like in and out of the classroom. (This section includes summer and Christmas.)

Tea Time. Provides readers with ideas for hosting their own tea parties. Includes information about brewing tea, and recipes to prepare for all four courses.

Busy Hands. Provides readers with Anne-themed craft projects. For example, how to press flowers, how to sew a baby bonnet, how to make their own potpourri, how to crochet lace, etc.

In Fine Fashion. Provides readers with descriptions of fashions of the day.

In the Garden. It's no surprise to fans that Anne loved the great outdoors and loved flowers. This section is all about flowers and garden projects.

In Conclusion. The authors encourage readers to think of themselves as Anne's kindred spirits.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed some chapters of this one. I do love the Anne books, and, I can see how this one would have been really POPULAR when it came out in 1991. It's still a good read for fans, but, I'm not sure how practical it is as a cook book or craft book.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews