1ritacate
Looking forward to the encouragement to focus on some of the books I own!
* sigh... new books I didn't own when starting this challenge.
February
1. *As Nature Made Him by John Colapinto
2. Something Wicked by Carolyn Hart
3. *Curious Events in History by Michael Powell
March
4. Night's Bright Darkness by Sally Read
5. Jolie Blon's Bounce by James Lee burke
6. My Antonia by Willa Cather
7. Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
8. The Loser Letters by Mary Eberstadt
9. Though Not Dead by Dana Stabenow
10. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
11. The Silent Bride by Leslie Glass
12. Deadly Stakes by JA Jance
April 2020
13. *That Way and No Other by Amy Carmichael
May 2020
14. The Great Heresies by Hilaire Belloc
June 2020
15. *What the Saints Never Said by Trent Horn
16. *More God, Less Guilt by Dan Tarrant
17. *Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? by Rhoda Janzen
July 2020
18. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
August 2020
19. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
September 2020
*** hmmm, I seem to have read only library books in September. I'm also on a fiction fast, which slows me down considerably. 🤣
October 2020
20. *Into Your Hands, Father by Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen
November 2020
21. Antigone by Sophocles
December 2020
22. They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie
23. The Death of Woman Wang by Jonathan D. Spence
24. Joy to the World How Christ's Coming Changed Everything by Scott Hahn
* sigh... new books I didn't own when starting this challenge.
February
1. *As Nature Made Him by John Colapinto
2. Something Wicked by Carolyn Hart
3. *Curious Events in History by Michael Powell
March
4. Night's Bright Darkness by Sally Read
5. Jolie Blon's Bounce by James Lee burke
6. My Antonia by Willa Cather
7. Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
8. The Loser Letters by Mary Eberstadt
9. Though Not Dead by Dana Stabenow
10. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
11. The Silent Bride by Leslie Glass
12. Deadly Stakes by JA Jance
April 2020
13. *That Way and No Other by Amy Carmichael
May 2020
14. The Great Heresies by Hilaire Belloc
June 2020
15. *What the Saints Never Said by Trent Horn
16. *More God, Less Guilt by Dan Tarrant
17. *Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? by Rhoda Janzen
July 2020
18. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
August 2020
19. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
September 2020
*** hmmm, I seem to have read only library books in September. I'm also on a fiction fast, which slows me down considerably. 🤣
October 2020
20. *Into Your Hands, Father by Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen
November 2020
21. Antigone by Sophocles
December 2020
22. They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie
23. The Death of Woman Wang by Jonathan D. Spence
24. Joy to the World How Christ's Coming Changed Everything by Scott Hahn
2connie53
Hello Ritacate, Welcome to the ROOTERs.
A ticker is very easy to use.
1. Right-click on the ticker
2. Choose: Open in new window/tab (or something like that. I'm translating from Dutch)
3. Go to the new tab
4. You see your ticker and choose 'edit/update Data & Style'
5. Enter your pin
6. Enter the number of books you want to add to Your current cumulative value, for example 3 new ROOTS read
7. You can also up your total or decrease it
8. Click on 'Next'
9. You see the page where you choose your ruler. DON'T do anything. just close the
A ticker is very easy to use.
1. Right-click on the ticker
2. Choose: Open in new window/tab (or something like that. I'm translating from Dutch)
3. Go to the new tab
4. You see your ticker and choose 'edit/update Data & Style'
5. Enter your pin
6. Enter the number of books you want to add to Your current cumulative value, for example 3 new ROOTS read
7. You can also up your total or decrease it
8. Click on 'Next'
9. You see the page where you choose your ruler. DON'T do anything. just close the
3rabbitprincess
Welcome aboard! This group is very encouraging, I find :) Good luck with your challenge!
6MissWatson
Welcome and enjoy your books!
7ritacate
Thank you for all the welcomes! And the instructions for updating. That is so much easier than pasting new code each time!
I see many people also keep track of how many new books they take in. Ack! I just started volunteering at a used book store and we get "paid" in books. Like calorie-counting and budgets, I'm not sure I'm ready to admit the numbers just yet. 😋
I see many people also keep track of how many new books they take in. Ack! I just started volunteering at a used book store and we get "paid" in books. Like calorie-counting and budgets, I'm not sure I'm ready to admit the numbers just yet. 😋
8connie53
>7 ritacate: Understandable. That would make for an unusual big number.
And just ask if there is anything we can help you with
And just ask if there is anything we can help you with
9MissWatson
>7 ritacate: Oh, that must be so tempting!
10LoraShouse
Hi ritacate! Welcome to the group. This is a really good and encouraging group. I hope you will like it here.
Wow. Getting paid in books. What a concept!
Wow. Getting paid in books. What a concept!
11ritacate
The Great Heresies by Hilaire Belloc
It took a long time to read this book, I actually first started 10 years ago, but I really enjoyed it.
Mr. Belloc begins simply by defining heresy in its generic sense: anything contrary and damaging to a complete system of thought. Thus if you take gravity out of Newtonian physics it messes up everything else in the system.
He then moves on to the more common understanding of religious heresy and covers five main heresies against original Christian belief, from the Arian denial of Christ's divinity to the modern (1937! yet still accurate) attack against anything Christian whatsoever.
It took a long time to read this book, I actually first started 10 years ago, but I really enjoyed it.
Mr. Belloc begins simply by defining heresy in its generic sense: anything contrary and damaging to a complete system of thought. Thus if you take gravity out of Newtonian physics it messes up everything else in the system.
He then moves on to the more common understanding of religious heresy and covers five main heresies against original Christian belief, from the Arian denial of Christ's divinity to the modern (1937! yet still accurate) attack against anything Christian whatsoever.
12ritacate
What the Saints Never Said by Trent Horn
So-so. Mr. Horn's objective was both to track down the origin of famous quotes attributed to saints and to show where false quotes can lead us astray. Some of the information was very interesting, but other bits seemed unnecessarily nitpicking e.g. St. Catherine's "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire." Apparently she only said you would set Italy ablaze. In other places I felt like he really forced heresy into quotes, through excessive linguistic gymnastics and interpretations I've never seen.
So-so. Mr. Horn's objective was both to track down the origin of famous quotes attributed to saints and to show where false quotes can lead us astray. Some of the information was very interesting, but other bits seemed unnecessarily nitpicking e.g. St. Catherine's "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire." Apparently she only said you would set Italy ablaze. In other places I felt like he really forced heresy into quotes, through excessive linguistic gymnastics and interpretations I've never seen.
13ritacate
More God, Less Guilt by Dan Tarrant
I did not finish this book. I virtually never put down a book unfinished, but this is one of them. The main reason is that it just kept saying the same thing over and over, sometimes in the same exact words within the same paragraph. I thought I could tough it out and then realized I was only on page 30.
Mr. Tarrant has a wonderful and important topic, how to live in grace. He starts with a good premise "What if God didn't want you to follow him in response to guilt, shame or scrupulosity?" (P.7 ebook) Unfortunately he contrasts grace with a wrong understanding of guilt. He defines guilt as a despairing path of seeking perfection under our own power (p.9), as "leading us into an obsession with ourselves" (p. 104) and as "believing God will love you only after you have conquered sin" (p. 24).
Guilt is an inner sense that we have done something wrong. It is a moral speed bump indicating we need to slow down and look around a little more closely. It is meant to encourage remorse, repentance and reparation for our wrongdoing. Yes, sometimes people wrongly feel guilty over things not under their control or cling to their guilt after repentance and reparation, even after sacramental absolution, but that is misuse of guilt.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of indulgences as "remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose GUILT has already been forgiven" (CCC 1471). In 1784 it states that "Prudent education of the conscience... prevents or cures... resentment arising from GUILT" and in 1801 "such errors and ignorance of conscience are not always free of GUILT." These references do not speak of guilt as a bad thing or a denial of God's love and mercy, but rather as the responsibility for wrongdoing or a sense thereof.
My other disappointment may be related to my own limitations. I wanted a description, a playbook, a list of instructions, on how to live in God's grace. Don't just tell me how wonderful it is! Tell me how! Maybe there are no instructions, perhaps my 30 pages and a couple dips elsewhere in the book didn't hit the right page or it could be I'm too literal minded and missed it. Or perhaps our spiritual growth is more a magic eye picture that we have to sink into with trust rather than a cake recipe detailing each step and ingredient.
I was very pleased with how Mr. Tarrant ended each chapter with directed prayer, thought and action. Perhaps that is my playbook. I will spend some time with those sections, but skip the rest.
I did not finish this book. I virtually never put down a book unfinished, but this is one of them. The main reason is that it just kept saying the same thing over and over, sometimes in the same exact words within the same paragraph. I thought I could tough it out and then realized I was only on page 30.
Mr. Tarrant has a wonderful and important topic, how to live in grace. He starts with a good premise "What if God didn't want you to follow him in response to guilt, shame or scrupulosity?" (P.7 ebook) Unfortunately he contrasts grace with a wrong understanding of guilt. He defines guilt as a despairing path of seeking perfection under our own power (p.9), as "leading us into an obsession with ourselves" (p. 104) and as "believing God will love you only after you have conquered sin" (p. 24).
Guilt is an inner sense that we have done something wrong. It is a moral speed bump indicating we need to slow down and look around a little more closely. It is meant to encourage remorse, repentance and reparation for our wrongdoing. Yes, sometimes people wrongly feel guilty over things not under their control or cling to their guilt after repentance and reparation, even after sacramental absolution, but that is misuse of guilt.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of indulgences as "remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose GUILT has already been forgiven" (CCC 1471). In 1784 it states that "Prudent education of the conscience... prevents or cures... resentment arising from GUILT" and in 1801 "such errors and ignorance of conscience are not always free of GUILT." These references do not speak of guilt as a bad thing or a denial of God's love and mercy, but rather as the responsibility for wrongdoing or a sense thereof.
My other disappointment may be related to my own limitations. I wanted a description, a playbook, a list of instructions, on how to live in God's grace. Don't just tell me how wonderful it is! Tell me how! Maybe there are no instructions, perhaps my 30 pages and a couple dips elsewhere in the book didn't hit the right page or it could be I'm too literal minded and missed it. Or perhaps our spiritual growth is more a magic eye picture that we have to sink into with trust rather than a cake recipe detailing each step and ingredient.
I was very pleased with how Mr. Tarrant ended each chapter with directed prayer, thought and action. Perhaps that is my playbook. I will spend some time with those sections, but skip the rest.
14ritacate
Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? By Rhoda Janzen
I really enjoyed Ms. Janzen's openness to growth and the prompting of the Holy Spirit throughout this book. She was able to move past the arrogance, we all tend to share, of knowing it all and allow her heart to be changed.
I really enjoyed Ms. Janzen's openness to growth and the prompting of the Holy Spirit throughout this book. She was able to move past the arrogance, we all tend to share, of knowing it all and allow her heart to be changed.
15ritacate
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
I'm glad I finally read this. I've had this copy since college and
my children have been adults for several years!
There was so much going on in this book beneath the action. It was much heavier reading than my usual diet of mysteries, but I enjoyed it and am encouraged to read more classics.
I'm glad I finally read this. I've had this copy since college and
my children have been adults for several years!
There was so much going on in this book beneath the action. It was much heavier reading than my usual diet of mysteries, but I enjoyed it and am encouraged to read more classics.
16ritacate
I've read several e-books that I recently downloaded. My husband says they count since they are mine, but that feels like cheating since my purpose in this challenge was to read books from my shelf, especially some I've had for years. For this year ebooks will be lumped with library books. Maybe once they've been on my virtual shelf for 2 or 3 years they can be ROOT material!
18rabbitprincess
>17 ritacate: Me too! Styles is one of my favourite Poirot books.
>13 ritacate: Wow, I would totally have bailed on such a repetitive book. I'm glad you're able to salvage those end-of-chapter bits and ditch the rest.
>13 ritacate: Wow, I would totally have bailed on such a repetitive book. I'm glad you're able to salvage those end-of-chapter bits and ditch the rest.
19connie53
Hi Ritacate, I hope you are doing fine and keeping up the ROOT reading.
>13 ritacate: I'm now 67 years old and finally feel comfortable when I do not finish a book. It took me some while as you can see.
>13 ritacate: I'm now 67 years old and finally feel comfortable when I do not finish a book. It took me some while as you can see.
20ritacate
>19 connie53: sigh...I keep getting library books instead of reading my own. I was on a "sugar" book fast through September and October and am finding it a bit easier to read classics now. This should help in the ROOT challenge since I've read most of my light books. I've also joined a local Well-Read Mom group and half those books are already in my shelf!
Thank you for your encouragement.
Thank you for your encouragement.
21ritacate
Antigone by Sophocles
I read this for our Well- Read Moms group and really enjoyed it. It was nice to finally read another classic. I found interesting that within our group and in the introductions to the play there seems a strong sense of admiration for Antigone, her strength and passion, and a general sense that Ismene was weak and wishy-washy. Antigone cared about family and Ismene did not.
While I admired Antigone's passion and willingness to die for what she saw as the greater law, I also found her to be rash, impetuous and proud. Had she tried to work with the king (and his pride) rather than an in- your- face, I'm right and you're wrong approach, the ending may have been quite different. I also question her actual belief in this law of the gods since she stated she was willing to cross the king for her brother, but wouldn't have for a husband or children.
Ismene is definitely a follow the rules sort of gal. And she is in keeping with our understanding of her time that men ruled and women obeyed. I also saw, however, that rather than not caring about family as Antigone accused her, she cares about the family still alive. The sisters have lost mother, father and, just before the play opens, both brothers. They are the only family left to each other. Antigone is putting her care into the dead; Ismene puts her care into the living. It's not that she doesn't care about her brothers, but she can't change their fate. She believes there is still value in her and Antigone living and having each other. By crossing the king even that will be gone.
This was also an interesting read in current times as we debate the rules of God versus the rules of man.
I read this for our Well- Read Moms group and really enjoyed it. It was nice to finally read another classic. I found interesting that within our group and in the introductions to the play there seems a strong sense of admiration for Antigone, her strength and passion, and a general sense that Ismene was weak and wishy-washy. Antigone cared about family and Ismene did not.
While I admired Antigone's passion and willingness to die for what she saw as the greater law, I also found her to be rash, impetuous and proud. Had she tried to work with the king (and his pride) rather than an in- your- face, I'm right and you're wrong approach, the ending may have been quite different. I also question her actual belief in this law of the gods since she stated she was willing to cross the king for her brother, but wouldn't have for a husband or children.
Ismene is definitely a follow the rules sort of gal. And she is in keeping with our understanding of her time that men ruled and women obeyed. I also saw, however, that rather than not caring about family as Antigone accused her, she cares about the family still alive. The sisters have lost mother, father and, just before the play opens, both brothers. They are the only family left to each other. Antigone is putting her care into the dead; Ismene puts her care into the living. It's not that she doesn't care about her brothers, but she can't change their fate. She believes there is still value in her and Antigone living and having each other. By crossing the king even that will be gone.
This was also an interesting read in current times as we debate the rules of God versus the rules of man.
22Jackie_K
>21 ritacate: I've not read the Sophocles original, but at school (back in the Dark Ages!) one of our set texts for French literature was the play Antigone by Jean Anouilh. It's been such a long time since we read it, but from what I remember I agree with your conclusions.
23ritacate
They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie
I suddenly realized how many books I needed in just two weeks to meet my goal. ACK! So I chose a lighter read than my theology.
As I started this book I thought Victoria just flying off to Baghdad after a young man was a little unrealistic, but that's the pleasure of fiction, we suspend our disbelief. About two- thirds through I remembered that back in '89 I quit my job and flew off to Germany after a young man with whom I had fallen head over heels in love. 31 years later we're still happily married and he's built me the wonderful library in my profile photo!
Fortunately my exciting adventures did not include any kidnapping, death threats, espionage or the fear that went with them. I'm not sure I actually caught all the nuances of the complicated story, but I enjoyed it all the same.
I suddenly realized how many books I needed in just two weeks to meet my goal. ACK! So I chose a lighter read than my theology.
As I started this book I thought Victoria just flying off to Baghdad after a young man was a little unrealistic, but that's the pleasure of fiction, we suspend our disbelief. About two- thirds through I remembered that back in '89 I quit my job and flew off to Germany after a young man with whom I had fallen head over heels in love. 31 years later we're still happily married and he's built me the wonderful library in my profile photo!
Fortunately my exciting adventures did not include any kidnapping, death threats, espionage or the fear that went with them. I'm not sure I actually caught all the nuances of the complicated story, but I enjoyed it all the same.
24ritacate
>22 Jackie_K:
I have a small collection of French works from college. I will have to check if I have the play.
I have a small collection of French works from college. I will have to check if I have the play.
25ritacate
The Death of Woman Wang by Jonathan D. Spence
China, Shantung province
Professor Spence uses three primary sources to weave together a glimpse of T'an-ch'eng county in seventeenth century China. The book begins with some general history of the wars, rebellions, brigands and natural catastrophes that plagued the country throughout the century and then focuses on specific events between 1668 and 1672.
The Local History of T'an-ch'eng was compiled in 1673 and thus had fresh memories and first-hand experience for the narrated events. Huang Liu-hung, the county magistrate from 1670 -1672 authored A Complete Book Concerning Happiness and Benevolence, "a personal memoir and handbook on the office of magistrate." P'u Sung-ling, an "essayist, short-story writer and dramatist," lived in bordering Tzu-ch'uan country and traveled through T'an-ch'eng in our focus time, so professor Spence included excerpts from his work to round out the more human aspects of daily life in the poor county.
Wow! Life was rough! The corruption, lawlessness, tax evasion make our current American protagonists look like children at play. Today's poor may not be able to hire the best lawyers, but most of our daily life is protected by even-handed laws. My wealthy neighbor can't keep all the proceeds of his work, yet claim it was mine for tax purposes. A person can't just move into my house and get by with it because the police don't want to tangle with his thugs.
I also appreciate the respect for women in our society. My husband can't sell me as a slave, concubine or prostitute for any reason, let alone he needs more gambling money! While widows did have some rights, the law meant to protect them actually had the opposite effect and many just quit fighting.
I really enjoyed this book for the glimpse into another time and culture. As my husband said, it makes you rethink the trauma of not getting data when the wind is wrong! (Which is preventing my touchstones as I submit this originally! And already connected, yay )
China, Shantung province
Professor Spence uses three primary sources to weave together a glimpse of T'an-ch'eng county in seventeenth century China. The book begins with some general history of the wars, rebellions, brigands and natural catastrophes that plagued the country throughout the century and then focuses on specific events between 1668 and 1672.
The Local History of T'an-ch'eng was compiled in 1673 and thus had fresh memories and first-hand experience for the narrated events. Huang Liu-hung, the county magistrate from 1670 -1672 authored A Complete Book Concerning Happiness and Benevolence, "a personal memoir and handbook on the office of magistrate." P'u Sung-ling, an "essayist, short-story writer and dramatist," lived in bordering Tzu-ch'uan country and traveled through T'an-ch'eng in our focus time, so professor Spence included excerpts from his work to round out the more human aspects of daily life in the poor county.
Wow! Life was rough! The corruption, lawlessness, tax evasion make our current American protagonists look like children at play. Today's poor may not be able to hire the best lawyers, but most of our daily life is protected by even-handed laws. My wealthy neighbor can't keep all the proceeds of his work, yet claim it was mine for tax purposes. A person can't just move into my house and get by with it because the police don't want to tangle with his thugs.
I also appreciate the respect for women in our society. My husband can't sell me as a slave, concubine or prostitute for any reason, let alone he needs more gambling money! While widows did have some rights, the law meant to protect them actually had the opposite effect and many just quit fighting.
I really enjoyed this book for the glimpse into another time and culture. As my husband said, it makes you rethink the trauma of not getting data when the wind is wrong! (Which is preventing my touchstones as I submit this originally! And already connected, yay )
27ritacate
>26 connie53: and a beautiful Christmas season to you as well. I particularly enjoy your greeting because my grandmother was from Enschede in the Netherlands.
28ritacate
Woo Hoo! I did it! 24 books, not just mysteries. Some new books, some old, one on my shelf for 34 years. Mystery and history, faith, memoirs, classics. Thank you for this challenge.
This coming year I will aim for a higher percentage of 'dusty' and non- fiction.
This coming year I will aim for a higher percentage of 'dusty' and non- fiction.
29ritacate
Joy to the World: How Christ's Coming Changed Everything (and still does) by Scott Hahn
This seemed a good book to complete my goal over the Christmas season. Dr. Hahn gives us a deeper look at the Christmas story presented in the Gospels and it's significance both at the time and up to the present day. He looks at all the aspects from Mary, Joseph and the shepherds to the wise men and the king. He looks at the journeys from Nazareth to Bethlehem to Jerusalem and to Egypt. He shows relationships between the Old Testament and New, and gave some historical background on the expectations of the Messiah.
In itself this is a quick read, but I kept jumping to the internet for more information on items he brought up. May we all find that deep joy of being truly and completely loved.
This seemed a good book to complete my goal over the Christmas season. Dr. Hahn gives us a deeper look at the Christmas story presented in the Gospels and it's significance both at the time and up to the present day. He looks at all the aspects from Mary, Joseph and the shepherds to the wise men and the king. He looks at the journeys from Nazareth to Bethlehem to Jerusalem and to Egypt. He shows relationships between the Old Testament and New, and gave some historical background on the expectations of the Messiah.
In itself this is a quick read, but I kept jumping to the internet for more information on items he brought up. May we all find that deep joy of being truly and completely loved.
32rabbitprincess
Hurray, congratulations on finishing your challenge!
33ritacate
>30 Jackie_K:
>31 connie53:
>32 rabbitprincess:
Thank you. I look forward to doing this again.
Is the 2021 ROOT Challenge set up yet? I'm still learning how to search on the site for anything other than books.
>31 connie53:
>32 rabbitprincess:
Thank you. I look forward to doing this again.
Is the 2021 ROOT Challenge set up yet? I'm still learning how to search on the site for anything other than books.
34rabbitprincess
>33 ritacate: Chèli is taking votes on next year's theme over on the December ROOT Progress thread (https://www.librarything.com/topic/326856#7350857). The group will likely be set up once the theme is decided.
