Good Reads for Bad Times

This has been a rough year. My own family has been through a lot - in addition to the coronavirus stuff and the lock-down. Sometimes I find I need to read things that are more uplifting and encouraging for awhile and avoid anything that is too dramatic, too intense or too morbid. Here are a few books (and some poems) that can be helpful for those times.

For family reading:

The Sugar Creek Gang books by Paul Hutchins.

These books are Christian fiction geared towards kids. We recommend the books prior to the 1990's editions because they made some changes in the books later that weren't great. (Why update a good thing?) Plus the older books give a look into how people used to live in mid-western rural American farm country. There are lots of details of life that are now forgotten or little known.

The stories follow the adventures of the Sugar Creek Gang - a group of boys who live in rural Indiana. The adventures are varied and interesting from catching crooks to going on vacations in the north woods, visiting a missionary in Cuba, snowstorms, and visiting Chicago. They include a lot of roaming around in the woods, learning to be responsible, doing their chores faithfully, learning people relationship skills, and working towards the goal of seeing various people become real, born again Christians. There is also an emphasis on growing in the Christian walk throughout the books. There is a lot of humor as well as some difficult lessons. These books are bit exciting for some kids, but enjoyable for the adults reading them out loud as well. I always like the parents of Bill Collins (the storyteller character) in these stories because they seem like people I would like to have for friends of my own. :-) There are some books that deal with some more sensitive subjects - the destructive aspects of alcohol consumption and the use of bad language are repeating themes that I recall, but some other things are addressed as well.

Here's a website about the series.
For the older editions I recommend looking on AbeBooks and Ebay. Possibly Amazon as well.
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The Grandma's Attic books by Arleta Richardson.

These are Christian fiction based on true stories. These stories take place in Michigan back in the old days and follow the adventures of Mable O'Dell from her childhood into adulthood, marriage, and motherhood. The first books in the series have stand alone chapters - each one being a separate story with the biblical lesson given from "Grandma" (Mable herself). These books are fun and there is a lot of humor from the real life stories and events. Some stories are also more serious or heartwarming. Part way through the series the format changes to each book being a continuous story with a plot. These later books follow Mable through her later education and teaching years and then into marriage and motherhood.

These books can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. I took the first book and read some of the stories to my mom when she was staying in the rehad hospital and memory care facility in the last weeks of her life because the stories were interesting and only one short chapter long, so she could follow them. She really seemed to enjoy them a lot. :-) (She had read them to us when we were younger.) My husband also read some of them out loud to me during our pre-marriage months when I was sick and not able to do much. :-)

These books will probably also have to be purchased second hand either online or locally.
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The Jungle Doctor books by Paul White

These books are Christian fiction based on true stories. These stories take you back to British East Africa to a hospital in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) and follow the adventures of a missionary doctor and his African assistants. (There is an English nurse - called a "sister" - as well, but she doesn't figure as much in the stories.) These books give a great insight into the thinking of the African people in that place and time. There is drama, humor, and a lot of encouragement and adventure. The biblical lessons are very clear. The books can be enjoyed by children and adults and the books do not have to be read in order, although there is an order to them. (A more recent publication of these books has them out of order, which was a puzzle to me.)

Note: Some difficult subjects are sometimes dealt with. Also there are medical situations that may be a bit much for squeamish people. :-) There are also Bible quotes that are translated from the local African language back into English or perhaps come from the RSV. Look them up in your King James Version if you would like.

These books are sometimes available on Amazon, but can also be purchased second hand online. I do not know if the more recently published editions have been altered.
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And here are a few fiction stories that are just fun or sweet without being Christian.

The Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

I doubt that I need to say much about these to explain them because they are so well known, but these books follow the adventures of the Ingalls family as they moved around in the United States frontier in the early days. They are fiction based on a true story and, while they have a fair bit of struggle, they are also inspiring for learning to live through hardships and survive.

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For adults and young adults:

Then I will recommend two fiction books by Grace S. Richmond. These books were written years ago and have a winsome vintage quality that I personally find to be gentle and enjoyable.

Strawberry Acres - [Spoiler Alert] Follows the adventures of a family of four young adult orphans and their uncle as they shift from city life to country life. This book has it's humor and a little romance, but I think it is also good to encourage you to get out and dig in the dirt and grow things, which is a good way to cheer up in and of itself. :-) It's also a good reminder to make the best of a difficult situation and not assume that something that looks bad can't be turned to something useful.

A Court of Inquiry - This book follows four adults through their relationships with various young ladies in a country boardinghouse. It initially presents various types of young women for the consideration of the reader. Then later it shows where these various young women end up as married women. It is a humorous commentary on human nature - especially young female human nature. Obviously it is from a by-gone era, but it still has its charms and is applicable to modern young women in some ways. :-) This book has an element of romance as well, but it is not exactly the main story.

These books can be enjoyed by young people as well as adults. They have been reprinted and are for sale on Amazon (or at least one is), or you can find them free in various ebook formats or to read online at gutenberg.org

Strawberry Acres
A Court of Inquiry

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Last but not least, I recommend the poems of Annie Johnson Flint for encouragement and edification in the truth of the Lord. These poems have been a great help to me during various dark times of my own life. Miss Flint experienced some very difficult things in her own life, and God helped her to pass on the comfort and courage He gave her to us in the form of poetry.

The Poem of Annie Johnson Flint

Worth Reading - Hidden Rainbow by Christmas Carol Kauffman

Hidden Rainbow

By Christmas Carol Kauffman

Rated: "Couldn't put it down."
Highly recommended.

Here is the true story of John and Anna Olesh, a Yugoslavian couple who unexpectedly became the owners of a New Testament. At that time the Bible was a forbidden book in those parts because the Roman Catholic Church had almost complete power religiously and through pulling strings politically. At that time the Roman Catholic Church was still forbidding their followers to read and study the scripture for themselves in places where they had strong control, claiming it to be dangerous for them.

Despite their fear, and the terror their family and neighbors felt on their behalf, the Oleshes were curious and eventually began to study and seek the truth, despite severe threats and even persecution by the local priest.

This story is an amazing eye-opener for those who are not aware of what life was like on a day to day basis under Roman Catholic domination. It gives a clear picture of the vice-like grip that the Roman traditions, clergy, and superstition had on people at that time in Europe. [If I remember correctly, World War I occurs during Oleshes' lives, just to give you a time frame.]

This book also encourages us to recognize what a treasure the word of God is and how very blessed we are to have our own copies without fear of punishment in the (relatively) free world most of us live in today. It is also an encouragement for truly Biblical missionary work.

The verse for this book might be: Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. 

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You can find this book used at various places online, or ask your local used book store to locate a copy for you.

Book Review: For One Moment

Art by James Archer.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

Partial spoiler alert. This summary of the plot does not spoil the whole story by any means, but it may remove some of the surprises for you.

For One Moment

By Christmas Carol Kauffman

Rated: Hard to put down. Highly recommended

This book is based upon the true life story of Herbe Englehardt, a German who grew up in the Weimer Republic and cast his lot with the Nazis when they came to power. Through the confusion of his father's divorce (when it was still a great shame), rejection by his stepmother, unhappiness, the deep sorrow of death and separation from those he loved, he arrived at the beginning of the Nazi era with a great need for something to hold on to. A patriotic zeal for Hitler and Nazism answered this deep longing. Hitler virtually became his god. When the Nazis fell Herbe's life was shattered.

This story clearly shows the tender leading by God of a soul from darkness to the glorious light of Jesus Christ. This eventually brings joy, triumph over old hurts, and healing to other hearts as well.

One of the amazing aspects of this story is how the Lord protected Herbe through his life till he was able to hear, understand, and accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It argues a good case for predestination and free will at the same time.

Another thing that encouraged me in this story was one of the couples who witnessed to Herbe. They were Christians, Lutherans, who survived the dangerous Nazi regime while still quietly sharing their faith, belief of the Bible, and love for God. This book is an encouragement in a time when so much uncertainty about the future faces many believers. God is able to keep His children. We must trust His wisdom to determine how to best use us in these perilous times. Many Christians died at the hands of the Nazis and others. Many did not. This book gives a small glimpse of how life was for the Christian survivors.

The verse for this book might be: Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

This book may be purchased here.
[Not an affiliate link.]
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Comments on the author:

Mrs. Kauffman was a Mennonite writer. She chronicled several true life stories of people who eventually became Mennonites and also wrote some fiction along those lines. However, for the most part I have not found her strongly promoting Mennonite doctrines in general, which makes her books much more useful to the church in general.

She is a good writer and we have had more than one person tell us, "I couldn't put the book down."

Note: Though the stories are gripping, there are no overly gruesome scenes that I recall. She had a good sense of what was appropriate.

Book Review - Far from Rome, Near to God

"Young Lady Reading" by Mary Cassatt

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Here is a book review my husband wrote back before we were married and which I previously published on The Home Maker's Corner.

Those of us who have lived our lives under the ideal of freedom of thought and belief, may find it hard to understand the bondage that accompanies the belief system of the Roman Catholic Church. In modern times and in some places that church has conformed herself to the environment and so some people now think that it is changed and that there is more freedom and truth there than there once was. The reason for this is that the ways of a harlot church are to conform herself to people's expectations in order to deceive people into joining her. The scripture says, speaking of a strange woman in Proverbs 5:6,  Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. This book shows that, though there is an outward appearance of freedom and liberty now in some ways, the bondage is still there. If some Catholics don't feel its power, or manage to escape it, it is either ignorance or because they are not fully subjected to her most dangerous doctrines.

Not long ago I talked to a lady who grew up in the Roman Catholic Church and in a community dominated by it in Massachusetts. She confirmed the power to bring people into bondage, even in the U.S. and in modern times. As a girl and young lady, she realized something was wrong and as soon as she could leave it, she did. She spoke of it as one would of a great escape. And indeed, it is.

Please don't be fooled into thinking that these things are no longer an issue or that it has changed. The fact that it appears to have changed while maintaining its power, core doctrines, and hierarchy only proves that there is great deception there. I really recommend this book for anyone who is in doubt of that.

Far From Rome, Near to God

Testimonies of Fifty Converted Roman Catholic Priests
Edited by Richard Bennette and Martin Buckingham

Rated: Useful - for distribution to people in Catholicism or ignorant of the bondage and futility of the Roman church. Encouraging for believers.

Guest post by Peter Stephens

...I have read part way through it, reading a little every night. It is encouraging to read the testimonies of salvation and it is interesting to meditate on the common threads of them. The men who were saved consistently started their pilgrimage by fearing God (or at least hell and purgatory) and doing the best they could to earn their salvation. Because of their R[oman] C[atholic] background they each decided that the “priest” was the ultimate example of holiness and good works (or at least their parents thought so). They each became trapped in the bondage of the RC system for many years but were never satisfied for they saw the hypocrisy of Catholicism. They all knew that their good works were not enough to save them from their sins. But by the grace of God they learned the fallacies of their ways. I am reminded of Matthew 7:7-8: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” And every one of the priests left the “church” of Rome.

Nobody is tricked into salvation. Nobody is surprised into being saved. Nobody has earned their salvation. Those who have been born again have sought the Lord and believed his Word and the finished and perfect sacrifice of our Jesus on the cross of Calvary. What a precious gift our Lord has given us!

This book may be purchased at Amazon. Or at this Christian book seller's page.
[These are not affiliate links.]

Writing Challenge #6

Ecclesiastes 12:12  And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

It's time for another writing challenge! I haven't even gotten the May challenge done yet (ack!), but I'm hoping to soon.

This month I thought it would be interesting to think about something we enjoyed reading.

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Write about a book that you especially like.

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This is not a "book report" in the strict sense. Discuss the feeling, emotions, lessons, etc., but if the book has a plot, try not to give spoilers that may ruin it for others. If you do write about the plot or give away "surprises" give a spoiler alert to warn your readers. :-)

For those among us who do book reviews often, this won't be a challenge, but for those of us who do not, this should stretch us a little. But that is the beauty of these challenges, some will fit our style more closely, but others will stretch us; and what stretches one person will not necessarily do so for another.

Enjoy!

Book Review - One Vision Only, the Biography of Isobel Kuhn

Girl Reading on the Lawn by James Archer

Once, a long time ago now, I started a book blog at The Home Maker's Corner.  It didn't get many entries, despite the fact that I'm a pretty avid reader most of the time.  Well, as a way to add content here without too much work since they are rather short bits, it seemed like it might be a good idea to transfer the few posts I have there to this blog now and, if time and interest permits, maybe put up an occasional new one later on. My reading interests are somewhat varied, so there should be a little variety.  Also, I read quite a lot of vintage books, so some of these will not be available from the local book store.  If you are interested, you may have to look up a copy through ABEbooks.com or Amazon's used book dealers. You could also check with your local used book dealer.  Some of them will try to find books for readers.

Today's book review is about one of my favorite writers.  Her book In the Arena has been a great help to me at various times in my life.

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One Vision Only - Biography of Isobel Kuhn
By Carolyn L. Canfield
Out of print.

Rated: Highly recommended. An edifying and enjoyable read.

Here is a sweet biography of the beloved missionary/author Isobel Kuhn. Mrs. Kuhn, with her husband, was a missionary to the Lisu tribe in western China prior to and during the days of the Communist take over. She wrote a number of books which were well loved and read by many Christians over the years. This biography gives an account of her life from the perspective of others, as well as a large middle portion that is quoted from an unpublished manuscript by Isobel (it may have been published as a short book later). With quotes from letters and observations from friends, this book gives a different look at a life that was largely lived under the motto "God First".

For anyone who has enjoyed Isobel Kuhn's writings, this book is a must. For anyone who has not, it will be a good introduction to her and there are plenty of her helpful, edifying and sometimes humorous observations, as usual.

Too many Christian biographies glorify the subject far beyond measure. To the credit of the author, this book does not do that too much, perhaps largely because Isobel herself was so open and frank about her own faults and the author of this book knew her personally and consulted with her in writing the book. There is some bit of exalting in places, but it is not too thick to digest. Mrs. Kuhn's own keen sense of humor and honesty helped her see the ridiculousness of human nature and to admit to it's faults, both in herself and others. An honest author could not write an accurate account of her life and force a halo and wings where they would not fit! Mrs. Canfield obviously strove to be honest in her writing.

This book has a bittersweet ending as it closes with the account of Isobel going to be with the Lord. For those who have read her other books it is "the end of the story" which we can never get from her own writings. Anyone who has known and loved her through her books will probably feel like they lost a good friend when they read of her Home-going, despite the fact that she has been gone so long already (humanly speaking). But, as always, it is good to see a servant of our Lord "faithful unto death."

One plus in this book is that, as far as I remember, all the scripture quotes are from the KJV Bible. This is not true of Isobel's own books, so it makes this one a bit more enjoyable for me personally.

I also appreciated the author dealing with some of Isobel's early faults as a young Christian. One in particular was her tendency to use accusations and work on people's emotions to try to force them to do what she perceived to be God's will. She was rightly ashamed of this later when she had matured beyond this. There are many Bible believing Christians today who could do well to learn this lesson too.

A good verse for this book: Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.