A Year in Provenance by Peter Mayle

A Year in Provence 
by Peter Mayle
Adult Non-Fiction

"Peter Mayle tells what it is like to realize a long-cherished dream and actually move into a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in the remote country of the Luberon with his wife and two large dogs. He endures January's frosty mistral as it comes howling down the Rhone Valley, discovers the secrets of goat racing through the middle of town, and delights in the glorious regional cuisine." 

This book was an all-expenses-paid vacation to Provence, France, without the annoyance of standing through security, enduring a long, claustrophobic plane ride, and memorizing how to say the 'lady's room' from a tiny French guidebook. The best way to travel, in my opinion. And what a trip it was. 

We get to see the back-roads, forests, and restaurants of France that a normal tourist wouldn't know existed. But it's really the characters and the narrator who are the heartbeat of this novel. In his witty, warm way, Mayle introduces us to his lecture-loving, humorous plumber, the inexperienced hunters who dress like they're experienced, and the various aspects of truffle-hunting. 

Mayle has an entertaining way of sharing an anecdote about something that seems like an ordinary event, like a celebratory dinner, and shaping it with humor until it settles on your mind like a cozy blanket that you don't want to take off because it feels so good. 

The author gives us a rich and real picture of Provence without dipping into criticism or dull facts. He takes you, month by month, through the year in this perplexing, wonderful place until you feel like it's your home as well. 

The only aspect in this book that I had a hard time with was the usage of French words. I didn't have a problem with him sprinkling them in, since he is in France, after all, but several times he didn't mention the meaning of a particular word, leaving me in the dark about the point he was trying to tell. This did not occur often, however, so I still award this novel a 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend it for 16 year olds and up.

Also, bring an empty stomach to A Year in Provence, because many of his anecdotes revolve around food!

*Mayle has also written a novel titled, My Twenty-Five Years in Provence, which I will definitely find and proceed to devour. Another cheap (if not free) trip to France! 

Hanging out with Harper Lee

The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee
By Marja Mills
Non-Fiction Memoir 

"To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best loved novels of the twentieth century. In 2004, with Alice and Harper Lee's blessing, Mills moved into the house next door to the sisters. She spent the next eighteen months there, sharing coffee at MacDonald's and trips to the laundromat with Nelle (aka Harper Lee), feeding the ducks and going out for catfish suppers with the sisters, and exploring all over lower Alabama with the Lees and their inner circle of friends. 

"Nelle shared her love of history, literature, and the Southern way of life with Mills, as well as her keen sense of how journalism should be practiced. As the sisters decided to let Mills tell their stories, Nelle helped make sure she was getting that-and the South-right. Alice, the keeper of the Lee family history, shared the stories of their family." 

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I checked this book out of the library, as I've never read a book about living next door to a famous author. Mills opened up a window into these sweet women's lives, who were graciously willing to allow her and us, the readers, into them. It was mind-boggling how simple their lives truly are (except for, perhaps, that Alice still practices law at age 90). Why wouldn't they be? But we, at least I, expect people who write great things to live great lives. Not that simple living isn't great, but it just wasn't what I had in mind. It was refreshing, though, to relax and just enjoy the simple pleasures in life that the Lee's explore on a day-to-day basis. 

There is some background information about the making of the various movies, the Lee's family, and Harper Lee's fears, which help put flesh on this mysterious woman, and I found fascinating. 

I enjoyed traveling with Mills through the back roads of Alabama with these wise, yet fun-loving, sisters and their friends. I loved seeing how their Alabama, the Alabama of To Kill a Mockingbird, once existed, and how, sadly, it is fading away like a cicada's song at the end of summer. At the end of the book, I felt like I had become good friends with all three, a part of their intimate, book-loving, adventure-hunting trio. It was sad to say good-bye on the last page. 

I do wish I had re-read the novel before I read this book, as characters and places from the book are mentioned in this memoir, and they're bit foggy in my memory. You don't have to re-read the classic tale before you read this book, but I do suggest it so you can reap even more gold from Mill's laid-back telling. I also wish she had mentioned something about the second novel Lee wrote, Go Set a Watchmen, since she discusses almost everything, but perhaps she left before then or didn't have permission. 

I give this novel a 4 out of 5 and recommend it for anyone (older than a child) who adores To Kill a Mockingbird. 

What I learned: Beauty can be appreciated without the need to possess it. 

Living in Afghanistan

In the Land of Blue Burqas 
by Kate McCord (a protective pseudonym)
Genre: Non-Fiction

"The gray-bearded and black-bearded man in the back of the rickshaw eyed me. The gray-bearded man asked me, 'Are you a Muslim?'

"For him, the word Muslim had a very clear definition. He did not just mean 'Are you submitted to God?' To which I could have said, 'Yes, of course.' He meant something much more precise: 'Do you submit to the laws of the Prophet Mohammed as recorded in the Holy Quran and Hadith and as taught by the mullahs?' Whatever true response I could give would not be welcome.

"Still, I could give a true response. I answered the gray-bearded man's question softly without arrogance or apology, 'No, I am not a Muslim. I am a follower of the Honorable Jesus Messiah.'

"The black-bearded man scowled, his brows furrowed. He leaned too close to my face and glared directly into my averted eyes. His words came out as a command, short and abrupt: 'You should become a Muslim. It would be better for you in this life and the next.'"

I cannot imagine living through many of the situations that this woman found herself in. For five years, this single American woman lived in a hostile country among people completely different to her, with beliefs on the other side of a chasm from hers. But thankfully, God can cross any chasm, no matter the length.

This book was exceptionally written. I felt close to the author, like I was sipping tea across from her as she told me about her adventures and conversations in this harsh, yet beautiful land. These conversations are very clear and poignant. I did not return from the land of this book the same; I have a greater sympathy for Afghans, understood a little more where their worldview originates from, and the world they live in. I liked how Kate (yes, we're even on a first-name basis, though that's not her real name), didn't just say that Afghans are really like us, and all people are the same. She recognized how different their livelihoods and beliefs are from ours, respected those differences, and tried to understand them; she didn't shy away from difference.

It was really amazing, and such a God-thing, that this woman was able to live for so long with her Afghan neighbors in relative safety. I respected how she tried to follow their rules and enter their culture. She was very cautious about everything, all the time, and always attempted to live in a way that respected their culture. Kate also talked about Jesus in a way they would understand, and often shared the stories he told with her Afghan friends to explain a difficult concept. It convicted me, because not often do I share Christ's teachings with those around me, nor am I so delighted to listen to them as the Afghans were.

At first, I was a bit confused/lost in the structure of this book, because it is built on different themes, not a plot. But it only took the first two chapters to get it. I also wished that Kate went into more detail about all that she did in Afghanistan and more about her personally, but I understand how careful she must be with these stories.

One more thing that I had a problem with this book was that I didn't like how Kate kind-of downplayed the gospel. Not Jesus, but the great story of how we need Him. She focused, at least in this novel, on people hearing Jesus's teachings and changing their mindsets based on that. I definitely think this can happen, but I believe only true, lasting peace and change can come from fully embracing Christ. I'm sure she shared the gospel, and she had to be careful if/when she did. I just wished she would have included these encounters more, if possible.

This novel gave me a love for the Afghans and also a greater appreciation for Christ as I saw him laid next to another culture's god. This woman's story is an awesome picture of Christ's love and humility, and I want to strive to be more like her.

I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 and recommend it for 16 year-olds and up because of the depth of the content.

What I learned: Where to begin? To many Muslims, the idea that God is love/loving is strange and new. Pausing before responding to someone is an excellent strategy. The sun, light, and warmth is an excellent picture of the Trinity. Why, you ask? You must read the book to find out!

A Review: Mere Christianity

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Genre: Non-Fiction

Incerpt from back: "One of the most popular introductions to Christian faith ever written, Mere Christianity has sold millions of copies worldwide. The book brings together C.S. Lewis's legendary broadcast talks of the war years, talks in which he set out simply to 'explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times." Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity's many denominations, Lewis provides an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith. It is a collection of scintillating brilliance that remains strikingly fresh for the modern reader and at the same time confirms C.S. Lewis's reputation as one of the leading writers and thinkers of our age."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was pretty easy to read, more so than the other novels by him that I have read, and the arguments made a lot of sense. Also, it was funny in places. I know, who thought that scholarly, dead men could be funny in their non-fiction novels, right? This one definitely was in places, and gave the brain a brief respite. Lewis also uses quite a bit of similes/metaphors/descriptions to prove his points, and they really clarified his ideas and pressed them into the reader's mind.

And don't fret about the 'Christian' content. Lewis doesn't hit you over the head, and this novel is sensitive to all kinds of audiences. It actually seems to be more for those who don't hold to the Christian beliefs than those who do, although both can gain new insights from it. This is a great read for anyone (no matter the spiritual beliefs) who is interested in the deeper aspects of life, like morality, faith, and the concept of God. I give it a 5 out of 5 because it was so well written and tackles great topics. I recommend it for anyone around late high school age and up.

What I learned: So much! But here's two: Sometimes you must act like you love someone so that you actually will; feeling follows action. Morality is different than our human instincts (like motherly love) because it is often what tells you which instinct to act upon.