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Books as friends and teachers

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by Crabtownboy, Jun 22, 2013.

  1. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”
    ― Charles William Eliot
     
  2. preacher4truth

    preacher4truth Active Member

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    All this time I took you as a 'Ne'er a piece of literature!' Scripture only type of feller!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    I just got 6 books for Fathers Day. (actually a gift card, I ordered 6 books)
     
  3. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    I read fairly widely. Books are wonderful friends and as others have said in various ways with books the ancients can talk to us.

    Currently I am reading:

    The Kite Runner [fiction]

    Blind Descent [non-fiction about super-cavers]

    Recently I read:

    Custer [History]

    The War of 1812 [History]

    A Heart for Freedom: The Remarkable Journey of a Young Dissident, Her Daring Escape, and Her Quest to Free China's Daughters [Memoir of a Chinese woman who was one of the leaders during the 1989 Tienanmen Square protests. She hide for a year and was secreted out of China and ended up in the US. She became a Christian and has done important work in helping women and opposing the one-child policy in China.]

    The Incense game [fiction -- medieval Japan]
     
    #3 Crabtownboy, Jun 22, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 22, 2013
  4. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    I am with you here.

    Sounds like an interesting read.

    I have a fascination with books about China. In the last year (aside from my theological literature) I have rread a number of books about China.

    Pearl S.Buck stands at the head of the list. She was a daughter of missionary parents in China. I certainly don't agree with her religious views which departed from the Faith once delivered;but here writing is so on the mark and captivating even if critics have ripped her books to shreads.

    Here are some of her books that I have read with enjoyment 9even though some contents are not so fun). No time for comments about each.

    The Good Earth
    A House Divided
    The Exile
    The Fighting Angel
    My Several Worlds
    Dragon Seed (Still reading it)

    Jung Chang is a contemporary author. Please read her works.

    Wild Swans:Three Daughters of China
    Mao : The Unknown Story

    Nien Cheng wrote wonderfully (not for the faint of heart though)

    Life and Death in Shanghai

    Faith Cook,who writes compelling biographical stories,has an autobiographical sketch of her earlier life: Troubled Journey

    There are others that I have temporarily have forgotten aside from works about Hudson Taylor.
     
  5. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    You would also like Pearl Buck's Letter from Peking.. As with all her books it is an interesting read. Toward the end of the book she makes the statement that goes something like this, The Chinese women is the toughest women in the world. They have to be as they have been the unwanted child for 3000 years.

    Mildred Cable, an early missionary to China, wrote a number of books that are fascinating as she writes about life in a China that has disappeared. To me her most interesting book is The Gobi Desert: the Adventures of Three Women. The three women were Mildred Cable, her sister and a French woman, all missionaries, and this book covers the 13 years of travel in the Gobi ... and this was before there were trains or cars.

    Peter Hessler has written three excellent books on China:

    River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze
    Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present
    Country Driving: A Journey from Farm to Factory

    Another book I really liked was :

    A Higher Kind of Loyalty by Liu Binyan. He is one of the bravest people I have every read. He was an investigative reporter who was jailed numerous times because he reported the truth about corruption and misdeeds of the Communist Party and officials in China.

    Red Azalea by Anchee Min. Since you liked Wild Swans I am sure you would like this book also.

    If you want I can give you a rather long list of books on China. There are so many good books about China.
     
  6. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    I want to save some space. I appreciated all the book notes you gave. I will try to get to them eventually. And of course,you can tell me of others. I hope I can get to them before I die. :laugh:
     
  7. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    I hope you borrow some ... or all from your public library. Otherwise they might bust your budget.
     
  8. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    Of the ones I listed six were library books. Of course I'll not buy all the ones you listed. Borrowing is more my style.
     
  9. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    I took shortcuts. I read the above using the Reader's Digest version along with:Imperial Woman.

    I finally finished that book last night.It was excellent.

    They're on my list!

    His wife is Leslie T. Chang. Eventually I'd like to read her book :Factory Girls.

    Amy Tan has gotten good reviews for :The Valley of Amazement. So many books --so little time.

    Oh,I finished Pearl S. Buck's book two weeks ago :The Mother. It was wonderful. And it had no character names. It was done simply but beautifully.
     
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