Category: Book reviews

This is a “classic in Mormon literature,” and I decided that it was time to read the whole thing. Anyone who has attended institute or seminary has heard parts of Parley’s autobiography, especially his description of Joseph Smith.

It’s a good read, especially if you know Joseph Smith’s history because Parley weaves in and out of Joseph’s sphere and gives a remarkable view of what was going on in the Church elsewhere. For instance, I didn’t know (or had forgotten) that while Joseph, Hyrum, and others were in Liberty Jail, Parley P. Pratt, W.W. Phelps, and King Follett were imprisoned in a different town.

It was touching to read a vision he had of his deceased wife, sent to comfort him in prison. I turned down the page to remember that part. Parley’s account of his escape was a lot of fun to read. I think he enjoyed writing it.

He gives a broader view of where Church members lived. Not everyone followed the saints to Ohio, Nauvoo, and Salt Lake City. Members lived throughout the eastern states and missionaries were continually sent back to strengthen these branches.

Parley’s autobiography is a big travel log. From England to San Francisco, Canada to Chile, he really got around, without purse or scrip. He was often sick, nearly froze to death, nearly died of thirst, and endured many ocean voyages and treks across the west. One of his principal duties, wherever he lived, was to write for the Church.

I liked that he included some of his sermons from his mission to Canada, which resulted in the baptism of Lorenzo Snow & Joseph Fielding. These were my favorite doctrinal chapters.

His autobiography is nearly silent about his 12 wives. Now and then he mentions a different one by name. Nowhere does he share the names of all of them. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Perhaps, given the opposition to polygamy, he doesn’t mention their names in order to protect them. He died at the hands of the estranged husband of his twelfth wife.

His posterity is enormous, and you may be interested to know that Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman are both descendants (great-great and great-great-great grandsons) of Parley P. Pratt.

Have you heard about this book by Susan Cain? I debated about reading it because I don’t really go for psychobabble or New York Times best sellers.

Finally, I succumbed and read it. It took me a while to get through it because she gave me a lot to think about. She was writing about ME. Memories from my childhood, of my decisions, my strengths and weaknesses, and our decision about home school demanded some think time after each reading session. Through my reading, I found some validation in my choices to avoid crowds and to facilitate a quiet learning environment for my children. I repeat: this book was ALL ABOUT ME.

The words about sensitivity and brain function were interesting. Introverts appear to have more complex thinking processes. It can take a little longer for an introvert to speak, but it’s worth the wait. Too few people understand this. They mistake hesitation for timidity or worse.

Introverts are often more sensitive to sounds, lights, tastes, and the feelings of others. No wonder these sensitive people feel overloaded after a day of school, 3 hours of church, shopping, or a party.

Personality has not always been a part of our vocabulary. Schools that once emphasized character now focus on personality and social development. But what about the 30-50% of the students who do not work well in group environments? What about those students who prefer reflection over conversation? What effect does this hyper-focus on speaking as a measure of intelligence have on quiet people?

What about the 30-50% of people who are introverts who must work in offices with open floor plans to facilitate group thinking, and for whom this social environment is exhausting? Although studies indicate that decisions made by groups (or most likely, the most vocal in the groups) are poorer than those decisions made by thoughtful people in a quiet environment, it seems that our culture still values the talkers over the non-talkers.

Where do you find the introverts at a family cabin? In the nooks and crannies. They are often misunderstood as aloof, unfeeling, and antisocial. Introverts are social and need social interaction, but on a deeper level. Small talk is exhausting; a deep, private conversation about ideas fuels an introvert.

Introverts can be especially powerful. Ghandi and Mother Theresa were introverts. Their leadership wasn’t about charisma. It was about conviction. An introvert can do amazing things, especially if they feel strongly about these things.

The book’s flaws are some sweeping generalizations (although the author tries very hard to tell us she’s trying to avoid them) and a frustratingly shallow description of the strengths of extroverts. The book’s strengths are the windows into brain function research and the historical and cultural perspective on how extroversion became the Western Ideal.

Here’s my soap box message:

A quiet child is not necessarily scared or confused and those labels, such as “timid” and “shy” do more damage than you can imagine, especially if that introverted child is also sensitive. And just because a quiet child doesn’t talk much doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot going on inside. We can help them express themselves without making them feel like they are less capable.

I decided to read the book club favorite, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. I delayed it for months, not sure if I wanted to read about the atrocities of a WWII Japanese POW camp… or about B-24’s… or about a rebellious punk who makes good.

I was caught almost immediately by the author’s style and the dynamic Louie Zamperini. I told Richard that I couldn’t believe it, but the author had made me enjoy reading about war planes. I caught him reading over my shoulder and he said, “You’re right. This author has a very readable style.”

However, it should have been no surprise that I enjoyed this. Memoirs are some of my favorite reads.

My favorite part is when Louie and Phil are stranded on an inflatable raft in the ocean with no food or water. The description of silence, stillness, and the accompanying sharpening of the senses and memories was profound to me. I think Louie’s journey to peace began here, long before he was taken as a prisoner of war.

Through scrunched-up eyelids, I endured the POW camp descriptions and the tales of the sadistic guards, especially The Bird. I was dismayed but not surprised when Louie came home and slipped into alcoholism and violence. I saw the book coming to an end too quickly to resolve his angst and be worthy of the title, “Unbroken.” Louie Zamperini seemed pretty broken to me.

For a week I have stewed about Louie’s amazing turn-around. At first I thought that if the author took the time to describe in detail the planes and maps and biographies in Louie’s life, the least she could have done is describe the religious awakening of Louie Zamperini with a few more words. I felt like for all the pain and trouble Louie had suffered, the solution should have taken years, not days.

But then I decided to think about things in a different way. The only real solution to problems IS simple. It’s the Savior, Jesus Christ. The author could write pages and pages about the anatomy of a man-made plane, but the process of conversion, forgiveness, and renewal are not so easily described. I’m grateful the author didn’t try to explain the miracle, making common the divine and profound.

The two friends, Louie and Phil are great foils to one another. While Louie depended on his determination and spunk to get through his trials, the author asserts that Phil’s strength came from a deep religious belief. In the end, however, Louie’s determination alone is insufficient to heal the wounds of the war. It is deep religious belief that ultimately saves each of them.

The Savior makes a change of heart possible. Changing your heart means that you choose to look at things a different way. For Louie, this meant that he now looked at his accident as a miracle because HIS life was spared. It meant looking at his tormentor with pity, not hate. Conversion propelled him into a life of service, which is also a great healer.

So, thanks, Ms. Hillenbrand for not explaining away the miracle and for the great telling of the life of Louie Zamperini.