Boycott Beef

Title: Fast Food Nation

Author: Eric Schlosser

Reading Goal: N/A


Rating: *****

Review: I loved most of Fast Food Nation. I saw it in Borders four years ago, and knew I HAD to read it. Luckily I found this copy at a yard sale last fall. I started reading it in August, and (surprise surprise) put it down for a while. I decided earlier this week (Thursday, I believe) to finish it as soon as possible.

I liked the first few chapters when I started reading. The explanations of origins of fast food giants were fun to read. I spent years working in Subway, Wendy's and Jack-in-the-Box, so the information about the inner workings of the companies was not surprising to me. I am greatful that someone brought this lifestyle to the limelight. The chapters discussing the meatpacking industry revolted me. Thanks to the American education I received, I credited The Jungle with originating more reform than it deserved. While I'm not fully prepared to go Vegan, I will definitely think twice before ordering a burger, or even a pepperoni pizza.

Schlosser would like to see Americans boycott fast food companies. I'd also reccomend packing a lunch for your child to take to school, buying local produce, along with e-mailing McD's, Jack-in-the-Box, Yum brands, Wendy's and Hardees and demanding better wages, unions and safer conditions for meat packers. E-mail the FDA, the USDA, every organization associated with food, encouraging them to fix the working conditions in these places. I think a carefully staged e-mail and snail mail campaign to the right corporations could have a greater impact than Schlosser dreamed.

The Regime

Title: The Regime: Before They Were Left Behind Book 2

Authors: Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

Reading Goal: 4 chapters a day, finish in 10 Days

Rating: ****1/2

Review: The prequel series maintains the pace of the orignial, and that's great. Once I really dug into the book, I finished it in about two days. I offered the 1/2 star because now I have no idea how they will fit a third book into the series. The timeline just doesn't work...

I read this book 5 years after I finished the series, and four years after I read the first prequel. I was still able to follow it well, but I'd reccomend reading them close together, or at least skimming the first one before reading this. These books do a great job of setting up the relationships, so it's easier to see why the characters made the choices they did in the series. The prequels are a must-read for any longtime fan.

Jesus Freaks 2

Title: Jesus Freaks Volume II: Revolutionaries

Author: dc Talk and Voice of the Martyrs

Reading Goal: N/A

Rating: ****1/2

Review: I saw Jesus Freaks in Borders in 2000 and was instantly hooked. I read the first few pages and could not put it down! Within months I owned it, and read it in days. I LOVED it. Every page. I kept it for years and constantly referred back to it. I may still have it somewhere. When I read about a sequel, I was ecstatic! It's been over eight years, but I have now read all the Jesus Freaks books.

Jesus Freaks was a hard act to follow. I can honestly say I prefer it to this one. I don't know if it's that my life changed so much, or I have a different perspective, or what, but I had a really hard time relating to the people portrayed. The stories were good, but just good. Not great. Not phenomenal. Just good. There weren't as many girls mentioned in this one, either, and that may have affected my views. It's hard for me to relate to a 30 year old man living in India....

Still, a Jesus Freak is a Jesus freak. This book offers a slightly different perspective on history than what is traditionally offered. I think people would do well to read some of the church history presented here. All in all, it was pretty good. If there's a Volume III, I'll buy it the day it's released.

The BFG

Title: The BFG

Author: Roald Dahl

Reading Goal: None specified

Rating: ****1/2

Review: This is a charming classic from the beloved children's author. Dahl describes the atrocities of the other giants, as well as the graces of the Big Friendly Giant. Children will enjoy the mixed-up language of the BFG, and parents can talk with them about orphans and families. The ending is lighter than many Dahl stories, and the movie compliments the book rather well.

Freedom!

Title: Get Out of That Pit

Author: Beth Moore

Reading Goal: None

Rating: *****

Review: I started this book last year when I was really depressed. Beth showed me God's way out. I really appreciate what she does with LP ministries. Life doesn't have to continue in the pit. If you're struggling, this is the book for you. Having said that, I was out when I came back to finish this book. From a former pit-dweller eye, there wasn't much there.

Count Your Blessings

Title: Multiple Blessings

Author: Jon & Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson

Reading Goal: None Specified

Rating:*****

Review: Any longtime fan of Jon & Kate is familiar with their story. I've been addicted to the show for just over a year, and still found many new stories and tidbits in reading their journey. If you don't know, Jon and Kate tried fertility treatments and had twins, then Kate wanted "just one more" so they tried again. God has a plan bigger than them, and handed out "just one more" times six! Eight babies in three years is no easy feat, and Kate talks candidly about their struggles and joys along the way. There are family pictures from the early days throughout the book. The begins with their wedding and ends with the move to their current house. I felt like Kate was a great friend before, now I feel I know her fully.

FLDS Truths

Title: Stolen Innocence

Author: Elissa Wall with Lisa Pulitzer

Reading Goal: 3 chapters a day, finish in 11 days

Rating: *****

Review: While Ms. Wall is certainly not a professional writer, her breakthrough memoir is amazing. She details growing up in the FLDS church and her family's struggles to fit in. I chose to read this before Escape, also about FLDS because Elissa is six months younger than me, and her son and my daughter are months apart in age. I found it easier to relate to her hormonal struggles. There are a few scenes that could cause squeemishness, but all in all it's PG. For anyone who's ever wondered what life is like inside the compounds, this is the book to read. The afterward provided a very different perspective on the 2008 raid from what the media painted. Even more proof we can't always believe the news.

Dawn

Title: Dawn

Author: Elie Wiesel

Reading Goal: N/A

Rating: ***1/2

Review: Dawn is another fast read by Elie Wiesel. I think it could be read before Night, but it's better to read it after. I found the drama in Night much more interesting. The themes expressed in Dawn are incredibly significant considering the modern era.