My compassion for Thoreau expanded page by page as I read. I love the man, the good, the bad, and the indifferent. Isn’t that true of all of us humans? We have our admirable parts, as well as those dark places we want to hide, at least those we know about or to which we are indifferent.
Thoreau kept detailed journals most of his life. Thankfully we are the privy to them through his published writings: Walden, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, The Maine Woods, and Civil Disobedience.
I loved this book because I felt I was talking with Henry as we walked along. We had much in common.

     Remember in school you were taught never to include in a book report: Everyone must read this book? Well, that’s what I want to say about ‘Fifth Business.” But instead, I will recommend it to everyone, knowing that not everyone will love it.
     Protagonist Dunstan Ramsay writes his memoir in the form of a post-retirement letter to the headmaster of the school were has taught his entire adult life. His purpose is to clarify misgivings about how he is perceived toward the end of his life. His story reveals how he has been the Fifth Business in the lives of others, namely his boyhood friend, Boy, and Mary Dempster, for who he feels responsible due to a childhood accident.
     From the NYT, Nov. 25, 1970: “Fifth business? Here is the definition that Davies offers in a preface: "Those roles which, being neither those of Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor Villain, but which were nonetheless essential to bring about the Recognition or the denouement, were called the Fifth Business in drama and opera companies organized according to the old style; the player who acted these parts was often referred to as Fifth Business."
      I read this book word for word. No speed reading possible. I hope you will be on of those everyones who loves it. I will read it again.

     My first thought isn’t about compassion, although I do feel compassion for the second class/servant role that women have played in history, and unfortunately still do. As wives, regardless of the circumstances, they had few choices, and that includes Mr. Emerson’s wife, Lidian. That being said, I love the way Brown develops the character of these people we know in history, especially Emerson and Thoreau.
     Living next door to Concord, I’ve visited many of the places mentioned in this novel. I’m ready to explore some more, as well as read a biography of Emerson, and, reread Walden. Hmm, I notice I’m not rushing to read Emerson’s original works. I figure a biography will include enough for me.

Yesterday I visited friend’s new granddaughter, little Josie, two months old. What joy. I left smiling, knowing that she will have many ‘bedtime stories’ because she was born into a family that knows the value of reading to young children, and, that will give her books.
Every day I spent teaching kindergarten and first grade was based on the theory and practice of reading out loud. I wrote about it in the books I published for teachers, and in For Reading Out Loud, the book my daughter and I wrote together. When my grandchildren were born, the reading aloud began again, and, so did the book giving, but with a twist.
On special occasions—birthdays, holidays, visits at house or theirs (be creative), I would write a letter to them on the inside cover of the book I was giving them for the occasion. It would start: Dear Colin, Jemma, Clement, or Abigail (don’t forget to date it), and go from there with whatever came into my mind to tell them--the immediate situation, such as what we might do together, what they liked, wonderful things they were doing, where they were living. I’d tell them what I remembered about their mom or dad when they were the same age. It wasn’t hard to write, because, after all, I was just conversing with a little person I loved. What fun to pick just the right book, and then begin writing.
So, all you grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, and parents, too, I pass this suggestion along to you. Start your own very special collection of books for the very special person in your life.

Hilarious memoir of time serving in various roles at the White House, including assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for operations. Alyssa has nothing but admiration for Obama, but this book is about her life journey, the easy, hard, good, bad, most of all, her honesty.

Loved this book. It begins and ends in Florence at some of my favorite spots. And in between Tess and Gus lead their lives the best they can. In fact, they do it quite well, compassionate people that they are, responding to the good and the bad, and always able to move on.
Always fun to have a book that I want to keep reading all afternoon, which I did. Very grateful for the luxury.

Another book about Nazi Germany, this one set in Poland. Based on a true story of the zoo keeper and his wife saving three hundred Jews in the midst of occupied Warsaw. Compassion does not begin to express how I feel. I am humbled beyond belief by the horror people go through in war and by the resilience they demonstrate to stay alive and to help others live.
    I liked the film.

World War II stories, with a holocaust theme are showing up on library and bookstore shelves these days. Lilac Girls is a good read. I came away with compassion for all three lilac girls: for Kasia, victim of Nazi medical experiments, Caroline, who worked for safe havens for Jewish children, and even Herta Oberheuser, a Nazi doctor.

An 8 Day Ignatian Retreat, by Thomas P. Rausch, SJ
Lilac Girls, by Martha Hall Kelly
The Beautiful Necessity: Seven Essays on Theosophy and
Architecture, by Claude Bragdon
A Light in the Window, by Jan Karon
Sisters: A Novel, by Lily Tuck