This
month wasn’t the biggest reading month I’ve ever had, but I will share with you
the books I did complete!
I started this month’s reading with a borrowed memoir. You all know how
much I love the Little House television series, and my sister loves it
too. Dean Butler, who played Almanzo, is one of her favorites on the show, and
he released a memoir this year. I gave it to her for her birthday, and when she
finished reading it, she sent it to me so I could read it! The book is called Prairie
Man: My Little House Life and Beyond. Dean is the first male cast member to
write a book about his Little House life, and it’s actually the first
book by any cast member that I’ve read. (Yet.)
I
have mixed feelings on this book, so I’ll tell you both sides of my thoughts
and you can decide what wins for you.
Let’s
start with the hard so we can end with the good. I didn’t fall in love with the
writing like I hoped to. (Dean has gone on to write and produce in the
industry, but for some reason, I just didn’t wholeheartedly love the writing.)
He’s a good storyteller, and the book was written conversationally, but it
didn’t grab my soul like I hoped. He also was a little too open with
some details for my tastes. There was some language I could have done without,
and a few love life stories that I didn’t find necessary. Though I will say, on
the flip side, that he did purposefully protect some details for the sake of
others involved, and I did appreciate that. I don’t think memoirs need to be
nasty tell-alls. The book also started slow for me, but once I got into it, I
felt like it picked up appropriately. Also, to be fair, he wrote about other
pieces of his acting life (as the title said he would) but I have never watched
him in any other role, so I didn’t connect to those stories as deeply.
With
those things aside, let me tell you what I loved. I really appreciated seeing
the behind-the-scenes glimpses into the world of the acting industry and Little
House as a whole. I like that sort of thing – whether as footage on film or
written.
I’ve
always known that Dean is a Little House advocate, btu this book helped
explain more of why he has chosen to be one. I appreciate that he recognizes
how profoundly that role shaped his life and he honors it rather than being
frustrated by how it may have defined him in the eyes of TV viewers.
One
of the most fascinating parts, for me, was Dean’s explanation of how every
single cast member on Little House had a very different relationship
with Michael Landon. He encouraged his readers to also read the books the other
cast members have written to learn more about how each of them related to
Michael. He was careful to honor Michael’s life while being honest about their
relationship, which was a bit more distant and strained than some other cast
members experienced. I don’t know that I have ever seen an author champion
fellow writers so completely (inside a book) and it really did make me want to
read more books by cast members.
I’m
glad I read this. It won’t go down as my favorite book of all time, but I do
not regret the time I spent in its pages. It was good for me to remember that
though Dean gave his all to portraying Almanzo, he is not Almanzo, and I
can’t expect him to be. It was a good experience to meet the man behind the
character.
**
The
second book I read this month was a children’s book, so it was a quick read!
When Ryan and I saw Brent Vernon in concert last month, I purchased one of the
few books of his that I didn’t yet own. (I think I’m only short one now.) I
chose Audrey and the Nutcracker and loved it just as much as I knew I
would!
Brent
has written a trio of books about Audrey Amaka, the neckless giraffe. I own
those books, love them, and even have featured one in a retreat talk I’ve done!
This book is, as you might imagine, a Christmas book, and you know how much I
love Christmas!
In
this book, written and illustrated by Brent, Audrey receives two special early
Christmas gifts – a Nutcracker Prince and a pair of fuzzy blue sparkly slippers
to match her sparkly blue heels. Audrey falls asleep wearing her slippers and
has an amazing dream in which she travels on a magical journey with the
Nutcracker Prince. When she wakes up, she has an opportunity to share the
Christmas spirit with friends in need, and she makes brave choices that show
the depth of Christmas joy and sacrifice.
The
story is cute, the illustrations are amazing, and the lesson tucked into the
story is good for kids – and honestly, a good reminder for adults too!
I
am excited to have this book in my library! Great job, Brent!
**
I
really thought I would be done with Beth Moore’s memoir I’m reading right now,
but I haven’t quite completed it yet. I’m loving it, though. And every single
word enters my brain in her voice!
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