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This collection of essays from C.S. Lewis includes "The Weight of Glory", which explores humanity's innate desire for God. The essay says that the ultimate reward for a Christian is, not just to know God, but to be known by God. To be acknowledged and to receive approval from the Creator is the very essence of "glory". Lewis talks from his own experience about how one of the most awful human experiences is to be ignored as if you did not matter, but to be noticed and invited in and welcomed as one who belongs is the highest happiness. We are not only to delight in our own glorious fellowship with God, but to also delight in the glory of our fellow human souls. Appreciating God and enjoying His Presence is the ultimate goal and design for every soul.

The introduction is written by Walter Hooper, detailing his personal relationship with C.S. Lewis with some little anecdotes of their time together that emphasize Lewis' wit and humor. Hooper describes Lewis as a "truly modest man" who was careful not to think of his own fame or literary importance, lest he should fall into the sin of pride. Hooper also explains where each of the essays and sermons were first introduced or first printed. "Why I Am Not a Pacifist" was actually a lecture to a Pacifist Society at Oxford in 1940. He gave lectures, sermons, and commemoration speeches on various topics, sometimes not of his own choosing. He was asked to address the topic "Is Theology Poetry?" for the Socratic Club in 1944 and later published it in the Socratic Digest. In 1956, he was invited to speak at a small college chapel. He gave a sermon that he titled "A Slip of the Tongue", and the building was so crowded that they had to bring in extra chairs for everyone.

"Learning in War Time" was a speech given in 1939, about why it is important to continue with your daily duties even during times of great national distress. Whether it is your duty to be a college student or drive a bus, you continue on. The arts and sciences don't suddenly lose their value because war has been declared. It seems that during this time in England, some people would take their patriotism to the extreme point where they would criticize anyone who did anything that didn't "help the war effort". Lewis points out that people had become fixated on the war and its horrors because they imagined that it brought death much nearer, but the truth is that death is always near, we just like to comfortably ignore it most of the time. But when there is a war, you can't ignore death anymore. He argues that the state of the world has not really changed during wartime, and so each person should continue with fulfilling their own responsibilities in whatever sphere they have been placed, whether in the classroom or on the battlefield.

"Why I Am Not a Pacifist" explores the moral arguments for and against pacifism. Lewis breaks down the emotional reasons behind pacifism versus the moral intuitions that prompt humanity to do what they know is right, even at great personal sacrifice. He argues that there are multiple avenues by which a person decides if something is right or wrong - through their reason, their emotions, and their intuition. People can always manufacture reasons for what they want to be moral truth, but intuition is the truth that all human beings acknowledge to be self-evident. He also explores history and the authority of government and religious leaders in relation to war, drawing the conclusion that war is always terrible, but perhaps not always the worst possible evil.

In "Transposition" Lewis gave a sermon about the sensations that we feel when experiencing something spiritual. He demonstrates that there is a transposition of a higher sensation or concept into something lower and more simple. Lewis likens it to a piano piece that has been adapted from an orchestral score. We will not understand the scope of the music, unless we have first heard all the orchestral parts, then the simpler piano piece will make more sense once we are familiar with the original. Similarly, our spiritual understanding must know the higher plane before we can put the lower things into their proper places. Just because the natural physical condition of our lives appears to be the only "real" level of existence, doesn't mean that the higher spiritual things don't exist. In fact, you can only truly understand the physical once you have entered fully into the spiritual. Lewis reminds us that "spiritual things are spiritually discerned." The physical world is an embodiment of the reality of the spiritual world.

"Is Theology Poetry?" asks whether Christians only believe in Christ because it's a pretty story that attracts us with poetic mythology. Lewis explains that Christianity actually has a much less attractive and less poetic set of beliefs than other religions or mythologies, which makes it much more reasonable to accept it as the simple truth. He compares classical poets and ancient myths to the Bible, and explores why we find those stories pleasant and attractive, and what different emotions we have in response to the Christ of the Bible. He talks about the "humiliation of myth into fact" and describes how plain facts lack the dreamy uplift of the imagination. Plain facts are "humdrum", but often contain a "deeper poetry". Lewis says that he believes in Christianity because it contains all the universe in it. In Christianity are the only answers that correspond with facts.

"The Inner Ring" was a commencement speech given to young graduates at King's College in 1944. It describes the human desire to be included in an elite exclusive group, and the pitfalls and sins that it could lead to if you let that desire override your moral compass. A group of friends or companions is not necessarily a bad thing. A sense of belonging to an exclusive membership can be good for bringing people together, but if you let the fear of being on the "outside" become your guide, you could easily be led into immoral ground.

In "Membership" Lewis attacks the concept of the faceless collective where people are expected to conform to the template laid out by the institution. He says that members of the Christian church were never meant to be all equal and the same within the Body of the Church. Just like a real body, each member has a different function, like organs and limbs. Within the membership of the Church, there is wonderful variety, which you don't see in the members of secular institutions.

"On Forgiveness" was a bit disappointing for me. I thought it would go into more depth about the different levels of forgiveness, but it was a very short essay - only 5 pages long. But it was still quite good! Lewis points out that a lot of the time when we talk about God forgiving our sins, what we really mean is that we want God to "excuse" our sins. We come to God with all of our excuses and reasons why we couldn't help it when we sinned and how it's not really our fault, when instead we should come with true contrition, admitting our wrongdoing and humbly asking for forgiveness.

"A Slip of the Tongue" is about Lewis' personal experience while praying, and he mixed up some of the words in the prayer to say that he might "pass through things eternal" and "not lose things temporal." It should be the other way around- to pass through things temporal and not lose things eternal. From there Lewis explores how we hold on to the temporal things at the risk of losing sight of the eternal. Lewis encourages the reader to stop "paddling in the shallows" and to dive deeper into faith and trust in God.

Overall, I loved this collection of essays and sermons! I recognized many famous quotes from Lewis that I have seen in other places, and it was nice to see the full context for those phrases. I love how Lewis takes his reasoning step by step so that you can easily follow his train of thought, and he leads you right to the truth at the heart of the matter.

There is something truly natural and elemental about his arguments. You can look around you at your own life and say, "Ah yes. He described it exactly. Yep, that is the way the world works. That is reality. What he is saying here is true. I can see it every day in our society around us and in how God works in people." It's not like he is spouting some kind of mystical spiritual mystery that I can never understand or observe. He cuts right into the heart of things and clearly shows you the inner workings behind the glitter of the world.

This collection of dragon tales from around the world includes legends from Mexico, Scandinavia, Greece, China, India, Poland, Egypt, Scotland, and Japan. Some are just fairy tales, some are ancient religious stories, some are connected with historic castles, but they all have an aura of enchantment. Some of the dragons are evil and greedy, and some are benevolent and generous.

I really loved that each story has a little afterword that tells us something about the culture of the area or the historic significance of the dragon legend. It's so interesting to see the cultural background of these stories! There are also some pronunciation guides for all the names of characters.

The artwork is absolutely beautiful! I love the soft style and the warm colors. Each tale has a color scheme that matches the region where the legend originated. A soft green for Scotland with celtic knot designs. A deep red for Russia, a vibrant blue for Mexico, a demure purple for Japan, and a warm orange for Greece. It's lovely to see how the illustrations and designs reflect the different cultures around the world.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

You probably have some misconceptions about bugs. Did you know that spiders aren't actually insects? Centipedes don't actually have a hundred legs. Not all bees die when they sting you, only some species and only the females. We learn about beautiful butterflies right alongside the lowly dung beetle.

I like the colorful illustrations and the way the factoids are broken up into smaller paragraphs making it easy to read.

It bothers me that this book talks about the Devonian Period and Mesozoic Era, but never says that those time periods are a theory. It states the theory as if it were fact. How can I trust a scientific book, if they don't clearly state what is fact and what is theory? Seems like very sloppy writing and it's misleading.

It seems like a lot of the information in this book doesn't have very solid scientific research as proof. Things like the theory of evolution are not sufficiently explained to support the conclusions in this book. I'm disappointed in the lack of proper information.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Starting with atoms, molecules, and energy, this book explains where all the "stuff" in the universe comes from and then takes us through various common objects and tells how they are made and what materials they are made of. We learn about paper, food, DNA, magnets, light waves, dirt, ovens, fabrics, and building materials like concrete.

It bothers me that this book talks about the Big Bang Theory, but never says that it's a theory. It states the theory as if it were fact. How can I trust a scientific book, if they don't clearly state what is fact and what is theory? Seems like very sloppy writing and it's misleading. 

It seems like a lot of the information in this book doesn't have very solid scientific research as proof. Things like climate change, the theory of evolution, and solar and wind energy are not sufficiently explained to support the conclusions in this book. I'm disappointed in the lack of proper information.

To see details of the way this book talks about the Big Bang Theory, the theory of evolution, climate change, and "clean" energy, you can check it out on the Screen It First website. https://screenitfirst.com/book/the-greatest-stuff-on-earth-2493875


Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

This book tells all about the tallest and most dangerous mountains in the world, including Mount Everest, The Mattherhorn, Chimborazo, Mount Fuji, Kilimanjaro, Denali, Puncak Jaya, and Vinson Massif. From Nepal to Tanzania to Antarctica, we learn all about these famous mountains and the people who climb them. 

There are sections about how we measure mountains, the many dangers of climbing them, and different types of mountains and how they formed from lava or earthquakes or folds in the earth's crust. We learn about having proper climbing equipment, and how to tie various knots in rope to keep you safe on the cliffs. There are sections about how to identify the symptoms of frostbite and altitude sickness, as well as how to survive an avalanche. We also get to see maps of the different routes that climbers have taken to the summit, with descriptions of the obstacles they faced. 

I love the bright illustrations in this book and the way the text is broken up into small paragraphs that are easy to read. Such a wealth of information! And not just facts about the mountains, but also information about the culture of the people who live at the base of the mountains, and their language, their religion, and their legends. So interesting to see how living near mountains has shaped many cultures around the world!

There are a lot of stories of climbers who died trying to reach the summit of various mountains. If you want to see the details of their gruesome deaths, you can check out this book on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/at-the-top-of-the-world-the-greatest-mountains-on-earth-and-how-to-climb-them-2481152 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.

Nonesuch is a dragon without a treasure. When his grandmother dies, she leaves behind a substantial treasure of gold and jewels, but it doesn't really feel quite right to Nonesuch. He goes through a transformation and discovers that he can shrink down to the size of an insect if he doesn't eat much, or he can grow larger again if he eats more. He is curious about humans, so he shrinks down and flies into an abbey where a monk is painstakingly writing and illuminating a prayer book. The monk is inspired by the sight of a tiny dragon and begins to draw him into the margins of the book. When a thief threatens to steal the precious book, Nonesuch knows that he has found a treasure he will guard with all his heart. But he is trapped along with the book in a strong box and can't get out for centuries. When he emerges into the modern world, Nonesuch must find new ways to navigate the world of men and protect his treasure.

I enjoyed this introspective book! Nonesuch is very thoughtful and he spends a lot of time observing how other animals and people live. He wonders what purpose dragons have in the world, and he wonders what his own purpose could be. Because he lives for centuries, the small problems and wars of humans seem very remote, but he is also inquisitive, wondering why they make such a fuss. Finally, he finds a place where he feels that he belongs and finds a noble purpose to make his life worthwhile.

Because the book is so introspective and philosophical, the plot moves a little slowly, but each scene has an overall message that contributes to Nonesuch's character development as he thinks through all the aspects of dragon life. I liked the slower pace, because it felt peaceful and meaningful. Towards the end of the story, the pace picks up and we get more action.

The writing is delightful! We get a great mixture of both funny and serious scenes. The whole thing is beautifully imaginative and whimsical. The writing does a wonderful job of leading us along with Nonesuch's thoughts and his developing ideas about his own life.

There are a few descriptions of violence as knights and dragons do battle, but nothing too gruesome. To see the details of the violence, you can check out this book on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/a-book-dragon-874315

The author gives humorous and silly advice on various topics such as avoiding sharks and aliens, deciphering your parents grammatically incorrect threats, and answering questions such as whether or not the earth is really flat. There is also a section about writing that will help you with your creative writing assignments... if you happen to be writing about zombies. 

I liked the silly style for the most part, but some of the jokes were a little vulgar with some potty humor in there. Because of the sarcastic style, I think it would be difficult for young readers to determine what is a joke and what is real fact. The result is that this book is not at all useful.

There is also a lot of violence described in this book, starting with real accounts of shark attacks and people who died from their shark injuries or had limbs bitten off. Pretty gruesome.  There is a description of a scientist being burned at the stake by the Inquisition. There is a description of the author's mother throwing a toy at her child in a fit of anger. And mentions of Hitler killing millions of Jewish people, and of the first atomic bombs killing 200,000 people in Japan. And all told with a hint of humor that felt somewhat inappropriate. 

There is also one place with the use of the word "hell" (as in "it hurt like hell"), which didn't seem quite appropriate for this age group.

I didn't understand why the whole section about parents was included in the book. It has to do with language and idioms that parents use to threaten their children with punishment, such as "I'll give you something to cry about." But the author just told all these horrible stories from his own childhood about his misbehavior and his parents anger. 

This book was not at all my cup of tea. 
To see the sensitive and questionable content in this book, you can check it out at the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/how-to-avoid-being-eaten-by-sharks-and-other-advice-2570435

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. 

Araminta is barely nineteen when she agrees to elope with Barney. But she doesn't really love him; she just wants to get away from her stepsisters at home. Araminta is also trying to forget about Jan, the gentleman who broke her heart two years before. But when she unexpectedly sees Jan on the night before the wedding, Araminta calls off the elopement and decides to take up a career as an actress in New York. The critics think she has some talent and Araminta throws herself into her acting career, working herself to death trying to forget both Barney and Jan. Through the course of a year, she tries to make sense of her own heart and find her way back to the man she truly loves.

I loved this sweet clean romance! Araminta discovers that you can't base a lasting relationship on glittering words and sweet gestures. Love requires a deeper connection and a steadfast affection that will weather the storms of life. Both of the men who Araminta loves have very different philosophies and dreams about what they want out of life, and Araminta has to decide which of them most closely aligns with her own values. I really liked that, although she gets swept away in the romance at first, she later takes time to analyze each man's moral character and choose the man who will truly make her happy.

The writing is delightful and I loved all the snappy dialogue. The supporting characters are memorable and complex, especially Araminta's stepsister Leontine. The plot really keeps you wondering, because their plans are always changing and new circumstances arise that seem to tear the characters apart even more.

I especially enjoyed the Christian themes in the background of this story! Araminta's grandfather is a Bishop, and she turns to him for advice and wisdom when she is confused. She takes time to pray for God to guide her in her decisions, and tries to live up to her spiritual ideals with courage and honesty. It was really inspiring to see how her faith in God was the deciding factor in her character development as she matures.

I can't wait to read more books from this author!

Kate Sutton is banished from the Queen's court and forced into house-arrest at a remote castle with Sir Geoffrey Heron as her guardian. There Kate hears wild rumors about fairy folk and dark magic in the forest and caves surrounding the castle. There is a holy well that seems to grant healing and good fortune to those who drop money into it, but a child was lost down the well and Sir Geoffrey and his brother Christopher warn Kate to stay away from the area. Despite their warnings, Kate begins to suspect that something evil is lurking about the castle and she starts to ask questions about the mysterious fairy folk.  She learns of their terrible tradition to commit a human sacrifice in order to gather the power of a human life to sustain their spells.

I loved this book so much! The real history of 1558 is blended perfectly with legends of fairy folk. The plot leads you deeper and deeper into the mystery, weaving little details of 16th-century England into the overarching riddle of the fairy folk and their cruel customs. The pacing is quick and keeps you guessing about what is coming next. 

Kate is an amazing character! She is very focused and intelligent, and she has this uncanny ability to look right through to the heart of a thing and tell the truth with startling clarity. She tackles the mystery with determination and fights with all her meager fortitude to save those she loves. It is really her mental fortitude that saves the day!

I loved the sweet romance, and it was perfectly clean. The best part was the way that Kate and her suitor have a mental connection that then develops into an emotional attachment as well. It's their intelligence and creativity that first brings them together.

The writing is so phenomenal! It really brings you down into the depths of the caves so that you feel the weight of the rock above you. The writing puts you right under the heavy branches of the oak trees in the wild forest, so that you can hear the wind rustling in the leaves. And it puts you right into Kate's head, feeling her passion and thinking her nimbly darting thoughts.

This is a book that you keep thinking about for many weeks after you have finished it.

To see any sensitive content, check out the book on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/the-perilous-gard-274702

Bookish Basil has to help his sporty neighbor Terry with his reading skills, and the two sit down to read the Grimm's Fairy Tales. When Basil starts fiddling with a special bookmark that matches the book cover, Gretel jumps out of the book pages! She begs them to return with her to the fairy tale world to rescue her brother Hansel, who has been kidnapped. If they can't return Hansel to his story, the whole fairy tale world might collapse under the plot hole. 

This story was so fun and adventurous! The boys get up to all kinds of shenanigans in the fairy tale world. I loved the hilarious world-building in this book. All the fairy tale characters are faithfully playing their part in their own stories, but that doesn't mean they like it. Gretel's character is a big crybaby, but Gretel herself is not really like that; she was just written that way. Briar Rose is annoyed when everyone falls in love with her simply because she was written that way. It makes for some really funny plot twists when the characters step outside their written roles.

I liked the way that Basil and Terry learn to get along even though they have very different personalities. They tease each other a bit in the beginning, but eventually they learn to work together to save the fairy tale world!

This book was marked as “Nothing Found” on the Screen It First website, indicating that there is no sensitive or objectionable content in the book. https://screenitfirst.com/book/losing-the-plot-2547928

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.