Angie: Tattoos on the Heart

#26 A book based on a true story

                                      

When Clare was visiting last week (I miss her and wish she'd come back), we made a trip to Half Price Books in town. Clare and I have very different taste in books. She loves anything based on a true story. I don't dislike nonfiction; I just really enjoy fiction. When we got there, I knew I'd have to find her the nonfiction section. Half Price Books has this section labeled nonfiction/memoirs. The title of this book caught my attention. I picked it up to read the synopsis and realized I used to have this book on my Amazon wish list a few years ago. It sat on my wish list but was never purchased. I decided that because it caught my interest on more than one occasion it was going to be worth reading. Let me tell you that this book is definitely worth reading. 

      

This book is a mixture between a nonfiction and a memoir. It's written by Father Gregory Boyle who writes about his experience working in Los Angeles in an area with the highest concentration of gang activity. But he also shares stories about the lives of the people he's called to help. He has a calling to work with the individuals in the community to help them work together and gain mutual respect for one another. He lovingly calls them "Homies" and "Homegirls". They in return lovingly call him "G" or "G-dog". He starts an organization called "Homeboy Industries". His organization helps people find jobs and collaborate together. 

   

I almost didn't use this book for #26. I almost used it for book #17: A book that will make you smarter. This book is amazing. "G" is an amazing human being. The people he meets and works with are amazing. I wish I could share some of the incredible stories he writes about in this book. I won't because that will rob you of the joy of reading them for yourself when you sit down with this book. It truly is a story about "the power of boundless compassion". There is sadness mixed in with all the goodness, but isn't that how life is? Have the tissues ready. I cried at least once during every chapter. 

Stats:

Angie: 6 books

Clare: 6 books

Total: 12 books

#26BOOKSwithBringingUpBurns

Clare- The Wednesday Letters

#4 A Book Your Friend Loves

I'm sitting in Angie's living room right now (what, what!!!) We've got to spend the last week getting up to whatever shenanigans we wanted. Trust me, we are having a blast. We had really loose goals for this week. Two of the most important were to read our #4 book for this challenge and get our long planned and awaited best friend tattoos.

As I was packing to fly out to Nebraska, I sent her pictures of my favorites: all my Mitch Albom books, Sense and Sensibility, Little Women, Jane Eyre, etc. She picked The Five People You Meet in Heaven, I brought Tuesdays with Morrie anyway ;) She told me she'd pull some out and I could pick when I got here. She had a big stack herself, but she seemed most excited about this one.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and paced. Of course, I was mad when the old couple died in the first chapter, but Angie joked, "That's the whole premiss, Clare!" It is, but I wasn't thrilled early on. A sister and her two brothers lose both their parents in one night, and as they are gathering back together, they discover thousands of letters their father wrote their mother over the years. He wrote her one letter a week, each Wednesday beginning with their honeymoon. In these letters were funny stories and a HUGE family secret.

I didn't want to put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat about how each of the characters' stories would be resolved, and I wasn't disappointed... although, I didn't guess right either, lol. This was an inspiring love story, not just focused on marital love, but family love and Christian love too. I really enjoyed reading it. Especially while enjoying the luxury of sitting across from Angie on the couch and sharing a blanket.

And... yes, we did get those aforementioned best friend tattoos as well :)

 

Selfie time!!!

Angie's is on her shoulder.

Mine is on my thigh.

It's been a GREAT week! I love my friend :)

Stats:

Angie: 5 books

Clare: 6 books

Total: 11 books

#26BOOKSwithBringingUpBurns

Angie: Tuesdays with Morrie

#4 A book your friend loves

                           

Well first I have to start off by saying that I am sorry I have been absent from the blog and my reading. School ended in May, and my life has just been nonstop. Clare came to visit me this past week!! (Woo hoo!!) We've been doing lots of fun things and one of those things was giving each other one of our favorite books to read. I originally wanted to read The Five People You Meet in Heaven which is also by Mitch Albom. Clare loves Mitch Albom because a lot of his books are based on true life stories. Tuesdays with Morrie is no exception. Morrie was one of Mitch Albom's professors in college. Mitch promises to stay in touch with Morrie after graduation. But life happens. 16 years pass when Mitch learns that Morrie is sick. Morrie is diagnosed with ALS. Mitch and Morrie begin meeting weekly, on Tuesdays, to discuss life. 

      

This book is so heartwarming and gut wrenching. My emotional self held back the tears until the very end. Morrie was full of so many life lessons, and he was a teacher till his very last breath. Tuesdays with Morrie is one of those books that you pray sticks with you for the rest of your life. You don't want to lose what you learned. I know I definitely don't. This is a book that you can share with any friend or family member. Who doesn't have a thing or two to learn about life? Morrie was constantly changing even knowing that his life was coming to an end. His never changing mantra was "Love each other or perish". We will constantly need others in our lives. You are not alone, and you don't have to do life alone. 

                

Stats

Angie: 5 books

Clare: 5 books

Total: 10 books

#26BOOKSwithBringingUpBurns