I Will Not Fear: My Story of a Lifetime of Building Faith Under Fire by Melba Pattillo Beals
JD's rating: 5 out of 5 bookmarks

I was not very familiar with the history of the Little Rock Nine nor had I ever heard the name of Melba Pattillo Beals before hearing about this book so I had no idea what to expect when I began to read. As one of the nine African American high school students to be selected to integrate the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957, Melba's story is one of incredible fortitude and resoluteness in the face of adversity. Her memoirs are filled with awful moments of gross injustice, physical attacks, and even death threats yet she chose to never retaliate in like manner. She stood firm and spoke out when necessary, but she didn't resort to the low behaviors of those who would torment (both verbally and physically) her and her family.

At around 200 pages, this is a short book, but it packs a hefty message. Beals begins the narrative with the story of her birth and shares the struggles her mother endured just to simply get hospital care with her difficult pregnancy. She continues her story with highlights from her life—which are told in mostly chronological order—and brings the reader up through current day. While she does spend a few chapters on the events surrounding the integration of the high school in Little Rock, it is not the main focal point of the book and she moves on to focus primarily on her life following that period. (See her other books, Warriors Don’t Cry and March Forward, Girl, for more about her early years in Arkansas.)

Beals' grandmother, "Grandma India", had a great impact on her in her formative days and that influence has stayed with her to this day. Throughout the book, she references anecdotes about her grandmother and recounts conversations and oft-quoted sayings that Grandma India said. A couple of my favorites are:

"Above all else, God loves you. He has your pictures on His refrigerator just as I do."
"Faith is the consistent trust that God is all powerful and always on your side if you need help."

Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals

At the end of each chapter, Beals includes a sentence or two which sums up the theme of that chapter. It's as if she's giving the reader the takeaway or lesson which can be gleaned from her experiences which she's just recounted. One line which appears at the end of chapter 13 stood out to me. Beals writes, "God is our employer, no matter who we see as our earthly boss. At all times we must be aware that we are serving God in our work."

I Will Not Fear is a gripping story of an incredible woman who stood strong through all sorts of adversity. Reading this firsthand account of the despicable ways she was treated by so many was heartrending, but also encouraging and inspirational because of her attitude and faith and reliance on God through it all.

Visit Dr. Beals website to learn more about her and her books.





J.D. Sutter is the producer and host of the Bookworm Banquet podcast and editor of the blog. He is the founder of Porchlight Family Media.










Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

J.R.R. Tolkien: A Life Inspired by Wyatt North
JD's rating: 4 of 5 bookmarks

Wyatt North's biography of Tolkien is a short read and is, therefore, a very high-level view of Tolkien's life. The author hits only major highlights and does not go into much detail on any events. Beginning with Tolkien's parents, the timeline of the narrative then moves to Tolkien's birth and early childhood and continues all the way to his death. North seems to pay particular attention to events and circumstances which had an impact on Tolkien's creativity and resulted in characters or plot elements in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or another of his tales of Middle-earth.

The book is well-written and is not a difficult read. Its tone is not overly academic or analytical but is an easy narrative. The author glosses over lots of Tolkien's early years but he takes much more time on his later life, including his academic years, his relationship with C.S. Lewis, his time with The Inklings, and more.

If you are looking for a quick introduction to Tolkien's life and work this volume is a great place to start.



J.D. Sutter is the producer and host of the Bookworm Banquet podcast and editor of the blog. He is the founder of Porchlight Family Media.










Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Lessons My Father Taught Me: The Strength, Integrity, and Faith of Ronald Reagan by Michael Reagan
JD's rating: 5 of 5 bookmarks

Michael Reagan, adopted son of Ronald Reagan, has written a very wonderful account of what it was like growing up in the Reagan family. The book offers many interesting anecdotes about the former President that you most likely will not find anywhere else. And as the title suggests, the primary focus of the book is on the life lessons that the author has learned from Ronald Reagan.

The narrative flows chronologically for the most part, but since chapters are broken up by topic, there is some hopping around on the timeline of Reagan's life. Each chapter is full of great little nuggets of advice and thoughtful lessons that are presented in a compelling and very readable style. While Michael Reagan doesn't sugarcoat the difficult aspects of the family life or the challenges of living in a blended family (not to mention living in the public eye) he doesn't dwell overmuch on those things; he gives them their due in the story, but moves on to the positives and shares with the reader what he has gleaned from both.

There are several references to Ronald Reagan's sense of humor which I really appreciated. One scenario in particular which stood out to me was when Michael is finally able to see his father in the hospital following the assassination attempt in 1981, Mr. Reagan looks at him and says, "Michael, if you're ever shot, make sure you're not wearing a new suit."

As one might expect from a book about a US President, there are mentions of politics in general as well as specific policies, but I believe that anyone can enjoy this book regardless of their political leaning. Michael Reagan is firm in his convictions on certain issues, but he writes them in a tasteful and respectful manner. One may disagree with Reagan's (both father and son) stance on an issue while still picking up some great takeaways from this book since the focus is more on the life lessons than the politics themselves.

As I was reading this book, I really came to appreciate what a wise man Ronald Reagan was. Many of the anecdotes related in this book illustrate what impeccable character he had and I found myself wishing to emulate the same practices and characteristics in my own life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be re-reading it again soon. I rarely mark in my books, but I actually highlighted and underlined several things throughout the book for future reference. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn more about the man; not just the President or Hollywood star, but the man, Ronald Reagan.

With Hitler to the End: The Memoirs of Adolf Hitler's Valet by Heinz Linge
JD's rating: 5 of 5 bookmarks

Heinz Linge recounts a riveting and detailed narrative of day to day life with Adolf Hitler. As a member of Hitler's personal staff, he was one of the few who was with him nearly every single day for many years, thus he offers a unique perspective into the man, Adolf Hitler. Linge shares little details about the dictator such as his love for his dog, Blondi, which really brings out the human side of Hitler.

With Hitler to the End is well written and is an easy read. Although one thing which was just a bit confusing to me was that while for the most part, the narrative is told chronologically, on several occasions, Linge drops in an anecdote which is out of sequence. Also, I was a bit surprised by his obvious admiration of Hitler even decades after the events, knowing the full scope of what Hitler was responsible for; which he insists he had no knowledge of at the time of his service to the dictator. Linge also claims that he was personally apolitical and had never even read Mein Kampf.

The most surprising thing to me, and that which left the biggest impression on my mind, is Hitler's staunch belief that he was acting under the direction of Providence. This conviction was apparently not simply propaganda to instill confidence in the German people, but according to Linge, these sentiments were oft expressed by Hitler behind closed doors in conversations with only his closest circle of confidantes; Linge included. I found it so fascinating, and frankly, chilling, that one could be perpetrating some of the most heinous acts in history and yet still believe that they are doing what is right.

Heinz Linge, 1935 Image Credit: Wikimedia

Linge writes very matter-of-factly about everything (he does not address the concentration camps or the like except to denounce any knowledge of them) and in an almost conversational tone which is very easy to follow and which makes his account very believable. Several times he refutes claims and disputes facts made by others who were close to Hitler, insisting that he was at Hitler's side day and night for over a decade and therefore observed more than others and knew the dictator more closely than anyone other than Eva Braun (Hitler's longtime mistress). Whether or not his version of the facts is indeed accurate we will probably never know.

Even though I knew beforehand how the story ends I found myself so engrossed in the book during the latter pages that I couldn't put it down until I'd finished. The details of the final days in the bunker are so gripping, and even heartbreaking in the case of an incident with the children of one of Hitler's ministers, that you can almost feel the tension that Linge describes.

Through this book, you get an inside look at the victories and defeats of the Third Reich as Linge recounts visits to the front, meetings with Mussolini, confidential strategy meetings with top military and Nazi Party officials and even more mundane things such as Hitler's failing health, his diet and seating preferences at dinners. I think Linge's remark that "I had a theatre-box on history, and remained in it until it collapsed..." is an accurate sentiment that reflects the tone of the book. I think those interested in history, especially World War II history, will find With Hitler to the End to be a worthwhile read.

NOTE: There are a couple instances of strong language when Linge cites a direct quotation and there are occasions where he recalls examples of a crass line of questioning that the Russians put him through during his imprisonment. Because of these examples and the general subject matter of this story, I recommend this book for adults only.






Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

-Crystal

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