Book Review ~ Not Regina

Not Regina by Christmas Carol Kauffman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Regina Strahm is an innocent nineteen-year-old girl in tumultuous times. The teaching of the Anabaptists is seeping in throughout Switzerland, but the state church is firm in it's attempts to suppress it's spread. Regina doesn't know what to think, and she is kept miserable by seeing Anabaptist prisoners being marched away, by the increasing silence and confusion of her father, and the weekly struggle the pastor has with choosing a passage to read to the church. As time goes on her heart begins to yearn for the peace and assurance that the Anabaptists seem to have. It is after she witnesses the public execution of Felix Manz that she truly desires this new way of life for herself. Events then move quickly when she becomes re-baptized (her first baptism having been as an infant), is accused of associating with the Anabaptists, and is subsequently placed under arrest. Sweet Regina remains firm in her new-found faith, despite the many friends who beg her to remain true to the state church.

"Won't you please swear and tell the board of trustees today you'll forget it all and come back to us and start over?"

"Catri," answer Regina, "I could never do that. I would be giving up my joy, my everlasting life. I would sooner spend the rest of my life in prison that do that. If you could only understand how happy I am" (pg. 189)

Not Regina started out slowly, as the writing is far from spectacular and the complete innocence of Regina was somewhat hard to believe. Her speech and manner seemed to be that of a much younger girl. Later on, however, I became more drawn into the story it didn't bother me as much.

It was easy to sympathize with her confusion though. I am not a strong thinker myself, and I could easily place myself in that situation and understand that I would have been no more decided than she started out, probably less so. Fear kept her silent for so long, and that too is understandable from a human perspective, but she finally took the step of faith and proclaimed her new allegiance even if it meant imprisonment or death. The peace that she had so long searched for finally came.

It is not a brilliant book, yet it is interesting look at what it meant in the 1500's to truly follow Christ, and the turmoil that came of it.

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To Mimic the Greats...Be An Influential Writer

I'm learning something about writing lately. Mainly I'm learning it because of the British Literature class I've been taking. The class isn't geared toward writing, although I'm learning much about writing an essay, which is very helpful.

What I am learning though is that many of those fabulous authors that we still revere today are remembered because they wrote with a purpose. There was something that they wanted to discuss or point out to the world, and one of the best ways to do it was in story form.

Perhaps that was not the way the story began. Many times an author began a new novel simply to earn what money he could. Even so, they knew how to manipulate the plot in order to make it worth while for a person to read and that manipulation became a cause.

Below are some books that made a difference because of what they discuss. I have not read all of these books and so cannot recommend them all, but each one is significant (in many cases, world-wide!) for how it covered a current trend or event, or even how it took a stand for a particular belief.

• Uncle Tom's Cabin is decidedly anti-slavery.
• Little Dorrit points out the shortcomings of the government and social society, as well as showcasing imprisonment in various forms.
• A Picture of Dorian Gray gives us a creepy view of morality, or rather, immorality and it's utter selfishness.
• North and South contrasts an industrial northern England with an agricultural south, and represents a transitioning time from the old, traditional ways to the new, progressive approach that came with the industrial revolution.
• Les Miserables explores redemption, and the characteristics of the law and of grace.

There are a few more contemporary novels that portray similar characteristics.

• The Hunger Games also depicts the government and how controlling and dominating it can become.
• One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich centers on oppression from authorities and prison camp survival.
• To Kill a Mockingbird exposes the racist views that were still extremely prevalent at the time of it's writing. (And often still are.)
• Cry, the Beloved Country showed the disintegration of a culture and way of life to native South Africans. 

These books resonate with a truth that appeals to people. These books have made an impact and so have the people who penned them in the first place.

That got me to thinking. So much of what is being written nowadays is written purely for entertainment. Now there's nothing wrong with having a great adventure just for the sake of having an adventure, but the truly great books are the ones that show you something about life while you're having that adventure.

I mean really, do all of those vampire-stole-my-heart stories really have anything to offer us other than a chilling thrill and a hint of danger? No. Not even the junky, so-called "Christian" ones. (Honestly, if you're a Christian you should know better!) In my opinion the whole vampire thing is a fad and will fall away in it's turn in a similar manner to Furbys from the 90's. Granted Twilight will hang around and still be popular as the trendsetter of it's day, but there's nothing about those books that is really going to appeal to people for forever. They aren't important. It's the important ones that have made an impact.

As long as we are on this earth there is going to be a government that we are going to have to deal with.  Oppression, redemption, and change are things that we will always be coping with.

So, the question I begin to ask myself is, will my writing be influential? Are my books pure entertainment? Granted I have a few "just for fun" books lying around for when I'm in a lazy mood, but if I'm really serious about my work, and if I'm really trying to do my absolute best, then making people think and react to my work is something that desperately needs to be considered.

This applies to any kind of writer out there, not just Christians. Fiction or nonfiction, fantasy or contemporary, sci-fi or historical. If you want to be like the Greats, then it's not just a matter of expanding your vocabulary (watch this video!) it's a matter of being influential.

It's the difference between fluff and something to really chew on. It's the difference between a kindergardener's schoolroom and the Library of Alexandria.

George Washington and the Cherry Tree ~ Despite the Myth

I'm quite certain that all of us have grown up hearing the inspiring story of our first President, George Washington, when he was a boy. He chops down his father's prized cherry tree, and upon being questioned, admits to his guilt, using the thereafter famous words, "I cannot tell a lie".

It's a story that always made a slight impression on me, although I never really acted upon that impression and tried to excuse myself out of bad behavior. Still it's a good story.

I was helping my younger brother to read it the other day, when my other  brother piped up and announced, "By the way, they found out that the cherry tree story is just a myth."  At first I was quite indignant about this, but as I got to thinking about it, I realized that I had probably heard that bit of news before, and just forgotten about it.




Source: google.com via Tim on Pinterest

Thinking it would be interesting to research the matter a little, I did a quick online search, and on the couple of links that I clicked on, it did seem to be true. [1]

Now, I'm not saying that I did extensive research, or that I believe these people to know what they are talking about, but I was given the general impression that the tale is either highly exaggerated or false. This is apparently because of a man called Parson Weems who was Washington's first biographer. [2]

Again, from the extremely brief reading that I did on the matter, I seemed to discover that Weems was a man who liked to exaggerate things, and color the facts to suit his purposes. If that was the case, it's rather ironic that in this way he decides to create a tale that promotes honesty.

Now, I have not found this to be proven, and although Washington is not a personal hero of mine, I am certainly not questioning his integrity. No, the whole reason I'm writing this is because of a matter that I have encountered before.

"It's too good to be true. It's not real"


Not only with the story of the Cherry Tree, but also with G.A. Henty books, one or two Louisa May Alcott books, E.D.E.N. Southworth, and I'm sure there are others, I have actually thought myself, or been told that they aren't worth reading because the characters are too good, too well-behaved, or too innocent.

I now disagree. These books are totally worth reading and enjoying! It is blindness on the part of our culture that refuses to see merit in goodness, especially what appears as over-the-top virtue. I do see merit, however. Every time I read a book like that I feel motivated and inspired to become better! I want to overcome my faults, do good to others, and strive longer and harder to be all that God wants me to be!

So despite it's debatable origins, I still like the story of the Cherry Tree. Despite the author's exaggeration or creation, it is still a story that we can embrace because of it's obvious portrayal of truth and honesty. Although the Henty characters are almost perfect in every way (not to mention almost identical in personality), I still love a good Henty adventure not just for a exciting setting, but also for a hero that I can look up to and admire. Jack and Jill, by Louisa May Alcott still happens to be one of my favorite books, despite the fact that children don't behave that way (at least not now!), because it describes good morals without being preachy and patronizing.

Yes, I love them, and will continue to do so. I love being inspired to be more than "good enough", and I enjoy putting my mind on sweeter and better things than what one usually finds in todays society.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." ~ Philippians 4:8

These books and stories may all be fictional, but the qualities that make them worthwhile are true.

[1]Washington's Cherry Tree: Legend or Fact?, George Washington: Cherry Tree (Wikipedia)
[2]Parson Weems )Wikipedia