I must admit that I did not finish the book. Sorry Ben. This has been a very crazy and stressful time for me. Anyway...I was very impressed with the bravery of the whole family. The parents at the beginning. When they realize their situation, they are calm and collected even though they are afraid for their lives and the lives of their children. They stayed calm to make it easier for their children. I hope that I would be able to do the same for my kids in a serious situation.
I also liked that they saved the Captain's Great Dane. At least I think it was a Great Dane. I can't remember for sure now.
I love that they made a home for themselves on the island. They were very resourceful. I was impressed with how much the Father knew. He was a very smart man. I have often thought that I would like to live on an island with my family(extended family also) the way the Robinsons did. We would all have our own houses of course, but we would work together so we would all have what we needed. And we would all be together which would be SO great!! I think that is my idea of paradise. And of course we would have no run-ins with pirates.
Well, thanks so much everybody for participating in our book club. Thanks especially to Ben for choosing our last book. And to my Johanna(Mom) for choosing our next one.
Love to you all,
~Heidi~
Hello everyone, Ben here.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much to Heidi for your comments, and for getting us started again. Also no appologies needed Heidi, I havn't finished all the books so far either.
So for my review I would like to start by saying that I agree with what Heidi said. To be together as a family would be needed of course, I would hate to be in that situation alone. I'm sure I would survive, but would come out pretty looney. I think it would be a great blessing to have a book like this one with me should I find myself stranded on an island. The way that they explained all of what they did in developing and reinventing things that they had only heard or read about was very impressive to me. Of course you can never be completly prepared to be marooned. So you would have to rely on your past experience and hopefully extensive knowledge.
What an adventure it would be though, I think it would be anyway. To have to face challenges like they did against the wild animals and the elements, Wow! I sometimes think that I should have been born in a different time when the trials that we faced were more like what they did in this book. If I had my choice I would like to have been around in the time that Joseph Smith was alive, and see the Gospel restored. To come west with the pioneers is something I would like to have been a part of. I suppose some of those people would have traded places with me, but then again they probably look at the spiritual trials we face and would not trade.
I would have to say that what I appreciated most from reading this book was how much Heavenly Father was a part of their lives. They were continually thankful for all that they had, and for being delivered safely from all the things they faced. It was and is a good reminder for me when things are tough, as they are now. Things can almost always get worse, but hopefully they won't.
I am very glad I read this book with Joseph, he didn't always want to though. Maybe we will read it again when he is old enough to understand more of it. Right now he is more into the Berenstain Bears books than this one. We are reading "Peter Pan" now and he seems to be enjoying it quite a bit.
Well that's all for now, hope you all are doing good! Thanks again Heidi, and thanks to Mom for picking "The Outsiders".
I listened to the audio book about a year ago, but that is one I don't mind repeating.
Love,
Ben
Hi Ben!
ReplyDeleteI read all of the book, and was surprised to find I had totally mixed feelings about it! Here are some of my motley thoughts:
1. Darn Disney for setting me up to expect something TOTALLY different than this book really is! At first I was angry at the book, and then I realized I should be angry at myself for falling into the Disney trap (the non parent type, of course, ha ha ha). I expected a light and fun story, and to me, this book was not really that way. (And according to the prologue, it was intended as a teaching story for the author's children, so shame on me TWICE for wanting something different! ha!)
2. I understood why they did what they did with the animals they encountered, but I am too much of a softy to be comfortable with such harsh treatments--especially the slaughter of the apes and things like that. Again, I get why they did what they did, but I didn't like it much AT ALL. Lucky me living a life where I don't have to do the actual slaughtering of the animals who's meat I eat, right? I know I am hypocritical, I know.
3. I loved how much the family relied on God, too! That felt very true to how I imagine our family members would react under the circumstances. Very, very cool. I really liked that aspect of the Father.
4. Am I the only one though who strained at the credulity of how much the Father knew and was capable of? I grew a little disgusted that everything they realized they needed the Father somehow found or created. Every. Single. Time. To me, that is not a realistic thing to teach kids; that whatever you need will always be there. Yes, I believe we should teach kids that all things are possible with God's help, but within reason. I would have appreciated hearing more about how they needed/wanted things like butter or glue or something and how they learned to live their lives without it rather than miraculously always coming up with it. I'm sorry if I am too cynical. :(
5. I loved all the animals!!! This aspect of the book did not disappoint. I only wish an island such as this with such diverse flora and fauna really existed! Wouldn't that be amazing?! I would have kept a bunch of pets, too, and was tickled to see them as a family do just that. COOL!
6.I was bummed that the girl only showed up at the very end! (Darn you Disney! HA HA HA!)
All in all, I am really glad to have had the opportunity to read this book. It's one of those books I always meant to read but never got around to doing so. It was a lot different and maybe a little darker a story than I had anticipated, and I am not sure that all of the actions of the characters translate to today's generation of kids as much as they would have in the age this story was written, but I think as long as kids talk to their parents about what they are reading it would go pretty well. (Like what you did with Joseph, Ben.)I do think I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if I had been able to go into it w/out Disney's movie version polluting my expectations! It is a cool survivor story and like you said, Ben, it would be a book I would want with me should I ever find myself in that same situation, as it is chock FULL of interesting and innovative ideas. So yeah, I am not sure if my review is a clear one, but I am still glad you picked this book just the same! Thank you Ben!! Love ya, Bunion!!
Where to start...? I read the book 2 or 3 months ago, so I'm just refering to some notes I made at the time, sorry if this is a little disjointed.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the clearly individual personalities, especially of the the children. It reminded me of a part of one of my favorite movies, "I Remember Mama," when the parents discuss each of their children with comments like "Katrin is the dramatic one," or "Lars is the kind one."
I remember thinking, like Ben and Autumn, that if I ever set sail on an ocean voyage I would pack this book for reference. "Everything You Need to Know When On a Deserted Island," or "Survival for Dummies." But something the father said in retrospect (pg 473)I found very telling and comforting; "our resources had multiplied as our industry increased."
Anyhow, I loved the book, and I thank you, Ben, for the suggestion, and you, Heidi, for the family book club. I think you're both pretty awesome!
This is a book that I have been meaning to read for a long time, and I'm so glad I finally have! It was long, and seemed a little repetitive at times with all of the constant new discoveries that the family was able to use to their good. I was quite impressed with the authors vast knowledge of plants and animals and minerals! Dad called him a walking encyclopedia and I agree. I enjoyed the story as well as the characters. It was very fun having Jack in the story! I do wish we could have heard a little bit more about the mother. I loved her "bag of enchantment"! I have a new goal to create a bag like that for myself. Some parts of the story were a pretty big stretch I thought. That boa constrictor for one thing! Could that ever possibly happen???
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I read this book, and thank you very much for choosing it, Ben! I too was quite impressed by the faith and gratitude expressed by the family. No wonder they were so richly blessed!
This is not a book that I would ever have expected myself to read, it just didn't seem like my kind of story but I did read it all the way through and I really enjoyed it. I have to say that if I were ever to be stranded on an island I would definately want this book and Ben with me as the would both be of great help.
ReplyDeleteI was amazed at what the father was able to recall from his memory about the animals, plants, and how to do/make things. I would hope that if I were ever in a situation where I needed to recall information i would be able to, although I have some doubts as sometime's I try to recall some of my schooling information and I don't do a very good job of it. :)
I think my favorite characters are the boys and the mother. I just loved how individuall and unique each of the brothers were in thier own way and how they supported and encouraged one another. I wish they would have spent more time talking about the mother, I mean she must have be amazing to do what she did with only her bag on enchantment. I agree with Aimee I would like to have a bag like that some day.
I was also very impressed with the way the family kept to their faith and always remembered to thank God for all that the had. It was a great reminder to me that no matter how bad things are our Heavenly Father is still here to protect and guide us if we continually put our faith in him and trust that he does know what is best for us.
I am so glad that I did read the book and that I couldn't remember the movie very well so I was truly able to enjoy the book. Thanks for picking such a good read sweetheart.