Journal Entry 1 by Ibis3 from Newcastle, Ontario Canada on Thursday, January 12, 2006

From the back cover:

"An epic novel that sweeps across a vast expanse of time and space, The Blue Mountains of China tells the unforgettable story of a group of Russian Mennonites in search of a land that would give them religious freedom. Alive with the excitement of a journey that began in the opressive poverty of a Russian village and ended on the Canadian prairie, this is the story of an unforgettable group of men and women--all determined, above all else, to triumph in their quest. More than a saga of generations, The Blue Mountains of China is a stirring testament to the enduring human spirit." 

Journal Entry 2 by Ibis3 from Newcastle, Ontario Canada on Friday, January 27, 2006

This book is #6 in my CanLit project. See my blog at ibis3.blogspot.com/ for more info (including several useful links such as biographical info). If you'd like to join, PM me with your shipping preferences.

Ring Guidelines:

1. When you receive the book, make a journal entry to let me know it got to you ok.
2. While reading the book, feel free to post on the appropriate Book Talk Forum thread here.
3. When you're done, make a journal entry and let us know what you thought.
4. PM the person next in order (please check here for the current order) for a current mailing address (please confirm that they're ready to receive the book).
5. Mail the book, make a journal entry and mark the book as travelling.

*keep the book for a maximum of 4 weeks. If you feel you can't read it in this amount of time, or you wish to be skipped for any reason, let me know & I'll rearrange the mailing order.
*sign your name inside the back cover of the book if you like.
*feel free to include a postcard, bookmark or other trinket with the book.

Thanks & have fun reading!

Order of go:
sent on January 27/06
1. ajsmom (British Columbia, Canada) - arrived February 2/06; sent circa February 9/06
2. Thursday5 (Ohio, USA) - arrived February 16/06; sent February 20/06
3. Pooker3 (Manitoba, Canada)- arrived March 2/06; sent May 2/06
4. gypsysmom (Manitoba, Canada)- arrived May 4/06; sent May 20/06
5. bibliotreker (Pennsylvania, USA)- arrived June 2/06; sent July 8/06
6. teacher57 (Wisconson, USA) - arrived July 21; ; sent November 24/06
7. Sujie (New South Wales, Australia) - arrived December 3; sent around December 30 -->
8. ldpaulson (California, USA)
... Back to Ibis3 (Ontario, Canada)


btw, if you want to read my thoughts on this book, you can check out my review in the journal entry for the copy that sqdancer sent to me. I would have ringed that copy, but I didn't think it could survive the travel. 

Journal Entry 3 by ajsmom from Quesnel, British Columbia Canada on Thursday, February 02, 2006

Received today, thanks Ibis3. I love the bookplate!! Will start it right away. 

Journal Entry 4 by ajsmom from Quesnel, British Columbia Canada on Monday, February 06, 2006

It was a challenging beginning, but I did enjoy it. The writing style makes it a little difficult to follow at times, but the stories themselves were interesting and engaging (even though I sometimes wasn't sure what was happening - it all gets sorted at the end).

The last story in particular was very moving, but I don't want to ruin it for everyone else. Thanks Ibis3 for the ring!

I will PM Thursday5 for an address and hopefully have the book in the mail this week! 

Journal Entry 5 by Thursday5 from Columbus, Ohio USA on Thursday, February 16, 2006

Book arrived today. Can't wait to read it! 

Journal Entry 6 by Thursday5 from Columbus, Ohio USA on Monday, February 20, 2006

Advice on reading this book:
Stick with the book when it bogs down-it is worth it in the end.

In this book I found the obvious comparison of the Mennonite expereince to the Jewish experience of the 40 years in the wilderness and the experience of persecution while trying to maintain a religious and cultural identity in foreign lands, but I also found a comparison to the Christian gospel of salvation and redemption through sacrifice. This book spoke specifically about the Mennonite experience, but it also spoke to me of the experience of many North American families and cultural groups. It brought home to me a deeper realization of the sacrifice my great-grandparents made in leaving behind their beloved ancestral lands of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to come to The United States of America and of the sacrifice they made in working in harsh condititions in coal mines, and quarries, and shipyards, and farms passing on the ethic of hard work, the value of education, and their Christian faith so the next generation could have it better than they did. Their sacrifice has made possible generations of engineers, health care professionals, clergy, teachers and executives spread across the world who have in turn sacrificed for the next generation so they in turn could lead meaningful lives. This book made me feel a responsibility to live a life worthy of that sacrifice-an honorable life of faith and family, of meaning and sacrifice, and of contributing to the community....and to pass that responsibility on to the next generation.

Writing Style:
The writing style of the first 3/4 of the book is realistic, stark, and the sentences often short and choppy and this made it hard to read. (The emotional pain also contributes to it being hard to get through.) Toward the end of the book the writing style changes to a more fluid style that is much easier to read. I found that the effort needed to get through the first 3/4 of the book, and the ease with which the last part is read became part of the experience of the book for me-it helped me feel the pain of those early years in Russia and Paraguay in contrast to the ease of life in modern affluent North America.

Is The Blue Mountains of China "A Good Book"?
Here is how the book compares to the definition of "a good book" on my bokshelf:
"A good book connects with something inside you." -Yes it did.
" It makes you feel that you are more than you were when you began the book." -Definitly
" A good book connects you to ideas, eras, places, or people you never would have been exposed to otherwise." -Yes it did. I knew nothing about the Russian Mennonite experience and the emmigration to Canada, Paraguay, or China.
"A good book stays with you long after you have finished it and becomes part of who you are."-This book will stay with me-see the first part of the journal entry.
It does something else that a good books does-it speaks to the universal human experience. 

Journal Entry 7 by Thursday5 from Columbus, Ohio USA on Monday, February 20, 2006

Sent to Pooker3 on 2-20-06. Hope it is as meaningful to you as it was to me. 

Journal Entry 8 by Pooker3 from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Thursday, March 02, 2006

What a coincidence. I was just reading, last night, that Rudy Wiebe would be at my favourite bookstore here in Winnipeg on April 20, 2006 for the launch of his new book. So, I was wondering when Blue Mountains would show up and I was also wondering if his new book, which are his memoirs, would be, like everything I have read of his so far, a struggle to read at the beginning. I hope not as I understand he talks about his childhood, which I think would be very interesting reading.

The book arrived with a postcard from Ohio. Thanks Thursday5. Also, for the post-it note. :D

I'll check in again soon. 

Journal Entry 9 by Pooker3 from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Monday, April 24, 2006

Well, to be honest, I found this book to be a bit of a struggle to read. This may be because I've been so busy lately that I wasn't able to get a stretch of uninterrupted time to myself and ended up reading in dribs and drabs, such that I lost a lot of continuity. Still, I did enjoy it piecemeal, but imagine I lost a lot of the significance of various episodes.

Interestingly, I found parallels in the experience of my family's ancestors (on my mother's side) as Swedish immigrants to Canada. While the Swedes did not come to Canada seeking religious freedom (at least as far as I know) in the same way as the Russian Mennonites, they did come looking for " a better life". I found parallels in the perseverence of the people, the maintaining of ties to family, place and ritual.

Wiebe's characters are very much alive. Jakob could just as easily be my Sven; David, my Reuben and Frieda, my Anna.

I have pm'd gypsysmom for her address and will get this out to her as soon as I hear back. I imagine though that I will look for my own copy of this book and give it a second read when I can give it the attention it deserves.

I do apologize to all for hanging on to the book so long. I had hoped to have Rudy Wiebe autograph it when he was in Winnipeg launching his newest book on April 20th, but in the end I wasn't able to attend the event.

Thanks Ibis for the opportunity.

ETA: Sent gypsysmom a second pm today (April 26/06) in case she did not get the first as it appears that some folks have not been getting PMs lately due to site changes.

Update: Have gypsysmom's address now (she was having pm problems) so will be sending Blue Mountains off to her today (April 28/06). 

Journal Entry 10 by Pooker3 from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Our book is finally in the mail to gypsysmom. Thank you, Ibis for sending this out and to all for your comments. 

Journal Entry 11 by gypsysmom from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Thursday, May 04, 2006

This book just arrived in the mail. Interestingly, it doesn't look the stamps were cancelled so maybe I can use them to post on to the next recipient (can you tell I have Scottish ancestry?). I'm looking forward to reading this. I'm doing my own Canadian classics challenge to read one classic of Canadian fiction each month in 2006 so I guess this will be my May choice. BTW, I very impressed with your book sticker Ibis3. 

Journal Entry 12 by gypsysmom from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Friday, May 19, 2006

I found this to be a very powerful book. The trials and tribulations the people in the book faced are far outside of my experience but they spoke to me somehow. I guess maybe the quest for meaning in life is universal. I also learned a great deal about Mennonites. Living in Manitoba one encounters people from the Mennonite background almost daily so it will be interesting to discuss this book with them.

Yes, sometimes the story is a little hard to follow but it wraps up very nicely at the end.

This is my Canadian classic read for May and I enjoyed it much more than my choice for April which was Leonard Cohen's "Beautiful Losers". Interestingly, Beautiful Losers is discussed in the last part of the book and it is obvious Wiebe did not like it either.

I have Peace Shall Destroy Many by Wiebe in my TBR file and after reading this I will certainly get to it soon. I'm also going to suggest to my book club that we read this book next year. It should generate lots of good discussion.

I will pm bibliotreker and get this book moving again. Thanks Ibis3 for a stimulating read.

 

Journal Entry 13 by gypsysmom from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Saturday, May 20, 2006

bibliotreker responded quickly and I mailed off the book to her this morning. We discovered we are both owned by dogs so we exchanged comments about dog books. She suggested some I had never heard of and I will have to check them out. Thanks for the suggestions. 

Journal Entry 14 by bibliotreker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Friday, June 02, 2006

Arrived, today. Suppose it took the slow boat(Prarie Schooner?)from Manitoba :) I also received a few days ago, mailed at a later date, from Ontario Ibis's CanLit set of Alistair MacLeod's books, Island, No Great Mischief and DVD. Guess they use a faster mode of transport from Ontario ;) So I'll be reading a marathon of Canadiana for a while. Isn't that the way it goes sometimes, nothing for months and then a bunch of books all at once. I won't be able to complain about a lack of reading material for a while. It's a good thing I'm on vacation. Thanks Gypsysmom and Ibis3. 

Journal Entry 15 by bibliotreker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, July 03, 2006

I'm really having a hard time with this one. I find it confusing with the authors choppy writing style and how he jumps around. I'm never quiet sure if I'm in Saskatchewan, Russia or Paraguay. Maybe I'm totally confused because I'm from Pennsyavania where there is a large Mennonite population as well "PA Dutch" but which I just discovered are a diffent group than those that migrated from Russia and which I was totally unaware. But I'll keep on plugging away at this one and learn of other Mennonite groups and their Canada connection. 

Journal Entry 16 by bibliotreker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Saturday, July 08, 2006

I liked the subject matter of this book and learned about the differences among Mennonite groups. This was a relivation to me since I hadn't realized that not all Mennonite groups are the same. I had only been familiar with those who settled in Pennsylvania and some of the other states in the U.S.

My only problem was with the writing style which I found hard to follow and did not seem to flow smoothly. The author kept jumping around to different worldwide locations with different sets of characters and I found it confusing at times. I usually like books that deal withe different places and times but this one I found hard to follow. Too bad, because I was interested in the subject matter which kept me reading. At least in the ending some of the pieces began to fit together. One thing which would have helped would have been a glossary to explain some of the german dialect which was used a lot.

If it would have been an easier read I would have given it a higher rating but
I feel that if the author cannot connect with his readers it doesn't matter how great a story. But then, maybe it's just me and I wasn't in the right mindset at this time for such a complex novel.

Mailed to teacher57 Saturday July 8, 2006 

Journal Entry 17 by reader1107 from Tucson, Arizona USA on Friday, July 21, 2006

Sorry! I've been sick as a dog all week, and forgot to journal this!!! But it arrived safe and sound! 

Journal Entry 18 by reader1107 from Tucson, Arizona USA on Sunday, October 22, 2006

Will mail this out as soon as I get an address from the next person on the list. I anticipate going to the post office on Tuesday! I am sooooooooo sorry for holding this up!!!!! 

Journal Entry 19 by reader1107 from Tucson, Arizona USA on Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Because the next person on the list asked to be skipped, I have PM'd Sujie for her address. I will mail the book out today (Wednesday) or Friday if I receive the information that quickly. 

Journal Entry 20 by reader1107 at Enjoy! in Controlled Release, Given to a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, November 25, 2006

Released 5 yrs ago (11/25/2006 UTC) at Enjoy! in Controlled Release, Given to a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to Australia

Thanks for including me in this CanLit book ring! 

Journal Entry 21 by Sujie from Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, December 03, 2006

Received today, and thanks especially for my very glittery northern hemisphere Christmas card, teacher57. It's dry, dry, dry...bushfire weather here in Oz. 

Journal Entry 22 by Sujie from Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, December 28, 2006

A difficult but moving read. Like so many others here I found the choppy, English-as-a-second- language style confusing and yet it gave an authenticity - I really felt I was listening to a Mennonite.
I am not religious. I think I am unusual in that I've never worried about the meaning of life, never searched for an answer to the unknown. There's enough for me to experience in life without an explanation. But sense of place, and the search for a place to feel secure, is very strong in me and the Mennonite (and Jewish) diaspora is intensely recognisable.
Having lost my father this year, the scene between Freida and Johann Friesen in hospital in Paraguay was particularly potent for me. Gentle, spare and heart-wrenching. I also enjoyed the Saskatchewan prairie scenes as I've read Farley Mowatt books set there, and it was instantly familiar.
Thanks again, Ibis; another piece in the Canadian literature jigsaw...
Will forward to Idpaulson as soon as I get address.