CALEB'S CROSSING BY Geraldine Brooks ARC

Geraldine Brooks

Often I have heard about the Native Americans losing their land and their homes in such instances as The Trail of Tears. Not often have I read or heard about the courage of Native Americans who chose to sacrifice their beliefs in order to become Christians. Caleb in CALEB'S CROSSING by Geraldine Brooks is one of these young men who chooses a new way of life. Caleb learns Latin and Greek and other subjects taught here in America. He also goes off to what was called Indian college where he faces the hard knocks of being thought of as different and inferior. Strong in character Caleb doesn't waver. The way he chooses to live in two worlds, the Native American world and the American world is by blending the new beliefs with his old beliefs.

Not only does Geraldine Brooks introduce us to the Americanization of Native Americans she also gives an idea of what it was like to live as a woman in America during the seventeenth century. Bethia Mayfield is the main character. Bethia from childhood onward to adulthood loves to read and learn. Unfortunately, women were not thought to need an education. Every subject she learns comes to her not overtly but covertly. While she is an indentured servant at Harvard college and the Indian college, she works in the buttery. While there doing her chores, she listens and gleans whatever riches of knowledge possible.

She and Caleb are struggling to gain their desires in a world that holds what they want in a tight fist. Neither one of these characters give up, whine or weaken in any way. The book proves that the world is ours for the taking if a passion is real whether we are man or woman.

I especially liked learning about a woman's place in America during this time. I also liked learning about the life of an indentured servant. 

The End of the Challenge

I enjoyed this A-Z challenge so much. I am glad it's the end. I'm beginning to feel a bit pooped. It's a happy poopy feeling. Thanks again. Hope to join you again next year.

Zoo (Z)

Z)

The PHILADELPHIA ZOO is my most favorite zoo. I haven't been to over ten zoos. Still, I know a good thing when I see it. The Philadelphia zoo is the one we visited regularly during my childhood. To get there we had to take a trolley, subway and bus. My sister lived a lot closer. She and her family lived in West Philadelphia. Really, it's the cleanest zoo I've ever visited. It has the most varieties of animals, I think. There are separate houses for birds, snakes, organgatans or gorillas, tigers, etc. When my future husband came to Philadelphia to visit us, we took him to the zoo. He loved it. So, I knew immediately what to do with the letter Z.