As We Suspected, No Reading for Pleasure at the Maxwells

[kpmom]

A commenter on the Maxwell's most recent post ("2 p.m.") asked what the Maxwells read besides the bible.

The answer was, not a hell of a lot. Apparently Mary reads just little (when she has time), but any other reading is strictly for studying for various certifications.

 

So, the Maxwells expect people to buy and read their twaddle, but have no need for reading anything but the bible themselves.

 

titus2.com/blog/

[clibbyjo]

Well, they are missing out. The newest Stephanie Plum is pretty funny so far...

[twin2]

A commenter on the Maxwell's most recent post ("2 p.m.") asked what the Maxwells read besides the bible.

The answer was, not a hell of a lot. Apparently Mary reads just little (when she has time), but any other reading is strictly for studying for various certifications.

So, the Maxwells expect people to buy and read their twaddle, but have no need for reading anything but the bible themselves.

titus2.com/blog/

And apparently she is reading Autumn Days. Mary is 14. I think I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for the first time when I was 14.

[kpmom]

And apparently she is reading Autumn Days. Mary is 14. I think I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for the first time when I was 14.

Yeah, I saw that too. Aside from being too young for her, don't you imagine she, and all the Maxwells, have read all of Sarah's books long before this?

[bertiebean]

I loved how Steve made a point of saying he, Terri, & Sarah were writing, not reading. As if the two are mutually exclusive. Yeah...no.

[twin2]

Yeah, I saw that too. Aside from being too young for her, don't you imagine she, and all the Maxwells, have read all of Sarah's books long before this?

Well, I would think that Sarah would have the whole family read the books prior to printing and get feedback because that would be the logical thing to do. However, these are the Maxwells and logic is not taught at their SOTDRT. I'm guessing Lord Steve is the only one allowed to critique the work.

[clibbyjo]

My oldest just turned 15 in May and he reads at least 5 books a week.I am talking Beowolf,The Complete Works of Sherlock Homes and I think he is going for Atlas Shrugged next as I have said for years it was my favorite book in college.He chooses all his own books and reads several hundred a year(yes I keep track for the portfolio I turn into the school). All 3 of my kids read all the time.

I don't think my 9 year old would read Autumn Days, he is a little advanced for that...

[fundiefan]

The more I learn of that family, the more terrifying they become. I wasn't sure it was possible to think any less of them than I already had, but today's reading has just proven me wrong.

A 14 year old just now reading a short, child-oriented fiction book written by her sister. What took her so long? And, why is that her reading material at the age of 14?

I don't remember anything specific that I was reading at that age, but since I inherited my mom's need to constantly have the nose in a book, I am pretty sure it wasn't books meant for 7 year old's. Oh, wait, I was a freshman when I was 14. I know in English I read The Scarlet Letter and Huckleberry Finn, which actually kind of pissed me off because I had already read Huck.

[xDreamerx]

Do they take the no learning for learning sake approach that the Amish do? i.e. If something isn't directly related to a skill, job, or something you can use in a practicle way, it is considered 'idle' and discouraged.

[ladypuglover]

How can one live without reading? :shock: Books take you places and to times and you meet people that would never happen in real life. Everything from thrillers to cookbooks are very needed to enjoy life. Not read? :o When going on vacation I pack the books I want to read first then worry if there is enough room for clothes and such. I dare anyone to walk into any room in my house and not find a bookcase overflowing with books, yes, even the bathrooms have entire bookcases. Maybe its because I am a die hard bibliophile but I can not imagine a life without books. :shifty: Instead of grounding me when young, my mother would take away my books for a few days. It was worse than a beating with a belt.

[xDreamerx]

How can one live without reading? :shock: Books take you places and to times and you meet people that would never happen in real life. Everything from thrillers to cookbooks are very needed to enjoy life. Not read? :o When going on vacation I pack the books I want to read first then worry if there is enough room for clothes and such. I dare anyone to walk into any room in my house and not find a bookcase overflowing with books, yes, even the bathrooms have entire bookcases. Maybe its because I am a die hard bibliophile but I can not imagine a life without books. :shifty: Instead of grounding me when young, my mother would take away my books for a few days. It was worse than a beating with a belt.

Ditto. I've run out of bookshelves so I started stacking them on the floor in my room. I've also filled a couple of dressers I don't use. The bathroom...well the germaphobe in me won't allow that. I would have some kind of tizzy. But yeah, my dad always jokes that we'll soon have to get a second house for my books. It's a sickness. My mother suggested I sell some of them. I told her to cut off my right arm first.

[fundiefan]

Do they take the no learning for learning sake approach that the Amish do? i.e. If something isn't directly related to a skill, job, or something you can use in a practicle way, it is considered 'idle' and discouraged.

I don't know about being idle, but they do turn everything and anything enjoyable into and idol the must be overcome.

You may be onto something there. Something that is very, very scary.

[ladypuglover]

Ditto. I've run out of bookshelves so I started stacking them on the floor in my room. I've also filled a couple of dressers I don't use. The bathroom...well the germaphobe in me won't allow that. I would have some kind of tizzy. But yeah, my dad always jokes that we'll soon have to get a second house for my books. It's a sickness. My mother suggested I sell some of them. I told her to cut off my right arm first.

There are away from the potties(sperate room toilets) or books/magazines that are short term books at best.

[pomology]

No wonder Sarah's writing is terrible and boring (from the samples of the Moody books that the Maxwells provide for free). You can't write good children's books if you've never read any. I am (to my own chagrin) not a huge reader. Most of what I read is non-fiction for school. But I LOVE well-written children's books and I often reread my childhood favorites.

Those poor Maxwells are deprived (and 14 year old Mary? should be reading literature appropriate for high school students. I read some literature I LOVED in high school, even if I only read it because I had to.)

[xDreamerx]

There are away from the potties(sperate room toilets) or books/magazines that are short term books at best.

See that's okay. Someone once put one of my books on the back of the toilet. I had to throw it away. It was not cool. Sorry, back on topic lol.

[doggie]

I don't know about being idle, but they do turn everything and anything enjoyable into and idol the must be overcome.

You may be onto something there. Something that is very, very scary.

steve is the only idol in that house

[browngrl]

How can one live without reading? :shock: Books take you places and to times and you meet people that would never happen in real life. Everything from thrillers to cookbooks are very needed to enjoy life. Not read? :o When going on vacation I pack the books I want to read first then worry if there is enough room for clothes and such. I dare anyone to walk into any room in my house and not find a bookcase overflowing with books, yes, even the bathrooms have entire bookcases. Maybe its because I am a die hard bibliophile but I can not imagine a life without books. :shifty: Instead of grounding me when young, my mother would take away my books for a few days. It was worse than a beating with a belt.

Exactly!

I can not imagine a life without books.

[SinInTheCamp]

steve is the only idol in that house

Great! Now the rest of the family can get rid of him and have fun once in a while.

[fundiefan]

Great! Now the rest of the family can get rid of him and have fun once in a while.

I don't think they would know how to function without him. They'd sit there and stare into space. Teri's mind was taken over so long ago and kids were never allowed to actually develop their own.

Without dad telling them what to do, think and feel; how to behave and who they can be friends/interact with, I think they would all be like toddlers lost in the park.

[doggie]

No wonder Sarah's writing is terrible and boring (from the samples of the Moody books that the Maxwells provide for free). You can't write good children's books if you've never read any. I am (to my own chagrin) not a huge reader. Most of what I read is non-fiction for school. But I LOVE well-written children's books and I often reread my childhood favorites.

Those poor Maxwells are deprived (and 14 year old Mary? should be reading literature appropriate for high school students. I read some literature I LOVED in high school, even if I only read it because I had to.)

of course it sucks without any imagination or as you say reading it has to. but does it really matter? all that matters is that it is a godly book.

[Markie]

It saddens me to think that the Maxwell family cannot even read fundy-approved literature for pleasure. It doesn't surprise me, however. Of all the fundy families out there, the Maxwells sadden me the most. It also makes me wonder how many crazy fundy families are there out there that do not blog? There may even be worse fun-suckers than Steve and Teri...

[emmiedahl]

I went and read the sample of Autumn Days. That is appropriate for a 1st or 2nd grader who is just getting into chapter books; my 7 yo might like it if it had zombies or star wars clones in it. Doubt that somehow.

We go to the library every week and get maybe 50 books for one adult (me) and three or four children plus five movies and a few CDs. I let my kids read whatever they want. I hate it when librarians get all eyebrow raising at my choice in literature, so I won't do that to someone else.

[alphaeta08]

Jesus Christ, what a fun sponge! Living in that house would make me want to gouge my eyes out! :hand:

Wait, is Autumn Days that boring ass children's book someone shared samples of on the old board?

[hyperactress23]

This really makes me sad. I haven't read any of the excerpts from Autumn Days (nor do I want to, based on all of your opinions), but at fourteen reading was still a very big part of my life. Even having parents who pushed reading Christian books (which I've read TONS of) by fourteen I had already read so many great books. I can't imagine not having read books like Black Beauty, Little Women, Jane Eyre, and so may other classics that I read before I was fourteen. Perhaps I was reading above my level (I wrote a book report on The Hiding Place in the 4th grade), but still... By fourteen she should be able to read so much more than a children's book written by her sister...

[emeraldskull]

Ditto. I've run out of bookshelves so I started stacking them on the floor in my room. I've also filled a couple of dressers I don't use. The bathroom...well the germaphobe in me won't allow that. I would have some kind of tizzy. But yeah, my dad always jokes that we'll soon have to get a second house for my books. It's a sickness. My mother suggested I sell some of them. I told her to cut off my right arm first.

Ditto also... I seriously wonder if I could live without books. (music as well, but that's another discussion...) I haven't gotten too far with my own library, though I am slowly building it up. Though I am a Christian and do like to read the Bible, I couldn't imagine that being the only literature I ever read! When I had time, I would read for hours and hours as a kid... My mom says I taught myself to read at 4 years old.

So yeah... I can't imagine never having read A Little Princess and The Phantom Tollbooth (my two favorite books ever)... they shaped a lot of my perspective... Yes, my favorite books ever are children's books, but I'm a sucker for nostalgia. :-D There are, of course, quite a few more young adult/adult books that I love as well. But anyhow... the Maxwell's existence continually sounds more and more depressing...