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Rating: 
Summary: Not what I expected
Review: I heard about this author on several homeschooling websites from Charlotte Mason fans. I've read Levison's and Gardner's books about applying Charlotte Mason's methods, and was truly inspired by them. I thought this might be a good book to give me some similar ideas that weren't specifically school-related. Unfortunately, the author had very little to say. She suggested spending time with family and God, but had virtually nothing specific to say. I can't speak on the second half of the book, as I grew too frustrated reading such generalizations to finish(and it is very unsual for me not to finish a book).
Rating: 
Summary: An "earthy-biblical-spiritual" model for family life
Review: Susan Schaeffer Macaulay, daughter of L'Abri founders Francis & Edith Schaeffer, has given us a wonderful guide to family life in the postmodern world. She writes out of a desire to help young families -- or those beginning to think in that direction -- "nurture their family's heart." Susan presents a clear blueprint for "constructing a home that survives the variety of situations that you face in modern life." What is so appealing about the book is its realism and simplicity. There are no romantic notions about family life here, just the plain, down-to-earth emphasis on HUMAN-NESS that is the hallmark of the "L'Abri spirituality." Topics include:
Taking Time and Care to Create the Home's Atmosphere
The Glory of the "Usual"
The Infrastructure of Routine, and
A Look at the Everyday All Around Us -- All Year Long. If you are looking for sound, practical advice on family life, get this book. It is a must read! -- The Discerning Reader
Rating: 
Summary: This isn't a homeschooling book (which surprised me)
Review: Susan Schaeffer Macaulay, daughter of L'Abri founders Francis & Edith Schaeffer, has given us a wonderful guide to family life in the postmodern world. She writes out of a desire to help young families -- or those beginning to think in that direction -- "nurture their family's heart." Susan presents a clear blueprint for "constructing a home that survives the variety of situations that you face in modern life." What is so appealing about the book is its realism and simplicity. There are no romantic notions about family life here, just the plain, down-to-earth emphasis on HUMAN-NESS that is the hallmark of the "L'Abri spirituality." Topics include:
Taking Time and Care to Create the Home's Atmosphere
The Glory of the "Usual"
The Infrastructure of Routine, and
A Look at the Everyday All Around Us -- All Year Long. If you are looking for sound, practical advice on family life, get this book. It is a must read! -- The Discerning Reader
Rating:
Summary: This isn't a homeschooling book (which surprised me)
Review: The author's earlier book, "For the Children's Sake," is one of my all-time favorite books on home education, so when I heard about her latest release, I could hardly wait to read it. I was more than a little disappointed when I started reading and realized that this book isn't a continuation of the author's ideas from "For the Children's Sake", but just a general treatise on the importance of family. As someone who's already convinced of the importance of "family" and the high priority given to family by God and in Scripture, I felt--when reading it the first time--that the author was preaching to the choir. BUT, now that I've had the book for over a year, I went back recently and re-read parts of it. I tried to think about the book--and it's contents--from the perspective of a non-homeschooler, or maybe someone new to the Christian faith, or perhaps someone just starting out with their family (a newlywed or a new parent, for example). From those prespectives, I realized that this book actually has tremendous value--perhaps not everyone has taken the time to think through some of the implications on the importance of maintaining a strong family life that are brought up in this book. If you're looking for a homeschooling book about Charlotte Mason's techniques and methods, this is definitely NOT the book to buy! I think that one of the other reviewers on this website mistakenly thought she was buying "For the Children's Sake" when she bought this book. I truly hope she has since found her way to the other book because "For the Children's Sake" is really one of the best homeschooling-related books ever written (in my not-so-humble opinion). ;-) Also, if you're looking for new and earth-shaking ideas or nuts-and-bolts practical tips to implement with your family, this probably isn't the book for you, either. BUT, if you're looking for a solid, warm-hearted, and articulate treatment of the everyday activities and priorities of normal family life--and a discussion of the value of "family" in the lives of modern-day individuals--I think you'll be well-pleased with this particular book and find it money well spent.
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