Family Reading Time E-Book

Dr. Ernest Cronin

• Herausgeber: Worldwide Publishing Group
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Strong Bonds - Strong Families
 
It has been said that "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents and grandparents." Dedicated, regular time for reading is essential in creating strong family ties and demonstrating to children the tremendous value of reading. This is a time when you talk, laugh, connect, and most importantly bond with your family.
 
Dr. Ernest Cronin has compiled his favorite recitations in this poetry book which contains:
 
- Poems and prose that have stood the test of time
- Inspirational and educational passages
- Thought-provoking quotes from famous leaders
- Lyrics from a few familiar songs
- Patriotic selections
 
Inspire your children and grandchildren as you read and learn together. Give them the gift of words, context and understanding. Allow your dinner table to be a place of fun and relaxation, while building a strong connection with your family through reading.
 

Leseprobe

Family Reading Time

A Grandfather's Dinner Table Recitations

Dr. Ernest Cronin

Copyright © 2021 by Ernest Cronin

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except in the case of brief quotations for use in articles and reviews, without written permission from the author.

The views expressed in this book are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

7710-T Cherry Park Dr, Ste 224

Houston, TX 77095

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Cover design:  www.HarvestCreek.net

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ISBN:  978-1-64830-423-1

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Family Reading Time: A Grandfather's Dinner Table Recitations

Preface

Blessings

Portia’s Speech

A Red, Red Rose

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

In Flanders Fields

Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue

Miniver Cheevy

Heart of Darkness

Tyger Tyger

Song of the Witches

The Road Not Taken

Immortality

Jaques’ Monologue

It was The Best of Times

Dreams

16 tons

Sonnet 18

Sonnet 19

Daffodils

Fog

Oh Danny Boy

To Thine Own Self Be True

How Sharper

Cowards

Barbara Frietchie

My Feet Are Wearied

Juliet Speech

My kingdom for a horse!

Teddy Roosevelt One-liners #1

Death Be Not Proud

To Sleep

Mark Antony’s Speech

To a Mouse On Turning her up in her Nest, with the Plough, November 1785.

Teddy Roosevelt One-liners #2

The Lamb

Man in The Arena

Shakespeare One-liners #1

Father Malloy

God Bless America

Meditation 17

The Hill

Teddy Roosevelt One-liners #3

Charge of the Light Brigade

Lucinda Matlock

Pledge of Allegiance

Teddy Roosevelt One-liners # 4

Trees

O Captain! My Captain!

Shakespeare One-liners

To a Louse, On Seeing One on a Lady's Bonnet at Church

St. Crispian’s Day Speech

Casey at the Bat

In The Land Where We Were Dreaming

Prayer, and Hope of Victory

A Land Without Ruins

Hark to the Shouting Wind!

Song of Eternity

Fire and Ice

Richard Cory

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Niccol Machiavelli One-liners

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

When You Are Old

Sonnet 116

I carry your heart

Judged By the Company One Keeps

When I Too Long

The Swing

Who Has Seen the Wind?

My Shadow

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat

The Road Ahead

Ronald Reagan One-liners #1

Ronald Reagan One-liners #2

The Windhover

Ronald Reagan One-liners #3

Riddle of the World

The Star-Spangled Banner

Ronald Reagan One-liners #4

Weather

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout

Little Edgar Smith

The Destruction of Sennacherib

If

Marcus Aurelius One-liners

Mother Teresa - # 1

Mother Teresa - # 2

Mother Teresa - # 3

Mother Teresa - # 4

The LORD is My Shepherd; I Shall Not Want.

The Words of the Preacher

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Dedication

I dedicate this book to my parents, Edward C. Cronin, and Elaine Dattner Cronin.

Preface

My wife and I raised eight children. We made a significant effort to have frequent evening meals together. These dinners helped us to stay connected with our children and their activities and interests.

Central aspects of our evening repast were first the formal blessing, (this is the first item in the anthology) the second aspect was a recitation of a poem or prose passage and the discussion which followed. This was almost always enjoyable and educational. My wife Candy is a primary reason we had the dinner time recitations in the first place. She also encouraged me to compile this anthology.

I decided to compile this anthology to give families appropriate, convenient material they might use with their family meals. Of course, individuals may enjoy reading this anthology anytime.

I do not know what effect this ultimately had on our children’s character or behavior. My wife Candy had a dominant role in their Christian formation, but even today they still sometimes refer to us as “the parental unit.”  We did try to stick together when dealing with discipline or most important matters vis a vis our admirable progeny.

We are both proud that all eight of our children remain faithful Catholic Christians in this chaotic world. Perhaps our evening recitations and discussions did play a role. Our grown children appreciate the sanctity of life and welcome the next generation of children into family life. They are forming their own children for a kind, faithful, generous, holy, productive life with salvation as the ultimate goal. I hope you enjoy these reflections of our heritage.

I want to thank my children and grandchildren for their suggestions and support:

Erin and Oscar De La Cruz, their children, Julia, Mark, and Maria

Christopher and Andrea Cronin, their children, Moire, Aonghus, Judith, Evelyn, and Killian;

Eileen and Thomas Hubbard.

Mollie and Karl Ullrich, their children, Michael, Christopher, Peter, Helen, Anna, George, Henry, and Genevieve.

Brendan and Claire Cronin, their children, Aiden, Isabelle, Blaise, Sebastian, and Evangeline;

Carol and Dave Kelly, their children, C. J., and Lucy;

Sean and Margaret Cronin, their children, Jude, Felicity, Olive, and Basil;

Sheila and Andrew Santos, and their children, Caleb, and John. 

Finally, I want to thank Karl Ullrich, my son-in-law, for editing and formatting.

Introduction

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This anthology is a particular slice of English and American literature that I find entertaining, fascinating, and educational. It is a small anthology collected from my personal preferences. Many selections are from authors I like who have stood the test of time, such as William Shakespeare, John Milton, William Blake, Robert Burns, Robert Frost, etc.

Many common topics are treated in manifold ways by various poets. For example, the prevalent topic of romantic love is presented in varying modes. There is Robert Burns glorious and intimate, “A Red Red Rose,” Shakespeare’s, “Shall I Compare thee to a Summers Day,” is staider, while Robert Herrick’s “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time,” is much more sanguine.

There are inspirational readings, such as John Donne’s masterpiece the 17th Meditation, (This Bell Tolling Softly for Another Says to Me, Thou Must Die). Educational poems like Robert Burns “To a Mouse” and “To a Louse” give us the famous lines, “the best-laid schemes of mice and men often go astray,” and “oh would some power the gift to give us, to see ourselves as others see us.”

Inspirational, poignant, and meaningful quotes by several renowned individuals from Marcus Aurelius to Mother Teresa, such as “the happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts,” and “kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless” are presented.

I have included as a sort of cameo appearance, two amateur poems I wrote. I thought they might feel good surrounded by such famous poems.

This anthology is inspired by the family dinner recitations my wife and I had with our eight children as they were growing up. I hope it might be useful to other families or individuals who love good literature.