Favorite Books

 

I was listening to a podcast yesterday called "From the Front Porch" hosted by Annie B. Jones. She talked about her top ten books of all time. I found it interesting because I had read five of them. Two of them would be on my "favorite books" list.

I could not find a "favorite books" list on my blog, so I decided to create one today. I have loved all of these books. This doesn't mean you will love all of these books. In fact, I recently read a book and told Kendall it was a five-star book. Her response was, "Then I probably won't like it." I agreed. She probably wouldn't. 

In no particular order, here are 25 of my favorite books:

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (1943)

A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (2019)

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (2025)

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (2015)

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (1949)

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (2004)

Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Feedman (1947)

Crying in H-Mart by Michelle Zauner (2021)

A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis (1961)

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis (1952)

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989)

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns (1984)

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (1908)

The Chosen by Chaim Potok (1967)

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (1970)

Watership Down by Richard Adams (1972)

About Alice by Calvin Trillin (2006)

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (1961)

Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand (1999)

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (2014)

The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy (1972)

Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt (2001)

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb (2021)

When I Lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent (2004)

Columbine by Dave Cullen (2009)

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5 X 5 Reading Challenge

 

I recently heard about a reading challenge that piqued my interest. It's called the 5 x 5 Reading Challenge. Here's how it works: You choose five categories to explore more deeply, then select five books in each category to read.

I own many books in the first four categories. This will give me a good reason to read or reread them. I do not own any books in the last category, but I hope I can borrow them from the library.

Here are the five categories and the books I have chosen:

Theology

God Dwells Among Us: A Biblical Theology of the Temple by G. K. Beale

The Unfolding Mystery: Discovering Christ in the Old Testament by Edward Clowney

From Garden to Glory: How Understanding God's Story Changes Yours by Courtney Doctor

God's Kingdom Through God's Covenants: A Concise Biblical Theology by Peter J. Gentry

According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible by Graeme Goldsworthy

Decorating

Elements of Style: Designing a Home and a Life by Erin Gates

House Rules: How to Decorate for Every Home, Style, and Budget by Myquillin Smith

Establishing Home: Creating Space for a Beautiful Life with Family, Faith, and Friends by Jean Stoffer

Book Nooks: Inspired Ideas for Cozy Reading Corners and Stylish Book Displays by Vanessa Dina

The New Design Rules: How to Decorate and Renovate From Start to Finish by Emily Henderson

Productivity

Up Time: A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing by Laura Mae Martin

The 12-Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran

Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity by Tim Challies

Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

The Reading Life

Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life by Sarah Clarkson

The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss

On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books by Karen Swallow Prior

The Reading Life: The Joy of Seeing New Worlds Through Others' Eyes by C. S. Lewis

Honey for a Woman's Heart: Growing Your World Through Reading Good Books by Gladys Hunt

Lebanon

An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

The Arsonists City: A Novel by Hala Alyan

The Locust and the Bird: My Mother's Story by Hanan al-Shaykh

In Borrowed Houses: A Memoir of Love and Faith Amidst War in Lebanon

The Covenant: Love and Death in Beruit by Barbara Newman

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Blind Date With a Book

 

Carolyn gave me the cutest gift for Christmas this year. She bought me a book, wrapped it up with all kinds of goodies, and gave me a clue on the tag to figure out what book it was before I opened the gift.

From the clue, "Fiction, Neighbors, First Impressions," I had no idea what the book could be. The wrapping was so pretty that it took me until today to want to open it. I really didn't want to dismantle the goodies.

The first layer included a Yogi tea bag called Bedtime (It supports a good night's sleep), a heart-shaped paper clip, and a cork coaster to set my cup of tea on. 

The second layer had two pieces of chocolate, a purifying facial mask made with avocado, a purple flower stem, a Zebra Sarasa Fineliner pen with red ink, and a Bible verse card of Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

And the last layer contained a notebook with my initial, "M," a sticker sheet, and a bookmark in the form of a library checkout card (so cute!).

This is what the wrapping looked like after I removed everything from the folds. And what book was inside???

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. 

Even though I have already read this book, it was still a fun surprise to find it inside!

Carolyn has promised to show me how to do this magical gift wrapping so I can give these cute little books to others.

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October Reading Stack

I plan to do a blog post on the books I have read recently (I need to catch up), but today my post is on the four books I plan to read in October. 

My October Stack

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor

The author of this book is not the actress Elizabeth Taylor who starred in Cleopatra. She is an English novelist and short story writer who lived from 1912 to 1975.

Here is a description from the back cover: "On a rainy Sunday afternoon in January, the recently widowed Mrs. Palfrey arrives at the Claremont Hotel where she will spend her remaining days. Her fellow residents are a mixed bunch - magnificently flawed and eccentric - living off crumbs of affection and an obsessive interest in the hotel menu. Together, upper lips stiffened, they fight off their twin enemies: boredom and the Grim Reaper. And then one day, Mrs. Palfrey meets the handsome young writer Ludo, and an unlikely friendship is formed..." Sounds perfect!

Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books by Cathy Rentzenbrink

This is one of many books about books on my shelf. Here's what Amazon has to say about it: "A moving, funny, and joyous exploration of how books can change the course of your life, packed with recommendations from one reader to another." Can't get too many book recommendations!

The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus our Shepherd, Companion, and Host by David Gibson

David Gibson is a pastor in Aberdeen, Scotland. In this book, he expands on three of his sermons on Psalm 23. Here is a quote from Page 66 in the book: "Leland Ryken summarizes the theme of our famous psalm as "the contentment that comes from resting in the sufficiency of God's providence."" 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

This is my book club book for November (no meeting in October). From the back cover: In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the friends suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case. They might be senior citizens, but they are cleverer than most. As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late? This is book 1 of 4 in a series set in a fictitious retirement village called Coopers Chase in southern England. A cozy mystery for the fall.

I see a few themes in this month's reading pile: Retirement homes, authors from Great Britain, and English settings.

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Travel Reading

 

Today I am planning to relax by the pool and do some pre-trip reading.

Bath, Bristol & The Southwest by Lonely Planet

Cozy: The British Art of Comfort by Laura Weir

London Block by Block by Cierra Block

Bookshop Tours of Britain by Louise Boland

Visitor's Guide to the English Cotswolds by Blair Howard

Pretty City London: Discovering London's Beautiful Places by Siobhan Ferguson

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Reading Aloud

 

As a children's librarian, I amassed quite a collection of books on the art of reading aloud and the best books for children. The most recent book is on top of the stack: The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon. 

Reading aloud with babies and toddlers accelerates language development and attention span. It exposes them to millions of words they might never otherwise read, hear, or learn. It also exposes them to beautiful artwork, colors, shapes, and numbers. 

I'm so glad that Marina and Dean have had hundreds of books read to them so far in their lives. Many on repeat! Both of them enjoy the snuggles and closeness that come from sitting on their parent's laps, listening to words and sounds and sentences as they turn the pages. After a while, they know some of the books by heart and pretend to read them on their own. 

Reading aloud is one of the best gifts you can give your children.

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Reading Plan

I have not been reading much lately, at least not much in the way of fiction. I've read a lot of cookbooks, home decorating books, and Bible study books. In order to jump-start my reading life again, I decided to challenge myself to read five books in the months of November and December (the busiest months of the year)! We'll see how this goes. Below is the plan.

November Books

Fiction: 

The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall - A national bestseller and a "Read with Jenna" book published in 2019. The story follows two couples through decades of love and friendship, jealousy and understanding, forgiveness and commitment. Literary Fiction.

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz - In her mid-fifties, Cara Romero loses her job in the Great Recession. When she is forced back into the job market for the first time in decades, she is set up with a job counselor and begins to narrate her life story. Not at all sure what this is about, but I thought I would try it. Literary Fiction; Hispanic American Literature.

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict -  A fictional memoir about Hedy Lamarr, an Austrian-born film star who escaped to Hollywood during World War II. With no formal training, she was a brilliant scientist whose invention of "frequency hopping" was instrumental in fighting the Nazis. I'm 2/3 of the way through this one already.

Non-Fiction:

Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot - Hard times come for all in life with no real explanation. When we walk through suffering, it has the potential to devastate and destroy, or to be the gateway to gratitude and joy. Elisabeth Elliot's husband Jim Elliot was murdered by the Waorani people in Ecuador in 1956, and her second husband lost his battle with cancer. In this book, she writes about how in her deepest suffering she learned the deepest lessons about God.

Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot - This is my November morning devotions book.

December Books

Fiction:

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox - When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses her critical ability to taste and smell. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown. All they want for Christmas is a different life. So they do something they haven't done since they were kids - they switch places. Sounds like a fun story.

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout - As a panicked world goes into lockdown, Lucy Barton is uprooted from her life in Manhattan and goes off to a small town in Maine with her ex-husband, William (from her book, Oh William!). For the next several months, it's just Lucy and William by the sea. I love Elizabeth Strout's writing, so I'm looking forward to this one.

Non-Fiction:

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett - Reflections on home, family, friendships, and writing make up this personal collection of essays by Ann Patchett - author of The Dutch House which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Knowing God by J. I. Packer - First published in 1973, this is a contemporary classic that I've been meaning to read for years. 

Emmanuel: an Invitation to Prepare Him Room at Christmas and Always by Ruth Chou Simons - If there's one name for Jesus that captures the whole heart of God, it is Emmanuel - which means God with us. Ruth Chou Simons is an author, artist (I have some of her artwork in my house), and mother of six boys. This will be my December morning devotions book.

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What Should I Read Next?

 

I'm ahead of the reading game in October so far. I've already finished The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd and Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate (reviews to come later). Now I can't decide on what to read next. Here are a few options that are sitting on my TBR shelf. All quotes from Amazon.

The Book of Lost Names by Kristen Harmel

"Inspired by an astonishing true story from World War II, a young woman with a talent for forgery helps hundreds of Jewish children flee the Nazis" 

The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes

"...when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically."

New Girl in Little Cove by Damhnait Monagham

"After the local French teacher scandalizes the fishing village of Little Cove, Newfoundland, by running off with a priest, the school looks to the mainland to fill the job quickly. They want someone who can uphold their Catholic values and keep a motley group of largely unwilling students in line."

Mornings with Rosemary by Libby Page

"...an irresistible tale of love, loss, aging, and friendship."

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

"...a young wife who finds the physical and moral courage to stand up for herself in a time when women could be hung as witches.."

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

"In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library."

The Body in the Libary by Agatha Christie

"It’s seven in the morning. The Bantrys wake to find the body of a young woman in their library. She is wearing an evening dress and heavy makeup, which is now smeared across her cheeks. But who is she? How did she get there?" 

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

"Talia is being held at a correctional facility for adolescent girls in the forested mountains of Colombia after committing an impulsive act of violence that may or may not have been warranted. She urgently needs to get out and get back home to Bogotá, where her father and a plane ticket to the United States are waiting for her. If she misses her flight, she might also miss her chance to finally be reunited with her family."

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Twenty-One Books for 2021

 

I'm going to try very hard to read books that I already own this year before I buy any more! Only one book in this stack is from the library (The Favorite Daughter). But here are 21 books I want to read in 2021 with a short description of each.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles  - Post Civil War traveling older gentleman returns young girl who was captured by Kiowa. Richards Girls book club pick.

Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West - Ruby King's mother is murdered which leaves her in jeopardy living alone with her father. Only her best friend can help. Community book club pick for January.

The Favorite Daughter by Patti Callahan Henry - Family betrayal keeps one daughter estranged for ten years. As the father's health deteriorates, she returns home to face the past. Buddy read with Carolyn.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn - Biography of Elisabeth Elliot whose husband was killed in 1956 while they were serving as missionaries in Ecuador. 

Be Still My Soul by Elisabeth Elliot - Reflections on living the Christian life.

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict - True story of Hollywood icon and scientist, Hedy Lamarr.

Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar - Fictional account of the biblical story of Rahab.

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport - Choosing a focused life in a noisy world.

Devotedly, by Valerie Elliot Shepard - The personal letters and love story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot as put together by their daughter, Valerie, who was 10 months old when her father was killed in Ecuador.

Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman - A middle-aged woman copes with anxiety by carrying her Sheltie around in a baby wrap. Had to get this one because of the cover (and the Sheltie).

You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe - A biography of George Washington. Community book group pick for February.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - A classic I have always wanted to read.

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough - A book my mom loved so I have always wanted to read it.

Jesus on Every Page by David Murray - Summary of the way the Old Testament points to Jesus.

Knowing God by J. I. Packer - A classic Christian book I have yet to read.

A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza - I was supposed to buddy read this one with Katherine a couple of years ago and I copped out. 

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline - Historical fiction -  Two women are sent from England to the penal colony of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) in Australia (1840's).

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict - Fictional story explaining why Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days in 1926.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Watkins - A modern Southern Gothic twist on Jane Eyre only this time Jane is a young, broke dog walker who has a problem with kleptomania. 

Where I Come From by Rick Bragg - Collection of columns from Southern Living and Garden & Gun. Pulitzer Prize-winning author shares stories and history from the Deep South.

White Ivy by Susie Yang - A young Chinese girl from an immigrant family becomes obsessed with a privileged classmate and it gets her in too deep. Psychological thriller. Hope it's not too scary!

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My Free Little Library

In April of 2016, I wrote about Free Little Libraries. Since then, I've seen them in many places. There is one in Katherine & Josh's neighborhood, there is one around the corner from Peter and Kendall's house, and there is are a few around our town. I never did put one in my lawn. Instead, I decided to have a Free Little Library in the foyer of our house. I got this idea from the Air B & B that Katherine and I stayed at in Cincinnati.

My Free Little Library works the same way. When I'm finished with a book, I put it in the cabinet. Anyone who visits our house can look through the cabinet and take what they want. They can also add their own books.

No library card required!

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June Book Stack

These are the books I plan to read in June. I also want to listen to several on audio. I'll let you know how they are.

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke

The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson

Anne Frank Remembered: The Story of the Woman Who Helped to Hide the Frank Family by Miep Gies and Alison Leslie Gold

The Island of Sea Women: A Novel by Lisa See

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I Read a Lot This Week

While recovering from surgery this week, I read a stack of books.

Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home by Nikki Boyd

Rating: 4

Non-Fiction

Nikki Boyd is the YouTube organizer behind At Home with Nikki. She has a book out that describes how to organize every area of your home. Here all white sparkly spaces make me want to paint all the woodwork in my home. 

The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions by Emily P. Freeman

Rating: 4

Non-Fiction

Emily Freeman has a podcast called The Next Right Thing. It's a short (15 min.) monologue each week sharing her thoughts and ideas on decision making, routines, and other short topics. Her book is mainly about the process of decision making.

Lenten Lands: My Childhood with Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis by Douglas Gresham

Rating: 5

Memoir

C. S. Lewis wrote this on his wife Joy's epitaph:

"Here the whole world (stars, water, air,
and field, and forest, as they were reflected
in a single mind) Like cast off clothes was left behind
in ashes, yet with hopes that she, re-born from holy poverty
In lenten lands, hereafter may
resume them on her Easter day."

I think this is where Joy's son, Douglas, got the title for this book he wrote about his childhood moving from New York to London and then to Oxford to live with C. S. Lewis. This book filled in a lot of gaps that I was left wondering about after reading Becoming Mrs. Lews last month. Great story!

Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro
Rating: 5
Memoir

Dani Shapiro took a saliva DNA test on a whim just because her husband was doing it. She didn't think anything of it until the results came back in the mail. That's when she found out that the father she knew was not really her father. Both of her parents were dead at this point, so she had to piece together what happened. This was a fascinating story.

And God Came in: The Extraordinary Story of Joy Davidman by Lyle Dorsett
Rating: 4
Biography

I've gotten a little obsessed with the love story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis. This book is Joy's spiritual biography - her journey from Judaism to Communism to Christianity.

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A List of Memoirs to Read

I love a good memoir, so I am going to try to read one a month. Real life stories give me insights into the human condition in general, they remind me that no life is without its turbulent times and troubles, and they often encourage me as I read about the person's courage and resilience.

Here's a list of some that are on my list:

I am, I am, I am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O'Farrell

Educated: a Memoir by Tara Westover

Night by Elie Wiesel

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt

My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary

The Kids are All Right: A Memoir by Diana Welch and Liz Welch

In Pieces by Sally Field

Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits by Reese Witherspoon

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My Book Rating System

Five Stars

I know that everyone's taste in books is different, so I don't expect my five-star rated books to be the same as anyone else's. I've started tracking the books I read on Good Reads, so I need to figure out what deserves five stars.

Here is my rating system going forward:

* One Star - I abandoned the book before I began reading it

** Two Stars - I abandoned the book between pages 50 and 100 because life is too short

*** Three Stars - I enjoyed the book enough to finish it, but nothing stood out as spectacular. I would not recommend the book to anyone. The book would be promptly donated to the next library book sale.

**** Four Stars -  The book kept my interest to the end. It was very well written, and I would recommend it to friends and family. I might donate it to the next book sale or pass it along to someone who might enjoy it as well.

***** Five Stars - The book gripped me emotionally. I could not put it down. It was a real page-turner. It was extremely well-written. I will think about it long after I finish it. I may re-read it even though life is short. It will remain on my bookshelf forever. I will tell everyone, "You have to read this book!"

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What We Read - 2017 Reading Challenge

Katherine and I finished the Modern Mrs. Darcy 2017 Reading Challenge! We both confess to getting those last pages read in the first week of 2018. Here is what each of us read:

Newbery Award/Honor Book:
MR: The War that Saved My Life by Kimbery Brubaker Bradley
KR: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

A Book in Translation:
MR: A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman
KR: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

A Book that is more than 600 Pages:
MR: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
KR: The Passage by Justin Cronin

A Book of Poetry, a Play, or an Essay Collection:
MR: Heating and Cooling by Beth Ann Fennelly
KR: Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

A Book that Addresses Current Events:
MR: Columbine by David Cullen
KR: Welcoming the Stranger by Matthew Soerens

An Immigrant Story:
MR: The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
KR: The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

A Book Published Before You Were Born:
MR: To Sir with Love by E. R. Braithwaite
KR: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Three Books by the Same Author:
MR: Chief Inspector Gamache #1, #2, #3 by Louise Penny
KR: Chief Inspector Gamache #1, #2, #3 by Louise Penny

A Book by an #ownvoices or #diversebooks Author:
MR: Wonder by R. J. Palacio
KR: Dear Ijeawele by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

A Book with an Unreliable Narrator or Ambiguous Ending:
MR: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
KR: Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

A Book Nominated for an Award in 2017:
MR: You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins (National Book Award - nominee)
KR: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (National Book Award - winner)

A Pulitzer Prize or National Book Award Winner:
MR: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (Pulitzer Prize winner and National Book Award winner)
KR: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Pulitzer Prize winner)

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Reading Lists

I have to read three books in the next 17 days to complete The Modern Mrs. Darcy 2017 Reading Challenge. I veered off course somewhere in the summer and started reading things that didn't qualify, so now I am in crunch mode. Fortunately, I already finished the long book.

But now it is time to start thinking about 2018. Ann Bogel just released her 2018 reading challenge.

I have to think about whether I want to do that one or whether I want to work toward a different goal.

Here are a few I am considering:

Read 100 books 

Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books

Tim Challies Reading Challenge

50 Best Christian Books

Around the Year 52 Book Challenge

Around the World in 80 Books

Or the ultimate challenge: Read all the books I own that I haven't already read!

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Parting with Books

You are looking at a very small fraction of the books I own.

It's a serious problem...I know.

When I was a librarian, I had to regularly "weed" the collection to dispose of old, tattered books and make room for new beautiful books. It was easy. I'd pluck those babies right off the shelf and say, "Adios, my friends".

At home, though, it's another story. I look at my books and hold them in my hands, and even if I am not going to have time to read them until 2034, I have a difficult time letting go of them.

It's time to do an at-home weeding session because the books are starting to overflow onto the floor.

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Reading Challenge

It's been three days since my last post, so I thought I'd better get one out here before I get a text from Pam. She always kicks me in the rear end if I miss a few days! She's my blog accountability partner.

Before Christmas, Katherine asked me if I wanted to do the Modern Mrs. Darcy 2017 Reading Challenge with her. Of course I said YES!

There are two different options for the challenge. One is called "Reading for Fun" and the other is called "Reading for Growth." We both chose the latter one. I guess we aren't much fun!

I went through the categories and wrote down a probable book for each one. I can always change my mind later. Here is what I will likely read:

A Newbery Award or Honor book: The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

A book that's more than 600 pages: Nicholas and Alexandra: The Classic Account of the Fall of the Romanov Dynasty by Robert Massie

A book of poetry, a play, or an essay collection: Slouching Towards Bethlehem: Essays by Joan Didion

A book of any genre that addresses current events: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander and Cornel West

An immigrant story: The Mango Bride by Marivi Soliven

A book published before you were born: To Sir, With Love by E. R. Braithwaite

Three books by the same author: The Water is Wide, South of Broad, and  A Lowcountry Heart by Pat Conroy

A book by an #ownvoices or #diversebooks author: Wonder by R. J. Palacio

A book with an unreliable narrator or ambiguous ending: The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton

A Pulitzer Prize or National Book Award winner: News of the World by Paulette Jiles

A book nominated for an award in 2017: (Yet to be determined)

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My Reading Life

I just finished reading a book called The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life by Steve Leveen. It's been sitting on my bookshelf for the past ten years. I read it once when I first bought it, and I picked it up again yesterday because I plan to be more intentional about my reading life in 2017.

In the book, the author suggests three actions to take to create a more intentional reading life:

1.  Create a list of candidates (books you want to read) and group them under topics you are interested in. For instance, your topics might be authors you like, places you plan to visit, professional development, biographies, history, etc. Without a reading plan, we tend to read in a random fashion.

2. Keep a list of books you've read that have meant something to you. He calls this a Bookography which is sort of a book biography. You can look back on the list and recommend books to others or give them as gifts.

3. Retain what you read. In order to remember what the book was about and to be able to tell others about it, begin by writing a quick review of the book shortly after you finish it. As you read the book, make notes in the margins and mark pages you want to go back to. Talk about the book with others to help solidify the impact it made on you.

To begin my list of candidates, I will start with the category of Books and Reading. I'm kind of nerdy in that I like to read books about reading. Here are a few to start with:

How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster

You Must Read: Books that have Shaped Our Lives by various authors including Alistair Begg

100 Christian Books that Changed the Century by William J. Peterson and Randy Peterson

A Lifetime of Fiction by William Patrick Martin

Book Savvy by Cynthia Lee Katona

Read This Next by Sandra Newman and Howard Mittelmark

Read it and Eat by Sarah Gardner

Honey for a Woman's Heart by Gladys Hunt

The Maximum Security Book Club: Reading Literature in a Men's Prison by Mike Brottmann

How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quinlin

The New Lifetime Reading Plan by Clifton Fadiman

My Reading Life by Pat Conroy

How to Read and Why by Harold Bloom


I could go on, but I won't. I need to get reading!

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Little Free Library

Have you seen a Little Free Library in your neighborhood or at the local park? I've seen three. One is in the front yard of a house near downtown Hudson. One is at Sunny Lake in Aurora (pictured above), and one is at the park at Frohring Meadows in Bainbridge.

Inside each Little Free Library you will find books that are free to take. The idea is to take a book and give a book (if you have one). When I opened this Little Library, I found mostly children's books, but they can contain adult books too.

The Little Free Library website has kits so you can put together your own library. They also have tips on how to get started giving away books.

I've been toying with the idea of starting one of these myself. The perfect spot might be across the street from our house in the common area by the lake. There is a bench there for the book borrower to sit and read on a nice day. I would just have to get it past our Homeowner's Association.

I've always wanted to have a library of my own. This might just be the start of something big...or little.

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