READING:
Island Of The World -Micheal D O’Brien This book is painfully beautiful;if you’re like me, you won’t be able to shake it even six months later. Superbly written.
Born a Crime -Noah Trevor
Twenty Thousand Leages Under The Sea- Jules Verne Old sci-fi: this author is so methodically brilliant.The main character is kind of annoying, but it’s an interesting read if you can plow through all the facts.
M Train- Patti Smith Rather melancholy and neither here nor there for me.Probably not worth the time reading;I don’t think I even finished it.
Miss Rumphius- Barbara Cooney The exact kind of children’s book I love: detailed illustrations, good story line, and a gentle “moral”.
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon- Patti Lovel A jolly fun children’s book.
At Home in The World- Tsh Oxeinrider I don’t enjoy her theology, but I do appreciate her wisdom, adventurosity (this should be a word) and honesty.
Little Lord Fauntleroy -Francis Hodgson Burnett
Charlie Brown “All Tied Up” -Charles M. Schulz
Four Corners Of The Sky -Micheal Malone I had to google this one to remember anything about it.No great tragedy if you miss it.
The Mockingbird Next Door – Marja Mills I enjoyed this book quite a lot; written by a journalist from the Chicago Tribune, living next door to the Lee sisters in Monroeville, Alabama. I loved getting to the know the author of “To Kill a Mockingbird” a little better.Her sister,Alice, was a treat to read about as well.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely- Brigid Kemmerer A VERY light read. I like YA books but this one struck me as being pretty empty.
Father Elijah-An Apocolypse -Micheal D. Obrien Again,superbly written. Although I didn’t like this one as well as “Island Of The World”;it has that same ability to stop me in my tracks. It was an odd and interesting read: odd, because it is an apocolyptic novel, and interesting, because it is an apocolyptic novel written by a very Catholic author.
Excellent Women -Barbara Pym I don’t recommend it,but then again,I never finished it, so….
Dracula- Bram Stoker Victorian creepiness!!!I wanted to read it because it is partially set in the Carpathians and I thought it would be a good cultural read, plus it’s a classic,right?! Well,I’m intrigued by the spirit world but this got in a little deeper than I was comfortable with and spooked me pretty badly so I grudgingly put it aside.
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk- Ben Montgomery
Adorning The Dark -Andrew Peterson I like the beautiful color art.Although I haven’t read this book from cover to cover, I keep this book around to randomly pick up and read bits and pieces. It’s a warm, kind book on song-writing in particular and creativity in general.In my notes on this book, I have written, “Its like sipping on fine wine” ….why I thought that, I don’t know,because I sure haven’t sipped on much wine.
Certain Women -Madeliene L’Engle King David is one of my favorite characters in the Bible, so this book was interesting to me.It’s not exactly about King David but it includes King David quite a bit. For me, it was an unsettling book, in a good way, because it made me ponder the truth of how human the people we love are, and how to reconcile that fact with truth and compassion.
The Mind of The Maker- Dorothy Sayers I’m embarrassed to say it, but this book was too deep for me. I bogged down and ended up not finishing it. Hopefully someday?
New Collected Poems – Wendell Berry Just skimmed this book but I found some lovely treasures.
Four Seasons In Rome -Anthony Doerr Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. It’s the same kind of inspiring as looking at detailed ancient architecture or gazing at rich art pieces in a museum.
Station Eleven – Emily St John I think the plot is interesting and the author is talented but I was disappointed that it didn’t go any deeper .It had a potential that it didn’t reach, but I’d still recommend it.
Holy The Firm – Annie Dillard
At Home In Mitford – Jan Karon Heard of comfort food?Well, this is comfort reading.
Call The Nurse: True stories of a Country Nurse On a Scottish Island -Mary J. Macleod
Spiritual Formation -Henri Nouwen I quit. Although I like this author and have enjoyed his books for a while now I am discovering that I do need to be quite careful with his writings. I think it’s okay to read books in which you don’t agree with everything, but this book was taking me places I thought were unhealthy, and muddying waters in ways that seemed dangerous to me right now.When I become a stronger Christian and more able to sift the bad from the good, perhaps I can try again.
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory -Roald Dahl 😀😀
The Flying Stars And Other Stories -G.K. Chesterton
LISTENED TO ON AUDIO:
Call The Midwife: A True Story Of The East End In the 1950s -Jennifer Worth A memoir.
Call The Midwife:Farewell To The East End -Jennifer Worth More of the same memoirish stuff. For me, these were especially good books to listen to as I did house work. Each chapter is a story unto itself, so it makes it easier to stop and start,stop and start.
Women In Sunlight -Frances Mayes Although I have really enjoyed her books about moving to Italy and living in the Tuscany countryside this book was of a different genre and had too much trash in it for me, so I didn’t finish it. Many of her other books are lovely, though;true celebrations of life and taste and smell and texture.
The Secrets We Kept -Lara Prescott Neither did I finish this one;again ,too much trash.Books that contain too much infidelity do not intrigue me.But…..it did make me curious about one of the main characters……which lead me on to discovering a book that I am currently reading, and liking, “Doctor Zhivago” by Boris Pasternak.We shall see if I continue to like it. So far it’s been a great and interesting cultural read.
Into The Wild -Jon Krakauer
Anna Karenina -Leo Tolstoy
Garlic and Sapphires -Ruth Reichl So let me just say this:I am no gourmet cook,not even remotely.But this woman’s books make me want to run to the kitchen and cook up a luxurious feast, or even just sit down and enjoy a simple dish with all my senses standing at attention. I am beginning to look at common ingredients more joyfully and keenly because of this woman’s writings. In this book she talks about being a New York Times food critic and the disguises she wore to go into restaurants. Who knew that clothing had so much power over your self-identity?Or that food and its presentation could be so enthralling?This woman not only eats well, but she also builds word structures that are so descriptive that all I can do is stand back and gape. You do not have to be a cook to enjoy this book!
When Breath Becomes Air -Paul Kalanithi Just read it.
The Rainbow Comes And Goes -Andrew Cooper
Eleanor Oliphant Is Competely Fine -Gail Honeyman Very clever book.A work of genius.I am in awe.
The Art Of Asking – Amanda Palmer Probably don’t listen to it;maybe read it.I didn’t finish it, partially because the language was so bad I was worried that someone would drop in unexpectedly and it would embarrass us both. So maybe that’s a good sign this book is not for me?
Reflections On The Psalms – C.S Lewis
Joan of Arc – Kathryn Harrison It could have been a good book if the author had not taken such a sceptic approach.That kind of killed the book for me and I’m not sure if I even finished it.
The Girl On The Boat – G.P. Wodehouse
Ruth In Exile -G.P. Wodehouse
The Woman Who Smashed Codes -Jason Fagone
Troubling A Star – Madeleine L’Engle One sad thing about my life is that I didn’t read Madeleine L’Engle’s YA books until after I was a very young adult;but that has not stopped me from heartily enjoying them now! I have both read and listened to this book.It’s probably my favourite in the “Meet The Austins” series, although “A Ring Of Endless Light” is basically on the same level. Something about her writing makes me feel safe and warm and wise, and like there is much evil around us, but there is even more goodness.
Sourdough -Robin Sloan A hilarious, dopey book that I really loved.What a rollick!
For The Love -Jen Hatmaker
Just Tell The Truth -Jenmaker
Walden -Henry David Thoreau
The Story Of King Arthur And His Knights -Howard Pye
Remembering -Wendell Berry So far, my favourite Wendell Berry book.It’s a pretty heavy book, but there is a redemption. He gets gritty; he’s got a knack for understatedly, and perhaps dryly, putting “real-life” into words.He’s a great observer of the complexity of being human, and best of all, he believes in his readers’ intelligence.
Gulp -Mary Roach I like hearing odd trivia so this book was right down my line. Some of it is rather gross, so that’s really interesting.
Nathan Coulter -Wendell Berry
The Moment Of Tenderness -Madeleine L’Engle
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO:
The Odessey -Homer
Wise Blood -Flannery O’Connor Not sure about this one…..
About Grace -Anthony Doerr
The Last Year Of The War -Susan Meissner
Hamlet -William Shakespeare Dramatized version ….”Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”. What a thrilling sentence!
Star Soup 