Latest Reads

Ok, it's time to share some of my latest reads.  I tend to forget to do this and then I have a huge stack, and the thought of reviewing the books is overwhelming, so I just don 't do it.  This year however, I'm going to try to do this every couple of months, and it will be easier.  I get my list of "must read" books from the recommendations of others (you might see your name in this post), when titles are dropped in conversation, on favorite blogs and sometimes on Goodreads (when I remember to go there).  I love listening to Fresh Air on NPR, because Terry Gross often interviews an author, promoting his or her latest work.  I won't even tell you how many stacks of books are placed strategically all over my house, books that are waiting to be read.  I couldn't put them all in one place, because that would just be embarrassing, and my husband already thinks I'm a little obsessed.  However, this doesn't prevent me from adding something new to the Amazon cart if it sounds good.  I've also started pulling a previously read book off my bookshelf and adding it to the rotation. I'm trying to decide what needs to stay and what needs to go, because even I am beginning to realize there is only so much room in a house for books.  A good book won't make the cut.  It has to be a great book, that will be read again, for it to take up space on my bookshelves.  I have some classics that are the exception to that rule.  These are books that I hope I will "grow into".  A friend of mine recently reminded me, that in order to really understand a book, you have to read it more than once.  I have some that I think might take three or four readings, for me to begin to understand them.  But even if an initial reading brings only an introduction to a new thought, then it's been worth my time.  I think I'm better off than I would've been had I not read it in the first place.  Although, Lolita comes to mind and I think I would've been better off not to read that one.  Whew!  It may be a classic, but it was very disturbing. 

Even though I may have a bent towards a certain style of book ( like historical fiction), I try to throw a book in from time to time that might not be something I would ordinarily read. Gretchin Rubin's book club is good for this.  She is the author of the The Happiness Project and Happier at Home (both excellent books) and she offers an eclectic mix of suggestions each month.  I've linked all the books to Amazon, so you can learn more about them and maybe even decide you want to read one yourself.  You're welcome.

Okay, so here we go.  This is the second time I've read , Cry the Beloved Country (pulled this one from the bookshelf), and I loved it even more the second time around.  It's a fiction classic that takes place in South Africa.  Be prepared to have your heart strings tugged, or maybe ripped out, as you read about a Zulu pastor and his son Absalom, whose lives are affected by the injustices of apartheid.  There's a glossary at the back of the book that's helpful in understanding the Zulu and Afrikaner words.  The author's description of the geography of the area is so rich, I felt like I could see it for myself. My copy of this book is heavily underlined, there's so much good stuff here.  It's not light reading, but it's important reading.

I already mentioned Between the Lines back here, so I won't go into too much detail.  This was my spiritual pick for the month and I read it in the mornings, along with my scriptures.  Joseph Fielding McConkie is a gifted LDS scholar and this book has chapter after chapter of ideas on how to glean more from your time in the scriptures.  He says, "scriptures are meant to be read, consistently, in context and with the Spirit.  We cannot be blessed by principles we do not live; and we cannot live principles we do not know."  Not only does he share techniques on how to better understand the scriptures, but he pulls texts from their pages to demonstrate what he is teaching.  My favorite McConkie quote is, "The best commentary on scripture is scripture."   A great read for any student of the scriptures.

I love kid lit, and read quite a bit of it.  This month I read two great books.  Don't let the size of Wonderstruck fool you (626 pages), it's a quick read.  Over half of the book is illustrations, which draws you into the story as much as the prose. I think my sister Cindy, recommended this one a while back and I'm just now getting to it.  It may be the best book I've read about the challenges facing the  hearing impaired.  Interestingly enough the other book I read,  The Silent Boy, was about another young boy, this one, facing life with autism at the turn of the century.  Although that term isn't used in the book, today we would recognize it as such.  Unless you've had experience with either of these conditions, you might find yourself like me, appreciating the opportunity to see through a new lens. Lois Lowry, the author of The Silent Boy also wrote, The Giver, another one of my favorites.   

My nonfiction read was Boundaries.  I wish I had read this years ago.  Although the life of hard knocks has taught me a few things about learning to set boundaries, it would have been helpful to have learned the principles in this book an easier way.  And yes, I am one of those people who can learn from the mistakes of others.  I don't necessarily have to go through it myself, like some people do.   The book begins by discussing what boundaries are and why we need them.  Then the authors go into the possible conflicts that exist in families, at work, with friends and even with God and yourself, when boundaries are ignored.  The last part of the book teaches you how to set healthy boundaries.  I can think of a number of people who would benefit from reading this book and I may have to buy a few extra copies to hand out.  I know it's helped me and will be one that doesn't get pushed back on a shelf, but will remain on my desk to be used as needed.

I saved the best for last.  Thanks to Cindy, a Facebook friend, who recommended this last fall, I read and loved What Alice Forgot.   This was a "just for fun" fiction, that was just that, fun!  Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. I had a few late nights until this one was completed.  When Alice falls and bumps her head during an exercise class, she wakes up to find she's lost the memory of the last ten years of her life.  Surprise, frustration and pain are the results of her quest to understand the person she has become and she struggles to pick up where she's left off, especially with her relationships.  I found myself asking a lot of questions as to what my life would be like if the events of the last ten years were erased from my memory.  How would that effect my relationships?  This book seemed to me to be all about relationships, about grace and forgiveness, with yourself and others.  It reminded me of the movie Regarding Henry, with Harrison Ford, which if you haven't seen it, you should put it on your Netflix list immediately.  I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised at the character he plays in this flick, which is completely unlike his other roles.

Okay, now it's your turn.  I'd love to hear what you've been reading.  Please share!