Quote from: Andrew Peterson's The God of the Garden
What I'm Reading Currently:
Fiction: Nothing right now. I recently finished Anthony Doerr's latest, Cloud Cuckoo Land. It's a monster at nearly 700 pages and I had a book hangover (it's a real thing, I'm sure of it) after finishing. I didn't love it as much as I did All the Light We Cannot See, but there's no doubt that he's an excellent writer.
Nonfiction: Powers of Two by Joshua Wolf Shenk. This is FANTASTIC. I am still loving every bit.
Bible: I'm almost all the way through the American Standard Version. (I just finished Ephesians.) Not one of my favorite versions of the Bible, but I enjoy reading through different versions because something always jumps out at me that I've missed before.
Devotional: Send Out Your Light by Sandra McCracken. Another Christmas gift, this time from my husband. Lovely.
Theology: None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different from Us by Jen Wilkin. Highly recommend.
Practical: Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley. Written, perhaps, for families with younger children than mine. (Or at least, mostly younger children.) But I'm reading it based on two things: I appreciate books about habit and liturgy in general and also, I still have some young children and it's never too late to start a new good thing.
Classic: Moby Dick by Herman Melville. I am one chapter in. Melville was a wordy guy.
Read Aloud: Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen to my 11 year old daughter at bedtime. Other various things for school time to the kids still elementary grades.
Audiobook: Still none. But my oldest daughter is trying really hard to convert me to this. She gets as many of her college texts on audio as she can and then she listens while working a puzzle or knitting. Audiobooks seem like a great tool but I just haven't found my own groove with them yet.
I'm keeping up with my Goodreads account more faithfully these days. I'd be happy to add a few more friends there as well so send me a request if we're not already linked up.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. I like it. He is an excellent writer and he makes me pause sometimes. I don't read much anymore, so it is taking me awhile to get through it.
Audiobooks have saved me. I always thought "no way" on audio books. I wanted to hold one in my hand. But now I really enjoy them. Yes, I can read faster, but I don't read. I listen to audio books as I stitch or drive or as I am lying down to sleep. Or even in the morning if I wake early but am not quite ready to get up. My advice is to start with non-fiction. It is like listening to a lecture. Then move to easy read fiction. As I figure out the characters, I can speed up the audio and it moves much faster. I don't think I get as absorbed as I do with a print book, but I can multitask. I miss reading a lot, and this has helped a little.
I’m on my 3rd audiobook this month/year. I use the drive-time to and from work to listen. I also have a Bible app that reads my daily passages to me.
1. The Book of Lost Names by Kristen Harmel. Fiction. Recommended by my cousin, Amy. I enjoyed this WW2 era fiction.
2. How to Manage Your Home Worhout Losing Your Mind by Dana K White. Nonfiction. Don’t remember who recommended it. I found the book helpful because among other things, it combats perfectionism and procrastination - 2 of my worst traits! - in a humorous way.
3. A Thousand May Fall: Life, Death and Surrender in the Union Army, by Brian Matthew Jordan. Recommended by the New England Historical Genealogical Society. It’s about German regiments from Ohio in the Civil War. I’m not done but I’m enjoying the narrative and the source material behind it. (Guess why this one grabbed my attention! Lol)