Project "Read more in 2015"

At the end of December, I received an email from Goodreads congratulating me on reading 14 books in 2014, and all I could think of was, "That's IT?!???" I consider myself a READER and that just seems like a really small list, and I definitely want to start reading more.

First of all, I had to figure out why I wasn't reading as much, and I have to say - true confessions - that one of the culprits of stealing my time is playing games on my phone. I'm embarrassed to admit that! So to make more time for reading, I deleted nearly all the games off my phone, keeping just two that I play with others, so they aren't huge suckers of my time.

With that distraction eliminated, and a decision to actively spend more of my free time reading, I also set a goal for reading this year: at least 2 books per month, or 24 books this year. I also plan to alternate between fiction and nonfiction, so I get a good mix of titles read.

The alternative name for this reading project is "Project clean off the nightstand" because that is the place I tend to collect books that I want to read or intend to read. My nightstand isn't very big, but it has two lower shelves, and it is literally fully packed with books to read. Alternate project name number two is "Project finish all the books I've started" - my Goodreads "currently reading" list includes 8 books, and I'm actually only currently reading 2 of them!

This morning, I reorganized the piles on the top of the nightstand, and stacked the books in order that I plan to read them. Here's what's on my nightstand:

I'm currently reading Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., which was a gift from my cousin Ashley for Christmas. I just started it, so no opinions to report yet. :)

The next two books are the selections for my twice-annual girls book weekend. We had actually planned to read these last fall, and then our discussion weekend was postponed to this spring, so I've had plenty of time to postpone putting these on the top of the list, but the time is now! The two titles for book weekend are Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis and Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Next is a classic; I became interested in Hemingway after reading Paula McLain's novel The Paris Wife last year. A Moveable Feast is Hemingway's own writing about his wife Hadley.

Following that: Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha and Mohammed Cross the Road? by Brian D. McLaren - one of last year's book weekend suggestions that I started but didn't finish.

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

Our Great Big American God by Matthew Paul Turner

The non-pictured book I will probably also finish soon, as it's already in-progress, is Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequest. I saw the play last year in Pasadena, and it's an easy read, I just set it aside and sort of forgot about it!

I'm also currently listening to the audiobook of Insurgent by Veronica Roth (#2 in the Divergent series.) I'm using audiobooks to bribe myself to exercise, and only listening when I go for a walk. I'm already 25% of the way through it, and find myself wanting to take longer and longer walks so I can keep listening.

I'd say Project "Read More" is off to a good start!

(Want to share your book recommendations and see what else is on my "want to read" list? Friend me on Goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/ReboReads)

Book: Eat, Pray, Love

Well, first of all, I started reading this book before I found out it was going to be a movie in about a month, starring none other than Julia Roberts. Really! Although, I can't say I'm surprised, because this book was GREAT! I actually became intrigued by this book when I read a review of Elizabeth Gilbert's next book, Committed, which I just requested from the library, and also because it surfaced once or twice as a possible book group read.

One of the most interesting things about this book is that the author is deeply spiritual, and talks about God, but has a completely different understanding of God than I do, making it clear that her God is more religion than relationship. Kind of. While her understanding of God is very different than mine, I found her devotion and pursuit of spirituality enviable. Although I'm getting ahead of myself here.

This book tells the story of the author spending one full year traveling the world after her entire life and marriage essentially fall apart. She begins in Italy, where she strives to learn Italian simply because she's always wanted to, and to learn the art of enjoying the pleasurable things in life, primarily food and "doing nothing." I for one, am like many Americans, and I really don't know how to relax or enjoy anything without either feeling guilty or getting bored and feeling like I should be doing "something" instead of doing "nothing." Four months in Italy learning how to chill out sounds kind of good.

As her time in Italy comes to a close, she returns to the US for a brief stay before departing to India for a time of meditation and spiritual study in India, living at an ashram. This is where I admire her spiritual devotion. Given, very few people can afford more than a week or two to dedicate to any kind of introspection or travel, and she spends nearly 4 months in India, meditating for hours each day. Through her time, though, she finds peace and understanding of herself and God. After India, she departs for Bali, and strives to understand balance. Her descriptions of the history and culture of Bali are very interesting, and again I found I was inspired by what she learned.

I very rarely mark pages in books, and I have to mention that there are multiple folded-over corners in my copy of this book. I found I could relate this author in some way, and even when I couldn't, I found her so interesting. I think that biographies are becoming one of my favorite genres, simply because I find it so interesting to read about other experiences, other perspectives, and other people's lives. I assume I will never spend a year living in this way, but I enjoyed every minute of reading about someone who did.

Eat, Pray, Love
by Elizabeth Gilbert

-- Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

This was a book club selection, and another interesting title I probably never would have discovered on my own. The story unfolds during the era of Chairman Mao's cultural revolution, and tells of two young men who are banished to a small Chinese village for "re-education." Their only crime was being the sons of doctors, and for this they paid with hard labor and separation from their families with no hope of appeal.

As time passes, they steal a suitcase of contraband books, all by European authors, from another young man whose re-education is complete and will be returning home. The men have become friensd with the daughter of the tailor from a neighboring village and they share what they learn from the forbidden books with her. In the end, their plans do not yield the results they had hoped.

I probably could have gotten more out of this book if I'd read it more carefully and given it more thought. However, I enjoyed it as I enjoy many biographies, for the insight into life in another time and place.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
by Dai Sijie

-- Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Grace

I'm reading a book right now called Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, a New York Times bestseller from a while back. I've been surprised at how much I've enjoyed this book so far, and have already marked several passages by folding the corner of the pages. Lest those of you who mourn the premature death of any book due to folded corners, I should disclose that I inadvertently left this particular volume in the back window of the car on two successive days of extreme heat, and the folded over corners are now the least of it's problems. The entire spine has melted, leaving me with a looseleaf book that requires a rubber band if I have any hope of holding the book together. Take my advice: don't leave your book in the back window of the car on a drive through the Utah desert.

I liked this particular passage from the book in which the author is writing about how very different she is from her sister:

Here's another example of the difference in our worldviews. A family in my sister's neighborhood was recently stricken with a double tragedy, when both the young mother and her three-year-old son were diagnosed with cancer. When Catherine told me about this, I could only say, shocked, "Dear God, that family needs grace." She replied firmly, "That family needs casseroles," and then proceeded to organize the entire neighborhood into bringing that family dinner, in shifts, every single night, for an entire year. I do not know if my sister fully recognizes that this is grace.

Amen.

-- Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: Still Alice

Alice, a successful professor at Harvard, seeks medical advice when she notices she is becoming more forgetful and occasionally confused, to find she has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. Written in first person from Alice's perspective, the book is an amazing insight into what it might be like to vary between periods of complete clarity and other times of total confusion and disorientation.

As the book unfolds, the reader sees how her diagnoses and decline affect her relationships with her family and her husband, how the genetic nature of the disease begins to affect her children's decisions, and how her family copes with caring for her as she loses the ability to function. It reads like a biography, and although the subject matter was a bit terrifying, the writing is good and I enjoyed reading it.

Still Alice
by Lisa Genova

-- Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book (I didn't read): Jayber Crow

I tried. I failed. I didn't finish it before the book group discussed it. I thought I'd finish it afterwards, but 5 renewals later I gave up. The others said it was interesting, although quite dry... which was my excuse.

Jayber Crow
by Wendell Berry

-- Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: Anson's Way

This book had a lot more to it than I thought it would. It's Young Adult fiction, and the author is a professor at Calvin College, my alma mater. I expected it to be good, as Schmidt is an award-winning author, but it was even better than I expected.
Set in 18th-century Britain, Anson is the young drummer assigned to a military unit tasked with enforcing King George II's rule over the Irish. His own struggle plays out as he both serves in the military, which is not only a family tradition, but in a unit led by his father, yet sees a disparity in why it is necessary to have the laws the unit is then tasked to enforce.

In the end, he is forced to choose between honor of two kinds, making a choice beyond his years.

Unlike the last book club selection, this was a quick read. I enjoyed learning a bit about history and reading along as Anson learned lessons and made his choices.

Anson's Way

by Gary D. Schmidt

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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

I'm about to post a bunch of books, so probably not going to say a whole lot about them...

I read this book with my book group, all 500+ pages of it. In fact, when our group first met about this book, I had only read about a quarter of it. It's a good book, but not an easy book. There are some sections that seem to drag on, and a few little discrepancies with the timelines that are confusing in the beginning. Very literary, interesting concepts, read if you like long, literary books.

Oh, one other thing... if you follow the Opr*h book club, you may have seen this title there. I didn't know it was one of her selections until after I read it, but I will say it fits perfectly in the type of books she normally selects, so it was not a surprise to learn that.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

by David Wroblewski

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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: A Prayer for Owen Meany

It took me probably a year to read this book. Well maybe not, but I know the first time I picked it up and tried to read it was a looooooong time ago. I've seen this book on the "must read" or "favorites" lists of various people on F*cebook or blogs, and the story of how I came into possession of my copy is kind of interesting. (Warning: tangent!)

I like to buy books at the local library's used book store. They are always cheap and the money goes to a great cause. Then when I'm done with the books, I donate them back to the same place so they can sell them again. It's a beautiful thing! One day I was shopping and had a stack of books already, and was considering this book. A lady I'd never met, after seeing the other titles in my hand, insisted I buy this book because I "would love it!" I wasn't so sure, but she was insistent, and only 50 cents was on the line, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Fast forward about 2 years... and we get back to the book!

First of all, I tried to read this book at least once before, and just couldn't get into it. This time I just forced myself to read it, even though it was still difficult to get into. As the book wore on, the foreshadowing became darker and so the dramatic ending was not without some warning, although there were definite moments of tragedy throughout the book.

The book cover says, "Owen Meany ... believes he is God's instrument; he is." (Warning: tangent!) So I was watching the movie "Evan Almighty" last weekend (yes, I know, completely irreverent, but...) and in the movie, someone asks Evan if he believes God called him to build an ark. His reply is something like, "God calls all of us." I think personally, I feel the idea of Owen being called is so prominent in this book, that the idea that God calls all of us is invisible. I side with Evan on that one.

The book cover also says, "This is John Irving's (the author's) most comic novel...." Really? Unfortunately, the author and I must not have too much in common when it comes to sense of humor. There were a few funny moments, I guess, but I would not call this a comic novel.

Summary... I would read another book by John Irving, primarily because his writing is good enough to make me want to see what else he's written. On the other hand, I really just didn't get it. I understood the book and the events in it, but I don't quite understand those that say this book is a "must read" or who have placed it on their "favorites" list. Maybe I missed something? Maybe I'm just really dense. I feel I'm at risk of being really dumb because the greatness of this book is completely obvious... to everyone else.

So if you've read this book and can enlighten me... I welcome your comments. What did you like about it? What  makes this book so great in your eyes?

A Prayer for Owen Meany

by John Irving

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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

52:7 Book Group

I've already blogged about joining a book group. This week we discussed Isaac's Storm and next time we'll discuss The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. It was a fun surprise at the end  of the meeting when the hostess, Suanne, sent the floral centerpiece home with me. How sweet!

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Originally posted at http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com

Book: Isaac's Storm

This book was the second book I read with my book group, and a completely different selection. This is a non-fiction history book about a catastrophic hurricane that struck Galveston, Texas in 1900. The title character, Isaac, runs the Galveston office of the U.S. Weather Bureau, an entity that was at the time very new.

For a lot of reasons, the bureau failed to predict the impending storm, Galveston was not evacuated, and the loss of life from this event was in excess of 6000 people, and the collateral damage devastating to the city.

Although non-fiction, the book was for the most part easy to follow as it was written in a very narrative style. The author captures a lot about Isaac, his family, and many of the residents of Galveston that he gained through extensive research of historical documents, including U.S. Weather Bureau reports and records and a book Isaac later published.

History buffs and Weather Channel aficionados will definitely like this book. I was pleasantly surprised myself.

Isaac's Storm

by Erik Larson

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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

I joined a book group! Yippee!! I just love reading and have always wanted to join a book group. There is a group of women at my church who have been reading books together for a long time, and now that I'm not in class 3 nights a week, I decided to try it out. They have been so wonderfully welcoming, and I am getting to read books that I would not have picked on my own.

The first book I read with them was The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. From the review on amazon.com:

Mark Haddon's bitterly funny debut novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, is a murder mystery of sorts--one told by an autistic version of Adrian Mole. Fifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone is mathematically gifted and socially hopeless, raised in a working-class home by parents who can barely cope with their child's quirks. He takes everything that he sees (or is told) at face value, and is unable to sort out the strange behavior of his elders and peers.

Late one night, Christopher comes across his neighbor's poodle, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork. Wellington's owner finds him cradling her dead dog in his arms, and has him arrested. After spending a night in jail, Christopher resolves--against the objection of his father and neighbors--to discover just who has murdered Wellington. He is encouraged by Siobhan, a social worker at his school, to write a book about his investigations, and the result--quirkily illustrated, with each chapter given its own prime number--is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

I actually really liked this book! The author did such a good job of telling the story from the perspective of the main character, that I learned a lot, and it made me think - always a good thing. Also, it's not a terribly long book, and was fairly easy reading. If you read this book, don't overlook the footnotes, the often contain little gems of humor that add to the story.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

by Mark Haddon

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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Books: Mark of the Lion Series

I previously wrote about the first book in this series, A Voice in the Wind, and have since finished the second and third books as well.

The second book, An Echo in the Darkness, picks up with many of the same primary characters and continues their story. In this book, we see how unwise decisions made by many of the characters lead to heartbreak and destruction in their lives, but that the gospel of Jesus brings healing, hope, and redemption.

The last book, As Sure As the Dawn, picks up the story of one character not in book 2, and follows his life. He too is drawn by the irresistible grace of God. This story was very different from the first two, and one might consider it sort of a "spinoff," to use a TV term. However, it is the characters in this story who most boldly share with others the love and grace God has poured into their lives.

At our church, we've been hearing lessons on becoming "Bold Jesus Proclaimers." We're studying together the scriptures of early Christians, like Paul, who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel, and boldly and unashamedly did so. Although fictional tales, I find that the stories and characters of these books can be as inspiring as true stories of those that boldly share their faith.

MARK OF THE LION Series:
A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, As Sure As the Dawn
by Francine Rivers
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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: In an Instant

I've learned in the last few years that I really enjoy reading biographies, and this one was no exception.

Bob Woodruff, a well-known and loved reporter, was famously injured while traveling as an journalist embedded with a military unit in Iraq. Although the story centers around Bob, it is primarily his wife Lee who writes the story of his injuries, treatment, and recovery.

But really, those details set the stage for what Publisher's Weekly calls a "beautiful story of marriage for better and for worse." I felt this was a good description, as what shines through in this story is the Woodruffs' dedication to and love for one another.

Bob's intense career as a national journalist in the years prior to his injuries meant his family traveled all over the country and the world, often moving every year or two. Through the challenges of frequent relocation and Bob frequently traveling, they built a strong relationship that stood the test during the difficult season. The stories of moments in their marriage prior to Bob's injuries and during his recovery were heart-warming. I really enjoyed this book.

In an Instant
by Lee & Bob Woodruff
-- Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: Into the Wild

I've enjoyed the two other Krakauer books I've read, Under the Banner of Heaven and Into Thin Air, so naturally I've been anxious to read this one for a while. I don't follow new book releases, so I didn't learn of this book until the movie was due to come out and the book was re-released with a movie tie-in cover. My dad enjoys Krakauer, too, so naturally I bought the book immediately and gave it to him for Christmas last year... knowing I'd have the chance to borrow it back when he finished it. I know, I know, totally selfish. My penance was waiting 10 months until he got around to reading it!

Krakauer again tells a compelling story, and I can't help but enjoy a book that is enjoyable to read, even when the topic is one I wouldn't normally select. Nope, I can't relate so much to a young guy who decides to walk into the Alaskan bush just to see if he can make it on his own. Making it on my own to me just means not having roommates in a modern shelter with heat, a/c and running water, preferably convenient to decent shopping. My dreams of visiting Alaska someday include travel by cruise ship. I've never been, but I hear it's an amazingly beautiful piece of earth, and I fully intend to make it there someday.

Christopher McCandless died in the Alaskan bush, forsaking society and anything he felt was a luxury. Part of me can't help but admire his desire for adventure, despite his apparent lack of judgment on some things, and a few bad choices. My dad's perspective on this story was that Kraukauer spends the entire book trying to convince the reader that Chris was not, in fact, crazy, despite what many thought. My perspective was a bit different, that he treated the story fairly and objectively. The state of Chris's sanity when he walked into the bush will never truly be known, but there is room to believe that he was - or not.

In any case, not a book everyone would enjoy, but again, an interesting read.

Into the Wild
by Jon Krakauer
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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: My Sister's Keeper

I'd been wanting to read a Jodi Picoult book for a long time, so when I saw this one on the store shelf during my vacation, I bought it immediately. I've seen this particular title on the favorites list of many friends as well, so it comes recommended.

This story is heartbreaking. Although a work of fiction, the characters and their life choices and decisions quickly enter your heart and mind: how would I handle this? How could I begin to make these choices? The lines between legal and moral and ethical are blurred, and the costs to one family member are for the benefit of another... but at how great a cost? And how does one make a decision in terms of costs and benefits when life is on the line... life itself as well as quality of life, and length of life?

Heartbreaking choices every one. And a story very well told. Although the themes and subject matter are difficult, the book is well-written and what I would call a page-turner. I will be looking for more Picoult books to read, with one title she has convinced me to be a fan. Not to mention that I just realized the movie is now showing at my local discount theater, so a screening may be in my near future.

My Sister's Keeper
by Jodi Picoult

(A sidenote: my last post was about a book that helps you make decisions. The decisions in this book are not the kind that could be made easily, quickly or without great consideration. I wouldn't normally make this kind of sidebar comment, but the subject matter of these two books is kind of oddly placed side-by-side because I happened to read these books right after one another.)

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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: Just Do Something

When I first heard about this book, it sounded so good, I recommended it to a friend... before I'd even read it. My recommendation turned out to be a good one... my friend called me halfway through to tell me how great it was.

Naturally it took my procrastinating self a couple months to acquire my own copy, but I'm so glad I did. I think it was the alternate title of the book that really grabbed me initially: "How to make a decision without dreams, visions, fleeces, impressions, open doors, random Bible verses, casting lots, liver shivers, writing in the sky..." And, the subtitle is not an oversell: it was liberating.

The idea of God's will can seem elusive. How to know if you're doing the right thing? But this book encourages a bold approach: if your decision is not a moral one or specifically addressed in the Bible and you are striving to walk in faith and seeking wisdom, then go ahead, make a decision. Make it confidently.

The author does briefly discuss the alternate forms of decision-making on the cover, as well as reasons why good decision making doesn't have to be a burdensome task. He doesn't discount that some decisions certainly do require great consideration and he discusses some strategies to help with those bigger decisions. At the same time, he firmly points out that choosing eggs or pancakes for breakfast, as well as many other life decisions, don't require a sign from God.

This book a short, informative read, only 128 pages, and I wish I'd read it a long time ago, probably late high school or college. The advice is still relevant today for any life, I would think, so it gets my recommendation.

Just Do Something
by Kevin DeYoung

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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: Dating Big Bird

I went on a brief shopping spree at the library used book store last week. I was feeling temporarily liberated from my textbooks, and ready to feast on some brain candy. Only after reading this book, I was already tired of brain candy and ready for something better. Too bad the other books I bought are also brain candy.... I think I need to make work of spending my time in books with a little more substance.

This book is about a 35-year old single girl who is desperate to have a family, although she hasn't quite managed to find the right guy to be the father in her ideal scenario. She and a friend in a similar state of want begin discussing a deadline, a date on which they will make a decision about starting a family with or without the perfect guy. In the end, she and her friend make different decisions about how to reach their goal.

I suppose the story has some interest, but it was also rather predictable.

Dating Big Bird
by Laura Zigman
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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: Redeeming Love (Re-read)

By the same author as A Voice in the Wind, Redeeming Love is a retelling of the story of the prophet Hosea, set in California during the 1840's gold rush era. Like his counterpart in the Bible, Michael Hosea is called to marry a prostitute. Like her counterpart, Angel shames him by returning to her old ways time and again.

Through her retelling, Rivers shows a picture of a God full of grace, love and tender mercies. She shows us a man obedient to God through challenges so great, he must only be able to endure them because of the God's grace.

This is a wonderfully written love story, but the love Michael Hosea for his wife is only half of it. The real love story is the life-changing love of a God for his people. And that is what makes me want to read this story again and again.

Redeeming Love
by Francine Rivers
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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

Book: A Voice in the Wind

I am a fan of Francine Rivers, and up until now, had read quite a few of her books. I've actually had a copy of this one for years, and haven't gotten around to reading it. I tried once or twice before, but it was a "slow starter" and I just couldn't get into it. A month or two ago, as I was running short on fresh reading material, I picked it up again. And I can't figure out why I waited so long.

With a bit more patience, I would have discovered this was not an exception to Rivers' ability to weave a good tale with strong, distinctive characters, and enjoyable to read. Set in the early Roman empire, sometime not long after Christ's death and the fall of Jerusalem, we meet characters from various backgrounds who find themselves struggling to find their way in Rome.

Hadassah, a slave from Jerusalem and a Christian, quietly and humbly serves her spoiled mistress Julia and her family. Julia's brother seeks the wealth Rome has to offer despite his father's wish that he take over the family business. Atretes, captured in Germania, is a slave of the fighting arena, forced to kill or be killed in vain, as he serves as entertainment in Rome's insatiable thirst for blood.

Each makes decisions that affect their own lives and those around them, until at the end, their stories are intertwined, and the heartbreaking choices of one threaten all of them. As soon as I finished reading, I requested the second book in the series from the library, I will look forward to it arriving!

A Voice in the Wind
by Francine Rivers -- Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/