JennyD Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I read a few books last week: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym, which I enjoyed very much, Ten P's in a Pod by Arthur Pent III, High Rising by Angela Thirkell, and finished The Best of Clarence Day. I'm still plugging along with Bodies Like Bright Stars - it's taking me forever because it's a very dense book and I can really only concentrate on it when there's not a lot of noise going on here, which is practically never. I also started on The Professor by Charlotte Bronte. Here's my list so far for 2011: 1. The Transcendental Murder 2. Devil in the White City 3. The It's a Wonderful Life Book 4. Encountering the Mystery 5. The Keys of the Kingdom 6. Our Hearts' True Home 7. Ask A Policeman 8. Murder on the Bride's Side 9. Jane and Prudence 10. Not Quite a Mom 11. Bret Harte's Gold Rush 12. Call Me Mrs. Miracle 13. Patience with God 14. Some Tame Gazelle 15. The Children of Battleship Row 16. Agnes Grey 17. Excellent Women 18. The Best of Clarence Day 19. High Rising 20. Ten P's in a Pod 21. Bodies Like Bright Stars 22. The Professor Oh, I so love Barbara Pym! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilly Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I decided to jump into this challenge this week. :) I read A Box of Darkness: The Story of a Marriage. The book was well written, and I got through it in one sitting, but it depressed me. The author was married to an alcoholic, and the man caused a great deal of hurt to her and their children. Next week I am going to choose something much lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I think I may be behind, but I also have several books going right now. Just can't seem to read one. ALso, due to all the buzz here, I downloaded the Help and am listening to that as I knit and work on the yearbook. So far so good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzyfizzle Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 My next book was This Time of Darkness, it was good, quick, and I am finished. I also added in there- Eminent Dogs, Dangerous Men by D. McCaig. I enjoyed it very much. Next up is The Thirteenth Tale that was mentioned here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I finished The Red Tent, which I loved. I am back to non-fiction this week, reading Everyday Blessings, which I have had for years and years but only ever skimmed. I am still one book behind ;-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Right now I'm reading Colum McCann's Let the Great World Spin, which I was initially attracted to because the title is so fabulous, but it also won a National Book Award, so it has other things going for it as well. And I'm reading The S*x Lives of Cannibals; I've just started it, but I suspect it's going to be very...interesting. So it's Judge A Book by its Title Week for me! I will be interested to hear your review on both of these. Both have been on my 'to read' list for quite awhile now.... I'm still working on The Abyssinian. Books read in 2011: The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag; People Die; Three Ways to Capsize a Boat; The Perfect Man; Food Rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 This list looks so pretty.:) I love your a-z reading plan. Sometimes the hardest part for me is deciding which book to read next. This would certainly simplify things. :iagree: Robin, your alphabetical list is so pretty! Love it. I may have to do a challenge like that for myself down the road... :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I'm finishing The Book Thief tonight. What an amazingly beautiful book! This week I plan to read The Cellist of Sarajevo. Loved The Book Thief. Have added The Cellist to my wish list. Looks good. :) The Omnivore's Dilemma by Pollan I might be able to feel caught up and move on to the fiction waiting for me: The Kite Runner, Pride and Prejudice, Not enough hours in the day! I want to get The Omnivore's Dilemma. I love Food Rules. Kite Runner and Pride & Prejudice are amongst my all-time favorites. I finished The Red Tent, which I loved. This has been on and off on my wish list for years. I never know if I'll like it or not. I'm sure I'll read it eventually. People seem to either love it or hate it ... Not sure yet what I'll be reading this week. I'll know in the next few days. I do have 2 suggestions or thoughts for this thread and hope that it's not too rude to do so. I hope others are not offended by what I'm about to say, especially with the 1st suggestion. 1. Would it be possible to label or mark Christian books? Not all of us are Christians here. Just like with the threads (CC - Christian Content). That way, we can know before doing a search or possibly buying a book and realizing after the fact? I read Baha'i books, but I wouldn't necessarily post them here, or at least I would say that they're Baha'i books. 2. Should we start a separate thread for read-alouds that we do with our children? I personally would prefer that. I like this thread to be for us moms. And a separate thread to be chapter or picture book read-alouds for the week. Again, sorry to have offended or upset anyone. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I've been posting on the 52 books blog but just realized there was also a weekly thread. This week I finally finished SWB's The History of the Medieval World. I started it in 2010 but since it was a challenge for me I'm counting it anyway. :) I really enjoyed it. I never liked history in school but I've found her two books to be a good way to jumpstart my adult education. I also read My Reading Life by Pat Conroy. I've read a few of Conroy's other books (Prince of Tides, Lords of Discipline) and liked them fine but not loved them. I picked up this book off the New shelf at the library on a whim and I really loved it. It's a memoir of sorts, his life but specifically more about books that influenced him or people that influenced his life as a reader and writer. It made me want to try one of his books again and also to read many of the books he talks about. He has some of the best descriptions of what it is like to really have your life changed by a book and of what the writing life is like. Books Read in 2011: 1) Crooked Leter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin 2) Little House on the Freeway by Tim Kimmel 3) The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart 4) The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz 5) The History of the Medieval World by Susan Wise Bauer 6) My Reading Life by Pat Conroy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I'm reading Tragic Sense of Life by Miguel de Unamuno this week. I put The Celtic Realms in the bathroom, and will read it when I'm "trapped" in there, otherwise it may never get read. I'll be happy to finish it by December. :lol: Here is my list of completed books so far this year: The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banarjee Divakaruni Dream Angus by Alexander McCall Smith The Neddiad by Daniel Pinkwater The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairytalemama Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I do have 2 suggestions or thoughts for this thread and hope that it's not too rude to do so. I hope others are not offended by what I'm about to say, especially with the 1st suggestion. 1. Would it be possible to label or mark Christian books? Not all of us are Christians here. Just like with the threads (CC - Christian Content). That way, we can know before doing a search or possibly buying a book and realizing after the fact? I read Baha'i books, but I wouldn't necessarily post them here, or at least I would say that they're Baha'i books. 2. Should we start a separate thread for read-alouds that we do with our children? I personally would prefer that. I like this thread to be for us moms. And a separate thread to be chapter or picture book read-alouds for the week. Again, sorry to have offended or upset anyone. :confused: I don't think anyone would be upset by your suggestions. I'm surely not. I think it would be difficult to get everyone to remember to label their content, and I think that what one person finds religious or offensive another wouldn't. If we start labeling, I think it would be hard to know where to draw the line. So bottom line is I'm not in favor of trying to enforce that everyone label, but if there's something overtly religious or something that I personally found offensive in a book I'll try to remember to put it in my post in courtesy to you. As far as children's read aloud books go, I keep a running log on my blog here. Since this thread is supposed to be for adult books, you should start a read aloud thread --- you go, girl! :001_smile: And I'm off to try to remove more crayon marks from the coffee table...:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 (edited) This Country of Ours. Let me know what you think. I'm always looking for good history books. Is the book secular? 1. Would it be possible to label or mark Christian books? Not all of us are Christians here. Just like with the threads (CC - Christian Content). That way, we can know before doing a search or possibly buying a book and realizing after the fact? I read Baha'i books, but I wouldn't necessarily post them here, or at least I would say that they're Baha'i books. I'm not Christian and I actually don't think it's needed to have books marked as Christian or not. It's easy to look it up on Amazon and get the gist of a book. I post about evolution books and atheist books here, and I assume that anyone who would not like these books will just simply not read them after looking them up. I do love when posters list their books with a link. It's not necessary though. I keep a tab open on Amazon and look up the books without links. :) I just don't think that Christian books need to be pointed out in a special way. Just like I don't point out when a book is about evolution or such. My 2 cents. 2. Should we start a separate thread for read-alouds that we do with our children? I personally would prefer that. I like this thread to be for us moms. And a separate thread to be chapter or picture book read-alouds for the week. I also don't see this one as needed either. :) Then I would have more threads to follow. I like the condensed version. As long as the poster states that a book is a read aloud. I wanted to add that as long as we are talking about longer/harder books as read aloud. You know, so not posting Go Dog Do but you could post Harry Potter. Just seems easier to keep it in one thread, but maybe the majority would like a separate thread? Negin, I love your book list by the way. Edited February 7, 2011 by Kleine Hexe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 52 books blog - E is for Essays: Rosie inspired me with all her talk about Montaigne. A little history behind the essay and some links to check out and yep, another mini challenge. Ok, where have I missed this? Rosie, where do you talk about Montaigne? You and I have been trudging along the WEM together, and I want to see what you have to say. I wasn't even sure you had started Montaigne yet. What posts did I miss? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I am going to miss Harry Dresden a great deal until the next book comes out in July. I reviewed them here.. I've started City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare which fits in to most of my book challenges this year. Also read Carol Burnett's, This Time Together over the weekend, it was lovely, I adore her. Book's Read The Iron King, Julie Kagawa Winter's Passage, Julie Kagawa The Iron Daughter, Julie Kagawa The Dresden Files, Book 1, Storm Front The Dresden Files, Book 2, Fool Moon The Dresden Files Book 3, Grave Peril The Dresden Files, Book 4, Summer Knight The Dresden Files, Book 5, Death Masks The Dresden Files, Book 6,Blood Rites The Dresden Files Book 7, Dead Beat The Dresden Files Book 8, Proven Guilty The Dresden Files Book 9, White Night The Dresden Files Book 10, Small Favors The Dresden Files Book 11, Turn Coat The Dresden Files Book 12, Changes This Time Together, Carol Burnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breffe Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Up for this week is The Book Theif, Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers and Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier (picked this one up off of the "librarian's pick" shelf.) Last week I finished Mockingjay to finish the Hunger Games Trilogy and Adam by Ted Dekker. For the year: 1. My Name is Mary Sutter 2. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet 3. The Art of Eating In 4. Shanghai Girls 5. The Hunger Games 6. Catching Fire 7. Mockingjay 8. Unwind 9. The Help 10. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 (edited) 1. Would it be possible to label or mark Christian books? Not all of us are Christians here. Just like with the threads (CC - Christian Content). That way, we can know before doing a search or possibly buying a book and realizing after the fact? I read Baha'i books, but I wouldn't necessarily post them here, or at least I would say that they're Baha'i books. 2. Should we start a separate thread for read-alouds that we do with our children? I personally would prefer that. I like this thread to be for us moms. And a separate thread to be chapter or picture book read-alouds for the week. I don't think anyone should be upset about these suggestions. They are definitely worth considering. 1. When I've posted a mini-review, I've tried to note this. For example, when I posted about City of Man, I mentioned "highly recommended for Christians". Other books are more difficult to classify. Susan Howatch's or P.D. James's books for instance, which have Christian themes, but are published by a secular publisher. There are also many classics that have have a pervasive Christian worldview because of the times in which they were written. A recent example of this for me would be Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. These types of books would be hard for me to classify, but I suspect you're specifically talking about books that are published by Christian publishing houses? 2. This is a good suggestion except...I would like to count the books I read aloud to my age 10-14 yo girls in my list because I choose those books with myself in mind as much as them. For example, we are currently reading Gone With the Wind because *I* wanted to read it. They are enjoying it, but I chose it for me and am killing two birds with one stone so to speak. I have a separate list for my younger kids (5-12), and I do think this probably isn't the thread for that, and I will leave that list off in the future. Thanks for mentioning both these suggestions. Edited February 7, 2011 by Luann in ID Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Remarkable Creatures looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvnlattes Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I finished Strong-Willed Child or Dreamer? this week. It took me a little longer to get into this book since the last 3 non-fictions I've read told more of a story about some real life event. This felt much more clinical after those although it's not dry by any means. I requested it from the library after reading about it on one of the threads here. I read it with one son in mind for the "dreamer" part. It actually had nothing to do with that boy but described a different one to a T. And I wouldn't think of that child as particularly strong-willed or a dreamer. As I read I kept thinking, "So that's why he does that." The funny thing is, it also decribed me as a child and teen so you'd have thought I would have a better a handle on him! This week I'm reading Outliers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Yesterday, I reread Orbit by John J. Nance and enjoyed it once more. It's not the best written book; however, the story is intriguing with shades of Apollo 13 and Hatchet. "From Booklist In Nance's eighteenth novel, the scene is once again set in the wild blue yonder. It's 2009, and the protagonist, Kip Dawson, has won a seat on an American Space Adventure spacecraft, Intrepid, which will orbit the earth. There are problems: a rock smashes into the craft, killing the pilot and the radios, leaving Dawson to fly it back to Earth. He writes his epitaph on the craft's laptop computer, not knowing that thousands of people have received it on the Internet, triggering a vast struggle to rescue him. As always with Nance, there is plenty of aircraft jargon to please his techno-crazed fans. George Cohen, Copyright © American Library Association." Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Well, I would prefer not to have a separate thread for children's read alouds. This thread is for the "52 books in 52 weeks challenge" and my daughter and I are doing that together. So I post to this thread what we read. They aren't like little kid's picture books or anything. I think if another thread was started just for that, there may not be enough of us doing it to be worthwhile, and it would just be inconvenient to have to track more than one thread. (Which I'd have to do because I do also refer to books I'm reading on my own in this thread). I hate to think that it's bothering people that I'm posting the books I'm reading with my daughter. But if it is I guess I can stop doing it and just stick to my blog for listing those books. And P.S. I don't feel any need for people to label their books as Christian or religious or whatever either, even though I'm not Christian (or religious). Usually I can tell by the title or description given, and if not, if a title sounded interesting enough that I wanted to search for it, I'd be able to tell if it was content I was interested in prior to purchasing it or reserving it at my library, I would think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I think it would be difficult to get everyone to remember to label their content, and I think that what one person finds religious or offensive another wouldn't. If we start labeling, I think it would be hard to know where to draw the line. So bottom line is I'm not in favor of trying to enforce that everyone label, but if there's something overtly religious or something that I personally found offensive in a book I'll try to remember to put it in my post in courtesy to you. :iagree: Then you'd need a label for non-Christian or too much s*x or foul language or, well, you can fill in the blank. Too hard. I do extensive research on Amazon when I see a book listed here that I might like. Usually the reviews there will give me an idea if it is not the kind of book I would like to read (like if it would have something offensive to me). If I can't figure it out completely then I come back here and ask or get it from the library before I buy. :D If you want to start a read aloud thread, that's fine, but I'll continue to add those to my list...after all I am reading them ;) and usually enjoying them! Many times I use a read aloud as an excuse to reread something I've enjoyed and share it with my dd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slug hollow Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Still plugging away at Caribbean, though I don't think I knocked out more than 100 pages this week. For a short piece to finish I read Dostoevsky's Bobok last night. Here is an e-text, with suitable 'not for everyone' admonishment. I haven't read him for years but I found I still love his writing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Ok, where have I missed this? Rosie, where do you talk about Montaigne? You and I have been trudging along the WEM together, and I want to see what you have to say. I wasn't even sure you had started Montaigne yet. What posts did I miss? :confused: Either the post where I agreed that he really likes to read the efforts of his own pen, or perhaps the one where I asked why I was reading the wretched thing... It's due back to the library tomorrow and I don't think I'm going to be reborrowing. I can't believe anything could be more painful to read than the previous two! (Do we have a snoozing smilie?) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I'm reading too many books at one time! I've finished these and I'm about to finish up a few more. My 2nd book this year was Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, and I really liked it even though some of it was hopelessly idealistic. We've been playing outside more in the rain and snow thanks to this book! My 3rd book was Illiterate America by Jonathon Kozol. It's the second book I've read by him in a short period of time (Savage Inequalities was the other.) and I won't be reading anything else by him soon. I may have to find another book on this topic that focuses more on the actual subject than peripheral political ideas. My 4th book was the Talent Code by Daniel Coyle. It was good and built nicely on a few other books I'd read recently. My 5th book was One-Party Classroom by David Horowitz. That book could have been a third of the length and said the same exact thing. It wasn't particularly shocking or useful for anyone who has spent time on a university campus in the last decade. My current reading list includes: Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics by Liping Ma Pink Brain, Blue Brain by Lise Eliot The Well-Educated Mind (I assume everyone knows who this is by) Schools of Dreams by Edward Humes The Resilient Gardener by Carol Deppe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Either the post where I agreed that he really likes to read the efforts of his own pen, or perhaps the one where I asked why I was reading the wretched thing... It's due back to the library tomorrow and I don't think I'm going to be reborrowing. I can't believe anything could be more painful to read than the previous two! (Do we have a snoozing smilie?) Rosie You're reading it to have a "Well Educated Mind"! :lol: I don't find it as bad as the first two. I actually broke down and bought it after checking it out from the library twice and renewing each time. I am looking forward to getting further in the list. I'm hoping and assuming that as we progress to more modern times the reading will become easier. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 You're reading it to have a "Well Educated Mind"! :lol: I don't find it as bad as the first two. A Well Educated Mind? Well I don't feel I am being improved by this one, so clearly I am a very clever person who hasn't the sort of intellectual gaps that can be remedied by plugging on with this volume. :lol: I actually broke down and bought it after checking it out from the library twice and renewing each time. You crazy girl. :001_huh: :lol: I am looking forward to getting further in the list. I'm hoping and assuming that as we progress to more modern times the reading will become easier. :001_smile: I'm wondering how I will go. The more modern books all seem to be American, so I don't know that I'm going to enjoy them much more, particularly because I don't even like autobiographies. :lol: Could be that my English teachers deliberately gave us "America's Most Boring Books" to study in school so I have a skewed perspective. I shall find out :) I'm hoping the local library carries copies of the more modern texts so I don't have to buy. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy at Home Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I'm reading Fall of Giants and really am absorbed in it. Follett does an excellent job weaving together the lives of those affected by World War I. Reminds me somewhat of Winds of War, a favorite of mine set during WWII. In fact, I dusted off that book and am starting that again as well. Two 1000+ page books, should take me a while. Happy reading, lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy at Home Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I do have 2 suggestions or thoughts for this thread and hope that it's not too rude to do so. I hope others are not offended by what I'm about to say, especially with the 1st suggestion. 1. Would it be possible to label or mark Christian books? Not all of us are Christians here. Just like with the threads (CC - Christian Content). That way, we can know before doing a search or possibly buying a book and realizing after the fact? I read Baha'i books, but I wouldn't necessarily post them here, or at least I would say that they're Baha'i books. 2. Should we start a separate thread for read-alouds that we do with our children? I personally would prefer that. I like this thread to be for us moms. And a separate thread to be chapter or picture book read-alouds for the week. Again, sorry to have offended or upset anyone. :confused: No offense!! However, I don't like the idea of a separate thread. Just too many to keep track of. I think this challenge is about enjoying good books, including read alouds. I have to say some of my favorite books have been readalouds. Good literature has no age limits. To quote C.S. Lewis: "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond." Again, no offense at all:) lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 No offense!! However, I don't like the idea of a separate thread. Just too many to keep track of. I think this challenge is about enjoying good books, including read alouds. I have to say some of my favorite books have been readalouds. Good literature has no age limits. To quote C.S. Lewis: "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond." Again, no offense at all:) lisa :iagree:I've been thinking about this today since my last post above (I've been sick in bed), and have to say I agree with this. I'm just so happy that everybody is reading and posting their books no matter how each individual chooses to use the challenge. And if the challenge helps us read more to our children, all the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Well, I'm still reading, but I have too many going at once, AND I'm in the middle of moving to a new house! But here's what I'm reading right now: Pride and Predjudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith The Shelter of God's Promises by Sheila Walsh The Goodness of God by Randy Alcorn Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank If I get them all finished soon, I should be on schedule! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Well, I would prefer not to have a separate thread for children's read alouds. This thread is for the "52 books in 52 weeks challenge" and my daughter and I are doing that together. So I post to this thread what we read. They aren't like little kid's picture books or anything. I think if another thread was started just for that, there may not be enough of us doing it to be worthwhile, and it would just be inconvenient to have to track more than one thread. (Which I'd have to do because I do also refer to books I'm reading on my own in this thread). I hate to think that it's bothering people that I'm posting the books I'm reading with my daughter. But if it is I guess I can stop doing it and just stick to my blog for listing those books. And P.S. I don't feel any need for people to label their books as Christian or religious or whatever either, even though I'm not Christian (or religious). Usually I can tell by the title or description given, and if not, if a title sounded interesting enough that I wanted to search for it, I'd be able to tell if it was content I was interested in prior to purchasing it or reserving it at my library, I would think. :iagree: I like it all in one thread...and I wouldn't mind religious books of faiths other than Christian. I like reading about other cultures. Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocelyne Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Currently reading, and enjoying, The Thirteenth Tale. Our current read aloud is The Pink Motel - kind of quirky, but we are enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 (edited) I do have 2 suggestions or thoughts for this thread and hope that it's not too rude to do so. I hope others are not offended by what I'm about to say, especially with the 1st suggestion. 1. Would it be possible to label or mark Christian books? Not all of us are Christians here. Just like with the threads (CC - Christian Content). That way, we can know before doing a search or possibly buying a book and realizing after the fact? I read Baha'i books, but I wouldn't necessarily post them here, or at least I would say that they're Baha'i books. 2. Should we start a separate thread for read-alouds that we do with our children? I personally would prefer that. I like this thread to be for us moms. And a separate thread to be chapter or picture book read-alouds for the week. Again, sorry to have offended or upset anyone. :confused: Thank you for the suggestion and no offense taken. I totally agree with what everyone else has said. Now my 2 cents: "Not all of us are Christians here". No, we aren't. We are a diverse group who love to read books. No other agenda. And someone was just mentioning to me the other day how great it is to be able to discuss books regardless of ideology. I heartily agree with that and embrace the idea. I don't see a need for labels. In my opinion, labels are limiting. There are christian authors who don't label their writing and write for the the secular as well as christian market. There are secular authors who write for the christian market as well. Many, such as Ted Dekker, doesn't consider himself a 'christian author'. He's a christian and he's an author. It doesn't define his work. So where do we draw the line and who decides to label whether something is a christian work, has christian content versus its just a story with a good moral. Once we start with the labels, it's just a downward slope to trying to label everything. I think everyone has done a great job of providing enough information on their reads so far. That being said, it is up to each one of us to do our homework when we are interested in a book - look it up, check out the author, read the reviews and make a decision based on the information we find. There is more than enough information available on line to avoid getting totally surprised by a purchase. In regard to a separate thread for read alouds, I don't see the need for it. and from the responses so far, nor does anyone else. To be honest, I don't mind hearing about 'all' the books everyone is reading for their 52 books challenge. If you want to start a separate thread, go right ahead. Thank you for your input. Edited February 13, 2011 by Mytwoblessings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 I hate to think that it's bothering people that I'm posting the books I'm reading with my daughter. But if it is I guess I can stop doing it and just stick to my blog for listing those books. No, darlin, it isn't a bother. Keep on doing what you're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 I am going to miss Harry Dresden a great deal until the next book comes out in July. I reviewed them here.. Book's Read The Iron King, Julie Kagawa Winter's Passage, Julie Kagawa The Iron Daughter, Julie Kagawa The Dresden Files, Book 1, Storm Front The Dresden Files, Book 2, Fool Moon The Dresden Files Book 3, Grave Peril The Dresden Files, Book 4, Summer Knight The Dresden Files, Book 5, Death Masks The Dresden Files, Book 6,Blood Rites The Dresden Files Book 7, Dead Beat The Dresden Files Book 8, Proven Guilty The Dresden Files Book 9, White Night The Dresden Files Book 10, Small Favors The Dresden Files Book 11, Turn Coat The Dresden Files Book 12, Changes This Time Together, Carol Burnett Wow- awesome! Off to check out your reviews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I just finished What the Dog Saw by Gladwell. Loved it. Book Thief is waiting. I'm in a couple of chapters and have already been surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 My books seem to always gravitate towards the spiritual and "self help" genres and I cant bring myself to "make" myself read something different when thats what I want to read right now (and most of the time for years). So, I have read For Women Only and Life With a HOle IN It last week and am now reading Radical Acceptance. I still have Story of a Soul half read next to my bed but altohugh I can feel the sweetness of it, its not as pulling, for me, as I expected, because I dont subscribe to her beliefs. I thought I would be able to overcome that, and to some extent I can...but I find myself picking up other books instead. For Women Only was interesting and a good reminder (and I did check with my dh and he especially emphatically agreed with the respect aspect) but not quite earth shaking. Life With a Hole In It is a beautiful autobiographical read of a woman's spiritual journey as her husband is dying of cancer- also reflecting back on when her young daughter died of cancer. Very touching, real, and uplifting. Radical Acceptance- I love Tara Brach, a modern Buddhist teacher who is also a psychologist. I listen to her lectures frequently, and her book is beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Thank you all, for understanding and being open. :grouphug: I think it would be difficult to get everyone to remember to label their content, and I think that what one person finds religious or offensive another wouldn't. You're right. It would be difficult and impractical for others to post a label, such as cc. I don't find Christian books offensive at all. In fact, I have several and love them - The Shack, Christian Homeschooling Devotion Books, etc. and some others I do want to say that I do believe in Christ and love Him. I just prefer to know beforehand if a book is Christian, particularly fiction. That's all. But I guess others are right. It just takes a search on amazon. Since this thread is supposed to be for adult books, you should start a read aloud thread --- you go, girl! Thank you for encouraging me. I may start one from next week. ETA: Based on what others have said, probably not. ;) I do love when posters list their books with a link. It's not necessary though. I keep a tab open on Amazon and look up the books without links. Me too. :D I just don't think that Christian books need to be pointed out in a special way. Just like I don't point out when a book is about evolution or such. My 2 cents. Okay. This is good to know. Now I feel more comfortable about posting some books that others may not necessarily care for. Negin, I love your book list by the way. Thank you. I'm not sure which one :lol:, but thank you. :) I suspect you're specifically talking about books that are published by Christian publishing houses? Yes. This week I'm reading Outliers. Really enjoyed this book. This will be one that I'll likely read again. I like all his books. the Talent Code by Daniel Coyle. It was good and built nicely on a few other books I'd read recently. This has been on my wish list for a while. Wondering if it's worth getting. I'm reading Fall of Giants and really am absorbed in it. Follett does an excellent job weaving together the lives of those affected by World War I. I love Follett and can't wait to read this one. :) To quote C.S. Lewis: "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond." lisa Lisa, I saw this quote years ago and have been searching high and low for it ever since. Thank you for posting it here. I thought I'd never find this quote again. :D :grouphug: Book Thief is waiting. I'm in a couple of chapters and have already been surprised. Really loved this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I finished "The Diamond Throne" by David Eddings last night. He is one of my all time favorite fantasy writers! I used to pick up this series every year or so to reread but it has been at least 3 or 4 years since I last read it. His Belgariad series is probably more widely known (and more kid friendly ;)). "The Diamond Throne" is the first in a trilogy and I plan to read through them all in the next couple months. I have two books out from the library and I'm trying to decide which to read next. I'm just glad that I'm keeping up! 7. "The Diamond Throne" by David Eddings 6. "Adam and His Kin" by Ruth Beechick 5. "Persuasion" by Jane Austen 4. "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner" by Stephenie Meyer 3. "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis (carry over from 2010 but needs listed somewhere :D) 2. "Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen 1. "Enchantment" by Orson Scott Card Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caraway Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Just finished: 9. Falls the Shadow by Penman 8. Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen 7. Run by Ann Patchett (previously finished) 6. Here Be Dragons 5. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother 4. The Sunne in Splendor 3. The Bridge at Valentine 2. A Christmas Carol: 1. Help For The Harried Homeschooler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I started and read slightly more than 10% of (my rule) Moonflower Vine. Just couldn't get into it. I wouldn't mind trying it again some other time. Today, I hope to start Room. My problem lately is that as soon as I start reading, I fall asleep after a page or two. In school, while the kids are doing independent work, I'm slowly reading How to Really Love Your Teenager. Lots of helpful stuff, but I realize that I need to avoid most parenting books. They make me feel inferior and nervous ... I don't consider myself a very good parent. I always feel that I could do better. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Reported the :spam: (Always wanted to use that icon :tongue_smilie:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy at Home Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 My problem lately is that as soon as I start reading, I fall asleep after a page or two. Yes, I have this problem too;) Lots of helpful stuff, but I realize that I need to avoid most parenting books. They make me feel inferior and nervous ... I don't consider myself a very good parent. I always feel that I could do better. Aaaw, I sometimes felt this way:) Lay off the parenting books if they're not constructive. We could ALL do better. I would read books like Parenting with Scripture and feel like I was missing all these daily opportunities to shepherd my kids, and ended up making me feel more inept than when I started reading it. I lay off parenting books now and mother by relying on intuition and heart and I'm much happier. My new favorite saying? "The perfect is the enemy of the good". I let go of the idealized version of parenting I had in my head and I feel so much more confident. Good luck! lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy at Home Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Just finished: 9. Falls the Shadow by Penman 8. Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen 7. Run by Ann Patchett (previously finished) 6. Here Be Dragons 5. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother 4. The Sunne in Splendor 3. The Bridge at Valentine 2. A Christmas Carol: 1. Help For The Harried Homeschooler LOVED this one! What did you think? Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy at Home Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Lisa, I saw this quote years ago and have been searching high and low for it ever since. Thank you for posting it here. I thought I'd never find this quote again. :D :grouphug: Negin, I looked up the C.S. Lewis quote to make sure I got it right, and boy, does he have so many great ones! (I'm really into quotes lately:D). A couple of great ones related to books: "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." "It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between." "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." "We read to know that we are not alone." "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one." "Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." And this one just because I really like it: "The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only - and that is to support the ultimate career. " Happy reading, lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 (edited) Just finished Let the Great World Spin. Wow. It was really great, but I feel a bit drained now. There's a passage in Anne Tyler's The Accidental Tourist where Macon Leary says, "I really don't care for movies. They make everything seem so close up." That's sort of how I feel about great novels. They sort of amplify everything else in my life. I am blaming Colum McCann for the fact that right now I find the act of watching The Office on Netflix emotionally overwhelming. ETA: review up in my blog now Edited February 10, 2011 by kokotg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I just finished Math Wars yesterday. (I started it yesterday, too. :tongue_smilie:) Really interesting book about the wide pendulum of math philosophies embraced by mathematicians and math educators. It had an entire chapter devoted to Liping Ma's book, so a good read, if that kind of thing interests you. I also finished Donita K. Paul's Dragons of the Valley yesterday. Currently reading: The Way they Learn by Cynthia Tobias The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I finished a Georgette Heyer book, Devil's Cub. Might be one of my favorites of hers. My 2011 Reviews: 1. Her Daughter's Dream - Francine Rivers 2. Island of the World - Michael O'Brien (AMAZING!) 3. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress - Rhoda Janzen 4. Cinderella Ate My Daughter - Peggy Orenstein 5. Devil's Cub - Georgette Heyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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