Jump to content

Menu

So, what are YOU reading...


Recommended Posts

Guest Ang in TX

I'm working my way through The Book of Margery Kemp, TWEM way. I'm a bit disappointed in this one. Anyone else reading/read this? Care to share your thoughts?

 

Angie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm reading:

 

Total Truth, Nancy Pearcey,

The History of the Ancient World, Bauer

 

And something I really need:

30 Days to Tame the Tongue :o) It's taking me longer than 30 days to accomplish this.

 

Between those and my Precepts Bible Study, I'm swamped at night after I get the littles to bed.

 

Blessings,

Lisa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Inklings is the first of The Oxford Chronicles (Jeschke). I imagine its genre would rightly be called a Christian romance which I just will not read. But I bought the books because the story is centered around C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkein right after Lewis died. Plus, it had great reviews (and I can see why now). When I picked it up to read, I noticed it was listed as a "Romance" and was thoroughly disappointed that I'd wasted my money on such.

 

But, the book is fantastic. Yes, it is a love story, and one I will push on teenagers because within the context of the story is a wonderful affirmation of Christian courtship and sexual purity.

 

At little more at Seasonal Soundings, linked below. (BTW, how in the world do you insert a link without all the http:// stuff showing?)

 

Now I'm reading its sequel, Expectations.

 

Also, I'm reading The Great Tradition (with a group and am woefully behind), the Bible through in a year, Cortes (Syme) with my sixth graders, Reclaiming the Future of Christian Education (Green) for ACSI certification, and The Shaping of a Life (Tickle).

 

My reading time is so limited now that I'm working, so it takes me forever to finish books now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keep of the Bees by Gene Stratton-Porter. Think I may try and get my boys to read one or two of her books this year.

 

Also reading Showdown by Dekker because my 15 yo son loved it and wants to talk about it.

 

Was trying to get through the New Testament in a month but have scaled back to a 3 month schedule.

 

Blessings,

Rebecca

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just finished (and recommend) Bill Bryson's latest book which is a biography of Shakespeare. Still reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien (this is for my book group and is also the book my teen is reading for a college writing class).

 

Regards,

Kareni

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right now I'm reading, Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs, Eat, Pray, Love by E. Gilbert.

 

I loved both of these - I read them last month. I actually laughed out loud at some parts of each book. Very enjoyable reading.

 

Currently reading:

 

-Omnivore's Dilemma - Michael Pollan

-Mansfield Park - after watching Northanger Abby last night on PBS, I am going to re-read some Austen books this month

How to Read Literature Like a Professor -

Kicked, Bitten and Scratched - Amy Sutherland - about animal training;)

The Other Boleyn Girl - just getting started

Innocents Abroad - Twain

 

I am using the new Amazon Kindle device which I wrote about in another post - I LOVE it and I am reading so much more now. The Kindle is an ebook reader so I have all of my books on one device which is with me all the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm reading Jane and the Barque of Frailty, a Jane Austen mystery by Stephanie Barron. Normally, murder mysteries are my light fare and I enjoyed others in the series several years ago, but for some reason, I'm having a hard time getting into this one. I'm also reading The Screwtape Letters for my co-op group and slowly going through On Being Catholic by Thomas Howard. Deconstructing Penguins is on my night table...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine are nonfiction:

 

Just finished Fastnet, Force Ten (The deadliest storm in the history of modern sailing). This book wasn't nearly as good as Tall Ship Down though. I'm about to start either,

 

Once is Enough by Miles Smeeton which is about a British couple who sailed around the Southern Ocean in their 40 foot sailboat during the 1950s and it got somersaulted in the ocean. This was evidentally the first time that anyone had heard of this happening to a small sailing vessel. Don't know why they say that once was enough for them because after bobbing aimlessly around for some weeks while making repairs, they sailed into Chile, fixed the boat and headed back into the Southern Ocean only to get somersaulted a second time in aother storm. I guess "Twice is Enough" wouldn't sound as ominous? Oh yeah, the guy's wife is interesting in her own right because she also made headlines in an attempt to climb Everest.

 

The other one that I'm tempted to launch into is The Floating Prison which is of the experiences of a French prisoner of war (Napoleanic Wars) in a British prison hulk from 1806-1814. Against all odds the guy survived and wrote long book about it which is available in translation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have started How To Read a Book, The House of Mirth, Middlemarch, The Great Tradition, The Story of Art, The Story of Philosophy. I'm trying to finish the last few pages of Madame Bovary. And I am trying to get back into regular Bible reading with the Psalms.

 

I think I will shelve the House of Mirth for awhile, since it is my own book and I can read it whenever I have a chance. I will finish Middlemarch first, because it is a library book which has already been renewed at least once, and so the time is ticking away on it. Also, I am really interested in Middlemarch and would like to finish it, and my fractured reading of late has prevented me from progressing very rapidly.

 

How to Read a Book is also a library book, as well, so I need to finish it.

 

I'm supposed to be on reading plan for finishing The Great Tradition over the next two years with an online discussion group. Unfortunately I wasn't able to obtain a copy until a week or two after the group started, so I am woefully behind. I really want to catch up so that I can participate in the discussion, or at least benefit from reading other's thoughts.

 

Story of Art, and Story of Philosophy are also long-term reads for me. I plan to read them leisurely over the next year.

 

I read most of Madame Bovary over the summer, but I didn't finish the last few chapters because it was overdue at the library and someone else was waiting for it. So, I'm trying to finish the last little chunk. It definitely wasn't one of my favorites, but I'd like to read the ending.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recently finished:

 

- "Boys Adrift" by Leonard Sax

(non-fiction; sobering)

 

- "Good Dog. Stay" (Anna Quindlen)

(short, personal essay by a dog lover with wonderful B&W photos of dogs; very poignant for anyone who's ever had to say goodbye to a dog who was a part of your family; you can read it in less than an hour)

 

- "Story of a Girl" (Sara Zarr)

(powerful, mature, real-life story; ultimately redeeming story of a young teen girl who became sexually active looking for love, and tries to remake her life and leave that loose reputation and choice behind her)

 

 

 

In Progress:

 

- Ranger's Apprentice series (John Flanagan)

(7 book series given to the family for Christmas; not terribly well written, but our young teen boys are enjoying these as sheer fluff boy adventure)

 

- "Aurelia's Colors (Jeffrey Overstreet)

(halfway into a "first in a new fantasy trilogy" -- different from your standard fantasy; the author is better known for his movie reviews for CT at the Movies and his film website: lookingcloser.org)

 

- "The Book of Snobs" (William Thackery)

(1800s British satire; I take it in small doses, a page at the time, as part of the bathroom library (lol) )

 

- "The Sopratos" (Stephen Pastis)

(comic collection of "Pearls Before Swine"; I confess -- I love those crocs! a few pages a night makes great bedtime reading!)

 

 

 

Sitting In The "Queue" But Not Started Yet:

 

- "Children of Men" (P.D. James)

- "Plainsong" (Kent Haruf)

- "The Good Husband of Zebra Drive" (Alexander McCall Smith)

 

 

I love hearing what everyone is reading -- I always find new things from you ladies to add to my library wish list! Warmest regards -- and happy reading! -- Lori D.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm working my way through the fiction section of the WEM. I'm reading Clarissa right now. It's excellent. SWB doesn't actually include it in the WEM but it's one of those books I've always meant to read.

 

I'm also reading very very very slowly through A History of Calvinism. Admittedly, I typically fall asleep as it's usually bedtime when I'm reading this one.

 

And I picked up an interesting book at the library called Proust and the Squid about the neuroscience of reading...but it's a little hard to get into so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beowulf (trying to keep up with son's Omnibus reading.

 

Luther: Man Between God and the Devil - this is my Sunday afternoon reading. I only get a few pages read per week. :rolleyes:

 

Byond the Bounds (Collection of essays edited by John Piper). This book is a response to the "Open Theism" movement. Also one of my Sunday books.

 

I had to give up on Portrait of a Lady, which was my book club book, because the Omnibus reading is all I can get to during my weekday free time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just finished (and recommend) Bill Bryson's latest book which is a biography of Shakespeare. Still reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien (this is for my book group and is also the book my teen is reading for a college writing class).

 

Regards,

Kareni

My teen read about 1/2 of The Things They Carried. It's intense/disturbing.

Such is war. Which reminds me of the movie "Why We Fight"...."when war becomes profitable, there will be more of it."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For fun:

Kristin Lavransdatter -- I'm losing much needed sleep with this one (can't put it down)

 

On the treadmill:

Waiting for Birdy -- tickles my funny bone and keeps me going, love her style

 

For spiritual nourishment:

Respectable Sins

 

Aloud to the older dc:

Living on the Devil's Doorstep -- excellent

 

Aloud to the younger dc:

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

 

Trying to keep up with the older dc so I can discuss intelligently:

The Odyssey (trans. Fitzgerald)

 

What I should be reading:

How to Thaw Your Pipes

 

Luann in ID

mom of 12

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Galactic Gourmet, Harry Potter et les Reliques de la Mort, Mansfield Park for the umpteenth time, various water colour books from the library, and a book on homeschool portfolio writing. And I'm reading Dante's Inferno and the Mabinogeon (mangled the spelling I'm sure) with the children.

-Nan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hadn't done any reading for myself for a long, long time until the holiday when I determined it's time to start again.

 

So I am reading:

 

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

 

Since my son is doing Sonlight's Eastern Hemisphere (Core 5) course as a break from our history cycle, I decided I want to read books which focus on non-Western cultures. Though I'm planning a variety of fiction and non-fiction reading, I haven't done any modern fiction reading for years, so I've decided to start with this recent work of fiction.

 

Awakening Children's Minds: How Parents and Teachers Can Make a Difference by Laura Berk

 

This one discusses child development and learning from the perspective of Russian psychologist Lev Vgotsky's sociocultural theory. The basic idea is that children learn best when adults prepare experiences that are in the child's "zone of proximal development"; that is, slightly beyond his current competencies, yet still within a place where the child can accomplish the task with carefully given assistance from someone more competent at the task than he.

 

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

 

I'm reading the book, not the full study. I've been interested for a long time in this book but am just now getting to it. I needed to find something for spiritual encouragement and hadn't found anything for awhile that grabbed my interest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's written by Rebecca S. Ramsey and is about her and her family's experiences while living in France for 4 years. They are from South Carolina, but hubby transferred to France (working for Michelin). They lived there for 4 years, then moved back to Greer, South Carolina. It's cute and witty and fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

on a friends recommendation, not realizing it was an Oprah pick. Honestly, I don't know what she bases her recommendations on. I didn't read through the whole thing, I skipped to the end.

 

anyway, I'm also reading Mostly True by Molly O'Neill, Daughters of Destiny, and The Mom Walk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm reading:

 

Swallows and Amazons (aloud to the kids) - Arthur Ransome

The Hound of the Baskervilles (at DH's request) - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Charlotte Mason Series - Vol. 6 (Modern English)

The Art of Teaching - Gilbert Highet

Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler

 

Not counting Swallows, I try to read from at least one of them each day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just finished One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I ended up enjoying it, however, it was a tough read form me. Time constraints required me to put the book aside several times and then I'd have to get back in the flow of it again. The magic realism genre was new to me and the novel is loaded with symbolism. Plus, there were times that the translation seemed awkward to me.

 

Now I reading Christy by Catherine Marshall. I just started it. The kids read this with SL in middle school. I'm finally getting to it. :) It's a nice lighter change from One Hundred Years.

 

Enjoy your books!

Cynde

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...