Quick Lit :: April 2015

I can't believe I haven't shared what I've read all year.  More than that, I can't believe I've only read this small number of books.  Hopefully the summer months will be kinder to my reading time!

{Want to see what others have been reading?  Check out the link-up at Modern Mrs. Darcy!}

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up :: Marie Kondo

A quick treatise on how to pare down rapidly to avoid further re-organization forever.  Sounds good in theory, but this lady obviously has no kids.  Also, I do not thank my socks and am not inclined to start.  But I was motivated to clean out my desk, so that's something.

The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education :: Leigh A. Bortins

Not much new information to me, but for somebody looking for an accessible rundown of classical education and what it entails, this is a great place to start, though Well-Trained Mind will forever and always be my go-to.

The Paradox of Choice: Why Less Is More :: Barry Schultz

There are lots of numbers, studies, facts, and figures in this book...but the nuggets about how decision-making affects us were enlightening and, quite frankly, relieving.  I feel better and better about the choices I put on autopilot since reading this book.

Angry Optimist: The Life and Times of Jon Stewart :: Lisa Rogak

Interesting look at the man behind the desk of The Daily Show (for a little while longer, anyway).  Didn't love everything I learned about Stewart, but everybody is human, and there were enough funny things to at least even it out.  Looking forward to picking up her bio on Colbert.

Lessons from Madame Chic :: Jennifer Scott

Who doesn't love a little French advice?  Scott describes her fabulous French host during a study abroad program and discusses how she has incorporated some of her best practices in her own life.  Fun, quick read with a bit of food for thought.  Enjoyed it so much, I read her other book...

At Home With Madame Chic :: Jennifer Scott

Very similar in tone and tenor to the previous but with an emphasis on living well at home.  With three littles under five, it was a good reminder for me to enjoy baking and lighting candles and--as best as I can--even doing the dishes.

The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains :: Nicholas Carr

Technically I haven't finished this one yet, but I am really enjoying learning about how our brains respond to all the skimming, switching, and tabbing that the Internet brings us.  It makes me want to subscribe to the newspaper and read more print...

Professor had a birthday at the end of March, and he made out like a bandit in the book department, which means I did, too!  Here's a peak at what's on our bookshelf, just waiting to be devoured (the last one is mine, not his):

What have you been reading lately?

Twitterature :: October 2014

Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy hosts a monthly link-up for sharing casual, tweet-sized book reviews.  Here's what I've been reading in September and October

All Joy and No Fun :: Jennifer Senior

I enjoyed Senior's TED talk, so when I saw her related book on the library shelf, I snatched it.  For somebody feeling tossed about in the winds of parenting, I can see where this would be a very reassuring read.  Interesting anecdotes and comparisons throughout, but I think I liked the abbreviated TED talk better.

Peace Like a River :: Leif Enger

Beautiful novel.  A coming-of-age story with a hint of the spiritual.  A family's world is rocked by vengeance upon vengeance and the way those consequences play out is realistic, miraculous, heartbreaking, and beautiful all at once.

Someone Else's Love Story :: Joshilyn Jackson

I'd enjoyed a previous title by Jackson, so I took a gamble on this one.  Way more sex talk than I was bargaining for, but the story was interesting enough to keep me hooked (even if it meant skipping a bit here and there).  Man and woman cross paths during a convenience store robbery, changing their lives in more ways than might be expected.

The Mysterious Benedict Society :: Trenton Lee Stewart

Orphans called by a secret society to thwart the evil plots of a secretive evildoer, intent on world domination through controlling all people's thoughts.  Fun juvie-fiction pick; I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

City of Ember :: Jeanne DuPrau

An underground city meant to save humanity has lost one of its most important secrets: instructions for when their 200 year stint underground is meant to be over.  A pair of youngsters must battle the establishment and the clock to find a way to save their city.  It took a major thunderstorm on library day to get between me and the next installment--but that will be solved soon enough!



I'm not sure if it's the fall or my increased workload of rather dry material, but I found myself reaching for fiction over and over...with no end to the story spree in sight.  Any favorite page-turners you can recommend would be greatly appreciated!

{P.S. This post contains affiliate links; if you click and purchase anything through the site, I receive a small commission.  Thanks for your support!}

Twitterature :: February 2014

Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy hosts a monthly link-up for sharing casual, tweet-sized book reviews.  Here's what I've been reading since last time around...

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode :: Crystal Paine

Delivers on its promises.

A must-read for harried mamas everywhere.

I'm already re-reading it...

#itsthatgood

The Holy Bible (ESV) :: Uh...God

A lifetime in church, eight years of making my faith my own.

And I've only just read this thing cover to cover.

Probably time to do it again.

#worthit

Eat Move Sleep :: Tom Rath

30 days of research and tips to help you eat, move, and sleep better.

Already going to bed earlier.  And sleeping better.

Can't wait to put more into practice.

The Power of Play :: David Elkind

Research to back up what I've suspected all along:

Kids learn best from play until around age six.

Looks like a formal homeschool year of kindergarten is off my agenda!

Notes from a Blue Bike :: Tsh Oxenreider

Beautifully written memoir on intentional living,

strikes the perfect tone of "how I did" rather than "how to"

and how we can all take more time out of the rat race

and get on our own bikes, riding in the slow lane.

What have you been reading?  I'm always looking for the next great title!

Twitterature :: September

Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy hosts a monthly link-up for sharing casual, tweet-sized book reviews.  Here's what I've been reading...

The Food of a Younger Land
by Mark Kurlansky

Regional food history pieced together from WPA files.  I only read the "Middle West" section but really enjoyed poems "Nebraskans Eat the Wieners" and pieces about whole hog roasting.  Worth perusing for history lovers and foodies.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
by Susan Cain

FINALLY got around to reading this--and even Professor read the first half or so.  Conclusion: I am an introvert and that's all right.  Wonderful, even.

Raising Elijah
by Sandra Steingraber

About raising kids in this environmentally-compromised world today.  Honestly, this book mostly made me want to cry and hide my kids under a rock.  It's not written with a "how to help or do better" tone, just "these are the horrible facts and if everything about modern life doesn't change, we're all going to die of cancer and disfiguration"...sometimes ignorance is bliss.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
by Aimee Bender

I actually checked this out because there was a note in the front about how somebody had put white out over the swear words and the next reader felt it her civic duty to write them back in and tell the world she had done so.
This was a coming-of-age story about a girl who can taste people's emotions in the food they've cooked and how it affects her whole life and family--fun-ish read, beautiful prose.  Oh, and a few swear words, whited out or not, depending on your copy.

Good Poems for Hard Times
selected by Garrison Keillor

Trying to ease back into poetry reading; this was a nice, sweeping collection.  The introductory essay is worth reading for itself.

So, what have you been reading lately? {and catch more mini-reviews over at Modern Mrs. Darcy}

Twitterature :: July 2013

Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy hosts a link-up each month called Twitterature: a "place to share short, casual reviews of books you’ve been reading." 

Carry on, Warrior :: Glennon Doyle Melton
Funny, poignant, brutally honest tales from the life of a recovered bulimic and alcoholic...definitely lots of passages read aloud to Professor from this one!








The Journal of Best Practices :: David Finch
Memoir of a marriage in shambles...until the husband was diagnosed with Asperger's.  Then began a lot of work, struggle, hilarity, and sweetness as they battled back to save their relationship.  Also a lot of passages read aloud to Professor!






Choosing to See :: Mary Beth Chapman
I felt really dumb when I realized I'd totally missed the premise of this book: I honestly thought that Mary Beth Chapman had gone blind and wrote a book about it.  Instead, this is the heart-wrenching story of losing a daughter.  Sometimes hard to read, sometimes lighthearted, always pointing to Jesus.  Professor got an earful of this one, too.






The UnWired Mom :: Sarah Mae
Loved this little book; it left me wanting more, but isn't that always the way with ebooks?  I'll be writing more about this soon, but one thing is for sure: I am definitely more aware of how I use (and abuse) the internet on a day-to-day basis, and I've started praying about it quite a bit.

Twitterature May 2013

Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy hosts a link-up each month called Twitterature: a "place to share short, casual reviews of books you’ve been reading." For your reading pleasure, here's what's been on my nightstand recently....

The Hungry Years by William Leith
Body image, binge eating, and food (and other things) addiction from the rare male perspective.  Informative, sometimes bleakly dark, with a surprisingly light ending.

Mrs. Robinson's Disgrace: The Private Diary of a Victorian Lady by Kate Summerscale
A look inside the changing landscape of Victorian England as divorce laws changed and dirty laundry started airing on every front.  Mrs. Robinson is an interesting character, but the book drags on a bit once you get past the diary end of her story and into the courtroom.  Still, a pretty good read.

24/6 by Matthew Sleeth
A gentle call to Sabbath with personal anecdotes of life as an ER doc and the author's own downshift in life.  Light on the practical aspects (ie, Sabbath "rest" with tiny children?!), it's still a good, quick read to get you thinking about and planning for a weekly respite.

Serve God, Save the Planet by Matthew Sleeth
A Christian call to environmentalism, or "creation care," which I love as a term.  I'm back to recycling with a vengeance and have new perspective...although, again, the author writes from the perspective of someone with privilege, lots of options and flexibility, and life without littles: it was hard to read some parts of this book without saying, "Easy for you to say."  Still, I will be rereading this one for sure.

Almost Amish: One Woman's Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life by Nancy Sleeth
(notice a pattern in author names here?)
Comparing good environmental practice to the ways of the Amish and how we can mimic those wise choices without bonnets or buggies.  I was glad to find I'm actually doing most of the things she recommends to live lightly on the earth, but it was still inspiration to go further...to go "more Amish," if you will?

What have you been reading?