I’m currently reading; A Little Book on Joy, almost done with Ten Thousand Gifts and Clash of Kings but I’d love to read more this Summer. Not just to the babies but to myself.
There’s always something about this time of year that gets me more serious about my reading list. Not that it provides any more time for reading. I’m sure it’s the longer days that make me more ambitious. But more sun doesn’t magically create more energy, so for now I’m really just dreaming.
Here are some of the books I might try to pick up this Summer, year, before retirement (thanks Emily).
Cookbooks:
The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making
A Continual Feast: A Cookbook to Celebrate the Joys of Family and Faith Throughout the Christian Year
Parenting:
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
Learning All The Time
Family Vocation: God’s Calling in Marriage, Parenting, and Childhood
The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming Our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity
Fiction:
Kristin Lavransdatter – Historical epic set in 14th century Norway. Need I say more?
Gilead: A Novel – I read this one years ago. I remember liking it and think it would mean a lot more to me now. So I’ll reread.
Servants of the Map: Stories – I love the way Andrea Barrett tells a story. I’ve read several of her books. Most are simple everyday stories with ordinary people or… gasp, Botanists! She makes the mundane a thing of beauty. Lovely writer.
Non-Fiction:
Pew Sisters
Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption
And of course there must be Summer reading for the Babies:
The Princess and the Three Knights
Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella
Summer Story (Brambly Hedge)
Little House on the Prairie
Have any of you read any of these? I’d like to hear thoughts if so.
What books are you dreaming about?
A Continual Feast I use all the time. Lavransdatter I have on my to-read list, too (speaking of Norwegian, have you read Giants in the Earth?), and Pew Sisters (I won a copy from Issues, Etc., but they haven’t sent it yet).
We read the Little House books (through Plum Creek) last year. Your older girls are at the perfect age for those books. The writing is astounding–so beautiful, and as an adult I can appreciate more the suffering Ma and Pa go through. I was oblivious to that when I read them (had them read to me) as a kid. Especially On the Banks of Plum Creek and then On the Shores of Silver Lake (a baby boy died in the time between those books when he was 10 months old. Laura didn’t include it, but she did give hints that Ma was pregnant during all their troubles on Plum Creek).
I’m very impressed that you are currently reading and have such a nice list for future reads! My reading these days consists of baby/toddler books.
Harrison’s A Little Book on Joy is a fantastic read! I really should read it again.
I’m intrigued by the Homemade Pantry book. Can I borrow it when you’re done?
Servants of the Map: Stories sounds good, too. Would you loan out that one as well?
My stack of books groweth larger each week. When do you find is your best time to read for yourself??????
Katy, I’m glad to hear you find Continual Feast useful, I wondered. And I haven’t read Giants in the Earth, sounds great, a bit Willa Cathery! I’ll have to add that.
Carrie, I’ve done my share of baby books and I’m still reading those too! Right now I occasionally pick up John Rosemond bookings on parenting and since I’ve never really read any “sleep” books only scanned them I thought I’d give one a try.
Kristi, I’d LOVE to work out some kind of “book exchange”!! I keep thinking it would be great to just borrow instead of buy. We’ll have to arrange something for sure. As for reading to myself, typically I don’t get much done until I’m in bed. I’ve scheduled in “reading time” during the babies “nap time” just for a few minutes usually and from 9:30-10pm (but realistically it’s more like 9:30-9:32pm then my eyes is too heavy….) I also keep a book by the potty! :0