You Might Enjoy

January 11, 2017

Since the middle of February I have been consciously collecting a list of things that will help me (or have prepared me to) DO this thing called BASKING that I've set out to do in the year ahead. If I'm honest, the occasional blue skies and the sun poking out from behind the clouds are my steadiest reminder, but there are things along the way that have done a lot of work too.

Here are some resources that have prepared me for 2017:

A sermon: The Glory of God in the Good Resolves of His People by John Piper - I'm not sure how many times I've listened to this sermon, but I've had it on my iPod for two whole years now. It's a theme that's on my mind often. I wrote about it here and it influenced the word I chose to focus on last year.

A book: Grace For the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman - I've read Freeman's blog for YEARS. She writes the way I long to write, connecting her faith to the most ordinary of moments in her everyday life. I read this book a while ago, but it was in its pages that I finally GOT what it was for Jesus to be about His Father's business. This book made me DIG around in the Bible. It encouraged me to look to Christ's example as I sought to BE a Christian. This is NOT another women's book about "letting go and letting God". It will breathe TRUTH into your soul and it will  challenge you to stand firm.

Some prose that reads like a poem: Scrolling through instagram one day back in October, I came across these words by C.S. Lewis (it turns out they were taken from a section out of Mere Christianity). It goes like this:

NEARER

"If you want to get warm

             you must stand 

            near the fire: if

           you want to be 

               wet you must get 

           into the water.

             If you want joy, 

                    power, peace, eternal 

              life, you must get 

                  close to, or even into,

        the thing that 

 has them."

                         - C.S. Lewis

Here are some things that are keeping me focused in 2017:

A playlist: Bask 2017 - This won't be for everyone, but it's the kind of music that I can't help but be grateful to have in my life. These songs have been encouraging me and teaching me and challenging me for years. Hit shuffle and ENJOY!

A plan: Stay in the Gospels - In light of the task this word spurs me onto, I felt the best place to go was to the example of Jesus Christ, Himself. So, I've been spending time with Him in the Gospels. I started with John, then moved on to Mark, and I'm going to start Matthew today. I can't remember who said it, but a theologian of old encouraged every Christian to always have their thumb in the Gospels no matter what other Scripture they were focusing on. In different seasons, I've attempted to do that.

Resolves: Going for walks in silence. Keeping a list of prayer requests handy and going over it or checking back in with the people that have asked me to pray. Journaling out Scriptures and lessons and prayers and preaching the Word to myself. Staying in touch with friends and listening to the stories of grace that they have to share or the burdens of faith they are carrying.

Is there anything you would recommend to me? 

What are some things that have been pointing you to God lately? 

February Morning

I wrote these words on Tuesday morning. These are the kinds of pieces I've been writing more of over the last few years. They're the kind of pieces that might be junk, but I've decided to put this one out there. 

December 4, 2010

I was up at 5 to take my sister into work this morning. It was her day to start drive-thru training. After dropping her off, I crawled back into bed and started playing around on my ipad. I ended up searching for an essay by Virginia Woolf titled “Street Haunting” that promised to tell the story of the time she used buying a pencil as an excuse to take an evening walk. It was only last summer that I finally got around to reading Woolf. I’m enthralled with mental illnesses, but also terrified of them. It’s almost as though they’re catching. I’m not sure if these kinds of conditions come through in people’s writing, but I tend to believe that they do. People with mental illnesses have the burden of internalizing the things that they observe. The terror and sadness and overwhelm that follow can surely not be pushed aside when they hold a pencil in their hand or hover their fingers over a keyboard. In a lot of ways, I think mental illnesses make better writers out of people who may have otherwise overlooked the details necessary to take a piece of writing to the place where it can actually move its reader.

Whatever the case, the essay was interesting. It circled around and around and came back to a place where it will leave every reader thinking their own thoughts. Those kinds of hanging endings have become my favorites. She tied in all kinds of things that I didn’t expect. Things like memories, identity, beauty, philosophy, the power of books, duty, the longing to be carefree, and the idea of home were used to illustrate her observations. Each one driven, of course, by the hunt for a single pencil. I moved from my bed, to the kitchen, to my chair by the window in the front room to read this single piece. I enjoyed it and like every good essay, it inspired me to write my own long before I was even done reading it.

In my room, the curtains were closed, but the light was starting to come in. It was just after 6:30 and the house was quiet. The only sound was that of the traffic traveling along the highway. I heard the distinct rumble of diesel engines. The noise has to travel through an entire neighborhood to get to us, but it always does. When there are no sirens and the neighborhood isn’t making noises of its own, the sound reminds me of the ocean.

I moved into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. I put the kettle on and placed a tea bag into a mug. As the water heated, I read a few more sentences. She gave me a chuckle over the part about the dwarf lady seeking a pair of shoes. They had a different way of addressing things in those days. It's  a way that would not go over now, I am sure. By the time my tea was ready to drink, I gathered the mug, my ipad, and my blanket and headed for my chair in the living room.

Opening the curtains, I settled in for the rest of the essay. I noticed that I couldn’t hear the traffic at all in the front room. Now, everything was truly quiet. No matter how hard I listened, there was nothing to hear. Only Woolf’s words broke the silence. Words on a little screen glowing with its own light. I read on, holding my cup of tea in my hands, only pausing occasionally to take a sip. The sky got brighter and brighter and settled into the shade of grey that it will be today. As the end of the essay got nearer and nearer, I found, that like Woolf herself, I was taking a walk I didn’t want to end. The bit about being driven by “the rod of duty” and the idea that “if we could stand there where we were six months ago, should we not be again as we were then – calm, aloof, content?” really spoke to me. There was something to her words. We do go about saying - as she wrote in this essay - “Really I must –“ , in our hurry to do the next thing. We do seek to find happinesses we have known before only to find that things aren’t quite the way we had remembered them. It seems to me that the question she was trying to get her readers to ask is, “Must we?”. The hope she helped me to discover is “the beauty is there to behold.” This was a bit surprising to me since the words she used to take readers toward the end of her piece were not full of hope, but of uncertainty. Still, I finished the piece being certain. Certain of the power of words. Certain of the worth of writing them down, even if only one volume is created and a single copy ends up in the hands of one person. Certain that home is a good place to be and that buying a pencil is a worthy excuse for a walk on a winter evening. Certain that looking around and observing is never a waste of time or energy.

Hours have gone by. I’ve since shared her essay with Kiki, chatted with my Mom, gathered the dirty laundry, taken a picture of my backyard for Renee, eaten a piece of peanut butter toast, tidied the kitchen, and posted a recipe for chai tea lattes to my blog. The day is pressing on toward noon and Woolf’s words are still ringing in my ears. They are still saying what they have to say. I’m listening. 

Fall Reads Handpicked For YOU

When I think of fall reading, I think of books that are older and heavier. These kind of books have to be well written because the themes they center around beg you to slow down and take your time. In fall, the nights are long and the get-togethers are fewer and farther between. The yard work is slowly coming to an end and we are left with more time to get some reading in.

Fall reading is pretty much my favorite, so I've decided to give you a list of books that I couldn't get enough of as I was reading them. Some are short, some are longer, and they each fit into a specific category.

The 10 books that I think YOU should read this fall are:

Historical Fiction

The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy This is one novel that I cannot seem to stop recommending. It, like the other novel I'm stuck on in this category, flashes back and forth between modern day and Civil War days. This one is more mystery than novel. It is sure to keep you guessing.

The House Girl by Tara Conklin A novel that flashes back and forth between modern day New York City and the Underground Railroad days. You get to know two women as you discover the timeless tie that binds them together. 

Literary Fiction

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith  This novel, written in journal form, will satisfy your craving for a well written book that is a story of life as it happens. It's not full of mystery or intrigue and a lot of the time it's just kind of bumbling along. Now, I know that doesn't sound promising, but every now and then that's just the kind of reading we need to do.

The Small Rain by Madeleine L'Engle I've been an L'Engle fan since 6th grade. Imagine my joy when I found this book on my library's website several falls ago! It's the story of a girl named Katherine as she grows up and finds her own place in the world. And it's set in NYC. It's a win all the way around. 

Non-Fiction 

By Searching by Isobel Kuhn Autobiographies are always rewarding and this one is no exception. Kuhn was a Christian woman who had a lot of learning to do. In this short book, she shares some of her wisdom and tells about being a young woman in the 1920s. 

84, Charring Cross Road by Helene Hanff  This is a book  you can read in one sitting! It tells the story of a friendship between a woman in New York and a bookseller in England. The writing draws you in, so be ready to keep reading! Bonus: They made it into a movie starring Anthony Hopkins, so be sure to watch it AFTER you read the book.

Mastering the Art of French Eating by Ann Mah I never blogged about this one, so the link will take you to goodreads instead. This book got me started on my "read a book about France and cooking in November tradition". As you can guess, it's about eating and cooking and traveling around France.  It is a great introduction to that world.

Mystery

Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark Another book I've never talked about on the blog before...I've been reading Mary Higgins Clark since 6th grade. I like her mysteries because they are well written, plausible, and always clean. She gets her inspiration from real cases and each story is set in New England which happens to be a part of the country that she is very familiar with. This one is set on Cape Cod and is so good that I've read it several times. 

The Doorbell Rang by Rex Stout My Mom got me hooked on Stout. His mysteries are the kind that make you think if you plan to solve them before you make it to the end. They feature two very likeable characters who will keep you laughing. 

The Cape Cod Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor I can't put my finger on whose writing Taylor's reminds me of, but it's the best kind of likeness. The mystery is good, the setting is rich, and the characters are well crafted. If you've been to the Cape you'll enjoy a book that tells of the Cape as it was and if you haven't, I suspect this one will make you want to a plan a trip very soon. 



Choose a book or two or ten and let me know what you think! I've read and loved each and every one of these books. I'd love nothing more than to chat with all of you about whichever one(s) you choose to pick up!

Which one(s) sound perfect for you?

Is there a book (or ten) that you think I should read this fall?

Summer Stack 2016

I started planning my summer reading list back in February. I've swapped some titles since then, but this is a list I've had some time to look forward to. As I've done over the last two years, I'll update the post with short reviews on each book as I have read them. The books in bold are the ones that I'm currently reading.

This year I've had my eye on several classics, a handful of light hearted books, and only three works of non fiction. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get through all of the titles on my list, but I'm certainly going to give it a try!

FICTION:

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin // I stayed up a little later than usual to finish this book last night. It's the story of a young Irish woman who gets the opportunity to make a life for herself in Brooklyn sometime in the middle of the 20th Century. Toibin does an amazing job at developing this story to be one that young women today can still relate to. This book will be with me for a while. Each of its four sections left me wanting to keep reading but needing to stop and catch my breath. It's a novel without any real crisis or mystery and yet it is the kind of books that makes you connect with the main character to the point where you start feeling what they are feeling. It took reading this book to help me realize that even though I've moved WITH my family, what I've been going through for the last six months or so is nothing other than homesickness. For that alone, I owe Toibin a lot.

That said, this book isn't one that I can recommend without caution. He waited about 200 pages to put the main character into a compromising situation, but then he did and things got too graphic for me. He didn't make that his default, but those three or four times that he went that route with her will mean that I can't just put the book into people's hands and say, "READ THIS!". (June 9, 2016)

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU NEED) // So far, I've read quite a bit of this one and I'm loving it. There are a ton of words that I have never encountered before which makes me feel like a kid again. Aside from that, he is hilarious. I've turned into the person who holds nothing back when they read and isn't afraid of subjecting those around me to listening to a short snippet (so, far it's just been my family). This book offers many occasions for "you've gotta listen to this!".

On a side note, this book was mentioned in The Lake House when Alice's assistant takes to reading it. His experience with it made me even more excited that it was on my list. Then, when I got to A Window Opens, I found it mentioned several times there too. I may or may not have received a few spoilers from that Alice's supporting characters. Hopefully they didn't give too much away. (July 20, 2016)

The Lake House by Kate Morton // I've tried Kate Morton before and just couldn't get into her style. This time around, something was different. The story flips back and forth between the 1930's and 2003. It's full of twists and turns and keeps you guessing. There was one point where things started to drag a little bit, but then, they picked right back up again. I won't be surprised if this is my favorite book of the summer. I can't seem to stop talking about it and recommending it to people. (June 20, 2016)

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway // I had this in the wrong section. It's actually a collection of non-fiction essays about the years the Hemingways spent in France. He writes about his writer friends, his favorite spots, life, and the way things were. I loved some of the essays, could have completely skipped others, and found some to be so-so. It was a great look into the mind of a man that I've only heard about second hand thanks to his friendship with Fitzgerald. Starting with some of his non-fiction may have just been a better introduction than his fiction. It was always blunt, vulgar at times, and always got right to the point. Overall? If you love Hemingway, you'll appreciate this book. It's less about Paris and more about certain people, so don't read it for Paris. If you plan to read it for the people, be prepared to want to take Hemingway aside in order to ask him why he would ever write these things about his "friends". I think he is obsessed with shocking people. I'm glad I read it, but I'm also glad to have moved on. (August 13, 2016)

A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan // I read this with my bookclub after looking forward to it for quite a while. It was the cover that originally caught my eye! At first, I settled in and wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. I understood the main character, but didn't particularly like her or agree with her decisions. Egan's writing reflects her magazine background. The book, though it is full of tough issues that many of us can relate to, is super light hearted. You feel like you're reading a blog or a magazine article the whole time. Alice (the main character) has a super close relationship with her father and he is a NUT who reminded me of my Grandma Bingo.

I finished the book just as the sun was setting and the whole evening has an essay in the making going on in my mind. I cried in the parking lot and sat there in silence thinking about Egan and Alice and life. I love it when a flippant book turns around to shock me with really getting to me. It's 3 1/2 - 4 stars, for sure. (July 19, 2016)

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee // We have a story that goes with To Kill A Mockingbird. That book is my Mom's favorite novel of all time. When I was growing up that was the book she would suggest every single time I asked her what I should read next. I started that book a hundred times, but it wasn't until the summer of 2014 that I finally read it. Needless to say, I wondered why I had waited so long!

When I found out about GSAW, I had mixed feelings. I preordered a copy for my Mom and because of THAT she read it. She didn't love it, but I'm not sure that she hated it either. I wasn't 30 pages into GSAW before I told myself two things: this is a POSSIBILITY of what happened after TKAM and maybe it's best to think of it as a stand alone novel that isn't even tied to TKAM. Both ideas kept me from thinking things about Scout and Atticus that I didn't want to think. TKAM is perfection. GSAW changes things up and takes the characters places I never thought they would go when I read the original book. I'm glad I read it and while I don't blame you if you never do, I think you'll be glad if you do too! (July 21, 2016)

Season of the Dragonflies by Sarah Creech // Sad to say that I started this one, read less than 30 pages and ditched it. It was crud that made me put it down. :( (August 4, 2016)

The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf // I loved this book. I was expecting it to be dark and depressing, but it wasn't. It's the story of a group of people who have boarded a ship that they took from England to South America where they will be spending "the season". The majority of the book is set in South America and is the story of their adventurous vacation there. I read it during the hottest days of this summer which proved to be perfect. Great introduction to Woolf! (July 30, 2016)

Mermaid Moon by Coleen Coble // My thoughts on this book range from being totally crazy about it to pursing my lips and squinting my eyes in wonder about just how plausible certain turns of events were. I LOVE the way Coble weaves food and setting into her novels. The setting is perfection. I've never actually BEEN to Maine, but one of my good friends lives there and posts gorgeous pictures allllll the time. It's gone from a state I couldn't have cared less about, to a place that I'd love to visit some day. Reading this book was a pretty decent way to make an imaginary trip! 


As far as the mystery goes...That's where it gets sticky. There was one instance where the characters knowingly and willingly tamper with a scene that has the potential of being a crime scene. I'm pretty certain in real life, they would have stopped what they were doing and called in the police. Coincidence plays a pretty big role in one of the major plot points. I'm thinking Coble went that route just to make introducing certain characters a tad bit easier as well as to lead her readers astray with some details that aren't as important as they would be inclined to suspect them to be. 

Overall, I give this book three stars. She stumped me on a couple of the character's identities and histories, but I did predict the outcome of the biggest mystery. I enjoyed the extra bits that go into a book even if I did find some of the most crucial elements to be lacking. (August 20, 2016)

Sweetland by Michael Crummey // Second strike...This book struck out with the continual use of one word that I just can't handle. I skipped ahead because I really wanted to read the story, but it turned out that the word was one of his favorites and wasn't a habit he learned to drop. So, I abandoned this one too. (August 6, 2016)

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon

The Mare by Mary Gaitskill // Third strike...I guess I didn't research my list very well this year. I abandoned this one too. I've heard wonderful reviews of this book and Gaitskill. Apparently, she and I won't be meeting in the pages of her books. Hopefully this is the last of the books that I abandon for a while! (August 6, 2016)

NON-FICTION:

The Shell Collector by Anthony Doerr  // I expected this to be a book of essays that were penned during the time Doerr spent in Rome and while writing All The Light We Cannot See. I don't know how I got that idea (I'm sure it was from someone who was reading it), but it was there making me look forward to getting into Doerr's head. It turns out, it's not nonfiction or essays, but a collection of short stories. I read a few and then decided to abandon the collection. I loved ATLWCS and Doerr's style in it. That said, I may revisit this book someday, but I won't be surprised if I never do. (June 30, 2016)

Rediscovering Holiness by J.I. Packer // If you read ONE book off of my summer reading list, this is the one you should read. Packer has a way of putting things that help them to make REAL sense. The kind of sense that changes things. He brings his love of living and reading and learning to his writing which may be part of the reason why he is able to affect me the way that he always does. Rediscovering Holiness is basically a handbook on what it is to imitate Christ. I mean it...If you know what it is to read the Bible or hear about Christ or cling to verses like Romans 8:28-29 and then ask God to lead you and guide, then this book will change things for you too. Packer uses Scripture to show you what has been before your eyes the whole time. (July 26, 2016)

The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap by Wendy Welch // Wendy's wtiting is super conversational. Reading this book was a lot like pulling up a chair and sitting down to chat with her over a cup of tea in her bookstore. For that, I loved her! She didn't hold anything back as she wrote about the process she and her husband Jack went through as they started up a used bookstore in a town of 5,000. Once the story about the bookstore's opening was told, she switched over to tell its story. This part of the book was about what it's like to run a used bookstore for years. It was about the donations and the people and the town itself and the comings and goings of them all. For the moste part, I really enjoyed that part too. A little more discretion would have been nice.

After I made it through the initial story about the bookstore itself and read a few pieces about unique customers and experiences, I was pretty much done. I  kept reading until the end, but I think I would have been just as happy to have stopped reading after about 150pages or so. The parts that I liked, I REALLY liked. But, the parts that I didn't, well, they were the kind that you have to make yourself read. (June 25, 2016)

The Things of Earth by Joe Rigney // I never made it to this book. My library didn't have it and I want to make sure it's a book I'd like to own before I jump out and buy a copy. (September 1, 2016)

Have you read any of the books on my list? I'd love to hear about them!

What is on your summer reading list?

Past Summer Reading Lists:

2015

2014

The Feathered Bone Review

I have always been one to choose a book because of its cover. From the moment I saw the mostly blues and blacks and the font that reminded me of ribbons on the cover of "The Feathered Bone" by Julie Cantrell , I was drawn in. I've never read anything by Cantrell and I didn't even know what the book was about. All I knew was that THIS looked like a GOOD one.

Last Friday night, I pulled it out before bed and read the first few chapters or so. That little preview clued me into the fact that it was set in New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina. Cantrell didn't waste any time setting the stage. By the time I read a few more pages the next morning, I had a pretty good idea about where the plot might be headed.

By Sunday afternoon, I couldn't put it down. I did something I rarely do and spent pretty much the entire afternoon finishing this book. I HAD to figure out where these characters were going and how the story line resolved itself. So, there is my pitch. "The Feathered Bone" by Julie Cantrell is hands down, the book that has proved to be the most difficult to put down so far this year.

Now, you need to know that this is not a happy book. As I told Allegra and Cassandra about it at church Sunday morning, Cassandra made a face and shook her head, "Oh, my! No, I can't read books like THAT. I'd get depressed."

This fiction book deals with some HEAVY topics It's not a lighthearted beach read, but rather a book that will dig deep and really make you think about life and your philosophy of it. Seriously...I actually wrote notes in the margins in several places. I almost never do that with fiction.

That said, it's exactly the kind of book I crave as I prepare to come out of winter. This book couldn't have come along at a better time. I've been thinking and reading and writing about the idea of home and the tragedy of longing for it. I've been wrestling with the theme of suffering and slowly coming around to see God's good purpose and HAND in it. I'm always curious about New Orleans. I've spent 25 years in a world where husbands and fathers hurt the very people they are supposed to take care of.

This book leaves no stone unturned. It takes the hardest things in life and places them right in your face. My pastor's sermon on Sunday even tied right into the way this book connected the things in my mind lately (I'm telling you this so that I can share the link with you if you're interested).

If you need a book that will challenge you and give you something to chew on for a while, this is it! Cantrell is fantastic. Maybe it's because I read it in one weekend, but this book really affected me in so many good ways. If you read it, please be sure to tell me!

Grab your copy HERE.




*I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher. All thoughts are my own honest opinion. 

Roots and Sky

Every now and then I come across a book that really resonates with me. Roots and Sky by Christie Purifoy is one of those books. Purifoy has been blogging and writing articles for other websites and now she can call herself a published author.

I'm not exaggerating when I saw that Roots and Sky is made up of the most refreshing prose I've ever read. Reading this book is like stepping outside on a spring day and taking the deepest breath you possibly can. You can feel the sun, but you can also feel the cool breeze and the fresh air in your lungs helps you to forget the months you've spent cooped up inside waiting for a moment like this to come around again.

This book is basically a memoir of the seasons. It's about Purifoy's longing for home and how finding it helped her to see that the home God is preparing for her (or her for) is where lasting satisfaction will be found. Each chapter is short. Each section corresponds to a season. I recommend reading it through once and then digging into section by section as the seasons pass.

As you know, I've found myself in a strange situation. I'm in a new house, in a new town, with a brand new church. I don't know how long this temporary move will last or if it will even be temporary. The last few years have taught me that a lot of my unrest has come from a certain longing, namely, a longing for the home I once knew and the stability and security it offered. Reading about someone else's longing and one whole year of receiving was exactly what I needed this winter.

Not only does Purifoy share my longing for home, she also shares my love for God, family, gardening, tea, books, and gathering people together. I learned more about the church calendar and I have a list of flowers to research. More than that, the perspective that God has been teaching me was strengthened.

I think we all long for home. Some of us have homes to keep and to guard and to hang on to. Whatever side of the longing we find ourselves on, there is one thing we need to know and Purifoy uses this book to lay it all out. As she says in the introduction, "This is the story of my journey home. This is the story of a kingdom come."

Order your copy today by clicking HERE.



*I received a review copy from the publisher and all thoughts are my own honest opinion.

Aging and Living

January 21, 2016

On the first day of the year I settled  into my old spot in the living room at our other house to listen to a poem online. It was so good that I listened to it several more times before taking it down in my journal. Though the punctuation and line structure is probably wrong, here it is:

The Gift by Mary Oliver
Be still, my soul, and steadfast
Earth and heaven both are still watching
Though time is draining from the clock
And your walk that was confident and quick 
Has become slow.
So, be slow, if you must
But let the heart still play its part
Love still, as once you loved, deeply and without patience
Let God and the world know you are grateful
That the gift has been given. 

Today, the sky is basically gray and it is quietly drizzling, but on the day that I heard that poem the fresh snow was sparkling in the sunlight. The sky was blue and my mind was a few blocks away with Alice in the hospital.

Alice has taught me so very much. The only reason these words could mean so much to me at 25 is because of her friendship. This poem is about aging and it is also about living. I take Oliver's words and Alice's lessons with me as soul stirring HOPE.

Aging can't be stopped and won't be stopped. Love lets gratefulness for the gift of life and eternal life SHINE. Be slow, if you must, but don't ever stop letting God and the world know that you are grateful.

Just The Thing

January 2, 2016

I've mentioned my (not so) new found love of poetry before...After taking two rounds of Modern and Contemporary Poetry with Al Filreis' crew, it is safe to say that poetry has become a part of my life. I was the kid in jr. high who LOATHED poetry. When a poetry unit came up, my argument against poetry was ready, "Why can't they just SAY what they mean?!?!?" 

It took one fall under Filreis for me to realize that they ARE saying exactly what they mean and then a second fall under him again to get me to see that the meaning IS worth digging for. Poetry is about giving answers and it's also about asking questions. This last fall I learned that sometimes you DON'T understand what they mean and a lot of times, you're not supposed to and THAT is the point. 

I spent the fall reading assigned poetry and choosing one volume of an author's poetry each time I went to the library. I flew through several volumes of Billy Collins' poetry (his pieces are either really good or really, really strange). William Carlos Williams' work had me eager to read more. After taking one volume of Mary Oliver back, I'm ready to give her a second chance (I've got a poem from her new collection titled "Felicity" to share with you soon). The little book of Eugene Fields' poetry that my Mom convinced me to pick up has been really interesting too. What makes it most interesting is that I know NOTHING about him. 

Here I am, in the middle of winter with a poetry routine and a heart full of gratitude...I want to share more poetry here, so you can watch for it a once a month or so. I'm currently plodding through some Dickinson (who happens to be one of my favorites - cliche, I know). The other morning, I came across a poem so good that I HAD to read it out loud to my Mom. It's been on my mind ever since. Fun fact: when my Mom was in jr. high, she discovered Dickinson and pretty much became obsessed with her. Knowing that may have influenced my own favoritism. Who knows.

My little poetry routine isn't fancy. I choose a volume and then I make my way through it. I love reading it in the quiet morning hours, but sometimes, I read it at night instead. Sometimes I read 50 pages and other times I can barely make it through one poem before I'm ready to sit and stew on it for a while. I enrolled in the first class because I wanted to GET poetry. By the third week of my second class, I was surprised to find that I not only got it, but that I was ENJOYING it. 

Here's the poem I came here to share today...Enjoy!

"Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me." - Emily Dickinson

You guys...Hope offers soooo much and costs nothing. And that's a pretty good lesson to carry us through the rest of winter.

Six Favorites From Fall

It's been a while since I've told you what I'm reading and what I'm thinking about it all....That and my sister asked me for a recommendation based off of what I've been reading lately when we were out yesterday. I had to tell her that I've put more books down in the last few weeks than I've actually finished. Even though that disappointment clouded my memory, I combed through my fall stacks and chose a few favorites for her and for you. 

I read some really great books this fall, but these six came out on top:

"The Trouble With The Truth" by Edna Robinson probably comes out on top. Minus one little chapter that could be completely skipped, this book is simply fantastic. The introduction alone brought me to tears (you'll see why when you read it). The book itself is a hidden gem of a story! I'm glad that I happened upon it in my library's "new" section. This is one I want everyone to read. 

"As Always, Julia" edited by Joan Reardon For the last three years I've read a book related to French cooking and eating during November (this one in 2013 and this one in 2014) and it's a ritual that I've really come to look forward to. It only took me three days to plow through this one. The letters were so entertaining. The two friends wrote about anything and everything and while I admit that I did skim certain parts of the letters, I thoroughly enjoyed them! The third section was my favorite because that was when Avis started working for the publishing house and that world is very interesting to me. Read this one and prepare to feel like two of your closest friends have died when you reach the end. It was really strange to come to the end and realize, "This is it."

"Voracious by Cara Nicoletti" belongs on this list because it shaped much of the reading I did this fall. Nicoletti read books with her friends and then cooked meals inspired by what they had read. Their literary dinner parties turned into a food blog and somewhere along the way she landed a book deal. Voracious is her first book and it reads like a series of literary dinner parties. If you like reading and cooking, this is a book for you. 

"A Man Called Ove" by Fredrick Backman was what I read with my goodreads book club (which you are welcome to join!!!) in November. We all agreed that this was a novel that caught us by surprise. It's Backman's debut novel, but it shows that he definitely has a way with words and people. You will laugh. You will cry. You'll hate the way the book makes you feel and you'll have to force yourself to pick it up so that you can read a little more. Each time you crack it open, you'll realize that you don't want to put it down. All of a sudden you'll realize that you love Ove and you need to know more about his story. Disclaimer: There is a fair amount of language in this book. 

"The Secret Adversary" by Agatha Christie I've been reading Christie for the longest time and I was surprised to find out that I had never touched her "Tommy and Tuppence" series. My Mom and I watched the series on AcornTV as it was released in September, so I decided to read the book before we made it through all the episodes. I LOVE the tv series, but I really like the way Christie brought Tommy and Tuppence to life in the novel. If you're looking for a quick mystery, this is the one for you! There's a whole series following it AND a tv version if that's your thing. 

"I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith satisfied my craving for some mid-century literature. This (along with the poetry of Billy Collins - which is hit or miss by the way) was recommended to me by way of Nicoletti. I loved digging into something that had inspired her and has called her back for more many times over. This is one of those stories about LIFE as it happens, slowly and unexpectedly. It's the perfect book to take your time on, to curl up with on a rainy day, and to get a taste for the way writers used to work. 

There you have it, six books that made my fall reading something special! All of these would translate very well into winter reads. If you pick one up, be sure to let me know. I'm taking recommendations for next November's book on French eating and cooking. What would you recommend?

What are some books that really spoke to you this fall?

Collaboreads: A Circle of Quiet

Amber and Rachel have been hosting a book lovers link up on the last Monday of the month for months now. When I found out that the theme this time around was going to be "a book set in summer",  I knew I was going to take part! After all, I'm always up for a chat about books.

The book I chose is Madeleine L'Engle's "A Circle of Quiet".  For those of you who don't know, this book is the first in a series called The Crosswicks Journals. If I understand correctly, these books are made up of pieces L'Engle took from her journals and then expounded upon. That being said, this a book that is nonfiction and reads a lot like a memoir style blog. The entries are short and connected and yet each of them could also stand alone.

Below is my Collaboreads style review. You can learn more about that here. 
 
Riveting:
I loved reading about what L'Engle calls her "Crosswicks family". Crosswicks refers to the farmhouse she and her husband had in Goshen, Connecticut.  They did live there for 9 or 10 years of their marriage, but most of their time was spent in apartments in New York City and using Crosswicks as a summer home. During those summers, the house would be filled with all kinds of friends and family. Summertime living never grows old.

She couldn't write about Crosswicks without writing about writing. There's just something about reading about another writer's routine that is inspiring.

Elements:
I've read a handful of L'Engle's books and as I read this one, I realized how much of her writing truly does come from what she knows. I could relate to everything she wrote about small town living. Whether you've lived in a small town or wondered what it would be like to do so, L'Engle describes them and the people that come from them so very well. 

A section was devoted to the time she spent at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City and how she came to be the librarian there. Somehow I never knew she was a librarian, so I was thrilled to learn more about that! 

Associate:
One of my favorite books to dip into every now and then is The Essays of EB White. This book feels very similar to that one except that L'Engle's entries are much more connected to one another than White's. Life in New England, especially back in the mid 1900's translates into essays so very well. 

Reading these books will make you stop and think and maybe write some pieces of your own! 

Design:
The cover of this book is what first drew me. As it turns out, L'Engle describes the place that she would head to when she needed to be surrounded by quiet. I'm not sure if the cover is a sketch of that exact place, but the peacefulness it depicts lines right up with what L'Engle's not so secret place provided for her. 

Stars:
I gave this book 4 stars. 

When I snatched it off of the little cart outside of my favorite used book store earlier this spring, I had no idea what kind of impact it would have on me. This book about L'Engle's life and writing completely exceeded my expectations. Whether you've read any of her other books or not, this is one I definitely recommend! 

Did you read a book set in summer this month?

A Saturday At The Library

While we were out shopping in the city last Saturday, I asked if we could swing by the library before heading home. My Mom and I went in while everyone else decided to go get some food and make some stops of their own. This turn of events meant that we had as much time as we wanted.

The little bookshop where they sell used books for a song and a dance was open, so that was our first stop. I found a little book of short stories by Herman Melville right away. As we continued looking through the shelves, a lady came with another cart and left it by the entrance. I wandered over and almost immediately my eyes fixed on "Fitzgerald". I turned to make sure that these books were allowed to be sold and then snatched it right off the cart without a second thought. My Mom settled on a copy of "My Antonia" because we keep hearing about Willa Cather, but neither of us has read any of her books. 

With our new treasures in tow, we headed into the actual library. I went in with a list of books on my phone. My Mom sat right down at the computer to look for whatever books she had in mind. After browsing my way through the shelves and coming up with NOTHING (all the books on my list were checked out), I went back over to have her work her magic with the computer JUST IN CASE something was not shelved yet.

When we both realized that none of the books we had hoped to check out were available, we started browsing together. I pointed out books for her, she found random books that looked interesting, and then I was reminded of a the next book in a series that I had been saving for later. She went to look for something and came back with the newest book in another series that I got hooked on this spring.

We walked out with a stack of books. When we got into the van, we looked through the loot and one of the books in the pile was one I never noticed as we were checking out. I said, "This one looks REALLY good!" And she smiled and said, "I'm going to read it, but I got it for you."

I love my Mother! And I absolutely adore slow Saturdays at the library with all the time we need to weave our way through the shelves looking for the perfect stack of books.

What's your library strategy?

What's your go-to genre? 

A Novel For You

"The Mapmaker's Children" by Sarah McCoy may be historical fiction set in the time of the civil war, but it truly is a one of a kind.  There are some books that you just can't put down even though you're enjoying them so much that you don't want them to ever come to an end. That was this book!

You'll flip back and forth between a group of Union supporters from the 1800's and a woman struggling through life in the present day. These characters have histories that have been researched (some of them were real people) and carefully constructed. Their lives, though centuries apart, are tied together in a way that is mesmerizing.

McCoy managed to tell everyone's story in a way that makes her readers eager to keep reading! Just when you think you'll predict what's going to happen next, you'll be surprised to find how McCoy directed the story. I especially enjoyed reading about the Underground Railroad, the family of John Brown, and the beauty that a sleepy West Virginia town holds.

I laughed. I cried. I was horrified. I gasped. McCoy's book shows a certain excellence that is missing in a lot of writing that is being published today. Whether you think historical fiction is your thing or not, pick it up and get ready for a novel you'll really enjoy!

Pick up your copy here!

Have you read any of McCoy's books? 

What's a book that you've really enjoyed recently?

* I was provided a review copy by the publisher. All thoughts are my own, honest opinion! 

The Circle: Summer Staples

Summer is my absolute favorite season!!!! I love everything about it...When Kiki announced that The Circle would be all about our summer staples, I knew that my list would have to include these things that I've documented over past summers:

* Planting Day

* Ice Cream

* Geocaching - Bonus points if it's a new city!

* Tending My Cutting Garden

* Harvesting Vegetables

* Summer Reading - Ever since I discovered them, my list almost always includes something by Packer and something by Fitzgerald. Check out this year's list HERE.

* Beach Days - Bonus points if my west coast self makes it to the east coast!

The list could go on and on! It's so very easy for me to settle in and bounce from one joy to the next during the time of year when the sun warms my skin and brings the earth to life all around me. I'm so glad God created summer!

What are some of your summer staples?

Desperately Disappointed

Suspense happens to be a favorite genre of mine. I'm always on the lookout for a new author to add to my pool of favorites. I recently got a review copy of Sandra Orchard's book "Desperate Measures". Every now and then, a writer just doesn't grab my attention. Unfortunately, Orchard was one of those. To be fair, this is the third book in her Port Aster Series and it is very clear that this series needs to be read in order.

"Desperate Measures" has readers jumping into a mystery that has been going on for a while. The characters have been introduced and developed. Readers have a sense of what is going on and a pretty good idea of where the story is going to go from here.

Picking up a book without reading the ones that came before it in a series is rarely a good idea. This book was nearly impossible for me to read. I felt like I had missed so much. Despite the way the gardening influence that inspired the series intrigued me, it didn't make me want to go back and read the other two books that came before it. I didn't find myself in love with any of the characters or eager to make sense of the plot that ties the series together.

The slow pace was what really bothered me more than anything else. I had already invested a fair bit of time into the book when I realized that I was no closer to gaining my bearings. It was at that point that my mind was made up.

So....Tell me, have you read the Port Aster Series? Am I missing out?

If you've been waiting for the third installment, you can pick it up HERE.



*I received a review copy from Revell. All thoughts are my own honest opinion. 

Perfect Beach Read

When I was a teenager, one of my favorite authors was Melody Carlson. She wrote a wide variety of books and they all had one thing in common, namely the fact that they never ceased to have me HOOKED.  Carlson writes novels that really don't have a lot of mystery or trouble to them. Her characters have average lives and tend to face the most ordinary of challenges. Every now and then I crave a story that is simple and really really good. That's when I look to Carlson!

"Once Upon a Summertime" happens to be Melody Carlson's latest release and it did not disappoint. The fact that this book was set in New York City basically meant that it was the perfect book to be part of my summer reading! When I realized that Anna, the main character, would be attempting to leave the small town she had grown up in and moved back to after college, I was hooked.

New York City fascinates so many people. "Once Upon a Summertime" was the perfect chance to sneak away to the city without leaving my newest reading nook. I loved Anna and her grandmother and the way that Carlson described the city, its sights, and life in it. I think she did a fantastic job!

For those of you who read books for the conversations and the interactions between characters, this book has that too! As the cover suggests, romance takes a part in the plot. What I love about Carlson is that she doesn't let things get carried away and totally admits when she's being cheesy.

If you're looking for a beachy read, this is one to consider for sure! If you're anything like me, you won't be able to put it down.  I'm so glad that Carlson continues to write. All these years later, she's still one of my favorites!

Get your copy HERE.

Are there any authors you've loved since you were a teenager?

Is there a setting that will cause you to read a book? 

* I was provided with a review copy of this book by Revell. All thoughts are my own honest opinion. 

Children's Literature

 

Children's literature will have a special place in my heart as long as I'm on this earth. There's nothing like a story that takes you somewhere and teaches you something in just a few minutes. Great illustrations are a bonus that really help to draw you in. When I was growing up it was my Mom who fostered my love of books. Even when I had no idea how to read, I would ask any willing adult to read to me and correct them if they tried to skip pages or got something wrong.

When my younger brothers and sister came along, I was more than happy to read to them. I wanted to be sure that they all knew how great it is to have someone give you their undivided attention as they shared a story with you. 

My love for children's literature started when I was very young and it continues today. When I found out about the opportunity to review a copy of this Andy Andrews' latest book, "Henry Hodges Needs A Friend", I was eager to take part! 

Unfortunately, I need to tell you that I was disappointed. As children's literature goes, my expectations are high. I believe that children should be exposed to books that are going to influence them in positive ways. This particular book is about a boy named Henry who is lonely. His parents decide to solve the problem by taking him to the shelter to get a dog. I really enjoyed the process of joining Henry as he imagined what kind of pet his parents would be getting him as well as the pages dedicated to their trip to the shelter.

Andrews had great intentions with this book and there is no doubt that it would draw pretty much any child right in. The illustrations are engaging and the story itself has a nice flow to it. Some parents would object to Henry's personality. He is lonely and bored and has a poor attitude about EVERYTHING in his life. For me, I think I would be willing to use that as a discussion piece. 

My problems come in with Henry's parents and the dose of theology that Andrews includes. You finish the book feeling like you're special and because you're special you'll get special things. That was the reason why Henry's parents wanted to get him a "one-of-a-kind" pet. BUT, we all know that that's not how it always works out. Some children never do get what they "need" or even NEED. Does that mean that God isn't there or doesn't care or _____? Absolutely not! But, books like this could be super discouraging and possibly even damaging to a child who is faced with a life like that. 

So...Overall, this isn't a book that I would recommend. The premise of a boy learning to BE a good friend is fantastic, but that isn't the focus that Andrews chose to take. If he had left God out of it, I probably would have been willing to share this book, but I just can't promote something that could change the way a child thinks about God in a way that will cause them to doubt Him.

What is your criteria for children's literature?

Do you have a favorite children's book? 

* I received a review copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own honest opinion.