on the nightstand

2011 Booklist

So, the 24 books a month in 2010 was not met, by a LONG shot…I think I may have actually finished 8.  I honestly don’t recall.  One “goal” for 2011 was to read 12 books.  1 per month.  I was very happily surprised when I easily surpassed my goal.  There is something to that “setting attainable goals” model.  Here’s a look at the books that I read in 2011…

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo–Steig Larsson–Started this when Mom was in the hospital last December (but finished in January so it counts for this list!).  Needed a distraction.  Safe to say, this did the trick.
2. The Girl who Played with Fire--Steig Larsson–Liked this one, although TGWTDT was better in my opinion.  Definitely was a cliffhanger of an ending however!
3. The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest –Steig Larsson  (actually book 14 that I finished–was waiting for the mass paperback edition, but finally caved and went to the library!)-Where to begin?  This one is definitely my favorite.  Not to give anything away; but I loved how everything did tie together and we get the big picture of Lisbeth Salander. Almost in tears at times.
4. Sputnik Sweetheart–Haruki Murakami (Lew’s favorite modern author)–Lew’s been wanting me to read his favorite author for some time and this was a great introduction.
5. It’s Kind of a Funny Story–Ned Vizzini–I received this an as option for a freshman seminar reading last year.  Lew picked it up and read it and thought I would really like it.  We then realized it was a movie also.  I read the book then we watched the flick–both are great and I highly recommend.
6. One Thousand Gifts–Ann Voskamp–Life changing.  That’s all I have to say about this.  If you haven’t read it, please stop what you are doing, find it somewhere and read it.  It will truly shift your perspective.  Ann has a way with words that is like honey–smooth; sweet, but not too sweet; and good for the soul.
7. Not For Sale–David Batstone–This was the book we decided to read for freshman seminar this year.  We had the Not for Sale campaign come to campus last spring, but I didn’t read this until this summer.  A very difficult read, but eye-opening and life-changing.
8. Amish Peace–Suzanne Woods Fisher–ahhh…the simple life.  I am in love with the culture and ways of the Amish.  This was very touching on so many levels.  Lew read it first and the story of the Virginia Tech quilt brings me to tears every time I think of it.
9. Mudhouse Sabbath–Lauren Winner–Lauren is probably one of my favorite authors.  She is witty, candid and a great story-teller.  This book has sat on my shelf for years being thumbed through and half-read many times, but this time I actually read it from cover to cover. A wonderful telling of the similarities and differences of Jewish and Protestant spiritual disciplines.
10. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society–Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows–Borrowed this from a friend for some vacation reading.  It’s in letter form, so that could bug some, but I found it refreshing.  A lovely story and a page-turner–not like Larsson’s page turners– but int he sense that these characters become your friends and you  jsut can’t wait to see what their going to do next.
11. The Help–Kathryn Stockett–Wanted to read this one for a while, but just never did.  Mom had gotten it as a gift and let me borrow it to read as I always try to read books before seeing them on the big screen.  So glad I did.  Both the book and movie were incredible.
12. Same Kind of Different As Me–Ron Hall and Denver Moore–I picked this up a while back at Half Price Books and just never got around to reading it.  Lew picked it up and after finishing it, insisted that I read it.  What had I been waiting for?  It is a really great read!
13. Heaven is for Real–Todd Burpo–Lew’s granny actually read this one first and let us borrow it.  It, like The Help, was one that was on my mental list, but I just never got around to reading.  Very good and gives us much hope for loved ones we will see again.
14. Go Green, Save Green–Nancy Sleeth–I had heard Nancy speak at Georgetown before and had heard and read her husband Matthew before as well, but not until we invited Nancy to speak at a women’s retreat at Georgetown did I gain such respect for her.  She is a lovely woman whom I am so fortunate to live in the same area as.  After the retreat, I picked up this book and it is a GREAT handbook for green living–in a very down-to-earth manner.  Some folks get a little freaked out by reading about saving our planet, but the Sleeth’s story is so compelling from a faith perspective, it’s hard to argue their passion.
15. Julie and Julia–Julie Powell (current reading–hope to finish by Dec 31st)–Will come back with a review when I’m finished.  So far, chapter 1 has been great! 

I would say I’m very pleased by this year’s results (and thankful to have a husband who loves to read and recommends great books). Happy reading in 2012!

2010 Booklist

One of my goals for 2010 is to read 24 books–2 per month. I’ve got about half the list compiled but am still deciding on the rest.  Many of these are recommendations of the Beau (which I am so thankful by the way to share a love of reading with my hubs). You can see I like both fiction and non-fiction; memoirs and travel journals.  Just as our love for music is eclectic, our books lists are just as diverse.  If you have any MUST READS for me, please let me know.  I’m open to suggestions, but can’t Garnette anything will get added to the list. 

I’ll update once books are completed and check back on the main page to find a review.

1. The Year of Living Biblically-AJ Jacobs-Completed on 01/10/2010
2. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime-Mark Haddon–Completed on 01/26/2010
   
3. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years–Donald Miller
4. Winter’s Tale-Mark Helprin
5. The Longest Trip Home–Josh Grogan
6. A Thousand Splendid Suns-Khaled Hosseini
7. Crazy Love-Francis Chan
8. The History of Love-Nicole Krauss
9. In a Sunburned Country-Bill Bryson
10. Connecting-Larry Crabb
11. The Glass Castle-Jeannette Walls
12. The Ragamuffin Gospel-Brennan Manning

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2007-2009

I wouldn’t necessarily call it a nightstand, as it is more of a bushel apple box I somehow inherited from my Grandfather at some point during a move one summer back from VA to college in TN. It has traveled with me throughout moves, states, RD apartments, summers crashing with friends and most recently has found it’s way standing on one end as a treasured night-stand.

Along with my basket of nighttime essentials (lotion, manicure set, aromatherapy spray, earplugs, eye-mask, etc.) and a few pictures, is the ever-rotating stack of books. Check in for updates and feel free to share your thoughts.

Fiction:

• The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets–This was one of those books I picked up at the 1/2 price Book Store, leafed through it, read the back cover and a bit of the first chapter and thought it would be an interesting read.  So far, 2 chapters in, it is a great coming of age story set in 1950′s London that I’m really enjoying!
• The Fountainhead -The beau’s favorite book…it’s a beast at roughly 750 pages, but I’m determined to get through it. One day. (Currently about 1/3 of the way through)  This has become a goal for 2009–FINISH THIS!

Non-Fiction:

• Searching for God Knows What–Donald Miller has become a classic in my house and one of his books seems to always been making it’s way back to the shelf.  Looking forward to this re-read.

Recent finishes:

• Generation ME
• The Shack
• Justice in the Burbs
• The Last American Man

Recent moves back to the bookshelf (or library):

• The Bluegrass Conspiracy
• The Four Loves
• The Ragamuffin Gospel

Waiting in the Wings:

• Freddy and Fredericka
• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life