Here’s what I’ve been reading lately:
I finished this about a 2 months ago and thought it was great. What a breath of fresh air to the frivolous, often ridiculous ways we try to figure out our future before it happens.
2) Middlemarch by George Eliot
I’ve always loved Eliot’s Adam Bede and never took the time to read Middlemarch. I’m glad I did. She has an insight into the workings of the mind and heart of her characters that is enlightening and convicting to the reader who identifies with them. Plus, it was the first book I read on my iPhone via Kindle and just finished. Very handy.
3) Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
I just started this and am only a few chapters in, also being read on my iphone. So far, it has all the charming markings of an Austen novel. It was her first book, published after many of her other works.
4) Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell
Sowell is one of my favorite minds on politics and culture. I’ve just started this book and it examines the influence of intellectuals on society and the often disastrous effects thereof. Thanks, Tom, for surprising me with it!
5) Home Comforts : The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson
I pulled this one off my bookshelf a month ago and got sucked into re-reading quite a bit. I use it as reference book and disagree largely with her take on why it’s important to keep house, but nonetheless, you will not find a more thorough book covering every aspect of home management.
6) A Sweet & Bitter Providence: Sex, Race and the Sovereignty of God by John Piper
I loved this look at Ruth, Naomi and Boaz. The book of Ruth has long been a favorite for me and Pastor John offers his usual poignant understanding of the big picture in relation to this story. Reading it made me love God’s designs more.
7) The Liars’ Club: A Memoir by Mary Karr
I was assigned to read this in college and did a half-read, half-skim. I was prompted to remember it when Tim Challies reviewed it a while back. I’m about a quarter in so far and find it riveting and very gritty. I probably wouldn’t recommend it.
8) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
This book was a gift and I completed it a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed. It is a book of fictional letters written just after WWII. The style is enchanting and the content is sober without being sober.
What are you reading?
*Note: The Bible is the most important reading we can do each day. I hope that’s understood. I use our church’s Bible reading plan, in case you were curious. The reading listed here is my “escape” or nighttime reading.
Great list of books! I loved Northhanger Abbey. I just started reading an interesting self-help book called“This Hungry Spirit” by author C. Clinton Sidle. So far, it’s about what makes you happy and successful and how to do good in the world.
I’m really enjoying it!
I love Middlemarch, but cannot imagine reading an entire book on my iPod touch (same screen as the iPhone, I believe). My eyes cross a bit just keeping up with blogs on that little screen. But I can see that would be handy at night. I have a great app called PocketBible (4 versions) which includes Bible dictionary, commentaries, a good search tool, etc on mine and THAT gets used a lot. Also the dictionary, and the Fighter Verse app.
I’m reading Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson, and am actually half way through Gilead by the same author. My mom is bringing me my own copy so I can read it as slowly as I want. So much to ponder that I was just reading it bit by bit. The prose itself is beautiful and I found myself reading the same paragraphs over again several times, not due to boredom as in some other books in my life – but just trying to really feel it and savor it. Housekeeping I can read at a normal pace, but still – just beautiful prose. Some of the more startling images in H. remind me of Willa Cather.
Mmm, I really enjoyed Gilead.. read that about a year ago. Now you make me want to read Housekeeping.
Yes, the iTouch and iphone are just the same. I was surprised that I was able to read so easily on it. I got used to it after a little while. I have to keep the backlight low and have the print in gray, not black.
I’ll have to check out PocketBible. I have the esv on my phone and have an app that connects me to my daily Bible reading, which has been very useful.