Back in October, I did a Favorites post which turned out to basically just be a booklist. So, for the time being, I’m giving up trying to find favorites (my life is super boring and literally whatever my favorites were 6 months ago are the still the same ones today), and instead I’ll give you a fun list of of books I’ve read and am reading. Basically, whatever is on my bedside stack, Audible Library, Kindle over 1% etc etc etc. Because we all know that if you’re an ink-drinker, you need lots of books going in every form possible so you’re never left without a friend.

Sometimes I think that is the reason there are so many petty, useless problems among humanity. If your mind is constantly being filled and refilled with beauty and delight and sorrow and pangs to your conscience, you won’t have the mental space for all that other stuff. There won’t be space for gossip. There won’t be space for resentment. There won’t even be space for yourself. There is an eternal universe out there that is so so so much huger than what I can fathom but I want to love as much of it as possible. Does that mean I live in a dream-world? No…it means reality is that much more real, eternity that much more palpable. That’s why I read.

In case you wonder how I have time to read:

1. Audible while washing dishes
2. 15 minutes before bed
3. A bit while the youngest naps
4. A bit if there is no meeting or evening visiting activities out on the porch while the kids play after watering plants
5. Basically: I make the time. A little bit at a time eventually adds up!!!

This list includes the books I’ve read and begun personally over the Winter–does not include the literature, history, poetry etc that I read with the kids for their education. Also does not include my Bible reading which I very much consider in a totally different category from these books.

Books Completed

• David Copperfield, Charles Dickens (Kindle) Let’s have a good cry together for David. I just love this book. Every last thing about it. Read it so we can talk about it!
• The Mystery of Providence, John Flavel. Some very thought-provoking pages.
• The Crusades through Arab Eyes, Amin Maalouf. A must if you have even a passing interest in Middle East history.
• From Time Immemorial, Joan Peters. Took me a couple years but I finished it! Amazing. Same note as prior book. A must.
• Kombucha Curious, Duff McDonald (Audible). Self explanatory title.
• Rembrandt is in the Wind, Russ Ramsey (Audible). Interesting book about seeing God in the lives and works of artists. I think the prologue/introduction was my favorite part.
• The Great Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald (Audible) A typical high school classic I missed. Superficially, sad story about rich people. Dig in a little deeper and…wow. Lots of imagery about God and idolatry, envy and satisfaction.
• Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen (Audible). Classic. We all need an Elinor in our life.
• Encouragement for the Depressed, CH Spurgeon. Precisely that.
• Hind’s Feet on High Places, Hannah Hurnard. Where do I begin? This book is so, so wonderful. An autobiography really of any true believer. If the high places feel farther away than ever, this is the book for you. A penetrating must-read.

Books in Progress

• The Life of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, James Gillman (free on Kindle) Um…am ploughing through.
• An American History: Cuba, Ada Ferrer (Kindle) Turning out to be another one of those living history books WE ALL NEED TO READ.
• Stalin’s Daughter, Rosemary Sullivan (Audible) I just started this yesterday so…not tons of commentary yet but so far the story is wild.
• Beowulf Commentary, JRR Tolkien Okay so this is a total nerd read. It is also totally amazing. Like how an ancient Germanic word with an idea towards fiendish, devilish cruel malice and slaying is used of the crucifixion in an ancient text. It also can refer to the dark underworld, has associations then to idolatry and hell. Truly, in that one ancient phrase we see the utter blackness of Calvary.
• The Glory of Christ, John Owen. An abridged version (who am I kidding? Definitely not there yet).Last paragraph. of ch. 7: Blessed Jesus! we can add nothing to you, nothing to your glory. But it is a joy to us that you are what you are–that you are so gloriously exalted at the right hand of God. We long to behold that glory more and more according to your prayer and promise. Amen.
• The Discarded Image, CS Lewis If you’re read anything I’ve written in the last few months, you’ve undoubtedly seen the influence of this book. Mind exploding.
• Mother, Sister and Follower, CH Spurgeon Some precious sermons about women.
• Job, David Newell. Just begun (like, on page 30 of like 700.) Perhaps the style every commentary should be.
• Formation of Character, Charlotte Mason. Just about done. Not my favorite of her books, but still helpful.

I think that’s it–don’t normally keep track of my books! I recommend them all. Except Kombucha Curious if you’re not especially curious about kombucha.

Please read them all. Then we can talk about them next time we see each other. If you have any recommendations, pass them along!