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Since I love chatting about books, I’ve been trying to share our family’s current reads on a regular basis here on the blog.
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Lately I Finished…:
The Life-Giving Home by Sally Clarkson
Sally Clarkson continues to be my go-to voice on motherhood and homemaking. I LOVE her. I am super picky about parenting/homemaking books. I don’t want to hear about how to raise kids from someone my age. I’m certainly not an expert and I doubt any other 34-year-olds are! I want to hear from grandmothers with thriving grown children. And I don’t want to hear about checklists or formulas as if all children are exactly the same because they are not. There’s no checklist and if you say there is I will immediately start tuning you out. Sally’s passion for creating a home that nurtures each family member is so beautiful. I also look to her as a model for wholeheartedly pursuing family life while also cultivating your creative flame. This book she wrote with her daughter, Sarah, is just lovely.
And….I haven’t dived in yet but she just released this beauty:
Mom Heart Moments by Sally Clarkson
While I’m on the subject of home and motherhood, I also loved this coffee table worthy book just released by TAN Books. Look forward to an interview on the podcast about it!
The Theology of Home by Carrie Gress, Noelle Mering, Megan Schrieber
And I was chuffed to get a pre-release review copy of Jeannie Gaffigan’s memoir. It is a GEM. I was reading it in the waiting room at the dentist and laughed out loud, then wept. Because it is so good! Now all the staff at my dentist think I’m insane so THANKS ALOT, JEANNIE. For our interview with Jeannie on Fountains of Carrots, head here.
When Life Gives You Pears by Jeannie Gaffigan
We discovered this year that one of our kids has ADHD so I’ve been doing lots of reading and this book was good and helpful.
What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew by Dr. Sharon Saline
I re-read this favorite because I was writing a piece for Notre Dame’s Church Life Journal that referenced it heavily. It gets better with each re-read!
Emma by Jane Austen
And I’m working on a piece inspired by this book so I had to re-read it as well…what a HARDSHIP.
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Current Reads:
My in-laws got me this one for my birthday and I am savoring it. A must read for all writers, but a treat for anyone.
I have been meaning to read the Crosswicks Journals by Madeleine L’Engle for ages. L’Engle’s fiction is a treasure. I’ve read so many over the years and keep going back to them (especially An Acceptable Time and Many Waters) but I’ve never dived into her non-fiction.
A Circle of Quiet: The Crosswicks Journal Book 1 by . Madeleine L’Engle
I have been wanting to get to know St. Catherine of Siena better. I loved Sigrid Undset’s hagiography on St. Catherine but I’ve never read anything by this Doctor of the Church. OSV just released this beautiful edition of The Dialogues with an intro by Elizabeth Scalia whose writing I just adore.
The Dialogue by St. Catherine of Siena
I’m about halfway done with the collection of gripping short stories.
The Innocents and Other Stories by Gertrude von le Fort
And I’m so excited that this amazing story by a dear friend of mine is finally out into the world and being shared by so many now that this book is out!
61 Minutes to a Miracle by Bonnie Engstrom
Read Alouds with the Kids
Continuing D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths we are ALMOST DONE. The kids have really enjoyed it and I think we’ll jump into D’Aulaires Norse Myths next.
We are also reading Robin Hood. The 6yo is not a fan but everyone else is enjoying it!
The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green
I’m almost done reading Anne of Green Gables to the big girls. We often accompany reading time with a tea party. Gwen sobbed when Mrs. Barry said that Diana couldn’t be friends with Anne anymore. She is invested and it is immensely gratifying. (And psst! If you are an Anne fangirl, have you ordered your tickets for The Raspberry Cordial Gathering on November 8th and 9th?!!!)
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
And Benjamin and I just started one of my all-time favorite books for our bedtime read. Have you read this one? It is a TREASURE.
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
And Benjamin is reading aloud one of his favorites to the family during spooky month (one of my favorites, too!):
Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe
What are you reading and enjoying lately? Let me know in the comments!
My only daughter just turned 5 and I am waiting and waiting until she is just a bit older to read Anne of Green Gables to her and her 3 brothers. I want to wait until she is old enough to really get into it. Not too much longer now!!!!
So fun! It’s so hard to wait. Lucy is turning 8 this month and Gwen is 6.5 and they’re BARELY ready for it. So you’re wise to wait!
I hope you enjoy the Crosswick Journals as much as I did.
This fall I’m finishing trilogy; currently Elizabeth Chadwick’s about Eleanor of the Aquitaine, and then am planning “The Cross” completing the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy. On the Kindle I recently read Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Eight Cousins’ and am now reading the sequel ‘Rose in Bloom’.
I’m intrigued by the Eleanor of Aquitane books!
And you know I love KL with all my heart.
As you explore what ADHD means for your child, I would highly suggest the podcast Fast Than Normal. My husband has ADHD and it has given him so much valuable insight into how it can be a tremendous strength – and it has helped me understand some of the aspects that were previously so baffling!
I will check it out!
I just finished The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, which I loved even though I am not much for YA, and Briar Rose by Janet Yolen, which was just OK. I abandoned Where the Crawdads Sing after 100 pages which is very out of character for me but ugh, I just couldn’t get through all the tropes (The noble savage! Handsome man runs around on his wife and is found dead! Blah blah blah, moving on to my next book) I hope you love A Circle of Quiet, it’s great. If you do like it you should read The Irrational Season, I think that one is even better and it’s written around the liturgical year, which I think will add to your enjoyment. Next up for me is The Brothers Karamazov, a classic that I have always wanted to read and have started twice but never finished it. Here’s hoping 3rd time is the charm!
It took me three tries to finally make it through The Brothers K, too!
I love Sally Clarkson, too! Have you read her book “Different”? That was wise and helpful, too! Happy reading!
Different was the one I started with! It was SO good.
Have you read any by Charles Martin? I stumbled upon him at the library and have read many of his books. He’s a Christian so I figured they would be a PG or less rating. Some of his are, When Crickets Cry, Chasing Fireflies, A Life Intercepted, etc. I have 8 boys (and 4girls) so I really liked A Life Intercepted, a Football story. Being a Mom of 8 boys, one MUST learn to LOVE football or one just sits there BORED TO DEATH HAHA!
I haven’t!
I finished The Count of Monte Cristo recently and it’s a little weird that it’s no longer a part of my daily life (it took me 4 months
). Currently reading The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul and Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. We’re also in the midst of reading The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie the Pooh and The Magician’s Nephew aloud which is so homey and familiar. Love your bookish posts!
I need to read more von le Fort; all I’ve read is Song at the Scaffold, which is SO good, but it never occurred to me to look up what else she’d written. Maybe I’ll start with that collection. Did you know she was friends with Edith Stein?
I’m working on a doula certification, so a lot of my recent reads are related non-fiction. Right now it’s Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. I also just finished Bonnie’s book, and before that, Tara Westover’s memoir Educated. It’s been a good month!
Are Madeline D’Engles books meant to be read in order? Which are favorites?
Have you read anatomy of an epidemic. It will be very helpful for ADHD medication.
I checked it out from the library but didn’t get a chance to read it yet!
There is an audio book on audibles…
I just purchased all six of Jane Austin’s audio books for one credit on Audible. I’m starting with Sense & Sensibility just because I’m going in order they are on the recording, but I cannot wait to get to Emma. I’ve actually only read thus far Pride & Prejudice and half of S&S by her. My Austin experience is significantly lacking. 80 hours from now when I’m done with this audio book, I think I’ll be well versed