Friday, April 08, 2011

Books read in March

Thank you for your overwhelming nice comments!  I hope people realize I do have to mention we are on a tight budget once in awhile for new people.. just to make sense of what I am writing.

For instance, when I write a Deepening the Pantry post, I like to mention why I can't keep a deep pantry at this time but then write about what I do stock up on when I can (butter and TP make a strange combination, don't they???).  ;)

I'm a little late with the March reading list but here goeth...  all book titles provide a link to Amazon for further information if you click on them.

Extraordinary Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family by Condoleezza Rice

What a wonderful book!  I have been fascinated by Dr. Rice for years now and this book answers so many questions.  It begins with her writing about her grandparents and ends with her father's passing away during the Florida recount.  In between it truly is the story of her parents and how they influenced her to accomplish so much.

You do come to realize in this book how much she did long for marriage and children.

This book will especially encourage homeschool parents and all others who care deeply about education.  It is also a very good read!  I can't wait until she writes the next part of her story.  Highly recommended!

Similar book I love... Gifted Hands by Ben Carson and any of his later books.  Also, the made for TV movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story is very good.

While Dr. Rice's family were highly educated to begin with, Dr. Carson's mother was illiterate (although learning to read and gaining a degree later in life) but still able to encourage her boys to great things... one being one of the world's leading pediatric surgeons and the other an excellent engineer.  Both Dr. Carson and Dr. Rice grew up during the events of the civil rights movement.... Rice in the deep South and Carson in inner-city Detroit.

I Saw the Angel in the Marble by Chris & Ellyn Davis

This is one of the books I used Amazon credit to purchase, it has been on my Wish List for ages.  It will soon be sent to Stephanie to enjoy.

So many of us who homeschooled when The Elijah Company was sending out their catalog looked forward to it just for their wonderful articles about homeschooling and raising children.  This book contains many of those articles.  Since the articles were from various catalogs, each chapter is self contained making it easy to pick up and read a little at a time.

Chapter titles include: Searching For the Ancient Paths, Determining Your Child's Real Needs, Choosing Teaching Materials, Knowledge of the Holy, Creating a Learning Environment, Homeschooling Is Not About Education, Homeschool Burnout... just to name a few.  I have read that they have another book coming out soon containing more articles.

This book is excellent but you will find some articles just a little dated as there are many more resources available then there were when these were written (believe it or not... there were no blogs!).  :)

However, it is still valuable and inspiring reading... especially for homeschool parents needing encouragement... which happens by the beginning of Spring each year.

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed By a Relentless God by Francis Chan

This book has a great message, that God is "crazy in love" with you.  Pastor Chan also asks Christians if they truly love Christ and if not... why?  In the midst of much encouragement there is also a request for serious soul searching and a challenge to make Christ central in your life.  A small book with a big challenge.

Dawn's Light by Terri Blackstock

I had read books one and two in this series but when hubby brought this title home from a library book sale, I went ahead and read it... even though it is book four (and the final title in the series).  I haven't even seen book three anywhere, one of the only things I don't like about series!

This series is absolutely fascinating.  In the first book, the entire world loses electricity and society is suddenly taken back to the 19th century when no technology is available.  The story centers around one upper middle class family and how the skills needed to survive in the 21st century were suddenly worthless when there were no grocery stores, no transportation, no appliances, etc.

It was interesting seeing how the family learns to garden and provide the basics of life's necessities, the way the neighborhood and the community reacts, and most of all... how it change their relationship to God and each other.  I'm sure most libraries have Terri Blackstock's books... maybe they will even have all four in the series.  Very good and thought provoking.

Living a Beautiful Life by Alexandra Stoddard

I pulled this off the shelf to reread for the six hundredth time (more or less).   This is one of my favorite books by Stoddard and it is so full of wonderful ideas for living a life filled with beauty in all areas.

While Alexandra obviously is more affluent than most of us, she inspires us and gives so many ideas for decorating beautifully on a budget.  She reminds us it really is so much about our attitude and the art of creating beautiful rituals in those little things we do everyday... like brushing our teeth and washing dishes!

My reading right now... Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy .  Will review it next time.  :)

15 comments:

Vee said...

You always have an interesting list. I am very interested in Dr. Rice's book. She is an amazing person in her own right.

Bonhoeffer? Oh my! That's deep stuff. I don't think my brain could even bend around his writing except for a salient quote perhaps. Those I do enjoy.

matty said...

Great list! All encouraging and thought provoking! So glad you are feeling better! It has to be the sunshine, don't you agree?

Miss Melissa said...

Hi you. :) Sorry i haven't popped by in a while. :) Been a bit busy! Looks like you have been busy... reading! :) I really love the sound of the last book you mentioned! Who wouldn't want to learn how to create more beauty in our little worlds. :)
Hugs,
Melissa

Brenda @ Its A Beautiful Life said...

Enjoyed the browse through your reading list.

Had to smile... and nod... when you said that you had read Alexandra Stoddard's Living A Beautiful Life for the 600th time (more or less)....me too! And I love the book of hers.

Enjoy your reading this month............

La Tea Dah said...

Thank you for your March book list. It's always helpful to get reading ideas from others. There are times that I go to the library and can't find a single good thing to read! I have read some of the books you mentioned but not all --- so now I have something to look forward to!

Enjoy your week-end!

Anonymous said...

Write a book! Seriously! I read a few blogs, and yours is one of my favorites... and I read The Pioneer Woman blog. Most everyone knows who she is. Ree Drummond has written three books so far, a cookbook, a romance, and a children's book. There are a few other bloggers that have written and published books as well. You could do the same. You could write about deepening the pantry, living frugally, homeschooling, or just about your life in general, which is very interesting. You have a way of writing that draws people in. I would buy your book(s). Give it some thought! :)

postmodernMom said...

Jay just finished Bonhoeffer and really liked it...am curious to see what you think of it!

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Thanks for the reviews. One of my favorite conference speakers in my early years of home schooling was Chris Davis, I never missed his sessions. I still quote him to this day...22 years into home schooling. I miss hearing him and I know I would enjoy this book and be refreshed again. Thanks for the reminder.
I Saw the Angel in the Marble - I think I will put it on my wish list as I start over with a Kindergarten in the fall.

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

Brenda,

I loved the Elijah company catalog! It was so encouraging!

I haven't read Terri Blackstock before but I have heard of this series, and am interested in reading it.

I always appreciate hearing about what you are reading.

I am going to be starting "The Truth War" by John MacArthur. Have you read this one?

Have a wonderful day!
Deanna

Scrappy quilter said...

I agree, the movie Gifted Hands was a wonderful movie. Hugs

Terra said...

I got some ideas for future reading from your post. My "to read" list is very long, which means there are many grand books out there so that is a blessing.

Bess at Fixing My Thoughts said...

I love that book by Stoddard. I think it's one of her best, altho she has several good ones. Her books are keepers for me. (Oh! I'd love to know what books and authors are "keepers" for you, Brenda.) I remember being so thrilled that she was "giving us permission" to wrap our everyday lives in beauty without it seeming overly indulgent. I guess she doesn't have a publisher now(?), but I hope we'll see something new from her soon. Thanks for the review of Dr. Rice's book. I've always admired her and will put that book on my To Read list. Bess

Kimberly said...

I'm reading the Blackstock series myself. I read 1 and 2 when they came out. So when I saw all 4 the other day at our library I got them. It is interesting. I also got Anne of GG bc I haven't seen mine since the move and miss it.

Cheryl (Copper's Wife) said...

Ah, Alexandra Stoddard! You're the one who first directed me to her books. Though I didn't much care for the first title I brought home from the library, I went back and picked up a title you'd reviewed and loved it! I think I might just have to wander into the library and pick this up. It sounds oh, so good, just now.

GardenGeek said...

I LOVE Alexandra Stoddard's books- and I love the budget ideas she uses, too -encouraging people to spend a few percent of their monthly budget on art.