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Considering I’ll be pregnant for the first half of 2012, and a newly minted member of the outnumbered-parents-of-three-littles-club for the latter half, I think 12 books is a realistic goal. To be perfectly honest, I’m hoping to actually read double that, but I’m going to start with 12 and see what happens. I have a few on the go already and few more that I definitely want to do next, so I thought I’d share my list, and see if anyone cares to share some recommendations.
1. Praying in Color, by Sybil MacBeth (currently reading this one, got it for Christmas).
2. The Help, by Katherine Stockett (currently reading this one, borrowed it from a friend, and I refuse to watch the movie until I’ve read the book).
3. Loving Our Kids On Purpose, by Danny Silk (just started this one. I had started it last year and never finished, so I’m going back to the beginning).
4. The Discipline Book, by Dr. Sears (another one I’ve owned for a while but never gotten all the way through).
5. Celebration of Discipline (I don’t own this one, but would like to read it, especially given my word for 2012).
6. Something by Madeleine L’Engle (I keep hearing recommendations for her, but don’t know which one to try first).
7. Something on unschooling (from my list in this post).
8. Something on nutrition/health (recommendations?)
9. Another good work of fiction would be nice. The Help is the first fiction book I’ve read in a long time, and I miss it!
10. One Thousand Gifts (hoping the library has this one).
11. Birth Matters, by Ina May Garten (a Christmas gift).
12. Recommendation needed!
What’s on your reading list for this year? Do you normally keep track of what you read in a year? {This will be my first time recording it, actually, and I’m pretty stoked about it.} Do you have any recommendations for me to add to my list?
Beth
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Kristin
atHere’s a good one for number 12: Queen of the Home, a compilation by Jennifer McBride. As for homeschooling/unschooling, I’d recommend “Educating the Wholehearted Child.” It’s practically a handbook for Christian homeschoolers.
Beth Ricci
atthanks for the recommendations!
Hannah Elise
atWell, I’m the mother of just a soon-to-be-yearling, and the only book I managed to read in January, in full, was…. an audiobook. -_- I’m an avid bookworm, so that was very disconcerting for me! Granted, I was also working my way through a non-fiction book at the time which was very thought-provoking, so couldn’t just “speed-read” it, but… nevertheless.
Recommendations?
Homeschooling: the Charlotte Mason series on homeschooling. Ambleside Online has the entirety on their website, free to read. I am hoping to at least make it through the one that speaks about early childhood, this year, as my mother-in-law gave me the boxed set for Christmas. 🙂
You Are Your Child’s First Teacher was also awesome… lots of ideas and resources. 🙂 very “Waldorf” in style.
Health/Nutrition: having recently been diagnosed with non-celiac gluten intolerance, I’m working my way through Gluten-Free Girl and finding it very, very encouraging. The idea that “gluten-free” means “gluten freedom” as it were… yeah, definitely enjoying it. Very easy reading.
Also, Sally Fallon’s “Nourishing Traditions” is great – part cookbook, part anecdotal textbook. I’ve gotten it out so many times from my library, I need to just buy a copy. But yeah, I recommend it.
Fiction? Dean Koontz’ book “Brother Odd”. Amazing book. 🙂
Beth
atLove all these recs too!! I have & enjoy Nourishing Traditions but I haven’t read the rest. This comment thread is a fantastic resource… I’m sure I won’t be running out of things to read any time soon!
Natasha
atI have a good recommendation for your health/nutrition book. I recently finished reading “In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan. Amazing book! Has totally changed how I think about feeding myself, and his other book “Omnivore’s Dilemma” is also on my reading list.
I’m in the midst of reading “Fast Food Nation” which is good, but actually deals with more of the politicalal/business side of things than I had hoped, but will soon start on “Slow Death by Rubber Duck” which educates about all the chemicals we are exposed to in every-day modern life.
Happy reading! That’s a great, well-balanced reading list!
Hannah Elise
atOmnivore’s Dilemma, in my opinion, was far better than InDefense of food, but then again, it’s a lot more in-depth, so IDoF is better if you just want more of a basic outline.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver details living a whole year attempting to grow and/or eat locally… also awesome. Addresses the challenges, and our culture’s fascination with fast and efficient… she even draws a parallel between our culture’s inability to wait when it comes to seasonal food, and waiting for the seasons of life that God guides us with when it comes to abstinence and the marriage bed. I found it interesting that this point was brought up by a non-Christian – but I think most of us are blind to this hypocrisy in our overcompartmentalized lives.
AND… Joel Salatin’s “Folks This Ain’t Normal” – a myriad of topics covered… from CAFOs to forestry, from household chores to water preservation…
Beth
atHannah – I have been intrigued by Animal, Vegetable, Miracle for some time now. Perhaps this is the year to actually read it!
I also LOVE Joel Salatin but have never read his book, so I’ll add that one to my list for sure. Awesome recommendations! 🙂
Beth
atI actually have read In Defense of Food, and really enjoyed it! I’d really REALLY like to read Omnivore’s Dilemma, because the only thing I disagreed with in his other book is that we should de-emphasize meat (I think grass-fed/free-range meat and homemade bone broths, etc. are incredibly nourishing and should be a significant part of our diets).
Slow Death by Rubber Duck is also on my shelf, waiting to be read 🙂
Good taste in books! 🙂
Ash
atWe have the Hunger Games if you ever want to borrow them. Luke read them and liked them… I’m not into fantasy so much, but would be happy to lend them to you 🙂
Beth
atYes please! 🙂
Kacie
atYou need a GOOD fiction thrown in there. If you need something fast, go for the Hunger Games. Or read The Chosen by Chaim Potok.
Beth
atI’ve been wondering about the Hunger Games… I am intrigued by them and will most likely try them first.
Torri Bertarelli
atI have read many books that allowed me to reflect on myself and my family and this big thing called life. I have learned that if I read fiction in between these life’s textbooks…….I enjoy everything more.
Mixing it up is just plain good. The Thirteenth Chapter was a wonderful, take me book that I and many of my friends enjoyed. The Good Daughter written byJasmin Darznik (Memoir)
If you are ever stuck for a good, solid book let me know.
Torri
Beth
atThanks for those titles, I’ll check them out!
Grace
atThese sound great! I love reading, and I get so excited talking about books, haha. Celebration of Discipline is also on my list, as we talked about on your previous post. If you’re looking for another good piece of fiction I would recommend Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I don’t know what genre you’re into, but that is one of my favourite books. It is a retelling of Hosea which I think is so cool. http://www.amazon.com/Redeeming-Love-Francine-Rivers/dp/1590525132/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326383495&sr=8-1
Beth
atOh, Redeeming Love is my all-time favourite, tied with the Chronicles of Narnia. It’s an incredible book!!
Krissa
atGreat list! Here’s what I read last year: http://www.morethanmundane.com/2011/12/28/books-i-read-in-2011/ but I forgot one and I would highly recommend it. It’s a memoir– My Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from my Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg.
Beth
atAwesome list! I am definitely going to have to include more than twelve with all these great recommendations. If only I had more time for reading… 🙂
Crystal Walker
atAgree with Laura – “A Wrinkle in Time” is great! I’m currently reading a biography about Dietrich Bonhoeffer that is very interesting and enlightening, and for fiction I really like Kate Morton (especially “The Forbidden Garden” (or is it forgotten? Can’t remember titles well).
Beth
atThanks for that Crys – I will look up Kate Morton for sure.
Laura
atFor Madeleine L’Engle start with “A Wrinkle in Time” and go from there. Next after that is: “A Wind in the Door”, “A Swiftly Tilting Planet” and “Many Waters”. It’s great stuff!!
Beth
atThanks Laura! I didn’t know you’d read her stuff!
Kate
atI LOVE Madeleine L’Engle. In fact, I was determined to name my first daughter Madeleine after her, but then, by the time I got to having a daughter, Madeleine was one of the most popular names on the planet. Anyway, her YA stuff is really quite good. Quick and easy, but still really good. You know, if you get to December 28th and you still have only read 11 books. 😉 I’d love to read “Two Part Invention”, which is the story of her marriage to Hugh Franklin. I think my favorite book of prose by her is “The Other Side of the Sun”, but “A Live Coal in the Sea” really resonated with me for a long time. Poetry would be “Lines Scribbled on an Envelope”, which was an accidental discovery in university and made me realize that I really do love poetry. “Many Waters” is the story of Noah and the flood, with the bridging character being one of Noah’s nieces. As an aside, “Dance in the Desert” is a lovely Christmas story, totally age-appropriate for the pre-school set. I keep meaning to pick it up! Aren’t I helpful?! I’m sure I’ve managed to help you narrow it down. haha.
Have you read “The Poisonwood Bible” (Barbara Kingsolver, she also wrote “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle”, which is non-fiction and slow to start, but really neat. Her family moves to Appalachia and attempts to be entirely self-sufficient in terms of food for an entire year.)? That’s my vote for your other work of fiction. Or “Fugutive Pieces” (Anne Michaels). I think I’ve read that book 10 times, and I’d read it again.
You’ll have to write a little review of each book you read!
Beth
atThanks for those recommendations, I’m excited to dive in. Must make my amazon order soon!
I have read the poison wood bible, and it was amazing… seriously amazing, especially for anyone interested in missions! I would love to read her Animal Vegetable Miracle one though… I’ve been eyeing that one for a while. I will check out Fugutive Pieces too!
Thanks!