Books that I love

This was my book group's week to meet and discuss Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind.  Somehow I missed the memo that we were reading this book so I just went to listen.  In the course of the conversation we talked about why it is that when a man is having an affair in a small town everyone knows it except his wife.  We pondered why no one would tell her.  After thinking about it some more, I am wondering why no one kicks him in the shin and tells him to be a faithful husband.  It makes a pretty awful situation for the wife either way.  The husband however could quit being a meathead and make the whole thing right.  Yes, I live in a fantasy world.  Everyone seemed to like the wit in the book, and agreed that it was entertaining reading.

Our next book is The Help, which many of us already read.  I don't know why, but it seems to be the trendy book group book this year.  It is a great story and well worth the read.  After that is Brideshead Revisited.  I had never heard of it, but it sounds intriguing.  I'll let you know how it goes.

This summer I read something about books that change your life.  I had wanted to blog about it at the time, but alas summer got away from me.  I did think about what books that I have read that would fall into that category.  The Bible, of course changed the course of my life forever, and is still reforming it.  Shortly before Mads was born, someone had told me to read anything by James Dobson on parenting.  I happened to pick up Children at Risk, which is not a typical parenting book.  It was a like a 2x4 to the head.  I realized how lacking my education was, which as a very recent college graduate, was very striking.  It made me want something so much better for my children.  It set me on a course of re-educating myself to educate my children better.  That led me to Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning by Doug Wilson.  It presented the case for Classical Christian education, which we have been committed to ever since.

There is No Me Without You, was another book that changed my whole outlook.  If ever I think I am having a busy day I stop and think about those who are taking care of children in Africa, or Russia, or China, or anywhere where the orphan  population far outweighs the  population of caregivers.  I do get to sleep at night, but there are many women that don't.  There are just too many children out there that need to be cared for.

There are several books that have stuck with me through the years.  Uncle Tom's Cabin often comes to my mind.  Brother's Karamazov has much to ponder.  Reordered Loves, Reordered Lives had much food for thought.  Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl was surprisingly powerful.  Currently I am reading Wild Swans.  It is so disturbing to think about how much our culture informs how we live.  It makes me so grateful for our Christian heritage, and our democratic government.  We have so many freedoms that so many people don't even know exist.  Especially as a woman, I have astounding freedom.

There were many years when all of my books were picture books, and I despaired of ever reading again.  Reading really does open my mind and teach me about the world and the people in it.  It gives me something to talk about other than my children.  Most of my close friends are readers.  Those that aren't try to be sometimes just to humor me (you know who you are.)  I can't imagine a world without books, and I am glad that there are so many. I will never run out.  I also love my iKindle app that lets me keep a book at my fingertips everywhere I go.