What I Read in December

December was a busy month, but I got in some reading to relax and continue learning.

1. Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport; Interesting, engaging and informative book about scaling back on using social media, the internet, and other electronic means of communication or relaxing. I read it to see if it would be beneficial to my children and I highly recommend it!

2. Nothing to Make a Shadow by Faye Cashett Lewis; Memoir of a homesteading family in South Dakota in the first quarter of the 20th century. I read it to remind myself of my many blessings, and to help me through the dark and cold of winter.

3. Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop, a collection of novellas by Shellay Shepard Gray, Rachel J. Good,  Loree Lough. Light and sweet as a cinnamon roll, three little romances to lift the spirit.

4. Joseph Smith, the Prophet by Truman G. Madsen; A great read during the prophet's birthday month. I learned some things I hadn't known before, and felt a greater gratitude and love for the prophet of the restoration. Highly recommend!

5. The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer; A Hanukkah romance written by a Jewish woman, as delightful as it was unrealistic, but that's why we love romances.

6. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham; an old favorite. I also watched the film based on the book, "Christmas with the Kranks." Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis are fabulous in the comedy with a heart.

7. Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella; what would a month be without reading something of Sophie's. Becky is quite the character and she comes through delightfully in this Christmas story.

8. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote; I remember hearing an audio version of this on the radio years ago and always loved it. Finally bought a copy for my library. I think it will be an annual delight.

9. Precious & Grace by Alexander McCall Smith; another installment in the ongoing series of The No. 1 Detective Agency. Grace can sometimes drive me crazy, but Precious is always able to see the good in her.

10. The Washington Hypothesis by Timothy Ballard; Fascinating look at the role George Washington played in the founding of the United States, and what he understood about a national covenant with God similar to the one ancient Israel had. Highly recommend. 

I read a total of 120 books in 2021. Thirty-eight were non-fiction; twenty-six were new to me fiction; and fifty-six were old friends. 

My goal for 2022 is to read all the books on my "to be read" shelf (25 books) and double the number of non-fiction I read last year.  

What interesting books have you read?