Books I Read in June 2021

I love reading! I love learning! For me they go hand in hand. I don't attend classes (although I think that would be great) so I read about the subjects I'm interested in to learn more. This year my goal continues to be to read an equal number of fiction and non-fiction.  Here's what I read in June.

1. How to Make Disease Disappear by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee  This is an expansion of what he talks about in his TEDx talk.

2. City of Joy by Dominique LaPierre  Totally interesting, sometimes heart wrenching account of a particular slum in Calcutta, India. A movie was made, but it focused mainly on the story of the doctor while the book focused more on the story of a Polish Priest and one particular family.

3. Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery  Sixth in the Anne series, continues the fun story of her marriage and children.

4, 5, 6. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency; Tears of the Giraffe; Morality for Beautiful Girls, all by Alexander McCall Smith. These are the first three of the series. Needing something uplifting and entertaining I turned to my old friend Precious Ramatswe and her colleagues and friends.

7. Extreme Ownership How Navy SEALS lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

I was introduced to Jocko Willink through a Prager U video. For the first time in my 60+ years I understood the difference between discipline and motivation. It changed me! And this book is fantastic. I listened to an audio version read by the authors and thoroughly enjoyed their gravelly voices.

8. The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care and How to Fix It by Marty Makary, MD.

Another great book exposing many of the problems with the medical industry. If you've had problems with excessive medical bills this will help you understand why and what to do about it.

9. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon. Another old friend I turn to when feeling low. Father Tim is one of the most lovable Christlike humans around. Flawed and a bit set in his ways, he nevertheless serves tirelessly and makes a difference wherever he goes.

What I Read in May

My reading has slowed down; I'm busier doing other things, and I'm reading long non-fiction works that I choose to digest more deliberately. Here's what I read or finished in May

1. Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery

2. Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery

3. Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason

4. Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico

5. The More of Less by Joshua Becker

6. The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker

7. fault lines - The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism's Looming Crisis by Voddie T. Baucham Jr.

When I read Anne's House of Dreams I realized that I'd never read that book before. Anne is now married and Gilbert is working as a doctor. 

Irish Meadows is the first book of the trilogy. I read the second in April, which was good enough to be a stand alone. Interesting look at the lives of Irish immigrants in the New York City area and Long Island in the first decades of the twentieth century.

The delightful book about Mrs. 'Arris by Paul Gallico was made into a film in 1992 starring Angela Lansbury and featuring Omar Sharif. It was as delightful as the book. I see that a new version is in post-production for release next year.

I read the two books by Joshua Becker to see if I could glean anything new from them. While I'm not a minimalist, I do like to stay on top of decluttering. Both are good reads.

The last book was purchased after hearing an interview with Dr. Baucham on the radio in the car. I was so impressed with what he had to say that I had to get the book to read more. I'm so glad I did. If you're concerned at all about what's happening in the USA with the social justice movement I recommend reading this book! 

Hair

 My hair is now well past my shoulders, almost to mid-back. But summer is upon us and it's too hot and humid to leave my hair hanging about. Noble helped me by tightly braiding my hair and sharing her "stick" to put it up. I like the results.

What I Read in April

April was a good month, the days began to lengthen so I feel more alive! May is shaping up nicely too. I'm out of hibernation so I'm not reading as much, but what I did read was really good.

1. Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery

2. Persuasion, A Latter-day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison (a retelling of Jane Austen)

3. A Disciple's Life, The Biography of Neal A. Maxwell by Bruce C. Hafen

4. Evelyn Cameron - Montana's Frontier Photographer; text by Kristi Hager

5. I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella (I needed a "cleanse the palate" sort of a read)

6. The Proximity Principle by Ken Coleman

7. The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womak

8. My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kensella (another old friend)

9. A Worthy Heart by Susan Anne Mason

The biography was long! The other non-fiction, The Proximity Principle, I read to see if it would benefit my adult children. Yes! It is informative and encouraging. Ken Coleman is part of the team at Ramsey Solutions.

I'm totally enjoying the Anne books; I read them so long ago that I don't remember much and it's like discovering them for the first time. Gwendolyn Womak's book, The Fortune Teller is her third. I read the first in December, the second in January, and then waiting to read the third while I read some more non-fiction. It was worth the wait. She is brilliant at what she does.

What's on your nightstand these days?

What I Read in March

 Or finished reading.

The non-fiction I've been reading takes longer to finish than fluffy fiction. And that's okay. I have over 1000 non-fiction books inventoried, and two more sections (kitchen and sewing room) with non-inventoried books, so probably closer to 1300 books total. By contrast, I have about 400 fiction books on my shelves. Anyway, the point is that I have lots of books to read! And I'm working to read all the unread non-fiction on my shelves. It's an exercise in discipline.

On to the list for March:

1. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery; way too long since I'd read it and I didn't remember anything, so much different from the 1985 TV adaptation.

2. The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith; a new (2019) series about a Swedish detective; interesting, fun, witty and wise.

3. Purity and Passion by Wendy L. Watson PhD; well written book about marital intimacy. Opened my eyes to the whys behind some of my challenges.

4. A Year of Living Kindly by Donna Cameron; 52 short chapters about her year long adventure of living a deliberately kind life. Eye opening and encouraging.

5. The Golden Thread - How Fabric Changed History by Kassia St. Clair; fascinating, well documented. One of those books that makes one want to learn more!

6. Montana Women Homesteaders - A Field of Ones Own, Edited by Sarah Carter; reading this caused feelings of gratitude to well up in me for my totally easy life with all the modern luxuries. What a group of brave, hard working women!

7. Saints Vol 2 - No Unhallowed Hand, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; once I got started I couldn't put it down. So many wonderful accounts of saints building the Kingdom. Again, many feelings of gratitude for their faithfulness, hard work and sacrifices.

Not so many this month, but those I read (or finished) were thought provoking and informative, as well as great reads.

What are you reading these days?