Well hi there

 

My little journal of books read that goes back more than 20 years. 

It's apparently been six months since I've been here. Doesn't it seem not so much that time flies, but rather that it slips by at a rate not easily discernable by the moment? It's that first sip of coffee with flavored creamer (one of my guilty pleasures), the morning routine of feeding the cat, disarming the security, checking emails, and before I know it, it's time to start dinner.  My day starts slow, especially in winter, and yet before I know it, it's gone, another one in the books. Then all of a sudden it's the weekend, time for doing laundry, church, a list of chores missed in previous assigned days, and a week has gone by. And here we are with January half gone, 1/24 of 2023 passed to be seen never again. 

So there's apparently no time for dilly dallying; rather than even attempt to catch up on what has transpired during the time I was away, I'll focus on the books I read in 2022. Books , an ever constant with me, going back to when I was 10 years old and developed a girl crush on someone slightly older and wiser, and much more debonair than me, the sleuth Nancy Drew. When I think of her, and all those books (which I found out a few years ago actually had a number of different authors) I am standing inside the bookmobile, parked at the corner of Click Drive and whatever the cross street was. That magical bus full of books, and an adult telling me they were all mine for the taking. Walking up and down the short aisle with my head cocked to one side, reading the spines to find one I hadn't yet read. Being allowed to choose three, filling out those little lined pieces of cardboard with my printed name, Beverly Boaz, then tucking them securely under my arm to hurry home to a corner to settle in for the day. Nancy Drew books will never be seen as great literary works, but they opened a door for me, that once I went through, there was no going back. How grateful I am for Carolyn Keene, whoever they may be.  

Life threw me a few curves in 2022 that prevented the year from being as full of books as I would have preferred, but here's what I did manage to read:

The Paris Library, by Janet Skeslien Charles, Historical Fiction. Delightful read, lots of insight into that period of history. 

The Histories, Herodotus. Ancient classics. Read to fulfill lifelong education goals. Not for the faint of heart. 

The Year of Less..... Cait Flanders, Memoir. 'Read' this while on elliptical, passed the time but not riveting. A pretty extreme approach because of her previous extreme experiences.

I Am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai. Memoir, very interesting, I learned a lot about the culture in the Middle East and what women who live there endure. 

Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Patti Callahan. Historical fiction. I loved this, but I adore C S Lewis, so if you are also a fan, then you'd likely enjoy this as well. 

Sex and the City of God, Carolyn Weber, memoir. Her previous book, Surprised by Oxford, is being made into a movie, and this book isn't about sex by the way, but is rather a continuation of her love story with her husband. I enjoyed this but enjoyed Surprised by Oxford more. I'd recommend both. Read them in order. 

There's a Hole in My Bucket, by Royd Tolkein, memoir. I read this because of the author's relation to JRR Tolkein, story of a man caring for his brother with a terminal illness. Hard, sad read but yet I enjoyed it. 

Find Your People, Jennie Allen, nonfiction. Reading this I got the feeling we are to befriend almost anyone and everyone, it wasn't a favorite of mine. Too many people for me. 

Magpie Murders, Anthony Horowitz, fiction. This was a delight, recommend it as a fun, light read. Perhaps after you read The Histories by Herodotus......... :-) 

Simplify, Joshua Becker. nonfiction. Interesting, would recommend if you are looking to simplify your life, and these days, who isn't?

The Last Bookshop in London, Madeline Martin, historical fiction. Again, a good look into that period of history, a warm read, I really enjoyed it. 

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Kim Michelle Richardson, fiction, good read. Would recommend. 

The Sin Eater, Francine Rivers. Fiction. I'm a big fan of Rivers, and have read quite a few of hers, but had somehow missed this one. I read it, then found the movie at the local library and enjoyed the movie as well. An interesting look into old folklore and how people worked to receive forgiveness and eternal security. 

Once Upon a Wardrobe, Patti Callahan (second read of the year by her), fiction, based on the novel by CS Lewis, The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, a warm, delightful read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it. 

How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie. This was my third time of reading this in the past 20 or so years, very simple yet profound. In light of the current state of our culture, this could be read and reread by most of us now and then. This was first recommended to me by a high school teacher, back in the days when I was a major pain in the rear. 

Ten Words to Live By, Jen Wilkin, nonfiction, accompanies a Bible study done by her as well. A deep dive into the Ten Commandments, bringing them into our every day world. Very interesting and would work well as a read to accompany daily devotionals. 

Eleanor, David Michaelis, biography. I've always had as a goal to read biographies or autobiographies of the first ladies of the United States. I wonder how long it'll be until it'll be the First Man? That being said, I always admired Eleanor, until I read this, and it left me very disappointed in her. She had a rotten childhood but rather than rising above it, I feel she let it shape her negatively. It didn't help that Franklin Roosevelt, her spouse, was a louse but I liked her better before I read this. 

If I Had Lunch With C S Lewis, Alister McGrath. nonfiction. I'm a fan of all things CS Lewis. The premise of this book was to take topics and go back to CS Lewis' writing to determine how he might respond or answer the question at hand. I really enjoyed it. Not a straight through kind of read, but rather to be read in snippets I think. 

So that's 2022 reading, and right now I'm in the middle of four books at once for the beginning of my 2023 reading goals. I'll try to be here more often and let you know what I'm reading and what I'm thinking about it.  

Blessings, 

Bev