Books Read in 2010
I read twenty books last year, just four books short of goal of two books a month.
The list does not include the Bible, so do not be discouraged if you don't see it on my list. I did read it, and on some days the Bible is the only book that should be read.
1.How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. I borrowed this book from my son, Timothy. I highly recommend it as it gives insight into how look at character, setting, and plot.
2. Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama. This was an interesting book on the women of China in from the 1920's to the start of World War II. Young girls were sold by their families into the silk trade. It is not a book that everyone would like.
3. Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Classic tale about a young man falsely put into a French prison for life. There he meets another man also falsely accused. Dantes, the Count of Monte Cristo, takes revenge on the ones who puts him into prison.
4. The Reason for God: Belief in the Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller. I enjoyed many points of this book on apologetics. Some I disagreed with, but he writes a very thought provoking book, that I do recommend.
6. And Then there Were None by Agatha Christie. I threw in a murder mystery and I wouldn't read this book with the doors open at night. It is quite scary, and twice while reading it, nearly jumped out of my skin, when tapped on the shoulder. If you enjoy a good mystery, you would enjoy this one.
7. The Giver by Lois Lowry. This book won the Newbery Award for children's book. It is thought provoking, but not a book I would want my child to read without guidance. There is plenty to discuss in this science fiction book. Is it possible to live in a Utopian Society? Does memory keep us from having utopia? Twelve year old Jonas has been chosen as the new Receiver of Memory. The Giver of memory is going to die, and how does Jonas cope when he learns the ugly truth of his community?
8. Humor Me by Barbara Johnson. A very funny book filled with Christian wit and wisdom. An enjoyable read that will make you laugh at yourself and with the author. I recommend this book.
9.Lessons from a Sheep Dog by Phillip Keller. This book is very much worth the read. Phillip Keller gets a sheep ranch in Canada and decides he needs a sheep dog, so he gets Lass. Lass is an abused border collie with a fierce and stubborn personality. Phillip Keller learns how much he has to learn as well as Lass. In the process he discovers much about his spiritual life. This is a beautiful book.
10. Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith. This is a comical book about German professors who are linguists and principally about Dr. von Igelfeld. He is quite a character and gets things rather mixed up. If you like P.G. Wodehouse, you will enjoy this book. A funny read.
11, Courage and Consequence by Karl Rove. This book give a good look into the Bush White House. I recommend this book. Mr. Rove writes well, and keeps the reader very interested. I came away understanding George W. Bush a little better.
12. Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Everyone is familiar with this book, but I decided to revisit this book after learning about the philosophy of Thomas Malthus. The whole book is a refutation of Thomas Malthus. Scrooge, in the beginning, embodies Thomas Malthus. The ghosts show the error of that philosophy. It is an enjoyable book, but you see a works-religion in it. All in all very good to read again.
13. Persuasion by Jane Austin. When you read this, make a note of how many times the word "persuasion" occurs and in what reference. For me one of the hidden messages of the book is if you trust and obey those in authority over you things will, in the end, work out. I enjoyed this book and recommend it. I learned much about myself as I thought about how persuaded I am about others. Do I persuade myself to do things I should or shouldn't do? This was the second time I have read this book, and will read it again.
14. Mansfield Park by Jane Austin. This was an interesting book in that it showed the life of a young woman who did not have the best of everything. Her family was poor and cared little for, except for her brother. She is sent away to live with family, and her Aunt Norris treats her coldly and at times is cruel. Yet Fanny kept trusting and lived her life according to her moral principles and her faith. A good book.
15. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.Reading Hemingway is always sad for me. He always seemed to be searching for faith, yet never believes. Hemingway writes well, but he isn't for everyone, and so I wouldn't recommend it for all.
16 The Pearl by John Steinbeck.Steinbeck's writing is flawless. We learn about Kino and Juana through the pearl. Kino pins all his hopes on finding this pearl of great price, but will he lose it all? One aspect of the book is the theme of music. There is the music of the pearl, the music of the family, etc. I think Steinbeck seems to me to say there is a rhythm to each person's life. Each person has a song-or music- and we should all be content with the music of our own life.
17.Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg.This is a story of a woman in her 60's who loses her husband and now she depends on her daughter for everything. It deals with learning to let go and move on. Mrs. Berg writes well, but I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone.
18. Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxes. I highly recommend this book. It is a book I want my children to read. I don't agree with everything that Bonhoeffer did, but he believed that the most important thing in his life was Jesus and His Word. He truly wanted to live for the Lord. There are so many lessons to learn from this book. I have it all marked up! It shows the error of having a state church, and praise God our founding father's understood this. Bonhoeffer gained all his strength form God's word. His last words before he was hung by the Nazi's was, "Today I live."
19. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon What a delightful book. I enjoyed it very much, and got the second book in the series from Jayne for Christmas. It is the delightful story of the town of Mitford as seen through the eyes of Father Tim, and Episcopal priest. There are wonderful lessons to learn, and what a joy to see the way in which one man is saved.
20. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. The title attracted me because I love to knit. It's the story of the women who meet to knit on Friday nights at Georgia's knitting shop. I wouldn't recommend this book. The characters are not ones I even liked or could relate to.
The list does not include the Bible, so do not be discouraged if you don't see it on my list. I did read it, and on some days the Bible is the only book that should be read.
1.How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. I borrowed this book from my son, Timothy. I highly recommend it as it gives insight into how look at character, setting, and plot.
2. Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama. This was an interesting book on the women of China in from the 1920's to the start of World War II. Young girls were sold by their families into the silk trade. It is not a book that everyone would like.
3. Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Classic tale about a young man falsely put into a French prison for life. There he meets another man also falsely accused. Dantes, the Count of Monte Cristo, takes revenge on the ones who puts him into prison.
4. The Reason for God: Belief in the Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller. I enjoyed many points of this book on apologetics. Some I disagreed with, but he writes a very thought provoking book, that I do recommend.
6. And Then there Were None by Agatha Christie. I threw in a murder mystery and I wouldn't read this book with the doors open at night. It is quite scary, and twice while reading it, nearly jumped out of my skin, when tapped on the shoulder. If you enjoy a good mystery, you would enjoy this one.
7. The Giver by Lois Lowry. This book won the Newbery Award for children's book. It is thought provoking, but not a book I would want my child to read without guidance. There is plenty to discuss in this science fiction book. Is it possible to live in a Utopian Society? Does memory keep us from having utopia? Twelve year old Jonas has been chosen as the new Receiver of Memory. The Giver of memory is going to die, and how does Jonas cope when he learns the ugly truth of his community?
8. Humor Me by Barbara Johnson. A very funny book filled with Christian wit and wisdom. An enjoyable read that will make you laugh at yourself and with the author. I recommend this book.
9.Lessons from a Sheep Dog by Phillip Keller. This book is very much worth the read. Phillip Keller gets a sheep ranch in Canada and decides he needs a sheep dog, so he gets Lass. Lass is an abused border collie with a fierce and stubborn personality. Phillip Keller learns how much he has to learn as well as Lass. In the process he discovers much about his spiritual life. This is a beautiful book.
10. Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith. This is a comical book about German professors who are linguists and principally about Dr. von Igelfeld. He is quite a character and gets things rather mixed up. If you like P.G. Wodehouse, you will enjoy this book. A funny read.
11, Courage and Consequence by Karl Rove. This book give a good look into the Bush White House. I recommend this book. Mr. Rove writes well, and keeps the reader very interested. I came away understanding George W. Bush a little better.
12. Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Everyone is familiar with this book, but I decided to revisit this book after learning about the philosophy of Thomas Malthus. The whole book is a refutation of Thomas Malthus. Scrooge, in the beginning, embodies Thomas Malthus. The ghosts show the error of that philosophy. It is an enjoyable book, but you see a works-religion in it. All in all very good to read again.
13. Persuasion by Jane Austin. When you read this, make a note of how many times the word "persuasion" occurs and in what reference. For me one of the hidden messages of the book is if you trust and obey those in authority over you things will, in the end, work out. I enjoyed this book and recommend it. I learned much about myself as I thought about how persuaded I am about others. Do I persuade myself to do things I should or shouldn't do? This was the second time I have read this book, and will read it again.
14. Mansfield Park by Jane Austin. This was an interesting book in that it showed the life of a young woman who did not have the best of everything. Her family was poor and cared little for, except for her brother. She is sent away to live with family, and her Aunt Norris treats her coldly and at times is cruel. Yet Fanny kept trusting and lived her life according to her moral principles and her faith. A good book.
15. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.Reading Hemingway is always sad for me. He always seemed to be searching for faith, yet never believes. Hemingway writes well, but he isn't for everyone, and so I wouldn't recommend it for all.
16 The Pearl by John Steinbeck.Steinbeck's writing is flawless. We learn about Kino and Juana through the pearl. Kino pins all his hopes on finding this pearl of great price, but will he lose it all? One aspect of the book is the theme of music. There is the music of the pearl, the music of the family, etc. I think Steinbeck seems to me to say there is a rhythm to each person's life. Each person has a song-or music- and we should all be content with the music of our own life.
17.Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg.This is a story of a woman in her 60's who loses her husband and now she depends on her daughter for everything. It deals with learning to let go and move on. Mrs. Berg writes well, but I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone.
18. Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxes. I highly recommend this book. It is a book I want my children to read. I don't agree with everything that Bonhoeffer did, but he believed that the most important thing in his life was Jesus and His Word. He truly wanted to live for the Lord. There are so many lessons to learn from this book. I have it all marked up! It shows the error of having a state church, and praise God our founding father's understood this. Bonhoeffer gained all his strength form God's word. His last words before he was hung by the Nazi's was, "Today I live."
19. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon What a delightful book. I enjoyed it very much, and got the second book in the series from Jayne for Christmas. It is the delightful story of the town of Mitford as seen through the eyes of Father Tim, and Episcopal priest. There are wonderful lessons to learn, and what a joy to see the way in which one man is saved.
20. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. The title attracted me because I love to knit. It's the story of the women who meet to knit on Friday nights at Georgia's knitting shop. I wouldn't recommend this book. The characters are not ones I even liked or could relate to.
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