Spring Reading Thing

Katrina at Callipider Days is hosting a Spring Reading Challenge. I had to laugh when I read her introduction: “Have you fallen behind on your To-Be-Read list? Do you have five books that you've started but haven't finished? Have you been meaning to get around to that great book your friend recommended but just haven't done it yet? Do you love to read and to find out what everyone else is reading? Then this challenge is for you!”

Umm, you may notice on my reading list that there are actually six books I’ve started, but haven’t finished. I love reading, and I hope that participating in this challenge will help me stretch my reading comfort zones. One of my new year’s resolutions for 2007 was to read more non-fiction, and I’ve gotten a good start on that. I started a list on my computer of books I have read, am reading, and want to read. As mentioned, my “am reading” list is rather long, so my first Spring reading goal is to finish the books I have begun. My second goal is to finish a few that are sitting on my “to read” pile. Here is my list in no particular order:

Non-fiction:
Charles Kuralt’s America by Charles Kuralt
This is a book my father-in-law got hubby and I for Christmas. I read the first chapter which was an interesting account of his travels to New Orleans. His writing style makes for easy reading, so I am looking forward to reading about the other places he visited around our nation.

George Muller by Basil Miller
Hubby read this biography on vacation last year and was both blessed and challenged by it. I have had a hard time getting into this author’s style, so while I have started this, I have had a hard time finishing it. I really believe that sharing literature is good for a relationship, so I want to finish this and be able to discuss it with hubby.

Shepherding A Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
This is the parenting book most recommended by my pastor. I have scanned most of it and read portions, but I really want to read the whole thing to get it all in context.

The Womanly Art of Homemaking by Edith Schafer
My sister-in-law got this for me for my birthday, and the first time I started it, my perfectionism got in the way of my enjoying it, and I stopped. I am rather left-brained, and this book encourages women to bless their families through many right-brained pursuits. After setting it aside for a while, I am giving it a second shot and am finding that Schafer’s suggestions are actually quite doable for me. Since starting it, I have been encouraged to do some things that have really gone a long way toward making our house more homey. I now wonder why I stopped reading it the first time! This book currently resides on my stationary bike, as its chapters are just the right length to read while I work out.

The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson
This book comes highly recommended by a friend of mine as one of her favorite parenting books. It’s at the top of my “to read” pile.

A Table in the Presence by Lt. Carey H. Cash
The subtitle really caught my eye. “The Dramatic Account of How a U.S. Marine Battalion Experienced God’s Presence amidst the Chaos of the War in Iraq.” We hear so much about all the problems in Iraq, but I know that the accounts I’ve heard from friends who have been over there are not nearly as dismal as what I hear on the news. The author is a chaplain serving with the unit that seized Saddam Hussein’s presidential palace on April 10, 2003. I will probably finish this book first as it is a library book, and I am well over half-way through it.

Honey for a Woman’s Heart by Gladys Hunt
I received Honey for a Child’s Heart as a baby shower gift and found Hunt’s discussion about the importance of reading to be quite encouraging and thought provoking. Half of that book was a list of recommended children’s books which I have already found quite useful with Bug-a-Boo, so much so that I ordered this one for myself. Hunt discusses many aspects of reading. She also includes lists and summaries of books that she has enjoyed, as well as lists by other avid readers and writers such as Jan Karon. I have already used this as a reference to find good books-on-tape from the library. I will read portions of this, scan others, and use it as a reference.

A Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George
This has also been on my “to read” pile. I will be using this to supplement my devotions. In it “Elizabeth George shares practical, scriptural insights on how you can pursue God’s priorities concerning your husband . . ., your children. . . , your home. . ., your walk with the Lord. . ., and your ministry. . .”

Fiction:
White by Ted Dekker
This is the third book in a trilogy that hubby and I are both reading through. It is a different genre than we are used to, but we’re enjoying it. When hubby was reading the first book (Black), whenever I would ask him how his book was, he would answer, “Weird,” then “Weird, but good.” The books do not stand alone. It’s really one story published in three books. (The dust-jacket says “Three books. Two worlds. One story.” I have finished Black and Red and look forward to the conclusion of the story in White.

Forever by Karen Kingsbury
One day I was at our wonderful small library where the librarian knows my name and book interests, and she recommended Redemption by Karen Kingsubry. I read it, loved it, and went on to read the whole series. This book is the final book in the series that is the sequel to the Redemption series. It just came out, so it’s popular, but I am in the hold line at two libraries. Also my mother-in-law bought it, so if she finishes it before the library copies become available, she’s said I can borrow her copy. Either way, I feel like I know the characters in this series and look forward to its conclusion.

I think I should be able to finish my list, since most of the books I have already started. If and when I finish these, I would like to add one or two classic novels to the fiction list. I also have a few more non-fiction on my list on my computer. I would also like to find a book that is a good overview of the Charlotte Mason method of home-schooling, but something shorter than her multi-book series. Any suggestions? I also plan to write some reviews of the books on my blog. Are there any titles you'd particularly be interested in a review of?

You may want to check out the other participants in the Spring Reading Thing and their lists here.