Twitterature - November 2014

I only read one book this past month, but it was 841 pages long.  It was Stephen King's 11/22/63.  It was $2.99 when I bought it in July for the Kindle, and it is still $2.99 for that format.  I thought it was wise to go ahead and purchase this one because I did not want to lug around such a large book.  Nursing a baby and holding a honker like this book can't mix well.

I was intrigued by the glowing reviews, premise, and $2.99 price tag.  The narrator wasn't very endearing, though he probably wasn't supposed to be; I didn't care for him much until well into the novel.  The book rides on mostly the plot, not deeply realized characters.  That's okay.  It was a good ride, engrossing at the end, but the book took a long time to get where it was going.  I don't know if I'd actually recommend it.  If it were a few hundred pages shorter, it might be easier to recommend.  You might really enjoy it if you are already a Stephen King fan, a JFK assassination theorist, or history buff.  Maybe nostalgia is a positive factor for a lot of readers.  I'm sure that day was a pivotal day for many living during Kennedy's years as president.  Despite the fact that I stuck with the book, I just can't shake this feeling that I could've been reading something else.  #timetravel #JFK

What have you been reading this month?  Did you read this one?  As usual,  I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy for her Twitterature linkup.  Go check it out for lots of great book recommendations for your list!

Twitterature - October 2014

  

Twitterature is one book long this month because apparently that's all I actually read.  I take that back:  I did reread The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith, and I loved it all over again.  

Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry (interlibrary loan, hardback) was a fresh breath of air.  The first half of the book filled me with calm.  I loved Berry's plain poetry. At times, he meandered a bit with Hannah's memories, but mostly, this was a straightforward but beautiful read filled with wisdom and quiet authority.  I wish I had kept a journal nearby (or taken more iPhone photos) for all the times I read a sentence or paragraph and involuntarily put the book down to stare off into space and think.  #recommended #wellreadmom

What have you been reading this month?  Have you read any Wendell Berry? Tell me in the comments.

Twitterature - July 2014

As further evidence that I only tinker with this blog in order to participate in Twitterature, I give you my next Twitterature link up post!

The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story by Lily Koppel (hardcover, library)  Fascinating, yet ultimately very sad, behind-the-scenes look at the early NASA missions despite the annoying and disconcerting gossipy tone throughout.  The wives deserved better than this, surely.  A surprising story involving LBJ, Annie and John Glenn, and reporters is what I keep remembering from this book.  #spacerace #gladtolivenownotthen

Notes from a Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in a Chaotic World by Tsh Oxenreider (Kindle purchase)  The essays about intentionally traveling with your children were like a shot in the arm.  Loved those.  Her write up on an anniversary trip was delightful as well.  I've often thought about various issues being or not being a "hill to die on" because of her and could relate to creativity being a wonderful boost when worn down.  #intentionalbutrealistictoo

What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam (paperback, library)  I believe this is the paper form of the ebooks of the above title, What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend, and What the Most Successful People Do at Work.  Easy read but chockful of good advice.  I got my husband and I up and walking in the morning (separately due to kids) and planned a weekend more concretely because of this book.  I imagine I'll be poking around Vanderkam's website and books a lot more because of her solid writing and suggestions.  #moreintentionality #prayandwalk

What about you?  Have you read these?  What did you think?  What are you reading right now?

Twitterature - June 2014

Let's start off Twitterature with a bang!

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell  (hardcover, library)  This book just sang with the true voices of the title protagonists, though I probably would have been more annoyed with them if I had let how many times they said "God" really sink in.  (You know, in that tone.)  It was also fun to imagine them into all the music I was blissfully unaware of in the mid- to -late eighties.  (As in, why was that guy singing about finding what he was still looking for when I really wanted to hear The Right Stuff on Friday Night Videos?)  Eleanor and Park gave a glimpse into what it's like to be teens brave enough to be themselves.  I often imagined what it was like to be Park's mom while I read, which brings me to the recommendation of talking this one over with any child who reads it.  Also, I loved Park's dad.  This is probably an early favorite of the year.

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham (digital, library) I was excited to find this available digitally until I discovered it was not a memoir, and not much later, it was abandoned.  #likethecoverthough 

Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath (Kindle purchase) I enjoyed and appreciated the perspective of the author until I reached the part of the book where I take the test.  I have yet to devote the thirty minutes needed to complete it.  I am very curious to learn what the official test says about my strengths.  Previously, I took some sort of version of Strengthsfinder online after my husband introduced me to it.  My number two strength was Cheerleader, which was a surprise at first, but then, I realized it made a lot of sense.  My number one strength was Learner, which was not a surprise, yet still a pleasant validation.  Will the results be the same?  What will Rath suggest as strategies for my strengths?  Stay tuned.

I feel like I'm forgetting a book, but maybe this really is it for this month.  I'm excited about some books I put on interlibrary loan.  We will see what next month's Twitterature brings!  Thanks for hosting, Anne!

What's on your nightstand?  Your Kindle app?  Do you use your actual Kindle?  Read anything good lately?  Abandoned anything that surprised you?

Twitterature (Inaugural Link Up May 2014)

I am quite excited because this is my first time joining in for Twitterature at Modern Mrs Darcy.  I have often piped up with what I am reading in her comment box, but I decided that talking about what we are reading is so fun that I have to do this, too!  Twitterature is why I started becoming interested in trying to spruce up this blog.  So, thanks, Anne!

Here's what I've been reading:

Hatching Twitter by Nick Bilton (ebook) - How appropriate for my first link up!  I actually heard about this book from Modern Mrs Darcy, probably on Twitterature.  It was a fast read and quite interesting.  I don't know much about tech startups, and learning about Twitter was a neat glimpse into the lives and interests of people with skills that are far different from mine.  Evan Williams taught himself code before he invented Blogger (Blogger!), and then he became one of the founders of Twitter.  I had to take a deep breath after each chapter, I was reading so fast.  #techdrama #dofriendsandbusinessmix #creationstory

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon (ebook) - I think I stole this title from Modern Mrs Darcy's Pinterest book boards.  Fast read and very encouraging.  I appreciate that Kleon doesn't seem to take himself too seriously.  I sadly didn't realize that the adage "There's nothing new under the sun" was biblical.  Kleon had some interesting suggestions, such as his log book.  I stared at that illustration for a while.  I have realized that I am very taken with artistic process.  Fascinating.  I already started to read it again, but I keep waiting for it to disappear from my Kindle app because it's an electronic library checkout.  Also, the author claimed what one of my best curriculum and instruction professors often touted in class: the best teachers know how to steal.  They see what's good and emulate it.  #notpretentiousthankgoodness #thanksfortheencouragement

The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith (hardback) - Pre-ordered a while ago, Nester continues to inspire me to let go of perfection and embrace what is in the land of interior design and decor.  I appreciated that it wasn't just a retelling of her blog but a nice narrative of her learning journey with houses.  She reminds me to not take decorating so seriously, to try, to embrace limitations, to love where you're at, and many other things. She can talk philosophically about houses and gives great practical tips, too.  I will be rereading this for sure.  She totally inspired me to not give into perfection paralyzation and dig in.  She knows us, and it shows.  #faveblog #nesterrules #idhtbptbb

Something Other Than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It by Jennifer Fulwiler (hardback) - Another favorite blogger, another current release.  I just finally got to pick this book up.  I probably would've read it by now, but I am hindered by the hardback that I really wanted to have.  I could've bought it for Kindle, but it's nice to have this one in hardback.  It's just hard to read while holding a baby.  I know a lot of Jen's story, but I have enjoyed the details, getting more of her story filled in while reading this one.  She's had her first son and reading The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.  That's as far as I've gotten!  (Is that too much of a spoiler?) #loveconversionstories #faveblogger #joefulwilerisfunny

The Family-First Creative: 42 Tips for Following Your Dreams While Putting Your Family First by Jennifer Fulwiler (ebook) - Jen wanted to thank all the people who supported her by pre-ordering her memoir; so, she wrote this ebook that was only available until the book came out.  I zipped right through it, and I'll very likely zip through it again, as her tips seem hard won and proven.  There were a lot of neat things in it like her recommendation for the St. Catherine of Siena Foundation's Called and Gifted Series and the reminder I needed: even if no one sees what you create, the world is better place because you did it.  Art can serve you.  Creativity is for all humans, not just the super talented ones (which I do not mean snarkily- I love creative and super talented people.  And I love people who don't feel super talented but create anyway!)  Like this blog: who cares if no one sees it!  That's not why I started it.  I started it because it looked like fun.  I'm not going to pressure myself to perfect it.  If I want to work on it, I will.  If I feel like writing something, I will.  Jen seems to get that.  #thanksjen #familyfirst #conversiondiary

The bookshelf in my head most often includes: 

just started StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath  

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Strangers and Sojourners by Michael O'Brien (my husband bought this for me on Kindle a while ago, and I haven't dived in yet....I don't know why not!  Father Elijah was amazing.  So is O'Brien's art.)

Hooray, my first Twitterature!  How about you?  What have you been reading?