Nightstand (April 2013)

At long last (after 4 months), I have a library card AND a nightstand! My new nightstand, with a basket for books on the bottom shelf, arrived at the end of March. I got my card to the Wichita Public Libraries and checked out my first twelve books from that glorious institution on the fifth of this month. I am back in the reading business!

My Nightstand

My New Nightstand

This month, I read:

  • Acts of the Apostles by Luke
    I’m really enjoying my new Bible reading plan, which has me reading one book at a time first from the Old Testament and then from the New Testament. This last month, I spent time in Acts, which has been pretty powerful. I love seeing the Holy Spirit working through the apostles advancing the gospel despite harsh opposition.
  • Compost by Ken Thompson
    Did you know that it’s almost impossible for a home compost pile to reach the 135-165 degrees most composting resources recommend? Yep. That’s right, according to this informative little book. Thompson takes a look at what of modern composting advice actually realistic for a home composter and gives information and how-tos to make a successful home compost heap. I’m pretty excited to finally have my own compost pile at last–and Thompson’s book gave me the freedom from guilt over not wanting to turn it. Hooray!
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
    Daniel owns the Hunger Games Trilogy and enjoyed them when he read them sometime last year. I enjoyed this book, but spent a great deal of time once it was done wondering why all the participants in the games chose to play along. Why didn’t they choose to all band together and NOT kill one another? Why didn’t they just say, “If we’re all going to die, why not die honorably?” Would that not have been the ultimate defiance? Would that not have bolstered the spirits of those watching? Why not resist by refusing to kill? Anyhow, this turned out to be not only an entertaining, but a thought-provoking read.
  • The Layman’s Bible Commentary: Acts of the Apostles by Albert C. Winn
    To be honest, I didn’t read the entirety of this little volume. I read maybe five or six chapters worth in conjunction with my Bible reading plan’s reading of Acts. I’m not a huge fan of commentaries, but every so often, it’s nice to pick one up and see what new insights one can glean. In this case, the commentary is straightforward, giving a bit of historical context but primarily restating and clarifying the text itself. The commentator doesn’t always draw applications from the Scripture–except when it comes to the Jewish/Gentile question, where the author sees clear parallels with the racial prejudice and discrimination of the 1950s (the commentary was published in 1960). For someone new to Scripture, this Layman’s Bible Commentary would likely be a useful companion. For a believer with more Bible study under their belt, this is less likely to be helpful.
  • Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings
    Spurned by her Mexican family and friend for becoming a Christian, the widowed Maria moves with her widowed mother-in-law back to Texas, where the two hope to make a living on the family farm. Unfortunately, on returning to the farm, they discover that their renters have skedaddled, leaving $168 of unpaid taxes–taxes Maria and Louise must pay within just a few months or they’ll lose the farm. Does this story sound familiar? It should. This was a fun twist on the story of Ruth and Naomi–one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Like most Christian romances, it wasn’t particularly weighty–but sometimes a nice light read is exactly what the doctor orders. This one hit the spot.

Books in Progress

Books in Progress

Currently in progress:

  • Ortho Books’ Complete guide to vegetables, fruits & herbs
  • The Contraception Guidebook: Options, Risks, and Answers for Christian Couples by William Cutrer
  • Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes
  • A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
  • Let’s Play Doctor: the Instant Guide to Walking, Talking, and Probing like a Real M.D. by Mark Leyner and Billy Goldberg
  • Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Recipes for Two by Beth Hensperger
  • Sidetracked Home Executives: From Pigpen to Paradise by Pam Young and Peggy Jones
  • Writing Thank You Notes: Finding the Perfect Words by Gabrielle Goodwin

Up next

Up next…

Don’t forget to drop by 5 Minutes 4 Books to see what others are reading this month!

What's on Your Nightstand?

10 thoughts on “Nightstand (April 2013)”

  1. I did notice that the Sixty Acres book sounded like Ruth when I started reading your description!

    The slow cooker books sounds interesting, too. I need to find more slow cooker recipes — I have two main ones that I use but would like to expand the repertoire.

    Reply
  2. I also found “Hunger Games” to be a thought-provoking read last year when I read it. However, I’ve never finished the series. I’m still somewhat curious about the other two books, but I can’t say I truly enjoyed “Hunger Games.” It wasn’t the type of entertainment, pleasure reading that I like to spend my time on.

    I would be interested in hearing your thoughts about “The Contraception Guidebook” and “Writing Thank You Notes.”

    Reply
  3. I’m glad you’re back to reading! :). I love tht nightstand! Mind if I ask where you got it?

    That’s an interesting take on The Hunger Games.

    Reply
    • I don’t mind your asking at all, Amy. We actually bought the nightstand off of Amazon.com. We had pretty specific width qualifications because we needed to fit both Daniel’s and my nightstands onto a wall that is not even thirty inches wider than our bed. You can see the nightstand (which I see is billed as a side table) in more detail here.

      Reply
  4. Congrats on getting your library card and on your new nightstand. Love it.

    I had the same questions with The Hunger Games. Just revolt, people! ha. But I did enjoy the whole trilogy.

    I have Sidetracked Home Executives somewhere on my bookshelves in the basement. Not sure I ever finished it, but I love books like that. Maybe I got sidetracked? :-)

    Reply
  5. Thanks for the picture of your nightstand. I love it!! When we moved here 2 years ago, I got a new coffee table. It’s large and round and has a big shelf on the bottom. I knew it would catch all sorts of stuff, so I bought canvas bins. My son has two filled with books and mags, and I have two filled with them as well.

    All of your questions are answered more in the later books of the HG trilogy, I think, though she did go into it some — they were poor and had no power. And those who weren’t poor were proud, so they went willingly. It IS interesting to think about.

    Reply

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