Books

I really expected I would be on time with this Nightstand post. After all, I’d have the whole Memorial Day weekend to work on it since I’d have Monday off and no family in town to barbecue with.

What I hadn’t expected was that Daniel and I would lead a team from our church down to Moore, Oklahoma on Sunday to help out with relief efforts.

Between preparing, going, and recovering, that took half of my weekend–and I still had the normal stuff to do (help some friends move, sewing with a friend, grocery shopping, getting the compost into my garden finally).

Thus, a hastily written and photo-free nightstand post. My apologies.

This month, I read:

• Fledgling and Painter and Ugly by Robert Blake
  When I moved, I decided I’d revise my “Read Every Book” plan to say that once I’d “closed” a category at one library, I was done with that category and wouldn’t have to catch up any unread books from that category at the next library. Which meant that I was already done with picture books through author last name BLAKE, Q. I had read all but two of the Wichita Public Library’s books by Robert Blake–and read these last two in the last month to finish up all the BLAKE picture books.
• The Contraception Guidebook: Options, Risks, and Answers for Christian Couples by William Cutrer
  This was an excellent review of the available contraceptives from a pro-life, pro-family (although still pro-contraceptive) viewpoint. I intend to review this in more depth at some point soon here, but my intentions sometimes end up going awry.
• A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans (reviewed here)
  One of those uber-controversial Christian books that I waited to read until most of the buzz died down. I found that I enjoyed Evans’ experiences trying to follow the Bible’s directives to women as literally as possible–but agreed with many of her critics that her Biblical interpretations are suspect and her treatment of the complementarian movement often unfair. Check out my review for details–and a fair number of quotes.
• Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Recipes for Two by Beth Hensperger
  There were quite a few interesting recipes in this one–and I liked the three recipes I tried (Red Curry Chicken braised in Coconut Milk, Pork Chops with Turnips and Apples, and Vegetable Chili con Carne). I did find that the recipes made more than just two servings–but that might have been related to my propensity for using larger vegetables than recipes call for (is it just me, or do Midwestern vegetables grow larger than recipe-sized vegetables? Whenever recipes say “1 medium onion or 1/2 cup chopped onion” I end up with a cup of chopped onion from what I thought was a medium onion.)
• Let’s Play Doctor by Mark Leyner and Billy Goldberg
  I enjoyed the random medical/physiological information found in Leyner and Goldberg’s Why do Men have nipples? and Why do Men fall Asleep after Sex? (In my memory, neither are actually as sex focused as they sound). So, when I saw Let’s Play Doctor at my new local library, I grabbed it. I was less than enthused. There was some information to be found here, but it was mostly silliness in the form of ridiculous multiple choice questions the reader is supposed to answer in their quest to get a fake medical degree from the “Why Do Men Have Nipples School of Medicine”. Worth Skipping.
• A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage (reviewed here)
  Standage tells the history of the world–through the lens of six beverages that dominated the world stage during different ages: beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola. I thoroughly enjoyed this topical history of the world.
• The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
  I’m leading the Reading to Know Book Club‘s discussion of this title in October–which is still a ways off, but considering how slowly I’ve been reading lately, I decided to start early. I chose to read without taking notes this first time around–but I’ll probably be re-reading and making notes in September. It’s not too early for you to start thinking about joining us in October too!
• Sidetracked Home Executives: From Pigpen to Paradise by Pam Young and Peggy Jones
  I enjoyed reading this and think the general concept is pretty good (although there’s no way I have time to do certain chores as frequently as they recommend.) I’ve adapted their 3×5 card file system to my to-do app on my phone–but am implementing on a step-wise basis. I’m still unpacking and rearranging our home–so I’m not quite ready to start thinking about things like regularly cleaning the mini-blinds or the ceiling fan. But someday–and when that day comes, I’ve got everything in my phone ready to implement.

Currently in progress:

• The 5:30 Challenge: 5 ingredients, 30 minutes, dinner on the table by Jeanne Besser
• While the Clock Ticked by Franklin Dixon
• The Thyroid Sourcebook for Women by Sara Rosenthal

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

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!

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.

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

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

Changing jobs has a way of interrupting routines. So does moving. So does planning a wedding. For that matter, so does honeymooning.

Which is probably why my reading routines have been drastically off-kilter for the last several months.

But now that I’m settled into my new job, moved into my new home, and done with the wedding and honeymoon, I’m ready to settle into some new routines–ones that I certainly hope include reading some more.

With all the busyness of the past couple of months, I read:

• Communication: Key to Your Marriage by H. Norman Wright (My review here)
  A truly excellent book that Daniel and I read for premarital counseling. We’ll be re-reading this one and working through it at a later date, since our premarital time frame left us with less time than we desired to discuss all the rich ideas found within.
• Sheet Music by Kevin Leman
  This book was highly recommended by a number of our newly married friends as being a great resource. I read the “premarital” portion before we got married and then read the same portion out loud to Daniel on our way up to Lincoln for our wedding. I read (or scanned) the rest during our little getaway immediately after the wedding. We’ll likely revisit this one again later on in our marriage–but the chapter on honeymoon sex for virgins was great. Even if that’s the only chapter that ends up being useful, it was worth the price of the book. I definitely recommend it for virgins preparing for their wedding.
• Intended for Pleasure by Ed Wheat
  This is another book on sex, this time recommended by the pastor who married us. Intended for Pleasure is pretty technical and often includes more information than is needed in order to have sex (for instance, it explains menstruation and the woman’s cycle in detail), but overall, it’s a pretty solid book (written by an MD) about sex. I didn’t read the whole book on this one since it includes chapters on sex in mid- and late-life, erectile dysfunction, etc.
• Scripture
  I was trying to do the Horner plan, which involves reading ten chapters of Scripture a day from ten different places in Scripture, but this turned out to be too much. Because my bookmarks were in my big study Bible, it was hard for me to keep up with the reading as I ran errands, moved, worked on wedding stuff, etc. I didn’t have any big chunks of time to read, and it was hard to just read a few verses or a chapter at a time when I had to lug around my big Bible. So I switched over to the Discipleship Journal Book-at-a-Time plan using YouVersion on my phone. This has done wonders, both because it’s generally only 4-5 chapters per day and because my phone is small enough that I can whip it out and read a bit when I’m between clients or waiting at a checkout or in the bathroom or any of those other little moments of unavoidable delay.

In addition to the above completed books, I have started the following:

• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
  A re-read intended to be done in conjunction with the Reading to Know Bookclub. It was February’s selection. I am maybe halfway through. Oh well.
• Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes
  I bought this book at a conference last fall–and then promptly got engaged, which threw my reading way off-kilter. I’m excited to work my way through this (so far) solid book.
• The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller
  I’ve liked almost everything I’ve read by Keller, so when his The Meaning of Marriage showed up free for Kindle, I downloaded it. I started the first couple of chapters on the flight home from our honeymoon. So far, so good.

We arrived home from our honeymoon to find our marriage license in the mailbox (Woohoo!), so now I can begin the process of changing my name and GETTING A WICHITA LIBRARY CARD!!!!!!!

I can’t wait to see what my new local library has in store :-)

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

Oh yes. I almost forgot. Daniel and I are also working on getting some Nightstands that will fit into the relatively small space we have. My number one objective is sufficient space for books. We just may have found something that might work last night–so maybe by next month I’ll actually have a nightstand of books to show off!)

Has it really been 4 months since I last posted a Nightstand post?

It has.

In those four months, I’ve become engaged, changed jobs, moved cities, and read practically nothing.

I am not lying.

This past four months, I read:

• A Place Called Home by Lori Wick
  A re-read. Comfort reading while I was wedding planning and starting to get my possessions into boxes.
• A Song for Silas by Lori Wick
  Ditto the above.
• Rocking the Roles by Robert Lewis and William D. Hendricks
  Re-read, this time for premarital counseling before handing the book off to Daniel. He’s almost finished with it now–and we’ll be discussing roles more in our counseling session Wednesday night.
• The Language of Sex by Gary Smalley and Ted Cunningham
  Also read for premarital counseling, although we won’t be discussing this one in our counseling session for a few weeks.
• A Woman after God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George
  Read for personal development.
• The Anatomy of Peace by The Arbinger Institute
  A book about resolving conflicts by helping things go right. Have read this in fits and starts.
• Wordsmithy by Douglas Wilson
  Received for Christmas. I put it on my list when I was still writing (and reading, for that matter). Hoping to resume both sometime in the near future.
• Scripture
  This has been my only consistent reading over the past four months. It is, as always, straight from the mouth of God. Even if every other book is forgotten, this one demands to be read and reread, meditated on and mulled over, memorized and discussed. It contains the very words of life.

So there we have it. The full extent of my reading over the past four months.

I hope to resume reading at a slightly more rapid rate once I’ve got my stuff settled into Daniel’s house and once we’ve gotten married so I can settle in myself.

So, another two to three months of light reading and then things can pick up again? Maybe?

How did getting married affect your reading life? Did you still read when you were planning your wedding?

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

It’s amazing how dating/going out/being courted eats into one’s reading time.

Somehow, those hours that used to be spent reading are now being spent with Daniel.

I can’t say I mind terribly.

He’s every bit as interesting as a book. Maybe even (gasp!) more.

This month I completed:

• 5 “Clifford the Big Red Dog” books
• Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
  Read because Daniel is a fan of Dostoevsky. Enjoyed because it’s good (and possibly because Daniel is a fan.) Read my review if you’d like, but really it’s as much about Daniel and me as it is about Dostoevsky or Crime and Punishment. Sorry, twitterpated much?
• I John
  Still steeping in I John–although my time here may be coming to a close. Currently contemplating what my next step should be devotionally speaking.
• When Can I say, ‘I Love You’ by Max and Vivian Rice
  When I saw this thin volume on sale for 59 cents at a used store, I knew I wanted to own it. Who can resist a 1977 Christian dating book? The book didn’t really answer its title question, but it did have some pretty good comments.

  Chapter 2 discussed the three Greek words for love: agape, phileo, and eros–and how all three are necessary for a happy marriage. But the authors point out that the foundation of a happy marriage is agape, then phileo, then eros last. I loved how they described why they think it’s wise to delay eros in a dating relationship:

  “For Plato, eros was ‘an ecstasy which transports man beyond rationality.’ …If you retain your common sense, you do not have a real case of eros…. The conclusion should be obvious. If we become blind as soon as eros sets in, we must be sure that we have agape and phileo love first…

  To illustrate, suppose you are planning to go out one night. The power company calls and informs you that the lights will be turned off in fifteen minutes. You need to choose socks to match your clothes. Would you want to make your choice before or after the lights go out?

  Likewise, if you want to be sure you have agape and phileo love for a person, when do you need to decide? Before the lights go out. As soon as eros sets in, the lights go out. You become blind….

  How do you keep it from happening to you? Postpone physical relations that would result in eros until after the other relationships are thoroughly developed. This, of course, takes time.”

  I also appreciated the Rice’s suggestions for “things that you can do on a date that will help you become marriageable and, at the same time, help you choose the right person.” They suggest working together, playing together, thinking together, and worshiping together. Money quote: “You do not get to know anybody by smooching with him. You get to know him much better when he hits his thumb with a hammer.”

  While the majority of the very solid advice given by the Rice’s can be translated easily into 21st century relationships, one bit may strike the current-day reader as a bit odd. The Rice’s encourage teens against going steady, instead encouraging them to date a lot of people. This advice makes sense when “date” means what it apparently meant in the 70s–going rollerskating or to a dance or getting dinner together. It does not make sense in the modern teenage sense of the word, when “date” more often means “make-out session”. Ultimately, the Rice’s are encouraging teens to develop friendships (based on agape and phileo love) with many people of the same and the opposite sex, rather than becoming exclusive and erotic early in life. The concept is good, but the terminology is a bit outdated (punny!)

This month I read some of:

• The Anatomy of Peace by The Arbinger Institute
  A book about resolving conflicts by helping things go right. It’s interesting because it’s written as a story. I’m really looking forward to digging into this more and hope especially to find some useful information to help me manage people better (and ultimately to love my employees more effectively.)
• The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce
  A few gems amidst some definite dung. But Bierce’s political commentary cannot be beaten–and some of his epigrams are quite canny “Egotist: a person of low taste, more interested in himself than in me.”
• Lit! by Tony Reinke
  Won from Lisa Writes. I’m feeling a bit guilty to be slowing my reading so much just as I’m reading this–but such it is. And this has definitely been a thought-provoking look at why and how and when I read.
• The Taste of Tomorrow by Josh Schonwald
  A rather interesting look at food trends–trying to predict what’s coming next. I’m really excited about this book and have really enjoyed what I’ve read so far–but I’ve still only completed two chapters.
• The Two Friends and the Shadow by Joshua Menter with Joseph Boyer
  The first draft of my little (6’3″ish) brother’s fantasy novel. So far, I’m enjoying it quite a bit. I’ve just gotten to where I can see the shadow creeping.
• Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes
  Checked out on my Kindle, but unfortunately with the text-to-speech capability turned off–which means that I was only able to read three chapters before my lending period expired. Interesting thesis, but having a hard time not being ticked off by his pooh-poohing energy balance. I’m on the waiting list for when the Kindle edition becomes available again.

This month I gave up on:

• Three Times Blessed by Lori Copeland
  I’ve read and been moderately entertained by a number of Copeland’s books–but, for now, these tired love stories are less than diverting. This one, in particular, turned me off by the end of the first chapter when the heroine muses to herself:

  “All she had to do was keep reasonably independent until the teaching position became available; pride said she must earn her keep. And she would, but in the meantime she intended to pursue this fine man who was now leading her horse up the hill.”

  Apart from the not-so-fantastic writing, this is just wrong. Call me old-fashioned, but I’d rather not have the women pursuing.

  I’ll stick with my own love story, thank-you-very-much. ‘Cause I prefer a story where a man does the pursuing–and where, instead of leading a horse up a hill, he leads a woman to follow hard after Christ.

  Somehow, the fictional “blessing” just doesn’t cut it compared to that.

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

A thousand things have happened since my last Nightstand post, and very few have involved reading. So this month’s list is rather shorter than my usual.

This month I read:

Adult Fiction

• Glory by Lori Copeland
  Another “Brides of the West” title from Copeland. Not spectacular but not awful either.
• Twice Loved by Lori Copeland
  Eh. A nice light read. I did enjoy reading in the author’s afternote that she’s a fan of Support Your Local Sheriff–yes, her books rather remind me of that classic Western comedy.

Adult Non-fiction

• Surviving Your Doctors by Richard S. Klein
  A book by an MD/litigator intended to empower the public to avoid medical malpractice. It was interesting, but mostly annoying. Klein is an old-school doc who is all about ordering a hundred thousand tests, regardless of the cost (in money and in anxiety). He’s mistrustful of mid-level practitioners (I live with one and happen to respect them highly). He’s very down on the American medical system. Basically, I thought the subject matter interesting but the author a complete blankety-blank. (No, I’m not prone to cussing, but I took a violent dislike to the author and can think of not a few bad words to describe how I feel about him.) Yeah, so, take from that whatever you will.
• Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
  Despite my prolific abuses of Jon Krakauer, bigot, I actually enjoyed this book overall. Wanna read my abuses? Go right on ahead.

Juvenile Fiction

• In Your Dreams by Robin Jones Gunn
  Earlier this year, I received a review copy of the first three Sierra Jensen books for my Kinde–except that the latter two wouldn’t show up on my Kindle. Thankfully, a friend owns all of them and she had her mom bring them up to town a while back. So I’m catching up on the series I didn’t read as a teen. Still liking these even better than the rather more “drama-filled” Christy-Miller series.
• A Wind in the Doorby Madeleine L’Engle
  Sequel to A Wrinkle in Time, this one has Meg and Calvin joining a cosmic classroom to save Charles Wallace from the Echthroi doing war within his farandolae (organisms within his mitochondria.) Another fascinating and imaginative work by L’Engle.
• A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle
  This might be my favorite of the “Wrinkle” series that I’ve read so far. In it, Charles Wallace time travels into a collection of characters, where he makes small but critical choices to keep the Ecthroi’s dreams (destruction) from coming true.
• The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart
  Like the rest of Trenton Lee Stewart’s books, I really enjoyed this prequel to the Mysterious Benedict Society. In it, young Nicholas Benedict is moved to yet another new orphanage where he is again sorely abused, but this time learns to care about more than himself.
• 4 Children’s picture books

Juvenile Non-Fiction

• Fact, Fiction, and Folklore in Harry Potter’s World by George Beahm

Yes, that’s 13 titles. Only 13 titles. I’m rather astonished myself.

But I’ve been busying living a story of God’s faithfulness. He has been exceedingly faithful to orchestrate so many details of the past months–from my work situation to my friendships to deep works within my heart. I would not trade this life for a thousand books (although I still wouldn’t mind a thousand books, and the time to read them :-P)

In the meantime, I’m working on the following:

• Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
  Why have I held Russian authors so long in such great fear? This is masterful fiction.
• Lit! by Tony Reinke
  Won from Lisa Writes. I am loving this God-honoring approach to reading.
• I John
  I’m learning the meaning of “steeping”, spending months in the same book, letting its words and phrases and sentences and paragraphs infuse my life. Learning how to walk in the light. Hearing, seeing, and touching eternal life. Discovering how little I love and longing to love as I have been loved.

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