What’s on Your Nightstand?

In what is becoming a refrain for me, I’ve been busy–busy enough that I haven’t blogged much and haven’t written anywhere near as many reviews as I’d have liked. But I’ve still been reading in every snatched moment.

This month I read:

Adult Fiction

• Dear Lady by Robin Lee Hatcher
• The Hidden Flame by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke
  I’d already met Abigail, a family-less woman of the early church, in The Centurion’s Wife. There, she was an unassuming character, gently inviting Leah (the main character of that novel) into the community of believers. Abigail is still serving the church, but somehow she’s managed to catch the eye of two very different men: one a well-endowed Pharisee merchant, another a well-positioned Roman soldier. She’s not sure she is interested in either, but what choice does she have in the matter? This story takes the reader through the martyrdom of Stephen-moving slowly through the times of the first church.
• Last of the Dixie Heroes by Peter Abrahams
  I’ve really lucked out that Abrahams’ name starts with AB. Had I begun my trip through the fiction section of my not-so-local library with an author that I despised, I might have despaired. As it is, I’ve enjoyed each of the half dozen or so suspense novels I’ve read by Abrahams so far. This one, about a Rebel Civil War reenactor who finds himself a bit deeper amidst battle than he expected, was no exception.
• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
  While listening to the chapter on Northanger Abbey in A Jane Austen Education, I realized that I had never read this particular work of Austen’s. I set out immediately to correct that oversight and found it a delightful story, one that must be added to my list of favorites (along with pretty much everything else by Austen.)
• Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck
  Caroline is about to spread her wings and fly off to Barcelona, leaving behind her responsible but unexciting life as bookkeeper-slash-waitress at the decrepit Frogmore Cafe. But then she learns that the late owner of the Cafe has willed it to…her. Either she takes it, or it’ll be closed. Sweet Caroline is fluff Christian romance, nothing spectacular. I did enjoy it, though.

Adult Non-fiction

• Changing Diapers by Kally Wels
  Yes, I read books about cloth diapering. Sue me. This was a fun little guide for Moms who have made the decision to cloth diaper (or are strongly leaning that way) and who want some direction regarding the options and/or the process. This book is decidedly pro-cloth diapering and does NOT give both sides of the issue. If you’ve chosen not to cloth diaper and are inclined toward Mommy-guilt, do yourself a favor and don’t read this. As for me, I read it while thanking God that the little Miss (my niece) is cloth-diapered–getting to change her every so often helps keep the covetousness at bay :-)
• Coffee is bad good for you by Robert J Davis
  Have you ever been confused by the conflicting food and nutrition information you hear from just about everywhere? Who hasn’t been? Robert J. Davis puts a collection of popular food/diet information through the evidence test–and shares his findings. This is a rare nutrition book that gets my (almost unequivocal) stamp of approval. Davis is true to his word and avoids the sensationalism to get down to the science behind the headlines. What I liked best about this book is that Davis is willing to say that the jury’s still out–something most health reporters don’t seem to understand in their rush to report what the latest study “proves”.
• Demonic: How the Liberal Mob is Endangering America by Ann Coulter
  I read this. I liked parts of it. I didn’t like other parts. I think Coulter’s crazy. I think she’s very intelligent. I think that if you’re a conservative, you might want to read my full review. If you’re a liberal, you’d probably rather not. Coulter takes delight in ticking off liberals–and, while I don’t delight in doing the same, probably just hearing her described will be enough to raise your blood pressure (I know it raises my blood pressure to hear about certain authors/personalities who take delight in raging against me and mine).
• A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz
  The life “Billy” has lived is far different from mine–and I disagree with many of the choices he describes having made in his memoir of growing up through his encounters with Jane Austen’s fiction–but that doesn’t change my opinion of this book. It is the perfect bibliophile memoir. Deresiewicz takes Austen seriously, extracts valuable life lessons from Austen’s fiction, and shares enough (but not too much) about his own life to make the reader sympathize with him. I sincerely enjoyed this book.
• Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
  Yes, I also read pregnancy books–although the official word on this is “research” for the story that I may someday move from my head to paper.
• Mere Anarchy by Woody Allen
  I don’t know much about Woody Allen, but apparently he’s a comic. I’m not sure about how funny he is, but his Mere Anarchy certainly was fun to read. He used big words, SAT or GRE caliber words. He alludes to educated things. Regularly. It’s fanTAStic. I’d read this again, just for the privilege of reading phrases like “my spine suddenly assumed the shape of a Mobius strip” and “only the fumes of a smoked whitefish I was deconstructing at the Carnegie Deli induced sufficient hallucinatory molecules to conjure the following correspondence.”
• Miller’s Collecting Science and Technology
  I don’t collect science and technology, but it sure is fascinating to read all about the pieces.
• Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
  I had heard about this book (via a podcast I listen to regularly), read about this book (on a couple of different blogs), and talked about this book (with my dad, who’d heard about it from the same podcast I had). It was on my TBR list, but it wasn’t until I saw a hardback copy for sale at the used store that I actually settled down to read it. Nothing prepared me for what I found within. This is a fascinating look at the factors that contribute to success. It was not at all what I expected, but just as interesting as I’d expected. I hope to review this in more detail at some point (add it to the pile of “review in more depth someday”.)
• The Roots of Obama’s Rage by Dinesh D’Souza
  I cringed when this book came up next in my attempt to speed my way through the 973.932’s at my library (current events-if I can finish this and close the gap between it and the next section before the next presidency, I can somewhat stem the tide of new books about politics that I’ll have to read.) The title of this book is awful. It reminds me of all those books that attempted to psychoanalyze Bush or explain how really he was just a puppet of Rove/Cheney/Big Oil. I hate that sort of thing. Hate it, hate it, hate it. And rage? Since when is Obama raging? Condescending, I can see, but I’ve never thought of him as raging. Anyway, I was inclined to not want to read this book. The redeeming feature was that it is written by Dinesh D’Souza, whose books I really enjoy reading. Thankfully, it turned out that this book was mis-titled, and isn’t really about rage after all (thank goodness!) I propose that it should have been titled The Last Anti-colonial. D’Souza draws from Obama’s autobiographies to explain how he feels that the underlying value behind Obama’s policy decisions is anti-colonialism. I’m fascinated by this thesis, and (for the first time ever) am eager to read Obama’s autobiographies myself in order to put D’Souza’s theory under the microscope.

Juvenile Fiction

• Cam Jansen and the Mystery of Flight 54 by David A. Adler
• Cam Jansen and the Mystery at the Haunted House by David A. Adler
• Don’t Talk to Me about the War by David A. Adler
  Tommy Duncan does not want to hear about the war going on in Europe. There’s enough going on in his own home to keep him worried, what with his mom’s shaking and unexpectedly dropping things and falling and whatnot. And when Tommy isn’t worried about his mom, he wants to take his mind off of trouble by thinking about stuff like baseball–not gloom and doom stories of war. But Tommy’s friend friend Beth and their new classmate Sarah, a refugee from the Third Reich, aren’t going to let him ignore what’s going on in the world.
• The Ghost at Skeleton Rock by Franklin W. Dixon
• The Mystery Girl by Gertrude Chandler Warner
• Nine Days a Queen by Ann Rinaldi
  I think I’m on my way to becoming a historical fiction junkie. And if this book is any indication, Rinaldi is among the best. This work is, of course, about Lady Jane Grey, who reigned for nine days before being deposed by her cousin, Mary, who would later have a blood-red cocktail drink named after her. The bit of this book that hooked me for good? The adolescent Edward, Mary, Jane, and Elizabeth (do you recognize these four as King Edward the Sixth, Bloody Mary, Jane Grey, and Queen Elizabeth I?) are discussing the King’s new wife:

  “She is brave,” Elizabeth put in.

  “She has a good head on her shoulders,” Edward said, and just as he said it, he minded what he had spoken, and we all looked at one another in horror.

  “May it stay there,” Mary whispered as if in prayer. And she crossed herself.

  Elizabeth said nothing, but I saw her pale. Her mother had been beheaded when she was just three. She never spoke of it. But I wondered what she felt and how she could live knowing about it.

  ~Nine Days a Queen by Ann Rinaldi, page 14

• At least 28 Children’s picture books

Juvenile Non-Fiction

• Tell Them We Remember by Susan D. Bachrach

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

I’ve been busy, busy, busy, which has decreased my reading somewhat. But I’ve still managed to get a good piece in.

This month I read:

Adult Fiction

• Catching Katie by Robin Lee Hatcher
  Suffrage-fighter Katie Jones returns to her small-town home-town to encourage her fellow women to fight for enfranchisement for women in other states. Her plans go somewhat awry when her best friend, Paul Rafferty, falls in love with her and wants to get married. This was a light read that I was not overly impressed with. Katie’s a bit too self-centered, the “religious” element a bit too contrived, and the plot a bit too formulaic for me to really enjoy it.
• A New Name by Grace Livingston Hill
  In some ways, very unusual for Hill (thanks to a male main character, a very understated romance, and some definite law-breaking). In other ways, classic Hill (thanks to romanticized mothers, a strong “conversion” scene, and lots of great food and household descriptions.)

Adult Non-fiction

• Decision Points by George W. Bush
  A fascinating look at some of the key decisions 43 made over the course of his presidency (and a couple prior to that)–and how he made those decisions. George W. explains why he did what he did–and offers some retrospective thoughts on the outcomes of his decisions. I still don’t agree with everything Bush did during his presidency, but this book confirmed my respect for him as a leader. Read some quotes I’ve extracted from this book.
• Don’t Sing at the Table by Adriana Trigiani
  A delightful little memoir about Adriana’s grandmothers, filled with common anecdotes made special by Trigiani’s telling and wise sayings that are special however they come. I read this book based on Jennifer’s review at 5M4B–and I’m glad I did.
• I’m Not Really Here by Tim Allen
  Supposed to be humorous. Wasn’t quite. Meh.
• The Language of God by Francis S. Collins
  An attempt to reconcile science with faith–or, more specifically, Darwinian evolution with Christianity. I disagreed with much of this book, but appreciated it for provoking thought. Read my full review here.
• The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez
  Few people were surprised when Gaby announced that she was pregnant in her senior year of high school. She was the daughter of a single mom who’d had her first child at fifteen. Many of her older siblings had carried out the family legacy of teen pregnancy. Gaby’s announcement was disappointing, but no surprise–until five or so months later when she announced that she wasn’t actually pregnant. The Pregnancy Project recounts Gaby’s senior project, a social experiment in expectations and prejudices. I had some definite peeves with this book (Gaby’s written voice is less than stellar and the way she skirts the question of whether she and her boyfriend were sexually active frustrated me), but the overall story is fascinating.
• The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard
  Stuff is all around us. We buy it from the store, we bring it home, we pile it up. Eventually, we go through and toss it out. But stuff’s story begins long before it reaches us–and lasts long after we toss it out. Leonard tells that story in The Story of Stuff. I liked this book except when I didn’t. I enjoyed the information and appreciated how Leonard made me think about the environmental impact of “stuff”. I did not appreciate Leonard’s clear bias against individual responsibility and toward government action. (I tend towards libertarianism–and Leonard is evidently a strong proponent of the nanny state.)

Juvenile Fiction

• Cam Jansen and the Mystery at the Monkey House by David A. Adler
• Only You, Sierra by Robin Jones Gunn
  I’ve read the Christy Miller books and the Glenbrook books and the Sisterchicks books–but I’ve never read the Sierra Jensen series until I started this last weekend. And now I’m hooked–so much so that I was VERY disappointed that I can’t access books two and three on my Kindle edition that was supposed to be the Sierra Jensen Collection, volume 1 (containing all three books). Because I’m hooked, I’m actually reading books 2 and 3 on my computer (not something I like to do since the computer’s backlighting KILLS my eyes). I’ll review all three once I’m done, but for now I’m thinkin’ Sierra’s a slightly less conformist but ultimately more normal version of Christy Miller.
• Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge
  I never imagined I’d like graphic novels, but this one is the second I’ve read so far, and it’s rather good. Paige is timid, insecure, and not so sure she likes being transplanted into New York City. But, by taking to heart some art tips from her Grandma (who was a real artist) and practicing them in her sketchpad (and in life), she manages to adjust to and find her place within her new world. This novel reminded me of my little sister.
• The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbit
  Go read Carrie’s Review of this book. She’s right, there doesn’t seem to be any ulterior motive behind this delicious little read. I positively devoured it.
• Young Cam Jansen and the Baseball Mystery by David A. Adler
• At least 14 Children’s picture books, 14 of which were “Franklin” stories

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

I have finally managed to NOT almost forget a Nightstand–but I still almost missed it, thanks to whatever was going on with my database queries (still have no idea but crossing my fingers that my “fixes” will work).

But I didn’t forget it–or miss it. Instead, I’ve a whole huge collection of books to share from when I last updated you on my status (that is, since January 15).

This month I read:

Adult Fiction

• The Help by Kathryn Stockett
  Single-handedly responsible for disrupting my sleep habits for a week. This was incredibly hard to put down.
• The Peacemaker by Lori Copeland
  My little sis recommended this as a senseless read. She was right.

Adult Non-fiction

• Arguing with Idiots by Glen Beck
  I think I’ve mentioned that I don’t think I’m a fan of Beck. But he does better at polemics (as in this book) than in trying to write socio-moral-political treatise (as in Glen Beck’s Commonsense).
• Barack Obama: The Official Inaugural Book
  Even if I weren’t opposite Obama on the ideological spectrum, I think this book would still induce dry heaves. The contributors make absolute idiots of themselves, slobbering over the “legacy” of a man who had (by then) done precisely nothing. History will tell what Obama’s legacy will be–but whatever it is, this book will stand as a powerful testament to the ridiculousness of political idolatry.
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
  How do you describe this book? It’s the story of a line of cells (link to Wikipedia article) that has been in existence for over half a century. It’s the story of a writer trying to track down a story. It’s a story of medical ethics, of segregation, of identity. Mostly it’s a story about a woman who died and what is left living–her family and her cancerous cervical cells. Descriptions can’t do it justice–this is a true story told well.
• The Only Wise God by William Lane Craig
  A rather dense but immensely interesting look at “middle knowledge”–an attempt to mesh the doctrines of God’s sovereignty and human freedom. Someday I’ll talk more about this, but I’m still playing it through in my brain. Most readers will probably prefer to hear about this rather than reading it–cause it’s kinda hard to read.

Juvenile Fiction

• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
  Both of the above were read for Carrie’s L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge. I posted about my participation here
• Blood Red Road by Moira Young
  Saba’s life is forever changed when four riders kill her father and kidnap her twin brother. Determined to find Lugh, Saba sets out an adventure that leads her through the desert, into cage-fighting, and straight to her heart’s desire. Blood Red Road is stunning, intense, and moving–and author Moira Young is poised to be the next epic fantasy author. (I was pleased that Blood Red Road won the Cybil Award for YA fantasy–I read this book as part of Amy’s Armchair Cybils.)
• Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
  A middle-grade retelling of Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” with a dash of a dozen other fairy tales and fantasies thrown in. I loved this book. (Read as part of Amy’s Armchair Cybils. Title linked to my full review).
• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson
  The protagonists of Chains and Forge are young black slaves during the American Revolution-a unique enough concept in the first place. But what makes these novels great isn’t just the setting or the characters–it’s how the author captures the humanity of her characters within their setting. The reader can identify with the characters, but not (as usually is the case) because the characters have thoroughly modern sensibilities. Anderson draws her readers back into the internal conflict of fighting for freedom while keeping others enslaved.
• The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson
• Level Up by Gene Luen Yang with art by Thien Pham
  The first graphic novel I’ve ever read–and I actually ended up enjoying it (a surprise for someone as text-bound as I). A story about video gaming, about med school, about living up to your parents’ expectations, about forging your own way, about guardian angels and exorcising your personal demons. I really was stunned by how much I enjoyed this book.
• Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg
• Misfit by Jon Skovron
  I’m not one to dismiss whole classes of books with one fell swoop–and I’ve been reserving judgment regarding paranormal fiction (which for me means simply ignoring it). Misfit, about a half-girl/half-demon-child, has ended up being one of my first forays into the genre. So far, I’m not a fan. Not that the story wasn’t interesting–because it certainly was. But demons aren’t some imaginary entity that we can make out to be whatever we want them to be. They’re real. And this book does not portray them honestly. Instead, the demon-gods of the Old Testament become warring demon factions (some good, some evil) while the true God is completely ignored (except that the “newer” demons can be warded off by a crucifix.) In my mind, demons aren’t playthings–and neither is this book. (This was another Armchair Cybils read.)
• 2 Easy Reading Cybils finalists
• 2 Children’s Picture Book Cybils Finalists
• 53 other Children’s picture books

Juvenile Non-Fiction

• Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming
  A glossy-paged, black-and-white-picture-filled, informative biography of Amelia Earhart. This book flips back and forth between the search for Amelia after her airplane was lost in the Pacific and the events of her life leading up to her global circumnavigation attempt. I was pleased that this nominee won the Cybil award for YA(?) nonfiction.
• The Great Number Rumble by Cara Lee and Gillian O’Reilly
  A student narrates what happens when the principal decides to drop the math curriculum-and how one math-crazed student convinces him that he shouldn’t. This is a rather spectacular little book about some of the dozens of real-life math applications from music to Fibbonacci numbers to fractals to topology and cryptology and CG animation effects. I pretty much loved this little book–and think young readers (probably upper-elementary to middle-school students) just might like it too. Who ever knew math could be so cool?
• Unraveling Freedom by Ann Bausum
  A very interesting look at how the fight for freedom abroad (in World War I) led to an erosion of freedom at home. I learned quite a bit of information I didn’t know–but I wasn’t altogether satisfied with how it was presented. It seemed a bit propaganda-ish to me.
• 3 other books about math
• 4 Cybils nonfiction picture book finalists

I just renewed a passel of books this last week–so my Nightstand is loaded with just under three weeks to go before I have to return them all.

Let the reading continue!

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

Sigh. Here I go again, almost missing a Nightstand. But I suppose this time it’s justified since state left my facility last night and I got 3 hours of sleep on an office floor the night before. Apparently I needed sleep more than making sure my Nightstand post was ready to go.

What I read as of the 15th (when I last updated this post):

Adult Fiction

• Dana’s Valley by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan
  It took me a bit to get into this book about a young girl whose sister is battling an unknown disease (well, unknown at the beginning.) Once I got into it, I was hooked and I cried and cried. This book marks the close of my reading of Janette Oke at Eiseley library (except, of course, for books co-written with others and cataloged under their names.)
• Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner
  I put this on my TBR list after reading Barbara’s review–but had forgotten what it was about by the time I got it out of the library. I wasn’t disappointed though–this was a lovely tale of two women, Lady Jane Grey and a modern day Jane, dealing with very different life circumstances, but coming to similar conclusions. A great pick for lovers of historical and/or Christian fiction.

Adult Non-fiction

• The Dangerous Book for Dogs by Rex and Sparky
  A hilarious parody of The Dangerous Book for Boys (which is, by the way, a great book), The Dangerous Book for Dogs includes everything a young dog needs to know to be a REAL dog–including how to break up a dinner party, the meaning of the most common chase dreams, and a record of the experiments Alexei and Sergei (two Russian scientific dogs) performed on Ivan Pavlov. (More extensive review here)
• Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
  A fascinating look at everyday life through the lens of economics. Except that economics seems a weird way to describe it. (Sort of like using the term “home economics” to refer to cooking class or sewing.) Actually, this is more about analyzing (sometimes disparate) data in unique ways. The authors ask sometimes bizzare, sometimes straightforward questions like “What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?” (exploring incentives and cheating), “Where have all the criminal gone?” (actually, they’re dead), and “Would a Roshanda by any other name smell as sweet?” (how names make their way through society–and reflect ones’ social stratum).
• It Looked Different on the Model by Laurie Notaro
  Very funny. Clothes you try on but can’t get off, awkward neighborhood parties, feeling like a child when you go back to your parents’ house. Everywoman’s story, except to the nth degree. (More extensive review here)
• Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain! by Scott Adams
  Yeah, I pretty much wish the author had taken the helpful advice he ignored (the title of the book.) I just didn’t think it was that funny. (More extensive review here)

Juvenile Fiction

• Behind the Curtain by Peter Abrahams
  Second of the Echo Falls Mysteries (I’d already read one and two.) Generally good, not too suspenseful, but enough. A good transition, I think, from the Nancy Drew-type mysteries to adult mysteries or psychological thrillers.
• Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Carnival Prize
• Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
  A Cybils nominee (in YA fiction) that didn’t make it to finalist. Boy at boarding school borrows from Moby Dick while journaling his story. He watched his best friend die. He ran. He might have been responsible. He certainly feels responsible. But then another friend makes a plan and the (female) teacher he has a crush on pays him special attention (because she knows he’s not telling something about how his friend died? because she likes him back? he doesn’t know.) It’s a pretty good story, but has a lot of YA-y material (homosexuality, masturbation, and sexual fantasies are all addressed/included at length.)
• The Secret of Pirates’ Hill by Franklin W. Dixon
• Young Cam Jansen and the Dinosaur Game
• Young Cam Jansen and the Double Beach Mystery
• 9 Children’s picture books

Juvenile Non-Fiction

Brave Deeds: How One Family Saved Many from the Nazis by Ann Alma
A wonderful story of a family in the Dutch Resistance preserved many from the Nazis. Though the story is told by a fictional nameless young narrator, all events (and names) except those directly pertaining to her “back story” are historically accurate. This is a fantastic story told well.
• Rescuers defying the Nazis by Toby Axelrod
• 1 book about math

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

I started my resolutions a little early by resolving to not miss a Nightstand post this month. The fact that state still hasn’t shown up in my overdue facility and that I just finished a five day weekend means that this particular resolution was achievable.

What I read this month:

Adult Fiction

• The Centurion’s Wife by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke
  For some reason, I never expect much from historical fiction set around the time of Christ–and always end up pleasantly surprised when I enjoy a piece set in that era. The Centurion’s Wife doesn’t top Francine Rivers’s An Echo in the Darkness (my favorite item from this time period), but it’s still pretty good. I’m looking forward to the rest of this series.
• End of Story by Peter Abrahams
  Another psychological thriller from Abrahams–this time about an writer who can’t seem to publish anything. When she agrees to teach a writing class for inmates at a semi-local prison, she discovers a convicted criminal (and amazing storyteller) that she becomes convinced is innocent. But can she convince a judge? And what about said criminal’s “guilty” plea?
• The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God by Timothy Schaffert
  I’m not quite sure how to describe this novel. The characters are a motley bunch–an alcoholic schoolbus driver, his elementary art teacher ex-wife, their young daughter, and their young son who’s gone off in a fit of religiosity to play in band for the “Daughters of God”, a Christian music trio. It’s a fascinating book, was a very entertaining read–but is impossible to categorize. So I’ll just add a few notes: It’s set in Nebraska. Not being a small town girl myself, I don’t know how accurate all the depictions are, but many of Schaffert’s descriptions sound like what I hear tell of from my small-Nebraska-town-dwelling peers. Also, in case anyone might be misled by the title, this is NOT a Christian book.

Adult Non-fiction

• God: The Evidence by Patrick Glynn
  An interesting treatment of the topic to say the least. Glynn starts with a cosmological argument, but quickly moves on to a more elusive argument from soul to supernatural. Strangely, he considers near-death experiences to be compelling evidences for God. I am inclined to be more skeptical. (Not that I don’t believe that there’s a God–I certainly do–and I know Him. But I am skeptical of near-death experiences, and do not feel that they necessarily are evidences for God’s existence.)
• Glen Beck’s Common Sense by Glenn Beck
  I know there are plenty of Beck fans out there; but, I don’t think I’m one of them. Beck’s stuff was okay but not spectacular. Thomas Paine, on the other hand, writes a truly jaw-dropping Common Sense.
• America by Heart by Sarah Palin
  This book convinced me that I have underestimated Palin. I have generally considered her to be high-action/lower-intellect. But America by Heart reveals her as having a keen and well-read mind. Not that Palin doesn’t have the blue-collar patriotism and common sense that has made her so popular among the supposedly “common man”–it’s just that there’s more than meets the eye. She’s no populist, but a true conservative thinker in the classic liberal tradition.
• Has God Spoken? by Hank Hanegraaff
  An apologetic book on the inspiration of Scripture, this demonstrates Hanegraaff’s definite gift for acronyms. Hanegraaf walks through his famous acronym M-A-P-S (manuscripts, archeology, prophecy, and Scripture) with subacronyms for each point, all to demonstrate that God has indeed spoken through Scripture and that we have a responsibility to be obedient to His word. I’ll review this in more depth later; for now, suffice to say that I greatly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it. (Disclaimer: This book was provided to me at no cost via Thomas Nelson’s “BookSneeze” program. My opinion, as always, is my own.)

Juvenile Fiction

• Bones and the Cupcake Mystery by David Adler
• Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Monster Movie by David Adler
• The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga
  Fanboy is smart. He likes comic books. He lives in the basement. He has one friend. He is bullied by many. He is watched by one–Goth girl. She sees him take the punches. She reads the comic he’s writing. She talks about killing 90% of the school. She hates his guts? This is definitely YA with some violence, some sexual fantasizing (Fanboy is a 16 year old male), some disrespect for authority, and some “tense” family situations. Despite all this, I found Fanboy an endearing character, one who goes from being a downtrodden geek to one who rises above over the course of the book.
• The No Place Cat by C.S. Adler
  A quite enjoyable Middle grade novel about a thirteen-year-old who rebels against the tyranny of living with her dad and step-mom by running away to live with her mom. Along the way, she picks up a stray cat–and discovers something about the responsibilities of belonging.
• The Clue in the Embers by Franklin Dixon
• The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt
  A very enjoyable coming-of-age story that I sincerely hope makes the Cybils shortlist. My full review here.
• The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman
  Another Cybils nominee–this time one I disliked so much that I chose not to finish. High school romance + sex + bad science = not worth my time. My full review here.
• The FitzOsbornes in Exile by Michelle Cooper
  An ultimately very enjoyable story (despite its potentially very inflammatory content)–but not a prize-winner in my book. This is a much cleaner and more interesting “princess” story than the more modern and baser “Princess Diaries.” Read my full review here.

Juvenile Non-Fiction

• The Forgotten Victims of the Holocaust by Linda Jacobs Altman
• The Jewish Victims of the Holocaust by Linda Jacobs Altman
• A is for Adam by Ken and Maly Ham
  An A-B-C book about creation written from a young earth creationist perspective. See my review written from an old earth and language-loving perspective.
• 1 book about bones
• 10 Bible Story books

I borrowed a truncated supply of books three weeks ago, and then picked up the rest in Lincoln on Christmas Adam (immediately preceding Christmas Eve.) So I have plenty of books to keep me busy into the New Year!

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

Second month in a row, I forget the Nightstand. Honestly?

But I just took back a slew of books, among them, these:

Adult Fiction

• Nerve Damage by Peter Abrahams
  I never imagined I would become a fan of suspensish novels–but I’m enjoying Peter Abrahams on my way through the library. This one involves a sculptor whose wife died many years ago in a helicopter accident and… I really can’t say more.
• Room by Emma Donoghue
  This was on my TBR list for quite a while based on a review I read somewhere (but don’t know where since I switched computers and lost all my bookmarks halfway through), but I hadn’t been able to get it at the library. Now I know why. Wow. This is a stunning novel.
• Mr. Knightley’s Diary by Amanda Grange
  A retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma from Mr. Knightley’s perspective. Except that Mr. Knightley’s perspective as indicated in this novel gives absolutely no new information or, er, perspective on the story. I read it, I didn’t dislike it, I don’t really recommend it.
• The Beloved Land by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn
  A very nice conclusion to Oke and Bunn’s Song of Acadia series. And, I think, a conclusion to my reading of Oke (except that my library maybe has a copy of something she wrote with her daughter?)

Adult Non-fiction

• Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style by Kate Betts
  Michelle Obama is a pretty lady. Usually, she dresses well. I enjoyed the pictures in this book. I did not enjoy Betts’ adulatory insistence that Mrs. Obama is somehow the savior of fashion in our day. Yes, my politics (and disgust for Mrs. Obama’s use of her daughters in her childhood obesity initiative) colors my perceptions. But even when I’m trying my hardest to be objective, this still seems over-the-top in trying to present Mrs. Obama as the better-than-Jackie-Kennedy.
• There is a God by Antony Flew
  Renowned (formerly atheist) philosopher, well known for stating that the “burden of proof” for the existence of God rests on theists, writes about the proofs that changed his mind. A bit laborious when dealing with Flew’s atheistic days, this book gets very interesting when Flew starts outlining the philosophical arguments that convinced him that there must be a God.

Juvenile Fiction

• Into the Dark by Peter Abrahams
  Sequel to Down the Rabbit Hole, another good juvenile suspense novel. I liked it.
• Pure by Terra Elan McVoy
  Tabitha and her four best friends (that part plagiarized from the book jacket) are bound by the rings they all wear: purity rings. Some got them from their fathers, one from her brother, one from her best friend–but the rings all mean one thing, a commitment to keep oneself a virgin. But then Tabitha’s best friend loses her ring and another of the girl loses what the ring stands for–and suddenly the world falls apart. The Christianity Tabitha practices in this book is certainly a more liberal version than I practice–but all five of the girls’ beliefs and practices (which turn out to be rather different) are dealt with sympathetically. This was a novel worth reading.
• Calvin Coconut: Dog Heave by Graham Salisbury
  As discussed in my armchair fail post..
• The Castle Mystery created by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Wanna hear my excuse for almost missing this post? I posted it earlier this morning–I was on a roof.

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

When bloggers write that they’d almost forgotten (or comment that they HAD forgotten) their Nightstand posts, I tend to gasp in astonishment.

Forget a Nightstand?

Certainly not my M.O. I eagerly anticipate the fourth Tuesday of the month, adding items to my Nightstand post as I finish them up. Frequently, I spend the fourth Monday of the month putting the finishing touches on my post–and check my reader right after finishing up to find that the link-up is open. Score!

Until this month, where I actually (completely) forgot that this was the fourth Tuesday of the month. Despite having made additions to my post prior to my trip to the library in Lincoln this weekend, I failed to make the connection that this week was the fourth.

So I was surprised when I opened my reader this morning to see Nightstand post sprouting all over. Alas, I had less than five minutes before I needed to leave for Grand Island, so my post had to wait until after I was home (and would have to be sans photographs-sad day!)

Anyhow, this month I read:

Adult Fiction

• A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist
• A Bride most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist
• Fat Chance by Deborah Blumenthal
  Maggie O’Leary is a fat girl who’s embraced her fatness and turned it into a lucrative career–columnist of the popular “Fat Chance” which encourages women to embrace their size. But then she gets a call from Hollywood heartthrob Mike Taylor, asking her to help him understand the mind of the fat people for his upcoming movie. Now Maggie’s singing a different tune, eager to lose weight to impress Taylor. The “fat” part was great (I actually agree with quite a few of her columns), the story okay, the sex totally not okay.
• Maris by Grace Livingston Hill
  I’ve decided that Hill is slightly obsessed with mothers and with mother/child relationships. I found it distressing, though, that Maris was engaged to be married to someone her parents (indeed, her whole family) dislikes, and the whole family chose to “grin and bear it” rather than raise their objections to her.
• My Lord John by Georgette Heyer
  Historical fiction (not a romance) from the time of King Richard II of England to King Henry IV as told from the perspective of Henry IV’s son John. Absolutely fascinating. If I’d read the preface, I’d have known this was Heyer’s last work, published posthumously–and I wouldn’t have been so surprised when it breaks of mid-sentence in part four. Even unfinished, this is a remarkable piece of history and fiction.
• She Makes it Look Easy by MaryBeth Whalen

Adult Non-fiction

• Biblical Authority by James T. Draper Jr, & Kenneth Keathley
• Culture of Corruption by Michelle Malkin
  An indictment of Obama’s “business-as-usual” bent, with in-depth analysis of the company he keeps. My full review here.
• Over-diagnosed by Drs Welch, Schwartzz, and Woloshin
  Subtitled “Making people sick in the pursuit of health”, this book describes the phenomenon of diagnosing people with (and treating people for) “problems” that aren’t yet actually problems. A fascinating book that has made me rethink my approach to preventative medicine. You can read my full review here.
• The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure
  Wendy McClure takes her childhood obsession with the Little House books to a new level as an adult–buying a dash churn, re-reading the books with her live-in boyfriend, and traveling to all the Little House sites. I read this based on Jennifer’s review at 5M4B–and agree wholeheartedly with her recommendation.

Juvenile Fiction

• The Brownie and the Princess by Louisa May Alcott
• Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Circus Clow by David A Adler
• Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams
  The same author I’ve been reading in adult fiction, now with a juvenile novel. This modern tale of a topsy-turvy world is probably my favorite of his so far.
• The Pizza Mystery created by Gertrude Chandler Warner
• Semiprecious by D. Anne Love
• Young Cam Jansen and the Ice Skate Mystery by David A. Adler

Thanks to a trip to Lincoln this weekend to see my Marine brother (returned from his military training and ready to resume normal reservist activities), I was able to stock up on a whole slew of books. 84 to be exact–except that I already read the two by Gist above and the one by Whalen, and started a dozen others.

Which might explain my silence this weekend/early week. I’ve been either spending time with family or reading.

Which is not an altogether bad use of my time, if I do say so myself.

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

I am happy to announce that I read everything I showed you in my picture last month (except for the books I own which are still in progress.) I pretty much never do that.

Adult Fiction

• Delusion by Peter Abrahams
  My second book by Abrahams, this one actually lived up to the designation “suspense”. I enjoyed this tale of a woman whose life unravels when a new bit of evidence releases a man who has years before been convicted of murder on the basis of her testimony.
• Big Girl Small by Rachel DeWoskin
  When I reviewed Big Girl Small earlier this month, I couldn’t decide whether or not to recommend this book about a teenaged little person who finds herself the topic of a national scandal. It’s got some very mature content–and I’m not sure that the good is enough to outweigh the bad.
• Job’s Niece by Grace Livingston Hill
  The least romantic GLH I’ve read so far. Included a very interesting page on dispensationalism. Yes, Carrie, I do enjoy these-and it is somewhat incongruous.
• The Birthright and The Distant Beacon by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn
  I’m almost done with my library’s collection of Janette Oke–this is the last series (I think). I’ve been enjoying the series, but I’ll be glad to be done.
• Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce
  Sherry gave a rave review, Barbara a rather more subdued one. I agreed with both.

Adult Non-fiction

• Dave Barry Turns 40
  I’ve gotta be almost done with Dave Barry’s 817s. Gotta.
• Cats of Africa by Bosman and Hall-Martin
  Lovely paintings and drawings by Bosman, interesting text by Hall-Martin. It’s a coffee-table type book, but stuffed full of information about the 10 species of cats found in Africa: the cheetah, the leopard, the lion, the caracal, the serval, the black-footed cat, the African wild cat, the swamp cat, the sand cat, and the African golden cat.
• Beaten, Seared, and Sauced by Jonathon Dixon
  A project memoir focused around the author’s chef’s training at the Culinary Institute of America. Reviewed here.
• What’s So Great About Christianity? by Dinesh D’Souza
  Definitely a fascinating defense of Christianity. I’ve excerpted liberally in the following posts: The Future of Christianity, Christianity and the West, and Christianity and Science
• Spousonomics by Szuchman and Anderson
  An absolutely fascinating book applying the principles of economics to marriage. A single woman, I’m not the target audience for this book. But I laughed my way through (Szuchman and Anderson are hilarious)–and even ended up applying my new-found knowledge of loss aversion to my computer-building trials.
• American Spartans: the US Marines in combat from Iwo Jima to Iraq by James A. Warren, read by Dick Hill
  A fascinating history of the modern corps. I was rather amazed at the Corps’ ability to adapt to the wide variety of combat conditions they’ve faced throughout the past century. I was also rather amused at how the reader’s “Marine quoting” voice was gruff with a Southern accent.
• The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters
  I may pick this cookbook up again when I have more time to spend cooking. For now, the only recipe I used from this book was a chicken salad. I chose it because its instructions read: “First, make a mayonnaise.” Those instructions were definitely not for a beginner. The end result was rather blah, but I’m not sure if that wasn’t my fault since my mayonnaise broke and I had to mix in an additional egg yolk to get it to re-emulsify. Like I said, I might have to pick this book up again to see if it’s actually any good.
• There Must Be More than This by Judith Wright
  Should have been titled “There must be more than this book”. Wright tries to teach people how to live a life of “more” by getting rid of their “soft addictions”, but her formless “more” leaves something lacking. True fulfillment can only be found in Christ. All other quests for “more” fall short.

Juvenile Non-Fiction

• The Holocaust Heroes by David K. Freman
  Another title in the Holocaust Library series. Not sure whether they’re getting less good as I read more or whether it’s just the repetition of the same material (within the same series of books) that’s making me perceive these last couple as not as well written.
• The Nobel Book of Answers edited by Bettina Stiekel
  A collection of essays by Nobel prize winners. Some are okay, most are vapid, all are patronizing. “How Do I win the Nobel Prize?” by Mikhail Gorbachev is a real winner (NOT!)

Juvenile Fiction

• Anatopsis by Chris Abouzeid
  I have a full review of this dystopian novel in my notebook. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet transcribed onto bekahcubed. So, for now, I’ll say that I give it four stars–and kudos to the author for writing a non-morally-neutral book with witches and warlocks (and gods and demigods, for that matter.)
• Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
  A great little story about a girl with big dreams and big secret–and who manages to accomplish big things, with the help of some neighborhood kids and the famous movie star who hides out down the street.
• Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block
  In my handwritten review, I write that of all Block’s books I’ve read so far, this is the one I’m most likely to recommend. Alas, I haven’t transcribed this review either. Which means I’ll only warn you that it’s a vampire novel and, like the rest of Block’s work, it’s rather edgy.
• What I Saw and how I Lied by Judy Blundell
  I gave this YA novel set in post-WWII America four stars, recommending it for more mature and thoughtful audiences because of its weighty subject matter.
• The Hooded Hawk Mystery by Franklin W. Dixon

Children’s Books

• Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Babe Ruth Baseball by David A. Adler
• Picture Books Bi-Bl
  I read a few dozen of these, including the ever-amusing Chicken Cheeks by Michael Blake.

As always, there are still more books in progress or in the wings, preparing to be taken up for the next go-round!

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

Has August flown by or what?

I can’t believe it’s already time for another Nightstand post. Unfortunately, I just took a batch of books back to the library, so you can’t see photos of what I’ve read (except what I’ve read since Saturday or kept back for review). Fortunately, I did log my books–and I even logged them online for the time being (since my computer is still in limbo.)

So, here’s my box of finished books followed by my list of books read:

Adult Fiction

• Crying Wolf by Peter Abrahams
  I expected suspense based on the front cover quote from Stephen King “–something obscured by barcode–merican suspense novelist.” This didn’t turn out as suspenseful as I expected, but that was a good thing from my point of view. Instead, it was an engaging if not exactly well-told story about a poor young man, a set of rich twins, and the dangers of crying wolf.
• The Gold Shoe by Grace Livingston Hill
  I started reading this on my way down to KC to skydive–and ended up reading the first seven chapters out loud to my traveling companions. I quoted a passage from this book in yesterday’s post
• Duskin by Grace Livingston Hill
• The Sacred Shore by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn

Adult Non-fiction

• Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
  Why are Chinese children (or the children of Chinese immigrants) so much more likely than Western children to be prodigies? Amy Chua says it’s because of the way Chinese parents parent. Chua begins this memoir on a soapbox–and doesn’t quite get back down as she realizes (and reveals to us in story) that Chinese mothering isn’t working with her younger daughter. I enjoyed this quite a bit-but I can understand why it was so controversial when it first came out. Chua’s Chinese parenting sounds an awful lot like child abuse to Western ears–except that these Western ears tend to register the same complaints as she against “Western parenting”, making them much more likely to consider parenting on the Chinese end of the spectrum.
• God’s Diet by Dorothy Gault
  I reviewed this title here. Prepare for a mini-rant from this particular Registered Dietitian.
• Dave Barry is NOT making this up by Dave Barry
• My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster
  Jen Lancaster goes on a “Jenaissance”–freeing herself from the addiction of reality TV to become a “cultured woman”. I loved reading about Jen’s theatre-going experiences, pet troubles, and foot-in-mouth moments. I also loved that there was none of the conservative-bashing that seems so obligatory for memoirs these days. Jen happens to be a conservative herself, but she makes a point to leave her politics out of her writing (except inasmuch as the fact that she’s a conservative makes her even more fish-out-of-water among the hoity-toity culturata she’s now brushing shoulders with.)
• The Most Reluctant Convert by David C. Downing
  This was a very good biography of C.S. Lewis, discussing his religious life from childhood to conversion. I wrote a mini-review in my Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge wrap-up post

Juvenile Non-Fiction

• The Holocaust, Hitler, and Nazi Germany by Linda Jacobs Altman
  Not as well-organized as the other books in this series.

Juvenile Fiction

• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
  I had definitely forgotten a lot from when I read this as a child. I think I love this book. I quoted from it here.
• Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
  I might love the sequel even better. There’s something about a group of almost wild children… Rainbow Valley was one of my favorites in the Anne series. Should I be surprised that I’m also in love with Little Men (or Jo’s Boys, as it has alternately been titled-Whoops, guess I was wrong on this one. Jo’s Boys is a separate book, and one that sounds rather more sensational than the wholesome Little‘s.)?
• The Mystery in the Snow created by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Juvenile First Readers

• Bones and the Math Test Mystery by David A. Adler

Children’s Picture Books

• To & Fro, Fast & Slow by Durga Bernhard
• The Girl in the Castle inside the Museum by Kate Bernheimer
• The Tortoise and the Hare Race Again by Dan Bernstein
• The Curious Demise of Contrary Cat by Lynne Berry
• Are You Going to Be Good? by Cari Best
• Easy as Pie by Cari Best
• Goose’s story by Cari Best
• Last Licks by Cari Best
• Sally Jean the Bicycle Queen by Cari Best
• What’s so Bad about Being an Only Child? by Cari Best
• Three Cheers for Catherine the Great by Cari Best
• Shrinking Violet by Cari Best
• Montezuma’s Revenge by Cari Best
• Wolf Song by Mary Bevis
• The Artist by John Bianchi
• Welcome back to Pokeweed Public School by John Bianchi
• Spring Break at Pokeweed Public School by John Bianchi
• The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco
• The People with Five Fingers by John Bierhorst
• Turkey Bowl by Phil Bildner
• Twenty-One Elephants by Phil Bildner
• A Regular Flood of Mishap by Tom Birdseye
• Airmail to the Moon by Tom Birdseye
• Soap! Soap! Don’t forget the soap! by Tom Birdseye
• Look Out Jack! The Giant is Back! by Tom Birdseye

In addition to the books I’ve finished this last month, I have a number in progress (currently in a tote for easy travel!)

And I was unable to resist the lure of more books when I went to the library on Saturday, so I am almost certainly going to (once again) have to return books unread when I make my next trip down to the library in three weeks.

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

Thanks to an airplane jump and a visit from state surveyors to another of my buildings (not the one they visited last month in time for the Nightstand!), I don’t have pictures or my last week worth of reading. I have only what I’d already written prior to the excitement of this past week. Nevertheless, I do have a bit of reading I can share.

Read and reviewed in brief:

C.S. Lewis: Writer, Dreamer, and Mentor by Lionel Adey
C.S. Lewis is, like, one of my favorite authors (the Valley girl accent is absolutely appropriate, since I’m often a bit of a fan-girl where he’s concerned.) And I’m participating in Carrie’s Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge. So I really wanted to get through this book. I forced myself to read way past when my sister told me I should give up–and finally skipped through to the chapter about Narnia. This book was shelved with the biographies, but that’s not what it is. It’s…something else. It’s a literary critic reviewing what all sorts of other literary critics have said in criticism of C.S. Lewis as a literary critic and as literature-creator. Dull as dust.

I Was a Teenage Fairy by Francesca Lia Block
If I were to try to describe Block’s writing, I’d have to stay that she’s a stereotypical YA author–except that she does it extremely well. Her books are full of edgy and inappropriate material; they’re almost devoid of adult-adults; and they try to be artistic. Except that Block succeeds where other authors fail. This particular book is about a girl-model who had been molested as a child, and about her fairy, who convinced her to keep living (or something like that.) I wish I could recommend Block’s writing, because it really is something to behold–but the sex, drugs, homosexuality, pseudo-bestiality, etc. make me loathe to recommend anything she’s written.

The Next-Door Dogs by Colby Rodowsky
Sara Barker is terrified of dogs. She has been since she was very little and had a bad experience with her aunt’s dog. She’s mostly kept her fear a secret from her friends, but when a nice next-door neighbor moves in–along with two dogs–Sara is forced to confront her fear (or have her friends confront her for her fear.)

Reviewed elsewhere on bekahcubed:

• Redeeming Singleness by Barry Dunylak
• Love at Last Sight by Chris and Kerry Shook

To be reviewed (Maybe):

The Fool’s Progress by Edward Abbey
Eyewitness Books: Photography by Alan Buckingham
The Holocaust Ghettos by Linda Jacobs Altman
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
Thrive by Dan Buettner
Food, Inc by Peter Pringle

Read but not Reviewed (even in short):

• 1001 Horrible Facts by Anne Rooney
• Bones and the Birthday Mystery by David A. Adler
• The Camp-Out Mystery created by Gertrude Chandler Warner
• The Greatest Invention in the History of Mankind is Beer… by Dave Barry
• The Yellow Feather Mystery by Franklin W. Dixon

Additionally, I read somewhere around 30 children’s picture books.

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