Luggage and Literature

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - St. Augustine

What I Read (June 2015)

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Every month I try to read at least one book from the following categories: nonfiction, devotional, and fiction. Non-fiction ensures that I’m always learning something new. Devotionals ensure that I’m keying into my faith. And fiction books are just so enjoyable to read! This is What I Read in June 2015.

Books Finished:

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss


I read this book at the recommendation of Nomadic Matt. I was skeptical of the claim, and skeptical that it could be put into effect in my line of work. I’m an attorney practicing primarily juvenile law and criminal defense. I love what I do, but it means a lot of time in the courtroom, meeting with clients and treatment teams, and visiting the kiddos that I represent.

A lot of the tips are not geared toward someone in my line of work, and would be nearly impossible to implement without destroying my practice. However, some of the tips about outsourcing work that I don’t enjoy (such as research or brief drafting in my case), and about managing and reducing email were excellent and easily implemented.

And the overall point of doing what it is that you love to do, mixed with periodic mini-retirements is well taken. To a large extent, I probably already do this, as I take two trips per year with my husband, attend at least one out of town conference per year, and visit family regularly. I also try to put little “me breaks” into my week (such as a pedicure during lunch  the end of the day, my weekly bible study group, or lunch or dinner with a friend). I’m satisfied with this, and do appreciate the book’s reminder to focus on living life, rather than just working through my entire life.

(R)evolution (Phoenix Horizon Book 1) by PJ Manney


The story is about a geeky scientist who owns a company that creates and manufactures nano bots. A terrorist attack takes place and he is blamed. To avoid prosecution, he joins an elite club. Things subsequently go very awry, and the man must resort to extreme measures.

This book is fast-paced and exciting. I enjoyed it, and will likely read the next book in the series. This book was part of Amazon’s Kindle First program, so I was able to get it for free pre-release.

Secondhand Jesus by Glenn Packiam


This book challenges its readers to stop relying solely upon secondhand sources, and to delve into the Bible firsthand, and to build a close and personal relationship with the Lord. I felt like this book really challenged me to be more intentional about reading my Bible, and not relying as heavily on devotional (although I do gain a lot of insight from them, and will continue my practice of reading at least one devotional per month). The book is structured with each chapter covering a myth and then debunking it with the reality and the truth. I enjoyed it, and felt challenged in a way that I hadn’t with my last few devotionals.

Rainbow Valley by Lucy Maud Montgomery


This book primarily follows the Glen St. Mary manse children, the children of the minister. They live near Anne’s family and play with Anne’s children regularly. The mother of the manse children is deceased, and the minister always has his head in the clouds, so the manse children regularly get into humorous little scrapes.

The book is sweet and lighthearted. It brought back the joy and youth of the early books in the series, and I really enjoyed it.

Gandhi: A Life Inspired by Lynn M. Hamilton and Wyatt North


I’ve read a few of the A Life Inspired books, and enjoy them greatly. They are relatively short books that provide a glimpse into the lives of fascinating people who have done amazing things in our world. Others that I’ve read have been about Mother Theresa and the Dalai Lama. Each has taught me things that I didn’t know about these incredible individuals, their lives, and other cultures. If you’re looking for an interesting topic, and a book that’s not difficult or time-consuming to read, these books are great.

Sugar by Deirdre Riordan Hall


I LOVED this book! From page one I felt like I could totally relate to the main character and her struggle with food. The story was real, and complicated, and heart-wrenching. The plot and the issues faced were bold. I just can’t say enough good things about this novel. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Procrastination, Zap Your Procrastination by Romuald Andrade


Like many of the other books that I’ve read I the motivation genre, this book had some valuable tips. One of the key takeaways for me (which went along with what I was reading in The Four Hour Workweek, was about just how distracting email and other alerts on a smart phone can be. As a result, I shut off most of the alerts that my phone had been giving. Another good tip was to have both a master to do list, but also a daily to do list. This has made a big difference for me being more productive.

Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult


I wanted to like this book, but 100 pages in, and I still hadn’t connected with the characters or the story. I’m trying to be better about just stopping books that I don’t care for, so I gave it up at that point. It’s strange, because I’ve read several Jodi Picoult books, and have enjoyed them immensely. Somehow, this one just wasn’t for me.

Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff


I had a road trip to Rapid City this month to visit family for a long weekend. I listened to this book for most of my trip out and back. It’s a fascinating true story, that takes place during World War II on the island of Guinea. I really enjoy nonfiction books that read like novels, and this fit into that genre. I recommend it very highly, even if you’re not typically a nonfiction reader.

The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg


I loved this book! I’ve been on a bit of a kick with reading books set during WWI and WWII lately, and this one falls into the WWII category. It’s fiction, but has plot points based on real life. The WASPs or female pilots are one such topic. So fascinating, and it prompted a little Google research to learn more about these brave ladies. A great read, and I’ll definitely be looking for more books from this author.

 

Books Abandoned:

None.

What I Read (NHRA Kansas Nationals)

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When I travel, I always find time to get a bit of reading time in. Car trips, flights, and relaxing by a pool or on a beach afford ample time to read fantastic books. Here is What I Read while traveling to Kansas for the NHRA Kansas Nationals.

Books Finished:

The Giver by Lois Lowry


This book is the original in the dystopian fiction genre. The story is told from the perspective of Jonas, a twelve year old boy who discovers there is much more to the world than what his community is aware of. It is heartbreaking and poignant, and I loved it.  I can’t believe that I had never read it before.  I wholeheartedly recommend this book, even if you aren’t normally a reader in this genre.

Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson


The story is set in New Zealand in the 1800s, and follows a teenage girl who lives with her brothers and father on a farm. Her mother is deceased, so she manages the household. Her life, although busy and difficult, is happy, at least until her father remarries.

This book is the first in a series, and ends very unexpectedly. It irritated me that there was absolutely no closure to the story, but I’m not sure that I liked the book enough to want to read further. Most of the first book was depressing, and the pacing was slow. I guess whether I read any further probably depends on if the following books are free on Kindle.

 

Books Abandoned:

None.

What I Read (May 2015)

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Every month I try to read at least one book from the following categories: nonfiction, devotional, and fiction. Non-fiction ensures that I’m always learning something new. Devotionals ensure that I’m keying into my faith. And fiction books are just so enjoyable to read! This is What I Read in May 2015.

Books Finished:

The Prince and the Singularity – A Circular Tale by Pedro Barrento


This book is strange and wonderful all at the same time. The concept, which I don’t know that I can describe without giving away plot points, is brilliant and fresh. I recommend this book, but will advise my Christian friends that the story line is a bit startling and seems at first blush to be making fun of Christianity. However, after reading the entire book, I don’t believe this to actually be the case, and think the story ultimately redeems itself.

Believing God by Beth Moore


I started this book right after my bible study finished Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman. I for some reason just had a terribly hard time connecting with the lessons in Idleman’s book, and rather than finding ways to make changes in my life, I simply felt guilt for not being more like this in his Not A Fan stories. I don’t dislike his book, but feel that perhaps I just don’t connect with his lesson or manner of explaining things. Beth Moore seems to have the same main theme in Believing God as in Not A Fan, but somehow it reaches past my block and I seem to understand better and can find ways of making steps forward in my faith journey.

Anne of Ingleside by Lucy Maud Montgomery


This book follows Anne when she is in her 30s and a mother to several children, but is also told from the perspective of her son Jem at times, as well. It is a sweet story, which I really enjoyed, especially after the last couple of books, which I wasn’t as fond of.

You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One) by Jeff Goins


For several months I’ve been unsuccessfully searching for a book that would help me to get into a writing groove, as I tend to write several blog posts at a time, but then not touch my writing for a spell. This book was what I was searching for. Goins uses some tough love to force wannabe writers into actually writing, every day, if they want to be real life writers. This is essentially what I need to do, as blog posts tend to come together in stages. Moreover, he talks about branding as a key step in ensuring that readers actually find and remember your writing. Good food for thought, and I’m glad I found his book.

Night Road by Kristin Hannah


A friend recommended this book to me, and I’m so glad that she did. I loved the story, which is surprising considering it has a few legal pieces to it (and as a practicing attorney, these typically but the heck out of me when they’re not accurate). It is reminiscent of Jodi Picoult, but ends on a more hopeful note than some of Picoult’s books.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig


This book follows a man and his son on a motorcycle trip across the country. While traveling, the narrator tells of the scenery and people encountered on the journey. But in addition, the narrator also provides a Chautauqua or lesson on philosophy, and this makes up the bulk of the book.

In the interest of full disclosure, I didn’t read this entire book this month. I started it while on our trip to Bonaire, but have been slugging through it since then. Do you ever read books that you know are good and worthwhile, but that you struggle with and struggle to get through? Yeah, this book was like that for me. Worth it to read, but difficult to get through.

How to Start a Successful Blog in One Hour by Steve Scott


If you are brand new to blogging, and are trying to learn the absolute basics, this short book is a good starting place. If you’ve already got a site set up and are looking for tips to improve it, this is probably not the book for you. It’s quite short, so I found it to be a good read to ensure I’ve got all of the basics of my blog in place.

Three Daughters by Consuelo Saah Baehr


Three Daughters spans the generations of Christian women living in Palestine through the first decades of the twentieth century. It is a fascinating look at different cultural practices, but is a story about primarily the women, which is refreshing. It is quite a long story, but is well worth the time to read all the way through. I never was bored with the story, as there were twists and turns in the plot, just as in life. I loved it.

How to Work for Yourself: 100 Ways to Make the Time, Energy and Priorities to Start a Business, Book or Blog by Bryan Cohen


This book had a few useful tips in it. It was good enough for me to listen to it (my super old school Kindle has text-to-speech) while driving back and forth for work.

Maude by Donna Foley Mabry


This is a mostly nonfiction story (with some parts fictionalized to make the story flow) written by Donna Foley Mabry about her grandmother Maude. It is a riveting story spanning the first five decades of the twentieth century and this strong woman’s often tragic life. I borrowed this book for the Kindle Owners Lending Library, and am glad that I did. This book would be one that I would purchase just to have in my library. I read this book after finishing Three Daughters, and both books are about women’s lives and struggles. I recommend both of them.

 

Books Abandoned:

None.

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