Luggage and Literature

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

January 2022 Reading List

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This year, I’m not doing a reading challenge. They’ve guided and expanded my reading in previous years, but more recently have felt constraining and somewhat joyless. Continuing with one then, seems silly. So this year, I’m reading whatever brings me joy and fits my mood. But I’m going to use a few guiding principles based on things that I want to accomplish. I want to continue or finish some book series that I’ve already started. I want to read primarily from books that I already own. I want to read one fiction, one nonfiction, and one devotional/spiritual/wellness book per month. So without further ado, here is my January 2022 Reading List!

Books Finished

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

The Guide by Peter Heller

A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Ann Fowler

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

No One Goes Alone by Erik Larson

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Galápagos by Josef Litt

To Pixar And Beyond: My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History by Lawrence Levy

The Eighth Flag: Cannibals. Conquistadors. Buccaneers. PIRATES. The untold story of the Caribbean and the mystery of St. Croix’s Pirate Legacy, 1493-1750 by Stanford Joines

Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brene Brown

Society as I Have Found It by Ward McAllister

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

Life in Christ: Lessons from Our Lord’s Miracles and Parables: Volume 1 by Charles H. Spurgeon

 

Books In Progress

The Stand by Stephen King

Influence by Robert B. Cialdini

An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears

Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings by A.W. Tozer

 

Books Abandoned

None.

December 2021 Reading List

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For 2021, I set monthly categories to read from, in an effort to feel less constrained by reading challenges that I’d participated in previously, while continuing to work through the massive collection of books that I already own or have borrowed from friends and family. Each month I’ll include the books that I finished within the month’s category reading, books finished outside of the category reading, books in progress, and books abandoned. And I’ll tell you where the book was sourced from. For December 2021, my reading list is from the category of Whatever Strikes My Fancy!

Books Finished:

Christmas on the Island by Jenny Colgan

Already owned physical book.

This is the first Christmas follow up book to The Cafe by the Sea and The Endless Beach, so it takes place on the fictional island of Mure in Scotland. In this novel, Saif is trying to navigate his children through their first Christmas after being evacuated from Syria. And the other island inhabitants are in on the celebrations too. I really love how Colgan’s novels feel like real people, and are fun while also being poignant and heartfelt.

Christmas at the Island Hotel by Jenny Colgan

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.

This is the second Christmas book set on Mure, and takes place the year after Christmas on the Island. The hotel is finally ready to open for business, and Flora and Fintan have been working to make it happen. But changes are of course on the horizon for the island’s inhabitants. Another wonderful book from Jenny Colgan.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

New physical book.

My friend Tori recommended this book to me when we were at an area used bookstore, and we were both delighted to find that it is in fact a three-book series. In the first book, we meet Georgia and her daughter Dakota, and a cast of characters who find their way into Georgia’s knitting shop. The stories are complex and intermingled, and lovely.

Knit Two by Kate Jacobs

New physical book.

I liked this book less than the first one, and found it a little slow at the beginning, but it picked up pace and gained my interest. In this book, several of the characters found themselves in Italy, learning more about themselves and growing.

Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs

New physical book.

This book was wonderful from start to finish. The knitting club group members seem to be finding their way to happiness, and the futures that they want, while overcoming the difficulties of life. I felt like it was a delightful ending to the series.

Ruth’s First Christmas Tree by Elly Griffiths

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby app.

This short novella is a continuation of the Ruth Galloway novels. It’s only a few days before Christmas, and Ruth is trying to do Christmas up right for her daughter Kate. And chaos of course, ensues. If you like Ruth Galloway mysteries, you’ll like this one too.

The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

Already owned Kindle e-book.

I didn’t know this, but in Germany, there was a family who had the dynasty of being hangmen and torturers. This book is a fictional novel set in the 1600s, and is a mystery involving a hangman, a physician, a midwife accused of witchcraft, some children, some bad men, a devil, and all kinds of exciting events. It was really good, and kept my attention throughout.

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby app.

This is a spin off of the Bookshop on the Corner and Bookshop by the Sea books. It takes place in Edinburgh, when Carmen is helping to turn around a failing bookstore, while torn between two very different men, and living in the home of her sister with whom she doesn’t exactly get along. But don’t you worry! Like a Hallmark movie, everything will come together in Christmas magic in the end.

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe

Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.

Continuing my love of celebrity memoir, I listened to this one by Rob Lowe. Honestly, I didn’t know that much about him, so a lot of this was new and interesting information to me. He narrates the audiobook himself, so I recommend listening to it. Very well written.

The I-5 Killer by Ann Rule

New Audible audiobook.

Mike loves true crime, and on a recent roadtrip, we needed something to listen to so I downloaded this one. This murder and sexual assault spree took place in the 1980s along the I-5 corridor in Oregon and California. I knew nothing about it, so this was pretty interesting. Some of his crimes were pretty gruesome and horrifying, so be prepared for that, if you decide to read this one.

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper

Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.

Anderson Cooper’s mother is Gloria Vanderbilt. This book isn’t a memoir, but instead is Cooper’s history and observations of his family going all the way back to the Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. I really knew very little about the Vanderbilts, and had pretty much only ever heard of them before. This was an interesting look at an American Dynasty and a piece of American history, and appeared to be an honest portrayal of the family members as individual people with desires, hopes, dreams, and flaws. The audiobook is narrated by Anderson Cooper, so I recommend it in that format.

Trusting the Gold: Uncovering Your Natural Goodness by Tara Brach

New Kindle e-book.

This book felt like a new-age version of Brene Brown’s work, in a lot of ways. It has some good information and guidance, but really wasn’t quite my thing.

Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon Self-Control, and My Other Experiments in Everyday Life by Gretchen Rubin

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.

I previously read and enjoyed the Happiness Project about Gretchen Rubin’s yearlong experiment in trying to be happier. This is sort of a continuation or expansion of that experiment, with a focus on projects within the home and family life. It was also really interesting.

I Thought It Was Just Me (but It isn’t) by Brene Brown

New Kindle e-book.

I love Brene Brown. All things Brene Brown. If you haven’t read any of her books, start now. My favorites are Daring Greatly and Rising Strong. I liked this book, but not as much as those two. Brown researches shame and guilt, the webs that keep us in them, and how to break free.

Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day by Clemency Burton-Hill

Already owned physical book.

I’ve been working through this book for a long time (like 2 years!) and am finally finished with it due to getting behind on my reading. Every day has a page to read and a piece of classical music to listen to. The book is physically beautiful to look at, and has all kinds of fascinating tidbits about classical composers and pieces of music.

The Joy of Christmas by Jane Hughes Paulson

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.

A short little book, the author lists things that she is thankful for during the Christmas season, as well as snippets from literature and poetry. It’s a beautiful little book.

Books in Progress:

The Stand by Stephen King (Already owned Audible audiobook.)

Influence by Robert B. Cialdini (New Audible audiobook.)

An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears (Already owned physical book.)

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk (Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.)

Books Abandoned:

None.

October 2021 Reading List: Witch Books

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For 2021, I set monthly categories to read from, in an effort to feel less constrained by reading challenges that I’d participated in previously, while continuing to work through the massive collection of books that I already own or have borrowed from friends and family. Each month I’ll include the books that I finished within the month’s category reading, books finished outside of the category reading, books in progress, and books abandoned. And I’ll tell you where the book was sourced from. For October 2021, my reading list is from the category of Witch Books!

Witch Books Finished:

Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg

Already owned Kindle e-book.

This was a Kindle First book that I saved for “witch” reading month. It was about a woman who is able to break spells in a world where those who do magic have to register their talents. and there is a mystery afoot with magicians ending up dead, and a shadowy organization involved. This was quite good. There is a second book that I plan to read as well.

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Already owned Kindle e-book and physical book.

I’d been looking forward to this book for quite some time. It was very different than what I expected, so I had to adjust my expectations a bit. Once I did, I enjoyed the story. It is a story of female family love and protection, while also having an insightful view into human nature. I liked it.

The Witch’s Daughter by Paula Brackston

Already owned physical book.

Ooh, I really liked this book. I almost quit at one point when Satanism and demons made an appearance, which makes me super uncomfortable. I pushed through that section to see how the author was going to ultimately deal with the topic, and I’m glad that I did, as the main character ended up being a force for good against those things. This was a great book, set in a time period (at least the first time period) about which very little fiction seems to be set.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.

This is also the first book in a series. It was pitched as ‘Harry Potter for grownups’ which I don’t necessarily agree with, although I understand why it would be pitched that way. At times the book is a little bit depressing, but I think this was a stylistic choice by the author to demonstrate how basically unlimited power doesn’t do great things for a person’s mental health. The story was powerful and engaging, and I’ll definitely continue reading the series.

 

Other Books Finished:

The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.

A body in a WWII plane is unearthed, but things aren’t quite as they seem. Ruth Galloway is brought in to consult. And the family who owns the land where the plane is found are all a bit odd. Mystery and action ensue. I really love the Ruth Galloway mysteries and recommend them for a quick and exciting read.

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.

This has been on my TBR for awhile, as I’m trying to work through all of Ray Bradbury’s works, but reading any other time of year seemed wrong somehow. If you’re a fan of Bradbury, you will like this one. But if you’ve not read his works before, and are expecting a light-hearted read, this isn’t for you. The story follows a group of boys on Halloween, who are trying to save their friend. The setting or structure of the book reminded me of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. I enjoyed the book.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

New physical book.

I started this book just a couple of days before Halloween and finished it Halloween night. This book is fairly short, and makes for a quick read. It is spooky, and a perfect demonstration of gothic horror. It’s not like the Netflix series, so you could watch that and still read the book and be surprised by the ending. I really liked it.

Restoring the Shattered: Illustrating Christ’s Love Through the Church in One Accord by Nancy E. Head

New physical book.

If you’re looking for a book that will make you stop and think about the relationships between the Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox churches (and what they should look like), this book is for you. The fundamentals of these churches are the same, and where we differ is quite small in the scheme of things. The author believes that we can attract more people into the Christian churhch and to Christ’s word by working together, rather than by trying to sway believers away from each other’s churches, and I agree with that perspective. A thought-provoking book.

You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience edited by Tarana Burke and Brene Brown

Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby app.

This book is a collection of essays from other writers. Tarana Burke and Brene Brown wrote the introduction and ending. I really liked some of the essays, while others didn’t speak to me in quite the same way. I am glad I read this book, but I’m also not sure that it’s the type of book that a person “enjoys”, if that makes sense.

Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World by Anthony Doerr

New Kindle e-book.

Anthony Doerr is an amazing writer. This is his memoir of living in Rome for one year with infant twins and his wife, while writing All the Light We Cannot See. It captured beautifully the scenery and setting, as well as the exhaustion of early parenthood, and the fear and the fun and the bewilderment of living abroad. It was wonderful.

The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose by Chris Wilson

New Kindle e-book.

The Master Plan is a memoir of Chris Wilson’s life in poverty and in a dangerous neighborhood, then to prison, and his fight to develop a life of purpose, and then how he carried that journey on outside of prison. It’s such a powerful book. I recommend it.

How Can I Be Blessed? by R.C. Sproul

Already owned Kindle e-book.

This book examines the Beatitudes and looking at the Bible’s view of blessings. Really good food for thought, as have all of the other short books in this series.

How Can I Be Right with God? by R.C. Sproul

Already owned Kindle e-book.

This short book looks at the doctrines of justification (by faith alone, or by faith and works) and examines them biblically to determine which is the more accurate perspective.

Originals: How Non-Conformists Change the World by Adam Grant

Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.

Adam Grant is a genius, and I don’t mean that as an exaggeration. I truly think that he thinks of things in novel ways that can really make me think through them. This book gives real information and examples about how we can best champion new ideas and see them through to fruition. Good stuff.

The Heart of the 5 Love Languages by Gary D. Chapman

Borrowed e-book from library using Libby.

Like most other people, I’d heard about the five love languages over time, and really wanted to learn a little more about them. This was a pretty short book that described them well but also concisely.

Books in Progress:

Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day by Clemency Burton-Hill (Already owned physical book.)

The Stand by Stephen King (Already owned Audible audiobook.)

Influence by Robert B. Cialdini (New Audible audiobook.)

An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears (Already owned physical book.)

The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness by Susannah Cahalan (Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.)

 

Abandoned Books:

Spell Booked by Joyce and Jim Lavene (Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.)

The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston (Already owned physical book.)

Why We Dream: The Transformative Power of Our Nightly Journey by Alice Robb (Borrowed Kindle e-book from library using Libby.)

The Intentional Entrepreneur: How to Be a Noisebreaker, Not a Noisemaker by Jen Dalton (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

10 Things You Might Not Know About Nearly Everything: A Collection of Fascinating Historical, Scientific and Cultural Trivia about People, Places and Things by Mark Jacob (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycleby Emily Nagoski (Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.)

What’s It Like to Be Married to Me?: And Other Dangerous Questions by Linda Dillow (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goldman (Borrowed audiobook from library using Libby.)

Success Is Not an Accident: Change Your Choices; Change Your Life by Tommy Newberry (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

The Juggling Act: Bringing Balance to Your Faith, Family, and Work by Pat Gelsinger (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman (Already owned Kindle e-book.)

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