Luggage and Literature

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

What I Read (August and September 2015)

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So…I’m behind on posting again!  So far behind, in fact, that I’ve just combined What I Read in August and September into one post.  Which is probably fine, because I’ve been busy with renovations of the building that I purchased to move my office into, moving offices, work, and travelling.  So my reading was a little lighter than usual.

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 August and September 2015.

August:
Kilimanjaro Diaries: Or, How I Spent a Week Dreaming of Toilets, Drinking Crappy Water, and Making Bad Jokes While Having the Time of My Life by Eva Melusine Thieme


This book falls into the travel memoir category. A homemaker and mother tells of her preparations for and hike of Kilimanjaro. The author is German by birth, and American by naturalization, and is an expat in South Africa. Her perspective on Africa and the experience are unique and fun. An enjoyable read, to be sure.

Praying for Your Elephant: Boldly Approaching Jesus with Radical and Audacious Prayer by Adam Stadtmiller


This book is about how we need to approach God honestly and without censoring our prayers. We need to pray for those big, unrealistic things that we desire for our lives, our elephants, without having guilt. We can pray both for those things that our hearts desire, as well as hunger, poverty, and illness, as God is big enough to hear all of these prayers. Thought provoking.

Liespotting: Proven Techniques to Detect Deception by Pamela Meyer


I chose this book after watching Pamela Meyer’s TED talk. If you haven’t seen it, you should watch it.  It was fascinating, and I hoped that this book would be equally so. The book started out strong, but focused too much on the benefits of being able to spot those who are being deceptive, the benefits of which are pretty clear, I think. I would have liked more on the mechanics of how to actually spot liars, as this portion of the books was very informative and interesting.

The Last Survivors by Bobby Adair and T.W. Piperbrook


This book is a dystopian novel, and is an interesting take on the genre. Essentially, society has started over, and modern knowledge, skills, and technology have all been lost. This book is the first in the series, and I’ll probably continue reading, because it was a quick read that drew me in and I’m interested to see where the plot lines go.

Blogging For Profit by James Darren Scott


This book, in hindsight, is a bit non-memorable. At the time that I read it, it seemed like an interesting read, at least good enough to get through with the text-to-speech feature while I was driving. But I quite honestly don’t remember a single tip from it. 

Strangeville by Kenneth Tingle 


This was a fun little novel! It follows the story of a man truly unhappy with his life, so unhappy that he wants to attempt suicide.  He stumbles across a town called Strangeville. Strangeville is cut off from the outside world and a little backwards, to say the least. The book is a quick and easy read, and quite enjoyable. I recommend it.

The 9 Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs by Ryan Battles


This book was short and to the point, which I appreciated. It had a couple of new tips that I hadn’t heard about before, and didn’t have much fluff. Not bad.

September:
A Scattered Life by Karen McQuestion


 This book was August’s book from the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library for me. I just didn’t realize that I hadn’t read it until I tried to borrow a book for September. It was a pretty quick read, though, so I didn’t miss out on a free book in September. 😉

The story follows a few main characters, normal people in a small Wisconsin town. The people initially don’t seem very appealing, but as the story goes on, they grow on you, and ultimately redeem themselves in the end.  The most compelling portion of the story seemed to end much too quickly, while the set up seemed to take a very long time. I enjoyed the book, but it won’t go down as one of my very favorite books.

The Lazarus Life: Spiritual Transformation for Ordinary People by Stephen W. Smith


This book uses the story of Lazarus to help describe how we’re all dead without Jesus resurrecting us from our own personal tombs. The symbolism from Lazarus’s story and its application to our own lives is profound. I really loved this book!

How To Learn A Language In 90 Days by Adam Muller 


This book had some useful tips and information for learning a language quickly, and actually learning language for speaking while traveling. It put in perspective that we don’t have to have complete language mastery in order to be able to communicate and carry on conversations in other languages, which is encouraging. But I would have appreciated a bit more practical information. It was a quick read, but could have been longer to incorporate this.

One Night with a Rock Star by Chana Keefer


The title of this book makes it seem like it would be a dirty romance, but it is actually Christian fiction. I really enjoyed that it wasn’t “goody two shoes” Christian fiction, but dealt with real world issues in a way that felt genuine and authentic. The characters were relatable. I really enjoyed it, and had to read the sequel right away…

One Night With a Rock Star: part deux by Chana Keefer


But I liked the first book better. The characters were still relatable, but the story just seemed less realistic. I liked it, but it didn’t quite live up to the first book.

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell


I have heard about Gladwell for several years, but am finally reading my first of his books. And it definitely does not disappoint. Much in the same way as Freakonomics looks at the world in a fresh way, Gladwell has a knack for providing new explanations for phenomena in a way that makes sense to the average person. He teaches by providing examples and stories, making the book easy to read and follow. I recommend it.

What I Read (July 2015)

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So this post is super late, as we’re already halfway through August, but better late than never, I guess.  😉  Oh well…life has just gotten in the way lately.

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 July 2015.

Books Finished:

American Sniper by Chris Kyle


 I actually read this book at the tail end of June, but forgot to list it in What I Read (June 2015). It was good enough that I didn’t want to leave it off altogether, so I thought I’d include it in this month’s posting. I don’t think this book could be considered a great work of literature. But the book is an incredibly compelling read, with interesting subject matter, and told from a unique perspective. It was a quick and easy read; I had a hard time putting it down. 

I Want God by Lisa Whittle 


My bible study group read this book, and just finished it this month. We read books out loud during our meetings, so no one has another thing that they ‘have to do’ each week. It works great, but consequently means that we read books rather slowly, so we’ve been working on this book for a couple of months. This book was very thought-provoking, and made me consider what kinds of things I prioritize over my own personal relationship with God, as well as how to make changes to my priorities and reverse my priorities. Outstanding for personal reading or in a bible study. 

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg


This month I wanted to make sure that I read a high quality nonfiction book, as some that I have read in the last few months left a bit to be desired. I have wanted to read this book since it came out, and it delivered on being high quality, informative, and enlightening. I’m sure everyone has heard of this book by now, so I won’t belabor its main points. But I will say that it is worth a read for women, both in and out of the workforce, and for men too. 

Rilla of Ingleside by Lucy Maud Montgomery 


This book continues the Anne of Green Gables series, as well as my previous “kick” of reading about WWI and WWII.  The story follows Rilla, one of Anne’s children just as WWI is getting started and through the war’s end. It was a look at what it must have been like for women at home during the war, trying to support the Allied effort, as well as carry on and try to live as normally as possible. This was probably one of my favorites of the series.

How To Achieve Goals When Failure Isn’t An Option by Hajii Brown 


This book was motivating, but also short and easy to get through. I read it in the car (using Kindle’s speech to text) and was entertained for part of a seven hour road trip, so it was worthwhile to me. 

10 Women Every Christian Should Know by Michelle DeRusha 


I really loved this book! I had never heard of some of these women, and really enjoyed learning a bit about their lives and spiritual journeys. It was informative, but also had short enough chapters on each of the women so that I could just read a chapter at a time and then move on, which is how I read most nonfiction and devotionals. Wonderful read! 

The Motivation Switch by AJ Winters 


This book had 77 ideas for increasing motivation, some of which were memorable and useful. I can’t say that I have a big problem with motivation, but do procrastinate a bit on projects that I don’t want to do and shouldn’t have probably taken on in the first place. The book was not bad for an in-the-car, Kindle speech to text type of book.

Chronicles of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery 


This book is actually several short stories about characters tangentially related to Avonlea and Anne Shirley. I especially liked the story about the Old Lady. It kept me completely entertained and wanting to know what would happen next. This book is another solid entry in the series by Montgomery. 

Budget Traveling 101 by John Mayo 


This book truly is a 101 or beginner type of book. I can’t say that I really learned any new tips. And quite frankly, the author’s stories, which seem to glorify hitchhiking and sleeping on park benches seems highly unrealistic for the vast majority of travelers, and dangerous for female travelers such as myself.

The Einstein Prophecy by Robert Masello 


This book was my Kindle First book for the month. I was a little bit ambivalent after reading the description for the book, but ended up really enjoying it. The novel is set during WWII, and follows several main characters, including Albert Einstein. It is fast paced, and has a little something for everyone, including action, adventure, and romance. I recommend this book.

Stewarding Life: One Lifetime, Limited Resources, Eternal Priorities by Paul Chappell


This book made some great points about how all of our resources, which ultimately all flow from and belong to God, are finite, and that we can have the greatest impact on spreading the message of Christ by stewarding those resources well. I appreciated that the stewardship that the author discussed were not all financial resources, but also included time, talents, and simply willingness to share the Good News. A good read.

Inamorata by Megan Chance 


This book is set in Venice and is told from the perspective of several main characters. I can’t tell much about the plot without giving away key plot points, so I’ll just say that I found it hard to put down. I put this book in my Kindle Wish List, because it was part of the Kindle First program, but I was unsure of whether I’d like it. It surpassed my expectations. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fictional story that moves quickly.

 

Books Abandoned:

None.

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.

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