Anne (a.k.a. Modern Mrs Darcy) is hosting a new reading link-up of brief reviews of books – “Twitterature” . Brief as in twitter-inspired 140 character reviews (although she’s not being that completely strict about it.)
No matter, my usual book posts are waaaay too wordy for that. So instead, an up-to-the-moment-of-writing look at the books I have in progress or am about to start reading.
The Old Curiosity Shop
This month’s bookclub book, which I didn’t finish in time. Still am determined to finish it, just for my own satisfaction. I’m less impressed with the story and characters than I am by the fact that he wrote it as a serial. As in, wrote a segment & published it. Repeat next week. And the next and the next…
A Year with Jesus: Daily Readings and Reflections On Jesus’ Own Words
A quick excerpt from the Gospels with some devotional content makes this an ideal last-thing-before-bed read.
Deeply Loved: 40 Ways in 40 Days to Experience the Heart of Jesus
Have only read the introduction, but I’ve really enjoyed the other books I’ve read by her so I have high hopes for this one. Am dithering over waiting to dive back into it as a read for Lent.
Sense and Sensibility
Next month’s bookclub read & no, I’ve never read it. So far so good although I think I need to read it in a print format not ebook. Despite never reading it before I’ve already found some of the names quite familiar; apparently something from the story has seeped into my consciousness.
Refuse to Choose!: Use All of Your Interests, Passions, and Hobbies to Create the Life and Career of Your Dreams
Sounded great when Catherine reviewed it, but it’s not grabbing me that much. Started it before Thanksgiving and haven’t gone back to it. Need to give it one last try or concede that it’s not happening. Love the idea of it, and the part I did read I found myself nodding my head in recognition of the traits described.
Momumental: Adventures in the Messy Art of Raising a Family
Another one that I started and haven’t been that compelled to get back to it. Anyone read it with strong feelings toward it whether I should go back to it or take it back to the library unfinished?
Almost Home
Waiting for the weekend to start this because I’m certain that once I begin I won’t be sleeping until I finish. Plus, I’m kind of sad because once I finish it I’m all caught up on her books and will have to wait impatiently for her next one to be published.
Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
I’m about halfway through and am loving this book. LOVING it. And also wishing I’d done a few things differently with my kids from the start.
Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want — Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible
Book #1 of my self-imposed 24 books off my to-be-read-shelf challenge. So far it’s ok, although a little too business/salesman focused.
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“Apparently something from the story has seeped into my consciousness.” This kills me! I hope you enjoy it. I haven’t read this one in ages and ages–like, a decade or more. Maybe I should choose it for my first classic of 2013? (Except I was going to read new-to-me ones….hmmm.)
I’ve never read anything by Joan Bauer. Should I?
I *love* Joan Bauer so my bias is to say that yes absolutely you should read her. If you like children’s literature she’s my favorite author of contemporary kid lit.
She’s popular enough that her books ought to be at your library, and her books are quick reads so you’re not investing a lot of your reading time to decide if you like her or not.
Start with Rules of the Road or Hope Was Here – those should give you a good idea if you like her work, and some of her earliest books aren’t quite as good as her later ones.
I love Sense and Sensibility though it is darker than Pride and prejudice . I agree about Bebe. I am restarting some stuff with Meres. And the others. Very good.
You know, someone else in the Twitterature linkup reviewed Bebe. (Messy Wife, Blessed Life perhaps?) She said she liked it, but that we Americans were actually doing a few thing right. It was the first review I read that actually said something positive about American parents!
There’s been stuff that I think we’re doing right (we = Americans and me in particular), so I’m not reading it as a “the French are doing everything perfectly correct and we need to emulate them in every way.”
But if I started detailing all of my specific thoughts on it then I’d no longer merely be skirting your guidelines, I’d be stomping all over them, so they’ll have to wait for a full post after I finish the book.
And thanks for the heads-up about the other review. I’m working my way through the other posts that linked up with you, but I’m on the lookout for that post!
Here’s my review of Bringing up Bebe if you hadn’t read it. http://myhometableau.com/the-effect-of-culture-on-parenting-or-a-review-of-bringing-up-bebe/
The French don’t have it all right. I enjoyed the book, but most of the stuff she likes are things that are deeply inbedded in their culture, not as if they have overly thought through their parenting. And…they can be very un-encouraging and even harsh (especially in school)… Ask me how I know??? I came out of classes crying more than a few times and literally had things thrown at me by a teacher once.
I hadn’t read your review, but I will.
I don’t think they’re doing everything right, but I still loved the book. (That may sound contradictory, but I don’t think it is.) I’ll explain more why when I get my thoughts together for my full review. But if you’re concerned about my “wishing I’d done a few things differently with my kids from the start” comment, it relates mostly to snacks & food, but also to sleep.
Your experiences at school there mirror some I’d heard of from family & friends, so I’m sad to say it doesn’t surprise me. Well, maybe the throwing things does a bit; I’d only heard of that from someone a generation older, and had hoped that that at least had ceased.
And I also meant to say, that when I was reading it I was thinking that I wanted to see if you’d read it and get your take on it, since I knew you’d grown up there. Very curious to go and read your review and see if you maybe confirm some of my ideas about the book specifically, and French parenting in general.
Yes! The food and sleeping are actually things I do very consistently. I hadn’t actually thought of them being a cultural influence from my upbringing, but no doubt they were
I actually liked the book. Just the fact the culture is so much a factor it can’t really be separated from the parenting “techniques.”
I’m looking forward to the rest of Sense & Sensibility, and to the discussion about it next month!
Anxious what your final thoughts on Goals will be. I sure could use a way to get things done faster… although currently I’m so tired and uncomfortable constantly I’m not sure anything can help me
And since I’m in baby book mode I’m interested in Bebe… but I don’t know if I can get it in before this little one arrives. Cliff notes is what I need!
So far I’m going to say that the Goals book isn’t one I’d recommend to you – the focus is so geared towards goals that are career & especially income-related that I think there are better options for more general goals. But I’ll let you know once I finish it. And I’m sure I’ve read some other good ones that aren’t so targeted to career goals & accomplishments, so I’ll share those after I check my lists.
I think I read Refuse to Choose with another book called Renaissance Mind that is another perspective on the same phenomenon. I don’t know if I liked it because I was also reading that other book and reading both fast so I was synthesizing the information, but that might be a good thing to do if you do decide to pick it up. Mostly I was SO happy to hear that I wasn’t a lost cause for being a Renaissance Person rather than being a one-driving-passion-for-a-lifetime person that I loved the books for their concepts.
I think my disinclination to return to the book is based more on life events that have taken place since I first began reading it, rather than a disinterest in the book. Because I really was enjoying what I’d read, and feeling like a lot of it resonated with me.