In the Storm

Classics Club | 51 Classics in 51 Months

Today I am embarking on a new reading challenge. A long term challenge, not too taxing.

I had never heard of the Classics Club until I read that Elena at Beautiful Hope, a blog I read faithfully for her book reviews, mentioned she had recently joined the club and she is embarking on a 5-year journey into the classics. After doing some research, and because there really isn't a too short of a time limit, I decided to join the club.

The basics of the Classics Club is:

A club created to inspire people to read, and blog, about classic books. The requirement to join is to read 50(+) classic books in at most five years.

I will:

Choose 50(+) classics and list them on my blog. I have listed them below.

Choose a reading completion date. Yep! Did that. Check.

Review each title on my blog. I haven't decided how I will review the classic titles - yet.

This Classics Club reading goal will naturally be included in my annual reading goals. I have decided my Classics Club challenge will be to read:

 

 

The following is my Classics Club proposed reading list (51 Classics in 51 Months). I say proposed because without a doubt, I'm sure, I will abandoned at least one or two or three of the titles and I will need to replace the titles with another classic. In other words I am expecting the list to change (this doesn't bother me; I don't need to be held to an exacting list). Many of these titles I have on other lists as books to read and I even have several of the titles on my bookshelves, unread. I have included a few more modern classics and a couple young readers classics because, while they may be for young readers, most adults will find them enjoyable, too. I know this because I have read quite a few young- and middle-readers that were fantastic.

1. A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett 

2. Middlemarch by George Elliot

3. The Cost of Discipleship by Deitrich Bonhoffner

4. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

5. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

6. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

7. Emma by Jane Austin

8. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

9. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

10. I know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

11. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

12. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

13. 1984 by George Orwell

14. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

15. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

16. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

17. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

18. Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

19. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

20. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

21. Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield

22. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

23. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin

24. In the Heat of The Night by John Dudley Ball

25. The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett

26. Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

27. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emma Orczy

28. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

29. Mrs. Miniver by Jane Struther

30. Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers

31. Humility by Andrew Murray

32. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

33. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

34. The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie

35. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

36. The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas

37. Casino Royale by Ian Flemming

38. Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot

39. The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

40. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson

41. Beloved by Toni Morrison

42. The Complete Stories of Flannery O' Conner by Flanery O'Conner

43. The Three Muskateers by Alexandre Dumas

44. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

45. Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson

46. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

47. Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin

48. Schindler's Ark (List) by Thomas Keneally

49. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsey

50. The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

51. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

What I've been reading | July 2020

Today I am excited to share what I read in July 2020. While I didn't read as many books as I normally do, I did read some fantastic stories! My favorite of the month happened to be my Between the Covers book club read for July, Code Name: Hélène. I was blown away by the writing but the fact that the story is based on a true story, and a bad*ss female protagonist sent it way over the top. 

I read two books this month on racial tensions, slavery, white supremacy and oppression of blacks: Bluebird, Bluebird and Kindred and both were fantastic. I preferred Bluebird...over Kindred but I would recommend either.

I'm tickled that I read three books that will fulfill spots in my 2020 Reading Goals.

What I've Been Reading | June 2020

It was a fairly good month for reading, although I feel I should have read more. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, a rather hefty book, took a long time to read. I am currently reading and I am about half way through, The Sword of Shannara. I blew through I'm Still Here at a pace for taking notes as I am hoping to discuss with my book club (outside of book club). Our book club read this month was Olive Kitteridge. I enjoyed it, but I couldn't give it 5 stars, although I was hoping to see it as such, especially as it won a Pulitzer Prize. A Wizard of Earthsea was very much outside the genre I am comfortable with, yet - I thought the young adult fantasy was exceptional.

This month I changed up (below) how I'm sharing the books I've read, creating mini 4 x 6 snapshots of each book, and of course the double page above that will go into my READ 2020 album. I appreciate how they turned out. I definitely need to write up a mid-year look at how I am progressing on my 2020 Reading Goals.

 

 

 

 

what I've been reading | may 2020

My reading life was back to normal this month. I am thrilled! I dug into my 2020 Reading Goals and updated my spreadsheet, identified where I stood in my goals and where I needed to hit the books hard. As our local library is now scheduling appointments for pickup of books on hold, I, purposefully, made a list this month of those books I might want to read in the years - read a book published in every year since I was born - I have left. My husband and I finished another read a-loud this month which means I am on track for completing that goal this year. This summer I think I will work on completing Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2020 Reading Challenge, also a part of my 2020 Reading Goals.

In my May my book club met via Zoom and hopefully it will be the last month we will have to meet online. We love meeting in my living room together discussing everything book club read. What Alice Forgot was our May book and many consider it their favorite thus far of all book club reads. Even over The Alice Network, which for those of us who read that it was excellent.

Surprisingly, this month, most of the books I read were 5 Star books and only two I gave lower scores. I read such good books.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. Fantastic, compulsory read, and clever plot. This was my Between the Covers book club read for May and everyone loved it and several consider it the best book we've read for book club, even over The Alice Network. The book garnered some lively and intriguing discussion. Definitely, a book we won't soon - forget. Alice wakes up in the gym and later realizes she's lost 10 years of her life. Who she is now 10 years later is not who Alice ever expected she'd become. There are several telling voices, one offered by Alice's sister through epistolary writing, letters to her psychiatrist, and the additional story line that I couldn't get enough of. This will definitely be one of my top reads of the year. 2020 Reading Goals, read a book published in every year since I was born - 2009

Walk the Wire by David Baldacci. Another episode in the Memory Man series, my favorite Baldacci character, an FBI agent with hyperthymesia and synesthesia -- resulting in his never forgetting anything and his counting in colors and seeing time as pictures in his head. Without giving everything away, there is another Baldacci character who has a prominent part in the storyline. Good storyline, however, the direction Baldacci took with the motive for the murders was - frustrating and had me shaking my head - really? And, we didn't find that out until the very end. Captured my attention but the lackluster last chapters found me wanting a different ending.

 

The Giver of Stars by Jo Jo Moyes. Thank you Moyes for redeeming yourself after Me Before You, which I liked - except for the ending. I enjoyed The Giver of Stars immensely. Several slow spots that made it difficult to plow through, but how much I loved this book far outweighed the pace. An exceptional book about a subject, bringing books to the folks who live in the deep hills of Kentucky, and the women who took on the challenging expedition. Big plus, it is a book about books! Rich with historical reference on a subject I knew nothing about and now I find so intriguing.

 

 

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (auditory by Books with Mrs. Bomgardner). What a joy to listen to Suzy Bomgardner (I'm a good friend of her mom!) read aloud The Velveteen Rabbit, one of my favorite children's book as an adult. I'm not a fan of audible books, mostly because my mind wanders and miss the story, but Suzy read the book on YouTube so I could listen and watch if I needed the connection. "Once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always."

 

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. For so long I have shied away from this book. I have even checked it out from the library several times only to put it down again and - again. However, my book club was surprised when they heard I'd never read it and everyone raved about it so, I decided to dig in and get it over with. I know. That was my approach. But, what I found was a beautiful, excruciating story told through the voices of the women, a wife and daughters, of a missionary in the 50's-60's who set out to the Congo unprepared in order to save the Congolese to God, only to do everything wrong a missionary could to wrong. 2020 Reading Goals, read a book published in every year since I was born - 1998.

Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23 by Dallas Willard. No fear of life. No fear of death. How do we live a life everyday enjoying the presence of God, practicing living in His presence; practically living in His presence. Experiencing peace and freedom, and contentment. This was our latest, Jeff and I, read a-loud together and read in the bestest possible way, slowly, savoring. At times overwhelming difficult to grasp, yet so much to ponder. If you think you know and understand Psalm 23, think again. 2020 Reading Goals, read a-loud 8 books with Jeff. This is book 4/8.

 

 

Going to Meet the Man by James Baldwin. Within 8 vignettes are vivid stories of faith and family, bitter love and sheathing hatred, racism, religion, or Christianity at its worse, and life in Harlem all themes that permeated these stories. After the first story I was able to settle in to Baldwin's style of writing. I am not sure if this is his intent but I was quite frustrated at the whites portrayed in his stories; at their behavior. This would be an amazing book to discuss story by story because I think there is more to each story than meets the eye. 2020 Reading Goals, read a book published in every year since I was born - 1965

 

 

The Freedom of Self-Forgetfullness by Timothy Keller. This short, 1-hour reading by Timothy Keller explains gospel-centered humility versus self-esteem whether high or low esteem, the difference, and finding our identity not in self-worth or esteem, or the applause of man. But our identity is always - first - found in Christ and what He has already done on the Cross. Over the past couple of months one person after another has referenced this short little book and for a Christian it is a must read.

 

 

 

Get Out of Your Head, Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen. Another must-read Christian non-fiction. So very applicable for me and so many. The thoughts that are so often running through our minds are not the truth, and, yet, it is Truth that we should have racing through our heads for a healthy way to live. Changing our mindset can impact the way we live out our lives in Christ. We have a choice what goes into our heads. I can stop those fearful thoughts. Our identity is not in our worst sin but our identity is found in Christ. This is another book on my permanent book shelf of - books I love and books I wish I could download into my head.

 

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley. I heard about this book from Modern Mrs. Darcy and while I was drawn to her simple, sweet mini-review it was the books cover that drew me in more; the colors, water blues, and even better it is a book about books. I was also thrilled to find there was a mix of epistolary writing (a favorite of mine) via messages and letters that are left in books in the bookstores' library. This YA book is about navigating friendship, the painfully rough edges of loss, and unrequited love. But, it is even more - or at least just as much - about books as the story is centered in the spines of a secondhand bookstore. 

what I've been reading | April 2020

It was a difficult month of little concentration for anything books. I was able to get under my book belt, The Bean Trees, out of necessity, because it was the book we chose for our book club to read in April. It was a fairly quick read, held my attention easily, substantially provocative, and our book club, via Zoom this month, was engaging. The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver confronts the question of right and wrong, but the right and wrong in the gray areas, which made for interesting conversation as there were several, 'what would you do' potential situations throughout the book. The idea of family and who make up a family and what a family should and shouldn't look like was prevalent throughout the book. So, good. The Bean Trees, is Kingsolver's debut novel and published in 1998, thus, it does fulfill my 2020 Reading Goals - read a book published in each year since I was born.

The second - and last - book I read I picked up after seeing that someone in my book club had already read it so I knew it wouldn't be selected for our upcoming month's reads for book club. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. Phenomenal! Breathtaking! I thought I had an idea what this book was about as I had read the synopsis on Amazon, and read reviews because this was a book club possible. But, in truth, I was blown away! This book will long sit with me and has leaped to the top of the my favorite book this year list. Personally, it was a difficult read, although I COULD NOT put it down! For some people there are triggers (yep, that's me). The book confronts loneliness when someone doesn't even realize they're lonely, the psychological affects of trauma on the young and translated into adulthood, especially in relationships or the lack there of. Revealing, genuine, eye-shattering, engaging, exceptional writing. I cannot say enough about Eleanor Oliphant. This book fulfills my 2020 Reading Goal - read a book published in each year since I was born - 2018

I did a quick update on my 2020 Reading Goals that I created for myself at the beginning of the year and, honestly, I need to get my butt into high gear. I have only read 16 of 58 books towards the goal, read a book published in every year since I was born. I have completed 4 of 12 books for my book club, of course, since I host the book club. My husband and I are currently reading book 3 of what I hope to be 8 read a-louds. And, lastly, for Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2020 Reading Challenge, I have completed 4 of the 12 challenges. All in all I believe I am in good standing to complete my reading goals, although I don't think I can have another month like April!

what I've been reading | march 2020

Thankfully I had read the majority of the books this month before the order to shelter in place was called in response to the coronavirus global pandemic. Once called our lives turned upside down and I read one book - my book club book, The Dog Stars, ironically a book about - a pandemic. A few quality reads this month. I finally read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. The ladies in my book club were surprised I hadn't read it, and actually, I've thought about it over the years but just never picked it up. It finally showed up in my library hold and I loved it! Misty Copeland's memoir was fantastic - worth the time! Jeff and I read through Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado during our morning reading time and we both love Lucado's easy going style, yet thought-provoking and convicting.

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. I still remember the lines in the movie, Footloose, with Kevin Bacon as Ren. “- Mrs. Allyson: Slaughterhouse-Five, isn't that an awful name?
- Ren: Yeah it's a great book... Slaughterhouse-Five, it's a classic.
- Mr. Gurntz: Do you read much?
- Mrs. Allyson: Maybe in another town, it's a classic.
- Ren: In any town.
- Mr. Gurntz: Tom Sawyer is a classic!”   

If I'm honest it was that movie quote that first made me want to read Slaughterhouse Five. 36 years later I have finally read Slaughterhouse Five. And, yes, it's a classic. It reads like: a prisoner of war during WWII having dreams through time, in the past, in the future, and outer-worldly and science fiction-y. It seems to me he has the dreams as a way to survive the horrors of war and to search for something [other] when fear is at it's starkest. The book reflects heavily on death as an unending vicious cycle...so it goes. While I could have chosen this book to fulfill one of my 2020 Reading Goals - read a book published in each year since I was born, instead, I chose this to fulfill Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2020 Reading Challenge - a classic you didn't read in high school.

Ice Station Zebra by Alistair Maclean. A mild suspense, thriller. The newly commissioned atomic submarine Dolphin, which was exciting learning, has impossible orders: to sail beneath the ice-floes of the Arctic Ocean to locate and rescue the men of weather-station Zebra, gutted by fire and drifting with the ice-pack somewhere north of the Arctic Circle. But the orders do not say what the Dolphin will find if she succeeds – that Ice Station Zebra is not what she claims to be, the fire at Ice Station Zebra was sabotage, and that one of the survivors is a killer…I chose Ice Station Zebra to fulfill my 2020 Reading Challenge - read a book published in every year since I was born. Ice Station Zebra was first published in 1963. An interesting and exciting learning opportunity.

 

 

 

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. Beautiful prose and imagery; extremely well-written, however - it is a very difficult read. The subject was quite depressing. Housekeeping is deep work. It is dark and woesome and sad, yet there are sparks of resiliency. I felt there was no human comforts; a miserable existence - except Ruthie and her aunt Sylvie didn't seem to think so. This would make an amazing book club read with lots to pull out and pick apart. This is a debut novel by Robinson first published in 1980. This will fulfill my 2020 Reading Goals, read a book published in every year since I was born [for 1980] and for the MMD Reading Challenge - a debut novel.

 

 

 

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. There was a time many years ago when all I read was Christian fiction and the occasional non-fiction Christian. Even during that season of my reading life I never read, probably the most acclaimed Christian fiction novel of all time, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. When I was researching books to read to fulfill my 2020 Reading Goal, read a book published in every year since I was born, Redeeming Love was number four on Good Reads most popular books (of all books) published in 1991. A Christian fiction book was number four. Over the years I stopped reading most Christian fiction books because I felt the writing was tepid, ineffectual, and saccharine. I have read other Francine Rivers books and I am thrilled to have found a Christian fiction with meat, not lukewarm, quality writing, and a superb story of redemption - a re-telling of the powerful story of the Bible of Gomer and Hosea.

 

Tilly by Frank E. Peretti. I have read two of Peretti's most famous works, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. This Present Darkness still lingers on my all-time favorite books list, ever. I was at the library browsing the shelves and came across Frank Peretti's books on the shelf. Tucked between his darker supernatural works was this slim, just 126 pages, novella and I was intrigued. I had no earthly idea of the contents. I was simply blown away. Supernatural, yes. Dark, no. It was a breathtaking, heart-wrenching, exquisite piece - perfect truth - on forgiveness.

 

 

 

Life in Motion, An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland. I didn't know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by this engaging and enlightening peek into the life of Copeland, the first African American female principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre (the supreme ballet company in the US). Copeland's life growing up was hard and pain-filled but she triumphs through. I thought I might see a hint of success, or ego, but even when she is sharing successes, or sharing something that would give anyone a huge ego, Copeland speaks with aplomb, yet with humility. It is a striking balance for this passionate, endearing ballerina.

 

 

 

Where Eagles Dare by Alistair MacLean. Brilliant, clever writing - with humor. MacLean writes as one 'in the know' on espionage and suspense during WWII. A team of 8 special agents are sent in to parachute in to enemy to rescue a member of Eisenhower's staff who has knowledge of the plans for D-Day, before he is made to talk. It begins in humor - and peril, and ends just as dramatic. I read this - easily at the top of my list for my 2020 Reading Goals - read a book published in every year since I was born - for 1967.

 

 

 

Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado. An easy, yet insightful read in typical engaging and fun Max Lucado fashion. Jeff and I finished this, our second book this year. We enjoy our time in the morning, immensely, reading aloud together a Christian non-fiction book and from the Bible. Each one of us is uniquely created for a purpose. How are we going to step up and rock the world we are in, in this present time, right where we are at? How will you treat others? How will you live? Just as Christ commissioned his disciples, He commissions us, also his disciples to preach the Gospel - and live the Gospel message of hope.

 

 

 

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. At the beginning of the year I put together a huge list of books for my book club to select a book for February, March, and April. The Dog Stars was chosen for March. How could we have known? A book about the survivors of a pandemic and then we are facing a pandemic by the middle of March and my book club has mixed feelings about even finishing their book. I did finish because I'm not a sensitive - in that way - and haven't internalized the coronavirus global pandemic, emotionally, and do not fear the future. While I did enjoy The Dog Stars and I loved the main character, Hig (and his dog) and could easily see the character of his gun-toting lone neighbor, I liked his book Celine 100% better.

what I've been reading | february 2020

A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn. Book two in the Veronica Speedwell Mystery series and, while I didn't enjoy it as much as the first in the series, A Curious Beginning, that doesn't really mean much because it was wickedly clever, and a thoroughly enjoyable reading pleasure. I continued to be blown away by Raybourn's exquisite prose, use of language, and breadth of vocabulary that challenges the mind, yet never felt overused, only perfectly placed. The clever banter, and unique partnership between Veronica and Stoker continued to be developed and are definitely the highlight of the entire book. I was so enamored by the roads traveled toward solving the mystery and the wringing out of every bit of clue, that the murder mystery seemed almost superfluous. In other words - getting to the mystery-solved was so much fun! Book 2/3 towards Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2020 Reading Challenge - read three books by the same author.

 

Golden in Death by J.D. Robb. Book 50 in the In Death series by J.D. Robb (I have all of them and I've enjoyed almost all of them) that highlights Eve Dallas a New York City police lieutenant in the year 2061 and her multibillionaire husband Roarke who often serves as her expert consultant, even though he once was a crook, albeit a crook who changed his ways when he met Eve. Thankfully, Golden In Death redeemed the series after a book or two of drab and so, so. It did lack-lustre with the pageant of characters virtually non-existent except for but a few. Not so much disappointed as, simply missed the characters, the banter that happens between the characters, and the quick-wit. This is part of my 2020 Reading Goal - read a book published in every year since I was born - published in 2020

 

 

Plainsong by Kent Haruf. The writer leaves out all quotation marks, and while this is staggering, I felt Haruf uses their absence to slow the reader down and, thus, immersing the reader fully into the dialogue, and into the story. As if I am a part of the story Haruf is telling, standing with each of the imperfect people and their plain stories. Yet, even without proper grammatical attention, somehow the dialogue rang out as truer; I'm not sure it would have presented the same atmosphere, the same stunning character study, the same haunting lyrical display. We don't understand why some of the characters do what they do we just see them in their now, dealing with their life in choices. This is part of my 2020 Reading Goal - read a book published in every year since I was born. Plainsong was first published in 1999. 

 

 

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Short of hiking the Appalachian Trail myself (which will never happen because I can barely walk a couple miles in one stretch), reading about hiking the AT is the very best next thing and if it is written by Bryson, who is hilariously engaging, then I'm doing it! You know, reading about hiking the AT by Bill Bryson. An exceptionally compulsive walk in the woods. When I was planning my 2020 Reading Goal - read a book published in every year since I was born, and researching what books I would potentially read, A Walk in the Woods was the solitary book on my list for a book published in 1998.

 

 

 

Little Bee by Chris Cleave. Stunning. A superb book club read and discussion. Such an intriguing story for today's refuge dilemmas and heartaches.

 

 

 

 

 

  The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan. Read strictly because someone, although I can't remember who, recommended it and I put it on hold at the library. I didn't even remember picking it up but it was in my very large stack at home of those needing to be read before the return date and I thought it might be an easy, fun read based on the title. That would be a big, fat, no! Sally Red Shoes was a struggle to plow through, especially at first because it seemed to take forever to reach the point of understanding where the book was going. A mix of good and not-so-good character development (I would have loved more development of Sally Red Shoes, herself) and the plausible and implausible plot to grapple with but, however, I hung in and actually enjoyed the writing. It is, if nothing else, a tremendous study on grief and loss, and the time and stages a human goes through both.

 

Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman. "Are you a fan or a follower? Go ahead, think honestly about your relationship with God . . . but don't answer too quickly. In fact, you may want to read this book before you answer at all." Jeff and I read a-loud Not A Fan each morning before work, the first of the books we are reading together; hopefully, of the 8 books we'll read together. We got serious about this book and answered the questions that Kyle broached in the book for ourselves. We didn't want to walk away without being sure we were followers of Jesus, and not just a fan. This is part of my 2020 Reading Goals - read 8 books a-loud with Jeff.

 

 

 

Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson. This is a story of the injustice and justice, and the lack of compassion and mercy in our justice system. It is a frustrating look at our bleeding justice system and the insanity it reeks, at times. And, thankfully, there are those who, with compassion, can transform the corrupt, can free those enchained in the deranged system, and empower the powerless. Thank you Bryan Stephenson for standing in the gap for mercy and offering hope. Engaging, blood-boiling, and necessary. 2020 Reading Goals - read a book published in every since I was born: Just Mercy was the lone book on my list for 2014 (and highly recommended to me by a trusted friend).

 

what I've been reading | january 2020

I definitely got off to a slow start - reading - this year. I seemed to be spending my time setting my 2020 Reading Goals or chasing after my One Little Word®, landing on LEARN before I ever cracked a book open. But once I started I had a book in hand every single day of the month. I began with a super fun, not-scary, murder mystery with well-drawn, likable characters, clever banter and splendid prose, a Veronica Speedwell Mystery by Deanna Raybourn - A Curious Beginning. And ended with my Between the Covers book club, our January read, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, which is just as good, if not better, read a second time through and thoroughly discussed.

A Curious Beginning, a Veronica Speedwell Mystery, by Deanna Raybourn. What a delight!!! Although light on mystery it was chock-full of clever banter, well-drawn, highly likeable, clever, and whip-smart characters - and just so much fun. There were, however, a few parts that seemed misplaced, and I was confused to where the story was going but I believe, in this first in a series, they were included to develop the characters' backgrounds. I would have preferred a slower development, fleshed out with each passing book. Aside from that I adored this first-in-the-series and I am positive I will read the others.

 

 

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. We chose the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Gilead, for our Between the Covers book club read for January 2020, and I could not be more ecstatic, or undone, at the exquisite prose. Gilead is also my book selection for 'read a book published in each year since I was born' - 2004. Probably, the first fiction book I took pages - and pages - of notes. So many quotable, memorable, brilliant words.

 

 

 

 

The Cloudspotter's Guide by Gavin Pretor-Pinney. As part of my One Little Word® for 2020, which is LEARN, I want to revisit meteorology, my job, learn new things, re-learn old things. My extension goal is to revise the high school meteorology class for homeschoolers with the potential for a side business of teaching meteorology to high school homeschoolers in the fall, using my own newly-developed meteorology class. This was an easy-to-read book, although sometimes long-winded, on the science, history, and nuances of clouds. I took it to work with me - I am a weather observer - and would pick it up off and on throughout the month when the weather was fine.

 

Wild by Cheryl Strayed. I read this book, the first towards my 2020 Reading Goal - read a book published in each year since I was born. Wild was published in 2012. So, I'd heard and read some fabulous things about this raw, gritty, 'spectacular...a literary and human triumph,' - says the New York Times Book Review. I agree with literary. Not so much with spectacular and definitely not human triumph, except Strayed did hike the PCT (although not in its entirety) so in that sense it was a triumph. But, in the life sense I read no triumphs. It was definitely an engaging read. I couldn't put it down, actually, although I wanted to because Strayed's life choices, which continued even to her last days on the trail, seemed to learn nothing, no profound revelations, and were just so bad. There was so little to get excited about. I only enjoyed the trail life but even that was derailed by - again - her life choices. And, she was all about forgiving herself but she didn't seem to care whether she asked others for forgiveness, nuts. And, it seems to me that all her 'problems' were of her own making, although she didn't see that throughout the entire book. What is it she learned? I'm stumped. Nothing profound, here. The book did, however, make me want to go hiking and it was so well-written memoir. I do wonder if maybe Strayed figured things out afterwards, in the years following.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. I read this book published in 1966 for my 2020 Reading Goal - read a book published in each year since I was born. As I was perusing multi-lists of books published there were many years I hadn't heard an inkling of the books on the list so I read the synopsis and reviews when making my decisions to add books to my list. For 1966 I added Flowers for Algernon and The Jewel and the Crown. I added a few years worth of books to my hold's list at the library and Flowers for Algernon showed up first.

 

 

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. I read this book published in 1996 for my 2020 Reading Goal - read a book published in each year since I was born. Having read Krakauer's Into Thin Air I knew without a doubt that I would enjoy his investigative writing on Chris (Alex) McCandless, the young man who walked into the wilds of Alaska and never walked out. What happened to McCandless up to the time his remains were found? What led McCandless to lead the life he apparently had? So many questions and Krakauer handles every imaginable avenue with superb writing and engaging text.

 

 

A Quiet Life in the Country by T.E. Kinsey. Set in the early 1900's in England, a Lady and her lady's maid (who, as we find out, have the unconventional relationship of the times, as best friends rather than Lady and Lady's maid) have moved from the big city for the quiet life in the country and stumble upon a murder. The ladies insinuate themselves into the investigation as well as begin investigating on their own. Another murder, and a theft firmly plants the whip-smart, clever, quick-witted, and delightful ladies characters into solving the plethora of mysteries. Having read enough books with British language of the times, there were still some language-usage barrier that I had to navigate, but did so without it hindering my delight of the writing, whatsoever. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

"Are You There God? It's me, Margaret" by Judy Blume. Yes, it's true, I never read this growing up but during my research I saw this book at the top of every list of books published in 1970, I knew I had to pick this book for my 2020 Reading Goals - read a book published in every year since I was born - for 1970. It's a coming of age book, not young adult, but middle grade and should be read considering the times. Throughout the book Margaret has regular conversations with God. She also is confronted with many things kids are confronted with growing up in the middle years, kissing boys, menstruation, gossiping, self-esteem, mean-girl attitudes and navigating the school years. Her teacher gives her class a year long assignment and Margaret chooses choosing a religion. Throughout the year she engages in the surface understandings of various religions and ends up 'unfriending' God (although she misses Him afterwards). What Margaret doesn't realize is that it isn't about religion and she had the beginnings of a relationship all along.

 

Documenting my reading goals.

At the beginning of the year I solidified my 2020 Reading Goals and began my journey towards accomplishing those goals. One of those goals is to document what I've been reading. I have documented what I've been reading every year since I began setting reading goals: 30 New Books in 2015, 52 New Books in 2016, 100 New Books in 2017, 100 Books in 2018, and 120 Books in 2019. Except for last year I met or exceeded my goals. This year my goals are somewhat different as I am not setting a numbered goal.

And, one of those goals, as I said, is to document what I am reading.

I have chosen a 4 x 8, page-size album by Citrus Twist Kits (probably the Sapphire Blue) using a combination of digital and traditional pages. One of the first pages I wanted to include were the goals. Here I used a mix of Feed Your Craft and Ali Edwards' LIST Story kit, perfect for all sorts of lists including reading goals.

I'm super excited for this year of reading.