Raise your hand if you hide from your family so you can finish a book!
(I don’t actually “hide” - but sometimes folding the laundry or cleaning up in a specific room might take me a bit longer than usual.)
I feel strongly about homeschool parents reading - reading widely and well. It’s fun to keep track of the books I’ve read and now start to look at patterns - which genres I choose and why - and how those patterns coincide with current events and the events going on in my own life.
Reading also helps me become well-educated - it assists me in my quest to figure out what I think is important for my children to know.
Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later on. Reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself. Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it’s a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real. Reading is grist. Reading is bliss.— Nora Ephron
I read for all of the same reasons as Nora Ephron - “Reading is bliss!".
I accomplished a lot of reading in August thanks to audiobooks. This has been a huge change for me in the past year, and when people tell me they just can’t pay attention long enough for an audiobook I tell them I had to TRAIN myself to listen.
Whether it is my son reading aloud to me (and I’m modeling listening) or I’m listening to an audiobook, listening is a SKILL that you are never too old to cultivate. I believe this skill of listening is translating to more than just books, too.
Books Read in August
August’s books were a mix of historical fiction (my favorite genre), homeschool development, memoir, and fiction. Intentionally I also pulled in a cozy mystery and fantasy, too.
Historical Fiction
When We Were Young & Brave - an Advanced Reader Copy (not yet published)
The Secret Letter (audio)
I would recommend every book in this category! Each taught me something about a particular time period in history and added to my body of knowledge.
When We Were Young & Brave was probably my favorite - it is a story I knew NOTHING about - the internment teachers and children in a British run missionary school in Japan during WWII.
Homeschool Development
This book - by the author of For the Children’s Sake - convicted and gave me resolve as we are beginning a new homeschool year. I recommend this to ALL parents - not just homeschooling parents.
Memoir
I never go wrong with a Book of the Month Club selection. I love my membership in BOTM because I’m always guaranteed a good read that many other readers will be discussing, too. This memoir, by an African American doctor working in Emergency Room medicine, opened my eyes to a problem in our health care system that desperately needs to be fixed. It also addressed issues of racism and inequality in our healthcare system.
(If you use my BOTM Club link you can get a discount on your first order.)
Fiction
The Switch (audio)
Genres I Wouldn’t Normally Read
Both of these books were a pleasant surprise for me.
The first is a fantasy and the second is a cozy mystery.
I found 7 of the Maisie Dobbs books at a thrift store for $.50 each and I will definitely be reading all of them! (Apparently, this was quite the find because a lot of avid readers have been telling me how jealous they are.)
The House in the Cerulean Sea was one of my favorite audios of all time - it was just so whimsical and magical! Normally I don’t enjoy reading those types of books on my own, but I’m thinking maybe I’m wrong about that!
“Bookish” Necessities
A lot of followers on my bookish Instagram account requested I share about some of my book accessories.
Sigh. Yes, I have “bookish” accessories and my family thinks I’ve gone round the bend.
My favorite book light - this light keeps my marriage intact because it allows me to read late into the night while I’m in bed without disturbing my husband. I love it.
The iBeani - this is a great little beanbag for my iPad or Kindle - I can prop either device in it while I’m reading in bed or sitting on the sofa. There is also a pocket for your phone. I can see this being a GREAT gift for a college student! (see the carousel below for a picture of mine - I got the cute forest animals print that you see in the picture and it’s ADORABLE!)
My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler HamiltonMaisie DobbsSwitchFor the Family's Sake: The Value of Home in Everyone's LifeWhen We Were Young & Brave: A NovelThe Beauty in Breaking: A MemoirThe House in the Cerulean SeaFirefly Lane: A NovelThe Secret Letter: A gripping and emotional page turner perfect for historical fiction fansViolinist Of VeniceiBeani iPad Pillow & Tablet Cushion Stand - Securely Holds Any Size Tablet, eReader or Book Upto 12.9 inches, Hands Free Comfort at Any Angle on Any Surface - WoodlandThe Original Mighty Bright WonderFlex Rechargeable Book Light, 20 Lumens of Warm Eye-Care Light, 3 Brightness Levels, 45 Hours of Battery Life, Durable, Flexible (White)
