Five months ago, I shared my shelter-in-place reading list, and it was pretty darn popular, so I thought I’d share with you what I’ve read since publishing that list.
Why a list of what I’ve already read? First, because it’s easier for me to answer questions about the books. Second, because right now, I’m taking a few online courses and reading fewer books—which doesn’t make nearly so impressive a “current reading” list. And finally, because I’ve somehow done a lot of reading this summer, along with everything else, and to be honest, I’d like to show off a bit. (Occasionally, I do let my ego take charge. Feel free to be suitably awed and inspired. 😉 )
A theme of my summer reading seemed to be revisiting books I’d read before, especially in junior high and high school, as you’ll see in my comments.
So, in case you’re looking for you’re next read, without further ado, here’s what I have read (in order of completion) since April:
(Sorry about the lack of images in this post. My website is migrating to a new server, and that’s causing some problems with the media files this week. The problem should be fixed for next week, though!)
An Echo in the Bone
Diana Gabaldon
The seventh book in Gabaldon’s Outlander series. This is my second read of the book.
Reiki: The Legacy of Dr. Usui
Frank Arjava Petter
For a long time, Reiki has been surrounded by a lot of mystery for several reasons, partly because so little documentation was thought to have survived from Reiki’s early days. In the mid-1990s, however, some documents written by Dr. Usui were rediscovered. This book offers a nice, if brief, consideration of some of those documents and of Reiki.
Written in My Own Heart’s Blood
Diana Gabaldon
The eighth book in the Outlander series. My second read-through. I think this and An Echo in the Bone are quite possibly my favorites in the series.
Stuck in the Middle with You: A Tale of Parenting in Three Genders
Jennifer Finney Boylan
The author, a transgender woman, discusses her experience as a father, a mother, and somewhere in between. She also includes interviews with friends about their experiences with their own parents and as parents themselves.
The Buddha in the Attic
Julie Otsuka
The language in this book flows beautifully, like poetry, as it shares the experiences of Japanese women who were brought to San Francisco as “picture brides” before World War II. It’s spellbinding, revealing, and heartbreaking. Haunting and beautiful.
The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
This was my second read of the first few autobiographies, and my first read of those published after 1996. (This collection includes all the autobiographies: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings; Gather Together in My Name; Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas; The Heart of a Woman; All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes; and A Song Flung Up to Heaven.)
Those first few had stuck with me since I’d read them in high school, but I’d forgotten how much I appreciated Ms. Angelou’s lyricism, humor, and insight. I look forward to sharing these books with my children, especially my daughter, for all they share a life that was in some ways very different and in some ways very similar to my own.
Letter to My Daughter
Maya Angelou
As a mother to a daughter, I found this book thoughtful and beautiful, as I usually find Ms. Angelou’s work.
The Miracle Morning for Network Marketers
Hal Elrod and Pat Petrini
In my opinion, nothing beats the original Miracle Morning for laying out clearly an easy, life-improving routine, but this book includes tips from some top network marketers and is still a good introduction to the Miracle Morning for anyone in network marketing.
The Glitch
Elisabeth Cohen
I really liked the premise of the book, but not the way it played out. The book started painfully slowly for me, and I felt too many loose ends/plot holes were left. Maybe it’s funny if you’re able to identify with the main character, but I just couldn’t.
Mom & Me & Mom
Maya Angelou
Another beautiful book. Simply storytelling that makes undeniably clear the rich tapestry of Ms. Angelou’s relationship with her mother.
The Handmaid’s Tale
Margaret Atwood
I started this book around the time that the TV show began, but then I left it largely unread until this summer. When I began reading the book after having watched the first two seasons of the series, I appreciated the actors in the TV series for their ability to capture the essence of the characters created in the book.
Refuse to Choose!
Barbara Sher
I picked this book up on the recommendation of my mentor Slade Roberson. This is a book written for people who, like us, always seem to have multiple projects going and many irons in the fire but hate being told they need to choose just one to be happy or successful. The author explains the many variations of this type of personality (whom she calls Scanners), and how you can best flourish by embracing this constantly-exploring personality instead of trying to stick to just one job or interest.
Stranger in a Strange Land
Robert A. Heinlein
This was my second read of this book. Like Maya Angelou’s books, this one had stuck with me over the years, and I wanted to revisit it. I don’t really enjoy the method of storytelling in this book, relying so heavily on dialogue, but I still enjoyed the story. In reading it this second time, I couldn’t help but wonder how much my worldview was shaped by this book, which I first read when I was 12.
The Testaments
Margaret Atwood
This is the sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, and I found it far more interesting than I had expected to. I very much enjoyed it, especially the insight provided to the character of Aunt Lydia.
This list doesn’t include the countless children’s books I’ve read with my kiddos or the audio books I’ve listened to, which I always forget to keep track of, but I’m happy to talk about those, too, if you’re interested!
What have you read this summer that you’ve really enjoyed…or absolutely hated?
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