So what's on your nightstand or to be read pile?

[mellifera]

I'm in the middle of:
Those ****ed Rebels - Michael Pearson
Aeneid - Virgil
Grant and Twain - Mark Perry
Stride Toward Freedom - Martin Luther King, Jr.

dk are having Brighty of the Grand Canyon for a read-a-loud.

What are you all reading and how are the 888 lists coming?

[Joanne]

LOL. This is telling for our family. We do school on my bed on Tuesdays since we don't have additional students and all we do is American History and Bible.

On my nightstand now:

Hold 'Em Wisdom for All Players by Daniel Negreanu
Winning Texas Hold 'Em by Matt Maroon
Beautiful Feet's American History, A Literature Approach for Primary Grades
Leif the Lucky
Beautiful Feet's American History for Jr. and Sr. High
The World Of Columbus and His Sons, Genevieve Foster
Bible Study For All Ages
The Light and The Glory by Marshall

And a book to study for a commercial driver's license in TX so my DH can drive a school bus

[ThelmaLou]

The Hiding Place
Jensen's Format Writing

[Parabola]

I am wading through "Blue Mars" by Kim Stanley Robinson. Its the 3rd book of his Sci Fi trilogy about human colonization of Mars. They're all huge books, its an epic story. Many characters, very different and very human. A lot of science, not only current cutting edge science, but also a view as to where this science may lead us.
Robinson is one of the best.

[Lorna]

The Joy of Chemistry by Cathy Cobb and Monty L Fetterolf

Armchair science which has inspired me to dust off the chemistry set.
:leaving:

[Jenny in Atl]

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson
Skin: A History by Nina Jablonski
God of Animals by Aryn Kyle
:cheers2:

[GothicGyrl]

Just finished: Laurel K. Hamilton's Guilty Pleasures, trying to find her second one--the Laughing Corpse.

Now reading: CSI Vegas: In Extremis

[Adrianne]

Just finished:
A book about the great London fire and the 1665 plague
The Screwtape letters C.S. Lewis

Currently reading:

Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis
National Geographic Magazine March Issue

Want to read:

Climbing Parnassus
many gardening books

[gandpsmommy]

I'm skipping around in The Great Tradition, since I haven't had time to keep up with the Yahoo group.
I just picked up a copy of SWB's novel Though the Darkness Hide Thee from the library because I was curious to know what kind of fiction she writes.

[Crissy]

Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addictions (David Sheff)
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life (Walter Isaacson)
The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears (Dinaw Mengestu)

I'm going for something light and breezy when I finish these.

[6packofun]

Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson and loved it. Next on the pile...

The Good Teen by Richard Lerner (parenting)
The Beautiful Fight by Gary Thomas (Christian/spiritual)
Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck
Touchstone by Laurie R. King (fiction, author of Beekeeper's Apprentice but sadly not in that series)
The Illiad by Homer (888 selection)
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (888 selection)

[Michelle in MO]

Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Dante's Inferno (for Omnibus---my girls say that Dante spent entirely too much time thinking about h___!). Also, when I get a free moment, The Writer's Jungle and The Fellowship of the Ring with my youngest.

[Caroline]

The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy. One of my husband's best friends graduated from the Citadel, and after knowing this man for a while, I thought I would read the book again. (As an aside, this man's father was in the same graduating class from the Citadel as Pat Conroy, and, well, you can probably guess his opinion on Mr. Conroy.)

I also have two magazines, Quilting Arts and Altered Couture. One of my favorite fiber artists has clothes featured in the latter.

Stacked beside the magazines, I have a few calculus text books because I just found out that I was selected to take the AP Calculus course from College Board this summer. The current calculus teacher at my school is excited to have someone from an engineering perspective teaching calculus with him. He has a Ph.D. in math. Mine is in materials science and engineering, so we make a good applied/rigorous team. Hey, does anyone know, do they make a calculus Cliff Notes? I really like their geometry, trigonometry, and algebra ones.

I think my next read will be The Well Educated Mind and SWB's latest history book.

[Jennifer in NH]

On my night stand are:

The Secret Garden
Justinian's flea
Stop Whing and start living

Home Education Magazine
and believe it or not, I just got out the Well Trained Mind to peruse a few sections.

[allearia]

Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness by Joshua Wolf Shenk

[HollyDay]

Stop Dating the Church
Small Changes for a Better Life

various magazines:
Homeschooling Today
Penzey's Spice cataloge
Scotish Life
American Dream Homes

[Myrtle]

A Certain Ambiguity (http://www.amazon.com/Certain-Ambiguity-Mathematical-Novel/dp/0691127093/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205886073&sr=8-1)

It's so good I'm limiting myself to a few pages at a time to make it last longer and to give myself time to think about some of the proposed philosophical problems before the answer is blurted out.

What "Sophies World" is to philosophy, this is to math. I'm really anxious for someone else from this board to read this book and tell me what they think.

[Gailmegan]

Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament by Peter Enns

Byzantium by Stephen Lawhead

Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey

Dealing with Disappointment by Elizabeth Crary

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

[Cadam]

The Latin Centered Curriculum
My ds's LfC book
a couple of books about Montessori teaching
A magazine about organizing

I am such a hs geek!

[Jenstet]

I just joined a book club, I am a little nervous. I have never been before. This is the book I just finished for it

" Vernon God Little " by DBC Pierre

[Rhesa]

Man, I just can't seem to get around to reading lately. It's taking me forever to read:

Seabiscuit (I know it's a quick read, but not when you can barely keep your eyes open!)

Victoria magazine- a favorite from my youth is being reissued! Found it by happy accident at B&N. I'm drooling over the gardens....:tongue_smilie:

[MichelleWI]

I am reading The Autobiography of Benjamin Rush in spurts. There is so much information in the book that it often prompts me to dig deeper on certain topics. There is just too much to try to read it straight through.

I'm also picking my way around TWTM and Teaching the Trivium, seeking inspiration while planning the first year of high school for my eldest.

My reading is intertwined with working the puzzles in my Sudoku magazine.

We don't have a current read-aloud. I am considering Shakespeare or ... I don't know. Something. Something is necessary. I feel rather uninspired at the moment. Isn't that awful? They are all reading so much on their own that I have lapsed into laziness.

Crissy ~ Are you enjoying the Benjamin Franklin book? Is it based on his writings or is it in novel format?

[CactusPair]

Here's my pile:

Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan

The Beast God Forgot to Invent by Jim Harrison (a book of 3 novellas)

A book of NYT crossword puzzles

A homeschool book by the author of Alpha-phonics (can't remember the title)

a book of collected poems by Donald Hall (can't remember the exact title)

Real Learning

[Dana in OR]

"Hold on to your Kids - Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers" by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate -- this book is fascinating. One of the best I have read this year.

"John Paul the Great" - by Peggy Noonan -- just started this one; I love Noonan's writing in the Wall Street Journal so I am bound to like this book.

"The Secret Garden" by Francis Hodgson Burnett -- my daughters are dying for winter to be over so they can plant their own garden. As a result of this book my 7yo dd has taken up the skipping rope.

On audio this month I am two thirds of the way through "Miles Gone By" by William F. Buckley, Jr. It is an autobiography of a man who I have admired and now miss (R.I.P.). I love hearing it read by Buckley himself.

[Perry]

Proust and the Squid; Stones from the River; Overdosed America: The Broken Promise of American Medicine.

[SAMom]

"Christianity Reconsidered"-Just started

"Ourselves" by Charlotte Mason-1/3 of way through

"Making a Home" (Better Homes and Gardens?)-Wanting to start

"A Philosphy of Education" also by Miss Mason- Trying to get through & already need to re-read some portions.

"Robinson Crusoe"- Read-aloud; Kids are getting into this

"Age of Fable"- Struggling through ch1; "Can't wait till we get to the stories", said by ds13

"Pilgrims Progress"- Struggling through

[Mrs. Readsalot]

and Becoming Jane. So many books so little time to read.

[Mekanamom]

The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science (http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Whirligig-Beautiful-Basics-Science/dp/0547053460/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205893902&sr=1-1)

(which had been recommended right here (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=563)!)
(Thank you!)

Robin Hood

From Vines to Wines: The Complete Guide to Growing Grapes and Making Your Own Wine (http://www.amazon.com/Vines-Wines-Complete-Growing-Grapes/dp/1580171052/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205894294&sr=1-1)

And in the portable DVD player on the nightstand is a series on teaching your horse to drive.

[Raders Fan]

the Old Testament
Plutarch's Greek Lives
SWB's History of the Ancient World

[prairiegirl]

Becoming Jane
Kidnapped--prereading for dd for next year
Tending the Heart of Virtue
Might Heart--Marianne Pearl


Julia
mom of 3 (8,7,5)

[Jeannie in NJ]

Great Expectations. Sad but true, the only Dickens that I read in my youth was Oliver Twist. I will read Tale of Two Cities next and then on to Jane Austen (I have also never read any of her books). My oldest child is now 13 so I thought I should start pre-reading some of the books that I will be having her read.

I did read Wurthering Heights and Jane Eyre in my youth and hopefully some other "classics" that I just can't remember now.

[Lisa at Home]

:)

[Crissy]

Crissy ~ Are you enjoying the Benjamin Franklin book? Is it based on his writings or is it in novel format?

I am enjoying it. My son and I are reading it together as part of his history studies. It is a typical, chronological biography, and I've noticed the author has also compiled selections from Franklin's writings in a companion volume, A Benjamin Franklin Reader (http://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-Franklin-Reader-Walter-Isaacson/dp/0743273982/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205935613&sr=8-1). It looks like a wonderful collection.

[Jenny in Florida]

Two books I just finished that are still sitting on my nightstand waiting to go back to the library:

Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood
Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life

Things I'm currently reading:

Nectar in a Sieve
Thursday Next: First Among Sequels

And the kiddo and I are currently reading aloud Around the World in 80 Days (which is getting big thumbs up from him, by the way).

--Jenny

[Debbi in Texas]

I am reading How to Win Friends and Influence People(Dale Carnegie) and Lies My Teacher Told Me:Everything your High School History Textbook got Wrong (James Loewen). Recently finished The Real Lincoln (Dilorenzo).

The last two were recommendations from the old boards and I really enjoyed them and learned a lot.

Debbi

[MichelleWI]

Thank you, Crissy. I put A Benjamin Franklin Reader on my wish list at Amazon.com.

[Moira in MA]

Dante's Inferno (for Omnibus---my girls say that Dante spent entirely too much time thinking about h___!)

We started Inferno this week -- so far all of us are planning to read Purgatori and Paradiso as soon as we get a chance which has to be a vote of confidence in Omnibus.

Needless to say, that is on my nightstand, in two versions no less! I also have:
Ascent to Love; Peter J. Leithart (to help with same)
Mimesis; Erich Auerbach
Pobre Anna bailo Tango; Patricia Verano (anyone know how to do accents?)
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World; Joanna Weaver (still!)
The Ode Less Travelled; Stephen Fry (ditto)

Just finished and need to remove:

The Civilization of the Middle Ages; Norman Cantor
Carpe Diem; Harry Mount

Since I made a point to include my Omnibus reading, I'm doing pretty well with my 888 -- 15 so far.

[Moira in MA]

A Certain Ambiguity (http://www.amazon.com/Certain-Ambiguity-Mathematical-Novel/dp/0691127093/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205886073&sr=8-1)
What "Sophies World" is to philosophy, this is to math. I'm really anxious for someone else from this board to read this book and tell me what they think.

I put it on hold at the library last time you mentioned it. I get to pick it up this afternoon. Now I just need to find time to read it.

[Osmosis Mom]

in case you wanted to know!!! Not exactly high-level literature but I have to say that book 1 is absolutely hilarious and I highly recommend it!!!!

Other than that then I have Comstock's Nature Study Book, Sophie's World, and Deconstructing Penguins going....Except they are not really going anywhere!!!! I fall asleep around 9PM while nursing my baby...

[Jean in Newcastle]

"A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" by Mark Twain : It's ok, but sometimes I think Twain is trying too hard to be funny!

[Tammy]

nt

[Janna]

I just finished:

-Husband-Coached Childbirth (Bradley)
-To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee) - it's been so long since I've read this and it was sooooooo good. I just love that book.

Am in the middle of and almost done with:

- Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
- Pushed:The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care (Block)
- 2 different books on vaccines
-Knowing God (Packer) (this one is taking longer than I anticipated. Excellent book though)

Read alouds:

Dh is reading The Hobbit to dd
I am reading The Call of the Wild with dd
I am reading Farmer Boy with ds

As far as my 888 list goes, it's all been scratched momentarily. Well, not all, but most. I have spent more time reading books about natural childbirth and vaccines than anything else, though I have read at least 4 books on my list so far. At this point, I'm just thankful any reading is getting done at all, LOL.

[Volty]

Halfway through the Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Also reading The Demon Haunted World- Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan

On deck is Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom (I read this 20 years or so ago but don't remember much)

[Lizzie in Ma]

The Illiad, Homer

A History of the English Speaking Peoples, Volume 1, Winston Churchill

When You Rise Up, RC Sproul

[Tonia]

The Excellent Wife
The Iliad
Jane Austen: A Life
Every Woman's Battle
and I've got The Count of Monte Cristo on my mp3 player.

[Parabola]

A Certain Ambiguity (http://www.amazon.com/Certain-Ambiguity-Mathematical-Novel/dp/0691127093/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205886073&sr=8-1)

It's so good I'm limiting myself to a few pages at a time to make it last longer and to give myself time to think about some of the proposed philosophical problems before the answer is blurted out.

What "Sophies World" is to philosophy, this is to math. I'm really anxious for someone else from this board to read this book and tell me what they think.

This looks really really really interesting. Off to locate it at a library or order it. Thanks!