So, what are YOU reading...

[Luanne]

I know some of you said in your posts about what your children are reading, but what about the rest of you?

I am currently reading "Daisy Miller" by Henry James. I am also reading "So Far From Home" which is a Dear America book.

[MIch elle]

I'm reading many of the books for AO year 7 plus some others - Emma, Deconstructing Penguins, Iliad ... as you might imagine I'm reading most of them very slowly. The variety of books works well for me.

http://aperitelibros.blogspot.com/

[Crystal in VA]

I'm reading A Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin and Homeschooling at the speed of Life.

[DB in NJ]

I'm reading my Bible through in a year. Other than that, I'm still working my way through Pride & Prejudice (I don't think I'll ever finish. I keep falling asleep!!!).

[ncmomo3]

Great Expectations -- and loving every word of it!!

[Chris in VA]

I just finished The Thirteenth Tale (pure junk, but ok) and The Hiding Place.

[Laura in VA]

I do most of my reading before bed, and while I am enjoying this book, I find myself falling asleep in just a few minutes.

[Ang in TX]

I'm working my way through The Book of Margery Kemp, TWEM way. I'm a bit disappointed in this one. Anyone else reading/read this? Care to share your thoughts?

Angie

[Karenciavo]

I just finished The Thirteenth Tale (pure junk, but ok)

I just finished it too Chris. It showed flashes of being good at times, but overall I was left disappointed.

[FloridaLisa]

I'm reading:

Total Truth, Nancy Pearcey,
The History of the Ancient World, Bauer

And something I really need:
30 Days to Tame the Tongue :o) It's taking me longer than 30 days to accomplish this.

Between those and my Precepts Bible Study, I'm swamped at night after I get the littles to bed.

Blessings,
Lisa

[Janie]

Inklings is the first of The Oxford Chronicles (Jeschke). I imagine its genre would rightly be called a Christian romance which I just will not read. But I bought the books because the story is centered around C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkein right after Lewis died. Plus, it had great reviews (and I can see why now). When I picked it up to read, I noticed it was listed as a "Romance" and was thoroughly disappointed that I'd wasted my money on such.

But, the book is fantastic. Yes, it is a love story, and one I will push on teenagers because within the context of the story is a wonderful affirmation of Christian courtship and sexual purity.

At little more at Seasonal Soundings, linked below. (BTW, how in the world do you insert a link without all the http:// stuff showing?)

Now I'm reading its sequel, Expectations.

Also, I'm reading The Great Tradition (with a group and am woefully behind), the Bible through in a year, Cortes (Syme) with my sixth graders, Reclaiming the Future of Christian Education (Green) for ACSI certification, and The Shaping of a Life (Tickle).

My reading time is so limited now that I'm working, so it takes me forever to finish books now.

[percytruffle]

Thanks to someone on the old boards, I'm reading Chronicles of Fairacre A Miss Read Omnibus, including: Village School, Village Diary, and Storm in the Village. I'm also reading The Five Love Languages.

Nothing too heavy, just light and fun for mid-winter entertainment!

Lisa

Percytruffle's Place (http://http://percytrufflesplace.blogspot.com/)

[Jenny in Atl]

Right now I'm reading, Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs, Eat, Pray, Love by E. Gilbert, May Bird Among the Stars, and I Am the Messanger by M. Zusak.

[RebeccaC]

Keep of the Bees by Gene Stratton-Porter. Think I may try and get my boys to read one or two of her books this year.

Also reading Showdown by Dekker because my 15 yo son loved it and wants to talk about it.

Was trying to get through the New Testament in a month but have scaled back to a 3 month schedule.

Blessings,
Rebecca

[Kareni]

Just finished (and recommend) Bill Bryson's latest book which is a biography of Shakespeare. Still reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien (this is for my book group and is also the book my teen is reading for a college writing class).

Regards,
Kareni

[Kendall]

I just finished The Marva Collins Way. It was inspiring.

I'm trying the first of the Miss Read books - Village School

I need to read Hamlet and Canterbury Tales.

Finished Deconstructing Penguins recently.



Kendall

[Susan M in WA]

Right now I'm reading, Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs, Eat, Pray, Love by E. Gilbert.

I loved both of these - I read them last month. I actually laughed out loud at some parts of each book. Very enjoyable reading.

Currently reading:

-Omnivore's Dilemma - Michael Pollan
-Mansfield Park - after watching Northanger Abby last night on PBS, I am going to re-read some Austen books this month
How to Read Literature Like a Professor -
Kicked, Bitten and Scratched - Amy Sutherland - about animal training;)
The Other Boleyn Girl - just getting started
Innocents Abroad - Twain

I am using the new Amazon Kindle device which I wrote about in another post - I LOVE it and I am reading so much more now. The Kindle is an ebook reader so I have all of my books on one device which is with me all the time.

[Phyllis in Canada]

I'm reading Jane and the Barque of Frailty, a Jane Austen mystery by Stephanie Barron. Normally, murder mysteries are my light fare and I enjoyed others in the series several years ago, but for some reason, I'm having a hard time getting into this one. I'm also reading The Screwtape Letters for my co-op group and slowly going through On Being Catholic by Thomas Howard. Deconstructing Penguins is on my night table...

[Janie]

Oh, Marva Collins' Way is one of my all-time favorites! She's my mentor-in-abstentia.

[Myrtle]

Mine are nonfiction:

Just finished Fastnet, Force Ten (The deadliest storm in the history of modern sailing). This book wasn't nearly as good as Tall Ship Down though. I'm about to start either,

Once is Enough by Miles Smeeton which is about a British couple who sailed around the Southern Ocean in their 40 foot sailboat during the 1950s and it got somersaulted in the ocean. This was evidentally the first time that anyone had heard of this happening to a small sailing vessel. Don't know why they say that once was enough for them because after bobbing aimlessly around for some weeks while making repairs, they sailed into Chile, fixed the boat and headed back into the Southern Ocean only to get somersaulted a second time in aother storm. I guess "Twice is Enough" wouldn't sound as ominous? Oh yeah, the guy's wife is interesting in her own right because she also made headlines in an attempt to climb Everest.

The other one that I'm tempted to launch into is The Floating Prison which is of the experiences of a French prisoner of war (Napoleanic Wars) in a British prison hulk from 1806-1814. Against all odds the guy survived and wrote long book about it which is available in translation.

[Mrs. Readsalot]

I am reading the Jane Austen book the week before they are presented on PBS. Mansfield Park will be a long one for me to read in a week with our other school reading etc.

[Caia]

Based on numerous recommendations from this board, my daughter and I are reading Deconstructing Penguins.

[gandpsmommy]

I have started How To Read a Book, The House of Mirth, Middlemarch, The Great Tradition, The Story of Art, The Story of Philosophy. I'm trying to finish the last few pages of Madame Bovary. And I am trying to get back into regular Bible reading with the Psalms.

I think I will shelve the House of Mirth for awhile, since it is my own book and I can read it whenever I have a chance. I will finish Middlemarch first, because it is a library book which has already been renewed at least once, and so the time is ticking away on it. Also, I am really interested in Middlemarch and would like to finish it, and my fractured reading of late has prevented me from progressing very rapidly.

How to Read a Book is also a library book, as well, so I need to finish it.

I'm supposed to be on reading plan for finishing The Great Tradition over the next two years with an online discussion group. Unfortunately I wasn't able to obtain a copy until a week or two after the group started, so I am woefully behind. I really want to catch up so that I can participate in the discussion, or at least benefit from reading other's thoughts.

Story of Art, and Story of Philosophy are also long-term reads for me. I plan to read them leisurely over the next year.

I read most of Madame Bovary over the summer, but I didn't finish the last few chapters because it was overdue at the library and someone else was waiting for it. So, I'm trying to finish the last little chunk. It definitely wasn't one of my favorites, but I'd like to read the ending.

[MelodyInTx]

I'm still working my way through Pride & Prejudice (I don't think I'll ever finish. I keep falling asleep!!!).

LOL. I am to read this next year with the twins, I hope I can stay awake.:D

[Chris in CA]

I just went back to school and am taking two English Lit classes, so I am reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and William Blake

[Lori D.]

Recently finished:

- "Boys Adrift" by Leonard Sax
(non-fiction; sobering)

- "Good Dog. Stay" (Anna Quindlen)
(short, personal essay by a dog lover with wonderful B&W photos of dogs; very poignant for anyone who's ever had to say goodbye to a dog who was a part of your family; you can read it in less than an hour)

- "Story of a Girl" (Sara Zarr)
(powerful, mature, real-life story; ultimately redeeming story of a young teen girl who became sexually active looking for love, and tries to remake her life and leave that loose reputation and choice behind her)



In Progress:

- Ranger's Apprentice series (John Flanagan)
(7 book series given to the family for Christmas; not terribly well written, but our young teen boys are enjoying these as sheer fluff boy adventure)

- "Aurelia's Colors (Jeffrey Overstreet)
(halfway into a "first in a new fantasy trilogy" -- different from your standard fantasy; the author is better known for his movie reviews for CT at the Movies and his film website: lookingcloser.org)

- "The Book of Snobs" (William Thackery)
(1800s British satire; I take it in small doses, a page at the time, as part of the bathroom library (lol) )

- "The Sopratos" (Stephen Pastis)
(comic collection of "Pearls Before Swine"; I confess -- I love those crocs! a few pages a night makes great bedtime reading!)



Sitting In The "Queue" But Not Started Yet:

- "Children of Men" (P.D. James)
- "Plainsong" (Kent Haruf)
- "The Good Husband of Zebra Drive" (Alexander McCall Smith)


I love hearing what everyone is reading -- I always find new things from you ladies to add to my library wish list! Warmest regards -- and happy reading! -- Lori D.

[Karenciavo]

I'm still working my way through Pride & Prejudice (I don't think I'll ever finish. I keep falling asleep!!!).

Go to librivox.org (http://librivox.org/pride-and-prejudice-by-jane-austen-2/) and download. The reading I linked by Karen Savage is very good.

[Alice]

I'm working my way through the fiction section of the WEM. I'm reading Clarissa right now. It's excellent. SWB doesn't actually include it in the WEM but it's one of those books I've always meant to read.

I'm also reading very very very slowly through A History of Calvinism. Admittedly, I typically fall asleep as it's usually bedtime when I'm reading this one.

And I picked up an interesting book at the library called Proust and the Squid about the neuroscience of reading...but it's a little hard to get into so far.

[threetreasurs]

I just read Roots by Alex Haley . . . interesting book . . .

[Julie in GA]

Beowulf (trying to keep up with son's Omnibus reading.

Luther: Man Between God and the Devil - this is my Sunday afternoon reading. I only get a few pages read per week. :rolleyes:

Byond the Bounds (Collection of essays edited by John Piper). This book is a response to the "Open Theism" movement. Also one of my Sunday books.

I had to give up on Portrait of a Lady, which was my book club book, because the Omnibus reading is all I can get to during my weekday free time.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood. I like Atwood, but this was VERY disappointing.
:(

SWB

[ereks mom]

Lately, all I've been reading are scholarship & financial aid application forms! :eek:

[Tami]

Right now I am reading Chosen by God (http://www.amazon.com/Chosen-God-R-C-Sproul/dp/0842313354/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201121364&sr=8-1) by RC Sproul on my own and am reading The Attributes of God (http://www.amazon.com/Attributes-God-Arthur-W-Pink/dp/0801067723/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201121451&sr=1-1)by Pink along with a friend. I am enjoying both. So far I am not doing very well with my New Year's Resolution to read more fiction. :D

[Kelli in TN]

I just finished Country of Men and this morning I started The Saffron Kitchen.

All part of my 888 project.

[Chris in CA]

I just read Beowulf, surprisingly I loved it, what did you think?

[Sandra in NC]

Just finished (and recommend) Bill Bryson's latest book which is a biography of Shakespeare. Still reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien (this is for my book group and is also the book my teen is reading for a college writing class).

Regards,
Kareni
My teen read about 1/2 of The Things They Carried. It's intense/disturbing.
Such is war. Which reminds me of the movie "Why We Fight"...."when war becomes profitable, there will be more of it."

[Luann in ID]

For fun:
Kristin Lavransdatter -- I'm losing much needed sleep with this one (can't put it down)

On the treadmill:
Waiting for Birdy -- tickles my funny bone and keeps me going, love her style

For spiritual nourishment:
Respectable Sins

Aloud to the older dc:
Living on the Devil's Doorstep -- excellent

Aloud to the younger dc:
The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Trying to keep up with the older dc so I can discuss intelligently:
The Odyssey (trans. Fitzgerald)

What I should be reading:
How to Thaw Your Pipes

Luann in ID
mom of 12

[Heather in VA]

Well I'm clearly not the academic giant that so many of you are LOL...

I'm reading

Innocent Man - Grisham
Latin-Centered Curriculum - Campbell.

I am getting ready to start The Iliad to work through it with my oldest.

Heather

[Nan in Mass]

The Galactic Gourmet, Harry Potter et les Reliques de la Mort, Mansfield Park for the umpteenth time, various water colour books from the library, and a book on homeschool portfolio writing. And I'm reading Dante's Inferno and the Mabinogeon (mangled the spelling I'm sure) with the children.
-Nan

[Tokyomarie]

I hadn't done any reading for myself for a long, long time until the holiday when I determined it's time to start again.

So I am reading:

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Since my son is doing Sonlight's Eastern Hemisphere (Core 5) course as a break from our history cycle, I decided I want to read books which focus on non-Western cultures. Though I'm planning a variety of fiction and non-fiction reading, I haven't done any modern fiction reading for years, so I've decided to start with this recent work of fiction.

Awakening Children's Minds: How Parents and Teachers Can Make a Difference by Laura Berk

This one discusses child development and learning from the perspective of Russian psychologist Lev Vgotsky's sociocultural theory. The basic idea is that children learn best when adults prepare experiences that are in the child's "zone of proximal development"; that is, slightly beyond his current competencies, yet still within a place where the child can accomplish the task with carefully given assistance from someone more competent at the task than he.

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

I'm reading the book, not the full study. I've been interested for a long time in this book but am just now getting to it. I needed to find something for spiritual encouragement and hadn't found anything for awhile that grabbed my interest.

[Tracey in TX]

Currently reading:

"What IF", series of essays discussing possible outcomes if major historical events were altered.

"Well Trained Mind" is referenced daily.

"Lords of the North" by Bernard Cornwall

[Maxine in WA]

It's written by Rebecca S. Ramsey and is about her and her family's experiences while living in France for 4 years. They are from South Carolina, but hubby transferred to France (working for Michelin). They lived there for 4 years, then moved back to Greer, South Carolina. It's cute and witty and fun.

[Jodi-FL]

on a friends recommendation, not realizing it was an Oprah pick. Honestly, I don't know what she bases her recommendations on. I didn't read through the whole thing, I skipped to the end.

anyway, I'm also reading Mostly True by Molly O'Neill, Daughters of Destiny, and The Mom Walk.

[Laura Corin]

My reading list so far for this year is here:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfdc5dvw_1d8bcc3hg

Laura

[Rhonda in TX]

I'm reading:

Swallows and Amazons (aloud to the kids) - Arthur Ransome
The Hound of the Baskervilles (at DH's request) - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Charlotte Mason Series - Vol. 6 (Modern English)
The Art of Teaching - Gilbert Highet
Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler

Not counting Swallows, I try to read from at least one of them each day.

[Cynde]

I just finished One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I ended up enjoying it, however, it was a tough read form me. Time constraints required me to put the book aside several times and then I'd have to get back in the flow of it again. The magic realism genre was new to me and the novel is loaded with symbolism. Plus, there were times that the translation seemed awkward to me.

Now I reading Christy by Catherine Marshall. I just started it. The kids read this with SL in middle school. I'm finally getting to it. :) It's a nice lighter change from One Hundred Years.

Enjoy your books!
Cynde

[Anne in Hawaii]

I'm reading and enjoying Habits of the Mind (Sire), but it's taking me a long time to get through it. Also reading Henty's Winning His Spurs for Omnibus II and John Stossel's Myths, Lies, & Downright Stupidity.

[Linda in NM]

nt

[Excelsior! Academy]

Does this board count?:confused::D

[Jean in Wisc]

J

[DB in NJ]

Oh, I'm in HEAVEN!!! I just listened to chapter 1 while I was playing around online. *awesome*

THANK YOU!!!!!! :)

[Zoraida]

I'm currently trying to read my way through all of the Man Booker Prize winners (Britain's Major Literary Prize) I began with the 1969 award winners and nominees and am working my way through the list. I have just recently started the 1976 list beginning with David Storey's novel Saville. I got this idea to read all these award winners when I was browsing Amazon one day looking for something to read. I noticed in their side bar they had an award winner category. So I started browsing the different lists and came up with the idea of reading all the Booker awards and I have been having great fun doing so and meeting great authors like my favorite Iris Murdoch. I was telling another mother about this and she said that there is a Booker Yahoo group where they pick different Booker books to read each month. I was thinking about joining but I belong to so many Yahoo groups already I decided not to join.

I'm starting to think that reading through major award lists is a popular thing to do these days. Yesterday I received my new issue of Entertainment Weekly. The cover story was about what to do during the writers strike and everything is in repeats on television. One of the reviewers wrote that her and her friend just recently started the Pulitzer Prize Book Club. They started with the 1917 winner and are working their way to 2008.
Blessings

Zoraida

[GreenKitty]

Die Broke

[Michelle in MO]

The Fellowship of the Ring[I] again, [I]The Writer's Jungle[I] by Julie Bogart, just finished [I]What's So Great About Christianity? by Dinesh D'Souza. My husband just finished Mornings on Horseback by David McCollough, and I want to read that, too! However, when I finally get a chance to read for fun, it's 9:30 at night and I fall asleep after the first few pages! I'm also studying for the GRE in March, so that's taking up the little spare time I have!

[ArwenA]

Macbeth from the Shakespeare on the Double series, though I'm not using the translation. I'm glad that DD likes it but it's hard when we both can't put it down!:)

[Lorna]

I am reading 'A Hundred Secret Senses' by Amy Tan. I normally read old classics but I am really enjoying this.

[Dawn in MI]

Just led a discussion/activity for my daughter's Tween Book Club on The Mouse & the Motorcycle (by Beverly Cleary) on Monday night & then discussed The Zookeeper's Wife (true story about a Polish family during WWII) with my own book group on Tuesday night. Quite a contrast in both reading level and subject matter, but I enjoyed both!

I also just finished Northhanger Abbey (by Jane Austen) and Strong Poison (by Dorothy Sayers.) Currently I'm reading Have His Carcass by Sayers, despite the awful title! Gaudy Night is the 3rd book in this particular Sayer's series about Harriet Vance & so that is next on my list, along with the Thirteenth Tale for my book group. Also, I'm about 2/3 of the way through Teach Like Your Hair is on Fire and have just started a devotional (?) book/novel called The Shack.

--Dawn

[erica471]

I'm reading Murder in Belleville. It's the second in the Aimee Le Duc mystery series set in Paris. I'm really enjoying this series. I'm still slogging my way through Don Quixote. Also, after seeing Masterpiece Theater on Sunday, I'd like to start Northanger Abbey.

[Sandra in NC]

I am reading 'A Hundred Secret Senses' by Amy Tan. I normally read old classics but I am really enjoying this.
The Hundred Secret Senses is my favorite Amy Tan book! I had to read it twice to "get it" but I enjoyed both times! Isn't Kwan funny? (I met Amy Tan and she autographed my copy!) Saving Fish from Drowning is a good Amy Tan book, too, and is especially interesting reading in light of Burma's recent re-emergence in the news.

I think it's a shame that so many high schools have their students read the Joy Luck Club when Tan has superior books out....

[Beth in SW WA]

How Should We Then Live by Francis Shaeffer

Revolutionary Parenting by George Barna

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

The Case For Christ by Lee Stroebel

[Anne/Ankara]

I'm reading Birds Without Wings, a story set in the 1920's in Turkey. Very interesting read!