Tag: books

I wrote my 2017 reading list about a year ago about trying to focus my 2017 reading on more serious political books & memoirs & mix in a few light-hearted books here & there to keep me sane.

So here’s what I’m reading now. A little light & funny. A little heavy. A little gory. & a little calm for the soul.

What’s on my end table: I’m finishing up Fire & Fury by Michael Wolff & also What Unites Us by Dan Rather.

What’s on my kindle: Clash of Kings (Game of Thrones book 2) & Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist.

What I’ve read in last year:

• Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult (started 2017 with this one & it ended up being so appropriate with what happened in Charlottesville etc)
• In The Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson (called my dad & made he & my mom listen to this pre-WWII book on the US ambassador to Germany)
• Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson (such a great read on the Great Migration),
• Our Kids by Robert Putnam (didn’t make it all the way through for book club but reminded me of sociology books),
• I’m Judging You by Luvvie Ajayi (laughed til I cried),
• Wild by Cheryl Strayed (an adventure & come to find yourself story that had been on my want-to-read-list for years)
• The Magnolia Story by Chip & Joanna Gaines
• The Book Thief (everyone should read this WWII novel),
• Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean (another one for book club that I didn’t make it through, reminded me of a college text that I’d have slept through),
• Thank You for Your Service by David Finkel (didn’t finished by book club but I enjoyed reading the stories of these vets, want to watch the movie)
• Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (I didn’t know his back story & it was a fascinating read)
• Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (loved this book then had to see the movie)
• Game of Thrones by Martin (so much content on the characters I love from the series)
• What Happened by HRC (just finished it this week. I didn’t make it through a chapter without crying over what could have been vs what our current reality is)

What’s on my To Read list:

• 13 Reasons Why by Jay Ashley (I watched the show on Netflix, been meaning to read the book)
• Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst
• A Wrinkle in Time (not sure why I never read this one in HS, movie review coming soon!)
• Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria (I requested this one at the library & it arrived at the same time as 3 others, so it’s back on my to read list)

Upcoming books I have my eye on:

• Yes We (Still) Can by Dan Pfeiffer
• The World As It Is by Ben Rhodes
• & my old school BlogHer buddy Jill Krause’s 50 Things to Do Before You Deliver (not having more babies here but I love reading her words & so excited for her!)

I’ve also been on a podcast kick while traveling & at work. I’ve found I can best focus on work & tune out my co-workers/background noise while listening to Pod Save America & the other Crooked Media podcasts, Stay Tuned with Preet & I’m trying to figure out how to listen to Jen Hatmaker’s For the Love here at work too.

What am I missing? Any books you’ve loved recently? What’s your favorite podcast? As summer (ok, spring!) is almost in sight, we tend to be in the car more & I do love reading while traveling. 

As I (& millions of others) spent much of November & December 2016 reeling, I kept thinking that I needed to turn in, turn back to what helps me sort & process. & for me, that’s almost always been reading. I sunk myself into reading posts, articles, blogs from all types of media sources, but I was left wanting more.

Then when I saw a post in a FB group asking for book ideas, both fiction & nonfiction, historical & current to help a lady open up communications with a family member with opposite beliefs in the form of a joint book club, I grabbed the closest pad of paper (yep, I still write notes to myself ol’ school) & jotted down the titles as quick as I could.

So in case others wondered what I’ve been reading & what I’m hoping to tackle for 2017 (& so I’ll remember too), here’s the list. Most are ones people posted as ideas, but I’m also adding some I found myself & added to my list.

I have a few completed, I’m on the wait list for more at the library & a few longer books I’m waiting for a vacation car trip to get lost into them.

My hope is to bring back my old style of reviews after I complete a book of the list. And as I dive more into my list, I’ll add to it as well. And yes, I’m already learning I need to figure out some lighthearted novels to throw into the mix.

• Deer Hunting with Jesus
• It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis (I tried & failed to get past first chapter, will try again)
• White Trash by Nany Isenburg (just picked up from library)
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Washington (just started today)
• Great Small Things by Jodi Picoult (finished)
• For the Love by Jen Hatmaker (finished)
• Lies my Teacher Told Me
• Game of Thrones (my current “light” reading)
• The Magnolia Story
• Present over Perfect
• In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larsen (finished)
• Feminsim is for Everybody by Bell Hooks
• A People’s History of the US by Howard Zinn
• And the Band Played on by Randy Shilts
• Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenrach
• Waking up White by Debbie Irving

I’d love to hear what others are reading? Anything you’ve loved recently? Anything that’s made you think or opened your mind on a subject?