January Book Reviews
This year, I have a reading goal of 50 books, of varying genres. A friend suggested I return to my blog for a monthly book review, giving you a list and brief description of the books I read, and highlighting one book that I recommend. So here we are, at the end of January... let's give it a try!
In January, I read five books - two hardback books, two on Audible, and one on Kindle. I tend to be a fiction girl, but amazingly, all five of these books were nonfiction, and had pretty lengthy titles...
The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope, Dr. Curt Thompson
I had been reading this one slowly for a while, because my small group at church is reading and discussing it together. But I finished it up at the end of January, so I am counting it in my list of things I've read! Dr. Thompson frames the chapters around Romans 5:3-5, showing how it is through suffering that we develop perseverance, character, and hope. Honestly the cover art looked so depressing to me that I really didn't want to read it at first. And I found his writing style to be pretty clinical and hard to follow sometimes. But I enjoyed the conversations that our group has had around the topics, and how it led to us knowing each other better. I think it could be a timely gift for people who are suffering and struggling to see the purpose or the hope in their pain.
Wavewalker: Breaking Free, Suzanne Heywood
I am a part of a pretty cool book club here in town, and this was the book we chose to read this month. I found it fascinating, as a memoir of a young girl spending 8+ years at sea with her family in the 1970s and 80s. There was a lot of adventure and beauty and peril in their journey, but it also spoke to the family dynamics and how they shifted over time, and the amazing challenges the author overcame. I wouldn't call it the most inspirational story I've ever read, but it was certainly fascinating.
Looking for Lovely: Collecting the Moments that Matter, Annie F. Downs
This one I picked out on my own, mostly because I like Annie's podcast, I feel a certain connection with her because of our similar season of life, and I've never read any of her books. In each chapter she looks at some small detail of her world and describes the beauty of it and how it relates to her faith and relationship with God. I like Annie's writing style, because I can hear her voice in the words that she uses, and I laughed on several occasions because of her transparency and humor. By the end, I was convinced that she and I would be good friends, if we lived in the same city!
I received this one as a gift from my dear friend Christi for Christmas. (Don't books make the best gifts?) I really appreciated the historical context it gave for Tolkien's and Lewis's friendship and work. It was amazing to see the parallels between WWI and WWII and the stories that they wrote. I could see how writing allegorical and fantastical literature was an important way for them to process what was happening in the world around them and even fight against it with the mighty weapon of their pens. I am so grateful for the ways that they encouraged and challenged one another in their faith and creative abilities because it resulted in some of the most incredible and powerful stories that have impacted my life and many others.
MY JANUARY TOP PICK:
Sunday Evenings with Joni: Conversations About Life's Chaos and Amazing Grace, Ruth Schleppi-Verboom
My mom gave me this book as a Christmas present, and I finished reading it just after the new year. You may be familiar with Joni Eareckson Tada, her ministry, her art, her radio show, her books ... she has been a huge influence on my life since I was a very small girl.
Because she is also in a wheelchair, she has a caregiving team of female volunteer friends how help out throughout the week, taking shifts in the mornings and evenings, and I have tried to follow her example in the team that I have developed. So, it was a beautiful surprise to find that one of Joni's caregivers, Ruth, wrote this book about her friendship with Joni and how it grew through their caregiving time together.
I absolutely loved it! I laughed and I cried and it stirred my heart in deep ways, because it resonated with me on a level that very few things do. Each chapter reminded me of specific friends of mine who take care of me, and the book as a whole felt like a sort of mirror to my caregiving experience. I don't claim to be as wise and strong as Joni, but I do take seriously the opportunity and responsibility God has given me to care for those who care for me.
I highly recommend this one because I know it will be a tremendous blessing to every person who reads it. The chapters are very short, and it is a simple and easy read, very honest and hopeful. Oh, and there are some amazing recipes in the back of the book, too!
Comments
Post a Comment