Once upon a time, I regularly read 52+books a year. With little ones at home, and a part-time graphic design business, reading for has become less of a priority (last year I only made it through 10 books).
I am hoping that 2016 will be the year I get back in the habit of reading again – I feel like a more rounded person when I am reading on a regular basis. So while I don't have a lofty goal of 52 books for this year, I do hope I can read at least two books each month.
Here goes...
At the close of 2015 I was reading How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiousity and the Hidden Power of Character
by Paul Tough. The book held a lot of promise for me as I am a parent
of young children, and like most parents, I want to see my children to
succeed.
Unfortunately, in the case of this book, the author's research was limited to children who (kind of) succeed, even though the odds are heavily against them. In this sense it felt like the book was a bit misleading in that it is not speaking about all children, but a particular demographic of children (an important part of the education puzzle to be sure, but not all children). Also, while the research was interesting, it was incomplete, the author focused on children who had gone to college but have yet to complete their education as well as programs initiated at schools that are still in their infancy. It also looked at students who were great at chess (such a long section on chess!) but couldn't seem to translate that acumen to their studies.
The author took the point of view that finishing college was the definition of success, but then seemed to change that view in the final pages of the book as he reminisced about how he dropped out of college to ride his bike cross country.
I think that the subject matter is a bigger topic than this book allows, and maybe a starting point for discussion as this review points out more eloquently than I ever could.
There is a New York Times article entitled "Class Differences in Child-Rearing Are on the Rise" that takes a more well-rounded look as to why certain children excel (and it doesn't take 200 pages to get to the point). The article is much shorter and was surprisingly optimistic.
As for the book, I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads.
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On a recent visit to my local library, I picked up Find the Good: Unexpected Life Lessons from a Small-Town Obituary Writer by Heather Lende.
I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it was just what I needed to read. I've been stuck in a rut since the new year started, working to let go of the things that bother me, trying to be a better mother and wife, while dealing with a 4-year-old's sudden onset of separation anxiety and also preparing for my husband to work night shifts for the next two weeks. Finding the Good reminded me that there is always good around me, and I don't have to wait for life to be perfect to find things to be happy about. For a book that centers on the deaths of people, it was a surprisingly light read with bits of humor sprinkled through out. If your days are feeling a little long and depressing, this book is worth the read.
My favorite quote in this book was:
The life you imagine doesn't just happen while you are daydreaming about it on the drive across the country. It requires effort once you reach your destination.
I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.
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To round out the month, I read another pick from my library: Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church by Rachel Held Evans.
Rachel Held Evans is a blogger turned author, who happens to be an excellent writer. To be frank, I am always a bit leery of bloggers turned writers. It often feels like their books aren't so much well-written books as they are compilations of blog posts that could use a good (or better) editor.
That is not the case with Evans. She writes from personal experience but also includes a depth of research, coupled with an eloquent writing style that many bloggers lack.
And then there is her content, so much of which I identify with...
I grew up (basically) in the south where the teachings of Jesus heavily influenced my worldview. As did the church we attended. By and large I had a wonderful faith experience growing up, but as a college student I begin to feel like "church" was more like a country club than a banquet where Jesus welcomed everyone, especially the marginalized. As a twenty-something who was married, but childless by choice for nearly a decade, I began to feel more distance from church. It seemed like it was a wonderful place if you had a family, but without kids I often felt adrift, unable to connect with the lives of the parents surrounding me. Now that we have children, it feels like we have come full circle and that there is a place for us again.
I plan to order a copy of Searching for Sunday because there was so much I could have highlighted (if I didn't have to return my book to the library). I don't reread books often, but this is one that I am sure will have worn pages in the years to come. It reminded me that I am not alone in many of my feelings, that it is ok to have doubts and that our past influences our present, and for that I am grateful. I feel like I have found Sunday, but hope to bridge the gap for those who are still searching, or those who have been hurt by the church.
A few of the passages that resonated with me:
...my cynicism protected me from disappointment, or so I believed. So I expected the worst and smirked when I found it... For better or worse, the faith of our youth informs our fears, our nostalgia, our reactions, and our suspicions. [p.87]
This is what God's kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are hungry, because they said yes. And there's always room for more. [p.148]
What you promise when you are confirmed is not that you will believe this forever. What you promise when you are confirmed is that this is the story you will wrestle with forever. [p.194]
I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.
