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Monday, March 19, 2012

Spring Reading Thing '12



It is with some amount of fear and trepidation that I am participating in Katrina's Spring Reading Thing which she hosts over at Callapider Days. With all of the upheaval in our lives these days (following The Great Smoke Out) I'm not sure if I can truly accomplish any reading goals. This next week in particular promises to be full of house activity as we're *hoping* that we will able to move back in within the next two weeks. There are still lots of unknowns but there is plenty of work to be done to prepare the house.

On the other hand, a goal is probably just what I need to help me to prioritize my reads. So, without further ado (but with much thought and care) I think I will make the following my reading goals for the Spring:

Review Copies I Need to Get To:

1. Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West. I'm very much looking forward to diving into this one! I'm particularly interested in it, given the fact that our second born son was adopted from South Korea.

2. Family Vocation: God's Calling in Marriage, Parenting, and Childhood, by Gene Edward Veith, Jr.

3. Secret Life of a Fool: One Man's Raw Journey from Shame to Grace

4. A Prayer for Owen Meany: A Novel, by John Irving. This is a modern novel (due out in April) but I thought I'd take a gamble on it.

Most excited for:



(Jonathan beat me to the book. I'm waiting for him to finish it.)

Reading to Know 2012 Bookclub Reads:

1. In April we're focusing on P.G. Wodehouse. I'd like to read at least two Wodehouse books.

2. In May we're reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

Please feel free to join in for both (or any) months that you wish! I'm really hoping that people unfamiliar with P.G. Wodehouse, in particular, will give the guy a try in April! To find out what books are coming down the pike the remainder of this year, click on the button below.

Reading to Know - Book Club


Personal Reads:

1. Emma, by Jane Austen (A hoped-for re-read.)

2. Pippi Longstocking (Thanks to Annette who kindly sent me a copy!)

3. Angels in the Architecture: A Protestant Vision for Middle Earth, by Douglas Jones and Douglas Wilson. (Another re-read which I felt I really ought to get to after declaring it to be one of my top ten spiritual growth books. Also, it is one of the first books I received back from the cleaning company that actually came back smelling decent!)

4. The Second World War, Volume 2: Their Finest Hour, by Winston Churchill. (After completing The Gathering Storm last fall, I'm interested to move into the second book in Churchill's World War II series.)

Most excited for:



If I can make it through that stack, I'll be quite pleased!

Thanks, Katrina, for offering us the opportunity to prioritize our reading list. This certainly brings clarity to my reading processes and I'm grateful for the Spring Reading Thing reading celebration!

15 comments:

Annette Whipple said...

I'm sharing tomorrow. :) By the way I need a few Wodehouse recommendations. (I tried to listen, but don't enjoy British accents with books.)

Barbara H. said...

I'm working on my list today. I've been dreadful about joining in the reading club despite good intentions, but I liked the one Wodehouse book I read so I'd like to try another.

Jen E @ mommablogsalot said...

I've never read Pippi Longstocking, but I'm thinking it would be right up my alley! Good luck with your challenge!

Diary of an Autodidact said...

Annette, there are several recurring characters in Wodehouse. If you have never read anything with Bertie and Jeeves, you could start with Joy in the Morning (aka Jeeves in the Morning - alternate titles abound)
Carrie and I are both fond of Psmith, and any of the titles with his name are good. They can be read out of order without missing much.
Lord Emsworth is also a recurring character in the Blandings Castle series, but I am not as well read when it comes to those. There are other books that stand alone, and are also worth reading. It's hard to find a bad one.

BerlinerinPoet said...

Added a few of yours to my "to-read" list. I've read Owen Meany, and I'm looking forward to hearing what you thought of it.

Stephanie Kay said...

Wow! Those are some big goals, at least they would be big for me! Right now I'm just trying to finish Little House in the Big Woods which started at the beginning of Feb.

Amy @ Hope Is the Word said...

Just made my list! Mine's lengthy, too. You inspire me, Carrie!
:-)

Shonya said...

Excited to see how this goes and inspired to "play along".

Have you never read Pippi??!! She was one of my dearest friends in elementary school!!! Mr. Nilson and Annika and Tommy. . .(nostalgic sigh) My big kids turned a scene from one of the stories into a skit for their drama class just a couple years ago, I am proud to say. I'm tempted to go read one of the books right now. . .but alas, they are not yet unpacked.

I'm looking forward to Wodehouse--I've never read him, but had a couple giggles perusing his books in the aisle of the book store! :)

Bluerose said...

I'm still hoping to get my list up tomorrow. It's not quite finished and I'm STILL trying to narrow my list just a bit.

I can't wait to see your thoughts on Emma. That's the one I decided I wanted to try to read very soon, but now I'm thinking maybe Persuasion. ??

I'm really looking forward to reading Wodehouse, too!

Stephanie said...

I want to hear your thoughts on Family Vocation!

And I neeeeeeeed a Wodehouse recommendation. :) Where do I start?!

Sky said...

Yes, I need to make my list as well! I will be joining in on Wodehouse and am adding Family Vocation to my list.

Susanne said...

You'll have to let me know what you think of the Owen Meany book. I've looked at it I don't know how many times but have yet to read it.

Vasilly said...

What a list! I see a lot of SRT participants are reading Wodehouse this spring. Enjoy your books and happy reading!

A Faithful Journey said...

Great list! I also am reading Secret Life of a Fool for a review! It will be interesting to see what we each think of it! :)

Nise' said...

I started A Prayer For Owen Meany and need to get back to it. It is one of my daugher's favorite novels.

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