Burns Best Farm

Best Books Read This Year

I am slow getting onto the "2006 vs. 2007" recapping bandwagon.  Some of the bloggers here at Homestead are very focused individuals, with last year's goal lists in hand as they revise and add to their goals for the new year.  I am simply not that organized and maybe not even that motivated.  I should be, but right now, the feeling just isn't happening for me.

What I am moved to do is list a few books I read this year that have made a difference in how I see the world.

First, I made it a goal to read all the way through the Bible using the M'Cheyene reading plan.  This has been a goal of mine for a couple of years, and I always fall short and get behind and drop out.  But it's a worthy goal and I'm signing up for another shot!  Keep me accountable, will you?  Even though I didn't finish, I got farther than ever before, and reading the Bible will certainly change your life if you let it. 

Second, I recently finished The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.  I recommend it to anyone remotely interested in our nation's food supply and how business affects how and what we eat.  It is well written, not at all snoozy for such a large subject topic with national policy implications (can you say C-Span nap?) This hardcover book is available from Cumberland at a great price.

Third, My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme.  This was such a sweet story about how Julia met and married her husband, Paul, and about how they wound up in France.  She was an inspiration to me when I was younger and there was much about her that I didn't know that makes me like her even more.  She didn't have a career really until she was forty, and her first book took longer to get published than it took the US to put an astronaunt into orbit around the earth!  Wonderful lady and a great, full life well written in this book.

Last, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.  I read this aloud to the boys this summer, really based on a passing comment made to me by Meredith, a friend from church and a fellow homeschool mom.  I had never read it and on it's face, it did not look like a book that would command the attention of my two older sons (7 & 5).  They loved it and so did I.  We haven't started any of the additional books in the series but we'll get to them soon enough.  Reading this book reiterated to me the necessity to reading good books out loud to my children, regardless of age.  If I have a worthy goal to shoot for this coming year, it will be to do more reading aloud. 

There!  I did it.  I made a year end list!  Woo Hoo!

(I did read more than four books this year, but these were of particular enjoyment to me and I would recommend them to you, too.  If you have one you've read that you can recommend to me, please pass it along in the comments.)   

Untitled Comment

09:25, 2007-Jan-1 .. Posted by Kimberly

I never thought of doing anne of green gables as a read aloud because of my son. I'll have to try it!

Untitled Comment

11:40, 2007-Jan-3 .. Posted by thatday

Our church has a read thru the Bible in a year program. I have read thru a couple of times, but now am reading thru using the Message. Don't have a plan - just started in the New Testament a couple of months ago and am now at John 12. I just read some each day - sometimes 2 or 3 chapters and sometimes only a verse or two.

It is amazing how God speaks to us thru His Word - everyday He gives me so much for that day.

Will check back with you later to see how you are doing.
Barb

From Meredith

09:08, 2007-Jan-6 .. Posted by Anonymous

Denise - thanks for the acknowledgment! We read aloud during lunch time. It works really well for us. I started doing that when Sarah was younger because it helped her to listen. We\'ve been working on the Anne series since last year and we\'re now on book 6! Jonathan still likes it so I guess we\'ll keep on.



Loved the link you gave for the daily reading. That\'s cool that they give you the whole reading for the day on one webpage. Convenient. I\'ll try to help you if you\'ll help me. I started about a month ago with my own method - 3 chapters in the Old and 1 in the New. I\'ve started doing it at night but sometimes I\'m too tired. I\'ll check with you next time I see you, OK?