Skip to main content

sometimes books grow on me...

Yesterday, I read a book that at first I thought was just okay. As I read on, it got funnier and funnier to me. Then, my husband and I sat for 15 minutes last night while I shared with him some anecdotes form the book. Amidst a stressful eating (of Sami not eating her dinner) and after a long day, it was a welcome break of laughter for us. The mark of a good book to me is starting to be that I feel the same about the book after I've read it as before. And I'm still smiling this morning when I think of this book.

For me, it's a little like when I remember a good meal I've had. The best meals are the ones that I've eaten and then still feel good about afterwards and that I'd love to have again. Sometimes, I find, that I'll enjoy a meal while I'm eating it, but then feel horrible afterwards because there was so much fat in it or because it gives me heartburn.

I feel the same way about books. There are some that I enjoy while I'm reading and that I still enjoy afterwards and feel good about. But, there are others that, though I enjoy them while I'm reading them, afterwards I don't feel as good about them and which I can't recommend whole heartedly.

By the way, I will be posting a review about the book that made us laugh (How do you tuck in a Superhero?) at the end of the month =).

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

ESV, NIV, or NASB and then there's the ICB, ESV or NIrV...which should we read?

I am so thankful for my friend's question about the ESV vs. NASB and NIV. I couldn't remember the difference so I went to look it up. I knew that John Piper and Tim Keller, both pastors and authors that I deeply respect have switched over to the ESV. All of the churches that we have attended over the past few years PCA or Reformed Baptist have also switched to the ESV. I did find a blog that explained the differences and that helped me ( http://thefoolishgalatian.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/niv-vs-esv-and-why-piper-switched/ ) I knew why I didn't like the KJV--it was written in the days when writers were paid by a patron and that often slanted the translation. The NKJV, from what I understand, is a revision of the KJV that uses more modern language. Most churches I have attended used the NIV until the ESV came out. The blog I found explained that the ESV is a more literal translation---like the NASB. The NASB is a very literal translation. The ESV has come to be consid...

Missing Pieces

The other day I was discussing a book with my mom and explaining to her my concern about how "blame" is cast upon the child in the story.  My mom commented about how deeply I read and consider what is written. Sometimes I wonder if I go overboard.  Am I questioning too much?  Am I overreacting? Why am I reacting this way? I come back to knowing that God wired me this way.  But, I also reflect on how God has guided my path through the maze of books I've read over the past few years and what I've learned from the books themselves and from reading them.   Recently, I read a book that troubled me.  The book I finished reading was  Guiltless Living  by Ginger Hubbard.  When I began reading it, I found myself puzzled and then disconcerted. And in the end, I cried. But, I cried for a different reason than one might suspect. I'd like to explain. I did not read Ms. Hubbard's previous book “ Don't Make Me Count to Three ”, but I knew from f...

listening or rather not listening to directions...

This week has been very eye opening. I am observing and noticing what I need to learn in order to be a better homeschooling mom and teacher and what my daughter needs to learn to be a good homeschooling student. My weakness when I was a teacher in a first grade classroom was not understanding how small concepts had to be broken down--and I lost my patience very quickly. This week, in particular today, I am seeing how detailed my directions need to be. I am going to be working very consciously and deliberately on this. On the other hand, I realized that my daughter does not listen! Wowsers! In a classroom, Autumn listens very well. She is a compliant child and very influenced by peer pressure and conformity. So, she listens along with everyone else and follows directions. But, at home, it's just Autumn and maybe Sami and Mommy. Very, very different! I had forgotten that most of kindergarten in the public schools is not focused on teaching students academic and learning co...