I tend to read a book a week. Not only am I a fast reader, but I no longer have small children in the house. Additionally, since Christopher is in his last year of grad school and Matthew (our 3rd son) is in his grueling junior year of high school, it can get pretty boring around here most evenings. Leo (see below) is cute but not very much of a conversationalist.
Once a quarter, I hope to offer you some of the top books I find. Here’s my inaugural list.
Jenny Rae Armstrong, Don’t Hide Your Light Under a Laundry Basket: 150 Bright Ideas for Wannabe World Changers. Armstrong is one of the deepest thinkers and smartest women I know. As a mother of four sons, she’s also well aware that many moms tend not to have long stretches of time to pursue our deep passions. She has written and compiled short essays on topics such as global slavery, materialism, and racial reconciliation. Several of the chapters rocked my world.
When Girls Became Lions, a novel by Valerie Gin and Jo Kadlecek. I grew up as a Title IX girl. During the 1970s, schools had to provide equal athletic opportunities for girls. Much of this was done begrudgingly—and was no where near equal! Nevertheless, the opportunity to play field hockey, basketball, softball, track, etc., was one of the most empowering aspects of my teen years. Gin and Kadlecek trace the impact that Title IX had on one midwestern town. It’s a great read for anyone who loves sports and wants a bit of history regarding how hard it was for women to break into the male-dominated world of athletics.
Michelle Van Loon, Moments and Days: How Our Holy Celebrations Shape Our Faith. Van Loon helps to connect the dots between ancient and modern Christianity. Most of us are somewhat familiar with Jewish holy days but we lack insight into how they might shape and enrich our faith. For instance, she writes, “Epiphany calls for a twofold response from each one of us. First, it is an invitation to worship as the wise men did. Second, Epiphany is an invitation to join Jesus in his mission. … [It] asks us if we will respond as the wise men did.” I love books that open up the world and make me think about things differently. This is one of those books.
Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal, by Donna Nakazawa. This pretty much told the story of my life. Nakazawa writes on how Adverse Childhood Experiences (childhood adversities and traumas) link to many of adult physical and mental health disorders. Here’s a sample of her work:
What’s entirely new in our understanding of how family dysfunction is inherited is the discovery that poor parenting styles—which foster childhood adversity—also engender biological changes in children’s brains that make those kids neurobiologically less able to be good partners and parents when they reach adulthood. (Yikes!)
She is a detective who combines science and psychology to help us understand why our bodies sometimes fail us. I did feel a bit disappointed in the final section on healing. While I learned a great deal in Part I, Part 2 did not offer me anything new. (That’s not to say it’s vacuous. I’ve just done a lot of work for a long time.)
Two new releases I’m currently reading:
Leslie Leyland Field, Crossing the Waters: Following Jesus through the Storms, the Doubt, the Fish, and the Seas. Leslie is one of my favorite authors. She’s wise, warm, and oh-so-faith filled. She has also spent nearly 40 years working as a commercial fisherwoman WAY up in Alaska. She explores the tension of following Jesus on the unexpected, sometimes treacherous paths He calls us to take. It’s beautiful and it makes the Scripture come alive.
Very Married: Field Notes on Love and Fidelity, by Katherine Willis Pershey. A few friends have questioned why I’m promoting another marriage book when mine will be released in a few months. (Currently available for pre-order over at CBD at 30% off!) Statistics seem to indicate that most folks only buy a marriage book every few years. I don’t want to give in to a scarcity mentality and besides, Pershey is a gifted writer and has much to offer on this subject.
I think we must have been tapping into the the same thought bubble when we were writing. I start my book with these sentences:
Several pages into her book, she writes, “I am not a marriage expert but I am a marriage geek.” So yes, there’s some thematic overlap between our books. I don’t see eye-to-eye with Pershey on everything but her narrative and her commitment to marriage is deeply heartening.
Feel free to share whatever books you are currently reading in the comment section below.
Please subscribe to my site so you don’t miss any updates or posts.