Beth’s Books Reading List – November 2018
Well, it was kind of a light month for reading in November. Because the month has one less day, right? Ha! More likely because we had so many family members in town for Thanksgiving festivities. Then some friends visited after Thanksgiving! All of which is fun, but adds up to less reading time than I might otherwise like.
This month, I read two non-fiction and five fiction books.
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Non-Fiction
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
I really liked the Four Tendencies and hopped immediately into another of Gretchen Rubin’s best-selling books, The Happiness Project. In case you haven’t read it, the author launches a year-long project to pursue happiness, with a different focus each month. It’s pretty interesting to see how Gretchen approaches happiness. She’s very methodical – much more so than I would have ever thought to be.
The project starts with focus areas close to home, like work, marriage and parenting. As the project proceeds, Gretchen turns her focus to more abstract ideas like eternity and mindfulness. I love the idea of devoting a month to some of these important but not urgent concepts. When you’re a busy person with kids and a job, you can put off thinking about eternity, but only for so long. So I think Gretchen’s idea to spend a month thinking about this idea is really smart.
Overall, Gretchen’s approach to finding happiness in her life as it is really resonates with me. Although I haven’t launched my own happiness project, the idea is still simmering in my mind and I may do a happiness project someday. It won’t be as organized, though!
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
I read this book after hearing the author interviewed on Allie Cassazza’s podcast, the Purpose Show. On the podcast and in the book, Greg articulates some powerful concepts about how to develop our own internal values and then apply them to our lives.
Although this is a concept I’ve been incorporating into my own life for a long time, I have never heard it laid out quite so clearly as it is in Essentialism. Greg explores the core mindset of an essentialist, and how we can separate the important from the trivial. He walks us through how to pare down our lives to the things that really matter, and then how to make it easy to execute on the essentials.
I highly recommend that you read this book and think through it. It’s especially important for people with busy lives to stop and really think about what they are doing and why. Essentialism is an easy to read book with a very important (and actionable) message.
Fiction
Gideon’s Sword by Lincoln & Child
You may recall my “oops” of last month when I accidentally read the fourth book in a new-to-me series (Gideon Crew). I started back at the beginning by reading the first book in the series, Gideon’s Sword. In it, Gideon Crew is recruited by a mysterious engineering firm with government ties. He’s asked to apprehend a Chinese scientist who fled China to the United States. The scientist was working on a secret super-technology being developed by China.
Of course, everyone fears that the Chinese are developing a super-weapon. In actuality, they’re developing a super-conductor with essentially zero power loss. Gideon runs around New York and China tracking the secret, and the books ends with an exciting scene on Hart Island in the Bronx. (Lincoln & Child always dig up the most eery, historic New York sites. There are 1 million people buried in potter’s graves on Hart Island.)
I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the next books in the series (although not so much that I immediately went out and bought the next – take that for what you will).
The Midnight Line by Lee Child
Midnight Line is the 22nd novel in the popular Jack Reacher series. (In case you haven’t heard of it, the series follows an ex-Army Military Policeman who now lives a transient life with no permanent home. He travels with just a toothbrush and roams the country solving mysteries that seem to pop up. This is not the most literary series I’ve ever read but the plots are usually good and Reacher is a well-developed character.)
In this book, Reacher notices a West Point class ring in a pawn shop. Surprised to see such an important piece of jewelry in a pawn shop and anxious about its owner, Reacher follows the trail of the ring across multiple states to eventually find a badly wounded veteran and a massive heroin distribution operation. It’s a typical taught but slightly unbelievable Jack Reacher novel.
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L’Engle
I actually read a real paper version of this one! My in-laws lent me an early edition. This was one of my favorite books as a pre-teen and it’s just as good as I remembered it. Misunderstood Meg. Her little brother, Charles Wallace (why he had two names, I’ll never know). Athletic and smart Calvin (was totally planning to name one of my kids this if a boy had come along).
This is a sci-fi story that explores good and evil, conformity and originality, while still be incredibly relatable. It’s definitely a great book for an older elementary or middle school kid (or you)!
Champagne and Catastrophes by Agatha Frost
This is the 14th book in the Peridale Cozy Cafe mystery series. I read a lot, so I have a Kindle Unlimited subscription that allows me to check out many free books. You can have up to 10 at a time! I usually check out two or three per month, which adds up to over a hundred each year. It’s definitely worth the price for me! This month, I read Champagne and Catastrophes which follows cafe owner and baker Julia South on a mystery investigation.
This time, her old friend and wedding planner is kidnapped and held hostage for days in the basement of a bridal shop. Julia eventually follows the clues to free her friend – but not before Julia herself faces the dangerous kidnapper.
These books are totally formulaic, but I don’t care. I love mysteries, I love series, so if the books are decently written I’m in. This series falls squarely into the predictable but entertaining camp. Definitely recommend this author!
A Fortunate Encounter by J.A. Whiting
This is another cozy mystery series – the 6th book of the Claire Rollins series. Claire is a Boston chocolatier who also has some paranormal powers. In this book, Claire investigates the killing of a local college student. J.A. Whiting has multiple series that I would describe as cozy mysteries with minor paranormal elements. They’re fun and well written!
What have you read lately?
Do you have any recommendations based on what you’ve ready lately? Help a girl out! I read pretty quickly so I’m always looking for recs. This month’s tally: 7 books. Looks like I’m pretty consistent (last month was 7.25 + short stories.)
