January reading

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1. Incontinent on the Continent, Jane Christmas

I sympathize with Jane, I really do, but her attitude towards her mother lacks charity and grace and left me wondering why she EVER thought a 6-week trip through Italy together would be a good idea.Also not a good idea: undertaking this trip with only the barest of planning, especially with a elderly, disabled person. So many of the disappointments and problems they encountered would have vanished with proper planning.

I generally love Jane's books (And Then There Were Nuns was one of my favorites from last year!). Just not this one.
( seven more books )

January Reading

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A bit of a disappointing beginning to my year in books, and for my first book list in this community. Just two finished this month:

Fools Rush In Where Monkeys Fear to Tread: Taking Aim at Everyone by Carl R. Trueman
Trueman is a Presbyterian minister and historical scholar who puts on something of a cantankerous persona, though from what little I've encountered of him personally (he was a guest at our church last spring), he is a delight to talk to and has a very pastoral heart. This is a collection of his essays on the intersection of the church and culture. He is especially critical of the ways that celebrity culture has infiltrated the Western evangelical church, often leading to a denigration of the importance of the local church. He's no fan of megachuch and parachurch trends, for instance, or the dumbing down of theology in favor of the pragmatic or popular. He's not all negative; he's at his best, in fact, when he writes about the importance of studying history, and the outwardly unremarkable people who make up most of the church. Trueman's prickly humor isn't everyone's cup of tea. I found his writing to be an acquired taste myself, but his emphasis on ordinary vocations and the local church have had a big influence on me over the past five or so years. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
I was inspired to read this when I read the much more recent In the Kingdom of Ice several weeks ago. It's the classic account (1959) of Shackleton's failed Antarctic venture 100 years ago, and his unbelievable voyage across the Drake Passage in a small boat in search of rescue for his stranded men. One thing that struck me about this book (and In the Kingdom of Ice) was what devoted diarists these men were, even under the worst privations. The excerpts from their journals really make the book. It's well written overall and really conveys the remoteness and desperation of their plight. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars.

I'm bogged down in a couple of lengthier, more laborious books right now, but hope to have more to share next month. A question: how long do you tend to persevere with a book you just can't seem to get into?

My January reads

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Elizabeth Camden - With every breath 4/5
When Kate Livingston, just fired from a job at the government gets a job offer from her school rival Trevor McDonagh, she really wants to refuse. But she needs the money and Trevor's research into a cure for tuberculosis interests Kate very much. As Trevor and Kate work together, they come to an understanding and even become friends. But more and more strange and dangerous things happen at the hospital, someone seems to be targetting Trevor and his research.

Being a scientist myself, I really liked this book for the look it afforded me into late 19th century science. We've learned a whole lot since then, obviously, but we're building on the knowledge these people obtained without the fancy machinery we have now. So that was great! Another great thing about this book is the chemistry between Kate and Trevor. I've read many people's reviews about another of Camden's books (Against the Tide) and their love for it's hero; Bane, but for me, Trevor was Camden's greatest hero so far. A little bit closed-off, but with hidden depths and a good heart, just my kind of man!

Sarah Ladd - The heiress of Winterwood 3/5
Amelia Barret is heir to the estate of Winterwood, but only if she marries before her 24th birthday. She's engaged to Edward Littleton, but his refusal to let Amelia keep caring for the child of a friend who passed away makes her doubt his character. Then Lucy's father, Captain Graham Sterling returns back from the Navy and Amelia hatches a risky plan: ask Captain Sterling to marry her for the sake of Lucy.

I love reading books taking place in the Regency and this one definitely had an unusual storyline. I liked Amelia, she was brave, though also rather naïve and foolish which led her into some problems. Graham was a good and kind hero. Still, for some reason, this book didn't 'grab' me and though the premise was different, the storytelling felt rather cliché and mediocre. This is Sarah Ladd's debut novel, I'm definitely going to read some more books by her to see if her writing improves.

Jon Katz - Saving Simon 4/5
Author Jon Katz becomes the owner of a severely mistreated donkey called Simon and as he nurses him back to health and Simon becomes a big part of his life, Jon learns a lot about the bond between animals and humans and compassion.

I love reading books about the special bond people have with animals and this is a very good one. Because it not only tells the story of Jon's bond with Simon (and some of the other animals he encountered in his life), but it also details everything Jon learned from his life surrounded by animals and what animals can teach us. I totally believe animals can enrich our life greatly, so I nodded a lot in agreement while reading this book. There's a lot of wisdom to be found in Saving Simon, although I did think Jon Katz leaned a little bit too much towards New Age spiritualism now and then. But, definitely recommended for all animal lovers!

Books read in January: 3 (Not the greatest start of the year, reading-wise, but I guess that's what you get when you're refurbishing and moving)
Books read in 2015: 3