Let’s chat about what I read in the month of October. I know it isn’t technically over yet, but close enough. (and am I really going to whip out another book in three days? Mmmmmm… Nah.)
Homebody by Joanna Gaines.
Read at your own risk. Possible throwing away of furniture, despairing of all paint colors, and drastic rearranging may ensue.
Fall heralds a season of evenings at home. It is too cold to go outside, too dark for outside activities, so we gravitate towards indoor pursuits. After a year of whatever we could find as broke newlyweds, I have begun to take stock of our home. What can I do to make it cozy to be here? The book helped me to look carefully at what I want my house to look like, and gave me the steps to get there. Well, when I have time and money to spare…
The Jane Austen Diet by Bryan Kozlowski.
Basically, the perfect food book for book lovers. The author takes all of Austen’s comments and advice about health and food and compiles them into one place. All while discussing how relevant and universal these ideas really are. Who knew Austen could help us with our health as well as our love lives?
The Willows in Winter by William Horwood.
I loved ‘The Wind in the Willows’ as a kid, and as an adult. The adventures of Mole and Rat bookended by breakfast and tea, are comforting reads. When I learned there was a second one I was so excited! A whole other book in the company of Mole, Rat, and Badger. Along with tea of course. While I enjoyed the book, I was a little disappointed. This book, while good, is written by a different author, in a different style. It leans heavier on the adventure, and less on the coziness of home and good food. The latter being the things I loved about the first book. I would still recommend this book, but come into it with the knowledge of how different it is, and you may enjoy it better.
The Weight of Glory by C. S. Lewis.
This is a collection of talks and sermons by Lewis. I enjoyed all of them. However the one that has stuck with me the most is his talk about the ‘inner ring’. In it he discusses the phenomenon you can find in every social sphere. He calls it the ‘inner ring’. I think of it as the adult version of a popularity contest. It has made me begin to think about why I do what I do in social situations. How much do I do just to be in the ‘inner circle’? How many decisions have I made because I want to be in the circle, instead of because I truly want to? Questions I am still uncomfortable sitting with…
Wind, Sand, and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
The same author who wrote ‘The Little Prince’, which I love, also wrote this part memoir, part philosophical look, about flying. He was a pilot for most of his adult life, a career he adored. I am not particularly interested in airplanes, or in being a pilot. I picked up the book because I like the author. Yet, through the authors words I can begin to see what drew him to flight. How beautiful the sky can be through the glass of a cockpit, the glory of a sunset over the ocean, and the majesty of a storm while in the air. If you like philosophy, or flying, I would recommend this book hands down.
I hope you have all had a wonderful month!
Shaina Merrick
The Beauty of a Story 