April Book Talk

April Book Talk

Book Talk

"In times of storm and tempest, of indecision and desolation, a book already known and loved makes better reading than something new and untitled.  The meeting with remembered and well-loved passages is like the continual greeting of old friends; nothing is so warming and companionable."

The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge

After using great restraint for awhile, I went a little crazy and agreed to review three books in the same week.  So before they arrive, I'm thoroughly enjoying my easy reading.  Not mentioned in this post are books I read and reviewed in April, since I've already shared about them here on the blog.

Included in my reading was a new book, the first two books of a well loved trilogy, a favorite cookbook (borrowed back from my son), and a book about the liturgical time of year called "Ordinary Days" (don't you just love that?), and a Kindle book.

So to begin with, I have re-read all of The Bird in the Tree and the re-reading of Pilgrim's Inn has just begun.  This Eliot Trilogy by Elizabeth Goudge is among my all time favorite reads.  Since I discovered Goudge (thanks to my younger friends Sarah (Clarkson) Fink-Jensen and Lanier Ivester), I have loved reading her books.  Their beauty in the writing is extraordinary.

I have said before that The Bird in the Tree would be a good book for women to read while going through premarital counseling.  For it talks about faithfulness and submitting your own desires for the sake of family in a way that I've never heard put better.  Each time I read it, I'm determined to be even more steadfast in all areas of life.

Pilgrim's Inn was recommended as the book to read first if I wanted to know Goudge's style of writing and it can be read as a stand alone novel.  I think because it was my first love, it remains my favorite Goudge book.  Although just slightly more than A City of Bells.  Pilgrim's Inn reminds us of the importance of home and houses and the affect of Beauty in our lives.

I'm so pleased that many Goudge books are now available in paperback and on the Kindle.  Most of my collection was purchased through the years as I found decent old hardback copies.  Unfortunately, A City of Bells is still not in paperback (which I do not understand) and the newer book is pricey.  However, if you do a search on Amazon, you should be able to find a good price on used original hardbacks.  If not... there is always the library!

The Awakening of Miss Prim was recommended by the former Sarah Clarkson on Instagram (@sarahwanders) and my daughter read it before me.  I actually wrote an Instagram review for this book because so many people had asked me to, having heard about the book.  As I said there, I loved this book, it is one bookish people will enjoy very much.  It has a magical feel about it, and I texted my daughter off and on to chat as I read it.

I mentioned to her that one of the book's underlying themes reminded me of a literary Atlas Shrugged (there was some back and forth about the term literary there).  As you read it, you begin to learn the mystery of this village and if you have read Atlas Shrugged (I loved the story, skimmed the Socialist Ayn Rand rants), you will see what I mean about the two themes being similar.

The only thing I didn't care for was the ending.  I texted Stephanie something like, "Is that it?  Is that the end?".  She said she had texted almost the same words to Sarah.  Having said that, it is still a lovely read and I'm pretty sure the author is setting you up for a sequel.  Either that or she assumes we figure out the ending on our own from the hints she leaves.

The Graces We Remember: Sacred Days of Ordinary Time is part of Phyllis Tickle's Stories from The Farm in Lucy series.  I don't attend a liturgical church but I do enjoy Tickle's writing.  She has a different way of looking at the Christian life than I'm used to and that can be a good thing, opening my eyes to more of Christ. 

We probably don't agree on every theological viewpoint but that's fine, we agree on the most important.  Like I said, her writing is lovely.  This book is sitting by my sofa to enjoy off and on, one chapter at a time (each chapter is self contained).

Jerusalem is the well known cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, the two men both grew up in Jerusalem but didn't meet until much later and now own at least one restaurant together in London.  The reason they didn't know each other?  One grew up in the Arab part of Jerusalem and the on the Jewish side.  Although it is a cookbook, it is also a book full of fabulous stories and photos.

Jerusalem has received numerous awards and I saw it listed as one of the Ten Best Cookbooks (ever) in an article recently.  It is a love story of the food in the Middle East, Jerusalem in particular.  I had given my copy to Christopher when he was interested in learning to cook but borrowed it back to reread the hummus section.  They believe world peace could be achieved through perfect hummus.

Not shown:  My latest Kindle book (that which I slip in my purse and take with me when I know I'm going to be waiting, such as at the doctor's office) is Simply Tuesday by Emilie Freeman.  I bought this Kindle version when it was on sale ($1.99 I believe) months and months ago and I'm glad I did.  It is the perfect Kindle book.  The writing is lovely and each chapter is self contained.  If you think you life is too small, this is the book to read.  (Spoiler alert: you are probably just where God wants you.)

Even with a few review books on the way, I will read the third book in the Eliot Trilogy before setting aside fun re-reading for a short time.  Although I do like having at least one book I'm re-reading handy, just to relax.

Books mentioned in this blog post:

The Bird in the Tree, info... here.

Pilgrim's Inn, info... here.

A City of Bells, info... here. (It is much cheaper to do a search on Amazon for used hardback copies.)

The Awakening of Miss Prim, info... here.

The Graces We Remember, info... here.

Jerusalem, info... here.

Simply Tuesday, info... here.

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate Links.

Book Talk February-March

Book Talk February-March

Book Talk

I didn't read very much the past two months, especially books that were not for publisher's review.  However, here are a handful I've managed to read and one I will begin reading soon.

Not shown above is a book I read on Kindle called From My Heart to Yours: A Legacy of Love by Phyllis Morneau.  Fortunately, I had finished it before I had to limit screen time on the Kindle. It is the story Phyllis wrote of her family history.

While you may not think reading someone else's family history would be interesting, I found this very good.  Grandparents especially would enjoy it.  Within the various chapters, the author provides a timeline of world events occurring at the same time as her family's history.

Devonshire Scream was Laura Childs new Tea Shop Mystery last year.  I love her mysteries, even though most follow the same formula in each book.  It works!  In this book, there is a robbery at a charity event and her friend's niece is killed during the robbery.

Of course, Theodosia is there and has to help solve it and yes it sounds like a lot of her other plots.  But it is still a fun read and the tea room scenes alone are worth the read.  As usual, there are yummy tea time recipes in the back.  Since her newest book just came out, this book is now available in paperback.

Wendy Alec's books require a little explanation.  I think most people will either love them or hate them.  I read all of the first book and part of the second and I liked them.  However, I like fantasy novels.  My husband (the former engineer who is quite logical) read the first book and didn't like it enough to continue in the series.

These books shown are the first two of the Chronicles of Brothers series.  There are four books already written and the fifth book (so I have heard) is in the works.  There is also either a movie or a mini series based on the books in the works.

It is hard to describe them, a combination of End Times novels and historical fiction about Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer (who became known as Satan among other names).  The first book, The Fall of Lucifer, takes one back to the time before the creation of the Earth and mankind, the Fall of man, and the author speculations on why Lucifer came to hate the created Man and it caused him to turn against God.

This was Wendy's first work of fiction and honestly not the best.  Like many first time novels, it is choppy to read.  However, it is the foundation book of the series and if you can get through the choppy writing and way too many pages of description, it is a decent read.  There was too much speculation for my husband to enjoy it, even though I kept reminding him it is a work of fiction.

The second book, Messiah: The First Judgment, is far easier and more enjoyable to read.  On Amazon reviews, I read that many people thought each book in the series became better.  This one is mostly about the birth of Jesus and what is going on in Heaven during this time and on Earth.  I wrote a friend during this time that I stopped reading and left Jesus, Mary, and Joseph on the way to Egypt in peril.  That was when my eyes were becoming infected and I still need to finish the rest of the book.

These books also include three modern day brothers, one of whom becomes the Antichrist in the Tribulation.  You don't read much about them in the first two books but they are front and center later.  If you like such books, you will love these.  If you don't... you won't like these at all.  I plan to read the other two in the series following these.  I don't think very often about the angelic world and these books remind me there is more to what is happening around us than what we can see.

I have not been accepting review books with my eyes rather wonky.  I mean, a publisher does expect you to review them on the publication date whether you can read them or not.  English Lessons was the first new book I agreed to review since Christmas.  It sounded too interesting to pass up.

The book, written by Andrea Lucado (yes, that Lucado), is about her leaving home and studying at Oxford in England.  While there, she shares her struggle with a "changing faith and an unchanging God".  I will begin reading it soon but I won't review it here until its' publication date, which I think is May 2nd.

Books Mentioned in this Post
From My Heart to Yours... here.
Devonshire Scream... here.
The Fall of Lucifer... here.
Messiah: The First Judgement... here.
English Lessons... here. (Pre-order only)

The other two books in the Chronicles of Brothers series are:
Son of Perdition... here.
Pale Horse... here.

Laura Child's recently released Tea Shop mystery:
Pekoe Most Poison... here. (Hardback and Kindle only)

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate Links.

Book Talk: Reading Edith Schaeffer

Book Talk: Reading Edith Schaeffer

Book Talk

I've had a lot of questions from people who have never read an Edith Schaeffer book as to what to read first.  I think it is a good idea to go back to the foundations, to really understand the affect the Schaeffer's had on the Evangelical Church in the 1960s, 1970s, and even after Francis' death in the 1980s... well into the 21st Century. Their combination of Francis' apologetics and Edith's hospitality made L'Abri a very special place.

A lot of Christian leaders my age were deeply influenced by them, as well as many who worked (and still work) in government.  For Francis taught how important it was for Christians to be "salt and light" in every aspect of life, including politics. At one time, there was a Schaeffer Bible Study in Washington that lasted for years.  So to understand their work, I'd first read L'Abri, which I think was Edith's first book and the story of the beginnings of the ministry.

One of her later books was their autobiography, The Tapestry, which is much larger and takes you well into the 1980s.  I have recommended it many times to people in ministry as it shares a lot of their struggles as well as "successes" through the years.

At one time, L'Abri was probably her most famous book, until Hidden Art was published in paperback as The Hidden Art of Homemaking.  Which was a title she didn't care for but the publisher wanted, I think the publisher was right on that change.  For it was a bestseller for ages and is still in print today.   I used to read it a couple times a year but I still read it through once a year.  While it is now a little dated, it never ceases to spark my desire to live a creative life.  Especially in the day-to-day journey.

What Is a Family was her other book that I read again a couple times a year.  In it, she talks about family life in every aspect.  It is the kind of advice one rarely finds these days in books about the family as some would call it dated... long before the time social media and playgroups were even thought of, much less a part of everyday life.  However, this book takes you to the foundations of family life and very much in "Edith" style... with creativity mixed with good theology.

With Love, Edith: The L'Abri Family Letters 1948-1960 and Dear Family: The L'Abri Family Letters 1961-1968 are two books consisting of Edith's "Family" letters which were sent out first to their family and small group of supporters and eventually to thousands of people around the world who supported L'Abri.

I enjoyed these books very much, she is an excellent letter writer and these bring you into their world I think even more than their autobiography.  She always said that she wrote her letters so that her mother could actually feel a part of their world, even when thousands of miles away.  These book are the other two I plan to reread soon.  They are out-of-print and were once pricey but now there are a lot of inexpensive copies available third-party at Amazon.

They are especially interesting in that the Schaeffer's arrived in Europe at the end of WWII and you get a good look at how much Europe suffered in the Post WWII years.  It was still difficult to get healthy food to feed a family when they arrived.

Christianity Is Jewish is one of her lesser known books but is excellent for understanding the how the Old Testament is a foundation for the New Testament.  I went through a few years where I studied mainly the Old Testament since I didn't grow up knowing many Bible stories.  This book has been out-of-print but there are a lot of good used copies available.

Affliction is an excellent book to read about suffering.  Edith covers many different ways people suffer and shares her own stories of those times she had to depend on God to get through a time of affliction.

Forever Music is the book Edith wrote after the death of her husband and how music in general and a gifted Steinway in particular brought her through the process.  It includes the story of how a Steinway piano is crafted as well as the importance of music to the soul.

There are other Edith books, a few I own and others I once owned but gave away.  A few are like A Way of Seeing and are compilations of articles and essays assembled into one book.  I enjoy these because they consist of various themes and subjects.

The Schaeffers were definitely not perfect people and like every family, mistakes were made.  Their son Franky has written a scathing book about his parents and while most people say it is not correct (Os Guinness wrote a famous rebuttal*), what everyone does agree on is that Franky was neglected since he was born late in life, when the Schaeffers were traveling together a lot for ministry.

The difference between the way the girls were raised as an important part of the ministry from childhood to their son being left with other people to care for him is definitely a warning to other parents of the importance of building relationships in the early years.

Speaking of their children, Susan Schaeffer Macaulay wrote a book, For the Children's Sake, which introduced the Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling to a new generation and was very influential (along with Karen Andreola's book, A Charlotte Mason Companion) in the way I homeschooled.

Mentioned in this Post (oh, my... a lot!)

L'Abri... here.

 The Hidden Art of Homemaking... here.

What is a Family... here.

Dear Family... here.

With Love, Edith... here.

Christianity is Jewish... here.

Affliction... here.

Forever Music... here.

A Way of Seeing... here.

For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay... here.

A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola... here.











*Os Guinness' review of Franky Schaeffer's book, Crazy For God... here.

 Disclaimer: Most links to Amazon.com are Associate Links.

My Favorite Cookbooks of 2016

My Favorite Cookbooks of 2016

Book Talk cookbook reviews

Once again, these only include the books I either purchased or reviewed this past year. They also don't include review cookbooks I passed on to friends or family members since I don't have them available to look at before writing. The order is only the way I pulled them off the shelf. Most are showing my preference these days for cookbooks with prose and photos.

When I do purchase books on Amazon with credit, most of the time they are cooking and craft books.  Although I realized I didn't buy any new decorating or crafting books this past year, which is why none are included.

Homestead Kitchen: Stories and Recipes From our Hearth to Yours by Eve and Elvin Kilcher is a must have for fans of Alaska The Last Frontier.  I didn't start watching the show until it had been on about a year or so but once I did, I was hooked!  Elvin is one of the sons of the family showcased in the program and the way Elvin and Eve raise a young family off the land in the wilderness is one of the reasons I watch the show.  I've had a longing to live off the land since watching my first Wilderness Family movie in the 1970s.  ;)

While I enjoy the stories told in the book very much, it is also loaded with good "from scratch" recipes and photos.  Obviously, some of the ingredients are those I don't have access to but there are plenty of great ideas that I can use.  They had me on the nasturtium vinaigrette.  This was a great purchase with a promo-code discount.

Kitchen Gypsy by Joanne Weir can best be described as a "memoir with recipes".  I have long enjoyed Weir's PBS cooking shows and being able to read the story of her life and travels was a lot of fun.  It was particularly interesting to learn how various people influenced her cooking through the years, beginning with her mother and grandparents.

As you can imagine from a chef who worked at Chez Panisse (the Forward is by Alice Waters), the ingredients are both fresh and flavorful.  Most of the recipes are easy for anyone having cooking experience and all have Weir's flare for making the ordinary just a little unusual.  I learned to try new ideas in the kitchen from her and most worked out just fine.

I wanted Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South since I looked through it at Barnes & Noble one day.  First of all, I love the PBS show, A Chef's Life.  It took me awhile to warm up to it in the beginning but I knew it had potential.  These past few seasons have been very enjoyable.

At first I wasn't sure I'd want this cookbook because it is pricey, I don't cook with North Carolina ingredients, and her show... and book... is ingredient based.  That's where perusing it changed my mind.  For one thing, this is a huge cookbook.  Chances are anyone can find a lot of recipes in it.  I know from the show that Vivian Howard likes to use ingredients in unusual ways so I was surprised at how many good, old fashioned, basic country style recipes are in the book.

Each recipe has not only a photo but an accompanying story.  I love that!  Because each chapter is Ingredient based, it is also easy to look through when I want an idea for something to do with that ingredient.  While I will never use the chapter on say... oysters... I will definitely be coming back to tomatoes and eggs and cucumbers (especially the Fancy Sandwiches), and beets, and... you get the idea.

So how did I come to purchase it?  A lovely aligning of the stars with an already good Holiday price on Amazon, a $10.00 promo-code, and Amazon credit available.  Yes!

The Forest Feast by Erin Gleeson has been around for a couple of years but I didn't purchase it until this past year.  It has been on my Wish List for ages after seeing photos of the inside of the book and having cooks I trust online rave about it.

It's definitely an eye candy cookbook that one can drool over as the Winter winds are howling outside the window... as they are now.  Brrrrr...  But I have been adding a few vegetarian cookbooks to my shelves and decided this would be a good one. It is loaded with great ideas and recipes (which are often just ways of assembling fresh fruit and veggies).

She has a kid's cookbook that I've heard is good but takes a lot of recipes from this one.  Her brand new cookbook, which centers around entertaining large crowds, is getting rave reviews.  But this basic cookbook is fine for me.  It will get more use once seasonal fruit and veggies are available again.

The Love and Lemons Cookbook: An Apple-to-Zucchini Celebration of Impromptu Cooking is another ingredient based vegetarian cookbook with lots of colorful photos.  It is by blogger Jeanine Donofrio of the Love and Lemons food blog, which was a winner of Saveur's Best Cooking Blog Award.

This book also kept coming up on favorite food blogs and what everyone raved about was not the recipes (although they look very good), but the two page layouts that give basic ingredients of favorite foods and then adds variations.  In color.  In photos.  Amazing.

The two page layouts in the back of the book are:  Pesto, Hummus, Guacamole, Salsa, and Smoothies. They all begin with the most traditional ingredient recipes and then give suggestions from there.  This book has more Winter friendly recipes than The Forest Feast.  I have a few of the cauliflower recipes marked to try soon.

French Country Cooking: Meals and Moments from A Village in the Vineyards by Mimi Thorisson.  If one goes on readability and gorgeous photos alone, then this is definitely a case of saving the best for last.  This was the first cookbook I ever read all the way through after receiving it.

I liked Mimi's first book called A Kitchen In France but I absolutely loved this book.  In it, she tells the story of their purchase of a rundown chateau and the "pop up" restaurant they run off and on.  But it is also the story of a family that loves good food, dogs, kids, and their home in France.

Reading it was enjoyable and the photos, taken by her professional photographer husband, are gorgeous.  This is indeed the perfect book to read mid-winter.  It is one of those rare cookbooks that I don't care if I every try one of the recipes, although I do plan to soon, it would be worth the purchase just to read it as a novel.  It was a good day when I decided to review it!

Items mentioned in this post:

• Homestead Kitchen... here.
• Kitchen Gypsy... here.
• Deep Run Roots... here.
• The Forest Feast... here.
• The Love and Lemons Cookbook... here.
• French Country Cooking... here.
• The Adventures of the Wilderness Family Trilogy DVD... here.

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate Links.
I know you will ask:  I found all my Amazon promo book discounts on Modern Mrs. Darcy's updates on her blog... here.

My 10 Favorite Books of 2016

My 10 Favorite Books of 2016

Book Talk

I write down the titles of most of the books I read in a journal (I'm certain I forgot to write at least a few titles) so it is easy to go back and view the books read over a year.  What this list shows me is that it's a good thing I review books or I'd probably rarely read a new nonfiction book!  Most of them on my list are there because they were reviewed.

The list is in order of when they were read during the year and they have to be first time reads to be included.  I'd say half of my list for 2016 were rereads.  Also, I plan to write a separate list for cooking and craft books next week.  I chose only ten books for simplicity.

So here they are, my 10 favorites for 2016!  

Spark Joy by Marie Kondo
I liked this book better than her first, it speaks more to an American audience.  This time she recognizes people are going to keep items that have no use whatsoever other than the person enjoys having them around.  I got rid of fabric and craft supplies I knew I'd never use again after reading her first book.  This one inspired another major decluttering session.  Original review and link... here.

The Lifegiving Home by Sally Clarkson and Sarah Clarkson (now Sarah Fink-Jensen)
I can't tell you how many times when I've emailed Sally, I mentioned how I'd love to read an Edith Schaeffer Hidden Art of Homemaking style book written by her.  After reading this one, I'm glad she waited until Sarah could co-write the book.  For it is their combined thoughts and ideas that make this book extra special.  Original review and link... here.

Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons by Christie Purifoy 
In this book, Christie writes beautifully of our longing for home and the importance a house (or any dwelling) can be to a person.  It begins when Christie and her family move into the home they live in now, an old home with history and needing a lot of love, and covers their first year in the house.

However, it is more than just a story of a house.  It is about needing roots in our life and searching for a place to belong.  It is about being a family and becoming a neighbor.  Beautifully written!  More info... here.

Celia's House by D. E. Stevenson
I can't remember if it was Celia's House or Listening Valley which was a gift from my friend, Kristi.  She knew I loved other Stevenson books which take place in the same part of Scotland.  Celia's House, too, is the story of a house, a place, and a family.

I had read Listening Valley first and while not a sequel, it takes place in the same town with many of the same people.  So after I read Celia's House, I reread Listening Valley and found it even more enjoyable the second time around as I now knew the old stories.  I will always be thankful to Kristie for introducing me to D. E. Stevenson!  More info on Celia's House... here.  More info on Listening Valley... here.

I'm counting the two as one book on the list because I feel they belong together, even though I read one of them in 2015.

The Daniel Prayer by Anne Graham Lotz
This is an excellent book on prayer in general and specifically when we pray as if our very existence depends on it.  It is easy to read and gave me a lot to think about.  Anne writes beautifully so believe me, this is not a boring book about prayer.  Original review and link... here.

Martha's Vineyard: Island of Dreams by Susan Branch
I had loved the first book in this series called A Fine Romance: Falling in Love With the English Countryside.  It is one of the books I'd take with me if I moved to a desert island!  However, I didn't care for the second in the series called The Fairy Tale Girl at all.  It concentrated on Susan's rather wild past and though I enjoyed reading about her family and her childhood, I didn't find reading about her love life all that edifying.  I'm glad I read it but I ended up giving my copy to the mission's thrift store.

Having said that, I wasn't sure what to expect from Martha's Vineyard: Island of Dreams but I enjoyed it very much.  It takes up where The Fairy Tale Girl ended, when Susan moved to Martha's Vineyard after her first husband left her for another woman.  This includes the story of how Susan began painting, how her first cookbook came to be published. how she met Joe (much of that story is in A Fine Romance), and how she came to love Martha's Vineyard.  I kept this book!  More info... here.

Braving It: a Father, a Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild by James Campbell
This book was one of my surprise joys of 2016.  It is the story of Campbell, an author and journalist, and his teenage daughter going to Alaska not once... but twice.  The first trip was for an entire season when they stayed with Campbell's relative Heimo Yupik and his wife, Edna.  If you watch The Last Alaskans, you will already be familiar with Heimo and Edna, who are one of the couples featured in the show.

The second trip was a rafting trip down one of Alaska's dangerous rivers.  I said in my original review that the real hero of this story is the wife and mother who finally allowed it to happen.  For both trips were filled with dangerous situations.  Which makes this a fabulous story to read.  Disclaimer:  Some "language" so if that bothers you, be forewarned.  Original review and link... here.

Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon
This is the story of a graduation, a wedding, and the coming of age of Father Tim's adopted son.  It is a must read for Mitford fans as we continue to find out what happens to the characters we love so much.  If there is one flaw in the book, it is that so much is crammed into one volume.  However, that was easy for me to overlook and I enjoyed the story very much.  More info... here.

Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry
This book has been on my To Read list for absolutely ages.  I'm not sure what took me so long but it was a good day when I used Amazon credit to purchase a "good used hardback copy" of the novel.  We follow Hannah from childhood through her elderly years and by doing so, we also see how the world changes in that time. 

It took me awhile to read, not because it is difficult but honestly because of how Wendell Berry weaves her story intertwined with world events.  In fiction form, Berry shows us much of his love of the land and his concern for what "progress" has done to both people and the land. I can see why so many readers have it as an all time favorite, it easily was added to my own favorites list... to be reread soon.  More info... here.

How's Your Soul by Judah Smith
This was probably the most surprising book of all my 2016 favorites.  It came on the heels of reading a Christian Living book that I found very disappointing but then again... I haven't been fond of many books in that genre for awhile.  They were either too shallow, too much like the last one I read, or at the worst... theologically shaky.

I actually agreed to review this book because it sounded like a book I needed to read at that time.  My soul could use a good checkup.  I read the first chapter and then the next and then the next and much to my amazement, thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It was the first Christian Living book I'd read in awhile that had a lot of substance, basically sound doctrine, and gave me a lot to think about.  It now resides on a shelf to be reread someday, perhaps more than once.  Original review and link... here.

Honorable Mention
 

I heard a lot about the Modern English Version of the Bible this past year.  I was looking for a Bible to use for quiet times, in a translation other than my usual New International Version that I have used for decades.  I heard this was easy to understand but close to the King James Version in how it reads (the New King James Version loses a lot of the lyrical beauty of the original), so late last summer I used credit to purchase a copy.

I've enjoyed it very much since then.  This particular Bible is large print and while it has a concordance, it has no study notes... making it very easy to read through when I don't want to actually study verses, chapters, etc.  It is also beautifully embossed imitation leather if you care about such things.  Further info... here.

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate links.  I thank you.
Image:  Time For Reading by Judy Gibson

Book Talk - Let the Christmas Reading Commence

Book Talk - Let the Christmas Reading Commence

Book Talk

That was the title I put on the above photo in Instagram.  I have read Christmas related books in December as long as I can remember.  However, a few years ago I realized to read even part of the books I wanted to, I'd have to begin before December.

I would have started earlier but I had a stack of review books waiting.  Now that I'm down to only two, it is time to enjoy the best reading the Season has to offer!  You will notice some books are specifically Christmas related, while others have Christmas scenes as part of the book.

Here is what I'm reading in the next, oh... four or so weeks.  Some are rereads so they are quickly enjoyed while I always try to get one new Christmas volume and it takes longer.

Mid-November Through Early December Reading

A City of Bells is one of my favorite Goudge books and the one I think of most often.  While not a Christmas book, most of it does take place during the season of Advent.  It is usually the first book I read just because I love it so much. (Photo above kinda')

The Sister of the Angels is a Christmas story sequel to the above book.  It is fully about Christmas in the City of Bells.  This was my new-to-me purchase I think last year?  Time goes so quickly I forget.  It takes a little work to find an inexpensive copy but well worth it if you love Elizabeth Goudge books. (Photo above sorta')

Shepherds Abiding is my very favorite Mitford novel by Jan Karon.  I have loved this story since the first time I read it.  If you haven't read any Mitford books, don't worry... this is definitely a stand alone Christmas story.

Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus is Edited by Nancy Guthrie and has twenty-two readings for Advent from various favorite authors.  I've used it for a number of years now once we get into December proper.

Winter Song Christmas Reading is by Madeleine L'Engle & Luci Shaw.  This is a beautiful book of prose and poetry that fans of these two writers will enjoy.  I've used it along with the Nancy Guthrie book for years as a sort of Advent devotional.  It is easy to pick up and read a short story or a poem on a quick break from work.

Christmas at Fairacre contains three Miss Read Christmas stories:  Village Christmas, The Christmas Mouse, and No Holly for Miss Quinn.  They are all perfect cozy reading when it is cold outside (or warm in the Southern Hemisphere!).  If you have never read a Miss Read book, this is a good place to begin as they are all stand alone stories.

Finding Father Christmas/Engaging Father Christmas is a new paperback version which combines two of Robin Jones Gunn's previous Christmas books.  This is my new purchase this year, with Amazon credit (I thank you!).  I know people who have read them and love them so I am looking forward to cozy reading, probably in early December.

I have a few other Christmas books I hope to squeeze in before Christmas proper.  I'll write about them next month.

Books mentioned in this post*:
A City of Bells... here.**
Sister of the Angels... here.**
Shepherds Abiding... here.
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus... here.
Winter Song... here.
Christmas at Fairacre... here.
Finding Father Christmas/Engaging Father Christmas... here.

*Most links to Amazon.com are Associate links.  I thank you. 

** An excellent source of out of print books by Elizabeth Goudge (and other great authors) is Lanier's Books.  Link... here.  Click the Bookshop link on the sidebar.  Tell her I sent you.  ;)

Image:  Instagram @coffeeteabooksandme.  Teacup is Friendly Village.