52 Books

Well, unless I do nothing but read for the next two weeks, I won't quite make the 52 book mark, but wow, I am feeling like I far from failed! I used to read constantly, several books a week. In the past 5 years that has changed so much that I doubt I have even read 52 books in 5 years. So, while I don't expect to hit the mark, having a goal was very motivating - and while I would not recommend all of the books I read this year (a few were rather disappointing), I gained so much from a number of them. My top picks for the year have to be: for some serious reading - Genesis, Creation and Early Man (Fr. Seraphim Rose has such a way of writing that is so simple and straightforward, considering the many heavy topics he wrote on during his life time!). For fun reading: Hitchhiker's Guide - now, I have read these before, back in highschool, but they were so much more fun to read this time around. Warning: I have a twisted sense of humor - groomed by my father who raised me on a steady diet of British humor and sci fi (Dr. Who, Monty Python, Keeping Up Appearances, Fawlty Towers), so take that into consideration in my recommendation. For parents - I loved Better Late Than Early and Weapons of Mass Instruction, and finally, for personal improvement - Seven Habits. So, those were some of my favorites, I would love to hear what your favorite read of the year has been.

52 Books - week 2

I have added a list in the sidebar where I am going to keep a tally of my book list this year as I read them. A quick update - I am still working my way through Acedia and Me (not a quick read, but a very good book). As I pace myself through that one, I decided last week I needed a little lighter reading to go along with it, so I decided to pick up This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. I read this back in highschool, and since the common theme that seems to be guiding my book selections at present is prayer, I thought it might be a nice change of pace to enjoy a fictional look at the topic. While the theology is certainly not spot on (I am pretty sure the angels are not sitting there hoping I pray so they have the strength to fly), it is an engaging read, and it does bring forth the importance of prayer. I think the beauty of this book is the reminder that there is indeed an unseen war being waged all the time around us, and we must constantly be vigilant, aware that the demons are always trying to lead us astray and we are in a battle for our souls.

52 Books Update

Not sure how often I will post about my books, since I doubt you all want to read about every book, but I will post the occasional update. I re-read A Mother's Rule of Life last week, and spent several hours making notes and creating a new rule for myself and a new plan for chores and the rest. I am looking forward to implementing it this week, and hope it will help us to get back on track for the new year in contrast to the chaos of the past few months! If you are not familiar with this book, it is a wonderful guide to putting some organization into your life. Pierlot approaches it from a spiritual perspective, rather than a strict "scheduling" perspective, using the monastic concept of a "rule," which is a prescribed way of living within a monastic community. Orthodox Christians should have a prayer rule as a part of Orthodox living - a set plan of prayer for each day. This rule is often created with the guidance of a spiritual father, and goes beyond the idea of rules to live by in a legalistic sense, rather creating a framework of accountability for the Christian life. With this in mind, Pierlot guides the reader through the five areas of a mother's life - prayer, person, partner, parent, provider - asking the reader to prayerfully consider what she needs to do within those areas to accomplish God's calling for her. Putting all of those areas together, one is left with a basic outline for the day - not necessarily with strict times, but with an order to the day. It is a very doable concept, and much more natural than a rigorous daily schedule.
After finishing A Mother's Rule of Life, I moved on to Acedia & Me, by Kathleen Norris. Norris is a poet and the author of one of my favorite little books, The Quotidian Mysteries, and Acedia & Me is a deeper exploration of the topics she touched on in QM. I am enjoying this book a great deal, and imagine I will spend several weeks on it. In the mean time I also intend to re-read The Quotidian Mysteries.