Three months ago, I wrote a post about setting aside technology, turning off the television and sitting down with a good book. In that post, I invited you to come back on August 1, and chat about how that’s worked for you and what you’ve been reading this summer.
Well, here we are! Time sure flies, doesn’t it?!
On my end, I did turn off the media. Or at least I tried to avoid it, without deleting my apps or canceling my accounts (sort of like keeping that one credit card…for emergencies). And I was successful. At first. But of course, as a window left open the slightest bit will still allow the rain to seep through, sogging the carpets and rotting the wood, little by little my social media usage trickled back in, stealing my time and interrupting my productivity.
Thankfully I have been able to ward off the assault a good degree, using my time for productive activity, if not always for reading. But then, that’s what mothers do regardless, isn’t it – productive activity?
To be completely honest, I have probably read less so far this summer than I would in the same time period during the school year – summers seem conducive to crazy schedules and lots of driving (And before you recommend books on tape, I’ve done that, but great works like Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume probably don’t count. Or do they?
In the free time I’ve managed to thread amidst all the camps and other activities, I’ve been working on a project. I suppose I can confide in you at this point – I am in the process of wrapping up my first book. Shhhh. This is the first I’m mentioning this publicly, so please keep it on the down-low for now – although your prayers would be much appreciated. The fact of the matter is that suggesting a reading binge was probably pretty foolish of me this summer, considering the deadline for my book is in September. I don’t know when I thought I’d EVER be sitting around this summer.
Prayers, more prayers and fingers crossed – talk is that my book will be published for Lent 2017. What’s it about, you ask? Why, spiritual reading, of course! If you haven’t checked out our spiritual reading book club on spiritualdirection.com – please do! And keep your eyes and ears peeled around the first of the new year – hopefully I’ll have something to offer that will serve you through a lifetime of spiritual reading!
But back to the subject at hand – our Summer of reading…
I must admit I’m a bit embarrassed about my list. Not long. And for the most part not profound. Some of my books are the result of taking pictures of the popular books at Costco and reserving them at the library. That may be the first and last time I try something like that. For those who are interested, here’s what I’ve read thus far:
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – OK. Not nearly as good as All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (both are novels set in WWII).
Night by Elie Wiesel – Elie Wiesel passsed away in July, prompting me to seek out this book. It was very moving. Sad. Unbelieveable. Unconscionable. And an absolute must-read.
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll – A lot of crassness (is that a word?). Story got interesting, but I had to work to get there. A few suspenseful moments kept me going. Once I made it past the yuck, I had to finish the book, at which point the “yuck” became almost understandable.
Life of Christ by Archbishop Fulton Sheen; I’m on pg. 386 – still reading this magnificent book for our book club. It may just be one of my favorites. Lots of commentary about the Soviets, socialism and communism. Very apropos today.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – Had to read this to see where the author went. Another activist book that paves the way for assisted suicide being considered as compassionate and obvious as the notion of actually saving a life. Very sad. For more commentary on it, see this previous post.
Mother Angelica: Her Grand Silence by Raymond Arroyo – I found this book to be very good. I wrote a post on this one too.
The English Girl by Daniel Silva – I’m reading this now. Not my type of book. I need more literary stimulation. This one is all story and I just can’t get into it.
That’s it. The sum total of my literary adventures of Summer 2016.
Now it’s your turn! Have you decreased your use of technology and increased your reading? If so, how’s it going and what have you been reading this summer?
God bless you!!!!
pelicansbreast.com 
Sounds like a lot of reading to me, Vicki!!
I’ve read a few WWII era books:
“The Longest Day” by Cornelius Ryan – detailed account of the Allied invasion at Normandy
“The Hiding Place” by Corrie Ten Boom – about a family in Holland that helped hide Jews and were eventually caught and sent to concentration camps for their efforts.
“When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit” by Judith Kerr – the story is told by the youngest daughter in a family that flees Germany just before Hitler is elected. She leaves behind her toy pink rabbit, hence the title of the book.
“Enemy Brothers” by Constance Savery – A British airman is convinced that the young German prisoner is his brother Anthony who was kidnapped years before. Tony has been raised in the Nazi ideology and wants nothing to do with his English family.
My spiritual reading included
“The One Thing” by Matthew Kelly – a short one hour read about The One Thing about the Catholic faith that the author wants to pass on to his newborn son.
Currently reading “Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic” by Matthew Kelly – a fantastic book that all Catholics should read.
And for fun I’m reading aloud “The Chronicles of Narnia” with my kids. We’ve read “Magician’s Nephew” and are working our way through “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”.
Thanks for encouraging us to read more, Vicki! Can’t wait to hear more about your book.
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