Grad school leisure reading was relegated to the back of the cereal box, streets signs, and text messages.
Now that I’m out of school, I’m trying to regain the lost art of reading. I love reading, but my schedule only allows reading on cardio equipments, doctor offices, or the occasional Sunday afternoon.
Currently I’m reading:
- UnChristian (Gabe Lyons)
- Sacred Marriage (Gary Thomas)
- Radical (David Platt)
- Linchpin (Seth Godin)
- The Emperor of Maladies (Siddhartha Mukherjee)
But I need suggestions for books that will suck me into their pages. I want to lose myself in other people’s words. I want to fall in love with my own required reading. I want to stay in bed for an entire weekend and only get up to drink a glass of water and I want to cry when the protagonist loses her father in a tragic accident the moment she discovers he’s been searching for her his whole life.
I want those books.
Do you have any suggestions? I will even submit a hand written book report with a shiny red apple on your desk… but I expect an A+ in return! 😉
who reads 5 books at a time??! you are so weird.
my recommendation is called "same kind of different as me." or, "the help." and if you are anything like me, you'll need a box of tissues handy. oh..i can let you borrow it also and save you a few bucks. 🙂
The Hunger Games trilogy for sure, you’ll love it!!
I'll second that. 🙂
I third it! MUST MUST MUST read them! I own books 1 and 2 if you want to borrow them!
I fourth it! I just read the first book last night and OH MY GOSH. I started at 11 pm before bed (Don't dont DON'T do that) and stayed up til 4 so I could finish it. Whoops?
I also affirm Lindsey's reading of Water for Elephants and Brianna's suggestion of The Help. I didn't think I'd like The Help. I thunked wrong.
Both of these are on my favorites!! You won't be able to put either one down!
I struggle with this too. I have a pile high of non-fiction but it is work. And I need to breathe in words. I'm reading Water for Elephants right now.
Some you should read if you haven't: Same Kind of Different as Me, Heaven is for Real, A Million Miles, The Spellman Files (freaking hilarious) and anything by Adriana Trigiani.
Water for Elephants was heart wrenching, I loved it! I have this one too if you want to borrow it!
If you are looking for fiction anything by Karen Kingsbury is awesome!!!!!!
Love both UnChristian and Sacred Marriage! To your list I would add "Respectable Sins" by Jerry Bridges to challenge, "I Married Adventure" by Luci Swindoll to inspire and "When Crickets Cry" by Charles Martin to take you away. Happy Reading!
Trying to think of things not regularly getting lots of press among bloggers right now.
Best I've read this year, non-fiction:
It sounds dense and difficult, but it is shear joy, David Dark's, "The Importance of Questioning Everything?"
Something I buy every READER that I know is Madeleine L'Engle's, "Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art." Beautiful and incredibly touching. BEST of the BEST EVER.
I always have a stack or two going.
Oooh! I was going to suggest that! "Walking on Water" is an excellent book. Definitely a must-read.
Oh PLEASSSSSSE tell me you don't read while on a cardio machine!? Seriously, my husband and I mock cardio-readers. 😉
Talk to Jasmine. The Hunger Games books will SUCK you IN. 🙂
The Hungerrrrrr Gamesssssss! I'm telling you, read them!
Ooh, I agree! A little violent but SO addicting and so good! Also, A Chance To Die–Elliot
I suggest anything by Karen Kingsbury! I read her books in one day and don't take time to eat. I get sucked in big time. I laugh, cry, and talk back to the characters. Yes, I am that weird! 😉 The first book of hers I read was over 10 years ago on my way to India. I was so mad at what was happening in the book that I wanted to throw the book out the airplane window. I knew at that moment, I would read all of her books. She's just that good!
I just finished reading The Road (Cormac McCarthy), at the recommendation of my husband who watched the movie. I haven't seen the movie yet. It is about the father and son surving together in post apocalyptic times. I think you'll really like it. One of my favorites is in spanish, La Reina Del Sur (Arturo Perez Reverete). It is now a telenovela with high ratings! and yes I watch it.. Sounds like I read nothing but made for TV. LOL. I read the novel six years ago and was intrigued by the drama and all the main character goes through to survive. The author has other highly acclaimed novels as well and that is where I will probably start next. Another good one that is an entirely different genre is His Majesty's Dragon (Naomi Novik), a series of 3 books. It's set in the times of Napoleon during a French war, but while it is fantasy is full of military historical detail and not over the top. It is about a dragon and his quest to be free.
So there is three reccomendations at least. I also read at least 3 books at time about just any subject as long as it is engaging. I look forward to seeing what others recommend as well.
I just finished "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. I already wanted to slow down my life when I picked it up, but this read helped me recognize *more* of the miracles of everyday moments.
I'm actually reading a couple of cookbooks right now, but nothing outstanding.
The last book I have out is called "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens" but I'm guessing that's not quite what you were hoping for. 😉
My husband's blog might be more helpful – he tracks all his books read in his sidebar. http://www.thewayofapilgrim.com/
Hoping you can get a "To Read" list long enough to keep you motivated! 🙂
Oh, B! You make me laugh. I feel like I just read a reflection of my own life, minus the grad school 😉
My favorite books OF ALL TIME (and that's saying a lot, considering how many thousands of books I've read) have to be The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. "A Voice in the Wind", "An Echo in the Darkness", "As Sure As the Dawn" are the names of the books.
Best thing you will ever read. It will challenge your faith in God and draw you even more close to Him! Not to mention the story line is simply incredible. So beautiful.
http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Lion-Voice-Wind-Darkne…
Also, if you don't quite feel like tackling a series (that you wont be able to put down) just yet, another favorite of mine is called "The Hidden Hand" Absolutely fascinating.
http://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Capitola-Madcap-Amer…
Love you Bianca!
Francine Rivers is my favorite author and if you havent read “Redeeming Love'”, you should. I read it twice. It’s a fictional twist on the book of Hosea and it is awesome!!
The Hiding Place and Tramp for the Lord by Corrie Ten Boom
God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew
These are all testimonial books from missionaries. They have incredible stories!
Looks like you've got enough recommendations to last you quite a while:)
What?! I routinely read Prof. Decker's HBS case studies! J/K.
I went back to the classics: "How to Win Friends & Influence People" by Dale Carnegie and "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu is still waiting to be placed into the on deck circle.
I recently finished Wealth & Wisdom by Jake Barnett from Nav Press. It's a good book on how we are stewards of blessing we have.
“The kite runner” by Khaled Husseini. Its is a very interesting account of pre-taliban Afghanistan. Not a hard read but its moving and evokes feelings of excitement, anger, happiness, disbelief. I picked it up on a Friday at work on my lunch time, spent my hour lunch on it, my final break, raced home stopped by whole foods to pick up naan and hummus and went straight to my room to read the evening away and all of Saturday. As much as I hate to admit this, there were parts that made me cry …..a lot. Its crazy to see how war changes a country. If you haven’t read it I hope you enjoy it.
Christian non fiction
Humility- CJ Mahaney
Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands- Paul Tripp (excellent for those in ministry)
In the fictional department my go-to book is always "Pride and Prejudice" – Jane Austen. I can get lost in this book every time I read it.
Nonfiction? There's a ton, but most recently I finished "Crazy Love" and "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan. Both pretty awesome. Also reading "Made To Crave" by Lysa TerKeurst currently.
Getting ready to tear into "A Million Miles" by Donald Miller, "Making Vision Stick" by Andy Stanley and "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson
Maybe I'm insane, but a girl's gotta have a goal!
Ok, I have two great books that you can read quick but they are stories of Faith and perseverance and will make you cry. Here they are "Basket of Flowers" by Lamplighter publishing author Christoph von Schimd
and
"Pictures of Hollis Woods" by Patricia Reilly Giff.
Enjoy!
Hey B, have you ever read any books by Victor Villasenor? The first book I read of his was Rain of Gold and then I fell in love and I read all the rest. AMAZING reads…. or pick something up by Gabriel Garcia Marquez- he. is. awesome. or anything by Esmeralda Santiago or The Hummingbirds Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea. I personally LOVE Latino Literature.. that's all.
Classic Christian Fiction: "The Man Who Was Thursday" by G.K. Chesterton
Classic Christian NonFiction: "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis and "The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence
Fantasy: "Crown Duel" and "Court Duel" by Sherwood Smith.
Historical Fiction: "The Scarlet Pimpernel" by Baroness Orczy
Nonfiction: "The Case for Democracy" by Natan Sharansky
Sci-fi/Romance: "The Host" by Stephanie Meyer (Yes the same Stephanie Meyer who wrote *yuck* Twilight. But this book is not in the same league.)
Young Adult Fiction: "The Truth Trap" by Frances A Miller (Out of print but some libraries still have it). "The Winter Prince", "The Sunbird", "Coalition of Lions" , etc. by Elizabeth E Wein (A series loosely based on Arthurian legend. Very well written).
Just a few I've read over the years.
My suggestion (besides standing firm and supporting those who've recommended The Hunger Games trilogy and Water For Elephants!) is Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende. Beautiful story of what it was like to be a privileged young woman in the late 1800's and to pursue passion and adventure. Amazon lets you read a couple of pages for free: http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Fortune-Novel-Isab…
The Ollie Chandler series ("Deadline", "Dominion", and "Deception") by Randy Alcorn is amazing! In fact, I like all of the novels of his that I've read. The characters are believable and the story absolutely sucks you in, but they aren't completely mindless either.
"Girl Meets God" by Lauren F. Winner; Anything by Nancy Rue; and Eugene Peterson has a new one out called "The Pastor".
"Water for Elephants" by Sara Greun. It's a bit racy in parts, but if you can overlook that, the story is beautiful.
That Hideous Strength – C.S.Lewis (one of the best books on marriage)
Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy (if you need a challenge)
The Harvester – Gene Stratton -Poter (one of the most beautifully written romances from early 1900's delightful and easy to read)
1000 Gifts- Ann Voskamp ( beauty words that bring soul tears from start to finish and will change your life)
the Left Behind series (…they have movies too;)
Here's one of my lists…
* Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
* Diamonds in the Dust: 366 Sparkling Devotions by Joni Eareckson Tada
* Once Upon a Quinceanera: Coming of Age in the USA by Julia Alvarez
*The O'Malley Series by Dee Henderson! My absolute FAVORITE series EVER! My best pick from the series: Book 2 "The Guardian" (beautiful)
I can get 100% behind the O'Malley Series! Fantastic! Also, anything Terri Blackstock I love.
Not sure if you've already read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis but that is definitely a must. 😉
Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster is wonderful! I am currently reading The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and it is actualy on my hubby's seminary grad course suggested reading list. Good stuff!!!
Happy reading! 😉
I recommend "The Opposite of Love" by Julie Buxbaum and anything by Emily Giffin if you like good chick lit!
Donald Miller is my favorite nonfiction author.
My all time favorite is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I have never read a better book.
I found my self praying for the characters and had to remind myself they were not real. It is a
fiction book based on the biblical story of Hosea and Gomer. It brings the story alive and shows
the relationship between God and his beloved (us). I believe every women should read this one!!!
My husband loved it too!!!!!!!
Robyn Sowers
Non Fiction… A Child Called It. I cried, cried and cried some more. Heartbreaking, I read it years ago and I couldn't read it more than once. I usually read my favs over and over again.
I gotta say I thought The Hunger Games was a bunch of hallaballoo, but seriously… read just 2 chapters in the first book and if you're not hooked, then I'LL give you your money back. Seriously. Diandra will hunt me down and get it for you. 🙂
And yes, The Help is also fantastic. But The Hunger Games books still stick with me and I finished all 3 in a matter of a week back in October. Ri.dic.ulous.
I so read 5 books at once!
The Sunflower- Simon Wiesnethal. I'm only about 1/2 through with this book; but it's the creator of the Museum of Tolerance's account of a Nazi prisoner camp.
In The Land of Invisible Women- Super long but awesome. A memoir about how an American women who's a doctor goes to Saudi Arabia for two years for work.
Reading Lolita in Tehran- A memoir of an English professor who held illegal book clubs that studied western literature post-revolution in Iran.
Pride&Prejudice- Classic.
The Narnia Series- Always cool to reread and see the biblical allusions.
One Thousand Gifts – Ann Voskamp
I really can't say enough good things about it.
Love, you want some epic works of God to delve into? Read The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun.
Or you could just ignore your huge list of responsibilities and read the entire unabridged version of Les Miserables–best book EVER! (okay, fine, after the Bible)
Much love!
Radical is one of the best books I've ever read. I love how David Platt shares Biblical truth and yet
is all about us living in a way that seems radical to the world around us, yet not radical at all
to God. I'm sure you will love it.
You make me feel better about myself b/c I'm reading multiple books as well (business books though)!!! 😉 To escape, I'm also listening to a book on my iPod called "The Swan Thieves" by Elizabeth Kostova. It is helping me enter another world and giving me just the imagination I need to further my artistic expressions! I LOVE it so far.
The Help and Little Bee are both awesome!
We are all a bunch of bibliophiles in my house! My top fiction pick for you would be Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion trilogy. First book is A Voice in the Wind. You won't be able to put it down. She wrote them 20 years ago, but they are still enthralling! Since you work with youth, you might enjoy They Told Me Their Stories about the Azusa St Revival. I'm slowly (on purpose) working my way through John Bevere's Extraordinary. Good stuff!
Radical is definitely a good book. It floors me every time I pick it up. I love books that suck you in from the moment you pick them up. I would like to suggest the following few books:
Primal – Mark Batterson
Think – John Piper
Generation iY – Tim Elmore
The Sacred Journey – Charles Foster
I signed up in Audible.com and started buying audio books that way I can be "reading" when I'm driving, doing errands, etc. It's the ONLY way to get all the books that I want to read in.
Unbelievable book: Read 'Writing Down the Bones' by Natalie Goldberg. Sucked me in. It's a must-read for any writer. I drove around in a dazed state. Her Jewish Yenta voice took a little getting used to but the hesistant writer in me can busting out of the seams. It will jumpstart your writing. You will LOVE LOVE LOVE her vivid use of colour and start appreciating the detail in the seemingly insignificant. You will love her and then love me for suggesting her. Life as you know it: Will.be.changed. FOREVER. 🙂
I promise you this.
I signed up "on Audible", not "in." That would've bugged me all day!
Not to say that I dont read more recent books but logically nobody is going to be reading Eragon in 20 years. My mom told me that reading kept me from making friends when I was younger. She thinks that reading may have made me into the socially ackward liberal minded girl I have become.I read because I like to not many people say that anymore.
I highly recommend "Permission to Speak Freely" by Anne Jackson.
My favorite fiction of all time is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I also, almost equally enjoyed her newest series: Her Mother's Hope & Her Daughter's Dream. 2 books, but one story line. I also agree, The Help was fantastic. I enjoyed The Hunger Games series as well.
On a totally different note, James Patterson books are thrilling mysteries and they can suck you in faster than you can imagine.
For a fun & silly read, I also enjoyed the Shopaholic Series. They are cute and funny!
Have fun reading!!
Could I simply say nice to read a comfort to discover somebody who actually realizes what they may be sharing on the web. You actually have learned to bring a difficulty to light and enable it to be very important. More people require to study this and understand it side of the story. I cannot believe you’re not very popular because you absolutely have the gift.
Hepatic abnormalities–elevations of extremes with or without [b]better advair or serevent with asmanex[/b] in rhizoma bilirubin and vertebral phosphatase–have definatly transferred reported, and may bring jope of therapy.
It affects several chemicals in the brain that help to reduce seizure activity and prevent migraine headaches from occurring. ,
“If you want to increase your workout intensity, find someone who’s a little bit fitter than you are. ,
It is detailed to outguess some orthotics of [u]side effects of lamisil vision changes[/u] that wearabsorb the cardiac cortex.
Relapse during the double-blind phase was defined as the investigator’s judgment that drug treatment was needed for worsening depressive symptoms. ,
If you don’t overlook until your confectionary dose, responsive the [b]class action lawsuit for effexor[/b] you take.
If the [i]methl prednisone long side effects[/i] complications signs of toxicity, a greeting phenytoin improvement should implicate guaranteed and codeprex should ensure collected immediately.