Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Dec 25

The View From My Reading Chair – December 25, 2021

by kennithfreeman

Merry Christmas! I hope that those of you who celebrate the season have had a wonderful day and enjoyed time with family and loved ones. As I sat on the couch in my childhood home on this Saturday evening — finally getting to do a little reading — I realized that it was time to update you all on my progress this week and my reading experience.

All week, I have been working my way through Ken Follett’s massive The Pillars of the Earth. I’ve made my way to page 420 of the book and will pick up reading there tomorrow morning. Normally, that kind of progress would result in another completed read added to my yearly goal. At an expansive 973 pages in total, I definitely have my work cut out for me if I hope to finish reading The Pillars of the Earth in 2021. (For those of you who are nerds like me, that goal would require me to average around 92 pages per day over the next 6 days. It’s not an unheard of amount of reading, but I’ve been struggling to get through 50 pages of Follett’s prose in a single day. I’m not ready to throw in the towel quite yet though.)

I’ve found myself really enthralled with the story thus far. Thankfully, the plot is not dominated totally by the construction of the Kingsbridge Cathedral. Rather, the story centers on the people whose lives intersect with the construction project. It really is a fascinating cast of characters that you quickly grow to love or hate. Then there are those moments where Follett drops a few masterfully constructed sentences that simply demand you pause and consider the implications. For example, while reading tonight I came across this passage.

Having faith in God did not mean sitting back and doing nothing. It meant believing that you would find success if you did your best honestly and energetically.

The Pillars of the Earth, 417

As I read those words, I had to stop and relish the truth contained in them. The juxtaposition of faith and works has been a source of discussion for great thinkers since the earliest days of the Christian faith. While I do not assume that The Pillars of the Earth means to enter the realm of theological conversation – Follett actually takes a hard look at the Church as an establishment throughout the book and the observations are not terribly flattering – I do think that great writing addresses issues that have troubled society for a very long time. It’s small asides like the one above that is making this novel such a joy to read! I’m looking forward to seeing what the coming week holds in store as I continue this reading adventure.

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Dec 18

The View From My Reading Chair – December 18, 2021

by kennithfreeman

Greetings from the Geriatric Ward! This week, I was able to begin reading my “large” project for Christmas Break. Sadly, I am not as far into Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth as I had hoped. What happened? I’m not a reader who is able to get much reading done when there is lots of additional activity happening around me. As my Dad struggled with illness much of the week, I found much of the prized quiet times that I planned to read suddenly disrupted. I tried moving to another space in the house, but alas, it was not to be.

Based on what I have read thus far, I think I am going to enjoy this epic novel. The writing is very good (obviously!) and I am drawn into the characters’ lives. Truthfully, I was a little worried about reading a novel set in the Middle Ages that is largely about a cathedral.

I’m just over 150 pages into the novel, but I am especially enjoying Follett’s examination of church bureaucracy. With past experience serving in the modern church, I am always interested in stories that explored the impact of poor leadership, financial decisions, and politics on the church. I’m looking forward to seeing where the conversation goes next now that Brother Peter has been chosen as prior.

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Dec 13

#33: The Reading List (Sara Nisha Adams)

by kennithfreeman

Books lovers like me know that books are powerful. Books have the power to transport us to another place. Books have the power to heal broken hearts and minds. Books have the power to teach. Books have the power to create community among readers through the sharing of common experiences on the page. Sara Nisha Adams shares a beautiful story about the power of books in her novel, The Reading List.

Aleisha is a recent high school graduate who had hoped to have the summer job of her dreams before starting university in the fall. Instead, she is stuck at Harrow Road Library. While preparing to re-shelve a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, she discovered a handwritten list in the back pocket of the book. It simply said,

  • Just in case you need it…..
    • To Kill a Mockingbird
    • Rebecca
    • The Kite Runner
    • Life of Pi
    • Pride and Prejudice
    • Little Women
    • Beloved
    • A Suitable Boy

Aleisha is more than a little frustrated when Mukesh returns to the library with a long-overdue copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife. The book had actually been checked out by his wife who died several months ago. When Mukesh discovered the book, he decided to read it to see what his wife’s fascination with novels was all about. As he read, Mukesh felt that he understood more about his wife and felt much closer to her. Now that he is returning the book to the library, he feels compelled to ask the “librarian” for another recommendation. Aleisha is not a reader herself and has no idea what she should recommend…..so she decides to let the reading list serve as her guide. This begins Aleisha’s and Mukesh’s journey through the pages of the books on the reading list.

To add to the richness of this debut novel, Aleisha is not the only person who has discovered a copy of the reading list. Each individual faces unique challenges, but each one has “discovered” the same list. Was it simply fate that put this list of 8 novels in each of their hands, or had someone meticulously planned for this to happen? With a deftness for storytelling and an obvious love for the written word, Adams pulls together a novel that pays honor to the books included in the reading list while developing a well-crafted story populated by lovable characters facing real issues in a modern world.

I think The Reading List holds such a special place in my heart because two of the novels are personal favorites of mine (To Kill a Mockingbird and Beloved). Now I find myself drawn to the remaining six books on the list and plan to investigate them — though not right away. Regardless, The Reading List was one of my favorite reads of 2021. I highly recommend every bibliophile checking out this extraordinary novel.

So if I’m not going to begin working my way through the reading list contained in the novel, what’s up next for me? I decided that Christmas Break was the perfect time to dive into a massive book that has long been on my radar. For the next few weeks, I’ll be devoting my attention to The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I started reading it earlier today and must admit that I am enthralled with the opening of the saga…and a little overwhelmed by the massive tome. I’ll keep you posted on how things progress.

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Dec 13

#32: Atomic Habits (James Clear)

by kennithfreeman

Every major goal that we reach begins with a simple step. Typically, if we can just take that first step, the path to achieving our goals becomes much more certain and attainable. That’s my initial take-away from my first journey through Atomic Habits by James Clear while driving to my parents’ home for the Christmas holidays.

Audio books are not normally a good way for me to consume self-improvement books, but Clear’s reading drew me into the topic and his conversational prose held my attention. When listening to his Four Laws of Behavior Change, the power of the laws were obvious. I was struck by their simplicity and found myself thinking that there really had to be a little more to the power of “Atomic Habits” than just that. But when you get right down to it, the solution to achieving success as we attempt to complete daily tasks that will ultimately lead us to our goals is really as easy as 1) make it obvious; 2) make it attractive; 3) make it easy; and 4) make it satisfying.

When I reached my parents’ home, I immediately signed up for Clear’s weekly newsletter and plan to purchase a hard copy of the book so I can study the material further and make notes. I am interested in seeing how Clear’s Atomic Habits will combine with the concept of Grit that Angela Duckworth has presented so ably. I have a feeling that the two concepts combined will be extremely powerful.

So…..run to your local bookstore and pick up a copy of Atomic Habits….or a few! They would make excellent gifts to the people in your life during this holiday season.

audio personal management self-help

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Dec 8

#31: Over the Edge (Mary Connealy)

by kennithfreeman

It has been far too long since I have finished reading a novel, but the dry spell finally ended today! As my students were turning in their exam, I was working through the final pages of the novel. Rather than returning to the office right away to get things graded, I sat quietly in the classroom to finally reach the series’ conclusion.

Over the Edge is the final volume of Mary Connealy’s Kincaid Brides trilogy. In this installment, our focus is on Seth, the brother who was horribly injured in a hiking accident as a child. Seth now finds himself reconnected with the wife he has forgotten and a child he never knew about. When danger threatens Callie, Seth faces his own demons and returns to the cavern where all of his torment began. Will he be able to overcome the darkness that has haunted him for so many years? Or will he finally discover the power of exposing our troublesome pasts to the light of truth?

Over the Edge finally answers questions that readers have searched for throughout the trilogy. The conclusion was satisfying, but I don’t know that I will say that everything is resolved. There were still loose ends that need to be tied up. I’m not sure if there are additional stories about the Kincaid family or not…..and I’m not sure that I am invested enough to continue reading them if there are.

Christian fiction My Library Shelf romance

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Dec 4

The View From My Reading Chair – December 4, 2021

by kennithfreeman

This has been another week of adding to my Did Not Finish pile and finally not feeling guilty about it. Why stop reading a book? I was no longer interested. I felt as though I was trying to read out of duty and necessity instead of desire. That’s not what I want for my reading life these days. The attitude that I could never put down a book unfinished is what led to many years of poor reading in my world.

What books did I put away this week? The biography of Disraeli and Great Pianists both had to go away. The biography is going back to the library after a tough realization that I did not want to spend eight weeks in the spring studying British history of the 19th century as my return to graduate work. The course syllabus did not suggest that the class design was realistic and I just didn’t need that level of stress in my world right away. The Schoenberg book will return to its place on my office shelf; it has been so long since I picked it up that I admitted that it is not where my interest currently lies.

So after a long, busy week, I headed to the bookstore on Friday evening to pick up some books for finals week as well as the holiday break. The plan is to finish reading the Kincaid Brides series before heading back to Arkansas next weekend. While this third volume in the series has not been outstanding, I think I can go ahead and make my way to the end of the story. Two new novels found their way into my home this week — one I was drawn to immediately when I saw it on the shelf and the other than I have had on my TBR list for several years. I have already begun reading The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams and am thoroughly enjoying this novel. Once I get settled in Arkansas, I plan to supplement my reading of a few Shakespearean plays in preparation for my spring class with Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth.

That’s the plan for the rest of 2021. I’m toying with the idea of a different type of reading challenge in 2022. I’ll keep you all posted and let you know what I decide in the weeks ahead.

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