Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Mar 16

#8: Lone Wolf (Jodi Picoult)

by kennithfreeman

Once again, Jodi Picoult comes through with another amazing read!  Lone Wolf is the story of a family facing a difficult decision after a car accident leaves the father in a coma. The daughter holds out hope for a full recovery; the estranged son returns from Thailand after a six year absence and fights for the right to terminate life support. Through all the twists and turns, these siblings ultimately discover that they have a lot in common with the wolf packs that their father spent his life researching — most notably that nothing is more important than family.

My only regret after finishing this novel is that I have to wait another year to read Picoult’s next finely crafted novel.  While the anticipation is killing me, I look forward to it, knowing that it will be another piece to add to my “must read” list.

fiction secular

Leave a comment »
Mar 10

#7: Zero Day (David Baldacci)

by kennithfreeman

Lots of driving is letting me get through some fun books at the moment!  Yesterday, I finished Zero Day and had a ton of fun listening.

The novel features John Puller as its hero, a special agent in the army who is also the son of a retired general and brother to a soldier convicted of treason.  Puller finds himself ordered to investigate the murder of a military officer in rural West Virginia, but the situation quickly begins to spiral out of control.  Filled with unexplained deaths, a couple of swarmy residents in this dying burg, a somewhat incompetent police force, and charming characters, Zero Day is a fun read that will keep you entertained for several days.

The book jacket suggests that this is the first novel in a series featuring John Puller.  I can only hope!  I’m ready for another adventure already!

audio fiction

1 Comment »
Mar 10

#6: The Descendants (Kaui Hart Hemmings)

by kennithfreeman

With my busy schedule continuing, my fascination with audio books led me to The Descendants.  Recommended by a great friend from college who knows that I enjoy riveting family dramas and thought I would enjoy the Hawaiian setting, the novel had great possibilities.  After seeing the trailers for the George Clooney movie based on the book, however, I wasn’t sure that I would enjoy the read.

The Descendants follows a father and his two daughters as they come to terms with what life will be like without their loving mother in their life.  The plot is fairly simple, but kept interesting and engaging through the constant revelations made by the colorful characters as they prepare to say goodbye.

Despite learning that Mom was less than perfect in the months leading up to her boating accident, the reader is filled with sympathy as the end of life draws near.  Honestly, I had to pull off the road briefly to listen to some of the novel’s touching closing passages because my vision was distorted as my eyes welled up with tears.

Despite its depiction of marital infidelity, teen drug and alcohol abuse, and inappropriate sexuality, I found The Descendants to be a wonderful depiction of a modern family in crisis.  I look forward to reading additional works by Hemmings in the future as well.

audio fiction

Leave a comment »
Feb 28

#5: The Litigators (John Grisham)

by kennithfreeman

On a recent trip with the family to Louisville, I picked up an audio recording of The Litigators. Since it was written by John Grisham, an author that I don’t gravitate to naturally, I expected a light read that would keep me awake on the drive but not demand too much of my attention. I like my audio books to be something that I can easily pull myself away from without thinking about when the chapter will end. The Litigators was not such a book, much to my (pleasant) surprise.

Centering on a law firm filled with humorous attorneys and beautifully written characters, the novel pulls you into issues of morality and justice while connecting you to the lives of the individuals inhabiting Grisham’s fictional world. A high-profile mass torte case against a pharmaceutical company, quickie divorces, legal services advertised on Bingo cards, and a fearful family of immigrants combine to create one of the most engrossing tales I have experienced in quite some time.

The question that now haunts my mind is whether I have been missing the pleasure and craftsmanship of Grisham’s writing or if the work was simply a perfect fit for my drive time. Either way, I plan to take a look at another of Grisham’s lesser known works in the future and have already begun listening to another audio book. I’ll let you know what I discover……

For now, I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting the opening of the bookstore tomorrow morning in order to purchase my next exciting read: Jodi Picoult’s new novel! I can’t wait!

audio fiction

Leave a comment »
Feb 14

#4: Getting Things Done (David Allen)

by kennithfreeman

 I am horribly unorganized! My desk is a mess and I never feel as though I am accomplishing everything I need to get done.  Recently, I read a friend’s blog post referring to the GTD method and, after asking him to clarify, decided to read the book for myself.  Honestly, I didn’t expect to find much that I hadn’t been exposed to before.

Quite simply, Allen’s method essentially is a combination of various lists and a thorough filing system.  At first I was very skeptical of the practicality of using seperate lists for everything — especially since I am away from my homebase much of the time.  Now that I have decided to give the method a try, I am finding it very refreshing to pull out my action list when I’m sitting at the computer and another when making phone calls.  I think that my productivity will greatly increase if I follow through with the method; that’s been the case this week, anyway.

The filing system is an alphabetical arrangement of everything.  No color coding or sub-files within a larger context here.  Rather than separating personal from business, everything co-exists in a single system.  I’m just getting started with my personal filing, so we’ll have to see how this actually goes.

Lists are not always date specific.  Rather, they represent the “next action” that needs to be taken for each project currently on your plate. The lists are reviewed weekly and adjusted and amended as needed at that point.

All in all, I think most people can take something away from reading “Getting Things Done.”  Written primarily from a business perspective, it is not leisure reading.  Whether or not you decide to implement Allen’s method (or even if you don’t think you need to improve in your personal organization), the book is insightful and full of useful information and ideas for improving your productivity.

4 out of 5 stars!

non-fiction personal management

Leave a comment »
Jan 21

#3: One Summer (David Baldacci)

by kennithfreeman

One Summer started out as a book that grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let go.  The novel tells the story of a young couple with three children facing a harsh reality.  The father, a veteran, has a terminal disease and is expecting to die at any moment.  In a cruel turn of events, his wife is in a tragic car accident, leaving her husband and children behind.

Baldacci’s writing in the first half of the novel is splendid.  The father’s struggle to accept his own approaching death, feelings of helplessness as his children are relocated with family around the country, and his triumphant return to health are powerfully crafted.  Once the family is reunited and settle for the summer in South Carolina, the novel seemed to lose some of its forward momentum and drive.

What I had hoped would be an inviting, heart-felt novel turned out to be a lazy beach read.  I’m no worse for the wear, but my life is no better for reading it either.

My rating:  2.5 out of 5.

fiction secular

Leave a comment »
Jan 14

#2: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter (Tom Franklin)

by kennithfreeman

The bar for quality reading this year has been set very high!  Tom Franklin’s novel tells the story of two men, Larry and Silas, who grew up together in southeastern Mississippi.  Silas is a black boy; Larry is white. As they grow, their lives take different paths.

Years ago, a young girl suddenly disappeared after going on a date with Larry.  Everyone assumes that Larry was responsible for her disappearance and death, but he was never tried due to a lack of evidence.  Now another girl has gone missing and Larry is the prime suspect.  Silas has returned to the deep South as a police officer in the small town, investigating the kidnapping.

Is Larry a monster or a misunderstood introvert?  Does Silas know more about the situation than he is telling?  

The novel is a fascinating read with lots of unexpected twists and turns along the way.  Be advised, dear reader, that the book is intended for a mature audience and includes vulgarity throughout.  (If you are easily offended by language, this may not be the book for you.)

My review:  4 1/2 out of 5……incredible story, wonderful writing and engrossing.

 

fiction secular

1 Comment »
Jan 5

#1: Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit (Charles Swindoll)

by kennithfreeman

The first book of the year!  I selected this book as preparation for an upcoming class I will be teaching this summer and honestly didn’t have high expectations.  Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised.  Not only was the biography well-written and thoroughly researched, it also provided insightful commentary and connections to modern day life.  This 6th volume of Swindoll’s “Great Lives from God’s Word” series definitely made a believer out of me.  I will probably pick up the other volumes in the series eventually.

Here’s one of my favorite passages that came near the end of the work:

I [Swindoll] was reading to Cynthia [his wife] from Sports Illustrated about a 90-year-old basketball scout that still does work for the Detroit Pistons.  That’s right — the man is ninety years old!  He still gets on a plane, checks those prospects out, and brings back a reliable report.  I love it!  He said he flew past sixty-two without even a thought of retirement.  Strong determination.

I read somewhere, “We wonder at the anatomical perfection of a da Vinci painting.  But we forget that Leonardo da Vinci on one occasion drew a thousand hands.”  Leonardo possessed that same strong determination Paul modeled in Rome.  Thomas Edison came up with the modern light bulb after a thousand failed attempts.  By the man’s own admission, it was mainly strong determination that gave the incandescent light to the world, not an inventor’s creative genius.

But we’re not talking about college athletes or persistent, brilliant inventors.  We’re talking about being a determined servant of Christ.  There’s no easy route to spiritual maturity.  It doesn’t happen overnight.  Remember, it’s a grueling journey at times.  So, don’t bother to publish a pamphlet on all the obstacles you face.  Don’t become famous for complaining.  The apostle says, “Forget the past; reach for the tape.  Keep running.”  Develop and maintain an attitude of strong determination.  (Swindoll, 310-311)

My score for this book:  4 out of 5.

biography Christian

Leave a comment »
Jan 4

2011’s Completed Reading List

by kennithfreeman

I’m happy to say that I moved closer to my goal, reading 31 books during the year.  Here’s the list:

1.  Rorey’s Secret by Leisha Kelly – 1/5/11

2.  Called Out of Darkness by Anne Rice – 1/11/11

3.  The Confession (Audio) by John Grisham – 1/12/11

4.  The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard – 1/17/11

5.  Warriors Don’t Cry:  A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Intergrate Little Rock’s Central High by Melba Pattillo Beals – 1/27/11

6.  Room by Emma Donoghue – 2/5/11

7.  Churched:  One Kid’s Journey Toward God Despite a Holy Mess by Matthew Paul Turner – 2/10/11

8.  Soar by Kenny Luck – 3/4/11

9.  Hallelujah Junction:  Composing an American Life by John Adams – 3/17/11

10.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson – 4/3/11

11.  The Chasm:  A Journey to the Edge of Life by Randy Alcorn – 4/21/11

12.  Hate List by Jennifer Brown – 5/12/11

13.  Sundays at Tiffany’s (Audio) by James Patterson – 5/23/11

14.  The Secret Between Us (Audio) by Barbara Delinsky – 5/27/11

15.  Amazing Grace (Audio) by Danielle Steel – 6/4/11

16.  The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson – 6/18/11

17.  Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult – 7/7/11

18.  The Help by Kathryn Stockett – 7/1611

19.  Why Mahler?  How One Man and Ten Symphonies Changed Our World by Norma Lebrecht – 7/23/11

20.  Hard Times by Charles Dickens – 8/2/11

21.  Glory:  Experiencing the Atmosphere of Heaven by Ruth Ward Heflin – 8/5/11

22.  The Maze Runner by James Dashner – 8/28/11

23.  Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch – 9/4/11

24.  Kramer Versus Kramer by Avery Corman – 9/10/11

25.  The Distant Hours by Kate Morton – 9/24/11

26.  Haydn by Vernon Gotwals – 10/3/11

27.  Forgotten God:  Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan – 10/10/11

28.  Left Neglected by Lisa Genova – 10/14/11

29.  One Day, All Children by Wendy Kopp – 10/19/11

30.  The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry – 12/18/11

31.  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll – 12/29/11

Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
Jan 4

2010’s Reading Record

by kennithfreeman

The first year that I kept a record of the books I read was 2010.  For the sake of consistency, here is the list of books I read that year:

1.  Redefining Children’s Ministry in the 21st Century:  A Call for Radical Change by Becky Fischer – 1/5/10

2.  The Concubine’s Daughter by Pai Kit Fai – 1/15/10

3.  The Unmotivated Child:  Helping Your Underachiever Become a Successful Student by Natalie Rathvon – 1/21/10

4.  The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty – 2/4/10

5.  Basketball Jones by E. Lynn Harris – 2/9/10

6.  Still Alice by Lisa Genova – 2/24/10

7.  The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis – 2/28/10

8.  The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis – 3/5/10

9.  House Rules by Jodi Picoult – 3/18/10

10.  The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis – 3/27/10

11.  Deeper Water by Robert Whitlow – 4/5/10

12.  Higher Hope by Robert Whitlow – 5/6/10

13.  Look Again by Lisa Scottoline – 5/25/10

14.  The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom – 5/30/10

15.  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Audio) by Mary Ann Shaffer – 6/2/10

16.  Greater Love by Robert Whitlow – 6/13/10

17.  The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University by Kevin Roose – 6/24/10

18.  Broken on the Back Row by Sandy Patty – 7/13/10

19.  Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg – 7/20/10

20.  The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender – 8/2/10

21.  American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld – 9/30/10

22.  Every Last One by Anna Quindlen – 10/9/10

23.  The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown – 11/10/10

24.  The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult – 11/21/10

25.  The Choice (Audio) by Nicholas Sparks – 12/10/10

26.  The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber – 12/18/10

27.  Cast of Characters by Max Lucado – 12/22/10

28.  The Real Mary:  Why Evangelical Christians Can Embrace the Mother of Jesus by Scot McKnight – 12/26/10

29.  My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveria – 12/31/10

Uncategorized

Leave a comment »
«Older Entries
Newer Entries »
Blog at WordPress.com.