What are You Reading?

One of my favorite forms of relaxation is reading. I love it so much that when my family asks me what I'd like for birthdays or Christmas, my response is always the same: "Ooh, I'd LOVE a Chapters gift card!" And although they are never thrilled about me not asking for something more beautiful, useful or exotic, I think they've finally got the message!


I received a lovely lot of Chapter's gift cards this past Christmas, and oh, the joy of spending them all on line! I've learned that I can get free shipping if I spend over $40 at one time (as long as I remember to tick the little box), and generally I receive my package within a couple of days.

Chapter's gift cards are like having Christmas all year round!!

I now have a little pile of unread books waiting for me -- how delicious is THAT!

I work from home, so I take a 45 minute lunch break every day, and read a book at the same time...that's generally all I have time for, so the going is slow, but that's ok. It's good discipline for someone who COULD read at least one whole book a day!

I determined at the beginning of the year that I should read some authors I've not read before -- so these are waiting for me (it's quite a mixture):

The Idiot -- Fyodor Dostoevsky (I've heard it's somewhat morbid)

Three by Annie Dillard (Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, An American Childhood and The Writing Life)

The Man Who Was Thursday: G.K. Chesterton (I love a good mystery; I'm hoping this lives up to its reputation)

Three Men in a Boat: Jerome K. Jerome. Actually, I'm cheating with this one -- I've read it before, but loaned it out and it was never returned. I don't read too many books twice, but this one's worth it -- ya gotta love British humor!

Noah's Flood: Ryan and Pitman (saw some of the documentary on TV, and even if their 'discoveries' are only theories, I found it most interesting)

Here are some I've read since the beginning of the year:

A Hunger for God: John Piper (love his books!)

The Classics We've Read, The Difference They've Made: Philip Yancey (love his, too! I think I've read them all)

The Right Side of the Dyke (A book I received for Christmas from my sister, about Flamborough -- a beautiful village in Yorkshire, UK - where we lived when we were children).

And I'm in the middle of Destined for the Throne: Paul E. Billheimer (a 1975 Christian classic everyone should read)

Three Cups of Tea: Greg Mortenson ("One man's mission to promote peace...one school at a time')

The Way of the Heart: Henri J.M.Nouwen ("...bringing desert spirituality to bear upon the contemporary scene").

I also like Reader's Digest Condensed Books. A dear friend recently asked me if I would like some that she'd been given. She's still my friend even though, when we met, she loaded my trunk with three boxes of them! I could never read them all -- not in a month of Sundays, so (sorry Maija, if you are reading this!), 2 1/2 boxes went to Goodwill, and I am slowly making my way through the rest.

So...what does your favorite reading look like?

What are you reading right now?

What books would you recommend to me? I've still got some dollars left on my gift cards!