This Page

Katrina at Callipidder days hosted the fall into reading book challenge. Well, time is up- and how did we all do? Go here to see links to participants and see how they did. My original post is here.
My thoughts on my challenge journey;

My non-fiction list:

Imitation of Christ- Thomas A Kempis
Life Study of Romans- Witness Lee
Circle of Quiet-Madeleine L'Engle
How the Irish saved civilization-Thomas Cahill

The two books on my list I did not finish were The imitation of Christ, and The life study of Romans. Both I have started and I am about 1/4 through. I should have known better about the life study, the last one I read on the Gospel of Matthew took me a year to read. I really was hoping that by putting the Life Study on my challenge, I would be motivated to finish it in a respectable amount of time. I am thinking this one will take me about a year also. The a'Kempis book is actually very thin, and I think I will finish it this month. I am enoying it very much. My motivation for reading it was the frequent mentioning of it being read by Katherine's mother in "Stepping Heavenward" which is one of my favorite books, a yearly re-read. I would very much like to grow to be like the mother in this book, so I thought I would give "pokey" a'Kempis a try. (gotta read Stepping Heavenward" to get the pokey reference!...)
*Circle of quiet was awesome! I marked my book all up, she is very quotable.

My fiction list:

The Bretheren-Beverly Lewis
Blessed are the Cheesemakers-Sarah-Kate Lynch
Eating Heaven-Jennie Shortridge
Miss Julia speaks her mind-Anne Ross
Fairest-Gail Carson Levine

I am a very fast reader, unfortunatley I discovered that I am a fast fiction reader. Not exactly the distinction I would have liked...

I finished everything on my fiction list except the book recommended by At a hen's pace, and that was only because I failed to put it on hold at the library in time...I am sure I will blaze thru it when I get my hands on it. I read everything on my fiction list, and even many fiction books not on my list...4 or 5 Grace Livingston Hill books, because I was in the mood...( I am a sucker for a happy ending and good food) the first book in the "Fitzwilliam Darcy Gentleman" series by Pamela Aidan -very good, I might add. Jane Austin fans will like it, I think. And one or two books I pre-read before allowing my girls to read...can't remember what they were.

Read aloud with my girls:

Peter Pan-James Barrie
Tales from Shakespeare-Lamb
Laddie-Gene Stratton Porter
Ida B-Hannigan

finished everything except Lamb's Shakespeare, and Laddie- I was just attempting too much, reading aloud is very time consuming... We just started Laddie, which is a favorite of mine, I have been waiting to share that with them. Peter Pan was wonderful, it just took me a while to read through it.

Read aloud to the younger kids:

When we are six, When we were very young-A.A. Milne
Burgess Animal book

finished one of the Milne poetry books, and didn't get to Burgess animal book at all. That will go on my next list. I did read Beatrix Potter's collection, thinking it was on my list...but it wasn't! I did read alot of library books to them not on my list, so I do not feel that I failed in this area.

the bonus books:

well, I was just too ambitious there! They will go on a list for next time.

Katrina asked if we read more because of the challenge. I would say yes, as far as non-fictions and read alouds to my kids. fiction-wise, no...I read alot of fiction. I do think the challenge helped me to balance out this inequality in my reading diet. I am now more aware of my, ahem...fiction problem. Did I tackle books I wouldn't have?. Yes, in a way. The books I read were all books that had caught my eye, and I had meant to read...It just would have taken me years to get around to it I think.
So, the challenge was a good thing for me, inspiring me to get up and go with my reading.

The best book of my challenge was a surprise to me, the best book, and now one of my all time favorites was "Blessed are the cheesemakers". I will be doing a book review when I have more time.
"How the Irish saved civilization" was also a very good read, and I really learned much about history from the reading.

The book challenge was a good undertaking for me, I look forward to Katrina's next challenge.