Me Thinks

 

Books I read in 2020 and a little bit about them:

 

1. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover (An amazing story of a girl raised in an extremist, abusive family in Idaho who ends up earning degrees from Brigham Young University and Cambridge, along with studying at Harvard).

2. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown (I really liked this book.  We need to decide what is most important to us and make that a priority, no matter the pressure we feel from other causes and people).

3. Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader's Eye-Opening Journey across the Life Line by Abby Johnson (This was an interesting story of Abby's personal journey. I'm glad I read it).

4. The Right Word! How to Say What You Really Mean by Jan Venolia (This book is a detailed instruction guide as to word usage.  This book was informative and helpful and I will keep it near the computer for reference).

5. Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. (Helpful principles about taking care of yourself, your gifts, and your goals. The scriptural references on every page surprised and sometimes annoyed me. This book tied in with principles taught in Essentialism).

6. Factulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling. (This book enlarged and corrected my worldview. We make generalizations about countries and peoples which are incorrect, including facts about our own country.  It is important to know about world trends, populations and economic standings.  This book made me appreciate my comfortable lifestyle and helped me recognize the good that is happening worldwide).

7. A Room With a View by E. M. Forster (A delightful romance first published in 1911).

8. In This Together: My Story by Ann Romney (Ann talks about living with MS).

9. Our Father’s Plan by Boyd K. Packer (Elder Packer gives a synopsis of the plan of salvation: our premarital life, the purpose of our life here on earth, and where we go after we die).

10. Sounder by William H Armstrong (about a poor boy who leads a lonely life, his father’s arrest, his dog, and the man who helps him learn to read).

11. Fathers of Faith: Inspiring True Stories about Latter-day Dads compiled by Gary Tony. (I really enjoyed this collection of essays written by a variety of people about their fathers. Not all fathers are alike but each has value and left an impression).

12. Saints: No Unhallowed Hand--Book 2. (I am grateful I live now as the a Church members went through so many trials from 1846-1893. I admire the patience and faith of the Church leaders and members).

13. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. (I really liked this book because it accurately described southern prejudice seventy years post Civil-war.  The story is told from the eyes of an impetuous young black girl.  The reader comes to love the girl and her family, and feel sympathy for their plight).

14. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (Oh I loved this book! This is a book written in a series of poems  and is about a girl who lives during the Depression in the dust bowl area. A quick and excellent read).

15. I Can Choose Joy with God: Stories of Hope from Faithful Women Compiled by Ganel-Lyn Condie (Not a big fan of this book--it was very depressing to hear story after story of women facing mental illness and struggles).

16. The Continuous Atonement by Brad Wilcox (This book gave me a greater appreciation and understanding of the Atonement).

17. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander (Another excellent book written in poetry. This book leads you into the head of a teenage boy who is into basketball, deals with jealousy towards his twin brother, and carries heavy concerns regarding his father's health).

18. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Carlie Mackery (This is a children's book, although is it? It has important messages about the meaning of life and how to treat other people).

19. Peace and Me: Inspired by the lives of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates by Ali Winter and Mickael El Fathi (Though a children's book, I liked hearing about the life summaries of some of the people who have won Nobel Peace Prizes. Very inspiring).

20. The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman (I really enjoyed this book. Maria was a gifted scientist and artist in a day where women were to be wives, mothers and do needlework. I found her story very interesting and I love her art work. This is a 120 page children's book).

21. The Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey (a love story set in 1400 during the time of the Welsh rebellion from England).

22. Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva (M. Silva explains what racism in America looks like presently and how we can combat it).

23. A Case for the Book of Mormon by Tad R. Callister (this is an excellent book.  Callister goes over each of the main arguments used by opponents of the Book of Mormon).

24. The Last Midwife by Sandra Dallas (Once I started to read about Gracy, a midwife in the late 1800's, and her interesting life, I could not put the book down).

25. This is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live by Melody Warnick (I really liked this book and I ended up with a long list of things I want to do differently to become a more involved member of the community and to find the good about where I live).

26.  Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff (I did not know much about Cleopatra before reading this book so I was fascinated with the history.  This book started slow and then gained momentum).

27.  On the Run by Alice Goffman (This book is by a sociologist who lived on 6th Street in Philadelphia for over five years in order to study young black men. These young men, many of them very poor, get in trouble with police early on in life, which puts them on a tragic pathway of court dates, probation, warrants, and running from the law, which cycle they can not get out of. I found the book fascinating).

28. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano (I liked this book. There was some language, but the process of grieving was fascinating).

29. A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park (based on the life story of Salva Dut from Sudan. He was forced to run from his community because of civil war, spent years in a refugee camp, cane to America and eventually founded a non profit that provides wells for villages in Sudan).

30. Race & Racisms by Tanya Maria Golash-Boza (excellent book. Tanya details the racial inequality present in U.S. employment, education, housing, criminal justice system, and even environment. This book explains the multiplicity of reasons black people have have been held back for generations).

31. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon (delightful story of a preacher in a small town).

32. The Great Crash 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith (I did not understand all of this book because many economic principles were cited, but I found it interesting).

33. Faith is Not Blind by Bruce and Marie Hafen.  (The Hafen's propose that a testimony begins with simplicity but at some point a person will face complexity, but if they endure and remain faithful during their season of complexity, there will again be a period of peace and simplicity on the other side of complexity.Great truths and strengthening).

34. Lessons from a Hard Teacher: 15 Things Cancer Taught Me About Life, Myself, and God by Marnie Spencer (This is an incredible, heart wrenching story of a young mother who battles cancer yet remains positive and full of faith). 

35. Range: How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein (I really liked this book. Mr. Epstein explains how a person benefits from having a variety of interests instead of focusing on just one).