Me Thinks

 Books I read or reread in 2021 (favorites are noted with a *):

1. I've Been Meaning to Tell You: A Letter to My Daughter by David Chariandy (David shares with his daughter some of the prejudice he and his parents have endured, in hopes of giving her a view of where she has come from. He also gives her life advice)
2. *Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis by Robert D. Putnam (An excellent book! Mr. Putnam clearly shows the unequality of circumstances in which different children in the country are raised. He offers a great chapter at the end of the book about what we can do to help the problem)
3. The Dutch House: A Novel by Ann Patchett (a story about a brother and sister who deal with a mother who abandons them, the death of their father, and their expulsion by their stepmother)
4. *An Early Resurrection: Life in Christ Before You Die by Adam S. Miller (I found his way of looking at life refreshing and inspiring. Die now and put your old self away and begin the resurrection and the building of a new self now.)
5. *Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life by Annette Lareau (This is a fascinating book where Lareau observes different families in their homes and activities and discovers patterns of childrearing, language, and family patterns corresponding not to race, but to social class)
6. The Lesson: A Fable for Our Times by Carol Lynn Pearson (a short story about a man who is given problems to solve by his teacher and the problems become harder as he grows older but he studies them out and solves them. An analogy of life)
7. The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict by The Arbinger Institute (I learned important points from this book, such as softening your heart and resolving conflict with calmness and understanding. Treating other people as individuals and seeing the situation through their eyes is also important)
8. Embracing the Broken: Letting Go of Perfection and Living by the Power of Christ's Grace by Tiffany Webster (Tiffany was an extreme perfectionist and was running herself into the ground trying to do too much, and do everything well. Finally she became physically ill and had to stop running and think about her life and her relationship with God. She realized that being broken is how we come, and that is okay because the Savior's grace lifts us).
9. *Forced Out and Fenced In: Immigration Tales from the Field by Tanya Maria Golash-Boza (Tonya wants to put individual stories behind the immigration crisis and she certainly does. This is stirring and troublesome. I cannot imagine living in the shadows as millions do. We have got to come up with better policies!)
10. Witness by Karen Hesse (I like the style of writing of Ms. Hesse. A peek into the horror of the Klan and it’s invasion of a town)
11. Live and Learn and Pass It On: People ages 5 to 95 share what they've discovered about life, love, and other good stuff by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (What a delightful treasure of excerpts from people about what they have learned in life. I loved it.)
12. *At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-Day Women (I really liked this book and found the messages of these women inspiring)
13. I am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World (what a bright and determined young woman!)
14. *Seekers Wanted: The Skills You Need for the Faith You Want by Anthony Sweat (excellent! I would highly recommend it. Important chapters on staying strong, finding answers, researching correctly, etc.)
15. *The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson (What an amazing book! Ms. Wilkerson tells the story of the millions of blacks who let the Jim Crow laws of the South and migrated north and west, by sharing the life stories of three individuals)
16. Letters to a Young Mormon by Adam S. Miller (I like the way Adam Miller writes and thinks. Good thoughts)
17. *Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing our Daughters by Abigail Shrier (Wow! Scary. Interesting. Important. Ms. Shrier opened my eyes to how insecure teenage girls are being drawn to change themselves with the promise of feeling better and counselors do nothing to stall them to think about it. I didn't know the transgender world is promoting itself so strongly. I didn't realize the psychological and physical harm that teenage girls subjecting themselves to in order to feel accepted and important)
18. Grandmothering: The Secrets to Making a Difference While Having the Time of Your Life by Linda Eyre (I loved reading her ideas on how to plan reunions, have fun, and make a difference).
19. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (absolutely delightful. I will read this 269 pg. book with my grandchildren this summer)
20. Sworn Enemy: A World War II Novel by A. L. Sowards. I was not into the violence in the novel, but it did keep my interest.
21. *The Power of Stillness: Mindful Living for Latter-Day Saints by Jacob Z. Hess, Carrie L. Skarda, Kyle D. Anderson, and Ty R. Mansfield. I really liked this book. Each chapter had great points about finding stillness in your life. It was recommended by a friend and I will recommend it to others.
22. Economics and Public Policy: An Analytical Approach by James R. Kearl (I did not take Econ in college and when I saw my son's textbook I thought it would be a good idea to read it and learn about the subject.  This was the longest, hardest-to-understand book I have ever read.  I did glean a few things but most of it was over my head).
23. Freely and Lightly: God's Gracious Invitation to a Life of Quiet Confidence by Emily Lex (A delightful read! Emily listens to God giving her life direction.  She slows down when she needs to, says no when she needs to, and she tries very hard to live the life that she is supposed to live, ridding herself of guilt and stress)
24. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (What an interesting mystery and what a surprise ending! Introspective study of characters showing how someone's background and early childhood affect their actions)
25. I survived the Children's Blizzard, 1888 by Lauren Tarshis (this is a series that was recommended to me by my granddaughter Mya and I wanted to read something that she was reading, so I read five books in the series. I found the stories very interesting. Great historic fiction!)
26. I survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871 by Lauren Tarshis
27. I survived the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906 by Lauren Tarshis
28. I survived the sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis
29. I survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 by Lauren Tarshis
30. *The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Michelle Richardson (Excellent writing! I immediately sympathized with Bluet (or Cussy) and wanted to step into her life and help her. She not only had a dangerous yet important job, but in addition she suffered from a rare health condition that made her a social outcast. Heartbreaking and honest)
31. Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky. (This book was recommended by Devin. These two writers have over 80 tips on how to manage your day better and eliminate distractions)
32. All In: Exploring What it Means to Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Morgan Jones, General Editor. (I really like the "All In" podcasts, and this book contains quotes from the podcasts, so it was sure to be a winner. A great sampling of different people and thoughts)
33. *Restoration: God's Call to the 21st-Century World by Patrick Mason (I really liked this book.  Patrick opened my eyes to view the restoration in new light. God is sharing his light with many good people throughout the world! "The gathering" consists of welcoming in the people who live on the margins of society)
34. How To Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind by Pema Chodron (I really liked this book and found it very helpful.  Instead of dismissing stress or anxious feelings, think about them and what they feel like and where they are coming from.  Label and deal with feelings instead of trying to bury them).
35. Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World by Max Lucado (A great book given to me by a sister-in-law.  Mr. Lucado reminds us to turn our troubles over to God, to pray to Him in faith, and to feel peace and power instead of anxiousness).
36. Rising Strong: How the Ability To Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown (I always learn from Brene's writings. Own your story. Face your story and then rise from it)
37. All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything in Between by Fiona and Terryl Givens (The Givens emphasize that the gospel of Jesus Christ was not created by Joseph Smith, but restored. Their breadth of knowledge is amazing.)
38. *Everything Isn't Terrible: Conquer Your Insecurities, Interrupt Your Anxiety and Finally Calm Down by Kathleen Smith. (I liked this book because Kathleen uses examples of people with situations and then gives her viewpoint. stressing the fact that we can solve our own problems, state our needs, and form our own voice)
39. The Book of Mormon
40. The Doctrine and Covenants
41. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (What an amazing story of a girl who raises herself in the marshland and becomes a noted biologist and author. The book becomes an intriguing mystery)