Me Thinks

 

Books read in 2023:

1. *Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing (An absolutely incredible, harrowing story. I am so impressed with the resourcefulness and fortitude of those men, especially their leader)
2. Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman (What an amazing lady.  Not only did she save herself from slavery by walking to freedom, but she went back and saved dozens of others)
3. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan (This book started slow for me, but I really liked the tips at the end as to how to eat in a healthy way)
4. So you Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo (I am happy I read this book, but her tone was one of anger)
5. Women of the Old Testament by Camille Fronk Olson (I certainly learned a lot as Camille goes into great detail as to the context surrounding these wonderful women)
6. Rock, Paper, Scissors by Alice Feeney (A mystery, and I certainly did not foresee how it was going to end)
7. Come, Come Ye Saints by Douglas L. Powell (I really found this book interesting.  It was not as much about the trek here to Utah, but how the saints colonized dozens of settlements once they arrived. What determined, hardworking, and faithful people!)
8. Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships by Nina Totenberg (The book has a few quotes on friendship in general, and they are great quotes, but is mostly about Nina's specific friendship with Judge Ruth Ginsberg)
9. A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller (I appreciated the time spent reading this book which led me to look at prayer in different ways)
10. *Shepherdess of Elk River Valley by Margaret Duncan Brown (I knew my mother loved this book and I finally read it. I loved it too! Margaret is filled with such wonderful wisdom and she was such a hard worker!)
11. The RBG Workout by Bryant Johnson (I had heard that in her 60s, Ruth Bader Ginsberg hired a personal trainer to regain strength after battling cancer.  For over twenty years she worked with this trainer and became stronger. I added several things to my exercise list from this book)
12. The Holy Covenants: Living our Sacred Temple Covenants by Anthony Sweat (Any time I can learn  more about the temple, or think about it in a different way, I am enriched)
13. *The Book of Forgiving by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu (Excellent! Examples, step by step guidance, and great wisdom on offering forgiveness, asking for forgiveness, and forgiving yourself)
14. Ishi in Two Worlds: A Biography of the Last Wild Indian in North America by Theodora Kroeber (I think my sister in law gave me this book as a joke, but I found it very interesting.  I shuddered to read of the Yanni tribe being forced off of their land in California)
15. Musical Tables by Billy Collins (This is a book of Poems and I enjoyed reading through them)
16. The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede (The city of Gander and surrounding towns welcomed 6,000 people from 38 flights. They were generous with their resources)
17. The Old Testament (I read it this time specifically looking for the clues as to the nature of God and I found wonderful things)
18. A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde (A delightful mystery. As a friend so aptly put it, "It's good to have a nightstand book that you are anxious to read." Not heavy. Enjoyable.)
19. *Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson (Absolutely delightful! I laughed and couldn't wait to pick it up each day)
20. *Becoming Better Grownups by Brad Montague (Brad Montague is like Fred Rogers in that he tries to validate children, listen to them, and teach them important principles, but he also teaches adults in the process.  I really enjoyed the book and the drawings)
21. Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner (This is a historical fiction. I really liked it and had a hard time putting it down. I came to know the two sisters very well and felt for each of them. A good study as to how war messes up the lives of people and how people suffer psychologically for years to come)
22. *Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman (This book was recommended to me and I thought it was excellent. Though our children and raised and gone, the principles in this book will strengthen our marriage, friendships, and family relationships)
23. Finding Strength in the Lord: Emotional Resilience (This is the manual the Church put out regarding emotional resilience.  I did not attend the eight week class but studied the manual on my own.  I thought it was great and I can see myself referring back to it in times of stress)
24. Saints--Volume 3 (The books in this series are consistently packed with interesting stories of members who dealt with challenging life circumstances. I am strengthened by the history, and relieved to be living when I do)
25. Forever Thin by Theodore Isaac Rubin (I think the more appropriate title would be “Why obese people are obese.” The book was interesting and gave me insight as to why people overeat. Obesity is often the sign of unresolved emotional issues).
26. New Testament (I read the New Testament this time specifically looking for clues as to the nature of God)
27. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (A creepy, disturbing book!)
28. Converted: True Conversion Stories from 15 Religions by Alonzo L. Gaskill (I really enjoyed hearing about the backgrounds of these individuals along with their conversion stories. They were hungry and they found the truth!)
29. Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History by Keith O'Brien (Fascinating! I am amazed at the courage of these women to step into those unreliable planes and face adventure and uncertainty)
30. Witness for His Names by Jeffrey R. Holland (This is a beautiful book. I enjoyed reading as Elder Holland explains the names of Christ, and also hearing him testify repeatedly of the Savior)
31. *The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel (My goodness.  What a story, and it is true! I am still mourning the loss of art detailed in this book. I also continue to think about the psychological state of the thief and how he could think that what he did was okay).
32. *Book of Mormon (I love this book. This is a source of light and truth and I enjoy reading it every day, over and over again)
33. Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicolas Taleb (Besides the college textbook on economics, this was the next most difficult book to understand. I like his main point about leaning into randomness and not becoming to comfortable or structured, but boy, I had to wade through a lot for those nuggets)
34. Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25  (A granddaughter recommended this and I am glad that I could read it and talk with her, though sci-fi is not my usual genre.  The book had intensity!)
35. The Parables of Jesus by Gerald N. Lund (I enjoyed learning more about the New Testament parables and studying them in depth)
36. *The Human Comedy by William Saroyan (I liked this book. The backdrop includes small town, a widow and her family, the ravages of war, and the instillation of values)
37. *The Book of Mormon (I read it again this year specifically looking for clues as to the nature of God, and what I found was wonderful)
38. The Kolob Theorem by Lynn M. Hilton (At a friend recommendation I read this book and found it very interesting. It enlarged my view of God's omnipotence, the enormity of the universe, and my place in it)
39. The New Testament (I enjoyed reading and studying this book as part of our Come Follow Me curriculum)