Saturday Morning Book Post

This will be listy because there's much to cover.

Fiction

I finished up The Help while driving across miles and miles of West Texas.  It was a nice diversion and a pretty good book.  I hesitate to say "really" good book because my knowledge of race relations in Mississippi in the 1960s is non-existent so I can't speak to accuracy.  It was a page turner.  

Following The Help, I finished I Capture the Castle.  It was funny and charming and light.  It's like a more realistic and more fun Jane Austen novel - Topaz alone made it worth reading.  What a unique character.  My sister recommended the book to get me through the depressing dog days of summer and it worked beautifully.  Except that I read it too quickly and there are plenty of dog days left.  Any recommendations for another like it? (sarah, did you say you read it?  It's a very 'you' book.)

Non-fiction Parenting Books because oh what if I'm doing it all wrong?  Yes these were purchased during one of those late night Amazon binges.

Simplicity Parenting - This is a good one.  I can't say anything in it is life changing as it only confirms/streamlines much of what I already thought.  I'd highly recommend it to anyone whose children are struggling with attention disorders or anxiety.  

The Rhythm of Family - Amanda has a great blog and I've been a daily reader for years.  This book doesn't really seem to bring a whole lot more to the table.  It might be that it just talks a lot about the ocean, which might apply more to your life than it does to mine.  The biggest body of water I encounter on a regular basis is the kitchen sink so our yearly rhythm is very different.  That's not to say it isn't a good book.  It includes a couple recipe ideas I'm hoping to try this week.

Playful Learning - I only glaced at this, but it looks great for practical learning ideas.  

Children's Fiction

The Incorrigibile Children of Ashton Place Book II.  Still. The chapters are just so long.  Anyway, we'll wrap this up today.  We just started studying World War II and I'd like to read The Winged Watchman and even The Diary of Anne Frank, but being as I just spent a fortune on Edith Nesbit books I should probably curtail the influx of new books into our home.  But I probably won't. 

Children's Non-fiction

Drawing Birds with Colored Pencils (recommended by Carmen) - My son loves this new book.  It's probably a bit above his drawing level, but he has been drawing the sweetest birdie pictures.  We're both thrilled.

Audio 

I've mentioned my love for Naxos Junior Classics a number of times.  While I avoid most of the abridged books, they offer some great biographies of historical figures, composers, and scientists.  My recent acquisition of an Ipod make these downloads even more tempting.  And unschoolers: you would LOVE the biography of Isaac Newton.  

We're looking forward to a busy weekend, so I'm off to get started.  Note: my spell check is acting funny so please excuse any spelling typos.  

Comments

[Faith]

I loved I Capture the Castle and Simplicity Parenting is one of my favorite parenting books.

Have you ever read Georgette Heyer's regency romances? She's great for the dog days of summer. Very Jane Austenish, very intelligent humor, great characters, fun plots, very historically accurate. I love her and have read many of her books.

[Jennifer]

Thanks Faith. I was hoping to find something similar.

[sarah]

I have never read I Capture The Castle. I keep meaning to, but never get around to it.

I agree with you about Simplicity Parenting - as does everyone who has read it, I think! I see it recommended everywhere.

I also agree about Rhythm of the Family. I thought it lacked substance (and normally I like Soule Mama.)

The only book I can think of to recommend is Sanditon by Jane Austen and Another Lady - it's lightweight Austen and very funny at the end. I've been reading a lot of Julia Quinn just for fun - but I couldn't recommend it to a real lady like you, as she always includes, um, *rude* scenes. I skip them. Without those, the books are funny and light-hearted.

[Sharron]

I've been lurking here for years. I guess I'm just lazy when it comes to commenting. :) I wanted to thank you for these book posts though. I had never heard of Hilda Van Stockum before. We LOVE her books!! We are just finishing Pegeen and have read others. I think I'm going to have to buy all the ones that the library does not have! Thank you!

[Jennifer]

That makes me so happy Sharron! Hilda van Stockums books have been such a huge blessing to our family.

[Sarah]

I just finished listening to the first "Incorrigibles" book. The audio is wonderful!! The narrator really brings out the wit and humor of the author. Her voices, everything—wonderful. I think the content would be over my children's heads at this point, in that they wouldn't get some of the little witty phrases throughout the novel, but I loved it! And I look forward to passing it on to them in a few years.

P.S. Thanks again for sharing your books. You have truly helped me in finding quality literature for my little ones (and not so little ones!)

[Jennifer]

There's a movie version of "I Capture the Castle" on Netflix Watch It Now. Very enjoyable.