Katrina's Spring Reading Thing has come to an end and it's time to recap the reading we've done over the past three months. Following are my answers to some of her questions:
What was the best book you read this spring? This is hard, I read so many good ones. I'd have to say it was probably The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. It just gave me a fresh look at the grace that Christ has bestowed upon me. Quaker Summer is at the top of my list also; although it was fiction, it's still impacting me on a regular basis.
What book could you have done without? I didn't read much fiction this time around but I could have done without Miss Julia Takes Over. Possibly because the plot centered around a race car (actually race truck) venue and racing is just not my bag.
Did you try out a new author this spring? If so, which one, and will you be reading that author again? Keri Wyatt Kent was a new-to-me author whom I thoroughly enjoyed. I've already ordered her book, Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life, from Amazon.com!
If there were books you didn't finish, tell us why. Did you run out of time? Realize those books weren't worth it? I've about given up on Pride and Prejudice, sorry to say. I enjoy it every time I sit down to read it; I just never seem to make much headway. The other one I had to put aside was Surprised by Joy, the semi-autobiographical account of C.S. Lewis' conversion from atheism to Christianity. I know I probably quit right before it got good, but I just couldn't endure any more stories of English boys in their boarding schools!
Did you come across a book or two on other participants' lists that you're planning to add to your own to-be-read pile? Which ones? Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane has reviewed some fiction that I am planning to dive into this summer, several by Elizabeth Berg.
What did you learn -- about anything -- through this challenge? Maybe you learned something about yourself or your reading style, maybe you learned not to pick so many nonfiction books for a challenge, maybe you learned something from a book you read. Whatever it is, share! I think I've learned the value of reading intentionally and yet at the same time, to be flexible. I was pleased with myself for making a list and sticking to it. And yet, I'm so glad I added books like Emotionally Healthy Spirituality when they were recommended to me.
What was the best part of the Spring Reading Thing? Hearing about so many good books from other bloggers is one plus. But the best part for me was disciplining myself to finish the books I started. Making a list is definitely the way to go. It keeps my wanton Amazon addiction a little more under control. Plus there's just something satisfying about finishing something!
Would you be interested in participating in another reading challenge this fall? Definitely!
So here's my final list:
Quaker Summer (Lisa Samson) fiction
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (Peter Scazzero) non-fiction, Christian life
Boundaries in Marriage (Cloud & Townsend) non-fiction, relationships
Desiring God's Will: Aligning Our Hearts With The Heart Of God (David G. Benner) non-fiction, Christian life
Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? (Philip Yancey) (blurb) non-fiction, Christian life
The Garden of the Soul: Cultivating Your Spiritual Life (Keri Wyatt Kent) non-fiction, spiritual growth
Nurturing Silence in a Noisy Heart (Wayne Oates) non-fiction, Christian life
Watching the Tree Limbs (Mary DeMuth) Christian fiction
Bridge to Terabithia (Katherine Patterson) fiction
Miss Julia Takes Over (Ann B. Ross) fiction
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