This month was just okay. I finally got the shelves cleaned off, so that's something to celebrate. I read 5 books, at a total of 1,721 pages. Which is an average of 55 1/2 pages a day. Nothing spectacular, but totally acceptable.
Mythology by Edith Hamilton (330 pages). I have always loved mythology. As a child, I had a large book of myths. And read it repeatedly. While some might wonder about a girl who grew up in a Christian household (and is a strong Christian herself) being allowed to read mythology, I had parents who encouraged my hunger for knowledge. I didn't learn much new from this, other than some Norse gods and some minor Greek/Roman gods. But I enjoyed rereading some of my favorite myths in greater detail. I finished in 6 days.
Leave Her to Heaven by Ben Ames Williams (429 pages). Richard Harland was a well known author. On a trip to New Mexico, he met and was quickly wooed by Ellen Berent. Ellen was a possessive lover, wanting anyone she loved only for herself. But Harland had a much younger brother named Danny who had lost the use of his legs. While Harland loved his brother, Ellen hated to share. When Danny drowned one summer, Harland's feelings for Ellen began to change. And when their baby was a stillborn, all love was lost. The next summer, Ellen died during a horrendous gastrointestinal attack. But years later, when Harland married her cousin-sister Ruth, Ruth is arrested for Ellen's murder. During the trial, so many truths come out. About Ellen and her true nature. About Harland. Even about Ruth. I really enjoyed this book. It was a little old fashioned, having been written in 1944 after all. But it was really good. I finished in 7 days.
A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle (309 pages). This was some new age, spiritual "awakening your life's purpose" bologna. I have no idea why this book was purchased (either by me or for me). I HATED it. It was literal torture to read. But read it I did. Because at this point, I have to. Those books have got to get of the shelf! I got nothing out of this book. I couldn't tell you what it was about if my life depended on it. I finished in 6 days.
That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis (382 pages). This book was one that I got from my grandmother Ruschky. She loved books. Unbeknownst to me, it was the third in a trilogy. But I don't own the others and had no desire to buy them, so just decided to start with the one I had. It's also the last book I had to read before I can start back to books that haven't been on the shelf for decades! Mark and Jane Studdock are just an ordinary could, living in Edgestow, England. Mark is a Fellow at Bracton College and Jane is studying for her PhD. But their worlds are turned upside down when the National Institute for Coordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E.) wants to buy part of the college, an ancient wood that is believed to hold the grave of Merlin the wizard. While Mark is dragged deeper into the world of N.I.C.E., Jane is having visionary dreams of events and finds herself deep in the world of the Logres (a strange mix of alien, mythological and Christian culture). I have always loved how heavy handed Lewis is with mixing his faith into his fiction (Jane must become a Christian in order to truly understand what is happening). While I didn't 100% enjoy this book, I did enjoy the mixture of faith in there. I finished in 7 days.
Shocked: My Mother, Schiaparelli and Me by Patricia Volk (271 pages). The first new book after cleaning off the shelves. I was so excited! This was a memoir. The author adored her mother. And similarly was enthralled with designer Elsa Schiaparelli. She attributes who she is as a woman to both of them. I loved how she compared and contrasted them in each chapter. It was an easy read. And as I had never heard of Schiaparelli before, I loved learning about someone new. Someone who is apparently one of the greatest designers of all time. I finished in 5 days.
This month's favorite was ... Leave Her to Heaven.
Friday, January 31, 2020
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