“Reading gives us some place to go when we have to stay where we are.”
–Mason Cooley
Cover photo by Michelle Emelda Photography
Hello friends!
I am so excited to share what I am reading to end the summer and swing into the fall for the rest of this year. When I create a reading list, I like to have a variety of genres to read about. I like to read stories about something educational, a romance, a story of friendship, something to make me cry, and a book about Christian living. Also a good murder mystery is fun too!
My personal favorite type of book is ” survivalist meets dreamy country landscape with a twist of romance.” I haven’t really found that yet, so I guess I will have to write that story myself! Earlier this year I read “The Great Alone,” by Kristin Hannah. If you have not read this book yet, DO IT! It is an epic story about a family who moved to Alaska in 1970’s to get a fresh start in life, but they are met with the cruel reality of facing the dark places within themselves and in the wild frontier. It is a beautiful story of a girl searching for belonging, the relentless bond of a mother and her daughter, and finding love in the most unexpected places.
If you see a book you have read, or want to read, let me know! Let’s chat about some good reads and escape to new places in our imagination through the work of these authors.
Lauren’s 2020 Reading List
(In no particular order)
1. Stealing Home by Sherryl Woods
I am so excited to read the Sweet Magnolias series by Sherryl Woods! Stealing Home is the first book in the series. I got my copy at Walmart! Netflix released Season 1 of Sweet Magnolias earlier this summer and I watched it all in a week! It is a story of three best friends who all have different careers and family lives, but they come together to start a spa in their hometown. I love anything with southern hospitality and a good girl gang.
2. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
I am currently reading this book, and I love it! This is the first book in the Crazy Rich Asians series by Kevin Kwan. The movie broke so many box-office records and was a huge success in 2018. This is a story about a complicated, fabulously rich and connected family in Singapore and all the drama that follows money, success, and big families. Each chapter takes the point of view of different family members as they come together for a big wedding. I love learning about a completely different culture and family dynamic too! I found this book at Walmart and Target.
3. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
A.W. Tozer is one of my favorite Christian authors. He grew up on a farm with his family in Pennsylvania during the era of the Depression and World Wars. He was a poor man in wealth, but he was a smart and self-educated man. When he was working at a tire company in Ohio, he met a street pastor and it changed his life. He recalls the words of the pastor in his book, “If you don’t know how to be saved, just call on God, saying ‘Lord be merciful on me a sinner.'” Tozer was an ordinary man with an extraordinary gift of teaching and finding God is the simplest places. He read the Bible, spent much time in prayer and reflection, and pursued God right where he was. I found this book at Mardel in stores, but it is online here.
4. White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, Ph.D
This book is very timely with the current social justice movement in the United States and around the world. The issues of racism go far beyond “social justice,” it is a humanity issue that has been around way before the founding of the United States. It’s so important to have the hard conversations with each other to reconcile our communities, but it is also equally important to be educated on the issues from credible sources. Don’t just rely on your own understanding of the world. Challenge your views with other perspectives and research. Don’t discredit the uncomfortable! I found this book at Amazon here.
5. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah has become my favorite author this year. I mentioned earlier about her book I read, The Great Alone. In this next book, The Nightingale, a completely different story and new characters, set in France during the 1930’s occupation by Nazis. The story centers around two sisters, so I am already hooked because I have a sister and I would go to the end of the world for her. Can’t wait to read this after Crazy Rich Asians! I couldn’t find this book at Walmart of Target in stores, so I got my copy at Amazon here.
6. Climbing the Cancer Mountain by Drew Boswell
I found this book on Amazon here by random chance, but I am so happy I found it. Drew writes about his experience through throat cancer treatment and his strength to live on. I am currently a Speech Pathology graduate student here in Texas, and I want to work with patients who are going through head/ neck cancer treatment in the future with speech and swallowing rehabilitation. The human spirit can be broken, but never destroyed. I am eager to learn about Drew’s experience from the patient’s perspective so I can better help my clients in the future.
7. The Reason for God by Timothy Keller
I’m always looking for a book to read alongside my personal Bible studying. Right now I am reading a chapter of the Bible a day. I just finished the book of Hebrews, and now I am reading through the book of Matthew in the New Testament. The book of Matthew is the first of the Gospels, and shows the ministry of Jesus from Matthew’s point of view. It can be easy to get distracted by the chaos in the world and ask, “where is God?” I’ve had my doubts sometimes too, but I know that the reason I am alive today is because of God. I found this book in stores at Mardel.
8. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
This is the last book of my summer reading list! I found this gem in a box from college and it is a perfect summer read. This book was a gift, but I found it on Amazon here. I’m sure it is at Barnes and Noble too! I love a good summer romance, and I remember watching the movie version with Miley and Liam. Nicholas Sparks knows how to write a good southern romance, so I’m sure I’ll be crying and eating my Blue Bell ice cream at the end of this.
Join me in reading these beautiful books! I will be doing book reviews after I read each one over on my Instagram, @thehonestpursuit. What are you reading this year?
Petit à Petit,
The Honest Pursuit 