Re: Good Books I’ve Read this Summer

I’d love to hear what you are reading!!!

Diane Hopkins

Great thread starter Diane, and frankly, this thread is why I signed up for the forum today.  I have been hungry for a friendly forum where I could spend time chatting about books.

Most of my ipad reading time is spent following current events, I am currently interested in the whole Common Core debate happening on blogs and in the news.

Plus I am carefully following the IRS Tea Party Story, simply because as a Tea Party activist I was involved in organizing events in Colorado.

My book reading usually revolves around Politics as well.  This summer I read Deconstructing Obama by Jack Cashill on Kindle, and Breakthrough by James O Keefe. Both are well worth the time, and zero in on current frauds around the political scene.

I have slowly been re reading the Anne of Green gables series to prepare for an audition for Marilla in our community theatre production of the show this fall.

I read Defying Gravity, the biography of Stephen Schwartz, which oddly enough I felt to be a spiritual book.  As the author described the creative process he went through with the creation of each Musical – he wrote Godspell, Pippin, Pocahontas, Children of Eden, Prince of Egypt, Wicked, etc etc…amd why he wrote the music the way he did, I was blown away by how intentional he was with the outcome for each show and each song…

Austenland by Shannon Hale was pure fun and I cannot wait to see the movie.

I re read Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas, which is the biography of William Wilberforce, a personal hero and truly inspirational political activist.

I read The Constant Gardener after watching the movie on Netflix.  John LeCarres thriller that revolves around Big Pharma frauds in African Drug Studies.  Both the movie and the book were excellent.  I really related to the character of Tessi Qualye.

Glenn Becks Agenda 21 was a favorite too, and my oldest daughter and middle son have been reading many of Becks books this summer, so the political chats around our home have been stimulating.

My second daughter is reading Atlas Shrugged for the first time, so we have had some fun interactions with her as she has discovered the book.  We all watched Ayn Rand and the Prophecy of Atlas Shrugged on Netflix together and that was one of the truly most satisfying nights of my life as a mother.  When I started Homeschooling back in 1994, the goal was to raise a family of intellectuals and readers.  It has been truly rewarding to observe my children inhaling books for the sheer love of it, and then enjoying the conversations about freedom.

I re read Saints by Orson Scott Card, who is a personal favorite author. I have read everything he has ever written, including the short stories, several times, and also re read Enders Game revving up for the movie coming out this fall.  Have not decided yet if I will plow through the whole series again, I have to be in a certain mood to read all of those Bean Books.

Ben and I have been reading Sign of the Beaver together and the other day he checked the movie out of the library and we watched it together…really awesome movie and book.

I spend about eight hours a day reading, so if this summer list looks over the top it is simply because I have been ill off and on for the past seven years and spend most of my time in bed….reading.

I would love to chat with anyone who has read any of these books and really appreciate the thoughtful responses to this thread as it will give me some new places to explore.

Thankyou!

Jenny

John 10:10I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly…

Jesus Christ

I look forward to many years of fun connection on this excellent web site.  Check it out if you are interested in learning more about Home School or if you would like to chat with some wonderful parents about all sorts of great topics.