A List of Sorts **Updated**

**(Feel free to just scroll to the bottom for the update :)

I hesitated to create any kind of reading challenge for myself this year, like the 40 in 40 or whatever it was that I did last year, or maybe it was the year before, at any rate, I have moved into a reading phase that allows me to read more often and listen more often while doing other things, like running to and fro kids' activities and while knitting (of course). I thought maybe for the sake of having a list of books read somewhere besides on my Kindle I would start an informal list here and add to it occaisionally.

The best book I have read so far this year and perhaps for many years (aside from some classics) is The Book Thief. In a word, exceptional! I listened to this book narrated by Allan Corduner and he was an excellent narrator in my opinion, such perfect voices for all the characters and the feeling evoked by his voice for this story really brought it alive for me.

Next on the list are some classics ~ Sense and Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice (Violet and I read together, or rather, she read to me :) We also enjoyed both movie versions of these recently as well, and they are so good!

I am in the middle of The Children's Book  by A.S. Byatt. I really enjoyed the beginning third, but am not so pleased with how the middle is turning out. Too much overtly explicit detail. I'm not sure if I will finish it or not at this point which is disappointing to say the least...

I also have I Capture the Castle  by Dodie Smith on my nightstand. I started it back in January, then it had to go back to the library and now I've got it again, so I think I'll pick it back up, as it is starting out very good and I need to step away from The Children's Book for a bit.

Just downloaded Persuasion  by Jane Austen to listen whilst I knit. I have been listening to Taggerung (hysterically narrated by the late Brian Jacques). We were all very sad to hear he had passed. Such an amazing author. No doubt his stories will live on pleasurably enjoyed by so many for centuries to come.

Read aloud to Sean-Paul recently ~ The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, such a great classic fairy tale (we finished it Sunday night) and I think he loved it as much as I did.

Seamus and I are currently reading St. Dominic and the Rosary, it's part of our Vision books collection. We read St. Francis and Clare  in the fall and finished St. Anthony and the Christ Child just after the new year. What perfect books for this age, so inspiring and boyish!

Matthias is in the middle of Augustus Caesar's World  by Genevieve Foster and Beyond the Desert Gate by Mary Ray. For lighter reading he has read through all the Mysterious Benedict Society books and the new Rick Riordan Egyptian thriller The Red Pyramid, and a few Hardy Boys tossed in for good measure. 

Violet's books this year are too numerous to mention in passing, but for fun she's been reading Emma and enjoying a fun book club with some friends.

Hope your week has started off well, many blessings in your day and I'm so glad you stopped by :)

5.8.11 :: Update ~

A Little Way of Homeschooling  by Suzie Andres (review here) which of course inspired readings of John Holt (again).

Currently enjoying Instead of Education  with a great forward by Patrick Ferenga

On the Kindle :: The Way of Perfection  by Saint Teresa of Avila

Charlotte Bronte and Her Circle  by Clement Shorter

The Professor  by Charlotte Bronte

 

Comments

[Celeste]

Oh, do pick up I Capture the Castle again--I read it last year after reading lots of recommendations of it, and I really enjoyed it. And a much lighter read than The Children's Book, for sure.

I had the Byatt out from the library but ended up taking it back without reading it because I had a feeling it was as you describe. If you do return to it and finish it, please let us know if you think it's worth reading.

And thanks for the Book Thief suggestion. I just put it on hold at the library!

[S/V Mari Hal-O-Jen]

I tried an AS Byatt once and just could not get into it. It seemed dark and the people were so depressed it was just a downer of a book.

In other news, Marianna and I just started watching the BBC's Emma - such a lovely adaptation!