I promised to share a monthly update with you on the books I’ve read this year from my rather-ambitious 2010 Booklist. But before I do, I wanted to mention something:
Why Am I Posting My Reading Updates? Isn’t That a Little Off-Topic?
Last month, someone left a pretty scathing comment on my Bookin’ It post saying they were very upset that I was writing posts like this on my blog and were unsubscribing. They thought it was out-of-place and boring. I deleted the comment because of its rude language, but I wanted to take a moment to explain why I am posting these updates–in case maybe some of the rest of you wondered, too.
As I said in my first Bookin’ It post, the books I’ve read over the years have had a tremendous impact on the person I am today. And I believe wholeheartedly that reading is something everyone can really benefit from.
Books challenge my thinking and my living and spur me on towards being a better a better wife, mother, homemaker, homeschool teacher, friend, business owner, writer, and so forth.
If you want to excel in life, I encourage you to exercise your mind by reading good books and you might be surprised just how much of an impact it can have–on your personal life, your relationships, and, yes, even your finances!
While these monthly posts might not always be directly related to finances, I hope it gives you a little peek into my own life, inspires you to read, and maybe gives you some ideas of books to add to your library list.
But if not, you can just skip these posts–there’s only one a month!–and stick to the normal fare you find on MoneySavingMom.com.
And with that, here’s my February update:
Hired @ Home
This book would be excellent to read if you are struggling as a work-at-home mom or thinking of starting your own at-home business. I thought the author did a great job of covering a lot of material in the book as well as sharing resources and true stories from different women who are successfully working from home.
My only complaint would be that it seemed there was a bit of overlap in the book. She’d weave stories from different women throughout a chapter and then at the end of the chapter, there was a section with a few testimonials–usually from the women whose stories she’d used in that chapter. But it was often information which had already been told previously, so it seemed redundant. (Wait, was that paragraph a little repetitious, too?!)
Treasuring God in Our Traditions
I loved this book! It was packed with practical information and insight and inspired me to think of creative ways to teach character to our little ones and create meaningful traditions. I think moms with younger children would especially benefit from and appreciate this book.
What He Must Be: …If He Wants to Marry My Daughter
I love this book’s author, Voddie Baucham. We’ve had the privilege of hearing him speak a number of times and he’s a powerful and passionate orator who does a superb job of confronting the culture with grace and truth.
However, I felt he was a little out of his league in writing this book. He has great things to say on manhood and marriage–two subjects often disregarded in this present age. But presenting his material from the standpoint of how a courtship should happen when his daughter isn’t married yet just seemed a bit premature to me. I think it’s better to only write on things you’ve actually experienced yourself. You’re completely free to disagree with me on that, though.
First Things First: The Rules of Being a Warner
This book is a quick and easy read with fun stories and an interesting peek behind-the-scenes into the lives of Kurt Warner and his family. I loved some of their ideas and philosophies (though I disagreed with plenty, too!) and thought most any parent would find some helpful ideas and encouragement in this book. Plus, don’t we all wonder what it’s like to be a football star and make millions of dollars? Maybe not as easy as one might think!
A Charlotte Mason Education
If you’re looking for a very quick overview of the Charlotte Mason method of education, this book would be a great starting point. It’s not very comprehensive, but it gives a great starting point and it also has a number of good ideas sprinkled throughout.
So that’s what I’ve read recently. How about you? Be sure to link up over at LifeAsMOM.