RECOMMENDATIONS

CURRENTLY READING

I am hard on memoirs. I realized the other day that I have more room for clunky prose and unbelievability if I’m reading fiction, but if you’re writing a memoir, I have to be able to believe it. Zauner does a fantastic job of presenting herself in an honest light, and in her memoir about losing her mother and grasping at her Korean heritage, she doesn’t give anyone the short shrift.

I’ve been wanting to re-read this for awhile now, and there is something so comforting about reading the familiar words right before I fall asleep. This was such a huge part of my childhood, so to read it again as an adult just makes me happy.

(MOST) CURRENTLY LISTENING

Few things get me as fired up as bad theology (well, maybe a lot of things), and bad theology played out in real life. Mars Hill Church and its demise is one upsetting story of faith, power, and failed leadership. This podcast put out by “Christianity Today” is phenomenal. Not only is it professionally produced with a great opening song, diverse interviews, and investigative journaling, it also doesn’t shy away from the discomfort Mark Driscoll’s story presents. Not once did it feel like he was demonized, and not once did I feel like excuses were being made.

CURRENTLY WATCHING

Image result for poldark

So, I love this show. As with many series, the first few seasons are more engaging, but at this point, I’m invested. Ross Poldark is a complex, frustrating character, and Demelza is equally (if not more so) intriguing. I love period pieces that explore psychology and social issues of the day.

CURRENTLY JAMMING

A shameless plug for my choral group, Lyricora. I’ve been singing with them since 2015, and every year, the group helps me hone my musical skills, connect with audiences, and learn new repertoire. Check out our website and our YouTube channel to hear some of our work!

RECENTLY READ

If you’ve ever been interested in fostering or adoption, this book is fascinating. I loved her writing style, and the vignette-like chapters kept me from getting bogged down in difficult content. Sentilles is an honest writer, which at times made her a bit unlikeable. I respect her ability to (finally) name what she wanted and to foster a child in need. I was humbled by my initial response to some of what she wrote, and I realized I have some work to do regarding what it means to “do good.” Highly recommend with a caveat: if children being mistreated or neglected is too painful, you may want to skip some parts. It’s never graphic or “in the room,” but it obviously deals with children in dangerous situations.

READ IN 2021

Crying in H Mart — Michaelle Zauner

The Heart’s Invisible Furies — John Boyne

Stranger Care — Sarah Sentilles

Maid — Stephanie Land

READ IN 2021

Whistling Season — Ivan Doig

I Hope This Finds You Well — Kate Baer

Uncanny Valley — Anna Wiener

The Little Book of Hygge — Meik Wiking

Writers and Lovers — Lily King

Life From Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness — Sasha Martin

Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love — Dani Shapiro

The Devil in the White City — Erik Larson

Eat a Peach — David Chang

Fellowship of the Ring — J.R.R. Tolkien

What Kind of Woman — Kate Baer

The Seed: Infertility is a Feminist Issue — Alexandra Kimball

Mother is a Verb: An Unconventional History — Sarah Knott

Bright Evening Star: Mystery of the Incarnation — Madeleine L’Engle

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments — Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Let Your Life Speak — Parker J. Palmer

READ IN 2020

The Excellent Lombards — Jane Hamilton

Educated — Tara Westover

Of Mess and Moxie — Jen Hatmaker

A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Showing — Agnes Howard

Having and Being had — Eula Biss

Solace of Open Spaces — Gretel Ehrlich

Freedom — Jonathan Franzen

Swing Time — Zadie Smith

Fates and Furies — Lauren Groff

Where the Crawdads Sing — Delia Owens

On Beauty — Zadie Smith

The Girl with Seven Names — Hyenseo Lee

The Dutch House — Ann Patchett

The Rose Project — Graeme Simsion

READ IN 2019

Remarkable Ordinary — Frederick Buechner

The Honey Bus — Meredith May

For You, Mom, Finally — Ruth Reichl

Speak What We Feel — Frederick Buechner

Wishful Thinking — Frederick Buechner

Kitchen Yarns — Ann Hood

READ IN 2018

Living with a Wild God — Barbara Ehrenreich

Miller’s Valley — Anna Quindlen

Enon — Paul Harding

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking — Susan Cain

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine — Gail Honeyman

When Breath Becomes Air — Paul Kalanithi

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos —  Jordan B. Peterson

READ IN 2017

[this is my most embarrassing year of reading since the age of 5 — I blame falling in love and getting married, but I’m still not so sure that’s a good enough excuse]

America’s Women — Gail Collins

My Name is Lucy Barton — Elizabeth Strout

Commonwealth — Ann Patchett

The Bean Treas — Barabara Kingsolver

Road to Little Dribbling — Bill Bryson

Upstream — Mary Oliver

READ IN 2016

Searching for Sunday — Rachel Held Evans

Captivating [sometimes I read for research…]

Yes Please — Amy Poehler

What Do Women Want? [again, research]

A Field Guide to Getting Lost — Rebecca Solnit

He — Robert A. Johnson

The Enlarged Heart — Cynthia Zarin

The Road to Character — David Brooks

Tips from the Top — Kreigh Knerr

The Giver — Lois Lowry

Pastrix — Nadia Bolz-Weber

Wise Blood — Flannery O’Connor

Ariel — Sylvia Plath

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn — Betty Smith

Far From the Madding Crowd — Thomas Hardy

The Colossus — Sylvia Plath

Gut Feelings — Gerd Gigerenzer

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  • Document

The Fellowship of the Ring: The Lord of the Rings : Part 1 (2S)

I’ve been wanting to re-read this for awhile now, and there is something so comforting about reading the familiar words right before I fall asleep. This was such a huge part of my childhood, so to read it again as an adult just makes me happy.

CURRENTLY LISTENING

Simple Families on Stitcher

Like I wrote about in my post on being finite and learning how to be a mother, I am searching for ways not to change who I am, but to refine it. This podcast has been wonderful for me. Denaye is a thoughtful, creative woman who has approached motherhood in ways similar to me. Her desire for minimalism and the way she wants to allow her children to explore the world resonates with me. Highly recommend.

 

RECENTLY READ

The Solace of Open Spaces : NPR

This book came recommended from a friend as she re-read while living on a California ranch. Ehrlich does a beautiful job of exploring her own experiences while presenting the landscape of Wyoming ranch living. It is not heavy-handed, details about the author’s life and relationships are given only when needed, and it very much read like a nature memoir.

Having and Being Had by Eula BissI read Eula Biss’s Notes From No Man’s Land a few years ago, and I was excited to get this memoir. Biss explores capitalism, buying a home, work, and family life, and while some of her observations didn’t resonate with me, I loved seeing another perspective on a lot of what I, myself, have been experiencing.

TELEVISION

Image result for poldark

So, I love this show. As with many series, the first few seasons are more engaging, but at this point, I’m invested. Ross Poldark is a complex, frustrating character, and Demelza is equally (if not more so) intriguing. I love period pieces that explore psychology and social issues of the day.

MUSIC

A shameless plug for my choral group, Lyricora. I’ve been singing with them since 2015, and every year, the group helps me hone my musical skills, connect with audiences, and learn new repertoire. Check out our website and our YouTube channel to hear some of our work!

READ IN 2020

The Excellent Lombards — Jane Hamilton

Educated — Tara Westover

Of Mess and Moxie — Jen Hatmaker

A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Showing — Agnes Howard

Having and Being had — Eula Biss

Solace of Open Spaces — Gretel Ehrlich

Freedom — Jonathan Franzen

Swing Time — Zadie Smith

Fates and Furies — Lauren Groff

Where the Crawdads Sing — Delia Owens

On Beauty — Zadie Smith

The Girl with Seven Names — Hyenseo Lee

The Dutch House — Ann Patchett

The Rose Project — Graeme Simsion

READ IN 2019

Remarkable Ordinary — Frederick Buechner

The Honey Bus — Meredith May

For You, Mom, Finally — Ruth Reichl

Speak What We Feel — Frederick Buechner

Wishful Thinking — Frederick Buechner

Kitchen Yarns — Ann Hood

READ IN 2018

Living with a Wild God — Barbara Ehrenreich

Miller’s Valley — Anna Quindlen

Enon — Paul Harding

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking — Susan Cain

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine — Gail Honeyman

When Breath Becomes Air — Paul Kalanithi

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos —  Jordan B. Peterson

 

READ IN 2017

[this is my most embarrassing year of reading since the age of 5 — I blame falling in love and getting married, but I’m still not so sure that’s a good enough excuse]

America’s Women — Gail Collins

My Name is Lucy Barton — Elizabeth Strout

Commonwealth — Ann Patchett

The Bean Treas — Barabara Kingsolver

Road to Little Dribbling — Bill Bryson

Upstream — Mary Oliver

READ IN 2016

Searching for Sunday — Rachel Held Evans

Captivating [sometimes I read for research…]

Yes Please — Amy Poehler

What Do Women Want? [again, research]

A Field Guide to Getting Lost — Rebecca Solnit

He — Robert A. Johnson

The Enlarged Heart — Cynthia Zarin

The Road to Character — David Brooks

Tips from the Top — Kreigh Knerr

The Giver — Lois Lowry

Pastrix — Nadia Bolz-Weber

Wise Blood — Flannery O’Connor

Ariel — Sylvia Plath

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn — Betty Smith

Far From the Madding Crowd — Thomas Hardy

The Colossus — Sylvia Plath

Gut Feelings — Gerd Gigerenzer