“You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.”
Paul Sweeney
My goal was to read 50 books in 2023, but I came up a little short. Surprisingly, before 2023, I had never read any Agatha Christie mysteries, and it was a happy introduction. Also, it was fun to read three books together with my teenage homeschoolers: The Hobbit, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, and The Screwtape Letters.
My 2023 Books
This little summary is for my own memory, as well as for any who might be interested:
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson – Fascinating Y/A historical fiction book about Philadelphia’s 1793 yellow fever epidemic.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – I had never read this classic book until I read it with my homeschoolers this year. After finishing, my daughter invited us to watch the movies at her place.
The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie– Now acquainted with Hercule Poirot, I will never look back.
The 10 Commandments of Progressive Christianity by Michael J. Kruger- A short, insightful book, recommended by our pastor.
Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin- A moving childrens’ book about a young student living during Stalin’s rule.
Papa is a Poet by Natalie S. Bober – A lovely book written from the perspective of one of Robert Frost’s children.
Stone Stoup – A classic folktale, retold and winsomely illustrated by Marcia Brown. This story is an old favorite of mine.
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie – I love a story with a twist at the end. Another Hercule Poirot winner.
Fiber Fueled by Will Bulsiewicz – I don’t often choose foodie / health books, but I was on a mission to finish this one before my husband, who is a fan of such knowledge. I listened to this while walking (the perfect health combo) and found it pretty interesting.
My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse – An extremely funny book, written in the early 20th century, about a butler who covertly runs the household in style.
The White Mountains by John Christopher – The first book in an excellent Y/A science fiction trilogy. I suggested it to one of my reluctant teenagers, who ended up gobbling up the entire trilogy.
The Pool of Fire – The second book in the trilogy.
The City of Gold and Lead – The final book in the trilogy.
The Big Four – another Agatha Christie book, and for some reason, this was not memorable.
Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane C. Ortlund- After 30+ years of walking with Christ, I learned some new, deep, and tender insights about the love of God through this book. I look forward to re-reading this.
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne – Having seen a few versions of the movie, I finally read the book.
The Libyan Diversion by Joel C. Rosenberg – the 5th (and final?) installment of the Marcus Ryker novels, Christian global political thrillers that are always gripping.
Musical Tables: Poems by Billy Collins – These poems made me laugh and cry as I was weeding the garden on a hot summer day.
Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix – An exciting book for middle grades, and a fun re-read for me.
Whale Day: And Other Poems by Billy Collins – Another excellent poetry book by the former U.S. poet laureate.
Double Indemnity and
Trial and Error by Robert Whitlow – I was hoping to have found a new cache of Christian mysteries, but these were a bit disappointing. It’s unfair to compare anyone to Agatha Christie, I guess.
Snow and Rose by Emily Winfield Martin – While snooping around on Goodreads, I noticed that my daughter was reading this — so I thought I would join her. It’s a charming variation of the fairy tale Snow White and Rose Red.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier – I adored this book, and couldn’t help remembering how my mom had unsuccessfully recommended it to me when I was a teenager. So glad I finally read it. Beautifully written, Rebecca is much more than a highly suspenseful mystery.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie – I am beginning to feel like Papa Poirot is an old friend.
Watership Down by Richard Adams – This is a lovely book about characters who struggle, grow, face danger, and bond together after fleeing their home. The characters happen to be rabbits, but it’s somehow more than an animal book…
True Grit by Charles Portis – Another book that I shunned during my teenage years — it was assigned in 7th grade American history, but I browsed through it halfheartedly back then. I absolutely love this book about a brave, spunky, and faith-filled teenage girl who hires a rough U.S. Marshal to find her father’s murderer.
The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – Read together as a homeschool assignment, this book gave us some new spelling and vocabulary words. Although assigned books (and spelling work) can ruin the fun of reading, I’m happy to say that both of my youngest students are now Sherlock Holmes fans.
At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie – I read an abridged version of this book, and maybe that’s why it wasn’t a top favorite of mine.
The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg – The first of the Christian / political thriller novels featuring Jon Bennett. A great re-read.
Long Walk Home by DiAnn Mills – Although made interesting and educational with its African setting, this was another Christian mystery that fell flat for me.
4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie – Miss Marple was an instant favorite, and this book was too.
A Caribbean Mystery and Nemesis by Agatha Christie – I had forgotten to add Nemesis to my list, so I technically read 49 books instead of 48. I read this duo out of order by reading Nemesis first. But, it really didn’t matter. I enjoyed these mysteries featuring the indomitable Miss Jane Marple.
Crispin: The End of Time by Avi – a happy re-read, stumbled upon when I was searching for something else. I love the Crispin series, and this is the final one of the trilogy.
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey was recommended to me by my daughter, and it kept me engaged and guessing until the very end. The setting is Alaska during the early 20th century. Beautifully written.
The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie is one I don’t recall very well, but as usual, I probably didn’t guess the culprit until the very end.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis – Read by myself and my homeschooled teenage sons, the book is a series of “letters” written from one senior demon to his underling nephew, who is trying to lure his target away from God. Apparently, it was one of the author’s least favorite books to write, but it is quite insightful. When we finished, I assigned a paper to be written from the perspective of one senior angel to his underling angel. Although there was some protest about this writing assignment, both students did an amazing job.
In Grandma’s Attic by Arleta Richardson – the first book in an old favorite series, and fun to find on audio.
The Jerusalem Assassin by Joel C. Rosenberg was a re-read of one of my favorite Marcus Ryker novels.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
and The Mysterious Affair at Styles again — read twice during the year, because I forgot the details, and sadly, even the culprit :0. Hercule Poirot’s first mystery.
Boundaries in Marriage by Henry Cloud – I have read parts of the classic book “Boundaries” but this was specifically tailored for married people. Excellent, practical, and highly recommended.
Three Blind Mice by Agatha Christie was a novella with a suprising end that I found free on the Libby app.
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is apparently a classic. On the surface, it’s about a man who wakes up one day as a cockroach. I’m sure there is more existential meaning to it than I grasped, but it was darkly entertaining as an audiobook narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.
The Brave Tin Soldier and Other Tales by Hans Christian Andersen. I admit that as I was trying hard to reach my goal of 50 books, I slipped in some short ones here at the end. But I was fun to get a refresh on a few classic fairy tales.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, and
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd again. Featuring Hercule Poirot, this is my favorite Agatha Christie book so far. After reading it once early in the year, the ending took me so by surprise, that I wanted to read it again to catch any missed details.
Watership Down: the Graphic Novel, adapted by James Sturm and illustrated by Joe Sutphin. This was a Christmas gift, given by my daughter who knows I love the original by Richard Adams. What lovely illustrations for a story I know well by now.
My mom and dad were both the youngest children in their families, and we were the youngest of 20 cousins, spread out from Canada to Texas. Diverse locations and age gaps made it a challenge to get to know our cousins. We saw our Kansas and Texas cousins for a fleeting few days in the summer at our grandparents’ lake cottage, but we always felt so young and unsophisticated around them. And, the first time I remember talking to our Las Vegas cousins was when one of the three got married.
Our Local Cousins
We gathered most often with our Minnesota cousins: Cheryl, Craig, and Dave. Cheryl babysat us, read us mysteries, and let us play with her art supplies. When playing ping pong as a teenager with my cousin Craig, I remember the sudden realization that he was quite a nice guy, and Cousin Dave took me horseback riding and inner tubing down Wisconsin’s Apple River. More recently, Dave planned an excellent field trip for our homeschooling family. A mechanical engineer, he worked at a startup that designed innovative medical devices, and our educational tour was the most informative homeschool field trip we have experienced yet.
Thinking of my cousin Dave yesterday prompted me to write briefly about my cousins. His recent and sudden passing is still a shock, and reminds me to appreciate every moment I have with my loved ones.
Our Canadian Cousins
At the same time that my sister Sara and I were still dressing up Barbie dolls, our five Canadian boy cousins were hotly debating politics with their dad. Steve, Tom, Rick, Bruce and Jeff were loud and smart and boyish and funny, and they loved teasing us. When our family drove from Minnesota to Saskatoon to visit them for Christmas, I especially liked hanging out with Bruce and Jeff, who were only a few years older than I. Steve was the oldest, and Tom was the quietest. For Christmas, Tom gifted me and my younger siblings each an entire book series in its own little box. He was the kind of cousin that you could almost have a crush on…but I’m not naming any names. And Cousin Rick made us laugh so hard that you could almost wet your pants. But again — let’s not name any names.
Bernice, the Legendary Cousin
Whenever the women of the family hosted a bridal or baby shower, all of the extended family members came out of the woodwork to join us. Besides Grandma Laura, Great Aunt Eleanor, and Auntie Sonya, the guests included a collection of first and second cousins and cousins once removed.
And there was Bernice, who seemed too old to be a cousin. We always found her friendly and witty and pleasantly interested in us…..but exactly how was she related? When we’d ask our elders, we’d hear a rambling explanation that included several unfamiliar ancestors.
I confess, I would zone out and stop listening to the lineage monologue, only to have to ask again at the next family event.
Note: If any young person is confused about a relative’s place in the family tree, stop what you are doing. Draw a diagram, make copies, laminate, and distribute. Providing a visual will save yourself time and trouble later; if you skip the diagram, you may have to re-explain it every year for the rest of your life….
Unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced my own diagram, so I cannot really explain Bernice’s genealogical position to you at this time. Suffice it to say that she is the cousin of a relative, always beloved and favored as a guest at family parties. She also deserves to be a legend because she is the only family member I know who was born on Leap Day. When she turns 100 years old in 2024, Bernice can congratulate herself on technically only having 25 birthdays.
Happy Upcoming Birthday to Bernice, the Legendary Cousin!
My Word Soup 