“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.
I have been parenting teenagers for almost two decades.
You’d think I’d know what I’m doing by now.
But being a parent of multiple teenagers is a mysterious business. If you have the first one figured out, you think you are home free. But, it turns out that teenagers are all different. Cases in point from personal experience:
Some take long, hot-water-guzzling-bathroom-hogging showers every day.
Others have to be reminded to take showers or they’d go months…
Some talk your ear off.
Others don’t talk at all, unless you are in the car driving somewhere (or better yet, letting them practice driving) and they spout volumes, but only when you are not looking at them. (Helpful tip: pretend not to be interested and look out of the window at just anything – farmland, buildings… it doesn’t matter. Do not comment on anything or ask questions. They will probably talk.)
Some eat everything you put in front of them.
Others call from work asking ‘what’s for dinner?’ and when you tell them you are having beans, they cheerfully say “okay” and then you find out later (after you kept dinner warm for them) that they stopped at ChikFilA.
So, I am still learning how to be an effective parent, but I really do have my moments.
When my daughters are buzzing quietly and excitedly about something, I just can’t help myself – I break into their little circle, asking with an eager smile, “What’s going on? What’s happening?”
Poof! They disperse.
BUT TODAY, I am claiming a little piece of victory.
I have noticed a little battle brewing – about breakfast. It’s been going like this:
One of my teenage sons regularly says “no” to breakfast. Doesn’t matter what we are having.
Me: “But you have to eat something.”
Son: “I’m not hungry.”
Me: “Just eat something.”
Son: “I’m just not hungry.”
Me: “You can’t have any snacks then. Nothing until lunch.”
Son: “That’s fine.”
Me: “Are you sure? How about just a little bowl?”
I know. As I write this, it looks so pitiful – me begging and all.
But today, it’s like the Lord made me ready, even as I stirred butter and cream into the apple oatmeal.
Me: “Breakfast is ready!”
Son: Walks into the kitchen, sniffs, looks bored. “I’m not hungry.”
Me, cheerfully: Okay, go start your math then.”
Could it be that I am finally learning The Art of Underreacting? There is hope!
~~~~
Lisa
Homeschooling mother of 11, all of whom are current or former teenagers.
Please share any tips in the comments…
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Encouragement and direction for parents of teenagers:
2 Timothy 1:7
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Genesis 4:7
If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
Titus 2:6
Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.
I do all my reading these days via audiobook, and usually while walking.
I can envision where I was walking when the new Mrs. DeWinter glided down the stairs for the fancy dress ball (Rebecca) or when Mattie Ross was bit by a rattlesnake (True Grit). Sophia introduced me to the poetry of Billy Collins, and I started with Aimless Love and Whale Day; they made me laugh out loud while planting and weeding the garden.
I inhaled the latest title in Joel C. Rosenberg’s Marcus Ryker series: The Libyan Diversion, and having conquered most of the Sherlock Holmes books, I have now finished eight Agatha Christie mysteries. It was refreshing to read the enchanted fairy-tale-twist Snow and Rose; I think I liked it as much as my youngest daughter did.
Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.
C.S. Lewis
I walked miles in circles around our property when I was reading Rebecca, because I couldn’t pull myself away. What beautiful descriptions of gardens and scenery and rooms and mansions, but also a journey into a mind of wrong assumptions and insecurities that seems all too familiar.
Watership Down…what can I say? One can only push a book on family and friends so much. How can a book about rabbits be so good that you’d read it two Augusts in a row? Well, it just is that good and I cannot explain why. Read the reviews and consider reading it for yourself; the audio version is distinctively wonderful.
I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once.
C.S. Lewis
But you cannot force someone to like a book. Mrs. Skibbe assigned True Grit to us in 7th grade American History class and I hardly glanced at it. I wish I could tell her now how much I enjoyed that book 40+ years later.
My cousin Tommy gave me the The Tripod Trilogy by John Christopher when I was a teenager and not particularly interested in science fiction — especially when the main character was a boy. However, these three books came to be some of my favorites. I forgot about them until recently, when I was searching for books for my youngest sons, aged 14 and 15. They gobbled up the series, and so did I again — absorbing different things as an adult reader. Books are magical that way.
No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.
C.S. Lewis
I am in a delicious rut of fiction-reading. But, the Christian book Gentle and Lowly stopped me in my tracks — I loved it and cried through it, having my eyes opened in a fresh way to the mysterious, unexplainable, unearned, immeasurable love of God. It’s one to read over and over again.
After 20-some years of neglecting small group Bible studies while raising a busy family, I jumped in this year and joined one at our church. Studying and then discussing Galatians and James with a lively group of ladies was refreshing and inspiring! The study wrapped up last week, and it was strange having no more pages of questions to answer early this morning as I opened my Bible.
To compensate, I wrote this quirky, condensed summary of the 5-chapter Book of James. I hope it will make you smile & perhaps even inspire you to read or review this short, rich book for yourself!
If somebody wants to be a distinctive business leader, exceptional speaker or successful investor, they typically listen to a podcast or read a book by someone who stands out in the field.
Likewise, if anyone aspires to be a more humble person, they can learn that quality from others who excel at it.
Jesus is the ultimate example.
But, you couldn’t go wrong if you also examined Moses — a B.C. (before Christ) example of humility:
Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any person who was on the face of the earth.
Numbers 12:3
This amazing statement about Moses is an assessment of an individual who was the adopted son of a princess, a dictator-defying miracle man, and a worthy judge, who had more than one close encounter with God. Most people wandering around in his shoes sandals might be swayed by pride, popularity and self importance.
But, Moses oozed humility (plus loads of imposter syndrome) from the day God chose him to lead His people out of slavery. After begging God five times to choose someone else, he finally relented — as long as his brother could do the talking for him.
Besides being the spotlight-shunning leader of the Hebrew people, Moses was a prolific writer. The majority of Bible scholars believe that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, inspired by the Spirit of God. (II Tim 3:16).
In addition, Moses also wrote one installment in the Bible’s book of poems, prayers, hymns and meditations — Psalm #90.
I thought it was worth discovering what was on the heart of the humblest B.C. man. So, today I examined Psalm 90 to see what Moses decided was worth writing about. My impression is that Moses valued God as:
Eternal
A passionate creator
Sovereign king of the universe
Unchanging
A listener and giver
It also seems that Moses had a proper perspective of the bigness of God and the smallness of people.
(Humble people don’t usually have trouble believing in their smallness.)
He also appeared to realize that God has a steadfast, never-ending love for people, who are His image-bearers. (Genesis 1:27)
So, consider reading Psalm 90 for yourself and hear the thoughts of this humble B.C. man!
Psalm 90: A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.
Lord, through all the generations you have been our home! 2 Before the mountains were created, before the earth was formed, you are God without beginning or end.
3 You speak, and man turns back to dust. 4 A thousand years are but as yesterday to you! They are like a single hour!5-6 We glide along the tides of time as swiftly as a racing river and vanish as quickly as a dream. We are like grass that is green in the morning but mowed down and withered before the evening shadows fall. 7 We die beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your wrath. 8 You spread out our sins before you—our secret sins—and see them all. 9 No wonder the years are long and heavy here beneath your wrath. All our days are filled with sighing.
10 Seventy years are given us! And some may even live to eighty. But even the best of these years are often empty and filled with pain; soon they disappear, and we are gone. 11 Who can realize the terrors of your anger? Which of us can fear you as he should?
12 Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.
13 O Jehovah, come and bless us! How long will you delay? Turn away your anger from us. 14 Satisfy us in our earliest youth with your loving-kindness, giving us constant joy to the end of our lives. 15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. 16 Let us see your miracles again; let our children see glorious things, the kind you used to do, 17 and let the Lord our God favor us and give us success. May he give permanence to all we do. [Living Bible]
The above picture is from:
The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name, by Sally Lloyd-Jones
2023 has its own Wikipedia page, and here are some of the things included on the global calendar this year:
Luxembourg, Thailand, Turkey, Sudan, Guatemala and at least ten other countries will hold their national elections this year.
King Charles will be crowned King of England in May.
India is projected to surpass China to become the world’s most populous country.
In my small part of the globe, who knows what the year may hold? But so far in 2023, I have already sampled two new sports: pickleball and snowshoeing.
This is surprising, since I am not a person who inserts athletics into her bio. I favor reading, sewing, audiobooks, and gentle walks.
Pickleball
Since practically everyone in my family is playing pickleball, I wanted to try it — and it is FUN! I took a class on January 2nd, and since then, I have been thinking of ways to play inexpensively at an indoor court. During a cold Minnesota winter, indoor court time is precious, and you must share with others. It’s unusual to reserve an indoor court just for yourself and a friend – it’s pickleball courtesy to let another pair join you.
Before I took the class, my husband gave me a quick tutorial session, and we volleyed with two other pickleballers.
We played for 1.5 hours.
Since my body wasn’t used to this (I haven’t used tennis muscles since the 20th century), I left the court with a pulled hamstring.
It didn’t seem right to injure myself in a sport that seems designed for and enjoyed by so many senior citizens. But the muscle is healing, and I will keep trying to find ways to play with other beginners like me.
Snowshoes
Early in January 2023, a foot of snow landed on us here in Minnesota. This made driving difficult, my teenage boys busy, and our tractor a necessity for blowing snow off our long rural driveway.
This beautiful, white, deep snowy landscape was the perfect backdrop to try a snowshoeing class, hosted by the local park system. My two youngest boys and I were glad for a balmy 29 degree day yesterday, as we strapped on our rented snowshoes and followed the leader up the woodsy hill.
Snowshoes have a sharp-toothed metal piece that allows your foot to grip slippery surfaces, and the snowshoe’s width spreads out your weight, so you don’t sink down into deep snow.
Besides learning about how to navigate trails using these simple contraptions, we also learned that you shouldn’t eat blue snow. When you see this, it means that rabbits or deer have eaten buckthorn, which turns their urine a lovely shade of blue.
Don’t eat blue snow.
New Year Thoughts
What will 2023 hold for each one of us?
Colorful experiences?
Strained muscles?
New life seasons?
Deeper insights?
Growth? Learning?
Overcoming? Letting Go?
Some of these don’t seem to arrive without stretching, sweat, or struggle.
Verses I am studying from the book of James remind me that we all go through trials, but trials are not the end of the story. If we let God do His work in us, trials can refine and improve us (but nobody said it was easy.)
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
James 1:2-4 MSG
May 2023 be your best year yet.
The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. ~Gilbert K. Chesterton
Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better person. ~Benjamin Franklin
Life is short. Stay awake for it. ~ Caribou Coffee
We just experienced our family’s first wedding, which was splendid – and surreal! I never quite imagined myself in the role of “mother of the groom”. It was always someone else dressing up and being walked down the aisle to sit in that seat. But this time it was my husband and I playing in the drama, hearing our son and his bride sing a duet and take their vows, and viewing the mystery of God molding a new family entity.
Although getting everyone packed off on a plane across the country was an intense task, I think it caused us to give our undivided attention to the event, live in-the-moment and purposefully mingle with new friends and family members. Brothers and sisters in Jesus inspired us with their generous hospitality. They let us invade their homes, eat their food and drive their company van for the weekend. Love was seen everywhere, and not just at the altar.
We are still chewing on the reality that it’s over, and giving glory to God for His inscrutable, glorious, ongoing plan!
My Word Soup 