Fall Reading Challenge

“You will be the same person each year

except for the people you meet and the books you read.”

  I don't remember where I saw the above quote, but I've been thinking about it for a couple weeks.  It's so fascinating to reflect on the influences people and books have had on my life.  As Alan and I recently celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary, I've been considering who we are now, who *I* am now, compared to who I was when we married.  As I continue on this path of growth, I wonder who I'll be in another 20 years! 

I'm joining Katrina's Fall Reading Challenge so we'll see how these books may affect me, and as we're making new friends in Iowa. . .well, I'm curious to see how these changes grow me in the months ahead.  For now, here are some books I hope to read in the next three months (remembering, of course, that I have a tendency to get distracted by other interesting books that pop up in the midst of a challenge).

I'm studying this time period with Briana and Destry, so it seemed an appropriate book (especially since I picked it up at a thrift store).  I've read three chapters so far and am pleasantly surprised at how readable it is.

I've been reading this book aloud with Briana and Destry and we are really enjoying it.  It has prompted lots of great discussions and a final conclusion for each of them:  "I am not ready to get married yet.  I have a lot of growing up to do!"

Ironically, I am also pre-reading Preparing to Be a Helpmeet for Briana.  She has four friends who have read it and suggested it to her, and a couple of her friends are beginning a "book study" based around it.  I'm just three or four chapters in, so can't say much yet. . .but I will say that I'm not sure 16 is the age at which I would hand it to her.

The Age of Opportunity has been on my list to read for quite some time and has been highly recommended.  I just purchased it this summer and need to get it read as my teens are 16 and 15 and I am sure I will benefit from "a biblical guide to parenting teens."

This book has also been highly recommended to me by a new friend I'm making in the homeschooling community since we moved here.  She just keeps talking about it and how eye-opening it has been to analyze her personality and her children's personalities.  When she started "diagnosing" me and calling me color names, I knew I had to order this book just to see who she thinks I am! ha!

In reading the summary of Gone Girl, I'm wondering who recommended this book to me, but the description of the writing has me intrigued.  I'm ready for a great fiction novel to just take me away for a few hours. 

My big kids are reading Don Quixote right now and I opted out of this one.  I've never read it and had a hard time getting into the first few chapters so I quit.  There are so many other books I'd rather read and time is limited and all that.  It is lauded as the forerunner to comedic books and was written in the early 1600s which is why it made our literature list.  I'm not sure if I'll require them to complete it or not. . .(just don't tell them that!)

But the next lit book we'll be exploring is The Scarlet Letter and I'm looking forward to that one.  I read it about 25 years ago, but can't tell you much about it.  Reading the classics is so much more enjoyable as an adult with some life experience behind a person.

A friend from church picked a copy of this book up at a thrift store and gave it to me with the postscript "everyone needs to read this book."  I was rather taken aback at the suggestion--is that a hint that I'm not able to make friends or what?! ha!  A dear friend in Missouri recently finished it as well, so I'm intrigued.

I started the Faithful, Abundant, True Bible study guide last week and really enjoyed the first convicting week of homework and am looking forward to this time in the Word this Fall.

For Carrie's Book Club, I'm supposed to read Uncle Tom's Cabin in October, but I think I will skip it as I just re-read it a couple years ago.  In November our assignment is Jewel of Persia by Roseanna White and I am planning to read this fictionalized account of the story of Esther.  I'm a little intrigued at the idea of the author combining the biblical account with information from Josephus and then taking creative license with the whole idea.  I'm not always a fan of novels based on biblical stories, however, so we'll see. . .

And then the December assignment is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which sounds like a relaxing read. Dare I admit I've never read it--I've only watched the classic movie!

Finally, if I have time (and if my local library has them!), I hope to explore a couple recommendations from Kristy just for fun.

What are you hoping to read this fall?  Would you think it fun to mess up my goals by distracting me with some intriguing titles?