Now that we’re a little over half-way through the year, it may finally be time to share a little about what I’ve read so far. I have quite a few books on the go right now, including a few selections from Ambleside Online’s Year 7 to read alongside my eldest. This list doesn’t include everything I’ve read so far this year. It may look like I haven’t read a lot of fiction—I am reading, or have read a few fiction selections, which I will also include here. Many of the fiction titles are ones we listened to as a family.
I unexpectedly got into mental health and wellness. It started with a book on how to stay strong while aging and went to mental health. Here are the books that made my list this year.1
Forever Strong by Gabrielle Lyon
The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry is my favourite in that stack of books—definitely a top book for the year. It gave me a lot of food for thought about this busy, digital world we live in, and I keep returning to the disciplines discussed in this book. The one that stuck out most to me was simplicity, since it’s not easy to live a simple life in a world that constantly says you need more.
I've read a few fiction books, and some of them are still in progress because I'm reading them along with my eldest (as mentioned earlier, I'm reading some of my son's Ambleside Online selections this year).
Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel
The Return of the King by JRR Tolkien
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
Both my eldest and I find Ivanhoe surprisingly enjoyable. Sometimes Scott can take a while to get to his point; it’s a slow burn most times. It’s not the case with Ivanhoe! Once you get used to the style of writing, it’s very engaging and hard to stop after just one chapter.
What have you enjoyed reading recently? I'd love to hear!
Links to the books included in this newsletter are affiliate links, and any purchases made will make a small contribution to support my work. If you choose to purchase, thank you! However, in the spirit of simplicity, please make use of your local library if you have the privilege.
I’m reading phineas Finn by Trollope and loving it. If you like Jane Austin you will love Trollope! My husband is currently reading deep work and says it’s great :)