Thumbs down: Never Give Up (by Bill Moushey & Bill Parise) is about my favorite Steelers defensive player, James Harrison. Moushey is a Pittsburgh sports column writer & Parise is Harrison’s agent, so they know him pretty well. The book was about Harrison’s football career & how he got to Steeler Nation. I liked the story, but it was poorly written. Confessions of a Rebel Debutante (by Anna Fields) I thought would be more interesting about the south than it actually was. I did enjoy Fields pointing out places & things that I recognized from back on the east coast, but that was probably all that got me through the book. My Stoke of Insight (by Jill Taylor) was the first book written by a neurologist who had come through a stroke. It was interesting for her to confirm the feelings that neurologists say one will experience during a stroke & it was intriguing to know how much she was thinking & comprehending but could not express. I think the only reason I didn’t like this memoir was because it moved too slowly for me (but then again I guess that is what it is like after having a stroke). The Wednesday Sisters (by Meg Clayton) was actually a novel about a group of women that lived in the same neighborhood & got together every Wednesday to write in the park. The novel lacked captivation & I’m still not sure what the point was.
Thumbs up: The Power of a Praying Wife (by Stormie Omartian) was so helpful. As women, I think so many times we have no idea how our husbands need us to pray for them; I mean, how could we know that?! Each chapter in this book was a different topic that husbands often struggle with (e.g. finances, career, fatherhood, etc.) & how their wives can help them through prayer. Omartian also provides lots of scripture (i.e. “power tools”) for prayer. I liked this so much that I got Power of a Praying Husband for Phil. There are others too, like Power of a Praying Parent, etc. The Savvy Bride’s Answer Guide (by Focus on the Family) was such a cute cover, especially when you put it next to the groom’s edition & it looks like they are holding hands! Awwwww! Aside from the cute-cover-factor, I like books from Focus on the Family. I guess I’m no longer considered a “newlywed” but I still liked this book. Each chapter was so short that I could quickly read one while I was eating my cereal in the morning & still get a great message of encouragement on how to better serve my husband. This would be a great wedding gift for someone just getting married (even if it isn’t on their registry hehe). Orange is the New Black (by Piper Kerman) was awesome! I was getting a pedicure when I read the review in People magazine & it sounded so unique that of course I had to read it. Kerman described her young adult life when she was involved in drug smuggling, & after she got her life together (and 10 years later) it all caught up with her. The memoir is about her time spent in prison, the women she met, & the relationships that developed. It gives a unique perspective on our judicial system & prison life. I also thought it was neat that while she was in prison, Martha Stewart’s trial was going on, and the responses from the inmates were hilarious! The Body Broken (by Lynne Greenberg) was a great story about a woman who’s spine was cracked as a teen & her subsequent battle with uncontrollable pain for decades; a very powerful story of her juggling pain, a career, & her roles as a wife & mother. 10 Things I Want my Husband to Know (by Annie Chapman) I picked because I like the author. The Chapmans have written many great books, & this was no different. Each chapter offered ways in which a wife can effectively communicate with her husband about different topics. Wasabi Gospel (by Shawn Wood) was beyond fantastic! Wood took different parables that Jesus taught & really emphasized what Jesus was saying. For example, Jesus taught us to love our neighbors, but Wood reminds us that our neighbors are even those people that society tells us not to like (i.e. thieves, murders, adulterers, terrorists, etc.) & we are still expected to demonstrate love & compassion towards those people, AND pray for them. The cover & title initially attracted me because I like sushi, but after reading it, I liked Wood’s comparison of the startling effect of wasabi & the startling messages of Jesus. I just love to dive deeper into the Word to really understand what is being said; this book definitely does that.So that is what I have been reading. What books have you read recently that you would recommend?
