Fiction: 43
Non-fiction: 95
Best Fiction: A Thread of Grace (read in August)
Best Non-fiction (tie): America Alone (read in March) and Freedomnomics (read in May)
Best Non-fiction runner-up: Girls Gone Mild. (read in July)
Worst Fiction: Wicked. Wish I could sponge it from my memory. Ugh. (read in June)
2nd Worst Fiction: The Man Who Loved Jane Austen. No. Just, no. (read in August)
Worst Non-fiction: Buy, Buy, Baby. (read in June) Be sure to check out my insightful (ha!) review over at Doses of Reality.
2nd Worst Non-fiction. Wild At Heart & Captivating. (both read in February)
Most Inspiring: Living Artfully (read in January) This book changed how I look at life, it really did.
Most Encouraging: The Spiritual Power of a Mother. Seriously, if you're a homeschooling mom, read it now! (read in March)
Funniest: Somebody is Going to Die if Lilly Beth Doesn't Catch That Bouquet. (read in April) Laugh out loud, and then cook some good food.
Favorite Re-read: The Lord of the Rings (read in June)
Most Disappointing: Boundaries, not sure what I was expecting but everyone speaks so highly of this book. I didn't see what all the fuss was about. (read in March)
Most Useless: Bertha Venation (read in October)
Most Over-hyped (tie): Eragon (read in January) or Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (read in July) and that goes for Eldest, too.
Book With Most Deceptive Title: Living the Sabbath (read in February)
Best Mystery Series: Anne Perry's World War 1 series. (read in September)
Best Parenting Book: Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters (read in October)
Best Marriage Book: Love and Respect (read in November)
Best Self-Help: It's All Too Much (read in April)
Worst Self-Help (tie): What the Other Mothers Know (read in June) or Even June Cleaver Would Forget the Juice Box (read in August)
Best Book / Movie Combo: North and South (read in July)
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
There you have it, my reading record for the last year. I read some books I regret, some books I want to re-read now, some books I'm still mulling over, some books I forgot instantly, some books I wish I would have read a long time ago, some books I wish I would never have read, some books I probably could have written myself, some books I still don't understand, and through it all I was thinking "so many books, so little time."
O.k, I was also thinking, occasionally, how grateful I am to my mom for teaching me to read. And how thankful I am that we live with the best library system in the U.S. And the best librarians, too, except for that one. But that's a story for another day.
1. American Jennie by Anne Sebba. Non-fiction. Biography of Winston Churchill's mother, a person I find fascinating (and I guess I mean both Winston and his mother - excuse my bad grammar!). Very engaging and readable but possibly a little too interested in who Jennie Churchill's paramours may or may not have been.
2. Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners by Josephine Ross. Non-fiction (about fiction). Tiny book, quick read. I feel like I already read this book either in 2006 or 2007 but I was too lazy to look at my list to be sure, so this may be a re-read.
3. Rescuing Sprite by Mark Levin. Non-fiction. Different from what usually piques my interest. I read this because of my respect for Levin's intellect. This book shows the heart that goes along with the brain.
4. The Feasting Season by Nancy Coons. Fiction. Appropriate title for December reading, no? This author's use of language makes me jealous. She is an excellent writer but I can't whole-heartedly recommend the book because of its subject matter.
5. The Bloody Tower by Carola Dunn. Fiction. Series Mystery. A quick Daisy Dalrymple mystery to round out my 2007 reading year.
1. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism by Robert P. Murphy. Non-fiction. Highly recommended, even if you think you understand capitalism. I came away thinking that capitalism is even better than I previously thought.
2. The Great War and the British People by J.M Winter. Non-fiction. Dry, full of charts and statistics. Possibly useful if writing a book about the First World War. Otherwise, not necessary.
3. Simple Pleasures for the Holidays by Susannah Seton. Non-fiction. Nothing new here.
4. Fighting the Great War by Michael S. Neiberg. Non-fiction. Everything #2 (above) wasn't. Readable and an excellent overview. Doesn't go in-depth with much but still covers a lot of ground.
5. Amy Butler's Midwest Modern by Amy Butler. Non-fiction. Decorating/Art book. Beautiful photos, taken by the author's husband. I love how cheerful her designs are.
6. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Women, [Gender*], and Feminism by Carrie L. Lukas. Non-fiction. Easy to read and engaging. Not quite as good as #1 (above). *I edited the title to keep the sickos away.
7. Just Two More Bites! by Linda Piette. Non-fiction. Book by a nutritionist about children and eating. Not that we've ever had any problems with that around here. Right.
8. Thank You, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse. Fiction. The first Wodehouse I've ever read. I want to read more but my library only has this one! Should I buy them myself?
9. Kissing Christmas Goodbye by M.C. Beaton. Fiction. Series Mystery. Light reading, enjoyable, and somewhat forgettable. Agatha Raisin is always entertaining, if annoying.
10. Four Queens by Nancy Goldstone. Non-fiction. Engrossing reading about 4 sisters who each became queens in medieval Europe. A must for female history buffs.
11. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs. Non-fiction. The best book on marriage I've read in a long time. Absolutely a must read for Christian husbands and wives (or wannabes!).
12. The Party of Death by Ramesh Ponnuru. Non-fiction. Must read for American Conservatives (or anyone, really). Truly eye-opening.
13. The Berlin Wall by Frederick Taylor. Non-fiction. The Berlin Wall, along with the Soviet Union, fell when I was a child so I read this book to give myself some historic perspective. A well written, in-depth look at much more than just Germany or the Wall from 1945-1991.