I am surprised at the number of books I have read the first half of this year. I think it is more than the last 2 combined. They were so good, I thought I would share. (please excuse in advance any fragmented sentences). So here goes…..Great books a homeschool mom reads:
The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for A Happier Life Martha Beck (2nd time) Just. Read.
I love love love this book. Can’t recommend it enough. You can get a link to her TEDD talk from my Best of Everything Post .
The title comes from the quote by Theodore Roosevelt from The Man In The Arena.
Excerpt from the speech “Citizenship In A Republic” delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910. Be sure to read it.
She emphasizes not listening to people who aren’t in the arena with you getting dirty.
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”
― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly
What Happens When Women Say Yes to God: Experiencing Life in Extraordinary Ways- Lysa Terkeurst
Good book, but took me a while to finish. I believe every word.
The Outliers: The Story Of Success- Malcolm Gladwell
Interesting read. Not your normal motivation book.
“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.”
― Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success
“In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.”
― Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success
Bird by bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life Anne Lamott
She cusses a bit too much for me, but lots of wisdom laced through out.
“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.”
― Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life“Don’t look at your feet to see if you are doing it right. Just dance.”
― Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
The Happiness Project at Home Gretchen Rubin
I really loved this book. And I think the author would be a neat person to meet. Love her practical ideas.
Made To Stick :Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die- Chip Heath
Great book. So good, I read another by these brothers.
Prayer: Finding The Heart’s True Home-Richard J. Foster
168 hours: You Have More Time Than You Think- Laura Vanderkam
This book opened my mind to my daily activities. I never fully completed a weekly time chart of how I spent my week, but it is a great eye opener to being mindful of where my time goes. And the importance of ‘where I am putting my time’. Is it truly important to me? Highly recommend.
This book was a little too far of a pendulum swing for me, but a great motivator to get rid of ‘stuff’. I have no desire to live in a 128 square foot living space on wheels. But kudos to those who can and do; also a fellow blogger.
Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work Chip Heath & Dan HeathStart
This is a great methodical book that gives practical ways to make decisions. I suffer from being a bit indecisive at times and the title got me from the start. This is for a mom or CEO.
It is hilarious that I read this book (well, actually listened on cd while washing dishes and cooking- my kitchen has never been cleaner) right after reading Decisive. This message comes from an entirely different vantage point, but one I think is just as important. His examples are truly eye opening.
“There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.”
― Malcolm Gladwell, Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking“Anyone who has ever scanned the bookshelves of a new girlfriend or boyfriend- or peeked inside his or her medicine cabinet- understands this implicitly; you can learn as much – or more – from one glance at a private space as you can from hours of exposure to a public face.”
― Malcolm Gladwell, Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking
The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha I read every ‘awesome’ but didn’t read every explanation.
He is, to me, the secular version of Ann Voskamp’s 1,000 Gifts. I love this idea of collecting gratefulness in small ordinaries. It is revolutionary. A great book to read on a rainy day or right before a nap. He also has a blog that started it all. I found him while listening to TEDD talks when I should have been sleeping.
“Life is so great that we only get a tiny moment to enjoy everything we see. And that moment is right now. And that moment is counting down. And that moment is always, always fleeting. You will never be as young as you are right now.”
― Neil Pasricha, The Book of Awesome
Although, I couldn’t find anything on his website that he is a Christian, he didn’t mention Him in his book. I can only imagine how much more awesome his book would be if he knew Jesus.
***Especially recommend reading “Strategic Trick or Treating” Good for my laugh collection.
Start. Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters by Jon Acuff
This is my latest acquisition. I am a regular reader of Jon Acuff’s blog and instragram posts. He is best at sharing ideas and makes me smile and think outside the box regularly.
I genuinely liked this book because it gives tangible ways to be awesome. Just start.
Jon is a regular guy, believable, and honest in his mistakes and faults. I appreciate that.
“You don’t need to go back in time to be awesome; you just have to start right now. Regretting that you didn’t start earlier is a great distraction from moving on your dream today, and the reality is that today is earlier than tomorrow.”
And I love my lock screen from his book cover for my iphone. I slide the switch to awesome, every time I turn it on. It is a great reminder.
I sent this book to my big brother. I hope he reads it and sends it back soon!
Please comment with any good books you have read. Referrals are the best. Many of these I found from book referrals.
PS Now, I really need to read some fiction!
When I have the time I plan on reading more! 🙂 thanks for the inspiration !