THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for rain. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

PUZZLES I FINISHED - AUGUST 2026

Flowers from the Valley - Artist: Mark Frost - Cra-Z-Art - 1,000 pieces

It's no surprise that I loved all the flowers and colors in this one. 

Patches of the National Parks of America - MasterPieces - 1,000 pieces (missing one, which is weird because it was a brand new puzzle and I've never lost a piece before, so I'm sure it will turn up) 

I enjoyed the variety of fonts, colors, and borders with this one.

Sarasota Bay - 1,000 pieces

This is the second of two meaningful puzzles I was given at my puzzle-themed surprise 50th birthday party. The wood pieces show a beautiful photo of the bayfront at the marina in Sarasota, FL, across from Marina Jack, the restaurant a dear friend took my sister and I to during a visit a few years ago. Tyler helped quite a bit with this one, as he was much better at assembling the sky than I was. 

No name, artist, or company - 1,000 pieces 

I love all the colors and flowers in this one, but I confess to using the box as a guide.

BOOKS I FINISHED - AUGUST 2026

The Backyard Bird Chronicles, written and narrated by Amy Tan with foreword written by David Allen Sibley and narrated by Evan Sibley

This "skip the line" option on Libby is slow-moving, a five year journal of bird watching. I have some feeders and enjoy watching the birds that show up in my yard, but I have no interest in identifying them or spending any more time, money, or energy in feeding them than I already do. However, I could relate to Tan's enjoyment of nature. Although I chose it only because none of the other available options appealed to me, this ended up being the right book at the right time. Her gentle voice and cadence (even at my preferred 1.25 speed) were soothing when I needed to listen to something calm. The print version includes her bird drawings, so I may grab a copy at the library. The descriptions of her bird-friendly home also intrigued me and I'll probably check to see if there are pictures online.

Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, written by Katherine Rundell and narrated by Bianca Amato 

I discovered this novel while searching Libby for books narrated by Amato, as I recently enjoyed her narration of another novel. Technically a middle grade book, which I didn't realize until I'd finished it, I think readers of all ages would like it. The protagonist has spent her childhood living pretty wildly in Zimbabwe, blissfully enjoying nature, space, freedom, and the people in her life. Against her will, and during a traumatic time of loss and change, she's sent to a boarding school in London. Needless to say, that transition doesn't go smoothly. Resourceful, courageous, and very much alone, she does what it takes to save her sanity and keep moving forward. I loved this story.

Coconut: A Black Girl, a White Foster Family, and the Search for Belonging and Identity, written by Florence Olajide

Born in London in 1962 to parents from Nigeria, fostered by a British family from ages one to six, moved to Nigeria with her family, then returned to London many years later, the author dealt with an expected and overwhelming amount of culture shock and struggles with identity. This memoir is one about loneliness and belonging, how both governments and citizens can be either blessing or a burden to immigrants, a fierce commitment to education, and the struggle to find a balance between confidently holding your heritage close while also happily embracing your present situation. While some of her experiences were obviously difficult, the story itself is hopeful. A friend passed this book to me after she'd read it and, as always, I enjoyed reading about the life of someone whose experiences have been very different than my own. 

p. 371, "My son is always in trouble at school, so I have taken all his toys and TV away permanently," one parent said.

"Since his punishment is permanent, what incentive has he got to behave better?" I asked.

p. 374, I didn't know what my future held or how many more proverbial glass ceilings I'd happen upon. But I knew if I hit my head against glass hard enough, it would crack, and my bruises would heal. 

Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, written by Eliot Stein and narrated by Danny Hughes

I learned about this book from What Should I Read Next?, episode 491 - Our team's best books of summer (Part 2) and thought it was really interesting. Each chapter highlights a rare and specialized custom or tradition, one that's on the verge of extinction, from somewhere in the world. The reader learns not only about the custom or tradition, but about the country it's from, the history surrounding it, and the person keeping it alive. A few examples are the people paid to read novels to cigar factory workers in Cuba, the mail carrier for a tree in Germany that has its own address, makers of a soy sauce method that spans several hundred years in Japan, and a man in Peru who regularly rebuilds a woven grass bridge. 

Home Front, written by Kristin Hannah and narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed with an author interview at the end 

Despite Hannah's popularity, this is the first book of hers that I've finished. I started one several years ago, but quit because I wasn't enjoying it, and the others I've avoided because of all the hype. This one, however, was unfamiliar to me and came up as a "skip the line option" in Libby. It's a story about a marriage that's falling apart, the wife being deployed to Iraq, and her husband continuing to raise their two daughters while keeping up with his work as a lawyer while she's gone. The couple's relationship and the radical sacrifices that military families make are at the center of the novel, but it's also about the impact of people in our lives who both show us compassion and push us out of our comfort zone, the importance of dealing with traumatic experiences and negative emotions in a healthy way, and the brutal reality of PTSD, specifically for soldiers. I really enjoyed it.

12:20:04, "They are heroes, our soldiers. The men and women who go into harm's way to protect us, our way of life. It doesn't matter what you think of the war, you have to be grateful to the warriors, of whom we ask so much, to whom we sometimes give too little."

The Mad Wife, written by Meagan Church and narrated by Susan Bennett 

I learned about this novel from a friend who showed me the list of titles her book club was considering and it intrigued me. Set in the 1950s, it's the story of a woman buckling under the weight of her own experiences and society's expectations. It's about marriage, motherhood, guilt, suspicion, mental health, medical care, friendship, and women who either don't have the freedom to be honest about how they're doing or who aren't taken seriously when they speak up. The subject matter is heavy and trigger warnings apply, but I enjoyed the book.

Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children, written by Mac Barnett

Our children's librarian was telling me about this book as she returned it to the library, so I immediately checked it out. It's a short book, written with humor by a prolific author, about how important books are for kids, the fact that every aspect of children's book publishing is controlled by adults, that children's books don't need (and shouldn't always have) a point to make or lesson to teach, and the joy of imagination and entertainment in books.

p. 9, Our definition of children's books must be expansive, encompassing works as varied in subject, style, and viewpoint - and even quality - as we find in books for adults. Really, children's books must be as varied as the lives of the children who read them. 

p. 10, The best children's writers tell the truth in a way that is recognizable and authentic to children.

p. 54, Even a story with a lesson should always be judged by how effectively that lesson is conveyed, not how worthy its message is or how important we think it is for kids to hear it. We can agree wholeheartedly with a book's lesson and still deem it an artistic failure. 

p. 60, ... amid the acrid smoke of a failed experiment, you can always catch a whiff of genius.

p. 85, Fiction is a kind of game, and reading is a way of playing. 

Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter & Organize to Make More Room for Happiness, written and narrated by Gretchen Rubin

I'm naturally wired to choose order, cleanliness, efficiency, and so on, and my environment absolutely impacts my mood and energy. So this short book, which was a "skip the line" option on Libby, felt like a reminder of things I already value or do. That being said, I think it would also be excellent for people wired differently or who are anywhere on the spectrum from mildly annoyed to greatly overwhelmed by the state of their home or workspace. Like a couple of other people I follow, Rubin acknowledges that there's no one level of organization or system to acquire it that matters or works for everyone. Instead, this book reads more like a kind and understanding brainstorm of practical ideas and questions for you to sift through, starting with small steps, and doing only what works for you.

16:04, At the same time, it's important to remember that outer order isn't simply a matter of having less or having more; it's a matter of wanting what we have. 

17:21, Consider the three big questions of clutter. When trying to consider the fate of a possession, ask yourself: Do I need it? Do I love it? Do I use it?

1:30:08, The best guide to the future is the past. If you haven't used that thing since you acquired it, it's unlikely you'll start now. 

1:41:15, Accept yourself, and expect more from yourself. Or as writer Flannery O'Connor put it, "Accepting oneself does not preclude an attempt to become better." We can accept ourselves and acknowledge what's true about our nature and habits, and we can also ask ourselves to try harder in our approach to clearing clutter and for everything else. 

The Second Story Bookshop, written by Denise Hunter and narrated by Kim Churchill

This book showed up in a Libby search for something else and I checked it out because I enjoy a story set in a bookshop. I liked the premise of a grandma partially bequeathing her beloved bookshop to her granddaughter, the surprise of a high school boyfriend who broke the granddaughter's heart being giving almost equal ownership, and all the small town drama surrounding their relationship, his imprisoned dad, and the shop's financial struggles. It worked for a light read, but felt too much like a predictable Hallmark movie in book form for my taste and I was distracted by all the similes. 

1:14:41, "A good novel is like a vacation for the mind."  

The Summer of Yes, written by Courtney Walsh

Recommended by a friend, I enjoyed this light read. The novel centers on two women in New York. One is in her early thirties and focused entirely on her career. The other is old enough to be her mom and has built a famously successful business from the ground up. They meet by chance in a shared hospital room, the younger there after being hit by a car and the older because of kidney failure. Although their interactions are strained, they end up spending a summer together, saying yes to things they'd normally say no to. It's a predictable story of friendship, sacrifice, love, fear, regrets, and second chances.

p. 1-2, "You're in the hospital." She smiles. "I'm Cecilia, and I'll be taking care of you."

Thanks to my parents, her name triggers an automatic Simon and Garfunkel response, and I find myself trying hard not to get down on my knees to beg her please to come home. 

p. 16, Regrets are more in focus when hindsight is twenty-twenty. 

p. 63, Daniel Strong is the male equivalent of a burger from Five Guys.

Great marketing, but up close he's pretty greasy and horribly overpriced.

p. 191, Saying yes to simple pleasures might be even more important to me than saying yes to big things. After all, it's the little moments that make a life. 

Uncluttered Faith: Own Less, Love More, and Make an Impact in Your World, written by Joshua Becker with Eric Stanford

I've been following Becker for many years, have quoted him often, and appreciate his gentle, humble, and practical advice for people wanting to be more intentional about what they own. A pastor before he started advocating for minimalism full-time, his work has never been faith-centered. This book, however, combines two parts of his life, minimalism and Christianity, and shows how the two are intertwined. I obviously don't need my all my books to be faith-based, but I want the ones that are to have plenty of Bible verse references to support what they're saying. This books has tons. Lest any potential reader think he'll tell you to get rid of everything, he won't. His definition of minimalism is "the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it." If you don't share his religious beliefs but want to learn more about his approach to minimalism, check out his other books or his site, Becoming Minimalist. 

p. 18, Even though we now live in homes with four times more square footage than that of our grandparents, 11 percent of households rent storage units to hold on to extra things.  

p. 18, Americans buy an average of fifty-three new items of clothing each year, or about four times as many now as in the year 2000.

p. 26, Entangled by American materialism, we're spending more money on comfort and luxury for ourselves than on the basic needs of the poor and the expansion of God's kingdom.

p. 42 (speaking of John the Baptist), Everything he told the people to do to get ready for Jesus focused on their money or physical possessions. <snip> In other words, his advice to the people - the one thing at the top of his mind when he thought about preparing hearts for Jesus - was this: "Get rid of the stuff you don't need, and be content with what you have."

p. 61, According to one online calculator, if you make $50,000 per year, your income puts you in the top 2 percent worldwide for income. Even an annual income of $20,000 puts you in the top 10 percent. (These numbers vary slightly based on household size, but the point remains.)

We live in a world where half the global population lives on less than seven dollars per day. That is lower than the hourly minimum wage in every state in America. 

p. 78, Greed says, "Eat, drink, and be merry!" Worry says, "Protect, guard, and control." But the result is the same: unnecessary and harmful accumulation of stuff. 

p. 124, Recently I spoke at a local university. During the Q&A portion, a professor in the back raised her hand and asked this question: "How do we keep our kids from always wanting more and more stuff?"

I answered, "We model that for them. If our kids are raised in a home where Amazon is delivering a package every couple days or we have so much stuff in our garage that we can't park in it, the message will be received loud and clear: Keep on buying!"

p. 138, So are you becoming more like Jesus in love, in relationships, in word, and in actions? Do you prioritize conversation with the heavenly Father as He did? Do you speak the truth as boldly? Do you go to the needy as readily? Do you have a similar humility? Do you hold the world as loosely? 

p. 174, Our state of contentment or the opposite is not based on our circumstances, but it is exposed in our circumstances. For those who are poor, discontentment means envy, and for those who have wealth, it means excess. 

p. 176, There is simply no joy to be found in constantly desiring things we do not have; joy is found in appreciating the blessings we already have around us. 

p. 179, Enough is more than too much. 

Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver, narrated by Sophia Bush and Mary Oliver, along with Kazim Ali, Elizabeth Bradfield, Summer Brennan, Susan Cain, Cathleen Falsani, James Ishmael Ford, Ross Gay, Mushim Ikeda, Aidan Kingwell, Carmen Maria Machado, Laurette Nicoll, Samin Nosrat, Busy Philipps, Matt Pillischer, Emily Popek, Danya Ruttenberg, Omid Safi, Claire Bidwell Smith, Lisa Starr, Alexander Westphal, and Rainn Wilson

Except for a couple friends who sometimes post her poems on social media, I wasn't familiar with Oliver's work, but that limited exposure led me to choose this "skip the line" option on Libby. This is a collection of over 30 poems read by both Oliver and others, as well as firsthand accounts about how she and her work impacted friends, students, neighbors, and readers. I love that she was a noticer, someone who intentionally paid attention to and valued nature and life. It was neither her perspective nor that of those who contributed to the book (although many did find a sacredness in nature), but I think much of her poetry points to a creation that's so beautifully intricate that only God could have been the creator. I enjoyed listening to this short audiobook as I went on walks and worked in the yard. 

17:35 (from It Was Early), Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed.

40:57 (from Mindful), Every day I see or hear something that more or less kills me with delight.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for people who have natural skill and intentionally work at honing their craft when it comes to writing books, poems, and song lyrics. What's one thing that you're thankful for? 

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful to live in a time and place where I can cook on a stovetop instead of over a fire. What's one thing that you're thankful for? 

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for people who can find humor in things that aren't inherently funny. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for conversations with strangers about books and reading. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

BOOKS I FINISHED - JULY 2026

 

The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power, written by Deirdre Mask

This book is an interesting, and sometimes discouraging, look at what it means for an individual to have, or not to have, a personal address. It highlights cities and countries all around the world to focus on different aspects of addresses - history, political and community influence, impact on homeless people, and more. Although I read the print version when it caught my eye on a library display, it's a type of nonfiction book that I tend to enjoy on audio. 

p. 19,  ... in most Kolkata slums, there are about thirteen people for every 450 square feet - about 100 feet smaller than the average Manhattan studio ...

p. 85, Zip stands for "zoning improvement plan".

p. 122, Grids vary in size and shape in every city. Some have rectangular blocks (Manhattan), some have square blocks (Houston), some have large blocks (Salt Lake City's are 660 by 660 feet, inspired by the Mormon founder's idea that plots should be large  enough for urban farming), while others are small (Portland, Oregon's are only 200 by 200 feet). 

p. 205, (speaking of the Constitutional Court of South Africa), The courtroom is unusual, a place that radiates the spirit of reconciliation. The building, once the site of a notorious prison, is built around the theme "justice under a tree," alluding to the tradition of wise men mediating disputes in villages. An old stairwell from the prison's trial block remains, and bricks from the prison are mixed with the new ones. The justices do not sit above the audience, and though the windows behind them are high above them, outside they are at ground level. Watching the courtroom, you see a steady stream of feet walk above their heads outside. At all times, judges are reminded that they are not above the law.

p. 206, ... by some measures, South Africa is the most unequal nation in the world. Just a tenth of the population, nearly all white, owns 90 percent of the nation's wealth. The net worth of 80 percent of South Africans (mostly black) is zero. Geographically, economically, and emotionally, it is almost as if apartheid never ended. 

Anxietyland, written and illustrated by Gemma Correll

Graphic novels aren't my thing, but I really liked this graphic memoir. The author, whose work has been featured in many well-known publications, has battled anxiety since childhood. In this book she alternates between all the years of anxiety she experienced leading up to the present (colored just like the cover) and the weeks she spent in an outpatient hospitalization program to treat her mental illness (same illustration style, but swap the red for blue), treating the whole thing as if it's an amusement park. Her transparency is helpful for those who don't have personal experience with anxiety but want to better understand it and her sense of humor makes a heavy topic easy to read about. I learned about this book from the 5/22/26 edition of Shelf Awareness. 

p. 425, "It's not weak to ask for help. It's actually really brave."

The Boy from the Sea, written by Garrett Carr

This novel interested me when I read about it on What I've been reading lately: the new and the notable, the 6/15/26 post from Modern Mrs. Darcy. The story starts in Ireland during the early 1970s when a baby boy washes up on the shore, then continues through his childhood. It's not only about him, but also about the (what I'd consider dysfunctional) family who adopted him and the community he's part of. I liked the writing style and the narrator being the voice of the community, but the book as a whole wasn't what I was expecting and was too bleak for my taste.

p. 63, He'd never actually apologize but he'd be extra jovial in their next few encounters; this was how we indicated we were sorry for something we'd said or done: by acting oddly the next time we met you.

p. 164, ... his ability to maintain a state of denial was extraordinary, we admired it, we really did. It's an underrated talent, denial. These days were told it's a flaw, we're told we should be in touch with our feelings, be honest with ourselves. But try this: picture two people standing in barrels of steaming slurry, up to their necks in it, and made to stay there all day. Who will have the better time of it? The one who's best at denial, that's who.

p. 238, Much misery results when a person is unable to simply sit at home most evenings reasonably contented.

Cutting for Stone, written by Abraham Verghese and narrated by Sunil Malhotra

I read another book by Verghese a couple years ago, so I grabbed this one when it was a "skip the line" option on Libby. Following the lives of twins born in Ethiopia to a British surgeon and his assistant, an Indian nun, this novel spans decades. It involves historical aspects surrounding a revolution in Ethiopia, lots of medical settings, the unity and division of twins, what it means to be a family, and life in different parts of the world.  For those with similar content preferences as me, heads up that I skipped some parts because there were open door descriptions that I prefer to avoid in books. I found that aspect of the story annoying, but I appreciate the way Verghese writes about the simultaneous beauty and mess of being human. Lots of hard things happen, but there's also lots of good, including personal growth.  

3:23:19, Wasn't that the definition of home? Not where you are from, but where you are wanted?

13:29:32 (a doctor to someone struggling with the reality of a new colostomy bag), "And yet, imagine if all humans were born with their anus on the belly and that's where everyone's waste emerged. Then, imagine if someone said they were going to operate on you and reroute your bowel so it opened behind you, between your buttock cheeks, somewhere where you couldn't see it except in a mirror and where you could hardly reach it or easily keep it clean."

The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church, written and narrated by Sarah McCammon

This came up as a "skip the line" option on Libby when I was looking for a book to listen to. I've spent my entire life attending evangelical churches, so I was intrigued. Part memoir, part research, the author shares her own experience in and out of the evangelical church, as well as describing the broad group of evangelical churches, their place in society, and the negative impact they've had on specific people. As someone whose beliefs generally fall into what would be considered conservative Christianity, but who has also really (really!) struggled over the last decade or so with the attitudes, words, and behavior of so many who share my beliefs, I appreciated the book. While my own experience doesn't completely sync up with hers, and I'm not questioning my faith, there were definitely parts of the book I agreed with or related to. There was nothing in it that I hadn't already heard from people I know or read from strangers, but I think she presented the information well. 

The Book of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks: A Celebration of Creative Punctuation, written by Bethany Keeley

This short book is an amusing look at quotation marks in places they don't belong, along with the author's commentary. 

Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge, written by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and narrated by Robin Miles

I can't remember where I learned about this book, but it was both interesting and disturbing. Slavery is horrific and it's appalling to think of the lengths people will go to in order to keep other humans as their personal property. While I did enjoy the book, there were a lot of educated guesses about various details, which is understandable due to limited available information, and I wonder if it should have been written as historical fiction instead of nonfiction.

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, written by Nicholas Carr and narrated by Richard Powers

This book was a random "available now" option on Libby when I was looking for an audiobook, so I checked it out. While it's obviously about the benefits and costs of internet use, it's also about the history of reading and writing, the impact of various forms of technology on the wiring of our brains, and how culture is regressing in its ability to read and think deeply because it's adapted to constant distraction. Written a little over 15 years ago, it talks a lot about Google, a little about the future of artificial intelligence, and accurately predicts where we're at now in regards to our decreased attention spans, increased need for small doses of information, and the technology use that, in a cycle of addiction, has both created the situation and provided the (literal) quick fix. It was sometimes a little dry for my taste, but it met my need of a book to listen to.  

Under the Java Moon, written by Heather B. Moore and narrated by Bianca Amato

This book was a "skip the line" option in Libby that I'd never heard of before and I really enjoyed it. Based on the true story of Marie "Rita" Vischer Elliott, and including an afterword by her, this novel is about the years spent with her family in an Indonesian prisoner of war camp on Java Island during WWII. Only six years old when taken into captivity, her Dutch family had lived peacefully in Indonesia until Holland and Japan went to war with each other and Japan invaded Indonesia. The story spans four years and involves families being separated, pregnancy in a camp riddled with disease and starvation, being stranded at sea, a famously cruel camp director, and the horrors you'd expect under all those circumstances. Told in alternating perspectives from Rita, her mom, and her dad, it's written without any need for warnings about language or graphic violence.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful I saw last night's beautiful full moon. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

PUZZLES I FINISHED - JULY 2026

 

Common Quilt Blocks - Cobble Hill - 1,000 pieces

Precise patterns and rows arranged by color? Yes, please! I loved this one.

Fireworks - Artist: Steve Crisp - White Mountain - 1,000 pieces

This was a perfect one to start on the 4th of July. Did the edges and some of the clothingi at the bottom in the morning, was about half done by the time I went to bed, and had the whole thing done within about 24 hours of starting. All the patterns in this one were really fun.

The Ws - 252 pieces 

This is one of two meaningful puzzles I received at my puzzle-themed surprise 50th birthday party. I'd.never done a puzzle with faces of people I know, much less of my family members. It was cool!

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for the times I get to eat wild blackberries that I come across during my daily walk. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for a cool morning to bake the muffins that Tyler requested. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for nail clippers. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for window screens. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

6/30/26 - WORTH REPEATING

*****

The word "accept" is a homophone. You get to decide which one you hear. Except. You have no idea which one I'm saying right now. But I can tell you at one point in my life the word "except" meant something different than the word "accept" does to me today. "Yeah, I would listen to him, except he stutters." That's a direct quote, said not about me, but by me. And I'm ashamed. Dismissing someone else's experience simply because it's not mine. At least not yet. And now, perspective. And I'm grateful. < snip > Find every reason to accept someone. Not except them.

~ Drew Lynch // 4/22/26 Facebook reel // The Stuttering Association for the Young award acceptance speech

*****

You know, I've shared with you my three Gs in this. Don't grovel to a person. That means you get little and walk on eggshells. < snip > Don't grovel. Get real little in front of mom and dad or somebody else or a spouse. Don't grandstand, which you get big and you come in armed with five volumes of books and whatever. Don't grovel. Don't grandstand, but be grounded as a healthy adult. Grounded in Jesus, in the word of God and some good therapy.

~ Jim Cress // How To Set Healthy Boundaries Without Damaging Relationships // Therapy and Theology

https://therapyandtheology.transistor.fm/episodes/s12-e5-does-praying-for-our-family-make-a-difference

*****

Sometimes control is fear disguised as strength. 

~ Lysa TerKeurst // Does Praying for Our Family Make a Difference? // Therapy and Theology

https://therapyandtheology.transistor.fm/episodes/s12-e5-does-praying-for-our-family-make-a-difference-c03c983d-4d57-427c-9bd5-d1d146341988

*****

Life is hard. Good books help. < snip > Life is hard, and good books can be such a source of joy and connection and respite, that really energetic peace and rejuvenating calm, and we want that for you and think you deserve our best effort.

~ Anne Bogel // Get ready for a reading retreat // What Should I Read Next?

BOOKS I FINISHED - JUNE 2026

The Correspondent, written by Virginia Evans and narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed, Jane Oppenheimer, Carly Robins, Jeff Ebner, David Pittu, Chris Andrew Ciulla, Mark Bramhall, Petrea Burchard, Robert Petkoff, Kimberly Farr, Jim Seybert, Cerris Morgan-Moyer, Jade Wheeler, Peter Ganim, and Steve West

I read the print version of this book back in February because the wait list was much shorter than for the audio, but then decided to wait in line for the audio next. I'm not a re-reader, but I enjoyed the story and knew the audio had a full cast of narrators. I'm glad I listened to it. The following is what I said about the book after I read it earlier this year

I love stories about friendship of all sorts, family relationships, messy lives, grief, and personal growth. I love epistolary novels. I love books where the characters love books. And I love an ending that's perfect for the story. So, basically, I thought this book was wonderful. Spanning about ten years, it's comprised entirely of letters sent between the main character, a woman in her seventies, and several people from different parts of her life. It's about regret, anger, guilt, fear, and unforgiveness, but also about kindness, love, trust, healing, and redemption. 

Counterweights: An Essential Practice for Holding Hope in a Heavy World, written by Shannan Martin

I love how this book encourages the reader to intentionally acknowledge both the hard and wonderful parts of life, to believe there's value in all the people around us and treat them accordingly, and to intentionally look for beauty, joy, and peace. It's a call to learn, grow, and accept as you keep moving forward in the one life you have to live. As a random sidenote, she refers to specific words of Jesus commonly described to as "The Sermon on the Mount" as a poem. I've never heard those verses described that way and thought it was an interesting perspective. I heard about this book on a few episodes of The Lazy Genius. 

p. 47, The flowers die. The garden fades. We can't bypass decay; it feeds the coming harvest. Grief and beauty are the time signature for being human.

p. 69, Dignity should not require a house number. Neither should a nap. 

p. 69, Rest is not a luxury; it is mandatory. God affirms this. As part of our sacred mission to care for one another, we must protect the ability and capacity to rest, especially for those who lives present the tallest hurdles. 

p. 75 (quoting Howard Thurman),  Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. 

p. 118, The wavy economics of friendship prove that one real friend is enough, but there's no such thing as too many. 

p. 125, Our days are built of things we cannot control. But there are tiny gaps scattered throughout them where we can at least turn up the brightness a bit. 

p. 134 (speaking of the Sermon on the Mount), Jesus's poem is an invitation to hover closer to the ground in defiance of a culture that rewards taking flight.

p. 156, Every day we're confronted with the choice to either mind our business, heads down, or pay attention and try to move toward each other.

p. 189, As our Christian paranoia lifted, it was clear: The more we knew the people near us, the safer we were. 

p. 204, If we decide opening our door would expose either our abundance or our lac, a risk too top-heavy to wager, we miss out on the awkward disarray of what it means to belong together in a world where we don't have to pretend. 

p. 206, How might we change if we stopped fearing each other and actually got to know those whose struggles are different from ours? What would we stand to lose if we simply took care of one another? 

p. 219, In a world of constant disruption, spring remains reliable.

The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition, written by Anne Frank with introduction by Nadia Murad and narrated by Selma Blair

It's been so many years since I read the the original version of this classic book that it was before I kept track of what I've been reading. Simultaneously tragic, humorous, and relatable, it's the real time thoughts of a Jewish teenager who, along with her family and four other people, hid from the Nazis for two years in a secret part of a building in Amsterdam. This edition of the diary includes entries omitted from the original publication, as well as edits Anne made in order to have two versions of her diary.

16:27, Paper has more patience than people. 

1:22:50, You only really get to know a person after a fight. Only then can you judge their true character. 

5:39:18, The best remedy for those who are frightened, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside. Somewhere they can be alone with the sky, nature, and God. 

6:4:39, On the contrary, beauty remains even in misfortune. If you just look for it, you discover more and more happiness and regain your balance. A person who's happy will make others happy. A person who has courage and faith will never die in misery. 

9:25:46, Laziness may look inviting, but only work gives you true satisfaction. 

Miss Benson's Beetle, written by Rachel Joyce and narrated by Juliet Stevenson

A single woman in 1950's London has a mid-life crisis of sorts and decides to cross the globe in search of a beetle she's always wanted to find, even though she has no proof the beetle actually exists. Her assistant is another single woman, someone different than her in nearly every way. While it's certainly about the hard things they've each faced, the good things they're pursuing, and all the adventure along the way, it's primarily a story about the development of a life-changing friendship. There was an element of the story that felt disjointed and unnecessary to me, but I enjoyed the book as a whole. I learned about it from This Book Made Me Think of You, written by Libby Page, which I read back in February. 

4:25:32, It was only a moment, but judgments are made in the blink of an eye. Especially harsh ones. 

6:16:27, She was a sweet person, but her intelligence she saved for special occasions.

My Name is Mahtob: The Story That Began in the Global Phenomenon Not Without My Daughter Continues, written by Mahtob Mahmoody

I discovered after reading Not Without My Daughter last month that Betty Mahmoody had written a second book, which didn't pique my interest, and that her daughter, Mahtob, had also written one, which I thought sounded interesting. I enjoyed reading her perspective on the heels of her mom's, especially once I knew she'd never read her mom's book. While her mom's book focuses on their time in and escape from Iran, Mahtob's focuses more on life after their return to America and, unlike her mom's book, was written many years after they were held hostage by their husband/father in his native country. Mahtob's goal was to forgive her dad for what he did and maintain a boundary of never speaking to him again. 

While the traumatic experience of her childhood, as well as the danger her dad's threats put her in well into adulthood, had significant and long-lasting negative impacts on her life, I admire her resiliency and determination to not let him ruin her future. I also respect her mom's intentionality in stating the truth about what happened, but not speaking poorly of Mahtob's dad as a person, fostering an appreciation for Mahtob's Persian culture, and always making it clear that Mahtob was the only one who got to decide whether or not to have contact with her dad.

p. 112, We hold on to the things we nurture - all the more reason to choose the object of our tending wisely. A nursed grudge, if not released, can infect our lives and relationships for a lifetime.

p. 235, "The good is no less real than the bad, so why not focus on it?"

The Salt Path, written and narrated by Raynor Winn

Setting out to walk over 600 miles along the coast UK coast would be a major undertaking at any point, but the author and her husband of more than 30 years did it the same week they discovered he had a terminal illness and lost the home they'd poured their lives into for decades. Theirs is a story of loss, grief, perseverance, love, and the importance of both movement and being in nature. The audio version of this book was recommended to me by a family member and I enjoyed it, although it did take me a bit to sync up with the author's accent. Language warning for those that matters to. Although it never seemed gratuitous in context, there was a fair amount of swearing. It's only in writing this description that I looked up the original book cover and I love it. Movie adaptation covers are never as good as the originals.

PUZZLES I FINISHED - JUNE 2026

Gnomish Delight - Artist: Peggy Collins / JQ Licensing - MasterPieces - 1,000 pieces (missing 1)

With an assortment of butterflies, flowers, and bright colors, this thrift store puzzle was fun. 

St. Thomas - Artist: Eric Dowdle - Dowdle Studios - 1,000 pieces

Birthday puzzle #2. I've done so many Dowdle puzzles over the years and they never fail to delight me. He puts so many details in his art and the list of trivia he includes about the scene and real people in it, which was a lot for this one, is a personal touch that I really like. 

Wild & Whimsical: Birthday Party - Artist: Karen Burke - MasterPieces - 1,000 pieces

This one's from the "50 puzzles for her 50th birthday" surprise party some friends had for me. I'll choose the rest as randomly as I usually do, but wanted to do the one with a birthday theme first and during the week of my birthday.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful to have a phone that works after multiple days without one. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for ceiling fans. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for peach cobbler ice cream topped with fresh raspberries. What's one thing that you're thankful for?