Welcome to the (actual) last blog post before my little blog Sabbatical. This month has been a very varied month book-wise, but I’ve really enjoyed every book I’ve read.
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
I first heard of Jonathan Haidt in a theology class I took in the Fall of 2016. Our class watched a Ted talk that he did about division in politics and I thought it was really good. The same prof that showed that video also ended up talking about this book a lot that semester. Ironically, around the same time, Glenn Beck (whose podcast I listen to and who is NOT on the same side politically as the professor mentioned above), had Jonathan Haidt on his radio show. Since this guy seemed to be showing up in all kinds of unexpected places, I stuck this book on my “to read” list.
I finally actually bought the book in May, right before we moved. I didn’t actually get around to reading it until this month. Despite my slowness in reading it, I can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s a really good book and actually really easy to read (which I totally wasn’t expecting).
Haidt is not a Christian, he’s an atheist, but this book has some really interesting things to say about morality, how we decide on right and wrong, and how that affects our religious and political beliefs. If you’re looking to better understand the people around you who believe differently from you, I think you will find this book helpful. While Haidt is a self-proclaimed liberal, he is very gracious towards conservatives and points out something we all seem to have forgotten, we need both sides.
For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn
If you’ve been reading any of these posts, you’ve probably figured out by now that I’m a big re-reader. If I like a book, I’m bound to re-read it eventually. This is another re-read. Zach and I got For Women Only and and For Men Only (same concept, but for guys to read about girls) in our pre-marital class. Since our third anniversary is coming up, I figured it was time for a re-read. Plus, last time I read this book, I wasn’t married yet, so I was curious to see if I would learn anything new this time through.
The answer is yes. There were several things that I needed a reminder of. Even if you’re not married, if you know any guys, this is a great book to read to help you better understand how they think and why they do the things they do. Each chapter contains a different thing that the author learned about men that she wants to share. The best part is, these things aren’t just coming from her head. She actually did detailed research to delve into every “secret” in this book to make sure it was generally true of men. It’s a super easy read too. It’s short, sweet, and too the point.
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
I’m going to honest, I haven’t entirely finished this one yet. However, the book is 680 pages long in my version and I’m on page 476, so I’m counting it. I will be finished this next weekend, at the latest and I’ve read the majority of it this month, so I think it counts.
This is another re-read. I read this book for the first time a couple of years ago over my Christmas break, and really liked it. I found it during our move and decided to re-read it. It’s a pretty funny little book (though granted I realize that some of the humor is over my head as I do not live in England in the 1800s). If you like classic works like Charles Dickens, you will like Vanity Fair.
The book is basically the story of two girls: Becky Sharp and Amelia Stedley. Both of these girls finish their schooling at the same time and both embark upon adulthood together. However, Becky is a conniving little creature and Amelia has a heart of gold. The book follows the two as they both marry, have families, and make their way in the world. It’s a long book, yes, but it’s a good story.
How about you? What books have you read this month? Any that I should check out? Comment below if you have any recommendations!
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
Liturgy of the Ordinary, by Tish Harrison Warren. Highly recommend.
Thanks, Carole! I’ll add that to my “to read” list.