Franny & Zooey by JD Salinger – This book was a Christmas gift from my little brother Andrew. He reads more thoughtful literature like this all the time; I do so very rarely. It was a special treat to read Franny & Zooey, the equivalent of eating a steak dinner when I’m accustomed to a #2 on the McDonald’s menu.
You Can’t Make Me (But I Can Be Persuaded) by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias – A lot of my struggles in parenting since Livia turned three are related to the difference in personality types. I’m going to credit Tobias with something very important: she helped me see how my daughter operates. This is a valuable read for parents, teachers, friends… pretty much anyone who wants to intimately related to others!
The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman – A true story of a zookeeper’s family during World War II, this book will open your eyes to some fascinating and tragic events of the last century. Ackerman writes in such great detail of the Warsaw Zoo and the invasion of the German army that sometimes the reader has to press forward, with eyes a bit glazed over, to keep the story moving. Still, it’s a small price to pay for a book that’s highly worth your time.
I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids by Trisha Ashworth & Amy Nobile – I wanted this book because 1) I identified with the title, 2) I liked the cupcake cover, and 3) the back cover copy made me laugh. A quick and easy read, this is an exploration of modern motherhood and focuses on why moms today feel so frazzled. It basically comes down to expectations, really high and unrealistic ones that many of us shoulder on a daily basis. I’m already planning to share my copy with a few other women who feel the same way I do.
5 Comments
Amy Nobile Feb 1, 2008 1:42 PM
Rebecca– so glad that you liked the book!
Cheers–
Amy Nobile & Trisha Ashworth
RT Feb 1, 2008 1:56 PM
If I had known the authors were stopping by, I would’ve gushed a bit more! lol.
Lindsey Feb 1, 2008 2:50 PM
I love the personality stuff by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias. I am definitely a Concrete Random with Concrete Sequential parents who spent years wondering WHY I didn’t want to do my homework at a desk with bright lighting, a straight-backed chair and no music. Maybe figuring out some of this stuff now will help you and Livia understand each other later.
TulipGirl Feb 1, 2008 5:05 PM
I only got to skim “You Can’t Make Me. . .” when watching a friend’s son a couple of years ago. . . but what I got out of it was good. It was around the same time that I was developing a greater appreciation for understanding my boys as the individuals that God created them to be. . . I mean, I think we all give lip-service to wanting help our children grow into themselves–but at the same time I think we also have this idea of who we think they “should” be or could be or would be. . . and sometimes that gets in the way. . . (Okay. . . I’ll end my random parenting ramble on your book review post. . . still. . . just skimming Tobias reinforced what God was doing in my heart regarding my kids and so I really appreciated that book.)
Kristin Feb 4, 2008 9:43 AM
I’m still working on my christmas gift from Andrew: In America by Susan Sontag. I’m about 1/4 the way through. I’m pathetic.
I love your reviews. I now have a few more books to add to my “would like to read” list.