Volumes and Verses: What I Read in January

Happy February, readers and writers... Here's a round-up of my latest reads. I generally aim for a healthy-ish mix of both fiction and non, with thinking critically and reading widely as front of mind goals. I'm certainly not above a good comfort read either, when occasion calls for it!  I'll preface this post with a big ole caveat lector: a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read for me, is by no means a blanket recommendation for you.  Nor does my review of only ⭐⭐  mean it won't be just the thing you'd enjoy!  Reading tastes are as deliciously different as flavors of ice cream, and my intention here is to give you a peak into the reasoning of why I did or didn't enjoy a book. If you've read any of them, I'd love to hear your thoughts--Such fruitful conversations can be had by exploring how the theme or voice of a book lands so differently depending on the individual consuming it! Without further ado, here's what I read in January:

The Book of Job

Thirty-eight chapters of human philosophy and point of view, and God silences all arguments in just four.  I love that He not only rebukes Job, but also his friends, which to be honest, are not all that great.  Each time I re-read this book in its entirety, I'm struck with a slightly different emphatic takeaway. (that "living and active" business will do that!)  The fact that Jewish tradition categorizes Job with other books of the Ketuvim, (Psalms and Proverbs) seemed especially obvious this time through.  Reading the book as wisdom meditation literature rather than simply a dark commentary on a depressing season of Job's life, brought a multi-layered and insightful walk through the wisdom of man versus the Mind of God.  I finished this journey singing as Moses, "Who is like You, O LORD, among the nations?" (Hint: A resounding NONE) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Poisonwood Bible                                    by Barabara Kinsolver 

Do you think I cared about life in 1960s Congo?  Absolutely not.  But when the gorgeous prose of Barbara Kingsolver invites you into her story, your mind somehow changes itself.

This hauntingly descriptive family drama is told primarily by the wife and daughters of a fiery and dysfunctional Baptist missionary. (Nathan Price) Their rude transplantation from Bethlehem, Georgia, to the steaming red land of Belgium occupied Congo, gives us snapshots into a world unknown.  The lens pans macro to micro and back again, forcing our gaze to the differing realities that human beings experience and remember.  

It's a fine cautionary tale to my American arrogance:  more complexity boils below the surface of a given culture than my comfy western worldview would have me believe. The question, of course, is are you patient enough to subsist mostly on the stunning word-craft and phenomenal character development of the first half of this book? A plot certainly does exist, it just takes its sweet time developing.  So if character-focused books aren't your jam, I'd probably give this one a pass.

Being honest, my success in keeping pace with the first 50% of this tome is largely due to the fact that it so conveniently checked off two squares in my Brighter Winter Reading Challenge. I'm happy to report that I now see how reading challenges can be highly beneficial in pushing me out of my "comfort zone reading."  Kingsolver's construction of sentences is an education in literary form itself, and I feel so accomplished for not giving up on this one! ⭐⭐⭐

P.S. Be Eleven  by Rita Williams-Garcia

It's been a few years since I've visited the world of the Gaither sisters.   I first fell in love with Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern, while reading One Crazy Summer, and although I had every intention of reading more of their story, the TBR that teeters on my nightstand had other plans.  But hurrah, hooray! My winter reading challenge pulled through again, and when I spotted a square labeled "Read One Coretta Scott King Award Book", I knew I wanted to take a trip back to Big Ma's house and 1960s Brooklyn.

In my opinion, Williams-Garcia has that special sauce--the ability to write atmospheric middle-grade fiction that will keep adults turning pages as well.  She handles complex themes like a Vietnam-returned uncle and complicated mother-daughter relationships in an age-appropriate but compelling way.

Overall, I'd say the first book in the series(One Crazy Summer) is more accessible, while the content and nuance of this one will better suit readers on the older end of the middle grade spectrum.  Expect to have plenty of discussion about Delphine's views and emotions.  P.S. Be Eleven  is an excellent example of how reading fiction gives us the gift of entering the life experience of those in different situations than our own, and allows us the room to empathize, even when we disagree. The beautiful cover art also deserves a shout out. Black girl puffs have my heart!⭐⭐⭐

The Snowy Day                             by Ezra Jack Keats

Another reading challenge square: A Caldecott Award Winner.  Beyond the fact that i will always make efforts to add diversity to my children's reading shelves, there's plenty more reasons I've gifted The Snowy Day at a slew of baby showers.  A brown boy in a red snowsuit.  Wet socks and hot baths.  Lessons learned about snowball fights and snowball mysteries.

A magical snow day free of adult responsibilities, written by that special brand of grown-up who is talented enough to remember and capture the details of childish fascination like "a stick just right for whacking snow" ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Classics are rarely classics without good reason.  Themes of forced survival and the bleak prospects of those with disabilities are brought center stage in this Depression-era novella.  
The writing is stellar, as one would expect.  The turns of phrase poignant.  However, the pleasure of reading was entirely lost on me by the end of this short tale.  It was like watching a car crash in slow motion.  Being forced to sit with the reality of humanity's destructive bent is not enjoyable. But I'm guessing Steinbeck's aim is to make us think, not make us comfortable.  So while the finale was horrific, as a believer it was good for me to sit with the gravity of our depravity in the absence of the Solution. ⭐⭐

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry 

  by John Mark Comer 

I've saved one of the best for last! In the weeks that followed my savoring of this book, I found the themes cropping up time and again in thoughts and conversations--a pretty good indication that this will be in my top 10 for the year.  The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry was the practical and faith-based exposition I didn't know I needed.  I found myself underlining and taking copious notes, even more than usual, and dear reader, I am notoriously a note-taker. 
The writing style is casual, (I'll admit it annoyed me at times) but do not be fooled: the content will challenge your daily habits (especially those surrounding technology) at alarming speed.  In a good way.  The author doesn't feel patronizing or bossy, just unflinchingly honest about his own journey through the frenzied marketplace that is life in modern America.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

That's all for January, folks! Mulling over my reviews, I was struck by the themes I saw developing--the hopelessness portrayed in Mice and Men juxtaposed against Job--where despite despair and trial, the redemption and justice of God's heart is celebrated.  How in the Poisonwood Bible and P.S. Be Eleven I was given the opportunity to observe worlds completely foreign to my own, and for a moment, to inhabit different skin.  What a privilege and delight. Happy reading everyone!