I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus from the writing life this summer. But the reading life is alive and well. Here’s what’s been on the shelf in July.

• East of Eden, by John Steinbeck — I wanted to read a classic this summer, so when my son-in-law said he was going to read “East of Eden”, I decided to join him. The story is loosely based on the Cain and Abel account in Genesis, following several generations of a family in the Salinas Valley in California. I loved sinking into the 600 page saga and am still thinking about the characters a month later.
• Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters, by John Steinbeck — The reading of Steinbeck’s classic was wonderfully enhanced by pairing it up with this book. Every day before starting to write, Steinbeck would warm up by writing a letter to his editor. On the left-hand pages of the notebook, he would jot his thoughts about the storyline and about his life; on the right side of the notebook, he wrote his novel. It was a fascinating look at the process of writing and how a great novel works itself onto the page. Steinbeck also regularly expressed concern for his two young boys, which was endearing.
• Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke — I picked up this little volume because I’ve seen Rilke quoted so many times in other books.  I found most of those memorable sayings in the first six pages, but finished the rest of it in an afternoon.
• Ex Libris, Confessions of a Common Reader, by Anne Fadiman — This is a series of essays about Fadiman’s love of books and reading. I especially related to the story about the author’s mother who proof-read her local newspaper, marked all the errors in red and sent a boxful of clippings to the newspaper office. I, too, am a compulsive proof-reader who thinks I’m helping when pointing out grammatical mistakes on billboards and menus.
• A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979-1997, by Wendell Berry — I don’t read much poetry, but because it’s Wendell Berry, I had to give it a try. I’ve been reading a few poems every Sunday morning since January and just finished this book in July. It’s nice to let a book linger once in a while. Poetry seems especially made for long, slow contemplating.

What are you hoping to read before summer has flown?

Last month’s pile of books is on the dash board of our car, since that is where most of my reading took place in June. Road trips are perfect for tearing through the “Books to Read” list. PB and I spent many happy hours listening to audio books in North Dakota. Here’s what was on the bookshelf, and Ipod, this month.

• As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, by Cary Elwes —  If I had a nickel for every time one of our kids said, “Marr-widge…”, I’d have a tower of five cent pieces. This was an entertaining audio because all of the actors from “The Princess Bride” chimed in with this recounting of what happened behind the scenes in the filming. Cary Elwes was charming as the main narrator.
• Andy Catlett: Early Travels, by Wendell Berry — I checked off another Berry book in my quest to read the entire Port Williams series in 2017. It did not disappoint.
• Get Up!: The Art of Perseverance, by Andy Greenberg and Ben Biddick — This book has a special place in my heart because Ben is my nephew. But I would have read it even if his name wasn’t on the cover. Incredible story. Adam Greenberg was hit in the head with a pitch in his first Major League at-bat. This guy never gave up. Very inspirational!
• Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life, by Steve Martin — This audio version was read by Steve Martin himself. In this book he shared how he spent 10 years honing his craft before becoming a “success,” and what he learned through the ups and downs of his famous career. (Language alert)
• The Artisan Soul: Crafting Your Life Into a Work of Art, by Edwin McManus — I read this one extra fast because it ended up in my mailbox, but it wasn’t really for me. I raced through it before handing it off to the intended recipient. I think it was good, but it’s kind of a blur.
• The Get Away Car: A Practical Memoir About Writing and Life, by Ann Patchett  and The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing and Life, by Marion Roach Smith
  At the beginning of every summer I like to read a few books on writing and life, so these two titles obviously fit the bill. Then, I tell myself to stop reading books on writing, and just write.
• The One-in-a-Million Boy, by Monica Wood — This book gets the prize for being the only one on the list without a subtitle. I listened to the audio version read by Chris Cuilla, a master at giving every character just the right voice, from the 104-year-old Lithuanian woman to the 11-year-old Boy Scout. It’s a heartwarming, funny, sad, hopeful story. I’m still smiling about the ending. (Language alert)

What are you reading this summer?

Here’s what was on the bookshelf last June:

Wednesday Words: The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry

Four Books

Wednesday Words: The Closer

Pathetic.

One measly book read in May.

Measly: contemptibly small, meager, or slight;
wretchedly bad or unsatisfactory.

Here’s the deal — I started to read six other books last month
and abandoned them all.

Some were ditched by page four, but I hung in there with one book until page 150.

Just couldn’t take it.

These things happen.

“There comes a time
when you have to choose between
turning the page
and closing the book.”
(Josh Jameson)

I closed six books and added the titles to my
“Tried and Found Wanting” list.

So, in my despair, I did what any dedicated reader would do —

I picked up Wendell Berry to restore my soul,

and my faith in a good story.

Here is the stack of books I read in April. My grandpa made that little stool for me when I was little. It still makes me feel special as I imagine him hammering in all those tiny nails.

• The Memory of Old Jack, by Wendell Berry — Old Jack Beechum is a Port Williams pillar, the oldest one left of his generation. His story is told through his memories, which become more real as he gets closer to crossing over to Jordan. His crusty exterior is explained by the disappointments in his life, but his tender heart keeps breaking through, making him one of Berry’s most endearing characters.
• The Art of Neighboring, by Jay Pathek and Dave Runyon — The authors are pastors in Denver, Colorado, who asked their mayor, “What can we do to help our city flourish?” He responded, “The majority of issues that our community is facing would be drastically reduced if we could just figure out a way to become a community of great neighbors.” Huh. Sounds kinda like Jesus. You know, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Sometimes you need to hear it from the mayor. What if Jesus meant to actually love the people who live right around us?
• 40 Days of Decrease, by Alicia Britt Chole — This book was a Lent devotional that I picked up on a whim and, boy, am I ever glad I did. It was deep and profound and made Lent extra meaningful. I will pull this one out again next year.
• A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman — I’ve seen this title on several recommended reading lists, so when I noticed the book on the “7 day checkout” shelf at my public library one Thursday, I decided to see if I could conquer the deadline. It was a hefty 337 pages; I finished it on Saturday. It was light and easy, but I didn’t stop once to copy out something worth remembering.
• Unoffendable, by Brant Hansen — I had this on my Lit List in February, but I read it out loud to PB in March and April. Don’t be surprised if you see it again in May or June. It’s that kind of book.
• 24/6, by Matthew Sleeth, M.D. — I started this book last fall, got derailed, and picked it back up in April. “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” is the only commandment that begins with “remember”, as if God knew we would forget. And it seems we have. Dr. Sleeth points out that stopping and resting are part of God’s design for people to live well. I needed that reminder.

Happy reading!

A good book on your shelf is a friend that turns its back on you and remains a friend.