Monday, June 13, 2011

Reading Update June 13th

My goal for myself was to read more this year. So far since starting midway through April I have been successful, but not as successful as I'd like to be. I am going to update my reading list once a week to try and keep myself accountable.

So far I have finished reading five books:


1. I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui

*This book broke my heart for Nujood. She is a child bride forced to marry a man much older than her in Yemen. He treats her horribly with the excuse that he is her husband, she his wife, she of course must just do whatever he says because that's how it is. This brave young girl manages to escape and go to the high court to ask for a divorce. It's a true story and one that left me feeling haunted that this sort of thing happens daily, and yet hopeful for the amazing spirit Nujood shows. I'd highly recommend this book but be warned that there are graphic details in it about the abuse Nujood suffers at the hands of her husband.

2. A Dad's Many Hats by Wade B. Mumm

*This was a short book (less than 100 pages) about the different roles that fathers take on with their children and how to best be a good father in those different roles. It is written from a strongly Christian perspective. Most of the ideas in the book were good ones although I'm unlikely to read it again because I couldn't really get into the style of writing. All in all a quick read but unlikely to be a book I'd recommend to others.




3. My Journey with Jake by Miriam Edelson

*Wow... this book had me laughing and crying and angry and nodding along with the author, also a mother of a child with significant special needs. Her son was not expected to survive very long but as of the publish of the book he was ten years old. She writes about the challenges facing parents in Ontario (or really... across Canada and even into other countries) who are raising children who have special needs. She discusses some of the wonderful programs available and also some of the flaws in the system. I'd highly recommend it to other parents with children who have any sort of special need that requires intervention within the system.

4. Roots by Alex Haley

*This book takes a look through seven generations of one mans family back to Africa and follows through the journey of being captured as a slave and brought to the United States and then sold and owned and more generations being born until they are finally free and the journey right through to the author himself. It is an amazing read. I couldn't put it down. It is graphic and real... not so much in the details that are specific to this one family but in that this really happened to countless people and families through the years. It's a horrifying story at times but also one which I was glad to gain more perspective on. I would recommend this book highly and I am grateful to my coworker who introduced me to it.


5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

*Another fabulous read introduced to me by my coworker. Written in three different voices... two black women and one white woman they join together to tell the true story about what it is like for the black help to be working for the white people who hire them. Written during a time in Mississippi when it was incredibly dangerous for black people to be getting any ideas about doing anything except what they are told this story unfolds revealing the true heart of the people in it. This is one I'd read again.


I'm currently reading:
6. The Roots of Desire: The Myth, Meaning and Sexual Power of Red Hair by Marion Roach
7. On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross M.D.
8. Telling Tales edited by Nadine Gordimer

My goal is to finish all three of them by the end of the week. Hopefully the children cooperate ;-)

No comments:

Post a Comment