2016 Reading Challenge - November Update

Wow, November was just crazy! Amidst all of the political frenzy and social divides, I think it would be a good idea for all of us to read more. Read more books about history and the mistakes of the past, read more about other countries that are foreign, but maybe next-door to us. This challenge has definitely pushed us in that direction and we have learned alot through it. Tim Challies recently posted the reading list for 2017. If you didn't participate this year, you should think about doing it next year. I have my own 2017 churning in my brain, so more about that later. For now, here is our November list. We need to read 11 books in December and we are DONE!

Julie
The Book Theif by Markus Zusak  (Book About WW2) - I have read several books about WW2 this year. This one stood out. I really loved the way it was written, from the narration of "Death". This was unique and brilliant. I loved and hated the fact that Death gave a lot of spoilers. It kind of prepped you, and I think I breated a sigh of relief after each chapter that my favorite characters were still breathing. I was almost dreading the end, fearing something gruesome and cruelly tragic. But it ended much more simply, peacefully and gracefully. This was pure mercy on the author's part, because by the end of the book you really loved the characters. I will definitely seek out other things written by this author.

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Book Based on a True Story) - I tried reading this to the kids, but they found it really boring. My city slickers just can't relate to farm life and it was hard to visual a lot of terms they didn't know without illustrations. But I was already invested in it so I finished it off. I actually really enjoyed reading about the Mom and how innovative she was with every single resource. There is certainly a beauty there which I feel we are lacking.

Justification by Jared Wilson (Book Targeted at the Other Gender) - This was definitely not a huge insight into men, but it was helpful in thinking about the common struggles, and I think Wilson was talking to specifically to men. Although anyone in any capacity could find beneficial principles. I left with a deeper gratitude for the faithful men who have impacted me and my family. 

Revival by Martin Lloyd Jones (Book About Revival) - This was a series of sermons commemorating the 100th anniversary of the revivals in 1859. I am not very familiar with that time period, so it made me curious to do some further reading there. The biggest take away for me was the challenge to not be content with the status quo in my own life. He stressed that revival is about renewal inside first, that will flow outside. It is not a dramatic campaign. It is more challenging of a read, but I was able to easily understand his main points even if I got lost in some of the details.

Luke
A Complete Guide to Delivery by Al Fasol  (Book About Public Speaking) - I was hoping this book would be really helpful but it fell short of my expectations. It is mainly basic common sense things. The things that I did take away might actually do more harm than good, as I am maybe too overly concious of them now. You could get it as a gift for someone who is a terrible public speaker and doesn't realize it :)

Broken Vows by John Greco (Book About Marriage) - It was a helpful book to be able to look at how God used divorce in the life of the author to grow him and draw him closer to God. Though he admits how terrible it was, he was able to rejoice at how God had used it. The highlight was Chapter 3: What shall I answer? which struck a helpful balance of being both understanding to divorcees yet not treating them as victims. 

The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914 by David McCullough
(A Book by David McCullough) - Having known nothing about the Panama Canal previous to reading the book, it was incredibly enlightening. Seeing the hard work and patriotism that went into the building was striking. People going to work on it pretty much knew they would probably die, but saw themselves as soldiers in a war fighting for their nation's pride and legacy. The importance of it is overshadowed today by air travel. I liked how McCullough focused on the politics and comman man stories as opposed to intricate details about the technology and process of the construction.