As to reading books at the same time, I usually have one "main" book and several side books. Right now my main book is North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, but I'm also re-reading The Religious Potential of the Child and The Montessori Toddler (both of which are non fiction) and reading for the first time Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done by Mystie Winkler (I'm not even halfway and it's amazing, best homemaking book I've ever read, focused on listening to and doing God's will for the next moment, not making excuses). I'm also technically in the middle of a book of Jeeves and Wooster short stories, but those are light and funny. (I needed to be cheered up after the heaviness of Far from the Madding Crowd!)
When I read War and Peace one year, which I started in January and finished in December, the other books I read that year were mostly lighter and fluffy, like a bunch of Brandon Sanderson fantasy books.
So while I technically always have several books in progress at once, they're usually fairly different in type, just for my sanity.
That makes sense! I absolutely adore North and South. I hope you liked it! My husband read The Montessori Baby and wants to read The Montessori Toddler. And that sounds really interesting-wanting to improve homemaking/organization/chores is a goal of ours this coming year. And Jeeves/Wooster keeps getting put on my radar-always nice to have something lighter. I too try to balance tones/genres with my reread and new read book. The Russians always require some seriously light reading to balance haha!
Same. Always with a handful, of various genres and for different purposes. I might *complete* one a week, but there's always others in rotation in the background.
I always have an audiobook, ebook, and physical book going at the same time because I read them in different contexts (ebook when putting the toddler to bed, audiobook while washing dishes, physical book while sitting in waiting rooms etc). If I try to do two books in any category, it becomes way too chaotic and I stall out in my reading in general.
I share your thoughts on both Custom of the Country (my jaw just kept dropping lower and lower over Undine's shameless use of other people) and The Ninth Hour. Gorgeous prose. Weighty topics. Unsatisfying ending.
And the Nine Tailors is one of my favorite Wimsey novels. The quote you shared is delightful!
It's really interesting to think about different books by media-it makes a lot of sense as a parent. I struggle with audiobooks for anything I haven't read before, but it might be worth dipping into more for my reread. And yes-you think she can't get any worse but she does! Glad it wasn't just me struggling with the ending. The Nine Tailors was so fun; I always enjoy mysteries set in small communities.
Loved this! I like the variety and you touched on several items of interest to me. I missed the last poll but would have voted for the mystery writers. :) Happy to have found you via Substack and looking forward to reading more of your articles soon.
I'm intrigued by The Custom of the Country, I'll have to add it to my list. House of Mirth had a huge influence on my writing and when I wrote (what I call) my practice novel, posted online in a writing group a chapter at a time, my character (in a medieval fantasy setting) took inspiration from Lily Bart- the "almost accomplished the goal, and then took an action that shot herself in the foot" failing.
It was maybe ten years ago, but I used to read the Spiritual Friendship blog religiously, every post. I was so moved by the experience of same sex attracted Christians who knew God called them to celebacy (or heterosexual marriage), and yet understood (better than most Christians, I think!) that the Christian faith is lived in community. I read Gay and Catholic by Eve Tushnet and Washed and Waiting by Wesley Hill and Marilyn Robinson's Home, which my gay Catholic friend said expressed his experience emotionally, even though it's about totally different circumstances. I highly recommend all the authors who have contributed to Spiritual Friendship. They greatly affected my life, as my husband and I decided to be open to housemates after reading these writers. We've had two housemates in our married lives, both Catholic women who were friends of friends and getting ready to get married in under a year, who didn't want to sign a year long lease somewhere, and post-kids we've hosted friends of friends as guests for weekend stays, even if it takes some creativity in a small house with children! Spiritual Friendship definitely inspired our openness to weekly dinner hosting too.
In Catholic podcasts, I have to highly recommend St. Irenaeus Ministries Scripture Study podcasts: https://siministries.org/podcast/
From Babylon to Bethlehem was a memorable one, and the Deuteronomy study blew me away, I was telling coworkers gushingly about Deuteronomy and how much God loves us. I've listened to very many of the studies listed, and a number of them I attended in person. David, the director of the Center (former Methodist minister and Catholic convert) passed away Christmas Eve 2019, which was hard for all of us, he was a father figure to me for six years, which I needed after my father died. Many of the podcast listed on this site are led by David, then some you hear his assistant Ted contributing and now Ted is the director and he's leading all the studies. All the studies are based on the writings of the Church Fathers. Ted also occasionally makes funny YouTube videos explaining the Catholic faith, like this one on infant baptism in the early Church: https://youtu.be/cLN4cwoSJvQ?feature=shared
It's such a worthwhile read! And that's so fascinating. What a perfect way to describe Lili Bart. What excellent recommendations. We have definitely lost the importance of spiritual friendship/non-romantic community in our sex saturated culture, including within the church at times. Thank you for all those recommendations. And what a beautiful witness for you and your husband. Radical hospitality like that is so attractive. The St. Ireneus podcast looks phenomenal-I've been steadily reading through the entire Bible and realizing how much help/context I need for the Old Testament, so I will definitely be checking it out. David and Ted sound like wonderful men doing the Lord's work. How beautiful! Thank you for all the resources!!
Elise, I didn’t realize that you also live in Connecticut! I’m in southern New Haven County, near Long Island Sound. It’s been a particularly beautiful autumn here this year. There’s still a lot of spectacular color here, and it’s almost a distraction when I drive by it!
As to reading books at the same time, I usually have one "main" book and several side books. Right now my main book is North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, but I'm also re-reading The Religious Potential of the Child and The Montessori Toddler (both of which are non fiction) and reading for the first time Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done by Mystie Winkler (I'm not even halfway and it's amazing, best homemaking book I've ever read, focused on listening to and doing God's will for the next moment, not making excuses). I'm also technically in the middle of a book of Jeeves and Wooster short stories, but those are light and funny. (I needed to be cheered up after the heaviness of Far from the Madding Crowd!)
When I read War and Peace one year, which I started in January and finished in December, the other books I read that year were mostly lighter and fluffy, like a bunch of Brandon Sanderson fantasy books.
So while I technically always have several books in progress at once, they're usually fairly different in type, just for my sanity.
That makes sense! I absolutely adore North and South. I hope you liked it! My husband read The Montessori Baby and wants to read The Montessori Toddler. And that sounds really interesting-wanting to improve homemaking/organization/chores is a goal of ours this coming year. And Jeeves/Wooster keeps getting put on my radar-always nice to have something lighter. I too try to balance tones/genres with my reread and new read book. The Russians always require some seriously light reading to balance haha!
Same. Always with a handful, of various genres and for different purposes. I might *complete* one a week, but there's always others in rotation in the background.
Heck yes to the Brit Lit ladies 😂
I always have an audiobook, ebook, and physical book going at the same time because I read them in different contexts (ebook when putting the toddler to bed, audiobook while washing dishes, physical book while sitting in waiting rooms etc). If I try to do two books in any category, it becomes way too chaotic and I stall out in my reading in general.
I share your thoughts on both Custom of the Country (my jaw just kept dropping lower and lower over Undine's shameless use of other people) and The Ninth Hour. Gorgeous prose. Weighty topics. Unsatisfying ending.
And the Nine Tailors is one of my favorite Wimsey novels. The quote you shared is delightful!
It's really interesting to think about different books by media-it makes a lot of sense as a parent. I struggle with audiobooks for anything I haven't read before, but it might be worth dipping into more for my reread. And yes-you think she can't get any worse but she does! Glad it wasn't just me struggling with the ending. The Nine Tailors was so fun; I always enjoy mysteries set in small communities.
Loved this! I like the variety and you touched on several items of interest to me. I missed the last poll but would have voted for the mystery writers. :) Happy to have found you via Substack and looking forward to reading more of your articles soon.
Thank you so much for your kind words! And the mystery writers would definitely be one of the most dramatic dinners I think!
I also enjoyed The Ninth Hour, but would probably agree with your analysis. :)
I'm intrigued by The Custom of the Country, I'll have to add it to my list. House of Mirth had a huge influence on my writing and when I wrote (what I call) my practice novel, posted online in a writing group a chapter at a time, my character (in a medieval fantasy setting) took inspiration from Lily Bart- the "almost accomplished the goal, and then took an action that shot herself in the foot" failing.
It was maybe ten years ago, but I used to read the Spiritual Friendship blog religiously, every post. I was so moved by the experience of same sex attracted Christians who knew God called them to celebacy (or heterosexual marriage), and yet understood (better than most Christians, I think!) that the Christian faith is lived in community. I read Gay and Catholic by Eve Tushnet and Washed and Waiting by Wesley Hill and Marilyn Robinson's Home, which my gay Catholic friend said expressed his experience emotionally, even though it's about totally different circumstances. I highly recommend all the authors who have contributed to Spiritual Friendship. They greatly affected my life, as my husband and I decided to be open to housemates after reading these writers. We've had two housemates in our married lives, both Catholic women who were friends of friends and getting ready to get married in under a year, who didn't want to sign a year long lease somewhere, and post-kids we've hosted friends of friends as guests for weekend stays, even if it takes some creativity in a small house with children! Spiritual Friendship definitely inspired our openness to weekly dinner hosting too.
In Catholic podcasts, I have to highly recommend St. Irenaeus Ministries Scripture Study podcasts: https://siministries.org/podcast/
From Babylon to Bethlehem was a memorable one, and the Deuteronomy study blew me away, I was telling coworkers gushingly about Deuteronomy and how much God loves us. I've listened to very many of the studies listed, and a number of them I attended in person. David, the director of the Center (former Methodist minister and Catholic convert) passed away Christmas Eve 2019, which was hard for all of us, he was a father figure to me for six years, which I needed after my father died. Many of the podcast listed on this site are led by David, then some you hear his assistant Ted contributing and now Ted is the director and he's leading all the studies. All the studies are based on the writings of the Church Fathers. Ted also occasionally makes funny YouTube videos explaining the Catholic faith, like this one on infant baptism in the early Church: https://youtu.be/cLN4cwoSJvQ?feature=shared
And this one, very informative, on choosing which translation you might want to use as a study Bible: https://youtu.be/70BRXzoHAdU?feature=shared
It's such a worthwhile read! And that's so fascinating. What a perfect way to describe Lili Bart. What excellent recommendations. We have definitely lost the importance of spiritual friendship/non-romantic community in our sex saturated culture, including within the church at times. Thank you for all those recommendations. And what a beautiful witness for you and your husband. Radical hospitality like that is so attractive. The St. Ireneus podcast looks phenomenal-I've been steadily reading through the entire Bible and realizing how much help/context I need for the Old Testament, so I will definitely be checking it out. David and Ted sound like wonderful men doing the Lord's work. How beautiful! Thank you for all the resources!!
I'm glad you stumbled on the Well Read Life! I was a guest a couple times and Beth is so lovely.
Elise, I didn’t realize that you also live in Connecticut! I’m in southern New Haven County, near Long Island Sound. It’s been a particularly beautiful autumn here this year. There’s still a lot of spectacular color here, and it’s almost a distraction when I drive by it!
Small world! Wasn't it? And haha I've had the same experience!