What's On Your Nightstand - September

Between some really good reads, insomnia, and a lot of time in my vehicles, September turned out to be a great month for reading. In October I am going to attempt to pick up Gone with the Wind again. My Family and Other Animals will be a re-read and all contingent on it arriving in time from the library. Other than that I'm going to be keeping my eyes open for anything that catches my eye.

October's Nightstand:

 

 

 From August's Nightstand I read:

• Raising a Princess: Eight Essential Virtues To Teach Your Daughter by John Croyle - Good information. These virtues is what he and his staff instill to the girls at Big Oak Ranch. I loved reading his stories throughout the book of the lives that has been touched. This wasn't really the purpose of the book, but it is what spoke to me the most.
• Plan to Be Flexible: Designing A Homeschool Rhythm and Curriculum Plan That Works for Your Family by Alicia Michelle - If you have homeschooled for a while I think you pick up on finding a homeschool rhythm. If you are a new homeschooler or a very "check off the box" person this book may be beneficial.
• Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer - Whew! The sparks fly in this story in typical H fashion. I always enjoy Heyer.
• Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey - Tey writes a very compelling mystery and does it in such a way that I almost didn't think I could read it--it made me that nervous. Anyways, I did brave all my anxious feelings and quickly devoured the story. And if you lived nearby I would loan it to you it is that good!

I also read:

• Twelve Ordinary Men / Twelve Extraordinary Women by John MacArthur - I really enjoyed this book. If you had to pick between the two books, I highly recommend Twelve Extraordinary Women.
• The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera  - What an enjoyable read! I don't know if I can put into words exactly how I feel about it, but if you like Classical Education, books, or having a love of learning then I highly recommend it!
• Dauntless (Valiant Hearts Book #1) by Dina L. Sleiman  - A story of a young girl Robin Hood who saves a group of children. An okay read.
• The Random Gentleman by Elizabeth Chater - I wasn't too impressed with the first Elizabeth Chater novel I read, but as this was included in the Kindle set that I bought I have enjoyed the other stories more. Pure fluff, but work on those nights of insomnia
• The Marriage Mart by Elizabeth Chater - Ditto above.
• Letters from Grace (Love and War Book 1) by Rachel Muller - Another Kindle read.
• The Lieutenant's Lady by Bess Streeter Aldrich - I will admit that I had a hard time putting this book down. It has been over five years since I read a novel by Bess Streeter Aldrich and I think she writes a compelling stories. I'll definitely be looking up more of her books.

 I listened to:

• The Birth of Britain: A History of the English Speaking Peoples, Volume I by Winston Churchill - I've been listening this on and off for the last four months. What a hefty listen!!
• N or M?: A Tommy and Tuppence Mystery by Agatha Christie - I think I actually finished this one at the end of last month, but I didn't record it so here it goes. N or M? plus the following two books are from Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence Series. These have been a favorite for my daughter and myself. These contain mystery, but aren't quite as serious as Poirot.
• By the Pricking of My Thumbs: A Tommy and Tuppence Mystery by Agatha Christie 
• Postern of Fate: A Tommy and Tuppence Mystery (Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries) by Agatha Christie 

See what others have read over at 5 Minutes for Books.

Wednesdays with Words (Twelve Extraordinary Women)

 

It has been awhile since I posted a Wednesdays with Words, but with our school year slowly getting started I decided that my blogging vacation if over. I have been slowly reading through Twelve Extraordinary Women by John MacArthur which I have thoroughly enjoyed so far. I loved this portion about Hannah.

Of course, the Bible's exaltation of motherhood is often scorned by our more "enlightened" age. In fact, in this generation, motherhood is frequently derided and belittled even in the name of "women's rights." But it has been God's plan from the beginning that women should train and nurture godly children and thus leave a powerful imprint on society through the home (I Tim. 5:10; Titus 2:3-5). Hannah is a classic illustration of how that works. She is a reminder that mothers are the makers of men and the architects of the next generation. Her earnest prayer for a child was the beginning of a series of events that helped turn back the spiritual darkness and backsliding in Israel. She set in motion a chain of events that would ultimately user in profound spiritual awakening at the dawn of the David dynasty. pp. 311-312