I have been reading up a storm lately. I tell you, ever since discovering the Libby mobile app for Nebraska OverDrive Libraries, I’ve discovered a whole new, convenient world of hundreds and hundreds of books and audiobooks.
I typically read at the end of the day to unwind and calm my mind before going to bed and I also try to read during any pocket of time throughout the day like during my lunch breaks. When is your favorite time to read?
If you haven’t gotten you hands on these already, check out some of my recent reads…
RELATED: Books Worth Reading ☆ July 2018
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Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Oh that glorious subtitle though…Creative Living Beyond Fear…right up my ally. We all need more of that in our life!
I’ve shared how much I loved Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert so I knew I would love Big Magic too.
I was just gushing over her belief about humans’ relationships with ideas. She explains that, from her perspective, ideas are inhabitants in this world just like humans, animals, plants and bacteria.
She described it this way…”[Ideas] will try to get your attention. When it finally realizes that you’re oblivious to its message, it will move on to someone else.” Then “there comes a day when you’re open and relaxed enough to actually receive something” and take hold of an idea that chose you.
It perfectly explains those instances when you hear about a new product and think, “I though of that years ago, they stole my invention.” Or when you notice someone doing something bold and new and powerful and think, “I thought about doing something like that too.”
For whatever reason, at that time in your life, that idea didn’t stick. And that’s okay. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any ideas left for you.
So whatever your thinking about doing, inventing, publishing, creating, sharing…grab a hold of the idea if you’re noticing signs that you’re meant to throw your creativity out into the world in that way. And if you need a little push to do so, make sure you get a copy of Big Magic.
Good & Cheap: Eat Well On $4/Day
Good and cheap. Two things I like to hear when it comes to food. Especially pertaining to food I make at home, so naturally I was interested to explore how we could eat well on $4 per day.
Leanne Brown’s idea for Good & Cheap evolved from a project for her Master’s degree to a freebie on her website to a Kickstarter campaign that enabled her to provide the resource and education for low income families about cooking and eating well. It all stemmed from her interest in food policy and the question of how well a person can eat on the $4 a day given by SNAP, the U.S. government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The book is filled with helpful tips on how to shop on a budget and ideas for simple yet delicious meals – things this working mom loves! I can’t wait to try her recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Muffins!
A Culinary History of the Nebraska Sandhills
This book was right up my ally being the Nebraska girl and food lover that I am and the author, Christianna Reinhardt is a girl after my own heart. This Culinary History of the Nebraska Sandhills is seasoned with history about the Homestead Act and treasured tales about early settlers in a state that would later be affectionately known as The Good Life, and for good reason.
The deep-rooted love of the land and strong work ethic of the settlers that initially made there homes here still exists among the newest generation of farmers and ranchers in the area.
This book was also like a gentle slap in the face – a reminder to be grateful for our everyday amenities like electricity, dishwashers and functioning kitchen equipment considering the Sandhills’ early settlers arrived with the bare minimum, very basic kitchen tools and relied on their own manpower and Mother Nature to feed their family throughout the year.
As much as I dread tackling the overflowing piles of dirty dishes in the kitchen, cleaning out the fridge and scrubbing the stove, I’m ever so grateful for the modern kitchen appliances and amenities we have today.
If you enjoy stories of homesteading, have a love for Greater Nebraska and have a passion for food, you’ll love this book too.
There Is No Good Card For This (Audio Book)
I don’t know about you but it’s not necessarily a natural instinct for me to know just what to do or say when someone is going through a rough patch, suffering from a major setback or working through an unimaginable loss.
This audio book offers simple yet refreshing perspectives about what to do or say in these various situations. There’s certainly no cookie-cutter way to offer support or condolences – it all depends on personalities, circumstances and the depth of your relationship with that person – but the book does offer helpful suggestions for what to do or say and the confidence in knowing that just being there or acknowledging what your friend, family member or acquaintance may be feeling is simply enough.
I’m not sure if I would have had the patience to actually read this book so the audio book was a great option for me.
Wonder
Preteens and teens will love this book just as much as my toddler mama, 20-something year-old heart loved this story. R.J. Palacio writes from the perspectives of several main characters including Auggie Pullman, “an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face.”
The stories of empathy, acceptance, bravery and friendships told in this book are what I hope our Little E grows up understanding and sharing with the world.
Wonder the movie, starring Julie Roberts and Owen Wilson, was released in 2017 and it’s now on my movie list, although if there is a book that has been turned into a movie, I usually like to read the book first because I think the books are always better. Do you usually like the book or the movie better?
Girl, Wash Your Face
I also read Girl, Wash Your Face this past month but that fabulous books deserves it’s own post. Stay tuned. You’ll want to purchase your own copy of this one.
What have you been reading lately?
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