52 Books in 52 Weeks – 2013

It’s quite refreshing to see the books I’ve covered in 2013, since it always feels like I am not getting the opportunity to get through as many books as I’d like to, besides those on our home educating schedule.

I’ve counted in some of the children’s books I was pre-reading for our 2014 Middle Ages study book baskets, and since the children were studying ancients during 2013 I’ve tried to include books set in , or from that era also.

I’m slowly working my way through a select pile, the earlier books, of Agatha Christie’s who-dunnits (on audio) – I do prefer Miss Marple over Hercule Perriot any day – A.G’s books are lite reading/listening indeed, but were a nice change in pace for when my brain was feeling a little fatigued, ha!,  after a week of  ‘heavier’ Ancients reading, higher level math, and teaching texts.

I haven’t included any of the weighty tomes I’ve been reading for a course of study I am doing, they don’t seem to count, somehow.

The number beside each book is my personal rating for the book at the time of reading with the range being:

(1) = would not recommend,

(2) = some interesting aspects but not one of my recommended reads,

(3) = would recommend.

(4) = Really good (or worthy) read, would definitely recommend

(5) = Excellent book, highly recommend

The next few are ongoing, sip, reads so I will add them here:

A: Letters of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Vol’s 1 and 2 (pub Harper & brothers)

Sip reading these over a few years

B: Charlotte Mason Study Guide (& Corresponding Vols) ~ Penny Gardner

This is a pause & ponder style reading – I’ve been a few years at it already

C: Petticoat Pioneers: North Island Woman of the Colonial Era Bk2 ~ Miriam Macgregor

D: Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens ~ Debra Bell

E: Invisible Illness, Visible God ~ Merry Marinello

(I'm including, and linking this book, despite the fact I'm still reading it in a sip and pause fashion. It's an encouraging and worthy read.)

 

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1.      Greenmantle ~ John Buchan (4+)

2.      Mr. Standfast ~ John Buchan (4)

3.      Phaedo ~ Plato ~ (3++)

4.      Till We Have Faces ~ C.S. Lewis (3)

5.      Leaders Who Last ~ Dave Kraft (5)  (an annual read for me)

6.      Death Comes as the End ~ Agatha Christie (4+)  (abridged dramatized audio.  Any mature/adult toned content is cut out)

7.      Theft of Swords ~ Michael J. Sullivan (4+)

8.      Give Them Grace ~ Elyse. M. Fitzpatrick (0)

 I loved the idea of this book but just could not find an appreciative reading groove with it so dropped it after the 4^th unsuccessful start

9.      Reaping the Harvest ~ Diana Waring (5)

10.   Elizabeth Prentiss ~ Sharon James  (3)  I didn’t enjoy this as much as I hoped I would

11.   Northanger Abbey ~ Jane Austen (2+)

12.   Persuasion ~ Jane Austen (4)

13.   Jane Eyre ~ Charlotte Bronte (4)

14.   Sparrow Alone ~ Alicia Petersen  (3+) 
has a disjointed ending but still a good read

15.   Black Horses for the King ~ Anne McCaffrey (SL)  (4)

16.   The Gammage Cup ~ Carol Kendall (SL) (4+)
does contain mature content. Use as a reader.  For those that don't like 'fantasy' styled reads you'd best ignore this book.

17.   The Great and Terrible Quest ~ Margaret Lovett (SL) (4+)

18.   A Thousand Pieces of Gold ~ Adeline Yen Mah (2)

I ended up skipping her personal stories as continually reading how “hard” her life had been, and how much her family hates/hated her became depressing after a while

19.   Gateway of the Sun ~ Lori Wagner (4)

20.   A Parcel of Patterns ~ Jill Paton Walsh (SL) (4)

21.   Thrones, Dominations ~ Dorothy Sayers/ Jill Paton Walsh (2-) 
This is not Sayers enough for me.

22.   The Documents in the Case ~ Dorothy Sayers/Robert Eustace (2-)

my least favourite DLS book ever!

23.   A Presumption of Death ~ Jill Paton Walsh (A Lord Peter Wimsey book) (3-)

24.   Ladies, A Plate: The Collection ~ Alexa Johnston (4+) 

NZ recipe book with interesting historical excerpts

25.   Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World ~ Jack Weatherford (4)

26.   What Hearts ~ Bruce Brooks (SL) (1)

27.   The Pillar of Fire ~ J.H. Ingraham (3+)

28.   The Harbinger ~ Jonathan Cahn (3+)

29.   The Peace Child ~ Don Richardson (SL) (2)

30.   The Aeneid ~ Virgil (3+)

31.   The Jewish Wars ~ Joesphus  (2+ )
Quietly dropped this … just too gore filled for me.

32.   The Old Testament, the KJV Bible ~ Genesis to Malachi (5+)

33.   Treats From Little and Friday ~ Kim Evans (4++) cook book

34.   Devotions for Homeschool Moms ~ Jackie Wellwood (4)

35.   Homeschooling With a Meek and Quiet Spirit ~ Teri Maxwell (4)

36.   Discover Your Children’s Gifts ~ Don & Katie Fortune (4)

37.   Cyrus the Persian ~ Sherman A. Nigel (4+)

38.   Within the Palace Gates ~ Anna P. Siviter (5)

39.   Quo Vadis ~ Henryk Sienkiewicz (3+)
see my review elsewhere on my blog

40.   The Shakespeare Stealer ~ Gary Blackwood (SL) (3+)

41.   The Famous Men of Rome ~ (Memoria Press Edition) Haaren/Poland (3++)

42.   The Famous Men of Greece ~ (Memoria Press Edition) Haaren/Poland (3++)

43.   The Old Testament ~ KJV (5)

44.   Enslaved by Ducks ~ Bob Tarte

Still reading.  Just flat out enjoying this book. Tracy, you would really appreciate this book, I’m sure. UPDATE: No longer enjoying! The book got very odd part way through, focusing on the 's3xual orientation' of the birds.)

45.   The Castle of Otranto ~ Horace Walpole (3) written in 1764 ☺

46.   Cadfael: A Morbid Taste for Bones ~ Ellis Peters (4) The rating is for the audio: the printed book was a 2- for me. I didn't like Cadfael's take on "unwedded" relationships. I was entertaining the idea as a Middle Ages reader for ds.  The book contains details we can do without ;) so we're going to use the abridged dramatized audio.  Much of the too mature/adult toned content is cut out.

47.   Cadfael: The Potters Field ~ Ellis Peters (4)
similar comment as above.  We just went straight to the audio for this one

48.   The Valley of Fear ~ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (4-)  Reader for ds

49.   Cadfael: The Virgin in the Ice ~ Ellis Peters (5)

Dramatised audio. Too scary for me, but Dn really enjoyed it so the rating is his

50.   They Do It With Mirrors ~ Agatha Christie (4+)
(abridged dramatized audio.  Much of the too mature/adult toned content is cut out)

51.   Pioneering Life and the Kauri Tree ~ The (NZ) Kauri Museum (4++)

52.   Life on the Home Front  WWII ~ Readers Digest (5)

53.   Why Didn’t They Ask Evans ~ Agatha Christie (4-) (audio)

54.   Looking for the King: Inklings bk1 ~ David C. Downing (VP)  (2-)

I liked the idea of this book, but the reality did match up

55.   Lol…. OMG ~ Matt Ivester (5-)

imho, this is a must read for those who use social media. This is a secular read and covers real, and, gritty topics

56.   The Four Loves ~ C.S. Lewis (4++)

57.   Idylls of the King ~ Alfred Tennyson (4++) I do appreciate epic poetry. Contains mature adult content.

58.   Passenger to Frankfurt ~ Agatha Christie (4) (audio)

59.   ANZAC Day: The New Zealand Story ~ Philippa Werry  (5) child’s N/F 

60.   The Private World of Georgette Heyer ~ Jane Aiken Hodge (3+)

61.   Meditations: Bk 1 ~ Marcus Aurelius (4+)

ds & I found the ideas presented in this book generated some very interesting discussions

62.   Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ~ unknown (4++) (selections)

63.   Little Dorrit (Abridged) ~ Charles Dickens (4+)

64.   The Life and Art of Lynley Dodd ~ Finlay Macdonald 

for one of my blog readers.. this book does contain a few life studies from art school years which you would probably like to edit out.