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
(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.)
___________________________________
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 4th 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.
For those that have students who do not want to read through Austen's works but would like to have at least 'covered' them; there are some very well read options on audio book. (Listening to the audio book version was the only way I willingly persevered with Emma, and, Northanger Abbey.)
Pride and Prejudice
