My Current Reading System

My reading and actually finishing a book has really dropped in the past few months. Dramatically. But I have an interesting new way to read. See, there are so so many interesting books out there, and only so little time to read them all in. When I do park myself to read it's far more studious than it's been before, and I really try to dig out the messages I need to learn from what I'm reading.

Since that takes a lot more effort and concentration, without blocks of unadulterated time it just doesn't happen.

So. Now when I hear about a really interesting book I check it out from the library and it sits next to the couch with all our other library books. When my card is (again/always) getting full and I have more holds waiting, I look through the books I actually checked out for myself, see if they are some I really want to look into more and return those I don't. I will usually at least look through the table of contents and maybe flip to a chapter or two, read a little, and either put it back in the pile or add it to my library bag to be returned. Fiction usually gets the first chapter read. Very few books actually get read all the way through. Except all the fun children's books. If I checked them out I read them to myself and decide whether it's good enough for me to read with everyone else or not. (Sidenote: We have some new favorite children's books, the Dragon books by Dav Pilkey. We read and giggled over the first two again and again and again, and had to track down all the others at the library.)

I usually make 2 trips a week to pick up holds, because twice a week I'm right in the same neighborhood. There are always things waiting for me.

I started this new system without realizing it. I try to narrow myself down and decide on a book (or three - currently "Power of Positive Parenting," "Song of the Lark," and "Leadership Education") to read and finish, but there are so many others out there that compel me to at least take a look. I have to wonder if I'm transitioning towards something else. Maybe one of these days I will wake up and realize I don't want to read everything, and I only want to read certain things. Or maybe it's a pregnant thing, and after this baby is born I'll have some focus again.

Only time will tell. I'll let you know if I notice it's happened.

Books I recently checked out:

"I am Murdered: George Wythe, Thomas Jefferson, and the Killing that Shocked a New Nation"

"The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything"

"The Pioneer Woman Cooks" by Ree Drummond

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"

"Arming Your Children with the Gospel"

"Embroidery"

"Hiking and Backpacking"

"John Adams" by David McCullough

"The Jackrabbit Factor"

"The Power of Positive Parenting"

"Thou Shall Prosper" (was going to take this back today but the table of contents kept it here)

"Usborne Book of Peoples of the World"

For even more fun, some of the books currently on my hold list at the library:

"Bridge at Andau"

"The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game"

"Christlike Parenting"

"The Christmas Sweater"

"The Duggars: 20 and Counting!"

"The Help"

"My First Summer in the Sierra"