the first five

A lot of my friends in the blogging community give regular books reports on what they've been reading. I like the accountability this requires of a reader, and I like sharing with you the things I've been reading, so I've decided to do the same. For every five books I read, I'll write up a quick report. Other than maybe a sentence or two telling you what the book was about, I won't be writing up summaries; rather, I'll tell you things like why I read the book, what I enjoyed about it, and whether or not I'd recommend it.

Today I finished the fifth of my first five books of 2009, so here is my first report.

1. Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck

I read this on the strong recommendation of my mom, and I'm glad I did. I've long been a fan of Steinbeck, and I wouldn't hesitate to rate this short work of non-fiction among his best. It's the travelogue Steinbeck wrote about his drive across the country with his dog, Charley. He drove east to west, then back again, making sure he stopped to interact with the locals. His thoughts and meditations of his journey are often profound and always beautifully written. I'd recommend this one to anyone who'd like to learn about America from something more than just a history textbook.

2. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

For the last while, I've noticed this one making the local book club circuit, so I thought I'd join the club. It is the straightforwardly-told true story of Greg Mortenson's personal mission to build schools in Pakistan after a failed attempt to summit K2. Aside from the fact that education can change lives, I took away from this book the reminder that you can't judge a country by their handful of terrorist freaks. The people Mortenson meets and befriends during his years working in Pakistan are among the friendliest in the world. It honestly was a privilege to get to know each one of them and to learn more about their culture. If world and culture-based stereotypes -- especially about that war-torn region -- are ever going to change, we ourselves need to become more educated, so I definitely recommend this book.

3. Marley and Me by John Grogan

This book has been sitting on my shelf waiting for me to read ever since my mom passed along her copy, oh, probably going on two years now. The movie version (which, no, I have not seen) didn't make me read it, but it may have pushed it up higher on the priority list. Besides, I got a kick out of Garrett's barks everytime he saw me curled up on the couch with it. It was a lighthearted true story about a man and his horribly behaved Labrador retriever. I've never had a dog, and I don't truly understand dog love, but I did really enjoy this book. There were some especially lovely passages towards the end where Grogan states that perhaps if humans were more like dogs in how they unabashedly show affection without the care of outward appearance, maybe the world would be a better place. Recommend? Yes.

4. The Mother in Me edited by Kathryn Lynard Soper

My mom sent this for my birthday, and it couldn't have been a more well-suited gift. I'd heard about this book, and had wanted to read it, but since it was regional, I wasn't sure how I'd get my hands on a copy (this was before I knew it was available on Amazon). It's a collection of essays on motherhood written by the incredibly talented writers at Segullah. I cried through most of it (the tears were, you should know, sad and happy), and I commiserated through the rest. It was really, really good, and a perfect read for where I'm currently at in my life. My favorite essay was called "Creation out of Chaos" by Heather Herrick, a NYC mother of two young children. Oh how I loved what she had to say about lugging grocery-laden strollers through the streets and up and down subway steps: "When I said I love transportation in New York because I don't have a car to worry about, I wasn't thinking about times like these, when the load of groceries hanging off the back of the stroller adds another twenty pounds of weight. The experts say I should have more energy and a longer life due to these treks, but in the moment I don't exactly feel grateful." I couldn't have said it better. If you are or will be a mother, you should read this book.

5. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

I am related to a good amount of Dave Ramsey followers, but this was my first encounter with him. My cousin sent me this book a couple years ago, but until now, I'd never done more than skimmed through it. I liked what he had to say, but I can't say that I've joined these family members in their undying love for his methods. I am a very frugal person by nature, and so is Blake (though whether he is by nature or by marriage is up for debate). The only debt we have is his graduate school student loan, which we've been steadily working to pay off. I do think, though, that there are certain financial areas where we should be kicking it into a higher gear, and Ramsey offered some good suggestions to do so. The book is full of testimonials and rah-rah, but it certainly wasn't a waste of my time. If you're looking to spruce up your financial life, this is a good method to refer to.


And now I think it's time to go read a piece of fiction. See you after the next five!