{"id":1641,"date":"2014-12-16T11:14:22","date_gmt":"2014-12-16T11:14:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.janice-campbell.com\/?p=1641"},"modified":"2017-01-24T23:47:45","modified_gmt":"2017-01-24T23:47:45","slug":"winter-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doingwhatmatters.com\/winter-reading\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Reading: Something Old, Something New"},"content":{"rendered":"

I love long, cosy winter evenings spent with a good book and a cat. This is when I whittle down the reading pile I’ve accumulated by my chair during the convention season and travel months. While some of my winter reading involves new and untried authors, there are a few old favorites I return to over and over\u00a0(like C. S. Lewis, I’m even old enough to admit to enjoying children’s fiction).\u00a0 I believe that children need to see their parents reading, but I also know how limited time and attention can be when you are in the early years of homeschooling. Light reading can help you model healthy reading habits during those challenging years.<\/p>\n

\"Winter<\/a><\/p>\n

These\u00a0don’t include my favorite classics, of course, nor anything homeschool related, because\u00a0sometimes you just need a change of pace.\u00a0Whether\u00a0you’re looking for a gift,\u00a0or just something new for\u00a0your own reading pile, here are a few of my time-tested winter reading\u00a0favorites, plus a couple new finds.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

The Supper of the Lamb\u00a0<\/em>by Robert Farrar Capon<\/h3>\n

I like books that approach a familiar topic from a creative angle. In\u00a0The Supper of the Lamb<\/em>\u00a0the subject is supper, but it’s about a lot more than food. It is described as a “surprising and thought-provoking treatise on everything from prayer to poetry to puff pastry,” and it’s one of the books that spends more time by my chair than on the shelf. I\u00a0don’t usually read\u00a0books about food, though I enjoy a few,\u00a0but somehow, the wit and wisdom in this book continually\u00a0entices me back for another taste.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

A Severe Mercy<\/em> by Sheldon Vanauken<\/h3>\n

This unforgettable book will make you cry, but it’s worth it. Described as “the spiritual autobiography of a love,” it is the story of a young couple, friends with C. S. Lewis, and their great love and loss. Beautifully told, and\u00a0well worth reading at any stage of life.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

The Crosswicks Journal: A Circle of Quiet, The Summer of the Great-grandmother, The Irrational Season, <\/em>and\u00a0Two-Part Invention\u00a0<\/em>by Madeleine L’Engle<\/h3>\n

Four books; one life. I have enjoyed each of these volumes at different times of my life, because each has a different focus. More than just a simple memoir, L’Engle writes intimately about her life, caregiving for a parent with dementia, blending a\u00a0writing career with family life, and her long marriage.\u00a0Whatever the topic, I found comfort and wisdom in these pages.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

The Chosen<\/em> by Chaim Potok<\/h3>\n

The first time I read this story of two boys, one Modern\u00a0Orthodox and one a traditional Hasidic Jew, and their fathers, I made the entire family\u00a0read it. Another unforgettable story, this is an excellent family read-aloud or even a book group choice, though it’s another one that may make you cry.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

A Sacrifice of Praise<\/em>: An Anthology of Christian Poetry in English from Caedmon to the Mid-Twentieth Century<\/h3>\n

Beautiful poetry makes my heart sing, and this anthology is full of poetic riches. It was just recommended to me by my friend, Kathy of Learn Differently<\/a>, and I have already found in it a number of unfamiliar works, as well as many old favorites. Make no mistake\u2014this is beautiful, classic poetry, not a collection of Hallmark sentiments, and as such, it’s a worthy addition to any library. It’s the kind of book I would like to own in hardcover, and that’s rare.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

The Mysterious Benedict Society<\/em> by\u00a0Trenton Lee Stewart<\/h3>\n

After responding to a newspaper ad which asked \u00a0“Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” a\u00a0motley group of children\u00a0are given a dangerous secret mission. This book is a recent addition to my shelf, recommended by a friend, but the\u00a0story is timeless.<\/p>\n

\"David<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

David and the Phoenix<\/em> by\u00a0Edward Ormondroyd<\/h3>\n

I’ve read this childhood favorite countless times, and not just in childhood. There’s just something magical about this story of a boy and a phoenix, and I\u00a0keep both a hardcover copy and a Kindle version always on my shelf. (I’ve also written\u00a0a whole post on David and the Phoenix<\/em><\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

The Dragon of Cripple Creek<\/em> by Troy Howell<\/h3>\n

I\u00a0enjoy stories in which a character stumbles upon a hidden passageway or steps through a wardrobe or mirror or ordinary door, and finds adventure. In The Dragon of Cripple Creek<\/em>, adventure comes in the form of a dragon, found in a most unexpected place. With beautifully crafted prose, well-drawn characters, and a thought-provoking storyline, this\u00a0relatively recent book is suitable for all ages.<\/p>\n

<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

The Peleg Chronicles: Foundlings<\/em> (1), Paladins<\/em> (2), and Loresman<\/em> (3) by Matthew Christian Harding<\/h3>\n

If you’re looking for a book that boys will love,\u00a0it would be hard to top The Peleg Chronicles, especially if your boys enjoy feudal epics with\u00a0knights,\u00a0princesses,\u00a0dragons (dinosaurs), giants, and\u00a0more. Harding is a master of the cliffhanger ending\u2014I find it hard not to read his books in a single setting, but it’s not as easy to burn the midnight oil as it used to be.<\/p>\n

\"Murder<\/a>\"\"
\nMurder in the Vatican<\/em>: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes by Ann Margaret Lewis<\/h3>\n

I really enjoy Sherlock Holmes, but Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle didn’t write nearly enough. I am wary of most books written as sequels to a classic series, because they are usually just plain awful. This was recommended by a friend, though, and I throughly enjoyed it. I especially loved the cameo appearance of a little deacon named Brown (from G. K. Chesterton’s Father Brown stories, which you must read, if you haven’t already). I’m hoping for more from this author.<\/p>\n

Beyond these selections, there are other old favorites I turn to when I’m extra tired or not feeling well. Some of these are among my 1001 Good Books, but others\u00a0are what I call fluffy books\u2014light and untaxing, and just good clean fun. These include:<\/p>\n