Books of 2019 - Part 1

I didn't really set any reading goals for this year. I just knew I wanted to continue reading a lot and keep track of them like last year. We were inside so much during January and February that I made my way through a lot of books (especially with all of Maxwell's books that I got for my birthday last year but hadn't read yet). By the end of February I realized that I had read more than an average of 1 book per week. So although that hadn't initially been my intention, I decided that was definitely my goal for the year! Here's where I'm at so far:

1. The Marriage Bureau for Rich People, by Farahad Zama - A fun, quick read I picked up for a book club I attend. Your average love story (who doesn't enjoy a good one at least every once in a while?), but with some interesting insights into the culture and lifestyle in part of India. This book reminded me why I don't read novels on a continual basis - once I get into the meat of the story I can't put them down!

2. Not My Will, But Thine, by Neal A. Maxwell - I love all of Maxwell's books. His overall theme of submitting ourselves to the Lord in all things touches my soul. And he writes it all so poetically.

3. Whom the Lord Loveth, by Neal A. Maxwell - The layout of this book felt almost like one of those daily devotional quote books - which meant I flew through it pretty quickly. It is a compilation of short (3-7 paragraph) messages on a variety of gospel topics. And of course I enjoyed it, because it's Elder Maxwell.

4. A Disciple's Life, by Bruce C. Hafen - I absolutely loved reading Elder Maxwell's biography. I loved the funny and insightful stories that make him so real and human. What was most fascinating to me was learning that his easy, gentle, feeling demeanor that seems so quintessentially him was not actually an innate gift, but learned attributes that he developed and strove for over time.

5. The Temple: Where Heaven Meets Earth, by Truman G. Madsen - I decided to read this one because of President Nelson's encouragement to learn more about the temple. It was fairly short, but a very good one.

6. The Greatest Generation, by Tom Brokaw - The "greatest generation" refers to those who were born and raised during the Depression, and then went off to participate in WWII in their early adulthood. The book was a compilation of stories and snippets from many of their lives. What I loved most was the recognition that another of the attributes that made this generation so great was their devotion and loyalty and family. So many who shared their stories, even while appreciating the increased work opportunities that came through the war, expressed their concern over the decreasing importance of the family in our society and it's being replaced by a love for work and material things.

7. Mafia to Mormon, by Mario Facione - A quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. His was a fascinating story of hearing and accepting the truth, and doing everything in his power to live up to it. Within its 100 pages I went from laughing at the ironies to marveling at his faith and the profound instances of the Lord's hand guiding his life.

8. My Name Used to Be Muhammad, by Tito Momen - Another conversion story, this one about an African Muslim who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was also fascinating, but much more somber at times than Mafia to Mormon. It was humbling to read about all that he gave up and sacrificed for his faith and belief in the gospel.

9. Notwithstanding My Weakness, by Neal A. Maxwell - I shared my favorite quotes from this book in an earlier post. Here are the lines that struck me deepest:
        "Patience helps us to use, rather than to protest, these seeming flat periods of life, becoming filled with quiet wonder over the past and with anticipation for that which may lie ahead."
        "When we are patiently growing and keeping the commandments of God and doing our duties, we are to that extent succeeding, a fact from which we should derive some quiet, inner reassurance."

10. But for a Small Moment, by Neal A. Maxwell - (finished 2/28) My favorite quote from this book, as well as a quoted poem he shared:
        "For us to seek to wrench ourselves free of our schooling circumstances...could be to tear ourselves away from carefully matched opportunities. To rant and to rail could be go to against divine wisdom, wisdom in which we may once have concurred before we came here."

     My life is but a weaving, between my God and me,
     I do not choose the colors, He worketh steadily.
     Ofttimes He weaveth sorrow, and I, in foolish pride,
     Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.

     Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttles cease to fly,
     Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why
     The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver's skillful hand
     As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

So much of Elder Maxwell's writing deals with the themes of humility, meekness, and submission to the Lord's will. He has such a powerful way of expressing their need and importance that strikes me deeply and makes me want to be better at applying them in my own life.

11. Being There: Why Prioritizing Motherhood in the First Three Years Matters, by Erica Komisar - (finished 2/28) Some really interesting studies and information from a family therapist about how important a mother's presence is in their young children's lives. Prioritizing family and motherhood is a passion of mine, especially with the understanding of the gospel. But as much as I already felt the significance of this, it's always nice to learn that scientific research and studies agree and are proving the truth as well. (Side note: I don't enjoy reading books with language. This one didn't have any, except there was one f-word in a poem that was cited in the preface I think. Easily skipped over if you knew it was there, and nothing else the rest of the book.)

Heroes of History, by Will Durant - I read about half of this one and gave up. I was really looking forward to a good history book, because I feel like my knowledge of history is severely lacking from public education. But the author had some clear biases that occasionally peaked through that just put me off. I probably would have pushed through and finished it anyway, but it was due back at the library and I was out of renewals...so I gave up on it.

12. Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen - (finished 3/6) Love Jane Austen! I had never really read her works until the last few years, but I have enjoyed them all. This is her longest work, and it was so fun to stick around with the characters for the greater length of the book. As usual, the plot was often predictable (as with every romance ever), but it's the characters and feeling you really read Austen for, and in that she did not disappoint.

13. If Thou Endure it Well, by Neal A. Maxwell - (finished 3/16) Again, always love his books and the message he shares!

14. Matthew Cowley Man of Faith, by Henry A. Smith - (finished 4/9) The first portion of the book was his biography, followed by a collection of his talks. I loved reading about his time with the Maori and Polynesians. Their faith inspires me!

15. Ephraim Hanks: Fearless Mormon Scout, by Ivan J Barrett - (finished 4/12) A fun, little biographic novel. He lived a faithful, extremely hardworking life, and was dealt some hard blows. But his faith and testimony always supported him.

16. A Peculiar Treasure: Old Testament Messages for Our Day, by Brent L. Top - (finished 4/27) I enjoyed this one. It was a fairly easy read, and shared many messages that I already recognized or understood. But as I've said many times to Gabe, reading gospel centered books like this feels like having a gospel conversation with someone new. It may be things you've thought about and learned before, but it's still refreshing and edifying to hear (or read) another's perspective and thoughts. I also greatly appreciated the overall message that the Old Testament is still relevant and important to our day and time.

17. The Other Side of Heaven, by John H. Groberg - (finished 4/29) So much better than the movie! Like I said, stories of the Polynesians and their faith inspire me. The spirit of Elder Groberg's books and the people he served is almost tangible. So many miraculous experiences because of their childlike faith, and Elder Groberg shares them with such humble simplicity. His writing and the experiences he shared were very impactful to me.

18. J. Golden Kimball: The Story of a Unique Personality, by Claude Richards - (finished 4/30) Like Elder Cowley's book, the first portion of this was a biography, and the second portion a collection of his talks. I flew through the biography, and enjoyed his talks as well. He clearly had a sense of humor, and could be a little rough around the edges, but not at all to the degree that we like to make him out to be.

19. Divine Signatures: The Confirming Hand of God, by Gerald N. Lund - (finished 5/11) Like I said with A Peculiar Treasure, this book was like having a gospel conversation with Elder Lund. He shared many stories from people's lives about times when the Lord's hand in their life was unmistakable.

20. What to Expect When No One's Expecting: America's Coming Demographic Disaster, by Jonathan V. Last - (finished 5/11) Similar to the book on prioritizing motherhood, this was a book filled with data and studies confirming something I feel strongly. It talked about the possible and seen hazards of a country that is not having enough children to replace its current population. There were definitely a few things that seemed sensationalized, and parts where his bias came through, but overall it was really interesting and fascinating to me. This quote from the introduction shows fairly well where we're allowing our society to go, "Pets have become fuzzy, low-maintenance replacements for children."

21. Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes, by Gordon B. Hinckley - (finished 5/11) I could hear President Hinckley's voice as I read his book! It was so fun to read his words again, and the book was filled with gems. Here's some of the ones I loved best.
"None of us needs someone who only points out our areas of weakness and the ways in which we have fallen short."
"There is something almost sacred about a great library because it represents the preservation of the wisdom, the learning, and the pondering of men and women of all the ages, accumulated under one roof."
"Cynics do not contribute, skeptics do not create, doubters do not achieve."
"When pleasures or recreation become an end in itself, we are in danger...we simply cannot expect to refine the substance of character from the husks of pleasures."
And there are so many more! I love his words.

22. Spencer W. Kimball, by Edward L. Kimball and Andrew E. Kimball - (finished 5/20) I love biographies! It was especially fun to learn about a previous prophet that I previously knew little about. President Kimball endured so much physically while he served as an apostle. It is amazing all that those men give of themselves in their service to the Lord.

23. Marriage and Family: Gospel Insights, by Stephen R. Covey and Truman G. Madsen - (finished 6/7) I read this one while we were house sitting for some friends. I saw it on their bookshelf and thought it sounded like it was right up my alley. And it was! I always love tools to help me better fill my roles as wife and eventual mother. And I love how Truman Madsen writes and speaks. Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
"The home is, and remains, a sanctuary only to the degree that the persons within it are consecrated."
"A marriage which is attemptedly built on a foundation other than gospel principles not only probably will not last, in the larger sense, it will not live. It attempts the impossible: to derive life from non-life."

24. Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott - (finished 6/8) Oh what a heart-happy book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and was only sad that I hadn't read it sooner! I had to go back and watch the movie I grew up with after I finished - boy was that a disappointment. The movie follows the book about as well as any film does, but what disappointed me the most was the total lack of focus on spiritual and character development. That is everywhere in the book, Marmee constantly teaching the girls the importance of self-improvement and developing virtues, and it felt completely forgotten in the movie. Plus the relationships and everything were just so much more satisfying in the book! It was just so full of virtue and wisdom and truth - so much that we have lost and are losing in today's society. It was so refreshing to be immersed in it. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book (which prove the focus I loved so much about it):
"But don't let it spoil you, for it's wicked to throw away so many good gifts because you can't have the one you want." (I loved this one, because it feels like I theme in my life. It reminded me of the quote from Perelandra about making the fruit you have taste poor because of wishing for the one you didn't get.)
"She recognized the beauty of her sister's life - uneventful, yet full of the genuine virtues which 'smell sweet, and blossom in the dust,' the self-forgetfulness that makes the humblest on earth remembered soonest in heaven, the true success which is possible to all."
"Rich people have no right to sit down and enjoy themselves, or let their money accumulate for others to waste. It's not half so sensible to leave legacies when one dies as it is to use the money wisely while alive, and enjoy making one's fellow creatures happy with it.

25. The Fire of Faith, by John H. Groberg - (finished 6/27) Just as good as the first! Only this one shows a little more not just of the Polynesian's faith and willingness to sacrifice, but the Groberg's as well. He and his wife's example of faithfulness is inspiring in the truest sense of the word. Reading his books makes me want to be so much better and try so much harder. I want to have the faith that his family and the Polynesians he worked with have.

26. My Father, David O. McKay, by David Lawrence McKay - (finished 7/2) This biography was written by his son, sharing how he personally remembered his dad. It was a very sweet perspective. The McKay's treasured their family. I especially enjoyed the insights from President and Sister McKay on parenthood and raising children - definitely role models in that area!

Books I've begun, but not yet finished. (Some of them I'm almost through...others I read the first chapter but haven't picked them back up since...)
The Promised Messiah, by Bruce R. McConkie
A Study Guide to the Facsimiles of the Book of Abraham, by Allen J. Fletcher
A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens
Men with a Mission: The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the British Isles, by James B. Allen, Ronald K. Esplin, and David J. Whittaker