Books I read in April: 2010

Many people think watching TV cuts into reading time. This is simply not the case. Reading books interferes with computer time but TV time is hands-free time (folding clothes) or too-tired-to-type time. So you see, I only watch TV when I'm too tired to read a book or need to have my hands free for clothes-folding. So for those of you who might be scared that I am reading too much and will forget to watch Lost, don't worry. The thing to worry about is that I will be doing online research about Lost during my not-too-tired-hands-available time and I will forget to blog about it. Because if I forget to blog, this all goes away.

The first book I read in April was Suprised By Joy : The Shape of My Early Life by C.S. Lewis. Like all other Mormons, I love C.S. Lewis. And there is absolutely much to love. But here's the truth about C.S. Lewis: He's an erudite grump. But I still love him. This book explains the roots of his conversion to Christianity. It's less interesting than you might think, but wonderful and charming nevertheless.  He tells a lot about his childhood and boarding school. He mostly says, "I read this and thought this and then I got really into this and it slowly made me come around to this idea which jived with this and eventually I decided there was nothing left to think but this." Substitute "this" with something you've never read or even heard of in a language you don't speak. It kind of reminded me of a lot of college textbook reading but it was such a pleasure because I didn't have to "get it." Does it even matter what C.S. Lewis says or does? He had us at, "Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy."

If this were a book club (and why shouldn't it be?) I would say, "Do you think he ever really appreciated his father?"and "Do you think the fact that he knows he's an intellectual elitist makes him less of an intellectual elitist?" It has certainly worked for me.

Then I read Simple Home Solutions: Good Things with Martha Stewart Living Martha Stewart is also a bit of an erudite grump. This book is like reading a magazine. It was there. I checked it out. I read it. And then I lined some drawers with rubbery shelf paper. Good for me.

Next in April, DogPerfect, Second Edition by Sarah Hodgson. You probably think I have a wonderful dog because I read so many dog books but I don't. I hate my dog and she is horrible. That said, this book has some really helpful and practical advice. I love Cesar Milan but if you aren't a dog Svengali and you never walk your dog, his method doesn't work. The stuff in Dogperfect really works.

And since I'm not a tween Svengali either, I read Talking to Tweens: Getting It Right Before It Gets Rocky with Your 8- to 12-Year-Old by Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer. This book contains good advice and it is British, which makes the advice easier to take. Be nice to your tweens. Listen to them. Pick your battles. Teach them to be good. Appreciate them. Give them pocket money. They're young, but also old. That sort of thing. For more specific advice, read the book.

Simply Sane: Living Outside the Fast Lane by Debbie Bowen. This book is short and affirming for low energy-not-very-good-housewives like me. You know--Simplify your life and be happier.

More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: A Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America's Finest and Funkiest Joints by Guy Fieri. Ever seen this show? I checked this out because we are going on vacation to San Diego when school gets out. We're planning the trip around places to eat. It was Maggie's idea. I'm going to eat this!

And the last book I read in April was Read My Pins by Madeleine Albright. Do you know about her pin fetish? What a COOL lady. Talk about a firecracker. I want to be her when I grow up. But I'm kind of behind since I haven't advised any presidents yet. I just gave up on that goal. But I still might get a lot of jewelry.

Read anything good lately?