Love your emphasis on paying attention. I've been thinking about that a lot throughout the past year (what diverts my attention + how to refocus on present things). It makes sense that reading would be so helpful here.
I've recently been reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (after having started it a year ago 😏). It's so good. I knew it was when I first started it, but it takes some intentional brain power to enjoy, and I got lazy with it. But seriously, the man can *work* a metaphor. Drive that baby through a sentence, a paragraph, or a whole stinkin' chapter. His descriptions are so vivid, too. Worth the effort to read.
I am doing a lot of recovering from growing up in a cult so most of my reading (which was a very short list. 2021 took all it could from me) was in the interests of theology and reintroducing me to the gospel.
The book I loved that saved / changed my life was the unsaved Christian by dean inserra. It really really felt like a personal letter from Jesus to my weary soul.
My goal was to read 15 books in 2021, but the load of college graduation, beginning a Master's program, a full time job, and navigating so much change only brought that number to 9. But, I would say that the books I read this year have been some of the most formational. The Wisdom of Your Body by Hillary McBride and Redeeming Heartache by Cathy Loerzel and Dan Allender were my top books. I'm really looking forward to reading your new book!
I read very little last year. it was a hard year for sure. interestingly, i started reading This To Shall Last when my father in law got diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer… and then I stopped reading it mid way through once my father in law died. i haven’t picked it up for a few months. but recently, I got Covid Pneumonia and was hospitalized for a week… i’m in a slow recovery phase right now and started re reading THIS TO SHALL LAST. and it’s been as refreshing as when i was reading it earlier this year. I would say it’s been like a cool glass a water on a hot day.
I recently quit social media because I found myself so overwhelmed and distracted, having plenty that needs my attention in real life, but I have missed certain authors posts and I would be thrilled to read more of yours here! I loved Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad powerful story of her journey with cancer & survivorship, and Prayer in the Night by Tish Harrison Warren.
I can relate to this - being buried in a book at the tail end of Christmas. I have reclaimed my sense of wonder in reading this season and as a result, my writing is flowing more easily too. I hope that this will last through the whole year.
2021 was the year I rediscovered my love of fiction. I think I read more fiction last year than in the rest of my entire adult life combined. CRAZY and awesome. My favorites were Liu Cixin's Three-Body Problem series (I like sci-fi now??) and The Stand by Stephen King. Loved reading these recommendations and just put The Weight of Memory on hold at my library!
Thanks for sharing these! Such great quotes to ponder before we get to the real deal! I’m learning a lot about the connection between grief and love so those two were particularly moving to me.
Gentle and Lowly and Stumbling Toward Wholeness were my faves. :)
Fave read of 2021: the Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. Based on real villages on Jeju, the women are the main breadwinners , fishing by diving without a wetsuit or anything, which is dangerous but the community of women is so good. It is about female friendship over the decades through real difficulties. There are some very horrific parts, but it's not one of those relentlessly grim books without hope.
Jan 7, 2022·edited Jan 7, 2022Liked by K.J. Ramsey
Thank you for investing the time and energy into articulating your fondness for these books. This is a gift.
For me, Curt Thompson’s The Soul Desire was remarkable impactful read this fall. Curt’s genius is his brilliant ability to convince my head to listen to my body, which is no easy feat as I have nearly 40 years of using my head to get out of my body. I won’t ever be the same after journeying through this book. I had moments where I set the book down and wept for my younger self. It was deeply healing, inviting me to long for goodness and beauty more than I ever had hoped for.
I have a deep fascination to see what books other people are reading and loving, so this post has me giddy! Thank you for taking the time to share these with the world.
Last year I would have to say my two favorite reads were Educated by Tara Westover, and A Burning in My Bones. In one, I saw much of my story (though more intense for sure), and in the other I felt like my soul was being mentored to be like a saint in a way.
Love reading writer’s reading lists! Wintering by Katherine May was my top new release read. Daisy Jones and the Six was my favorite contemporary fiction. And I thoroughly loved rereading A Room with A View and Howard’s End.
This is already one of my favorite reads of all time. What a powerful teaching and reminder. Thank you for this. I’m committed to reading a lot more this year. I find myself so easily distracted and I see how unhealthy that’s becoming and the root of it. One of my favorite reads of 2021 was “love is the resistance” by Ashley Abercrombie ❤️
Virgil Wander by Leif Enger was an unexpected highlight of my reading this year. I went on to read his other books, too, because I liked his voice so much.
I also really loved reading the middle-grade book Elatsoe. It was a good adventure and the author has a gift for realistically written kids.
Love your emphasis on paying attention. I've been thinking about that a lot throughout the past year (what diverts my attention + how to refocus on present things). It makes sense that reading would be so helpful here.
I've recently been reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (after having started it a year ago 😏). It's so good. I knew it was when I first started it, but it takes some intentional brain power to enjoy, and I got lazy with it. But seriously, the man can *work* a metaphor. Drive that baby through a sentence, a paragraph, or a whole stinkin' chapter. His descriptions are so vivid, too. Worth the effort to read.
I am doing a lot of recovering from growing up in a cult so most of my reading (which was a very short list. 2021 took all it could from me) was in the interests of theology and reintroducing me to the gospel.
The book I loved that saved / changed my life was the unsaved Christian by dean inserra. It really really felt like a personal letter from Jesus to my weary soul.
My goal was to read 15 books in 2021, but the load of college graduation, beginning a Master's program, a full time job, and navigating so much change only brought that number to 9. But, I would say that the books I read this year have been some of the most formational. The Wisdom of Your Body by Hillary McBride and Redeeming Heartache by Cathy Loerzel and Dan Allender were my top books. I'm really looking forward to reading your new book!
I read very little last year. it was a hard year for sure. interestingly, i started reading This To Shall Last when my father in law got diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer… and then I stopped reading it mid way through once my father in law died. i haven’t picked it up for a few months. but recently, I got Covid Pneumonia and was hospitalized for a week… i’m in a slow recovery phase right now and started re reading THIS TO SHALL LAST. and it’s been as refreshing as when i was reading it earlier this year. I would say it’s been like a cool glass a water on a hot day.
I recently quit social media because I found myself so overwhelmed and distracted, having plenty that needs my attention in real life, but I have missed certain authors posts and I would be thrilled to read more of yours here! I loved Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad powerful story of her journey with cancer & survivorship, and Prayer in the Night by Tish Harrison Warren.
I can relate to this - being buried in a book at the tail end of Christmas. I have reclaimed my sense of wonder in reading this season and as a result, my writing is flowing more easily too. I hope that this will last through the whole year.
Loved Live No Lies by John Mark Comer, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and The Winding Path of Transformation by Jeff Tacklind!
2021 was the year I rediscovered my love of fiction. I think I read more fiction last year than in the rest of my entire adult life combined. CRAZY and awesome. My favorites were Liu Cixin's Three-Body Problem series (I like sci-fi now??) and The Stand by Stephen King. Loved reading these recommendations and just put The Weight of Memory on hold at my library!
Thanks for sharing these! Such great quotes to ponder before we get to the real deal! I’m learning a lot about the connection between grief and love so those two were particularly moving to me.
Gentle and Lowly and Stumbling Toward Wholeness were my faves. :)
Fave read of 2021: the Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. Based on real villages on Jeju, the women are the main breadwinners , fishing by diving without a wetsuit or anything, which is dangerous but the community of women is so good. It is about female friendship over the decades through real difficulties. There are some very horrific parts, but it's not one of those relentlessly grim books without hope.
Thank you for investing the time and energy into articulating your fondness for these books. This is a gift.
For me, Curt Thompson’s The Soul Desire was remarkable impactful read this fall. Curt’s genius is his brilliant ability to convince my head to listen to my body, which is no easy feat as I have nearly 40 years of using my head to get out of my body. I won’t ever be the same after journeying through this book. I had moments where I set the book down and wept for my younger self. It was deeply healing, inviting me to long for goodness and beauty more than I ever had hoped for.
I have a deep fascination to see what books other people are reading and loving, so this post has me giddy! Thank you for taking the time to share these with the world.
Last year I would have to say my two favorite reads were Educated by Tara Westover, and A Burning in My Bones. In one, I saw much of my story (though more intense for sure), and in the other I felt like my soul was being mentored to be like a saint in a way.
Love reading writer’s reading lists! Wintering by Katherine May was my top new release read. Daisy Jones and the Six was my favorite contemporary fiction. And I thoroughly loved rereading A Room with A View and Howard’s End.
This is already one of my favorite reads of all time. What a powerful teaching and reminder. Thank you for this. I’m committed to reading a lot more this year. I find myself so easily distracted and I see how unhealthy that’s becoming and the root of it. One of my favorite reads of 2021 was “love is the resistance” by Ashley Abercrombie ❤️
*gasps* "a creative meditation on Psalm 23"
Virgil Wander by Leif Enger was an unexpected highlight of my reading this year. I went on to read his other books, too, because I liked his voice so much.
I also really loved reading the middle-grade book Elatsoe. It was a good adventure and the author has a gift for realistically written kids.