Mom knows best

My mom has probably had the most defining impact on my reading and reading choices. I can remember her sitting on our couch, knitting in one hand and a book in the other. One of the things I am the most grateful for is the fact that she insisted we read a variety of books and genres. As a teenager, all I wanted to read (I am blushing as I write this) were romance novels. Instead of flat out saying "no", mom declared that for every romance I read, I had to read other books - biographies, history, a classic, a mystery or self-improvement book. In other words, I had to read four or five books for every teen romance. Oh, the brilliance of it!!!

As an adult, I find that my "comfort" book of choice is a mystery. I love a good mystery novel. As I stock up on them in the library, I find myself looking over my shoulder, counting my books, and then reaching for a biography, a parenting book or a classic I have never read. The discipline my mom insisted on as a child has never left me and because of it, I have read books I never would have discovered. I can still remember the first real biography I read that I devoured (this was after working my way through our neighbor's shelf of George Washington, Jane Adams, etc.) . .. I didn't read this bio in order to get to my next romance, but I read it and LOVED it! Since that book, I have found that I truly enjoy bios and memoirs. I like the way they open my world, expand my view and most often I come away with a greater appreciation for the many blessings in my life. Here is a list (yes, of course, it is partial) of some of the bios/memoirs that I have enjoyed:

1. Miles from Nowhere by Barbara Savage - This book describes a two year world bike tour taken by Barbara and her husband. This was the first biography I read that opened my eyes to the possibility that good, interesting biographies existed! An easy, fascinating read.
2. Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls - My sister, Heidi, recommended this book to me and I was hooked from the first sentence! It chronicles the story of the author's childhood with eccentric, nomadic parents. I have recommended this book numerous times in the library and it has been a hit every time. If you only read one bio this year, this is it!
3. American Shaolin by Matthew Polly - I picked this book up for the library to add to my growing boys' collection. I brought it home to read so that I could recommend it and surprisingly like it. It is the story of a nerdy college student who travels to China to study kung fu under the Shaolin monks.
   
4. The Girl in the Green Sweater: A Life in Holocaust's Shadow by Krystyna Chiger - I just finished this book before Christmas break. It is an amazing account of a family's survival in a Polish sewer. Krystyna lived in the sewer with her family and others for 14 months. This is not an easy read, but worth the effort.
5. God Grew Tired of Us by John Bul Dau - This book captivated me. This is the story of one of the 4,000 "lost boys of Sudan". It is a hopeful read - filled with God's grace - loved it.
6. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a boy soldier by Ishmael Beah. Again, this is not an easy read (stories of other's suffering rarely are), but valuable.
7. The Soloist by Steve Lopez I have blogged about this previously. Read it (the book, not the previous blog) . . .

The next time you are in the library loading up on your favorite genre, make yourself reach for something else. Try a new genre, author, or style, you might find you love it.