Happy 2019, friends and readers! It’s time to take a look back at the year gone by in favorite books and reading stats. Reflecting on what I read in a year and how it grew me has become an annual joy, and I hope you’re inspired to pick up a book mentioned here or to recommend something in the comments. I’d love to hear about your top 2018 reads and what you think I should add to my list for 2019! 

2018 was a strong reading year for me with many new favorites. I set a goal to read 50 books in the year and actually made it to 51! First, I have some fun breakdown to share for those of you who like bullet points and headings. 

Books read in 2018 (new to me)
51!

Books re-read in 2018
4 classic favorites: The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, The Angry Tide (Poldark #7), and the first three Harry Potter books

Format breakdown

• Read the physical book: 31/51 – about 60% 
• Read on Kindle/e-reader: 7/51 – about 14%
• Listened to the audiobook: 14/51 – about 27% 

I’ve been so pleasantly surprised to see how drastically audiobooks have increased my reading time. I knew they were helping, but I never expected they would up my book count by almost a third!

Number of male and female authors

• Male: 8
• Female: 44 

(this takes into account that one book in the mix was co-written by a married couple, the wonderful Keith and Kristyn Getty)

So, interestingly, it turned out that my reading slanted very heavily and unintentionally towards women writers this year! I don’t really have goals when it comes to author demographics, but it was interesting to look back on how I gravitated.

Most books read by the same author 
8 books by Susanna Kearsley: Kearsley was my golden new author find of 2018 by a wide margin. I fell in love with the first book of hers that I read in the year and then made a point to work on reading everything by her that I could get my hands on. Some strong new favorites came out of it and I’m still working on reading all of her backlist!

Standout themes across 2018 reading

• World War II stories
• Books about books
• Magical realism (this was down to discovering Susanna Kearsley’s work)
• Biography/memoir/a real person’s story

Now for favorites! I normally wouldn’t list as many as twelve, but that’s where I am this year! I just read a lot of good books, y’all. Here are my very favorites from 2018, and the list could be taken in a rough two sections if I had to narrow it down further. The first five are the ones that really got into my system, that got their teeth into me, and that I still can’t stop thinking about. The next seven also left deep impressions, but I’d separate them by an ever so slight margin. Enjoy!

Favorite Books of 2018 

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter: Possibly a new lifetime favorite for me. This tells the incredible true story of a large family of Polish Jews who survived the Holocaust. Any book about the Holocaust is bound to be heavy and emotionally impactful, but I can honestly say that this one has stayed with me like few others have. It is riveting, emotional, and an ultimately hopeful book about the strength and resilience and courage of the human spirit.

A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken: Vanauken wrote this in the 1970s in memory of his wife Davy, their conversion to Christianity, and his own bereavement in the wake of Davy’s untimely death. His reflections on faith, marriage, loss, grief, and the longings of the human soul are heart-wrenching in all the best ways. The couple’s friendship with C.S. Lewis also has a heavy influence in the book, so many of Lewis’s letters to them are transcribed within. I loved every word of this moving story and will be returning to it soon (and will probably cry again).

Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson: I shared recently about how this book resonated with me and it has remained a favorite since then. Sarah Clarkson loves books and expresses profound gratitude in this work for how books have shaped her while she also seeks to pass along the gift that a reading life has been to her. She is passionate, eloquent, and my new kindred spirit.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan Henry: Obviously, much is known about C.S. Lewis, but Patti Henry seeks to draw back the curtain on his wife, Joy Davidman, in this lovely novel. It offers a fascinating take on how this meeting of minds between Lewis and Joy might have progressed into their devoted, passionate marriage. Mrs. Henry tells their story with such poignancy and emotional truth – have a few tissues handy when you pick this one up!

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley: My first Kearsley read that sent me on a happy mission to read all of her books, but this one has remained my favorite of hers. Scotland, romance, the Jacobite rising, a mysterious castle ruin, and a snug cottage on the coast made this a pretty near perfect winter read.

A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley: My other favorite Kearsley read that almost came even with The Winter Sea. Romance and the Jacobite rising still play major roles, but this one takes the reader on a journey through France, Italy, and ancient fairytales that give a magic bent to the story. Also contained in this book is one of my favorite literary proposals. Kearsley really outdid herself with that scene and with the hero for this one.

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley: The best children’s fiction book I’ve read in many years. It tells the story of Ada, a young girl whose cruel mother has kept her locked in their apartment her whole life on account of her clubfoot. When Ada’s brother Jamie is evacuated to the countryside during World War II’s London blitz, Ada promptly sneaks out to go with him. Their foster mom opens their eyes to a completely different life, and Ada and Jamie slowly begin learning the joys of childhood. A moving story about identity, community, and courage. And the sequel, The War I Finally Won, is an equally moving follow-up.

I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel: If you’re a book lover, this is a warm hug waiting to happen. This charming collection of essays on the reading life will make you feel so wholly understood for all your reader quirks. Anne Bogel just gets it. She’s clearly a reader herself, knows readers, and takes joy in bringing readers together by inviting them to appreciate the various phases of a reading life, the book that first hooked them, and even the more embarrassing aspects of their reading lives. Take this journey with Anne and be delighted. I know I was.

On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior: Another bookish tour, this time through classic literature, that opens the reader’s eyes to how virtue can be cultivated through reading. One reviewer of this book described Karen Swallow Prior as the English teacher everyone wishes they could have had, and I totally concur. She introduces you to Dickens, Twain, Austen, and many more while showing you how all of them can make you a better reader and a better person.

Seasons of Waiting by Betsy Childs Howard: My favorite Christian living book of recent years. Most of us feel like we’re waiting for something, no matter what stage of life we’re in. Whether that something is marriage, children, a permanent home, or good health, you will find a compassionate friend in Betsy Childs Howard. She examines various areas of life that involve waiting and explains with gentleness and solid theology how all of our waiting points to our deepest longing for Christ and our waiting for His return.

Unequal Affections by Lara S. Ormiston: I’m a Jane Austen snob and look askance at most retelling attempts, but I took the plunge with this reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, and I am SO GLAD I did. Honestly, I think it made me love the original and its characters even more than I already did, and I didn’t think that would have been possible. I listened to the audio version of this one and found myself looking for ANY excuse to turn it on. I laughed, cried, and giggled with delight throughout the whole 13 hours.

The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone: A few years ago, a film called The Imitation Game piqued my interest in stories about codebreaking in wartime. It’s odd, as I’ve never been a math person, but I appreciate that a bunch of nerds bent over crossword puzzles were just as vital to war efforts as those fighting on the frontlines. This book tells the unsung hero story of William and Elizabeth Friedman. Elizabeth in particular comes into focus, especially for her work to break into Nazi spy rings in South America during WWII. It’s fascinating, riveting, and has all the elements of a spy thriller.

Any of these catch your eye? What did you read in 2018? What should I read in 2019? I’d love to hear! Let me know and see my full 2018 book list below :) Happy weekend!

Full 2018 book list (in the order I read them)
The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay
Letters to Children by C.S. Lewis
Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery
Newton and Polly by Jody Hedlund
The Stranger from the Sea (Poldark #8) by Winston Graham
Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery
Reformation Women by Rebecca VanDoodewaard
The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone
The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers
Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
Openness Unhindered by Rosaria Butterfield
Unequal Affections by Lara S. Ormiston
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley
The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
Emily’s Quest by L.M. Montgomery
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
Finding Myself in Britain by Amy Boucher Pye
The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley
Mariana by Susanna Kearsley
The Nazi Officer’s Wife by Edith Hahn Beer
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley
Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley
Beauty by Robin McKinley
I’d Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel
My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
The Miller’s Dance (Poldark #9) by Winston Graham
Sing! by Keith and Kristyn Getty
Seasons of Waiting by Betsy Childs Howard
Hero of the Empire by Candice Millard
Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan Henry
Remember Death by Matthew McCullough
The Dating Manifesto by Lisa Anderson
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson
The Bride of Ivy Green by Julie Klassen
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
One Day in December by Josie Silver
On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken

Hello and happy 2018 again to all of you, dear readers! I hope the first few weeks of it have been promising and encouraging and as usual, full of good books :) It’s that time again for me to share my tops reads of the past year. It was a great reading year in 2017 with some strong standouts. I read a total of 36 books, plus I reread the following favorites (many of them via audiobook) – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, and The Black Moon by Winston Graham (new in 2017 but read it twice). It was a little tempting to be dissatisfied with this since I read 50 books in 2016, but at its foundation, reading is about quality, not quantity, and 2017 certainly delivered that. So with that, here are my top titles from 2017, in no particular order. 

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 

This was the very first book I read in 2017, and even then, I was confident it would remain a favorite. And so it did! Paul Kalanithi wrote this personal memoir during what he knew were the final months of his life, and he reflects on deep questions of life, death, and the human search for meaning with thoughtful poignancy. He talks about his time as a young medical student wondering what makes a meaningful life, his lifelong love for writing and poetry, his decision to pursue neurosurgery, his fascination with the brain’s place in man’s search for identity, and his own sudden transition from doctor to patient. Kalanithi was a brilliant writer and examined difficult life questions through this book as he unflinchingly faced his own mortality. It is deeply moving to read and impossible to forget. Tears were pouring down my face as I read the last ten or so pages and I know I’ll be revisiting them.




Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan 

This was a jewel find of 2017, plus it has a great title, doesn’t it? Sullivan’s writing is cinematic and gripping and it will suck you in with this true story of an Italian teenage boy who becomes involved in Italy’s resistance movement during WWII. The story opens in the early 1940s on Pino, our hero, who really just wants a normal life. But the war soon necessitates that he move away from his family to a boys’ school run by a kindly Catholic priest. It’s through this school that he soon starts helping Jews escape over the Alps and into Switzerland, and later on, he becomes the personal chauffeur to one of Hitler’s chief executives by happenstance. From here, he has the chance to spy within Nazi high command. I’m so glad this story has now been written, for Pino was a true hero. You’ll laugh, cry, and tremble with suspense as you read his story.




The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman

And while we’re on the subject of WWII hero stories, here’s another one that made my favorites in 2017. You may be familiar with the film version of The Zookeeper’s Wife that came out last year, but as usual, I also recommend the book :) The heroes of this one were Jan and Antonina Zabinski, and their work with the resistance in Poland was truly remarkable. Their beautiful Warsaw Zoo was bombed early during the war, but throughout the rest of the war years, they worked to evacuate Jews and others at high risk. They hid people in their house and throughout the zoo, brought food and medical supplies to Jews trapped within the Warsaw Ghetto, and helped many more escape the country. It’s impossible to calculate the impact the Zabinskis had and I’m so glad to know their story. After I read the book, I had the honor of visiting the Holocaust Museum and seeing their names listed on a wall that honored those who helped Jews during WWII. Entirely fitting.



The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield 

This was apparently the year of the biography and memoir, because this memoir was another 2017 favorite. In this one, Rosaria Butterfield tells her personal journey of coming to the Christian faith. The short version is that it was not easy. In fact, it was marked by pain, grief, disappointment, and loss. Heavy losses. Loss of friends, career, home, respect, and much more. She describes her conversion as a train wreck in which she lost everything but the dog. But every page of this incredible account ensures the reader that it has been worth it. I’m so thankful for Rosaria and her gut-wrenching honesty. It challenges and edifies well.


How Harry Cast His Spell by John Granger 
Since I’m still relatively new to the Harry Potter books, I’ve been eager to learn all I can about Harry’s world and study the fun and hidden meanings in J.K. Rowling’s series. Her imagination blew me away continually as I read the books for the first time almost two years ago, and this book by John Granger gives even more insight into just how brilliant she was in constructing Harry’s story. Granger is humorous, engaging, and has more Potter mania in his little finger than the biggest superfan the internet could find. He carefully analyzes the series’ place in the English literary tradition, the story’s roots in alchemy, the spiritual keys in each book, the deep symbolism, the meanings of names, and so much more. The details he has pulled out and made accessible through this book will make Potter fans marvel afresh at the timeless, universal nature of Harry’s adventure. I know it made me love the series that much more.

The Black Moon by Winston Graham 

Yes, I’m still working through the Poldark series and I’ve now read up through book 7! However, book 5, The Black Moon, certainly won a special place in my heart. It has all the usual for Poldark – mining, feuds, politics, marriages, and more – but after the ringer of Warleggan, The Black Moon is a welcome respite for Ross and Demelza. They joke, laugh, tease, and raise their children happily together, and what a joy it is to watch. But it wouldn’t be Poldark without drama, and it’s found in the introduction of star-crossed lovers Drake Carne and Morwenna Chynoweth. These two, y’all. They’re my new favorites and their story is one of suspense, heartbreak, and the most enduring and pure love I’ve seen in a long time. Also notable to this volume is the prison break in France to free Dr. Dwight Enys. The order of events is changed a bit in the TV series, so if that’s your only exposure, please pick up the books! The rescue attempt and the subsequent homecoming occur toward the end of The Black Moon, and unlike the show, said homecoming is an extremely happy event. I read this one twice within 2017 and am working through rereading books 6 and 7 until season 4 airs later this year! Here’s to ever more Poldark, you guys. 

So, there are my 2017 favorites – what were yours? And what are you reading now? I’d love to hear what you’ve read in the last year and any recommendations you might have for me in 2018! Here’s the full list of 2017 titles I read and I can’t wait to hear all about your reading in the comments :)

My 2017 Reads:
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Stepping Out in Faith: Former Catholics Share Their Stories – edited by Mark Gilbert
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
The Black Moon by Winston Graham
The Four Swans by Winston Graham
The Secret Wife by Gill Paul
Victoria by Daisy Goodwin
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Dead Wake by Erik Larson
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
The Angry Tide by Winston Graham
Journey from Skioria by Kandi J. Wyatt
In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen
How Harry Cast His Spell by John Granger
Humility by C.J. Mahaney
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Reading People by Anne Bogel
Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield
The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell
Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Perelandra by C.S. Lewis
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan
The Beat on Ruby Street by Jenna Zark
Eight Women of Faith by Michael A.G. Haykin
The Ladies of Ivy Cottage by Julie Klassen
The Pleasures of God by John Piper
The Gospel at Work by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert 

Every so often, I come across a book about people who truly amaze me. We use that word so often that it’s lost much of its power, so I’m thankful for the stories of people who are genuine heroes and whose histories force readers to do a little self-evaluation. I want to share a few of those here today and hope you’ll comment or contact me to share your own favorites of this type. 

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 
A recent bestselling memoir by a brilliant neurosurgeon who was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer at the height of his career. I’ve known for a while that it takes a very unique person to be a neurosurgeon, but this book gives a glimpse into just how unique. Paul Kalanithi loved poetry, the science of the brain, people, his family, and considering the meaning of life, among many other things. In his memoir, he shares deep reflections and questions on purpose, life and death, humanity’s search for significance, and why we feel compelled to live differently when death suddenly becomes much closer. 

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand 
I’ve mentioned this book many times before, but it remains one of my favorites. It’s the incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic track runner and WWII bomber pilot. During a mission over the Pacific, he and two other crew members survived a plane crash and then floated on a crude raft for over a month. They caught fish, trapped rainwater, and fought off sharks to survive, only to be captured by the Japanese once they reached land. This is a tale of suffering and resilience that truly defies logic and Laura Hillenbrand’s writing is cinematic and compelling. 

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown 
Another extraordinary underdog story that I talk of often and is well worth continued conversation. This focuses on the nine-man rowing team from the University of Washington during the Great Depression. The Washington team was never expected to beat the elite East Coast teams, yet they not only did so, but also went on to defeat the German team during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, an event fraught with Nazi propaganda. Everything about this book had me glued – the history of rowing as a sport, the pure grit and determination of the team, the gripping race scenes, and perhaps more than anything, the bond between the nine team members. 

Fierce Convictions by Karen Swallow Prior 
This is the story of an unsung hero of England’s abolitionist movement. Hannah More was a poet, playwright, close friend of well-known abolitionist William Wilberforce, and proponent of education for women and the poor. When she saw something that she believed needed to change culturally, she took it upon herself to effect that change. She primarily used her pen to speak out against slavery, immorality, conditions of the poor, and much more. She championed social reform right alongside Wilberforce and worked tirelessly not only to promote the education of women and the lower classes, but taught them herself for many years in schools she helped establish. Men and women alike today could learn much from Hannah More. 

Seven Men by Eric Metaxas 
Eric Metaxas is one of my favorite contemporary authors and this collection of mini-biographies is an easy, humbling, and engaging read. He gives snapshots of the lives of George Washington, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, and Charles Colson. All of these men led incredibly different lives throughout many points of history, but Metaxas skillfully weaves them together with the common thread of sacrifice. And this, Metaxas argues, is what makes a great man great, and what we should continue to look for in our heroes. 

What books have inspired you? Is there anyone you would not have known about if you hadn’t come across a book about him or her? What books have caused you to reevaluate your life? I’d love to hear about it!

I’ve mentioned my favorite book of the year (so far, anyway…though I highly doubt it’ll be unseated) several times in past posts, but here’s my more detailed review that’s been a long time coming. The book that everyone should read, but should especially read this winter because it’s perfect for curling up with in winter, is Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber. 

A college friend recommended this book to me several years ago, but for whatever reason, I didn’t get around to it until a few months ago. I found it for 99 cents on Kindle, so I snagged it without much thought, but then proceeded to do little but read it for the next week or two. I’ve now read it a second time since then and will likely pick it up again before the year is out.

The Charming Basics 
This book is Carolyn Weber’s personal memoir of how she became a Christian while earning her Master’s degree in Romantic Literature at Oxford in England. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I started reading, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the transparency, grace, wit, and hopefulness that I ended up finding on every page. I honestly had to remind myself that it was a true story and not a novel. Though “suspenseful” doesn’t really fit the book’s genre, Carolyn’s narration does draw in the reader amazingly well, and every person she brings into the story feels like a significant character that you want to know better. I was amazed at the many specific conversations she was able to recount, the detailed inside looks into her thoughts and feelings that she gave, and the beautiful word pictures she painted of her experiences at Oxford. I felt particularly connected to Carolyn and the book because of her love of literature and the England setting. She uses both to their full advantage as she tells her story and I soaked up every bit of it so gladly.

What’s to Love 
I loved this book for its setting, its literary motif, its engaging narration and people, and so many other things. But underneath all of that, Carolyn’s honesty and joy as she shared her testimony went straight through any defenses I might have had up and touched me deeply. It encouraged my heart and strengthened my faith to read how she – a hardened feminist and agnostic at the outset – gradually accepted that her trust in self and reason were crumbling and that her only hope was Jesus. I was reminded that God pursues his children and meets them wherever they are. For Carolyn, that was in her books, her studies, her philosophy, and her need for reason. She discusses how she began reading the Bible partly from curiosity and partly from a cynical desire to find a chink in Christianity somewhere; but despite herself, she began to look forward to reading it and found it to be “the most compelling piece of creative non-fiction” she’d ever encountered. Additionally, there are so many people and conversations that she recounts in the book that seem inconsequential at first, but later clearly prove to be tools the Lord was using to soften her and draw her to Himself. Early this year was a difficult season for me, so I’m really thankful for how Carolyn’s story encouraged me to remember that our Lord purposefully saves and strengthens His children, no matter how far gone they seem or how discouraged they may be in their faith. 

Why it’s Perfect for Winter 
There’s England and literature…what more can I say?! Granted, these are perfect for any time of year, but who doesn’t love a good book by a blazing fire in December? What’s more, Oxford apparently goes all out during the holidays, and Carolyn gives it in glorious detail. I loved picturing Oxford covered in snow and Christmas lights. And the change from winter to spring in the book’s timeline fits well with the spiritual awakening she was experiencing. She describes a number of significant turning points in her conversion that occurred during the Christmas and winter period, and her descriptions are so vivid and aesthetic that it’s easy to imagine you’re right there with her. I felt like I was a guest right across the table from Carolyn at the splendid Christmas “high table” dinner for Oxford elites, an event where she wound up in a conversation about God’s existence and His part in the world. When she talked about her first Christmas break back home in Canada, I could almost feel the cozy fire in the log cabin where she took the painful, courageous step of breaking up with her longtime boyfriend. And I rejoiced with her as I read her description of the sunrise that broke over the frost on her first Easter morning as a Christian. Just talking about it right now makes me want to grab the book and some hot chocolate and find a nice fire somewhere. Do yourself a favor and get on it too :) 

Thank you, Carolyn, for sharing your story. I’m thankful for how the Lord has used it to deepen my own faith. And what a treat it was for me to visit Oxford this year and see so many of the places described in the book come to life! I’ll leave you with a few more Oxford pictures and some favorite quotes from the book.

No individual, by the very state of existence, can avoid life as a form of servitude; it only remains for us to decide, deny, or remain oblivious to, whom or what we serve. 

An education forced is no education at all. 

I’m like an addict when it comes to books. Compelled to read, understand, savor, wrangle with, be moved by, learn to live from these silent companions who speak so loudly. 

Self-worth that is subject to others’ judgments remains alive only as long as the delay of condemnations. 

As I aimed to become a teacher, God made me a student. My spirit as a questioner does not affront Him; rather, it reflects Him, and honors Him, and pulls me toward Him.

Ahh, teaching literature. A noble calling! For we are all stories.

[The Bible] unwinds and recasts the world and our perception of it: that the Holy Grail is more likely to be the wooden cup of a carpenter than the golden chalice of kings. “No wonder this stuff causes war,” I thought as I read, “between nations and within each of us.”

Photo Credit: Wallpapers Wide

Every two years, we’re treated to the epic talent and competition that comprise the Olympics, and I’m a huge fan. I love the summer and winter games alike and follow a few sports from each pretty closely. Whether it’s this seemingly magical flipping from the gymnasts, this incredible artistry from ice dancing and ice skating, or this superhuman speed in the pool, we can all agree that the Olympics showcase truly admirable skill that’s worth noticing.

So, I’ve been enjoying the Rio games over the past week or so, and the athletes are wildly impressive as usual, and it’s also offered a nice reprieve in a way. It’s fun to see the Olympics all over the news for a little while instead of violence, terrorism, and politics, and they also get me hyped in a good way. Since the games are concluding soon, I started thinking about inspirational sports stories that would fit well with the Olympic time of year and make the hype last a little longer! These are some of my favorites here as well as a few that are on my to-do list. Let me know what you think! 

To Watch

The Blind Side 
Who doesn’t love Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy, I wanna know? She truly shines as this well-known, successful mom and designer who took in Michael Oher, a young man who was born in the Memphis projects and spent most of his childhood in foster care. Leigh Anne and her husband Sean adopted Michael during his late teens and encouraged his unique gifting in football, eventually seeing him play in college and professionally. 

42 
A masterfully told account of Jackie Robinson, the first African American man to play professional baseball. Harrison Ford turns in a particularly quality performance as Jackie’s team manager. The film is thoughtful, honest, emotional, humorous, and addresses difficult content with excellence. 

Cinderella Man 
One of my favorite movies, and probably my all-time favorite inspirational sports film. James J. Braddock was a successful professional boxer in the 1920s, but a hand injury and the Great Depression threatened his career, as the movie so poignantly tells. As the film unfolds, uncertainty and poverty become new normals for James and his wife Mae and their three children. But the Braddocks cling to perseverance and family unity even when the odds are sharply against them. Yes, this is a story about a man who made a remarkable comeback and left a mark on professional boxing, but it’s also a film about hardship, courage, and how family love can sustain the human spirit through incredible difficulty. Russell Crowe and Renée Zellweger are true joys to watch as James and Mae.

To Read

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown 
This is a book I’ve mentioned before (it made my list of good book club picks!) and will likely keep mentioning, as I now consider it one of my favorite books ever. A riveting account of the nine-man American rowing team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, The Boys in the Boat is a true underdog story with spirit and suspense. The nine boys on the team were from the University of Washington in Seattle and entered the Olympics with many factors against them, not to mention that these particular Olympics were staged for Nazi propaganda. You will cry and cheer from your reading spot as you see the courage and incredible teamwork on display through these guys. 

For the Glory by Duncan Hamilton 
One of my current reads and I’m loving it! Most of us know Eric Liddell from the film Chariots of Fire – he was a remarkably fast runner known as the “Flying Scotsman,” and he shocked the world when he withdrew from his best event in the 1924 Olympics because it interfered with Sunday worship. He further stunned audiences when he won gold in an event in which he had considerably less skill. But what the movie lacks this book brings to light – after his Olympic success, Liddell bypassed opportunities for fame and money and served as a missionary in China for the rest of his life. Even in his final years in a Japanese internment camp, he was known for his kindness, prayerful attitude, and sacrificial service to those around him. I’m looking forward to better “knowing” this Eric Liddell through the pages of this book. 

Greater than Gold by David Boudia 
On my to-read list! This one came out just this month to tie in with the Rio games; current Olympic diver David Boudia shares his personal testimony in it. This is his third time to represent the USA at the Olympics, and what I’ve read of his story so far is equally encouraging and challenging. He shares in detail in this book how he used to dive for fame, human praise, and pride in himself. But he came to know Jesus after the 2008 Beijing games, and that has radically transformed his motivation and focus in diving. I can’t wait to read his story in full. Check out this interview for a taste, and watch David and his teammate Steele Johnson in the individual diving events tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday during NBC’s prime time! 

What are your favorite inspirational sports stories? Have you been enjoying the Rio Olympics? What have been your favorite parts to watch? I'd love to hear in comments!

Fans of C.S. Lewis, this one’s for you! Hence the "Inklings" reference in the title. It’s been a while since I’ve discussed my recent reading, and I now have a few that I’m SO excited to share. And C.S. Lewis happened to keep popping up in the books I’ve been reading lately, so this round-up will focus on those. Let me know what you think! 

A Grief Observed and The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis

These two Lewis works are often paired, though they were written at very different times. The Problem of Pain came first, and in his typically brilliant fashion, Lewis examines and argues the purpose of life’s pain and the roles of God and man in it. I’m still in the middle of this book, and it’s one of those that makes me stop every few paragraphs and go, “Okay, whoa. Let me read that thought twelve more times to fully appreciate it.” I love the way he thinks and how eloquently he addresses every argument someone could come up with. He takes the most complex questions and explains them in a way anyone could understand. 

On the other hand, A Grief Observed is a much more personal work. The Problem of Pain is philosophical and argument-based, but A Grief Observed is a collection of diary entries he compiled as he faced the tangible pain of his wife’s death. C.S. Lewis remains such a hero of Christianity and such a philosophical giant that it can be easy to set him apart, but this little book reminds you that he had his doubts, struggles, and pains just like anyone else. The grief he expresses in it is raw and the questions he asks in it are difficult and even shocking. It was a heavier read, but a beneficial, thoughtful, and necessary one at the same time. 

A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War by Joseph Loconte

This had been on my TBR list for ages, and I finally read it last month as the “book I’ve been meaning to read” for the 2016 Reading Challenge. It’s a fascinating look at the background of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, particularly World War I. I recently mentioned it and promised more on it soon, so here you go! It made history enjoyable for me, which is always a plus. The focus on World War I was interesting, from the details of trench warfare to the cultural philosophies that blossomed as a result of it. Both of these aspects of the war had unmistakable influence on Lewis and Tolkien’s writings, and reading this book showed me just how much influence it was. For example, Loconte pointed out that the battle sequences in The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings have undeniable shades of trench warfare in their descriptions. And one of my favorite parallels is that Tolkien’s beloved character of Samwise Gamgee was based on the English foot soldiers Tolkien knew during the war. 

Another aspect I loved in this book was the heavy emphasis on Lewis and Tolkien’s friendship. I knew previously that they were close, but the extent of it as revealed in this book was truly touching. They were spiritual encouragers for one another and loyal supporters of each other’s books. I loved reading about their late-night chats and critiques of their works. Oh, to have been a neutral observer during one of those chats! 

Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir by Carolyn Weber

As I like to do, I’ve saved my favorite for last. This is one of my new favorite books. While it’s not by C.S. Lewis or even about him directly, his presence is strongly felt in it since literature and Oxford are such central themes. Carolyn Weber is a thoughtful, witty literature professor, and this is her story of her conversion to faith in Christ, which took place while she studied abroad at Oxford. She arrived there as a hard, embittered agnostic and feminist, but throughout her time there, God was clearly pursuing and softening her. It’s an encouraging, strengthening story to read as a fellow Christ follower, and touching, humorous, and entertaining to boot. 

Honestly, I had to remind myself many times that this book was a memoir and not fiction. Though a true story, it reads like a fast-paced novel and I couldn’t put it down! I was amazed at how well Weber recalled so many fascinating conversations and poignant events. Its focus on literature and the England setting also clearly hit some sweet spots for me. Read this book. You will be better for it as I know I now am! It’s moving, uplifting, and made me think seriously and laugh out loud in public. 


What have you been reading lately? Have you read any of the above? What did you think? I’d love to hear!

Many people get defensive when a man attempts to write about womanhood or a woman tries to write about manhood. Insisting that only men understand men and women understand women, skeptics can hastily dismiss thoughts from the opposite sex because knowledge can now only be experientially based. But in the process, I think they miss treasure troves of wisdom. A large part of being a man or woman involves maneuvering interaction with the opposite sex, does it not? Men and women can therefore offer each other priceless insight that couldn’t be found among one sex or the other. But tackling a writing project of this sort still requires special balance, tenderness, and respect. Eric Metaxas does so astonishingly well in his new book, Seven Women.

This volume is the long-anticipated follow-up to Eric Metaxas' wildly popular book Seven Men, which I've previously written about and highly recommend. He now examines Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Hannah More, Maria Skobtsova, Corrie ten Boom, Rosa Parks, and Mother Teresa. As I read about the lives of these incredible women, I was faintly reminded of Elisabeth Elliot’s book Let Me Be A Woman. In his admirable winsome style, Metaxas argues in his presentation of these women that it is their uniquely feminine qualities that helped them accomplish what they did. In his introduction, he suggests that the men studied in Seven Men were not compared to women, so why should these women be compared to men? And the seven women he examines were respected by men because of their femininity, not in spite of it. In Let Me Be A Woman, Elisabeth Elliot makes a similar argument – why do we think women have to compete with or do the same things as men in order to achieve something great? So she asks simply, “let me be a woman” in the book, arguing that modern feminism actually strips women of what it means to be a woman, thereby demeaning them, not empowering them. Eric Metaxas’ book presents compelling portraits of these seven women because he does “let them be women,” and he extends that same courtesy to his female readers. I walked away from this book deeply encouraged and inspired. It celebrates femininity and shows that these women could not have done all they did were it not for their womanhood. He is wise, informed, respectful, and generous in his analysis.

It’s hard to know where to start when I try to pick favorite parts from Seven Women! I think my favorite women to read about were probably Hannah More, Corrie ten Boom, and Rosa Parks. I knew some about Corrie ten Boom and Rosa Parks, but this book opened my eyes to so much more of who they were and the influence they had. Hannah More recently became a new heroine of mine after I read a biography on her called Fierce Convictions, which I’ve also previously written about and also cannot recommend enough. But I still loved reading about her from a man’s perspective, and her story is worth revisiting many times over. I’ll now leave the details of all the remarkable women in this book for your personal discovery, but here are a few passages from the introduction that resonated with me and are so needed in these times we’re in.

“The stories of these great women show us that men and women are not interchangeable. There are things men can and should do that women cannot, and there are things that women can and should do that men cannot. So comparing men and women is something like comparing apples and oranges, except apples and oranges are actually far more like each other than are men and women. Apples and oranges can exist without each other, but men and women cannot. Men and women were deliberately designed to be different. Indeed we are specifically created as complements to each other, as different halves of a whole, and that whole reflects the glory of God.”

“Whether we like it or not, men and women are inextricably intertwined. Because the Bible says we are made in God’s image…the fortunes of one are so linked to the fortunes of the other that there is no way to lift one without lifting the other and no way to degrade one without degrading the other. So whenever men have used their positions of authority or their power to denigrate women, they have denigrated themselves and have denied themselves the fullness of manhood God intended for them. When women have tried to ape the behavior of power-hungry men, they have degraded themselves and denied themselves the dignity of being above that vulgar fray.” 

“Each era has the fatal hubris to believe that it has once and for all climbed to the top of the mountain and can see everything as it is, from the highest and most objective point vantage point possible. But to assert that ours is the only blinker-less view of things is to blither fatuousness. We need to delve into the past to know that we have not progressed to any point of perfection and objectivity, and in examining the lives of these seven women, we are doing just that. We see that our view of many things, not least our view of how women can be great, is fatally tinged by our own cultural assumptions.” 

Today I’ve got a slight variation on “Eloquent Finds,” but as I thought about this idea, I liked it more and more. I’ve recently come across so many articles, videos, and photos that have lately graced the Internet and want to share the love! I’m also making headway on my reading list (who knows if I’ll ever actually finish it) and am excited to share a few reviews. So, right on time for the weekend, I hereby present new Internet happiness and books to check out. Enjoy and relax with all of these and more this weekend!

WEEKEND LINKS
Downton Abbey Cast Says Goodbye
Filming has wrapped for Downton Abbey’s sixth season (sniff!), and the cast has jumped on board with the hashtag #LastDaysOfDownton, posting numerous photos (some tearful!) on Instagram and Twitter to bid farewell to each other and the familiar sets. It’s emotional and heartwarming at the same time. We all love to see actors cast as a family acting like a family off-set too, and the Downton cast certainly does that! My favorites have appeared on the Instagram accounts of Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley) and Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates). A few nights ago at the BAFTA ceremony honoring the show, Miss Dockery even shared a picture of an old and dear Downton face we haven’t seen in a while! ;) Be still my beating heart!

Downton Abbey Cast at the BAFTA Tribute:
~Red Carpet Photos
~Cast Reunion & Videos
~Video
These actors know how to stun in the 21st century too. Past and present Downton cast members arrived on the red carpet in London for a special tribute to Downton Abbey from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). They all look fabulous, and in the videos, several actors also hint that the audience will be very pleased with the conclusion of the series, and we certainly hope they’re right! (I’m trusting you all, Jim, Laura, and Lily! :P)

Anne of Green Gables Themed Wedding
If you’ve not seen this yet (or hey, even if you have!), I dare you to try not to smile when you look at it. It is sweetness and innocence defined, and classic literary perfection brought to life. 

Modern Mrs. Darcy: 100 Dreams
Anne Bogel at Modern Mrs. Darcy is one of my new favorite bloggers. She obviously loves books and classic lit, and she also has many good insights on family, relationships, personality and emotion, and lifestyle issues. This recent post of hers is very thought-provoking and suggests a worthwhile practice. Still considering what it might look like for me! 

Ani Bundel: Poldark Headwear
Get ready to laugh for this one. This blogger wrote two extremely humorous posts on the abundance of headwear you see in Masterpiece’s new series, Poldark. There’s one for the women’s hats and ribbons, and another for the men’s hats and wigs. She not only is hilarious, but also draws attention to many details I hadn’t noticed before!

Desiring God: Pull the Mask off of Fear
Needed this one this week. Sometimes it’s difficult to see how fear manifests itself, or how much of a hold it has on you. It can also be hard to understand why fear can be so controlling. This article speaks wisely into all of those things. It’s helpful, convicting, and encouraging, and helps you think about the roots of your fear.

ON MY SHELF LATELY
The Help by Kathryn Stockett:
This was my recent accomplishment in the category of “been-meaning-to-read-that-one.” I’d heard the movie was good too and will watch it soon, but I’m so glad I read the book first! It’s one of my new favorites, mainly because of the three main characters and because of how well Kathryn Stockett tackles a difficult subject. Her writing is personal, humorous, emotional, and honest. I had a hard time picking a favorite character because the three primary ones are all so likable. Abilene, Skeeter, and Minny were all my friends by the end, and all for very different reasons. The personalities, fears, and joys of these women are well-known to the reader by the end, and they make you laugh, cry, and hope throughout the whole story. I intend to own this one soon for sure! Check it out here on Amazon.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand:

Another one I intend to own. The book tells the true story of Louie Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and then bomber pilot in World War II. Louie’s plane crashed in the Pacific, and he and two others survived, ending up drifting in a raft for over a month. They fought off sharks, caught fish and birds, and trapped rainwater to survive. When they finally reached land, Louie was then held as a prisoner of war in Japan for two years. Admittedly, I’d been initially uncertain about this one. WWII is not my favorite historical genre, so I didn’t prioritize it. But recently, a flight attendant friend of mine said she’d read it on a 9-hour flight without once setting it down, and that perked me up. A dynamic story will hold me, regardless of the setting, so I checked it out from the library, and then proceeded to devour every word of its 450+ pages in less than a week. I even read the lengthy author’s note in the back. Laura Hillenbrand’s writing is truly gripping and cinematic. Her descriptions are vivid and the characters’ emotions are raw and heart-wrenching. Though the book is basically a documentary, it’s unbelievably engaging. The research is impressively thorough, and the volume of information included could have easily made it read like a textbook, but it is a compelling page-turner. The story is inspiring, humbling, and is a remarkable testimony to the strength and resilience of the human spirit and will. I couldn’t put it down and wept like a baby at the end. Can’t recommend it highly enough!  

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr:
This is my current read. Haven’t gotten very far, but I’m becoming intrigued. Set in World War II, it follows two primary characters. Marie-Laure is a young blind girl from Paris, and her father works for the Museum of Natural History there, and the museum holds a stunning jewel said to have mysterious powers. Meanwhile, in Germany lives a young orphan boy named Werner with a special talent for building and fixing radios. His gift leads him to a place with the Hitler Youth, and as the war progresses, these two characters’ stories meet dramatically. At least I’m expecting so :) If you’ve read it, hit me up and we can have a nerd-out when I’m finished. 

That's all for now! Happy weekend, one and all.

You knew this was coming, right? :) Since much of this blog focuses on England and its dramas and literature, I thought it appropriate to finish out this series on biographies with a post on Jane Austen, the lady who started it all for me (Check out previous posts here, here, here, and here). I recently finished a biography on her that I’d been interested in for a while and was impressed. It’s called Jane Austen: A Life and written by Claire Tomalin. There is scant surviving material on Jane Austen's life, so I was grateful for this well-crafted biography that made the most of what is still around. It allowed me a glimpse into this author who has become a hero of quality writing for me.

In high school, I read a novelization of Austen’s life called Just Jane, but I knew much of it would have to be speculation since so few of her letters and diaries remain. The movie Becoming Jane that stars Anne Hathaway as Austen is similar – I enjoyed it, but watched it knowing upfront that it was almost entirely fictitious. This biography gives a more realistic and hands-on view into Austen’s life. I appreciate Claire Tomalin’s thorough research on the Austen family and the events surrounding their lives. The book is thick with Austen family history and important historical events of the time period, but she combines it with an engaging narrative style and throws in her opinions at times too, making it pretty easy to read.

It’s fairly well-known that very few of Jane Austen’s personal diaries and letters have survived, so I was amazed at how much the reader is able to infer about her from Claire Tomalin’s research and the few remaining personal writings of Austen that she includes in the book. Some people could be put off by the volume of hard facts in it, but I think they’re presented well, and as a whole, they give a vivid picture of how Austen grew up and lived. There are details about her family, neighbors and acquaintances, friends, and the different homes she lived in throughout her life, so you can understand much more of what had to have influenced her writing choices and style. I especially enjoyed reading excerpts from her few surviving letters that are included in the book. They drip with that light, dry sense of humor for which people love Jane Austen, and they usually are directly tied to what she was going through, so it shows how her life was influencing her attitude and writing, even though none of her books are distinctly autobiographical.  

I also enjoyed reading about her immediate family; she was the seventh out of eight children, and one of only two girls within that. I found her brothers and their families pretty fascinating, and she and her sister Cassandra, who also never married, were always extremely close. It was fascinating to read about and to envision the dynamic of the family as the children grew up, as well as how she developed into the writer we now know her to be. The different facets of what we know about her personality are emphasized well in this biography. In one chapter, you can easily picture her running and laughing with her brothers in the countryside where they grew up, but in the next, she’s quietly sitting at her desk and steadily writing the masterpieces for which so many now love her. But the books argues that in all the pieces of Austen’s personality, she was always unpretentious and never planned to be as beloved as she is, clear in how she initially published her works anonymously. She simply wrote because she wanted and needed to, but quietly influenced history and the world of literature in the process. I know I'm so very glad she did!

And after a bit of a break, we’re back for the fourth installment of the “Heroes for the Books” series, which has featured biographies that are informative, encouraging, and inspiring. So far, I’ve talked about William Wilberforce, Hannah More, and Eric Liddell. I’m convinced that we need to remember and emulate men and women from the past who lived fully and with conviction. While Wilberforce, More, and Liddell were not perfect, they showed great courage and used the positions entrusted to them to make a difference. Today, I want to introduce another man like this who, like Eric Liddell, is one of the men highlighted in Eric Metaxas’ excellent biography, 7 Men: And the Secret of their Greatness. As I’ve said, I could ramble forever about all of the men discussed in it, but I’ve picked two to keep it simple. Eric Liddell was one, and the other is Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play major-league baseball. If you’re a baseball fan, you’ve likely known of him for a while. Or you may have met him through the movie 42, which I also highly recommend. But Metaxas’ book tells Jackie Robinson’s story personally and with intensity. As I read, I got angry at the injustice he faced and marveled at the strength he showed. When I think about Jackie Robinson now, the phrase “quiet courage” comes to mind quickly. He exemplified it with truly remarkable humility and self-control, and he changed baseball and the American sports mindset because of it.

Jackie Robinson possessed athletic prowess from an early age. He pursued multiple sports throughout his teen years, and in college, he lettered in baseball, football, track, and basketball. He also received an officer commission upon the rise of World War II. Both in sports and in the army, he faced racial prejudice and malicious discrimination. He became known for his sharp tongue and abrupt temper. But simultaneously, a growing faith in God was teaching him that the proper response to injustice was not outrage, but winsomeness and love. He had no idea what he was being prepared for. In the early 1940s, the spitfire manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers was thinking hard about how to integrate major-league baseball. His name was Branch Rickey, and he maneuvered the situation with truly genius method. Just have to mention: in the movie 42, Harrison Ford plays this guy, and it was probably one of my favorite things about it. If you weren’t interested before, you should be now. You’re welcome. Moving on. So, Branch Rickey of course discovered Jackie Robinson in a detective manner and explained his dream of integration. Jackie was stunned, but willing. Rickey got to his primary question in truly poignant terms. I can’t improve upon the way Eric Metaxas narrates in 7 Men here: 

“What he meant, [Rickey] explained, was that if Jackie were to become major-league baseball’s first black player, he would be in for a tremendous amount of abuse, both verbal and physical.

 

Jackie said he was sure he could face up to whatever came his way. He wasn’t afraid of anyone and had been in any number of fistfights over the years when anyone had challenged him.

But Rickey had something else in mind. ‘I know you’re a good ballplayer,’ Rickey said. ‘What I don’t know is whether you have the guts.’ Rickey knew he meant something dramatically different from what Robinson was thinking, so he continued, ‘I’m looking,’ Rickey said, ‘for a ballplayer with guts enough *not to fight back.*’” (126)

As I read Jackie’s story in this biography, my modern eyes were opened to just how much guts that meant. The abuse he endured was truly ferocious and would be unthinkable to repeat in civilized conversation now. But through it all, he held to his commitment to never retaliate. By human standards, he would have had every right to hit and shout back, and there were certainly times that he came close. Not only did he suffer brutal verbal mistreatment, but opposing players also hit and kicked him, threw pitches into his head, and gashed his legs with their spikes. But miraculously, Jackie always held his temper, and he gave all the credit to God. The biography notes that every night, he would fall to his knees and beg the Lord for strength; he knew that what he had to do was impossible on his own. Matthew 5:38-41 was his theme –

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.”

Jackie Robinson lived out “turn the other cheek” more literally than most of us can imagine now. As I read, I was amazed at his courage. In a culture that equates manliness with force and physical dominance, I was so refreshed to read about a man who is remembered precisely because he laid down his right to fight back. He demonstrated that courage and manhood also require forgiveness and gracious silence in the face of offense, and his countercultural attitude changed the face of sports and the country for the better.