In her best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo recommends maintaining a personal library of JUST 30 BOOKS! No way that would bring me any joy. That being said, I spent several days this week purging my personal library — something I do every five years, each time letting go of approximately 200 books. In the past, I’ve donated those books to the local library. This year, I am donating them to the local elementary school PTA Labor Day Book Sale.
I thought I was doing well until I read about the personal library of a writer I respect who prides herself on maintaining a library of 500 books. That’s how many books of poetry I own!
And then there’s memoir — I did manage to let go of 16 of those . . .
And now — please note that I’m whispering — my 50+ collection of books on the Holocaust, cleverly disguised behind happy things!
My entire book collection now totals nearly 1,500 books, and yo, Kondo — they bring me joy.
Thank you all, for the kind and encouraging comments you posted a week ago when I revealed that I was struggling with what Kelly called, “cratering depression.” Purging my library seemed to lift some of the weight of that depression, if for no other reason, I now have room for all of my poetry.
Also, I finally have clarity on the condition of my knees. I posted about that on Facebook, and I won’t repeat the details here. I’ll just say that I have many miles to walk and many mornings to stretch before I have knee replacements, if I ever have knees replacements.
One of you who had surgery this week is doing well, but let’s keep her in our prayers. Another of you still struggles with a host of physical and mental health challenges; yet another with a crippling and virulent form of chronic fatigue syndrome. We’re all in this together.
I’ll post in a bit about what books I’m reading now. Until then, please share what’s on your reading list. Love to all.
My present non-fiction regimen:
FIGHT LIKE A MOTHER by Shannon Watts — a birthday gift from Beth:
https://www.amazon.com/Fight-like-Mother-Grassroots-Movement/dp/0062892568/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3910UK25ZPPHV&keywords=fight+like+a+mother+shannon+watts&qid=1565960274&s=gateway&sprefix=Fight+li%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRVVaQTAxQUFRUDVEJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzUwMDg3Q0lFTEFWNVAyTkpLJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NTkyNjYxNzdPM09CQU83QUJTJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
HOLY ENVY by Barbara Brown Taylor — a birthday gift from Carol:
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Envy-Finding-Faith-Others/dp/0062888153/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RW0K7EX3V9TM&keywords=holy+envy+barbara+brown+taylor+paperback&qid=1565960368&s=gateway&sprefix=holy+en%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-1
HOW FASCISM WORKS by Jason Stanley:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Fascism-Works-Politics-Them/dp/0525511830/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ZZ3YQQTISWPK&keywords=how+fascism+works&qid=1565960426&s=gateway&sprefix=how+fascia%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-1
THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE FREE: The Germans, 1933-45 by Milton Mayer:
https://www.amazon.com/They-Thought-Were-Free-Germans/dp/022652583X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RPDG2VNO2K0F&keywords=they+thought+they+were+free&qid=1565960473&s=gateway&sprefix=THEY+THOUGH%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-1
My present memoir regimen:
SMALL FRY by Lisa Brennan-Jobs (Steve Jobs daughter):
https://www.amazon.com/Small-Fry-Lisa-Brennan-Jobs-ebook/dp/B07D9W7ZYS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1Z5RNJLGJI9DU&keywords=small+fry+by+lisa+brennan+jobs&qid=1565960603&s=gateway&sprefix=small+fry%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-2
HOW TO FORGET: A Daughter’s Memoir by Kate Mulgrew (yes, the actress. Who knew she was such a terrific writer?):
https://www.amazon.com/How-Forget-Daughters-Kate-Mulgrew/dp/0062846817/ref=sr_1_1?crid=12J3O4SIFS77W&keywords=how+to+forget+kate+mulgrew&qid=1565960712&s=gateway&sprefix=how+to+forget%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-1
And an absolutely HYSTERICAL SPOOF of a memoir, first published in the United Kingdom in 1924 — another birthday gift from Beth:
https://www.amazon.com/Augustus-Carp-Esq-Autobiography-Really/dp/1541283910/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=augustus+carp%2C+Esq.+Henry+Howarth+Bashford&qid=1565960827&s=gateway&sr=8-1
My present poetry regimen:
I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT FIRE by Majorie Saiser — a birthday gift from Beth:
https://www.amazon.com/Have-Nothing-Say-About-Fire/dp/1935218395/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1CTRH2FWV06VO&keywords=marjorie+saiser&qid=1565961035&s=gateway&sprefix=majorie+saiser%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-2
THE BOOK OF KELLS by Barbara Crooker — a birthday gift from Carol:
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Kells-Barbara-Crooker/dp/1532606389/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1PBNOJTEMPBFI&keywords=barbara+crooker+book+of+kells&qid=1565961096&s=gateway&sprefix=Barbara+crooked%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFRNFVXSVpBMTlJWDcmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA3MTEyNDIyUlg3VThSVzBEVThUJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NDM1MzNNM0g5TTFPVUZNWDImd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
BROWN by Kevin Young — a holiday gift from Adrienne:
https://www.amazon.com/Brown-Poems-Kevin-Young/dp/1524732540/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EKGJYMO2IZ5W&keywords=brown+kevin+young&qid=1565961139&s=gateway&sprefix=brown+kevin%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-1
ALL OF IT SINGING: New and Selected Poems by Linda Gregg:
https://www.amazon.com/All-Singing-New-Selected-Poems/dp/155597578X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=GCZZVX6CNB1V&keywords=linda+gregg+collected+poems&qid=1565961189&s=gateway&sprefix=Linda+gregg%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-2
RIDICULOUS LIGHT by Valencia Robin:
https://www.amazon.com/Ridiculous-Light-Poems-Valencia-Robin/dp/0892554967/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QUZE1IIMV5KE&keywords=valencia+robin&qid=1565961233&s=gateway&sprefix=valencia+ro%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-1
DEVOTIONS: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver:
https://www.amazon.com/Devotions-Selected-Poems-Mary-Oliver/dp/0399563245/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1NTQHMGJ51XA5&keywords=devotions+mary+oliver&qid=1565961279&s=gateway&sprefix=devotions+mary+olive%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-3
POEMS OF DEVOTION: An Anthology of Recent Poets, edited by Luke Hankins — a birthday gift from Carol in 2018:
https://www.amazon.com/Poems-Devotion-Anthology-Recent-Poets/dp/1610977122/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=poems+of+devotion+luke+hankins&qid=1565961334&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Obviously, my favorite indoor sport is collecting and reading books.
Thank you for donating books. My strategy is a little different. I give books away almost every month and cull the shelves once or twice a year, donating them either to our library foundation or to a local scholarship fund book sale. I have never counted our books. If I did, I suspect I would be appalled and cull further.
On the two-day drive out to Wisconsin I listened to a memoir “Born With Teeth” by Kate Mulgrew and a non-fiction audio book, “The Woman Who Smashed Codes” by Jason Fagone. Highly recommend the second one.
I am currently reading “Protest Kitchen” by Carol Adams and Virginia Messina. Next on my stack are “How to Do Nothing” by Jenny Odell and “Unsheltered” by Barbara Kingsolver. I did not realize until writing them down that much of my current reading, whether nonfiction or novel, embraces some aspect of protest or resistance.
For the ride home, the audiobook of the Mueller report!
Beth — I like your strategy and will try and discipline myself to give away fewer books more often. I’ve never really counted my ENTIRE library, but now that you think that you’d be appalled by the number of books you have, I ought to be mortified. Still, I like looking at them sitting there on my shelves, all in alphabetical order according to genre. I take several to bed with me. Needless to say, they make strange bedfellows.
Because I’m enjoying Mulgrew’s, “How to Forget” so much — do you think I would like, “Born With Teeth”? I notice that you didn’t recommend it. I recall reading a very positive review of “The Woman Who Smashed Codes” when it first came out nearly two years ago. Bet it’s going to be made into a motion picture starring, oh, I don’t know — Cate Blanchett?
Head’s up — the Mueller Report isn’t very well written. I’m curious what you think of the audio. Let me know. Thanks for posting!
Hey Sharon – To answer your question, If you are enjoying Mulgrew’s newest you will probably enjoy Born With Teeth. She’s a good writer, but I find her to be pretty narcissistic. Our book group is slated to read her newest memoir this year, but it was not at my library on audio, so I decided to begin with her first.
Thanks, Beth. I’ll see if my local library has Born With Teeth. Not sure I want to buy it, though I don’t regret buying How to Forget.
Just finished “The Weight of Ink,” by Rachel Kadish. A delightful historical novel, reminding me of the difficult story of women through the centuries. Re-reading Kingsolver’s “Poisonwood Bible.” Slowly working my way through “Braiding Sweetgrass,” by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a delightful account of Native Americans’ care for creation. Finishing up Manschreck’s “A History of Christianity in the World.” This latter has been a multi-year read, as I’ve been charting this sometimes sad, sometimes joyous, always complicated, history on my laptop. R.S. Thomas’ “Collected Later Poems” begins and ends my days.
Good for you for all the sorting and giving away. I’ve done some. My husband finds it impossible to do, so we still have a house weighed down with way too many books.
Carol — you certainly do like your sweeping historical novels. Head hanging low, I had never heard of “The Weight of Ink.” “Poisonwood Bible” is certainly worth re-reading, if for nothing else, the amazing palindromes! And where did you ever hear of “Braiding Sweetgrass”? I looked it up on Amazon. Speaking of which, there is absolutely no description or much other data about Manschreck’s book on Amazon. It is only available from third-party sellers. I noticed it was first published in 1965. Have you been working your way through it since then?
No, not since 1965. Just the past few years–one of my retirement projects. Have met some fascinating people, as well as some very disturbing ones. Have also found my faith understanding expanded in this project. I began listing “heresies” for each century. I have gone back and changed that heading to “non-orthodox views.” Who knows where truth might lay hidden?!
Carol—why this particular history of Christianity? I’ve always wanted to read a good one.
Quite honestly, I don’t remember why I bought this one when I did, either in seminary or shortly after. Maybe a prof recommended it? It’s been quite good, I think, but I suspect there are more recent ones. I have also “The Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity,” edited by John McManners, but it’s a heavy book to handle physically. I’ve used it some, and I do think it offers a helpful integration of Christianity with culture(s). A very well-read friend really liked it, but I found it difficult to handle from a sofa position–too heavy! In addition, I liked some of the specifics on people and doctrinal positions that I think Manschreck spelled out a little more clearly.