Random Books Post: Wrapping Up from 2019

I’ll be posting soon with my New Year’s Looking Back & Looking Forward posts, but I wanted to get this random book stack catalogued and onto my shelves first.  Not all of these will live with me for a long time, but some of these just came into my hands and I thought I’d rather read them or look at them as not.

I have never heard of this author but the book looks so interesting.

Not sure why a man finished writing this.

Contemplative Christianity… I’m (usually) in.

A Christian novel about Godiva? Hmm… Author’s family history tied into it has me intrigued.

I’ve parted with my LOR series, but I do keep on a few of Tolkien’s minor works.

I’m not sure if I’ll like this one or not, but Terry Kay has been catching my attention.

Right up my alley!

I have happy memories of reading this series when I was around 8 years old.

Seeking to understand the British way of life and mentality.

Vintage book which also came with The Heart of Midlothian.

Will be a short look-through.

Not sure if I’ll glean anything from this, but it was free.

I loved this book years ago!

This is Part 1.

Seeking to eat healthier…

I am definitely making room for reading this book this year!

I don’t come from a liturgical church background and just would like to know more.

I haven’t read anything by this author yet, but these books are intriguing. They are a sort of mixed media epistolary.

Because I’m not.

Oooh! I can’t wait to read this!

This looks to be a later and better edition that the one I originally read.

In honor of my own dear Raggedy Ann.

I am now the proud owner of a Cook’s Illustrated tome.

Interesting coffee table book.

An unusual acquistion for me as I usually don’t read contemporary secular memoirs. But I’m curious.

Well, when the books were basically .05 a piece, I couldn’t very well leave it behind.

Disappointed to find a serious crack in this spine. 😦

I’m amazed at the wonder of paper craft and hope I can make my own creations some day.

My series collection is complete!

To healthify my second brain.

Quentin Schultz’ forward hooked me here.

I was so happy to come across a few Raggedy Ann books at the book sale.

My precious!

Reference for later.

For when I run out of intellectual stimulation.

Such beautiful pictures!

So glad to find this classic!

Sequel to “Kidnapped.”

Want to read more about my dear old homestate!

Wish my copy was this pretty.

Interested in hearing his theological argumentation.

Interested in making my gut happy.

Really?! Okay!

One of my favorite subjects. Life is in the details!

I’m not a huge fan of Yancey’s style, but the subject of this has me interested.

Why not?

You just don’t find these books every day.

 

Random Books Post: Harvest’s Book Produce

Hello, all!  I came home from another marvelous book sale today with a large stack to add to my new-books stack twice as large as that!  I think it’s time for a random books post, don’t you?:

I thought it would be fun to read about this actor’s journey. After I’m finished with it, I’ll give it to my friend who loves her as well.

I wish I could find Vol. 1 & 2…

This is the first time I’ve tried Muggeridge. I’m obsessed with these types of books.

This is a great book I highly recommend and have reviewed here on booklearned. It’s helped me to understand myself a bit better.

This was a fun find! I’ve been hearing so much about it.

Books on creativity are my jam.

As soon as I saw this I flipped to the index. Yep, an extended relative is mentioned and had an important role to play in this hero’s life. I need it for my bookshelf!

Why not?

I have a mini-Lawhead library, and this was one I don’t think I even knew existed.

Might be able to pick up some tips for booklearned!

As soon as I saw this title, I knew I needed it in my life in a really bad way. I would regret it for the rest of my days if I left it on the table at that sale.

I love cookbooks that feature creative ways with fresh produce.

I like the premise of this book. I can’t wait to delve in.

I could see where this would come in handy with some of the work I do. Aren’t I mysterious?

I’ve always wanted to be a fly on the wall when our founding fathers were writing the constitution. This might be the closest thing to it.

I don’t consider myself a high-brow reader, but I have been in a Chekhov play and it would be handy to have something like this on hand if I am again.

I’ve wanted to read this book since it first came out, and I normally don’t like memoirs. But I’ve passed it up so many times at book sales. Not this time!

I’m not too much into the “Perettie genre” but this one tempts me!

This isn’t a unique book; I just fished it out of the library dumpster, book hoarder that I am.

This also goes by title, “Pompeii.”

I think this is a children’s book, but I got it because the Tapestry is fascinating to me. I may have ancestors that had a connection with it.

A girl at the sale pointed out what a bad book this looked to be. Don’t tell her, but I grabbed it when her back was turned.

I loved “Lost Horizon” (the book) and enjoyed “Good-bye Mr. Chips” (the movie). I’m on my way to discover more of James Hilton!

I haven’t read any Tracie Petersen, believe it or not. This is one of the few series from her that has caught my attention. I found a very nice hardback copy of it at the sale today.

I need this in my life.

Less time cleaning; more time reading!

This book looked so full of great information (study and history of accents, etc).

This looks like such a good read!

Two people referred me to this doctor’s book and site within a week. I took her quiz which suggested I have a cortisol imbalance.

I’ve always been a “take time and smell the roses” kind of girl, so I love books like these.

I’ve read two books about social media this year and have benefited from them. I’ll add to my library!

 

Random Books Post: French, Food, Fiction, Fun!

Half my lifetime ago, I found this in a bookshop but it was too much for purse. I made a note down in a notebooks to find this again someday, and to only read “the illustrated version”. Now I have it for my own, and I think the cover looks enchanting!

This was a new-to-me book with an inspiring title.

I’ll have fun perusing this one.

Genesis Trilogy #1

#3 in Maisie Dobbs series.

Almost everyone knows a narcissist in their life.

HOW? WHY? I find the need to know so that I’ll recognize it and be careful in the modern world.

Nothing puts me in a more foul mood than clutter in life, so I’m looking forward to this one.

I have almost a small library of Stephen Lawhead books…

I’m in the middle of this right now and it’s FASCINATING!

One of my favorite recent finds.

Nourishing creativity and having fun any way I can.

I’m having second thoughts about this one.

Another lucky win from goodreads. 🙂

A librarian friend had free copies to give away so I picked one up for a friend with a new baby, and one for myself. (I’m pretty sure I already had it in my stash around here somewhere but this one looks prettier.)

I’ve been enjoying Chesterton’s non-fiction essays lately.

I can’t wait to put this one to good use!

I’ve been wanting to get into this hobby for years and this looked like a neat little beginner’s guide.

I haven’t heard of this author, but I can’t wait to read this intriguing title.

Found along the yard sale trail.

I like Frenchophile books– can you tell?

I’ll be vulnerable here and admit that social anxiety has been debilitating for me. I’m thankful to come across this book.

This looks like a thorough, complete tome.

This book had a lovely impact on my life and I’m thrilled to finally own it.

Won this beautiful copy off of goodreads!

The day I took my SAT test in high school, my mom took my friend and I to a bookshop in town and I remember this book (again, too much for my purse). I didn’t need to look at it twice when I came across it all the years later to know it was the same book, full of beautiful imaginative pictures.

This looked like a fun, elegant read I picked up along the way somewhere.

I’m a ruminative person by nature, so this one’s for me.

This therapy, couple with other kinds of beneficial therapy has been amazing for me.

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Auto-Buy Authors

This is a “Top Ten Tuesday” exercise…

By ‘Auto-Buy’, I assume TTT means authors we would automatically buy just because of the author’s name on the cover.  I don’t give authors so much liberty in my world, but there are a few that seem to come up with plots that almost always go on my TBR.  Some of them I haven’t even begun to start reading, yet I consider them almost kindred spirits in way because of the way we tend to love the same sorts of subjects, plots and backdrops.  So here are a few of those KS:

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books from My Favorite Genre

This is a “Top Ten Tuesday” exercise…

I’ve almost always labeled my favorite genre as anything that includes “Adventure!”  But lately I’ve been shifting toward anything that gives me pleasurable thrills, namely “Atmospheric” stories that make me feel like I’m there.  Who doesn’t want that in a good book?  Nearly all of my favorites are memorable to me years after I’ve read them, because of landscapes or action scenes or humorous scenarios.  I’ve picked some of the sharpest-image ones to list below:

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Characters That Remind Me of Myself

This is a “Top Ten Tuesday” exercise…

 

 

Random Books Post: Featuring Lots of Hobbies!

My latest short stack of acquired reads includes a lot of hobby and artsy/craftsy type books.  I feel myself leaning more toward working with my hands this year, as I use creativity to celebrate each season.

This looked like too much fun to leave there.

I’ve already used this book when I have my prayer time, to avoid having to use a screen to look up for inspiration.

I can’t wait to read this series!

This was such a good book, I wanted to own it.

I’m really loving peeling paint and distemper lately.

This will be so pleasurable learning from!

I’m not Ramsey’s biggest fan, but I have been learning from his Total Money Makeover and will probably from this one, too.

A different inspirational author I hadn’t heard of before.

I am an obsessive thrifter and will love being inspired by this.

Something I’d like to learn doing someday.

My kind of craft-stuff!

 

 

Random Books Post: End of Year Hurrah

Hello, and a Merry Christmas to you all!  You will find my latest treasures I’ve lately found at library bag sales and castoffs from our church library renovation.

A great New Year’s read.

It was… until the wind “farms” destroyed it.

This book was recently recommended to me by a friend.

I have never read anything from Luci Swindoll, but she seems to be an appealing author to me. I’ve been picking up some of her stuff recently.

I forgot I got this, so I will now have to put it out to decorate with. 🙂

I love to read about homemaking, but I don’t know if this will provide anything “new.”

My favorite movie! I can’t believe I my good fortune in finding it so cheaply.

Love Adams! I’m collecting anything I see by him.

I know I’ve raved about this book lots of times on this blog and it has inspired my “Characters We Can Learn From” Series. Now that the church has unfortunately purged it, it’s come home to my library.

Weird cover, but I would like to read more about wise ways to be generous.

I’m always agonizing over my purpose in life.

Another book on generosity I’ve been wanting to read.

I think this just about completes my Lindbergh diary canon.

I have wanted a Sherlock Holmes set with the original Strand illustrations FOR YEARS! Although I was disappointed this wasn’t a complete compilation, I was happy it contain most of the short stories and of course, the black and white illustrations.

Have been interested in Julia Child the person ever since Julie and Julia.

I’ve been interested in this book ever since we borrowed from a friend for homeschooling. Now I have my own (if warped) copy!

Another of my favorite movies! Beautiful photographs and I loved reading about the costumes and research that went into it. Rene Zellweger made great attempts to portray the spirit of Beatrix Potter. I say she succeeded.

I read this book many years ago and was impressed. In the new year, I think I need to revisit his advice.

 

 

Random Books: Fall’s Hurrahs

And then… 🙂  I went to two more book sales over the weekend and came home with EVEN MORE!

Because I do have other interests than just books.

Did you know that the first female millionaire in America was black? I can’t read to read this inspiring true story.

I remember first reading this Jacques book all afternoon on a summer’s day in our front yard when I was a kid. This is actually the audiobook, which I got to hear the author’s accent.

This actually had a bio section on my family name!

I could deal with an easier life.

This book has interested me ever since I first read about it in BookPage. I would love to see a movie made of it.

There’s this woman I know– always so put together. Sigh… That’s why I bought the Nail book.

 

Random Books: Towering Stack

I love processing through my latest towering stack of new books.  By the time I get around to doing it, I’d forgotten what books I’d bought and it’s like Christmas all over again!

I’ve enjoyed listening to Glenn Beck on the air in the past. This looks like an interesting plot. I don’t know how I’ll like his fiction, so I’m sampling.

I’ve been wanting to read this book for so long!

Oh! Oh! Yes, I need this book!

Stuffed this into a bag sale. Still not sure what this yet, but it looks like a craft book right up my alley! I can’t wait!

Obvious reasons.

I’ve been on LinkedIn for a while, but it’s tricky to know how to utilize well. Looking for some help.

I love this artist’s makeup ability and style.

Mmm… What could be better?

I’ve always wanted to read a book on this subject that wasn’t too intellectually over my head. We shall see.

TBR

I loved Freeman’s book, “Simply Tuesday.” I believe this is her first published book.

This vintage classic has been on my TBR and I keep seeing it floating around at book sales. I finally broke down and bought it.

Listening to an interview with the author on the radio was AMAZING! Finding his book was a gem.

How can you pass up a cookbook with a title such as this?

A thick tome to add to my Lindbergh diaries.

#3 in the Ghormenghast series.

Looks interesting…

Growing up, our family didn’t have the latest in entertainment. But we had a tape recorder and a radio and often listened to old radio programs like Suspense, The Whistler, and Burns and Allen. I would love to read about the differences between past and present ways of “listening”.

I like to prayer-doodle, and am also interested in illumination as an art form. I would love to combine both using this lovely how-to guide on Celtic art. Oh, the things I could create!

I didn’t grow up in a liturgical church, so the religious calendar was not in my realm of knowledge. But I would love to devote a year to delving into Lent, Advent, etc.

Our family has a story like this in it’s history, too. I would like to know more about the time period in which this sometimes happened.

Another book not to worry about with me. How am I to understand erroneous viewpoints if I don’t know a thing about them?

I just love books that give you delightful thrills when you read the book blurb. One of those.

This was a rare find. I saw this recommended on a book blog I used to follow years ago and have always wanted to get my hands on it.

At first I was wary of this title, but then after looking closer I realized it was about the literary masterpiece of the Bible itself. Fascinating!

I’m not sure I was aware that L. M. Montgomery wrote an autobiography. Just had to pick it up at the bag sale.

I don’t know how good at this I’ll be, but it looks fun to try.

Has picture of vintage microphone on front cover. Might come in handy for VO marketing purposes in future…

There was a time in my past where this true. And I think we all go through periods time and again. I want to have this on hand.

A Christian classic that I want near because you just never know…

I don’t take this title seriously. But I have heard it highly praised on some of the entrepreneur youtube channels I follow.

There are a lot of different beliefs out there. Do you know what you believe and why? Do you have friends or family getting involved in something “off”? A great reference to have on hand…

A small, older book, but one I think I can follow along with. There are many out there that are too advanced for me.

For someone who wants to get into the entertainment industry + someone who turns everything into a theology… Perfect!

Don’t worry. This is one of those books I occasionally collect to figure out what acquaintances of mine believe.

This is a keeper. I read it years ago when it first came out. The only drawback is that it can become a horror story for folks like me with OCD for real.

An early entry in my TBR notebook.

One of the select crafts I’m interested in is felting. I have the felt, now I just need to know how to use it!

A cookbook that features the words: enchanting, dainties, French, Middle Eastern, Indian, Scottish… !!!!!!!

I haven’t opened this book yet, but just the title and cover have me intrigued. I just stuffed it into my bag at the tail end of a book sale.