BOOKS & STORIES I FINISHED READING IN 2020
48) Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children's Home Society
~ by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate
See #40 below. Fascinating stories.
47) Murder in Saint-Rémy: A French Countryside Village Christmas Holiday Mystery
47) Murder in Saint-Rémy: A French Countryside Village Christmas Holiday Mystery
~ by Susan Kiernan-Lewis
Yes, I selected another murder mystery for my Christmas season reading! 😄
This was the author's 15th book in her Maggie Newberry Mystery series. I haven't read any of the other installments, but I would probably enjoy them. My "To Read" list is already quite large, though!
46) Hercule Poirot's Christmas
46) Hercule Poirot's Christmas
~ by Agatha Christie
There's nothing like a good Agatha Christie murder mystery during the Christmas season.... 😄
45) A Passion for Books: A Book Lover's Treasury of Stories, Essays, Humor, Lore, and Lists on Collecting, Reading, Borrowing, Lending, Caring for, and Appreciating Books
45) A Passion for Books: A Book Lover's Treasury of Stories, Essays, Humor, Lore, and Lists on Collecting, Reading, Borrowing, Lending, Caring for, and Appreciating Books
~ edited by Harold Rabinowitz and Rob Kaplan
This book's title describes it perfectly!
44) Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters
44) Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters
~ by Abigail Shrier
A very interesting book about a very disturbing trend. Unbelievable that this is happening.
41, 42, 43) Unreported Truths About COVID-19 and Lockdowns:
40) Before We Were Yours
41, 42, 43) Unreported Truths About COVID-19 and Lockdowns:
Part 1: Introduction and Death Counts and EstimatesPart 2: Update and Examination of Lockdowns as a StrategyPart 3: Masks
~ by Alex Berenson
Since I had to buy these 3 parts separately for my Kindle, I decided to give myself credit for reading three books. (Is that wrong?) Before reading Part 3 I didn't believe masks were all that helpful, and my opinion hasn't changed! Like the author, I'm not happy about mandates. A couple quotes from Part 3:
- "Of course, encouraging people to take actions that are (supposedly) symbolically valuable is different than forcing them."
- "But the worst reason of all is that mask mandates appear to be an effort by governments to find out what restrictions on their civil liberties people will accept on the thinnest possible evidence."
40) Before We Were Yours
~ by Lisa Wingate
I read this novel over the course of about three days, with a reading "marathon" for the last 80% of the book. The story of siblings (a fictional family) who were victims of the Tennessee Children's Home Society scandal (a true event). The chapters alternate between the present (narrated by young lawyer Avery) and the past (narrated by Rill, one of the siblings). Added to my "To Read" list: a book about some of the real-life victims of this scandal.
39) A Time to Stand
39) A Time to Stand
~ by Robert Whitlow
Copyright is 2017 (according to the Kindle ebook) and I don't know why it took me three years to finally read it. Such a great novel with an intense storyline! Good life lessons, too. I encourage everyone to take a deep breath and read this.
38) Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon, wife of Charles H. Spurgeon
38) Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon, wife of Charles H. Spurgeon
~ by Ray Rhodes Jr.
I don't recall how I first learned of this biography, but I enjoyed reading it. I have a hardcover of Charles' devotional book Morning and Evening, so I may pull that out again next year.
37) Making Sense of God: Finding God in the Modern World
37) Making Sense of God: Finding God in the Modern World
~ by Timothy Keller
Anyone who is skeptical about God should read this book! I highly recommend!
36) A Severed Wasp: A Novel
35) The Small Rain: A Novel
36) A Severed Wasp: A Novel
~ by Madeleine L'Engle
This is the sequel to The Small Rain (#35 below). Katherine is now retired from touring as a concert pianist. Her character reminisces quite a lot. There is a present-day mystery for her to solve. This was a great book to read while using the elliptical machine! It kept my interest.
35) The Small Rain: A Novel
~ by Madeleine L'Engle
This author is best known for A Wrinkle in Time. In the introduction to The Small Rain, she writes that it is "very much a first novel," which she began working on when she was in college. The story is about an aspiring young pianist named Katherine. When I finished reading it, I wanted to know more about how Katherine's life turned out. And wouldn't you know? There's a sequel! I immediately purchased it for my Kindle and have read a few pages already.
34) Doesn't Hurt to Ask: Using the Power of Questions to Communicate, Connect, and Persuade
34) Doesn't Hurt to Ask: Using the Power of Questions to Communicate, Connect, and Persuade
~ by Trey Gowdy
The former congressman was on Greg Gutfeld's show a few weeks ago, and they talked about his book. I said to Lew, "That sounds really interesting." I was right! It's a great read.
33) The Grave's a Fine and Private Place: A Flavia de Luce Novel
33) The Grave's a Fine and Private Place: A Flavia de Luce Novel
~ by Alan Bradley
This is the 9th book in the series about the precocious young chemist, Flavia. I enjoyed the story, although I'm not sure I followed it completely... perhaps because I often was reading it before drifting off to sleep! There is currently only one more book in the series, and I've already purchased the Kindle version. I'm going to wait a while before reading it... saving it for later as a special treat. :)
32) The Sexual Holocaust: A Global Crisis
32) The Sexual Holocaust: A Global Crisis
~ by Bridgette Heap and Dr. John Sanford
The authors write: "The Sexual Holocaust is a multi-dimensional global crisis stemming from unrestrained sexual behaviors that have resulted in profound harm to humanity." This short book discusses the four major categories of consequences: physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. This book is quite on point.
31) Coolidge
31) Coolidge
~ by Amity Shlaes
I didn't know anything about former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge before reading this biography — a very good book about an interesting man.
30) Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
~ by Atul Gawande
I read this book on the recommendation of my Maine state senator after I e-mailed her and the governor about opening up nursing homes for family visitation. She said that now is not the time to open up nursing homes. Then she recommends this book... which makes my case, not hers! I wasn't expecting this book to be as good as it is. I recommend it, too.
29) Pay Attention, Carter Jones
29) Pay Attention, Carter Jones
~ by Gary D. Scmidt
This is a chapter book for young readers. Carter's mother and siblings are having a difficult first day of school when an English "gentleman's gentleman" by the name of Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick appears on the doorstep. He's there to help! After reading this book, I think I am going to have to learn the rules of cricket. Each chapter begins with a brief paragraph about this sport.
28) Monument Maker: Daniel Chester French and the Lincoln Memorial
28) Monument Maker: Daniel Chester French and the Lincoln Memorial
~ written by Linda Booth Sweeney
~ Illustrated by Shawn Fields
This is a biography written for young readers, although this adult certainly enjoyed it! I learned a lot. The Lincoln Memorial is my favorite place in Washington, D.C. but I had never read about how the monument came to be. This book will be handed off to Eli and Adam.
27) Home in the Woods
27) Home in the Woods
~ by Eliza Wheeler
This is a children's picture book with lovely watercolor illustrations by the author. The story is based on her grandmother's childhood and how her family worked together to make a home. I love this book!
26) The Dignity Revolution: Reclaiming the Bible's Rich Vision for Humanity
26) The Dignity Revolution: Reclaiming the Bible's Rich Vision for Humanity
~ by Dan Darling
The author covers several areas in this book. It was a timely read given the current state of things!
25) Death on the Nile
25) Death on the Nile
~ by Agatha Christie
Hercule Poirot does it again! I hadn't read a Christie mystery in quite a while. Finished this one within a 24-hour period. So good.
24) A Saint Indeed
24) A Saint Indeed
~ by John Flavel
The Kindle version I have of this book gives an alternate title of "The Great Work of a Christian in Keeping the Heart in Several Conditions of Life." Another internet site lists an alternate title of "The Great Work of a Christian Explained and Applied." Keeping our heart in any and every life circumstance is a great work. This was a challenging and thoughtful book, which I read while using my elliptical machine. Did I mention the book was written in the 1600's?!
23) One Fine Day the Rabbi Bought a Cross: A Rabbi Small Mystery
23) One Fine Day the Rabbi Bought a Cross: A Rabbi Small Mystery
~ by Harry Kemelman
It's been a few weeks between my finishing this book and the writing of this entry. (It is currently August 23... see my "Reset!" post for my confession of laziness....) Anyway, this was a fun story and a change of pace from the type of mysteries I usually read. If I have time, I may read more of this series at some point.
22) Power Religion: The Selling Out of the Evangelical Church?
21) Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
20) Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God
~ by Paul Copan
This book's title is a question, to which the answer is an emphatic "NO!" I already knew the answer, but I learned some valuable historical context from reading this book. Very interesting!
19) The Big Sleep
~ by Raymond Chandler
This is the author's first book in the Philip Marlowe series. I enjoyed it, but I admit I had difficulty following the plot at times. Maybe Humphrey Bogart's portrayal in the movie will help me understand the character better.... Lew and I are going to watch the movie soon!
18) When God Doesn't Fix It: Lessons You Never Wanted to Learn, Truths You Can't Live Without
~ by Laura Story, with Jennifer Schuchmann
Laura Story's song "Blessings" is one of my favorites, so I decided to read this book. I had heard bits and pieces about her husband's brain tumor and subsequent struggles, but I hadn't heard the half of it! Wow, they've been on quite the life journey. She does share some great lessons learned.
17) The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe
~ by Donald H. Wolfe
I am a fan of Marilyn Monroe; I even have a cat named after her. If the author of this book had his facts right, then JFK and his brother Bobby had a lot to do with her death. (I had heard this before, of course, and there is probably something to it.) After reading this book, I now want to watch all of her movies; I haven't seen some of them yet.
16) The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
~ by John Mark Comer
I won't follow all of the author's advice (such as, get rid of my TV), but I do like the four over-arching practices: 1) silence and solitude; 2) Sabbath; 3) simplicity; and 4) slowing. I started reading this book before I read (and finished) the three prior books.... I didn't "hurry" through it!
15) The Case of Lightning Strikes Twice (The Adventures of Finn & Annie # 10)
~ by Christopher Greyson
This mini-mystery series is becoming more like a mini-romance series! This installment was more about Finn and Annie's personal lives and relationship... although there was indeed a mystery for them to solve. I haven't seen that there is going to be a #11 in the series. I'll be watching, though.
14) The Girl Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies
~ by Jason Fagone
Elizebeth Friedman and her husband William were brilliant cryptologists. Their story is fascinating, and I wish I could have met Elizebeth myself. She helped bring down the Nazis in World War II, but she wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it at the time. I'm glad her story has now been told.
13) Coronavirus and Christ
~ by John Piper
I read this book in April 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. Offered as a free download here:
https://www.desiringgod.org/books/coronavirus-and-christ
12) Christ's Glorious Achievements
~ by Charles Spurgeon
Excellent book containing seven sermons about how Christ is the 1) End of the Law, 2) Conqueror of Satan, 3) Overcomer of the World, 4) Maker of all things new, 5) Spoiler of Principalities and Powers, 6) Destroyer of Death, and 7) Seeker and Saviour of the Lost.
11) Within Plain Sight (A John Byron Novel)
~ by Bruce Robert Coffin
Bruce grew up in my hometown; he graduated from high school with my sister Kim. This is his 4th book; all feature the character of John Byron, Portland Police Sergeant Detective. Lew and I have read all four. We enjoy the stories and Lew likes being able to visualize where the action is taking place (he is more familiar with Portland than I am). Caution: some bad words — but probably realistic!
10) The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: A Novel
~ by Gabrielle Zevin
A.J. owns a bookstore. He likes short stories. He's grieving the loss of his young wife. When he gets an unexpected delivery at his store, his entire life changes. I really enjoyed this book!
9) The Faithful Spy: A Novel
~ by Alex Berenson
This is the first in the author's John Wells series. John Wells is deep cover within the terrorist organization. But the question for some high-level CIA officers is whether Wells is still on our side. Good story. (I've often wondered if I should have been a spy. After reading this book, I will wonder no more. The answer is, "NO!")
8) Red Cell
~ by Mark Henshaw
The author was a member of the CIA's Red Cell, which is why I wanted to read this novel. Sometimes I wish I had pursued being an analyst — or better yet, a spy — so I do enjoy reading this genre. There was a lot of technical detail about planes, etc., but I was still able to understand the gist of the action and the story itself. I downloaded it to Lew's Kindle so he can read it, too.
7) Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog & the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero
~ by Michael Hingson, with Susy Flory
This was an eye-opening book about blindness. (Read the book to see it's okay with blind people to use the term "eye-opening"... oh, and "see.") Michael intersperses much of his life story as he tells how he and his guide dog, Roselle, descended the stairs in one of the towers on 9/11. Great book.
6) The Divide (The Alliance #2)
5) The Alliance (The Alliance #1)
~ by Jolina Petersheim
Once I started reading this two-book series, I couldn't stop. I'm usually not drawn to dystopian-themed stories, but this one kept my attention. I'm trying to remember how I learned of the series; I thought Lew had read them, but he doesn't remember doing so. Anyway, I'm glad I came across them.
4) A Year of Living Prayerfully: How a Curious Traveler Met the Pope, Walked on Coals, Danced with Rabbis, and Revived His Prayer Life
~ by Jared Brock
The subtitle hints at the humor in this book, but there is also a lot of thought and seriousness in what the author shares. I quite enjoyed reading about his experiences and how he applied what he learned.
3) How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture
~ by Francis A. Schaeffer
This book has been on my "to read" list for quite a while. Now that I've read it, I wish that I hadn't waited so long! Great book. Insightful and challenging.
2) Tending Roses
~ by Lisa Wingate
A lovely novel about a family needing a lot of "tending." This is the first in a series, although I don't believe the series is based on the same characters. The author says this is her sentimental favorite of all her books!
1) Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd: A Flavia de Luce Novel
~ by Alan Bradley
Our young chemist Flavia is back at it again, discovering dead bodies and riding around on Gladys (her bicycle). Yes, there is a cat in this story. I didn't keep track of the characters very well in my head... probably because I was reading too late at night! I enjoy Flavia de Luce novels. 😊
22) Power Religion: The Selling Out of the Evangelical Church?
~ Michael Scott Horton, Editor
This is a book of essays published by Moody Press (The Moody Bible Institute) in 1992. The editor is a contributing essayist, as well as Charles Colson, J.I. Packer, R.C. Sproul, Alister McGrath, and others. It took me a long time to work my way through this book. Glad I did. I told Lew that these essays could have been written today! He's going to read it next. (I already encouraged him to take his time....)
21) Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
~ by Liza Mundy
Another really interesting book. I told Lew that I would have been one of these code breakers if I had been part of the greatest generation. In the notes at the end of the book, I noticed that two of the women interviewed lived their latter years in Scarborough, Maine!
20) Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God
~ by Paul Copan
This book's title is a question, to which the answer is an emphatic "NO!" I already knew the answer, but I learned some valuable historical context from reading this book. Very interesting!
19) The Big Sleep
~ by Raymond Chandler
This is the author's first book in the Philip Marlowe series. I enjoyed it, but I admit I had difficulty following the plot at times. Maybe Humphrey Bogart's portrayal in the movie will help me understand the character better.... Lew and I are going to watch the movie soon!
18) When God Doesn't Fix It: Lessons You Never Wanted to Learn, Truths You Can't Live Without
~ by Laura Story, with Jennifer Schuchmann
Laura Story's song "Blessings" is one of my favorites, so I decided to read this book. I had heard bits and pieces about her husband's brain tumor and subsequent struggles, but I hadn't heard the half of it! Wow, they've been on quite the life journey. She does share some great lessons learned.
17) The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe
~ by Donald H. Wolfe
I am a fan of Marilyn Monroe; I even have a cat named after her. If the author of this book had his facts right, then JFK and his brother Bobby had a lot to do with her death. (I had heard this before, of course, and there is probably something to it.) After reading this book, I now want to watch all of her movies; I haven't seen some of them yet.
16) The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
~ by John Mark Comer
I won't follow all of the author's advice (such as, get rid of my TV), but I do like the four over-arching practices: 1) silence and solitude; 2) Sabbath; 3) simplicity; and 4) slowing. I started reading this book before I read (and finished) the three prior books.... I didn't "hurry" through it!
15) The Case of Lightning Strikes Twice (The Adventures of Finn & Annie # 10)
~ by Christopher Greyson
This mini-mystery series is becoming more like a mini-romance series! This installment was more about Finn and Annie's personal lives and relationship... although there was indeed a mystery for them to solve. I haven't seen that there is going to be a #11 in the series. I'll be watching, though.
14) The Girl Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies
~ by Jason Fagone
Elizebeth Friedman and her husband William were brilliant cryptologists. Their story is fascinating, and I wish I could have met Elizebeth myself. She helped bring down the Nazis in World War II, but she wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it at the time. I'm glad her story has now been told.
13) Coronavirus and Christ
~ by John Piper
I read this book in April 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. Offered as a free download here:
https://www.desiringgod.org/books/coronavirus-and-christ
12) Christ's Glorious Achievements
~ by Charles Spurgeon
Excellent book containing seven sermons about how Christ is the 1) End of the Law, 2) Conqueror of Satan, 3) Overcomer of the World, 4) Maker of all things new, 5) Spoiler of Principalities and Powers, 6) Destroyer of Death, and 7) Seeker and Saviour of the Lost.
11) Within Plain Sight (A John Byron Novel)
~ by Bruce Robert Coffin
Bruce grew up in my hometown; he graduated from high school with my sister Kim. This is his 4th book; all feature the character of John Byron, Portland Police Sergeant Detective. Lew and I have read all four. We enjoy the stories and Lew likes being able to visualize where the action is taking place (he is more familiar with Portland than I am). Caution: some bad words — but probably realistic!
10) The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: A Novel
~ by Gabrielle Zevin
A.J. owns a bookstore. He likes short stories. He's grieving the loss of his young wife. When he gets an unexpected delivery at his store, his entire life changes. I really enjoyed this book!
9) The Faithful Spy: A Novel
~ by Alex Berenson
This is the first in the author's John Wells series. John Wells is deep cover within the terrorist organization. But the question for some high-level CIA officers is whether Wells is still on our side. Good story. (I've often wondered if I should have been a spy. After reading this book, I will wonder no more. The answer is, "NO!")
8) Red Cell
~ by Mark Henshaw
The author was a member of the CIA's Red Cell, which is why I wanted to read this novel. Sometimes I wish I had pursued being an analyst — or better yet, a spy — so I do enjoy reading this genre. There was a lot of technical detail about planes, etc., but I was still able to understand the gist of the action and the story itself. I downloaded it to Lew's Kindle so he can read it, too.
7) Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog & the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero
~ by Michael Hingson, with Susy Flory
This was an eye-opening book about blindness. (Read the book to see it's okay with blind people to use the term "eye-opening"... oh, and "see.") Michael intersperses much of his life story as he tells how he and his guide dog, Roselle, descended the stairs in one of the towers on 9/11. Great book.
6) The Divide (The Alliance #2)
5) The Alliance (The Alliance #1)
~ by Jolina Petersheim
Once I started reading this two-book series, I couldn't stop. I'm usually not drawn to dystopian-themed stories, but this one kept my attention. I'm trying to remember how I learned of the series; I thought Lew had read them, but he doesn't remember doing so. Anyway, I'm glad I came across them.
4) A Year of Living Prayerfully: How a Curious Traveler Met the Pope, Walked on Coals, Danced with Rabbis, and Revived His Prayer Life
~ by Jared Brock
The subtitle hints at the humor in this book, but there is also a lot of thought and seriousness in what the author shares. I quite enjoyed reading about his experiences and how he applied what he learned.
3) How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture
~ by Francis A. Schaeffer
This book has been on my "to read" list for quite a while. Now that I've read it, I wish that I hadn't waited so long! Great book. Insightful and challenging.
2) Tending Roses
~ by Lisa Wingate
A lovely novel about a family needing a lot of "tending." This is the first in a series, although I don't believe the series is based on the same characters. The author says this is her sentimental favorite of all her books!
1) Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd: A Flavia de Luce Novel
~ by Alan Bradley
Our young chemist Flavia is back at it again, discovering dead bodies and riding around on Gladys (her bicycle). Yes, there is a cat in this story. I didn't keep track of the characters very well in my head... probably because I was reading too late at night! I enjoy Flavia de Luce novels. 😊
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