What I Am Reading

I read a lot. Reading is my favorite pastime, and my love of reading is the reason I became an English teacher. Although my teaching career feels like a lifetime ago, literature and writing remain essential in my world. Jenna, The Bean, and I have a friendly reading competition going. The girls have downloaded an app that keeps track of their reading lists and personal libraries and connects them to other readers with the same interests. I choose to go a more traditional route, and I keep my books on a bookshelf alphabetically by author.

To date, I have read six books this year. I have set a goal to read two books per month. I am behind. Sigh. I have recently started book number seven for the year. I am reading a UK author, Rosanne Hodin's book Growing Goats and Girls: Living The Good Life On A Cornish Farm. Although the author's writing style takes a bit of getting used to, I am immensely enjoying this real-life account of a city-living family turned farmers and the learning process that carries over thirty years. The book is written as a personal diary and loosely organized in chronological order. I find that I am enjoying her snippets approach to sharing insights into her daily life.

Although she has a much different attitude about farming than I do (I could never hold ducks still on a chopping block and take an active role in their demise), I find myself chuckling at her foils, and I can definitely relate to her many mishaps. We share a fear and disdain for large pigs. I readily recommend this book for its light, humorous approach to rural life, insights into rearing children and goats, and the wisdom gathered along the way. It is a lighthearted read that is easy to revisit because each chapter is filled with short anecdotes about rural life.

What are you reading, dear reader? I am always looking for book suggestions. I prefer historical fiction, classics, modern fiction, anything with a touch of magic (Alice Hoffman, Kate Morton, Sarah Addison-Allen), and WWII literature. My interests are varied and eclectic. I honestly just enjoy a good story that is well told. If you are looking for a light, easy read that can be left and revisited with ease, I strongly recommend Growing Goats and Girls: Living The Good Life On A Cornish Farm by Rosanne Hodin.

On this foggy spring day, stay safe, be smart, enjoy a good book, and keep washing your hands.