There are several books that I have really enjoyed reading this fall. Ones that I find my thoughts drifting back to, thinking of the character as friends and real people rather than just fictional personas.
The Jane Austen Society
This book is set in England shortly after World War 2. While there was a real Jane Austen Society formed around this time, this book is about fictional characters whose lives have been touched by Austen’s various works and who undertake to preserve the house in which Austen lived, located in their village. The Author did a wonderful job of bringing to life in vivid detail not only the characters, who I thought were very well formed, but also the setting of the rural English village. This is a great choice to cozy up with this fall.
Don’t Overthink It, by Anne Bogel
I decided to read this one because I like the author, not because I had done research as to what this book was actually about. I was most pleasantly surprised to realize that this was definitely a book I needed to read! Ms Bogel discusses how we tend to spend so much time and energy ruminating over a decision that really doesn’t matter- and that we don’t actually want to have spent that much time thinking about. She talks of tactics that she has used to help her start overthinking less. Journaling, like the physical act of writing out thoughts can be helpful, this was a “ah ha!” Moment for me, because while I love lists and often keep notes on my phone I have noticed that just typing up a list on the notes section of my phone is not nearly as effective as putting pen to paper. She also discusses how prepping or the week, and clearing clutter in your house can help to free up emotional space. I knew this to be true for me already but its always nice to hear back up that I’m not the only like this!
Becoming Mrs. Lewis
This is about Joy Grisham Lewis, C.S Lewis’s wife. I found it a fascinating read on several levels. 1) I know a fair about C.S Lewis’s work, without knowing all that much about him. 2) I knew nothing about Joy and she was a fascinating person as well. And 3) their love story and how they came to know each other, become friends, and ultimately marry, was a shot in a million. I enjoy books that teach more about famous people we already know something about told through the lens of someone close in their lives, who we may hardly know existed.
The Compound Effect
I heard this book mentioned on a podcast, and then my husband mentioned it as one of his favorite books that he read in college so I decided I must join the club and read it too. The Compound Effect is written by Darren Hardy who started his own business and became a millionaire by the time he turned 24. Mr. Hardy talks of what made the biggest changes in his life, and how its not necessarily the big things that make the biggest change in our lives but rather the little changes day in and day out that add up to a huge difference over a lifetime. If you feel overwhelmed by how far away you are from a current goal, read this book for motivation and encouragement.
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