My Favorite Ten Books of 2022

I read so many books over the course of a year and enjoy most of them, but here are ten of my favorites from 2022. (Looking back over everything I've read this year and what still jumps out at me as memorable, it is evident my favorite genre is historical fiction!) If you haven't read these books yet, consider checking them out!

 

 Once Upon a Wardrobe - Patti Callahan - I read Becoming Mrs. Lewis a couple years ago and loved it. That book focused on the woman who ultimately married C.S. Lewis. When I saw Once Upon a Wardrobe advertised, I knew I had to read it. This was such a lovely story! In 1850, George Devonshire is an 8-year-old boy who is dying of a bad heart. He is obsessed with the story of Narnia and begs his older sister Megs, a student at Oxford, to find C.S. Lewis and ask him where the story came from. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning about C.S. Lewis or the Narnia books.

A Place for Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order - Judith Flanders - Despite its title, this book is not only about alphabetical order (although that subject does come up often and the author gets points for arranging the chapters in alphabetical order). Instead, it is an interesting history of how information and things have been organized in the world. For example, she discusses how the Bible first came to be divided into chapters, how individuals came up with ways to find information in reference works. how clocks were created to order time, how double-entry bookkeeping was developed to organize business transactions, the development of encyclopedias, the creation of library book catalogs, how systems were put in place to organize paperwork in offices, and the creation of the phone book. In the final chapter, she discusses how societies who do not use an alphabet-based language organize their information. This book invited me to think about the development of systems of organization that I have often taken for granted.

 

Her Hidden Genius - Marie Benedict - This is a fascinating fictional portrayal of Dr. Rosalind Franklin, a pioneering scientist who worked to unearth the secrets of DNA in the 1950s. Benedict skillfully examines Franklin's challenges in working in a man's world as well as her devotion to scientific discovery no matter the cost.

 

The Kitchen Front - Jennifer Ryan - This was such an enjoyable leisure work of women's fiction! It's the midst of World War II and food rations are sharply limiting culinary options. This story is about four women vying to be the next host of "The Kitchen Front", a radio show designed to help home cooks with recipes and cooking ideas. Their lives intersect in surprising ways over the course of the contest.

 

Awaken My Heart Prayer Journal - Emily Wilson Hussem - Hussem offers journaling prompts on a variety of important topics. These are not superficial questions, but rather queries that will have you digging deep into your spiritual life. Some of your answers may surprise you. Some of them will no doubt make you feel a bit uncomfortable as you probe painful parts of your past or face the ways that you may be coming up short in your love of God and neighbor. Others may inspire you to keep going when you feel like giving up. At all times, readers are prompted to invite Jesus into their lives, into their reflections, and into their futures.

Laura's Shadow - Allison Pittman - This book is "Little House" fan fiction, but it was a delight to read. Pittman takes a minor character in These Happy Golden Years and creates a story about her and the animosity she held toward the famous author. Mariah was one of Laura's teenage students whom Laura Ingalls Wilder portrayed as Martha in her book. In real life, Mariah was jealous of Laura because Cap Garland was in love with her and Mariah was in love with Cap. When Mariah is on her deathbed in the 1970s, she finally shares her story with her great-granddaughter Trixie. I really enjoyed this book. Even though I was reading it for work, I didn't want to put it down. (Read for a book review publication).

 

The Other Alcott - Elise Hooper - This novel is based on the life May Alcott, the youngest sister of Louisa May Alcott of Little Women fame and the prototype for the character of Amy in that famous book. I really knew nothing about May Alcott before reading this and while much is fictionalized, I learned more about the Alcott family. I also greatly enjoyed the story about a young woman striving to be an artist in a man's world. Shortly before her death, May Alcott wrote Studying Art Abroad, and How to Do It Cheaply to help other young women with similar ambitions. 

What Would Monica Do? - Patti Maguire Armstrong and Roxane Beauclair Salomen - St. Monica prayed for his son's Augustine's conversion for 17 years. He ultimately became a great saint, offering hope for all who pray for family members who have left the Catholic faith. This new book is a must-read for anyone praying for someone to return to the Church. It offers hope and consolation. 

The Joy of the Snow - Elizabeth Goudge - A few people have recommended Elizabeth Goudge's novels to me, and I have tried a couple. They were fine, but perhaps I just wasn't in the right frame of mind and didn't really get into them. But when I looked her up online, I saw that she had written an autobiography and that looked interesting. She lived from 1900 - 1984. This book was written in 1974. It is a truly lovely book tracing her life in England, her relationship with God (She was Anglican and her father was a priest), and her life as a writer which she describes with great humility. She seems like a kindred spirit to me (I'd be willing to bet she was a fellow INFJ on the Myers-Briggs personality test), and I enjoyed this book a great deal. 

 

11/27/22 Marmee: A Novel of Little Women - Sarah Miller - I absolutely LOVED this book! I savored every page. It is a retelling of Little Women from Marmee's perspective and follows the original story with a few minor exceptions. It is written in journal format with Marmee recording her life. Miller does a wonderful job of exploring Marmee's character and fleshing out her personality. 

And a Bonus Christmas book!

Christmas Bells - Jennifer Chiaverini - I always enjoy Chiaverini's books. This one is from 2015, but I had never read it. It was a great Christmas story featuring a dual-timeline story - one about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in the midst of the Civil War who wrote the poem "Christmas Bells" which was later put to music; the other features various characters facing their own challenges in a modern timeline. As a bonus, it has a whole collection of Catholic characters in the modern story (the author is Catholic). 

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Be More Generous in the New Year!

 

We all tend to have great dreams of the things we are going to accomplish in the new year. We are going to pray more, exercise more, and finally finish that craft work in progress that has been sitting in the closet for the last decade. There’s nothing wrong with new year’s resolutions, especially the ones that involve improving on our spiritual life, but all too often real life intervenes, and by the time mid-January roles around, we have given up, feeling like a failure because we couldn’t do whatever we set out to do.

The beautiful fact is that we don’t have to wait for a new year (or a new month) to start making changes. We can do something positive today, and then get up tomorrow and do another positive thing, and pretty soon we have a habit that is making a difference in our lives and the lives of those around us. One of those positive things we can do is be more generous.

Matthew Kelly has written an inspiring book, The Generosity Habit, that encourages us to be more generous every day. Kelly states, “The generosity habit is simple: Give something away every day.” If money is tight (as it is for so many right now), please rest assured that this doesn’t have to be money or a material item. “You don’t need money or material possessions to live a life of staggering generosity.” Even better, generosity has a ripple effect. Our small acts of generosity encourage others to also be generous. We have the power to change the world in small and not so small ways simply by giving. This is a gift all of us have to offer.

Kelly offers 101 ways to be generous. There is sure to be something on this list that you can do today. Think of this book as a generosity toolbox, providing you with ideas that you can use in different situations. Some of these ideas are to call or text someone you haven’t reached out to in a while, purchase an item from a small business, compliment a stranger, offer encouragement, pray for someone, pick up trash, write a positive book review online, and listen well to someone.

Each of these ways is accompanied by an inspiring quote. I have a chalkboard in my kitchen on which I write a quote to reflect on each week. I’m certain many of these quotes are going to make their way onto my board!

This is an easy book to read. One can read a page at a time and be inspired. It is perfect to keep on a nightstand or in your prayer corner. We can also use it as a jumping-off point to help our children be more generous. The Generosity Habit is a small book with an important message. May we all be more giving in this new year.

Open Book for December 2022

 

I'm joining up with Carolyn Astfalk who hosts an #OpenBook Linkup on CatholicMom.com. Here's what I've been reading this past month. The dates indicate when I finished the books. Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

11/6/22 Dreamland - Nicholas Sparks - It was time for my annual Nicholas Sparks novel. This one featured a love story (which you would expect from Sparks) featuring two young adults who are aspiring musicians. One just graduated from college. One is a full-time farmer. However, a second storyline was a truly harrowing tale of a woman with her young son who are on the run from an abusive husband. The ending of this one was unexpected, but I raced through this book, eager to see how it would all turn out. 

11/9/22 America's Mary: The Story of Our Lady of Good Help - Marge Fenelon - This is a great book about the only approved Marian apparition to take place in the United States. In 1859, our Blessed Mother appeared to Adele Brise in Wisconsin. Fenelon does a great job of placing the apparition in its historical context and explaining its importance for today.

11/11/22 The Maid of Ballymacool - Jennifer Deibel - This is a sweet Cinderella-type story set in 1930s Ireland. It had a bit of mystery in it as well which added to the interest. (Read for a book review publication.) 

11/25/22 The First Notes: The Story of Do, Re, Mi - Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton - I'm not above reading a picture book if it is one I'm interested in. In fact, picture books are often wonderful introductions to topics. This one tells the story of Catholic monk Guido d'Arezzo who developed the written musical scale in the first part of the 11th century. It was a story I never heard before. This is a lovely book. And yes, once I was done with it, I read it to my daughter as part of our homeschool day. 

11/27/22 Marmee: A Novel of Little Women - Sarah Miller - I absolutely LOVED this book! I savored every page. It is a retelling of Little Women from Marmee's perspective and follows the original story with a few minor exceptions. It is written in journal format with Marmee recording her life. Miller does a wonderful job of exploring Marmee's character and fleshing out her personality. 

11/30/22 A Match in the Making - Jen Turano - This was a fun romantic comedy about matchmaking among Newport society in the 1880s. Turano throws in a bunch of zany characters willing to do anything to get a successful match. (Read for a book review publication).

Since spring of 2019, I have been making my way through the Great Books Curriculum of Thomas Aquinas College (I'm currently working on the readings for sophomore year). 

11/4/22 Julius Caesar - Plutarch - I'm continuing to make my way through the readings of Plutarch's lives assigned for sophomore year. Most of what I knew about Caesar came from reading Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in high school. Plutarch's version follows most of his adult life, including his romantic entanglements, his success in the Gallic wars, the disintegration of his relationship with Pompey, and his eventual murder. 

11/18/22 Cato - Plutarch - Cato was a priest of Apollo who was a great orator. He was often at odds with Caesar. He eventually committed suicide at age 48. His daughter Portia was married to Brutus, who killed Caesar. 

11/30/22 Brutus - Plutarch - Brutus was one of Julius Caesar's murderers (and according to Plutarch, possibly his illegitimate son). He was Cato's son-in-law. Later in life, he aligned with Cassius, but the two were defeated by Octavius and Antony. He died by his own hand (or possibly by his servant's hand at his request).

12/3/22 Comparison of Dion and Brutus - Plutarch - This was a short work comparing Brutus (above) and Dion (who I did not read anything else about), but both men had hostility to tyrants. People were angry at Brutus for killing Caesar, but Dion was held in contempt for letting Dionysius escape from Syracuse. On the other hand, Antony gave Brutus a burial with honor, but no one cared about Dion's death.

And with that, I have finished the Plutarch section of sophomore year that I've been working on for the last three months. Can I get an Hallelujah?!

My eleven-year-old daughter and I read the following books this month:

 

11/9/22 Odder - Katherine Applegate - Animal lovers will enjoy this sweet story about an otter named "Odder" and her life both out in the wild and at a rescue aquarium. One thing to note is that the pages are written in a verse-type style with headings on each page, but you can read it as prose. I read it aloud as a normal book, simply skipping the headings.

11/30/22 The Giver - Lois Lowry - This one is a classic dystopian novel for middle-grade students. It is a great story by itself, but it also opens the door to some important conversations regarding euthanasia.

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Enhance Your Spiritual Journey this Advent

 Here are three new resources to help you have an Advent focused on the coming of Christ.

5-Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath by Lisa Hendey offers a prayer, Bible reading, and reflection for each day of Advent. It is designed to help "properly prepare hearts for Christ's coming." I love the short readings and reflections which are great for praying as a family while lighting the Advent wreath each day. This is a book that can be used year after year! Lisa is also having a series on CatholicMom.com that will help you enhance your spiritual journey this Advent season. Learn more here: https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/anticipating-christmas-around-your-advent-wreath

 Welcoming the Christ Child with Padre Pio by Susan De Bartoli is designed for Advent but can really be used any time of year (so if you get this book and don't finish it during Advent, you can still read it!). It provides 28 days of reflections. It includes quotes by Padre Pio, reflections, and prayers. So, if you are a fan of Padre Pio or if you want to learn more about this modern saint's life and miracle, this is a great book. 

Messages of Light for Advent and Christmas 2022 by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran offers reflections from the First Sunday of Advent through Epiphany. Unlike the other books, this one is only good for this year, but it also offers the shortest reflections. So, if you are really pressed for time, but want to add a spiritual booster to your Advent, this is a great book for you! It offers a short Scripture passage, a reflection, and a question to ponder.

Learn about America's Only Approved Marian Apparition

 

In America’s Mary: The Story of Our Lady of Good Hope, Marge Steinhage Fenelon provides a thorough exploration of the only approved Marian apparition to take place in the United States.

Our Lady appeared to Adele Brise, a Belgian immigrant living in Wisconsin, in October 1859. Her message was a simple but important one: “Do penance, sacrifice, receive the sacraments frequently, and teach the children their catechism.” Adele would spend the rest of her life carrying out the Blessed Mother’s wishes. The apparition was formally approved by Bishop David Ricken on December 8, 2010.

Fenelon’s work does more than simply describe the apparition. She begins by providing a thorough history of the world in which Adele Brise lived. She presents the circumstances that surrounded Belgian immigration to the Door Peninsula in Wisconsin and describes the tight community these immigrants formed. They were people with an active, deep faith, but there were many challenges to practicing the Catholic faith in this rural area. There were few priests or places to worship. Adele herself had to travel 11 miles to go to church.

Adele was twenty-eight years old when Our Lady appeared to her. She had minimal education and was blind in one eye. Yet, Mary trusted this simple woman to carry out her instructions and spread the faith. Adele felt ill-equipped for the challenge, but she went from village to village, offering to do housework in exchange for permission to educate children in the faith. She eventually led a group of Third Order Secular Franciscans known as The Sisters of Good Help (or the Sisters of Good Health) and opened a school. Despite setbacks and people questioning the authenticity of her vision, she trusted in God and seemed to be in constant contact with Our Lady.

Fenelon also traces the development of devotion to Our Lady of Good Help, the miracles that have taken place in the holy location of the apparition, and what led to the official Church approval.

America’s Mary: The Story of Our Lady of Good Hope makes for interesting reading. It contains many photographs to enhance the information. Most importantly, it helps spread Our Lady’s message, a message that echoes those of her other approved apparitions: Do penance, sacrifice, receive the sacraments frequently, and pass on the faith. This message is as vital today as it was in 1859. 

 

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