What Came Up

I had an ambitious winter reading list. I got through 10 books in the past 3 months, which is a record for me. I didn't get through everything I had hoped, but a few other books came up:



Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. My best friend gave me this years ago and inscribed, "Never stop writing." Well, I did stop writing. And now I'm slapping myself in the head and getting back to it. So, although I have read this book several times over the past several years, it was time to do it again and take it bite by bite. In addition to giving you permission to be you, Anne gives you so many great things to chew on if you are on the writing road as I am.




Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow. It's interesting that as a former creative writing major, I now have to remind myself to read fiction. There have been times when my efforts to do so have proven to just be time wasted. Perhaps, that's why I don't run to it straightaway anymore. This selection proved to be worth my time, however. Two brothers, their life and the changes of the 20th century, all of the paraphernalia they collected (read: hoarded) as they persevered through a life without connection and community. It's a thought provoking read.




The Reflective Life by Ken Gire. My husband was talking about me one day to a man whom our community views as a sort of "spiritual Jedi." He immediately thought of this book and gave it to him to give to me. There's something to that Jedi thing, because this one is spot on. I'll be getting to it soon.



Living with the Active Alert Child by Linda S. Budd. We are on a quest to really help our oldest son. We've had unconfirmed diagnosis regarding ADHD, ODD and even Tourettes. I was in contact with a counselor recently (who, it appears, has already raised a son like mine) and she said, "Are you sure he's ADHD and not Active Alert?" Um, well, I've never heard of that. So, she suggested this book. I'm putting on my seat belt now because I think there's more to come in this wild ride.