I would finish school by noon and read most of the afternoon when I was younger. Now, I have far too many distractions to sit and read a book…or, if I try, I fall asleep. But audiobooks are available, and I have been able to listen to those while doing dishes and laundry and other cleaning tasks when the kids are only sometimes distracting me.
I don’t think I get as much out of an audiobook as I do out of sitting and reading a physical book. But, in this year, I have completed three physical/kindle books and 20 audiobooks. It may not be as many books as I used to read or would want to read, and I may not enjoy as much depth as I could hope for, but it’s a lot better than it could be.
Just for fun, I thought I would make a list of the books I have completed this year, at least as far as I can remember (I need to keep a running list):
- The Holy Bible (plus the storybook Bible Anarion likes)
- Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund
- Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset (started last year though)
- The Lifegiving Parent by Clay and Sally Clarkson
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- My Antonia by Willa Cather
- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
- The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
- A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
- M is for Mama by Abbie Halberstadt
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
- The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
- Hard is Not the Same Thing as Bad by Abbie Halberstadt
- Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
- Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis
- The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
- Howards End by E.M. Forster
- Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
- Shepherds for Sale by Megan Basham
It’s been a fun mix—religion, classic literature, children’s literature, parenting, and even a couple of social/political commentary. I thought that, to help me remember, I would provide a brief synopsis of what I got out of each—no more than a sentence or two, just something to help them stick.
The Holy Bible
Best book ever. There’s some crazy stuff in here, but the more I read, the more I understand. God can be trusted, He will defeat evil, and He is good.
Gentle and Lowly
God really, really loves us. Like, a lot. He isn’t sappy but He is zealous for us and that makes life worth living.
Kristin Lavransdatter
Life in medieval Norway was hard. Sometimes, you choose to love someone even though it makes the rest of your life miserable. Even the most loving parents can’t save their children—but God takes care of us all.
The Lifegiving Parent
Read your kids lots of good books. Let them learn. Sit with them at the dinner table and talk about anything and everything.
Fahrenheit 451
Books are incredibly important. They will always have power, even if the government tries to destroy that. Also, this was a weird book and if that’s what our future looks like, we’re all doomed.
My Antonia
Frontier life is boring. Immigrants have a hard time of it, but they are really amazing people. Sometimes, the simplest encounters live in your memory and change who you are forever.
The Little Prince
Find something to love and care for, for only that makes life worth living. Space princes are incredibly intelligent. Never underestimate someone you meet wandering in a desert.
The Magician’s Nephew
Flee evil and temptation as fast as you can. The world may not have been really made with a song, but it sure does seem like it if you look at it closely.
Spinning Silver
Greed never gets you anywhere. Self-sacrifice isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Russia is cold. Love is sometimes incredibly unexpected.
A Wizard of Earthsea
Imagination is boundless. Wizards must have something to fight for or they’re really not that interesting. Pride is a great evil that will destroy you. Friendship is essential.
M is for Mama
Being a good mom is worth something. Motherhood isn’t just to be survived; it’s to be enjoyed. Children are not a curse, but a blessing.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Read your favorite children’s book again—you might be delighted with what you find. In God’s eyes, forgiveness is complete and only need happen once.
The Horse and His Boy
No matter what journey you’re on, God is with you. Sometimes, He may have to hurt you a bit to teach you who you really are, and, more importantly, who He really is.
Hard is Not the Same Thing as Bad
Nothing Jesus did on this earth was easy, but it was all very, very good. We are here to teach our children the good, even when it feels very, very hard.
Prince Caspian
Pride will be your downfall. Always listen to God, even when you don’t understand what He is saying to you. His way is always the easiest, even when it looks impossible.
Bad Therapy
Children do not need you to hold their hand through everything. Love them deeply, but discipline them fairly. Don’t let them believe that life is here to serve them or they will never overcome the obstacles to become who they were made to be.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Imagination is beautiful. Redemption is beautiful. Sometimes, the smallest person can be the most important.
Wuthering Heights
No one in this book is likable. Do not love yourself too fiercely, or hatred and a thirst for revenge will consume and destroy you.
The Silver Chair
The world is very, very dark. Hold fast to what you have been taught and remember that you are fighting to get to a paradise that does exist.
The Last Battle
This world is not our final home. There is a place just beyond us that is more beautiful than we can imagine; sometimes we glimpse it here, and one day, we will go there if believe in God’s plan of salvation.
Howards End
Love is not always simple. People can and do change, and the process to get there is often hard and messy. Helping the poor is best done carefully and not in a flight of fancy.
Impossible Creatures
Sometimes, the hardest calling is the one we have to face. We live for something greater than ourselves. Power is not the only thing that matters. Friendship is more powerful.
Shepherds for Sale
There are a lot of people who serve political agendas with more devotion than they serve God. Remaining faithful to the gospel is the most important thing. Mrs. Basham is strongly opinionated, and though I wouldn’t agree with her 100% on every issue, I respect her passion for the truth.
It was a good year. I plan to read even more in 2026, starting strong with some of the new books I got for Christmas.
What about the rest of you? What have you read this year and what are your thoughts? I would love to hear.