What I'm Reading and Why

Photo from Unsplash by Kimberly Farmer

I think every time I share what I'm reading, I tell the story about how as a kid, my nose was always in a book. There was nothing better than sitting in a corner, flipping, the pages, and falling into a world of relatable characters having extraordinary adventures. As an adult, I've fallen in and out of the habit of reading for pleasure. With the commitments of working full time and having face time with real people, there have definitely been times when I would go months without reading a book just for fun.

I must say that one of the fruits of the pandemic is that I've started to read more, make visits to my local library more, and take suggestions from trusted fellow readers on what I should read next. Over the year, my reading tastes have changed: I'm more likely to read both fiction and non-fiction and I'm including more contemporary titles on my to be read shelf. I'm reading more to understand the world around me rather than just sinking into an imaginary world for a fun escape. Here's what I'm currently enjoying:

I've been delving into nonfiction, in part for professional development and in part because as I've gotten older, human psychology has been a topic of interest to me. Human beings and our behavior are so fascinating. The way we make decisions and our reactions to those decisions are things that I have to deal with every day in my work with youth. These are some of my favorite books that are helping me understand how to better cater to them.

1. I first heard of Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World in a Bishop Robert Barron podcast. He was speaking with Brandon Vogt, from Word on Fire, in relation to his apostolate with the "nones," those who self-identify as having no religion. During their conversation, they discuss the theory that no one is really a "none." Instead, they choose as their god things like wellness, politics, astrology, fandom, and what Burton refers to as "remixed religion" where they pick and choose what feels good from various faith traditions, essentially making their own religion. We don't see people openly worshipping a big golden calf, so we assume that idolatry doesn't exist. But the devil works in more subtle ways and can shape the idols in the form of our favorite hobbies or seemingly harmless products. While there are definitely some things I find questionable in this book, I'm also learning a ton about how to relate not just to youth but adults as well.

2. Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make us Whole by Susan Cain is a follow-up to her ode to introverts, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. As a melancholic introvert who fully enjoyed Quiet, I was delighted to see Cain had something to offer on the goodness of feeling suffering and sorrow. Our culture turns to comfort, but Cain reassures us that just as there's value to introversion, there's also value to melancholy. I'm only a couple of chapters in, but her brief examination of the movie Inside Out makes me excited for what's to come.

3. Fr. Thomas Acklin and Fr. Boniface Hicks' book, Spiritual Direction: A Guide for Sharing the Father's Love is on my list of required reading for my spiritual direction course, but I'd read it even if it weren't required! This book isn't just one to read but one to pray over. It offers insights on how to be a better listener, how to develop skills of a spiritual director, and most importantly, how to maintain presence and relationship before God the Father, from whom all good things flow. While there are many other resources on my list of required readings, I'm always drawn to this one for its simple yet profound reflections.

A friend recently got me into Book of the Month, a monthly subscription service that offers a selection of books each month to customers. In the past, I wouldn't have been interested in such a service because I like to pick my books based on what's already on my to be read list, and I don't usually trust the recommendations of strangers. BUT my experience with BOTM has been great so far. While I like reading culturally diverse novels, I'm not usually one to make a big fuss about representation. However, all of the books I've picked through BOTM have included cultural minorities. Sometimes the story revolves around the culture, but I'm impressed that sometimes the character can easily be from any culture - and the author just chose to write about a character of color. I haven't started Bronze Drum or the Many Daughters of Afong Moy yet, but I'm nearly done with Min Jin Lee's Pachinko - and it's fantastic. As I read, I've started to notice how rare it is to find a mainstream fiction book about Asian history. If you're looking for a good read on the Korean experience in the early to mid 1900s, I highly recommend Pachinko!

I can't end this post without mentioning my current spiritual reading. Hannah Hurnard's Hinds' Feet in High Places has been recommended to me by so many women that I've had it in my purse, my bedside table, and my bookshelf for months. It's basically a retelling of Song of Solomon, which depicts the main character's transition from a scared, uncertain woman to one who is much beloved by the Good Shepherd. I've found that I often have to pause and think about the words as I'm sure they would mean something different to me if I were at a different phase in my life. But for now, I'm enjoying a book that reminds me so much of myself and the ups and downs of my own spiritual journey.

I share these books because I can't stress enough how much I get out of reading a good book (or five). There are so many options for entertainment these days. From movie theaters to video games, sports, to choir practice, we have so many options for recreation. I certainly don't dismiss those activities, but I also encourage picking up a good book every once in a while.