September Reading Round Up

A walk across France / Miles Morland
The author quits his high powered job and takes himself and his wife on a walk across France. Interesting travelouge and bit of a voyage of self-discovery too.

Chasing the chimmney sweep / Selwyn Parker
Two couples follow the route of the the first Tour de France on their bicycles. Interesting travelogue from a cyclists perspective!

Koanga Garden Guide / Kay Baxter
Just dipped into this one. It's a very comprehensive guide and I think I'll be buying it.

Swings & roundabouts: poems on parenthood / edited by Emma Neale
Poetry - some good ones in there. I like to read poetry now and again.

Mindset: the new psychology of success / Carol S. Dweck
VERY interesting book - will be writing a separate post about this one I think. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to develop their creativity, leadership or who is wondering how to increase their chances of being successful at what they do. Good one for parents too.

The light in the window / June Goulding
Biography. A newly qualified mid-wife goes to work in an unmarried mother's home run by nuns. It's 1958 so the attitudes and practices are barbaric. I found this one so depressing. She tries to make things easier for her charges but doesn't really manage to do much. I wanted to cry after I read it. It's unbelieveable how little compassion some folks can have - I know it was a different era, but still...

Blood red roses / Margaret Lawrence
Interesting murder mystery set in 1800 America. Midwife Hannah Trevor is single handedly bringing up her deaf child Jennet under the critical eyes of her neighbours. When a local man and his family are found murdered, eyes turn to her as the culprit. The way the book is written is slightly different to a "normal" mystery but it makes a refreshing change. I'm getting out the other books in the series.

Mel asked on the last Reading Round Up if I always read books to the end. I usually do, but only if I think it's worth it. Of late there have been a few that I've started and then put down because they haven't gripped me or at least captured my attention enough to continue. I have become much more selective in that respect. Some types of books I only read a chapter or two. These tend to be the non-fiction sort like that Koanga Garden Guide and the Mindset book. On these Reading Round Up lists, I don't list the cook books I get out of the library which are kind of like picture books for me in that I read them for relaxation and ideas.

Shannon asked if I have more time to read now I've got a lunch hour etc at work. I do read a bit at work - I have a half hour lunch so I often read something then. I occasionally will dip into something non-fiction while on the desk but only if it's really quiet and it has to be something I can put away easily. Fiction is no good at the information desk and it's not a good look either. I do try and read professional literature at work rather than take it home with me, because I can't concentrate on it at home. So, my answer is I probably read less fiction than before but more non-fiction now. Reading is one way I relax so I'd love to do more of it at home, but I find other stuff now takes priority.

Scrapbooking
Made several cards
Two 12x12 LOs
Changed my scrapbooking area round a bit in an attempt to make it less cluttered.
I've paid my deposit to go to the Sketchbook retreat! Woo hoo!
I won the coveted Threading Water Fiskars punch from SBO! Woo hoo! Very excited about that, and anxiously waiting for that to come but I've also ordered a few things from the shop so I told Andrea to send it all together. :)