March crept quietly into my corner of the world this week, gently ushering in some sunny skies and warmer temperatures. I celebrated this first hint of spring with a book, naturally.
The leap year had afforded me just the bit of extra time I needed to finish all of my February titles. The Read-aloud Handbook further solidified my commitment to reading aloud to my children (not that I needed much convincing). This book was a treasure trove of helpful tidbits backed by big evidence of the benefits of reading aloud. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was every bit as poignant, painful, and purposeful as I remembered it. I rarely read a book more than once; find out why I made an exception for this work here. Finally, The Friday Night Knitting Club was just the sort of lighter fare I wanted after the more substantial books I read earlier in the month. While it's not one of my favorites, this book was a quick read which didn't ask too much of me. And yes, I did pull out my old knitting needles once again to knit and purl a few more rows of a scarf started long, long ago...
With those books moved off the TBR pile, I'm on to a few which have been sitting on the stack for some time as well as a new addition. I've read a few books by Sue Monk Kidd before (The Secret Life of Bees, Dance of the Dissident Daughter, Traveling with Pomegranates). Now that she has a new book about to be released in April, I'm catching up on a couple of her older works. I'm leaning toward starting The Mermaid Chair this month, but at this point I have no intention of watching the Lifetime movie adaptation of the book.
Next, I'm steeling myself to read Know My Name by Chanel Miller. Her memoir recounts Miller's sexual assault in 2015 and the court case which followed it, People v. Brock Turner. Throughout the case, Miller was known only as Emily Doe. With this book, Miller claims her name and her story. I know this book will be difficult to read. In part, that's why I want to read it. I feel that by reading her experience I can in some way bear witness to it. Story and truth telling about our lives connects people. I want to take my place in that web of connections.
A look at my calendar reveals that March is already a heavily scheduled month for me. If I have time to start a third book, I'll likely pick up The Maze at Windermere by Gregory Blake Smith. This novel was named one of the best books of 2018 by The Washington Post, The Seattle Times, and The Advocate. I know that this book is really five separate narratives which span centuries, but the stories eventually prove to be more entwined than first appears. I'm curious to say the least.
Overall, I feel good about the progress I've made so far on my reading goals. With summer already on the horizon, I'm thinking about what titles I may want to add in the coming months and how the change in seasons will affect the time I have available to read. One definite bonus... getting to read outside! Where are some of your favorite places to enjoy a good book? Let me know some of your best reading spots. Happy reading!