Summer Reading List

Okay. I'll admit it. I have an unhealthy relationship with amazon.com. They have this deal. Spend over $25 and get free shipping. I HATE paying for shipping. So have gotten very accustomed to adding a book (or two) to an order for the kids to get free shipping. That has led me to quite a backlog of reading to do. That would account for almost all of the non-fiction that I need to read. Then there are the novels, that have been given to me by friends/family who know I like to read. Then a few random books that I've picked off the shelf that hubs has read and I want to read too. Recently I've put myself on a 'no buy' policy for books. I've got to read the ones I've got. I'm not buying any books until I get myself caught up. There are quite a few, I can see this now as I pile them up to write this post. Unrealistic to think that I'll finish them this summer. I can kid myself though, and plan on reading them all this summer.

Here they are - my summer reading list books - in no particular order:

1. Freakonomics By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J Dubner

This is one of the books from our shelf that hubs has read and I want to read too. Not sure that I'll get to it, I'm pretty sure that it's at the bottom of my list, but I still plan to read it "some day".

2. Teach With Your Strengths By Liesveld, Miller, & Robison, From Gallup Press

This one comes with an online poll that you take to find out your top five strengths. Hubs took it in leadership academy, which is something all administrator's in the district do. I wanted to see how our top fives compare...and that's a whole other post! Still need to read the book though, to see how my strengths should affect my teaching.

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Yup, Harry Potter. I'm a little behind. Haven't read any of them. I've started this one several times and can't seem to get into it. But that doesn't stop me from trying.

4. Less of a Stranger By Nora Roberts

Because sometimes all I want is a chic flick on paper. Enough said.

5. The Shop on Blossom Street By Debbie Macomber

More chic flick in a paperback. I'm reading this one right now. It's a good story. Intertwines three women's lives. Girl power and all of that. Good so far.

6. Winds of War By Herman Wouk, Copyright 1971.

I believe my copy is from 1971. It has a red cover. It's my dad's. He gave it to me when I was scrounging their shelves for something to read (about 9 years ago!). I've never read it, but still intend to. I think he still thinks I "borrowed" this book. It's 888 pages and definitely not a chic flick book - two reasons I think I've put off reading it.

7. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

I bought this as one of my add-ons at amazon.com. I bought it for future use as a parent and also thought it might have some good ideas for teaching. The topic interests me, so I bought it. Just have never gotten highly motivated to read it. This could be the summer!

8. A Tale of Two Cities By Charles Dickens

I want to read this AGAIN. I read it my senior year of high school. I remember loving it. I hope I will enjoy it as much the second time around as an adult. We'll see.

9. Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome By Stephen Shore

This is written by the keynote speaker from that Autism Conference I went to in April. I bought this at that conference. Mr. Shore is "on the spectrum" so to speak and the book will be excellent. He was smart and funny, as I'm sure his book will also be. I just need to read it!

10. Gifts: How Children with Down Syndrome Have Enriched Our Lives

Edited by Kathryn Lynard Soper

I won this from Michelle at Big Blueberry Eyes. It's a compilation of stories and I can't wait to read it!

11. Woman to Woman By Joyce Meyer

Bought this one day at WalMart when I was feeling particularly stressed (I have issues with buying books when I'm emotional, trying to find something to fix the fact that I'm feeling emotional. Weird.) I'm about 1/3 into this, it's a good "before bed" read.

12. His Needs, Her Needs

Borrowed this from my sister. She liked it a lot and read it with her husband years ago. Supposedly good marriage advice/tips.

13. the curious incident of the dog in the night-time By Mark Haddon

I borrowed this from a friend two or three years ago. Started it once, but it seemed dark. I think I might be ready to try again. We'll see.

I've always enjoyed reading. When I started grad school, I read for my classes and I read to my baby - that was it. Being in grad school pretty much killed any reading for pleasure that I did. Whenever I tried to enjoy a novel, I felt guilty for the stuff I should be reading. So I didn't really read for leisure at that time in my life. Only recently have I begun to read for pleasure again. And it has been pleasurable.

I must admit. As I compile this list, it seems so very random. RANDOM. Ah well, should make for some good reading. We'll see how many of these books actually get finished in the next two months. I'll let ya know!

Editor's note: I spent way too much time getting pictures for each book. Then when the spacing would not work (after several attempts) I scrapped them. Ugh. Now when I fix the spacing in the editing window, it still gets all screwy when I post again. It just goes back to where it was before I fixed it. Now THAT is FRUSTRATING!