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I knew this would be a good read when the opening

I knew this would be a good read when the opening quotes were from Stephen Colbert and Beth Moore. I wasn't wrong. It Was An Ugly Couch Anyway by Elizabeth Passarella is a collection of essays grounded in her family's unconventional approach to securing a coveted apartment in NYC.
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Between chapters documenting the process of pursuing their dream apartment are humorous chapters reflecting on what she has learned to release in life, what she has chosen to cling to, and what has been outside of her control the whole time. For me it was an unusually perfect blend of perspectives I could 100% relate to (small and sequestered kitchen, yes please) and 0% relate to. Her essays cover the pandemic, mystery illnesses, faith, family, moving, and her love of NYC.
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A good rainy day read and a good read for the pick-up/drop-off chauffeur life.

#readmorebooks #memoir #literarylife #reading #essays #nonfictionbooks #igreads #instabook #booknerd #bookworm #bookish #humor #bookrecommendation #book

I started a new hobby this past summer, and it's f

I started a new hobby this past summer, and it's following me into fall (and maybe forever because I already have two other projects started). Looks like a good weekend for reading and quilting ☺️ (and a little panic-cleaning for friends we're hosting on Sunday 😆)
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Happy fall everyone 🍂🍁❤️🧡🤎

Something old, Something new, Something borrowed,

Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue.
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This wedding rhyme accurately describes the amazing stack of books I received this past week. Buying and borrowing from friends and family created its own tbr stack and they all got to me in the past seven days.
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Lovely reading days ahead, I think. Happy weekend, ya'll 🍁🍂📚

All #bookmail is good bookmail. Bookmail from your

All #bookmail is good bookmail. Bookmail from your brother's new bookstore, @matthews_books, is great bookmail. Bookmail from your brother's new bookstore with the label title you got to choose and will henceforth be ever known by: perfection.
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First time a label has been as exciting as the contents, too 😉
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This time around I added: An Outline of Literature (which is exactly what it is) published in 1932 and Fatal Flowers by Rosemary Daniell which is a memoir and reflection on living in the South.

I have a one hour wait at my daughter's cross-coun

I have a one hour wait at my daughter's cross-country practice and a bad case of indecision. Half hour of each? Until "just one more chapter" kicks in?

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#currentlyreading #fiction #nonfiction #reading #readingcommunity #momlife #readeverywhere #bringabook #readmorebooks #ilovetoread #booknerd #bookworm #bookish #literarylife #booksbooksbooks #books #igreads #bookstagram

"...They are trying to go on what they know and th

"...They are trying to go on what they know and that ain't enough. So many more people know things than think things. One thought can put thousands to knowing, but knowing one thing don't put many to thinking..."
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Blending Bible narrative, black folklore from around the world, and various patterns of speech with great effectiveness, Zora Neale Hurston reimagines the story of Moses to create contemporary impact. Moses, Man of the Mountain is both recognizable and new. Figures and events often skimmed over from familiarity are given scope, perspective, and detail. From Miriam to Joshua and Pharaoh to Jethro, the secondary characters in the biblical tradition are imbued with motive, personality, and agency. The actions and understanding of God are minimized but also slowly drawn out - in Moses and the Hebrews - much as a nascent faith might develop.
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This isn't meant to be a theological interpretation of the Old Testament text. But, reading the story through a Christian lens created an added layer of provocative dissonance (in, I would argue, a good way). Hurston's uncanny observations about humanity force a humble examination of where Christians might place themselves in the biblical story. But, I digress.
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Hurston uses this history to shape the narrative about freedom, power, and leadership in a story familiar to a wide range of peoples. Kinda wish the illustrator for the cover made Moses more Man of the Mountain than Charlton Heston, but that doesn't take away from Hurston's brilliant storytelling.

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#zoranealehurston #reading #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readmorebooks #booknerd #bookworm #literarylife #ilovetoread #booksta #igreads #fiction #booksbooksbooks #readingcommunity

Try to time when you start a Wendell Berry collect

Try to time when you start a Wendell Berry collection of essays with a day that you plan to go somewhere outside.
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"And so my questions do not aspire beyond the earth. They aspire toward it and into it. Perhaps they aspire through it. They are religious because they are asked at the limit of what I know; they acknowledge mystery and honor its presence in the creation; they are spoken in reverence for the order and grace that I see, and that I trust beyond my power to see."
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"It is the privilege and the labor of the apprentice of creation to come with his imagination into the unimaginable, and with his speech into the unspeakable."

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#wendellberry #currentlyreading #readingcommunity #reading #nationalparks #literarylife #greatfalls #readmorebooks #igreads #getoutside #booknerd #bookworm #book #booksbooksbooks

📚August Wrap-up 📚 . I'm coming to terms with

📚August Wrap-up 📚
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I'm coming to terms with the fact that my reading number is not as high this year as it has been in past years. I suspected this would be the case even at the beginning of the year, and indeed other good and beautiful activities are more predominant right now. That is fine by me 💚
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Nevertheless, this back end of the year has been quite rewarding with the quality of books I've been reading. August was great! Not a dud in the bunch. I've highlighted a few already, but I have one more to post separately (Moses, Man of the Mountain deserves its own space)!
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In the meantime, here's my accidentally color-coordinated #bookstack for August 💚💙🩵
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How's your reading shaping up for the year? Found any favorites for 2023 yet?

Nobody's Mother by Sandra L. Glahn releases on Oct

Nobody's Mother by Sandra L. Glahn releases on October 10, but I couldn't wait. Thank you @ivpress for the advanced reader's copy.
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Nobody's Mother is an accessible account of the role of the Greco-Roman goddess, Artemis (you may recognize her modern conception as Wonder Woman) in ancient Ephesus as a way to better understand some of Paul's writings to early Christians regarding women.
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In the introduction Glahn shares her personal story of infertility to give context to readers for why she went on a deep dive on Artemis. In particular, she wanted perspective on a line Paul includes in his letter to Timothy: "she will be saved/ delivered through childbearing." Where does Artemis come in? Artemis has often been seen as a fertility goddess - she is not.
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Glahn argues that this line has more to do with providing a counter argument to the Artemis cult than making a statement about the role or place of women.
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The chapters that follow take readers through history, mythology, literature, culture, and archaeology to explore who this goddess Artemis of the Ephesians is and why knowing her significance unlocks a layer of understanding for some of Paul's letters.
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Glahn proceeds with clarity and humility to demonstrate the role and range of Artemis in ancient beliefs. At the end, she creates a fictionalized account of a recent convert to Christianity and what that would have meant for the young woman as she approached childbirth at a time when death was a likely outcome.
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It is a lot of information in a short book from a lot of perspectives. Loved it! If you're interested in Greek mythology, Biblical interpretation, ancient history and civilization, or generally appreciate books that bring together diverse knowledge streams to suggest a fresh look at an old thing, this book is for you.
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You may or may not agree on all the arguments she makes - I'm still tossing them around for consideration - but you will leave with a much broader perspective on Artemis and the ancient world. If you're reading it as a Christ-follower it also helpfully illuminates a few places in New Testament writings that intersect the religious environment of the time. Recommend.

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