December 2022 Reading

I am unlikely to finish the book I’m in the middle of reading by the end of tomorrow, so I’m calling the December reading finished at this point.  I read seven books in December:  three picture books, one nonfiction book, and three fiction.

 

Picture books first because we all know they are the most fun.  All three were Christmas presents!  A long time ago, when the kids were small, they picked out a book from the library that had a couple of kids hanging out with their grandpa, who was telling stories about when he and their Uncle Wainey were little.  Only a few things stuck in our minds at the time, but one of them was that Uncle Wainey often said, “Yump.”  It became a thing we said:  “’Yump,’ said Wainey.”  Fast forward to the current moment.  Without knowing the author or the title, my magic librarian kid managed to find the book and give it to me for Christmas.  It is by James Stevenson and it is called We Hate Rain!  It did not disappoint.  The story is funny, the pictures are adorable (both Grandpa and Uncle Wainey, as small kids, have moustaches!), and it came with happy memories of library visits of yore.  Highly recommend.

 

Gorilla Gardener by John and Jana is a book about transforming the world one seed at a time.  It’s about finding the little nooks and crannies of modern life that can shelter a plant, grow a flower, feed someone.  It’s funny and simple and lovely and aspirational.  Thumbs up.

 

It is no secret that Mo Willems is awesome.  Somehow, though, I did not manage to own any of his books until now.  Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is hilarious.  The pigeon’s attempts to persuade readers to let the pigeon follow its dreams are funny and sincere.  We are even saved from feeling bad at the end because the pigeon gives up on the bus dream and begins aspiring to drive a truck instead.

 

The nonfiction book I read this month is Mary Catherine Bateson’s Composing a Life about how women have navigated traditional societal roles while also being creative professional humans in their own right.  It feels a little dated nowadays, but many of the problems still ring true.  Worth a read.

 

On to fiction.  Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bible! by Jonathan Goldstein was the book my book group read most recently.  It was not to my taste.  Your mileage may vary.

 

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty is the second book in a trilogy.  I read the first book so long ago that I don’t remember anything much from it except that it ended with a cliffhanger that made me frustrated that the second book had not yet been published.  That has now changed (and I own the third book, which I intend to read before I’ve completely forgotten this one!).  This book, even without remembering the first one, is a gripping and fascinating read.  The fantasy world is intricate, intense, and lovely.  I love the characters.  About two thirds of the way through, I found myself feeling anxious because I didn’t see a way that all the characters could survive what was coming, being on opposite sides of conflicts, which means that they are complex enough to have fundamental differences between them and still engage my sympathy.  Highly recommend.

 

Unsurprisingly, I loved the latest Louise Penny book, A World of Curiosities.  I will always choose to visit the fictional Three Pines and the characters I have come to love.  This particular mystery had some tough themes to read about, including child abuse and serial murder.  What I love about Penny’s work is that despite the evil that clearly happens, the characters manage to salvage the good.

 

Month total:  7

Fall total:  28

Year total:  96