4 Books I'm Always Reading

I can not be reading only one book at any given time.  It's in my nature to enjoy a variety of things- whether it's food, music, of literature.  For the same reason I bounce between Spotify playlists- The Lumineers to Shinedown to Disney sing-a-alongs, all within a one hour- I bounce between books.   

I wonder if I should attribute this to my personality (MBTI tests- look it up) as an ENFP, meaning I'm an extroverted, intuitive, feeling, perceiver- which, according to Pinterest, is described as a "hyperactive social butterfly" or a "manic pixie dream girl".  Essentially, I get bored easily, and I can't do just one thing for a very long period of time before I go nuts.  However, I'm sure that there are other kinds of people who have these same reading habits. 

To clarify, I don't continually read the same four books, but one book in each of these four categories. 

Meditation

While the word meditate is often thought of as a religious mental exercise, I'll use it as the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it: to engage in contemplation or reflect. 
I'll either read something regarding theology, or written specifically for women.  

Currently: Ladylike by Rebekah Curtis and Rose Adle

This specific title reads similarly to a devotional, so I read a chapter every night before bed. It's a nice end to the day, contemplating life and what it means to live as a Christian woman.  It also helps me wind down from watching crime dramas way too late at night. 

Also: Hello My Name Is Single by Adriane Dorr Heins

Education 

Regardless of whether or not you're a student, there is plenty of great literature to be read, and that's where this category fits in.

Currently: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

English for my senior year is primarily classic novels, reviews, and discussions, so I have a list to choose from.  

Also: Christy by Catherine Marshall, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway.

Recreation

While these titles sometimes overlap with the school book section (I read a lot of classics for fun), they're usually rereads- purely for enjoyment and nostalgia. I usually save this sort of reading for breaks or road trips.  Unless of course the book happens to be a gift, in which case I read it as soon as possible.

Currently: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

This first time I read Harry Potter was over Christmas break. It feels like the perfect season to reread the series.

Also: Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Riddle Master by Patricia A. McKillip, Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (These Happy Golden Years = nostalgia) and assorted books by C.S. Lewis and Jane Austen.

Vocation

As a farm girl (or a Hobbit; however you'd like to put it), I love learning about what makes things tick. This winter, while my garden is bare and there are significantly less hours of daylight, I'm reading through my dad's bookshelf.

Currently: Folks, This Ain't Normal by Joel Salatin

Also: Every book written by Joel Salatin, The New Biological Farmer by Gary Zimmer, and other books about holistic management, gardening, cattle, etc.

This is what a homeschooled, future farmer of america looks like. Or, at least, what they read.


So, if you see me at a conference or on a road trip, carrying a bag full of books, even if I'm only gone for a day or two, you'll know why. You might even know what's in my bag.

- Grace