History's Greatest Voyages of Exploration (Great Courses) by Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius - link to my post (purchased with an Audible credit)
The Century for Young People by Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster - link to my post (purchased used copy)
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild - link to my post (library copy)
Fifty Inventions that Shaped the Modern Economy by Tim Harford - link to my post (library copy)
The Curious Nature Guide: Explore the Natural Wonders all Around You by Clare Walker Leslie - link to my post (library copy)
O Christmas Three by O. Henry, Tolstoy, and Dickens - This book was my book club's selection for December: The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, Where Love Is, There God Is Also by Tolstoy, and The Seven Poor Travellers by Charles Dickens. Two of the stories were new to me, at least in their unabridged forms. The Tolstoy story was by far my favorite. It's a nicely printed hardcover book. (purchased used on Amazon)
Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time by Frank Cottrell Boyce - This is the second book of a continuation trilogy of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It's light-hearted and silly and the children enjoyed it immensely. Dr Who (David Tennant) narrates it and does a wonderful job. (purchased from Audible during a sale)
Mr Bliss by J.R.R. Tolkien - I selected this to listen to along with Kansas Dad because I thought Tolkien would be enjoyable for all but I wanted something less silly as a break before we had the last book of the Chitty trilogy. I failed, because this is one of the silliest stories we have ever heard. This children thought it perfectly hilarious. (purchased from Audible during a sale)
Fire on the Track by Roseanne Montillo - link to my post (review copy from Blogging for Books)
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell - link to my post (purchased used copy).
Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff - This was a perfect book to listen to with Kansas Dad. The story of the Iliad is magnificently told for younger listeners. It includes a few events we hadn't heard in other retellings and (as my children pointed out repeatedly) plenty of violence and gore. It was the Trojan War, after all. I didn't think it was too violent for my youngest at seven, but you might want to pre-listen or pre-read if you are unsure. (purchased from Audible during a sale)
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery - Oh how I loved re-reading this book! (my very old used copy, purchased by my father decades ago)
Books in Progress (and date started)
Books in Progress (and date started)
- Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol. 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
- A Century of Sonnets edited by Feldman and Robinson (May 2017)
- The Complete Ramona books by Beverly Cleary (July 2017), listening with the kids
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (July 2017), listening on my own
- The Power of Silence by Robert Cardinal Sarah (December 2017)
- Tremendous Trifles by G.K. Chesterton (December 2017)
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These reports are my honest opinions.
