The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? by Michael J. Sandel - link to my post (library copy)
The Birth of the Republic, 1763-89 by Edmund S. Morgan - link to my post (library copy to start; then a copy from PaperBackSwap)
Find Another Dream by Maysoon Zayid - This audiobook was offered to Audible members, probably for free. It's hard to imagine someone more different from me than Maysoon Zayid - a New Jersey native with Palestinian parents who suffers from cerebral palsy and is an actress and comedian. Yet I enjoyed her story immensely: honest and funny. It's definitely not for children, only mature audiences. I find it helpful to listen to stories like this one, stories of people who have completely different experiences of the world than I do. In particular, I find the voices of those who are disabled to offer important insights; it's so easy to go through the world without realizing the myriad ways their every-day lives are more difficult than for me. I sought out her TED talk after listening to the book and enjoyed that as well. (Audible book)
Our Bethlehem Guests by William Allen Knight - I do not know where I got this little old hardcover book, but I'm guessing it was a library book sale. It's a short tale about an older man whose young daughter was born in Bethlehem. They left when she was young, but he continued always to regale her with tales, especially at Christmas, of the shepherds and the wise men. I read this aloud to the children this year, as I wanted something short, without having read it myself first. I think I would have anticipated their general lack of interest in the slow story. It was a nice little tale, though. (purchased used)
Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton - I saw this book on a young adult list and thought it might be a good option for First Son's psychology readings this year. He's currently reading The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and is fascinated by it, but it's really more neurology than psychology, and First Son is considering counseling. I liked this portrayal of a teenager suffering from schizophrenia, and I think the format of letters to his psychologist would be a good one for First Son's interests. It's a typical young adult novel, though, with intimate activity between Adam and Maya, and some questionable comments on Catholics. I think it's more Adam's attitude and inability to understand them more than any determined malice, but it felt cavalier. Still, some good things here so I'm putting it on his spreadsheet as something to consider at the end of the year. First Son is 17 and heading off to college in a year; there's not much here he probably doesn't already know. (library copy)
Minds More Awake: The Vision of Charlotte Mason by Anne E. White - Anne White is an accomplished educator, part of the team of dedicated volunteers who have made Ambleside Online the amazing resource it is for modern American homeschoolers who want to follow in Charlotte Mason's footsteps. This book is a wide-ranging invitation to her own experiences implementing Mason's principles in homeschool life. She doesn't give a curriculum, though there are suggestions. Amid descriptions of their family lessons, Mrs. White helps to translate principles into practice, into a lifework. This would be a great book for someone young to the philosophy of Charlotte Mason. (purchased Kindle edition)
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