Other Books I Read in 2013
Note: this is not an exhaustive list by any means. But since I only read 7 of my List of 10 for 2013, I thought I'd note briefly other books that made an impression on me last year. Here they are!
The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
Delightful science fiction with a hint of romance; Lord is my favorite of the authors I discovered this year.
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
I'd been meaning to read this for a long time. When I picked it up randomly at the library to read one boring evening, I had no idea it would move me so deeply. I'll never forget the Sufi Muslims dancing and chanting in the dust of a new world.
Mars by Ben Bova
Now obsessed with Mars as a colony, I moved on to this novel. Well-drawn, thoughtful, but not as compelling as Red Mars.
She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse by Elizabeth Johnson
I read this book after attending a day-long seminar on Femininity in God. It changed how I view myself with God, and how I view God's work in humankind. Highly recommended.
A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily P. Freeman
After Grace for the Good Girl, I was intrigued to read Emily's take on making art, not only in music or writing or painting, but in how we live our lives. I think I may need to read it a couple more times before everything sinks in, but she's onto something, here.
A Severed Wasp by Madeleine L'Engle
I picked this up in a used bookstore, and it turned out to be one of the most powerful reads of my year, speaking of the messiness of life, of love, and of “nightmares” that can be as damaging to us as real trauma.
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
My mom sent me a copy of this book after she read it, saying she thought I'd enjoy it. That was an understatement; it's been a long time since I read a novel that was so full of connections between women, mother-daughter, friends, etc. I felt as if this book returned to me hope for relationships I've longed for but haven't always managed to grasp in real life.
The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
Delightful science fiction with a hint of romance; Lord is my favorite of the authors I discovered this year.
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
I'd been meaning to read this for a long time. When I picked it up randomly at the library to read one boring evening, I had no idea it would move me so deeply. I'll never forget the Sufi Muslims dancing and chanting in the dust of a new world.
Mars by Ben Bova
Now obsessed with Mars as a colony, I moved on to this novel. Well-drawn, thoughtful, but not as compelling as Red Mars.
She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse by Elizabeth Johnson
I read this book after attending a day-long seminar on Femininity in God. It changed how I view myself with God, and how I view God's work in humankind. Highly recommended.
A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily P. Freeman
After Grace for the Good Girl, I was intrigued to read Emily's take on making art, not only in music or writing or painting, but in how we live our lives. I think I may need to read it a couple more times before everything sinks in, but she's onto something, here.
A Severed Wasp by Madeleine L'Engle
I picked this up in a used bookstore, and it turned out to be one of the most powerful reads of my year, speaking of the messiness of life, of love, and of “nightmares” that can be as damaging to us as real trauma.
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
My mom sent me a copy of this book after she read it, saying she thought I'd enjoy it. That was an understatement; it's been a long time since I read a novel that was so full of connections between women, mother-daughter, friends, etc. I felt as if this book returned to me hope for relationships I've longed for but haven't always managed to grasp in real life.