Friday, September 18, 2009

Books from Blogging

Blogging can be very good for book ideas! Melanie runs a permanent book swap over at A Country Dream, and that's well worth a visit. In addition, I have spotted books on people's reading lists, been loaned a book while visiting a blogger, and had books recommended for me! I'm going to tell you about three of these books, and then suggest a fourth one for you, which I've been delighted with myself. This one rang a bell when I was feeling particularly disorganised in terms of housework last June! I saw it on the reading list at Posy, but I've seen it on Vintage Magpie today, and I know some other bloggers have it too. It's really dated (sooo 1980s) but it's been very useful so far. Partly, it's made me realise that I am actually very organised, with everything except tidying up. No-one lacks clothes or food in this house, and I get the boys out of the house on time with what they need every morning. So I'm not a disaster - I'm just prone to messiness! There are plenty of tips about sorting that kind of thing out, and I'm working through the ones I like and finding it helpful.
This one's really different. Since elizabethd lent it to me when we met in August I've found other bloggers who also rave about this series. Mitford is a small town in North Carolina (I think) and it's just a chronicle of the life of the town, told through the life and encounters of its Anglican vicar. It's an astonishingly well-crafted book, which combines optimism and seeing the best in people, with real-life problems and a lack of saccharine! I've never encountered a book which tells the Christian life like it is without going a bit soppy or unrealistic before. Well done this author! I should think that anyone who is reasonably sympathetic to a Christian outlook would really enjoy this series.
This one is still on order from Amazon, as you can see. Denise, from A Bun Can Dance, recommended it - look, the title almost includes her blog name! So far, then, I've got one practical book, one Christian-type novel and one to come which looks at the simple, spiritual life without any specific religious content (if I've got that right).
So here is my recommendation to you, well in advance of Christmas, because it would be too late to start it in December! In fact, this reminds me that I promised I'd lend it to my friend B this month...Once again, this is a second hand Amazon purchace. I saw the book mentioned in another one I was reading, a few years ago. This is how it bills itself:
Basically, it's about separating what you and the family WANT/NEED from Christmas, from what other people and the media tell you that you SHOULD be doing. Have a read:It's a very useful book on many levels. The authors really work on getting you to discover what it is that makes Christmas most important for you and yours (and they recognise that this will vary for each person). They then help you to separate what you think you SHOULD be doing from what you could actually do to make Christmas what you want it to be. Have I explained that well? Not sure. Anyway, they look at the causes of Christmas problems, like consumerism and family rows, and the causes of Christmas joy, like time to rest as a family and the development of family traditions. It's good. What was good in it for me would probably be different to what will work for you - it's that kind of book.
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If you have any more book recommendations, do let me know, and if you know any of these books, please let me know what you think of them, too!

14 comments:

A Bun Can Dance said...

Dear Floss
Thank you for the link and the reference to Simple Abundance!
I am fascinated by the other books you mention and would happily read any one of them, so I shall pop over to the library website in a mo and see if I can order them. The Christmas one strikes a chord - I love making gifts, but always have that doubt about not having gone to a shop to buy something. Despite the fact that I've obviously bought the materials to make the gift and the time spent on making it, is in my mind worth more than cash!! Nonetheless, I do worry about that subject.... so maybe the Christmas book is the one I should read first.
Have a lovely weekend - as you guessed I'll be creating links to 70+ blogs for the swap..... yikes!!
Denise x

Elizabethd said...

Are you ready for Book 2?
The switch off book sounds interesting. We achieve it every now and then by going to a small village in Austria for Christmas. A truly Christ centred, non commercial time.

Suzy's Vintage Attic said...

Hello
I always like to look out for book recommendations. Simple Abudance has been recommended twice in a week. Nicky at The Vintage Magpie also recommends it and is posting extracts of it. I looks like one I will be interested in getting. The book swap is a great idea. Although I am terrible at returning library books on time so maybe not a good option for me...
Bon weekend!
Isabelle x

claire said...

As you know I have the organised homemaker book too (thanks to your recommendation x) it really is worth reading I am discovering some handy little hints, like yourself I am not totally hopeless but things have a tendency to get out of control here!! Its a bit ott for me in places as in with your crafty things she recommends a swatch chart system of storing - It'd take me forever!!
I have just bought a similar book to your switch off one - do nothing christmas is coming, advent calendar with a difference...just makes you draw breath and think a bit....
xx

The Curious Cat said...

Wow - I like the sound of the Christmas book - it is a very interesting discussion too. It must be hard for parents with young kids who watch the adverts on TV and talk to their friends at school and get excited about all the things father christmas could bring. I guess it would not be an easy task to sit them down and ask them to think about other less material gifts and pleasure Christmas could bring...

Now we are all older we have been discussing skipping the present part and just focussing on the being together and having a delicious meal - I'd like to go further than that in someway - make it more a thanksgiving sort of event but I'm not sure how you'd start by doing that where each member of the family would be so eager to participate...hmm....

Serenata said...

I've taken your recommendations and ordered both the Organized homemaker and the Christmas Machine. They both strike a chord with me so I look forward to reading them.

Cape Cod Rambling Rose said...

Thank you for stopping by today, Floss! I appreciate your sweet comment!

These all look like great reads. I am especially interested in the Christmas book! I think I'll have to go hunt that one down on Amazon. ;) Have a lovely weekend!

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

Blogging may be good for book ideas but it's bad for my bank balance!!

Thankfully I've discovered ordering from the library which has actually meant my Amazon wish list is under control!

Have a great weekend,

Victoria xx

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

I didn't know about the library. Sounds interesting! That Christmas book looks exactly what I've been wanting. I don't want to ruin it for the girls but it is so commercial and stressful the way it is. I try and make it easier every year for myself. I also think it's lost something special. I've not worked out what yet.

French Knots said...

The library sounds a brilliant idea, my local library is pants and has very little that interest me. But other blogger who are into the same things as me - genius!
The Christmas book looks very good, children are sold too so much by tv it can easily get out of hand. I get them to write down each thing that appears on an ad that brings out the 'wanties' and that seems to satisfy them, for now at least. No doubt when they are older things will change!

Anonymous said...

What fab books! Thank you for posting a link to my site Floss. xxx

Pomona said...

I have heard about the Christmas book before - but haven't read it - sounds like a book after my own heart - I think I will have to get hold of it!

Pomona x

LissyLou said...

I want to get that organized home maker book - i could do with that at the moment xx

Monica said...

Hi Floss!
Glad you mentioned Simple Abundance- I've been reading and re-reading it for years now, and just LOVE it!!! I recommended it as a cool way to start the new year, on my January,1st, 2009 post.
Thanks also for the other tips!
Monicax.