Nightstand Books

Just like my Recipe of the Month feature, I am hoping for this to be a once-a-month post here on my blog. Basically, my "nightstand books" are books that I am currently reading, hope to read or have read quite recently. Before I had Jed I was pretty worried that my chances to read would be few and far-between once he came, but because I read when I nurse, I have at least 5 guaranteed chances to read every day. Hooray! So, without further ado and in no particular order, April's Nightstand Books:

1. The Scriptures. I finished the Book of Mormon last week and have started in on the D&C. It has been a while since I've just read it straight through, and I am loving it. I love how personal some of the sections are for me in the situations I'm in right now. Heavenly Father always understands us.

2. These is My Words by Nancy E. Turner. This is a FABULOUS book. I am enjoying it so much. It is written journal style about a girl named Sarah Agnes Prine and covers from 1881 to 1901 in the Arizona Territory. Sarah doesn't have much education in the beginning of the book but as she has various life experiences, she becomes more educated and much wiser. She is a woman after my own heart--independent, loves her family fiercely, carries a pearl-handled pistol in her apron pocket... I cannot say enough how much I love this book.

3. The Savvy Consumer by Elizabeth Leamy. I figured in these economic times, it never hurts to be a better buyer. This book covers things like buying and selling a house or car, renting an apartment, getting deals on large and small appliances, scams, etc. It was really informative and written in an easy style. I actually really enjoyed it.

4. The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. I haven't read this one yet, but I thought it sounded great and is by the same author who wrote The Secret Life of Bees, which I loved. Should be good!

5. Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean. I love Norman Maclean and his works--"A River Runs Through It," "The Ranger, the Cook and the Hole in the Sky," "Logging and Pimping and Your Pal, Jim," all touched my heart and my funny bone. Young Men and Fire was his writing and delving into the cause of a tragic fire in Mann Gulch, just north of Helena MT, in 1949 that killed 12 Smokejumpers. It is also a great study on fire ecology, which I am wanting to learn more about lately--I never got to take a fire ecology class in school but I really feel that I need to be studying about it now.

6. Adventures of a Woman Homesteader: the life of Elinore Pruitt Stewart (I can't remember who wrote this one). I haven't started this book yet but I can't wait. I love Elinore Pruitt Stewart's book Letters of a Woman Homesteader--we're reading it for book club in May (my turn to choose). She has such a fabulous outlook on life and she serves so many people. She has always been one of my personal heroes and I am excited to learn more about her.

I also have a couple of magazines--Martha, of course, Real Simple and Mary Jane's Farm (which this month is dedicated to all things honey) and I am so excited to look through all of them.

I hope these books have given you some ideas for something to read next time you're at your local library. Even if you only get to read for 5 minutes a day, that's a fabulous five minutes!