No.325: My Latest Reads // December

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#74. CHRISTMAS AND THE SAINTS by Hertha Pauli
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

I’ve had Christmas and the Saints on my shelf for awhile and Advent 2019 seemed like the perfect time to read it!  A series of stories that all seem to connect together, I’d describe it as history with some legend mixed in.  I enjoyed it!
(This was also my 1956 pick for the 20th Century Reading Challenge.)

#75. HERCULE POIROT’S CHRISTMAS by Agatha Christie
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Another great book by Agatha Christie!  I’m so glad I started reading her work this year.

#76. STORY OF A SOUL by St. Therese of Lisieux
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Jesus has no need of books or teachers to instruct souls; He teaches without the noise of words.  Never have I heard Him speak, but I feel that He is within me at each moment; He is guiding and inspiring me with what I must say and do.  I find just when I need them certain lights which I had not seen until then, and it isn’t most frequently during my hours of prayer that these are most abundant but rather in the midst of my daily occupations. (p.179)

Saint Therese is my confirmation saint and I’ve read sections of this book throughout the years.  This was the first time I’ve ever read it cover to cover!  There are parts of Therese that are exactly like me and parts of her that are so different, but I really appreciate her viewpoint.  Lots of think and pray about – I have much to do in my spiritual life.

#77. STORIES OF PADRE PIO by Madame Katharina Tangari
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Human sorrow, left to itself without any assistance, can be fatal.  Let us not pretend that those who suffer are supermen of endurance.  It would also be a mistake if we, in our own physical and psychological, material and spiritual well being, were to say to those who happen to be suffering: “Suffering is a grace!  Rejoice that you have the privilege of being able to suffer.”  Oh, let us never say these or similar things to people who are suffering.  As for this talk about the preciousness of suffering, only God can communicate it to the human heart without wounding it!  Instead, we must, to the best of our ability, give help and assistance both materially and spiritually, to ease the pains and soften the sufferings of those who are wrapped up or indeed overwhelmed in their own miseries, so that they may find a way out, support, alleviation and, above all, so that a ray of hope may re-enter their hearts and rekindle their faith and trust in God’s providence and mercy. (p.135-136)

Stories of Padre Pio wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be.  I assumed the book would be a collection of stories about Padre Pio, but it’s mostly about how his influence and prayers changed the lives of others.  Still an interesting read, but now I’m on the lookout for a more biographical version.

#78. ROCK NEEDS RIVER: A MEMOIR ABOUT A VERY OPEN ADOPTION by Vanessa McGrady
My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I recently took a look at the unread books on my Kindle and it turns out I have almost thirty!  Most of these are the free ones I get to choose each month as a perk from Amazon Prime.  Rock Needs River was one of those books and it was…just okay.  The description sounded very interesting to me, but the execution left much to be desired.

#79. BEFORE THE FALL by Noah Hawley
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

This book has me so conflicted!  Before the Fall was suspenseful and interesting enough to keep me turning the pages, but I had this nagging feeling that there was some sort of political spin that was said without being said.  That probably makes absolutely no sense, hah!  It had its share of language and vulgarity, but the portrayal of modern news bias (which I would add happens on both sides of the dial) and the obsession with unrelated personal details in pursuit of “the story” is something I’ll definitely be pondering in the weeks ahead.

#80. WHAT MADE MADDY RUN: THE SECRET STRUGGLES AND TRAGIC DEATH OF AN ALL-AMERICAN TEEN by Kate Fagan
My Rating: ★★★★☆

One of the trickiest parts of social media is recognizing that everyone is doing the same thing you’re doing: presenting their best self.  Everyone is now a brand, and all of digital life is a fashion magazine.  While it’s easy to understand intrinsically that your presence on social media is only one small sliver of your full story, it’s more difficult to apply that logic to everyone else…Comparing your everyday existence to someone else’s highlight reel is dangerous for both of you. (p.140)

What Made Maddy Run is such a heartbreaking yet important book and I’m glad I read it.  Not only to remember a young girl who was so much like myself, but also to learn more about the struggles of today’s college students in the age of social media and enhanced pressure for performance.  The book alternates between Maddy’s story and the author’s reflections on her own college experience, which seemed mostly to be filler.  (You know how I feel about books that should have stayed an article, but were streeeeeetched into a 300 page book…)   Even so, the story is powerful and the statistics were staggering.  There is so much work to do in the area of mental health.