We Are What We Read

Planning What We Read

Author Bob Hostetler gave an excellent plenary speech at the Wheaton, IL Write-to-Publish conference this past Friday. I especially liked his idea of choosing the books you want to read each year and setting up a yearly reading plan for yourself.

My book selections are usually arrived at on the fly. A book passed on by a friend, a book review in the paper, a wander among the library shelves.

The idea of carefully planning my reading is new for me. I love it - whether I have time to read twenty or thirty books or eighty to a hundred per year as Bob does.

How wise, just as we are what we eat, we are what we read. I wouldn’t just grab anything on a supermarket shelf without giving some thought to what’s entering my body. Why should I be any less discriminating about my brain food?

Bob suggested we include a variety –like a good nutritional mix - some biography, autobiography, historical fiction, spiritual, contemporary fiction, classics, a couple of children’s books, even re-reading two or three books that impacted us in the past.

The idea of reading children’s books surprised me! Being a parent and grandparent is such fun because I got to read children’s literature again. But I never thought of reading this category for myself.

So what shall I choose for my list this year? I asked the gentleman in the picture below to give me suggestions for the plan that I’m going to begin in July. He wasn't helpful.

What books do you suggest? Let me know your favorite biography or historical fiction. 

Has any classic book other than the Bible inspired you enough to reread it every few years? 

What about a recommendation for a good mystery? You can leave a comment below if you wish.

Hunting for a Scripture about the wisdom of planning I found this gem: Isaiah 32:8 “But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.”

The titles of Bob Hostetler's books intrigued me: Don't check Your Brains At the Door, Quit Going to Church, The Bone Box, American Idols. I'm definitely putting one on my list. 

Don't miss Love Always, Mom  my  free e-book on amazon June 13-15th - a heart warming true miracle story of our son's healing. 

Blessings and love dear readers!