Summer Reading: Old Favorite, Poetry, Devotional

Summer reading recap: I set goals to  read
-  an old favorite
-  a sci-fi/fantasy adventure
- a nonfiction memoir
- several short stories or poems
- the first in a new series
- a spiritual growth devotional

September 1 was my deadline. I didn't meet every goal on the list, but I at least started/partially completed each item. So here's a summary of the final 3 items on the list.

Old Favorite: The Illyrian Adventure (Vesper Holly #1) by Lloyd Alexander

Technically I read this before my summer goals were set, but it is an old favorite that I recently read, so I decided to include it. (Especially since nothing else I read this summer could actually count toward this goal.)

So. Vesper Holly. A wealthy, red-haired, fiery-spirited, orphaned teenager in the late 1800's. An adventurer who travels the world with Brinnie, her middle-aged, cautious and dearly devoted guardian (our narrator). The high-energy adventures of Vesper were some of my favorites as a young girl, and re-reading them this spring proved they are still fun, hilarious, fast-paced and well-written escapades. Lloyd Alexander wrote dozens of children's books during his life, and while the Chronicles of Prydain are his most famous works, Vesper Holly has always been my favorite.

When I first read Vesper 14+ years ago, I sprinted through the first 4 books only to find that #5 was temporarily out of print. I wrote a letter directly to the author spouting my praise and inquiring if the next adventure would soon be available. And Lloyd Alexander himself wrote back! A personal, typewriter-typed note came in the mail thanking me for my letter and ensuring me that the next story was being re-issued in a new paperback edition and would soon be available. A personalized, signed photograph was also included. I still have both, and it still makes me deliriously happy that he took the time to reply to a young reader's request.

Poems: Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost

One night a few months ago my husband and I pulled this "stay-at-home date idea" out of a jar: read poetry to each other. So I ransacked the shelves for various collections and we flipped through them for over an hour. He stuck mostly to Robert Frost and I had Emily Dickinson. I don't remember all the poems we read, but here's a few snippets.






I started early, took my dog,
And visited the sea;
The mermaids in the basement
Came out to look at me,

And frigates in the upper floor
Extended hempen hands,
Presuming me to be a mouse
Aground, upon the sands.

           - Emily Dickinson, Complete Poems (Part Two: Nature)

The above is just a partial poem, but gives a good idea of Dickinson's lovely imagination. She lived in seclusion for much of her life but wrote poem after poem about the outdoors, traveling, and natural delights. I have always loved her descriptions, her emotions, her raw honesty. Many of her poems also dealt with religion, belief and spiritual ideas. The one below jumped out at me.

I died for beauty, but was scarce
Adjusted in the tomb,
When one who died for truth was lain
In an adjoining room.

He questioned softly why I failed?
"For beauty," I replied. 
"And I for truth, - the two are one;
We brethren are," he said.

And so, as kinsmen met at night,
We talked between the rooms,
Until the moss had reached our lips,
And covered up our names.

          - Emily Dickinson, Complete Poems (Part Four: Time and Eternity)

 Most of my favorite Frost poems are about nature as well, but his topics are often farm/rural life, seasons and childhood memories as opposed to Dickinson's romanticized nature. Frost had a rather tragic life, but still found beauty - and sometimes humor - in simple things. The poem below is one that Matt found and read: reflections on school and the life-long process of learning.






When I was young my teachers were the old.
I gave up fire for form till I was cold.
I suffered like a metal being cast.
I went to school to age to learn the past.

Now when I am old my teachers are the young.
What can't be molded must be cracked and sprung.
I strain at lessons fit to start a suture.
I go to school to youth to learn the future.

           - Robert Frost, "What Fifty Said"


Spiritual Growth Devotional: A Place of Quiet Rest by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

I haven't made much progress in this devotional yet, but I am doing my best to stick with it. A Place of Quiet Rest is a guide to help women start and maintain daily quiet time. This is something I have long neglected. I've tried many times: beginning with good intentions, picking out books and planning to get up early, but good intentions are forgotten, fizzle, and fade. Last week I managed to get up early all 5 mornings and spend time reading before my day took off. This week hasn't been as good. But if I don't read it in the mornings, I try to make time later in the day to catch up.

DeMoss maintains a steady tone throughout the book, laying out strong Biblical teachings while expanding and personalizing them with real-life experiences and scenarios. Longer chapters are broken into sections that can be read over several days, and each chapter ends with discussion/reflection questions. Since I'm doing it alone, I journal my answers and keep track of any thoughts I have while reading. I could see it working very well as a group study, with each participant sharing thoughts, struggles and insights.

I'm on chapter 4 out of 12, so my new goal is to finish this book by the end of the year!

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So there you have it. A summer of reading. There were other books that I read in-between that didn't count toward the goals. I am constantly reading, and my overarching goal for this summer plan was to diversify, to dip into several genres instead of sticking to one. It could have easily been an all sci-fi/fantasy summer, or an all memoir summer. Overall I am satisfied with the results.

What did you read this summer?