Books, books and more books.

With so many books and a small dwelling, we need to get rid of some. Especially some of the books we bought for homeschooling.

Some of our books are listed on Half.com

We also have things listed in HSLDA's Curriculum Market Place. Take note though, you have to be a member in order to make a purchase there.

Ok, so I wasn't a dyslexic, but by the end of this section you'll understand the title. I was however a very slow reader, and suspect I had some reading disability in grade school. I rarely could finish a reading assignment in class. I remember struggling with what they call streams. That's focusing on the lines made by the white spaces between the words going from top to bottom on the page. I also read word for word which made reading very slow. I didn't like reading and wouldn't do it in my spare time, even though my librarian grandmother was always giving me books. It wasn't until I was 20 or 21 when I read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott that I started reading for pleasure and information of my own accord. Now I read a lot, although I'm still a slow reader.

Now for the reason of the title for this section. My oldest daughter was having trouble reading, but I wasn't too worried because of hearing stories about late bloomers when it came to reading. We finally had her tested at age 10 and amoung other things she was also diagnosed with having dyslexic like symptoms. My inital research into dyslexic wasn't very fruitful, but when I stumbled onto the book Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level by Sally Shaywitz Md, I was convinced. I was supprised to find out that there are other difficulties with this condition, such as organizationl problems. She still has difficulties reading, but suprisingly she likes books. She goes to the library every three weeks, and comes home with and arm load of books. I believe that's because we homeschooled. We were able to make accomodations for reading school stuff, ususally I read it aloud, thus she still had energy and a desire to look at the library and other books she owned. Yes she was and still is drawn to books with lots of pictures, but she has taugh herself many things through books she's checkd out at the library.

I've been reading The Marketing of Evil: How Radicals, Elitists, and Pseudo-Experts Sell Us Corruption Disguised As Freedom by David Kupelian. This is not fiction, but tends to be frustrating to read as you feel like a salmon swimming up stream.

So I'll read some and then revert to some fiction. Currently that is Candle in the Darkness (Refiner's Fire Series #1) by Lynn Austin. This is a historical fiction set in Richmond, Virgina during the Cival war and centers around the Fletcher family, more precisely Caroline Fletcher. While the book was good, it wasn't until the 1/2 way point that I got to the can't put it down struggle. Besides being good reading, it's also educational.

September

I read two first two books in the Brides of Lancaster County Series.

The first one A Merry Heart (Brides of Lancaster County, Book 1) is about Miriam Stoltzfus is a young Pennsylvania Amish woman who has anything but a merry heart. What I like about this story is it shows how holding on to a hurt grows more and more bitterness, and robs one of blessings. It also makes the trials of life even more difficult to bear.

The second one was Looking for a Miracle (Brides of Lancaster County #2)
This one picks up several years later with Miriam Stoltzfus' neice, Rebekah Stoltzfus, who suffered a freak accident that left her legs paralyzed, struggling with self-pity. Like her aunt many years earlier, she also misses out on blessing due to her self-pity.

While both of these stories take place within the Amish community, they are issues which many people encounter.

You can learn more about Wanda E Brunstetter at her web site.

I returned to author Beverly Lewis, and am read October Song. It is the first of three in a series called The Redemption of Sarah Cain, and continues with the lives of those we met in The Heritage of Lancaster County Series.

August

I just finished reading The Coalwood Way by Homer Hickam. This is biographical in nature, and gives a good feel of life in a coal town, in the 50's. It also tells alot about the Rocket Boys the author Homer being one of them. This was enjoyable to read and while at times sad it was also hopeful and peaceful.

Earlier in 2008

At the beginning of the year, I was reading the fiction of Dee Henderson's, O'Malley Series. These combination suspense/romance, were hard to put down. It didn't take long to be drawn in. If you tend to neglect your other responsibilities when reading a good book, then wait till you have time to read these.