What should I read in 2015?

January 4, 2015

Hmmm . . . so many books to choose from.

Our book club has been meeting for three and a half years, and we have read about 60 books. Sometime, I'll list them all. But for now, I want to show you our ballot for 2015.

About a year ago, we wised up, and decided to each nominate books for the upcoming year and vote on them. Then we'd have a nice line up of books to read. No more, "well, what do you want to read next?" We had kept going for a while by just borrowing book club kits from the library, but those ran out, and we needed a plan.

Planning in advance allows us to find books used online, or place a hold or interlibrary loan request on a book. Because we often read up to two books a month, we want to find them either for free or as inexpensively as we can. Nobody wants to fork over full price at the bookstore.

But before we look at the list, let's relax and have a cup of tea.

Isn't this the cutest little tea infuser?


My daughter got this for one of her brothers for Christmas.

So, here is the list we are currently voting on, in no particular order, except that I am showing you my nominations first. Everyone's nominations were in by Saturday, and we have a week to vote for what we'll read in 2015. (We are still finishing up last year's selections, and will be ready to start with one of these books the beginning of February).

As you can see, it's quite a diverse line-up, with classics, science fiction, Christian, current best-sellers, and even a western.


My Nominations

Lila by Marilynne Robinson
Selected Stories of Anton Chekov by Anton Chekov
Letters to Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily P. Freeman
First We Have Coffee by Margaret Jensen
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton
Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942 by Joyce Dennys

Other Nominations

The First Circle by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton
The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose
The Lonesome Gods by Louis L'Amour
Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose by Flannery O'Conner
Summer Morning, Summer Night by Ray Bradbury
Miracles: What They Are, How They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life by Eric Metaxas
Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church by Philip Yancey
The Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright
Israel, My Beloved by Kay Arthur
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom by Graham Farmelo
The Shadow Lines by Amitov Ghosh
Nearing Home by Billy Graham
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Teach Us to Want by Jen Pollock Michel
Love and Treasure by Ayelet Waldman
Back Channel by Stephen L. Carter
What's in a Phrase?: Pausing Where Scripture Gives You Pause by Marilyn Chandler Mc Entyre
You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt
Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth
Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel
Nathaniel's Nutmeg: How One Man's Courage Changed the Course of History by Giles Milton
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott
The Reason by William Sirls
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink
The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter van Tilburg Clark

There was one nomination I have to highlight. No offense to my friend who nominated it, but I'm hoping this is a joke. We're very proud of her for landing an engineering job after years of being home and homeschooling her children. But, seriously? Maybe she just wants to share the fun with us?!

Fundamentals of Automotive and Engine Technology: Standard Drives, Hybrid Drives, Brakes, Safety Systems by Konrad Reif

Oh, my.

Some of the nominations I have already read, and some I've never heard of. There's a few I definitely want to read, and a few I hope we don't read!

Which books would you choose? What would you add to the list? Are you reading anything interesting right now?

(Note to my book club friends: This is not the official ballot. Deb will be sending that out.)

25 comments

  1. Thanks for this, Debbie. I was just thinking about picking up some new books to help get through this long winter ahead. I will pick a couple from your list. Love the tea infuser. Deb

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  2. I like the list because it is wide ranging. Any list that has C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton on it means the other books are likely good too. Your Mr. Tea infuser is a nonchalant guy.

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  3. Dearest Deborah,
    Wishing you good luck in choosing from that lengthy list!
    At present I'm not able to really read, would love to get back to it but so much scanning to do still... One day I will get past it and do the happy dance and start a different schedule!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  4. Wow, you have a great list of books Deborah - I don't know how you will choose from so many! I will have to bookmark this page so that I can come back again and look at the list since there are a lot of books here that I have never read.

    Have a happy Monday!

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  5. I just finished reading All The Light We Cannot See and I really enjoyed it but looking at your titles I might want to re read Enchanted April....such an evocative story about new beginnings and travel to a picturesque villa....call me a die hard romantic...it is true!

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  6. I love the tea infuser, what a great gift. Quite a wide stretching list which is always a challenge but then nice to read something sometimes that you wouldn't normally. \my favourite on the list has to be Little Women.

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  7. As much as I loved The Name of The Rose, I think it's wickedly ambitious for a reading group, unless you're all pretty good with Latin, arcane Catholic history, and customs of the Middle Ages. Umberto Eco needs to be read with Wikipedia closet at hand!
    hugs,
    Janice

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    1. Thanks for the warning Janice. That actually makes me want to read it more, as I love history and research. We'll see if the group agrees . . .

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  8. Please don't approve my last comment....I think it might have been missing something. In any case, what I wanted to say was:
    Haha! The engineering book sounds fascinating! :D I watched the movie the Orphan Train and it was pretty good, but I have never read the book. I'm thinking of reading Orwell's Animal Farm next....if I don't get distracted by The Amatuer Mind, a chess book by Jeremy Silman.

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  9. Saw the movie Enchanted April and it was stellar. Loved it.

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  10. A great list of books...many I've never heard of so thanks for future reading inspiraion! Have you ever thought of starting an online reading group through your blog? I think there would be many who would enjoy it. Oh, and love the tea diffuser. Too cute!

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  11. wow Deborah, that is a long list of books to read. They all look very interesting. I should get motivated and start reading more often too.

    I love your new tea infuser too. Very very cute.

    Have a great week,

    Janet

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  12. LOVE your tea infuser! The Buccaneers is a great read with Downton Abbey in mind...I was just thinking of re-reading mine...Have fun!
    Ruth

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  13. Haha I love the really cute tea infuser! There is such a long list of books Deborah wow! I will have to look again at this list of books to read. I just finally finished reading a Debbie Macomber book. I am on the go every day and I love to have an easy book read before bed. Thank you for this book list. Wishing you a lovely first week of the new year. Hugs, Julie

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  14. Hi Deborah, you have a great list here and it will be a challenge to choose. I just finished Mr. Miracle and The Christmas Sweater. Both sweet books and perfect for the holiday. I am about to start The Waiting by
    Cathy LaGrow. Hubby read it first and said it is fantastic.
    Love your darling tea infuser. I have that same cup.
    Enjoy the first week of January.
    Blessings to you!

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  15. Ooh I love the cute tea infuser, Deborah! Wow, what a list of books to choose from. I read An Enchanted April, from Vee's recommendation and it was free, at the time, for my Kindle. I look forward to your reviews on your choices.
    Happy New Year!

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  16. Such an ambitious list! There are many I've not heard of. I just finished Bel Canto and am now reading Run, also by Ann Patchett. She is a beautiful writer with a new way of looking at life and living. Warning, Bel Canto had a few adult moments and adult themes.

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  17. Looks like a great list for a book club. I'll second Janice's comments on Eco's book - fascinating and dense. The Light Between Oceans is lovely but heart-wrenching, have tissues on hand. I've got All the Light We Cannot See up on my table to begin when I've finished Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon. Til We Have Faces by Lewis is a classic. Have fun choosing!

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  18. Mr. Tea is adorable! It looks like he is sweating it out in a hot tub! I have been reading a lot of Kindle books lately - most are the free or reduced price ones you can get via the various services. Happy New Year, Deborah!

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  19. Love your list! Like you, some I've read, some I hope to read and a few I wouldn't be interested. Our last book club selection was Still Alice. Next up, The Vacationers, by Emma Straub. We (mostly me) submit suggestions and vote after each meeting for the next. We meet every other month which is doable for most our group.

    Little Women, Unbroken, Bel Canto, Orphan Train - amazing! An Enchanted April, The Interestings, A Light Between Oceans, The Name of the Rose, All the Light We Cannot See, Great Expectations on my personal TBR stack.

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  20. Hi Deborah,
    What a sweet tea infuser. I must get one! Do you know where she got it? Thank you for visiting me and inspiring me to read more and giving me such a variety of choices. Karen

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  21. Oh my that's such a long list of books! I haven't heard of most of them to be honest!!
    I highly recommend Nick Vujicic's books because he is such an inspiration!

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  22. So many titles to choose from. Meanwhile the tea infuser just cracked me up! :)

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  23. Little tea infuser gave me a big smile - very cute indeed. You have a great list to pick from Deborah. I have read Margaret Jensen's First We Have Coffee so many times and given copies to friends - it is so good. Will look forward to finding out which one your group chooses.
    Blessings from Arizona,
    Dorothy

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  24. That's an impressive list! I hope you like the selections. Sounds like a very good group you're in. The tea infuser is so cute -- I saw that on Amazon, and a friend bought one just like it. Oh, also -- have you ever shopped at Abebooks.com, online? They have such inexpensive books, often with free shipping. I've ordered from them dozens of times for homeschool and for myself, and have never been disappointed.

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