Current Reads For the Month of May
I love reading. And I always have wayyyy too many books on the go. This month is no exception. 🙂 Here are the latest ones that I've been really into:
Real Food for Mother and Baby
by Nina Planck
I actually just received a copy of this (literally, yesterday afternoon) for the purpose of reviewing it, and I am already thoroughly enjoying it! True to it's title, Nina focuses on teaching about "real" food (traditional, whole, unprocessed) and how it affects fertility and pregnancy, nursing and feeding an infant and toddler. So far, I'm finding it interesting and well-written enough to keep me going, and definitely full of enough facts and solid nutrition to make me really happy. 🙂 This would be a really solid read for anyone that is hoping to conceive soon, already pregnant, or has a baby. It would also be very helpful for anyone struggling with infertility, especially PCOS, as those very topics are examined and talked about with more real nutritional content (and less fluff) than you can find in most books. More on this one to come!
The Thrive Diet
by Brendan Brazier
My husband received this book from a whole foods supplement company that is a client of his. Upon hearing of his interest in health (lived mostly vicariously through his wife!), one of the men at the company proceeded to load him up with supplements to try and this book to read. At this point (I'm about halfway through), I would say that the basic premise of the Thrive Diet is that you want to aim for one-step nutrition (foods that require little effort by the body to digest and thus supply it with nutrients), eat the most nutrient dense foods possible, and avoid stressors on your body (whether they be life-related or due to poor nutrition). The author is a vegan (absolutely no animal products), and eats a good percentage of his food raw. He is also a very successful triathlete.
My general opinion of the book so far is that he has some really good things to say about some of the foods that offer our bodies the most bang for their buck, including the fact that eating foods that are raw, sprouted, etc. are very beneficial. At this point, though, I would say that I think his conclusions and perspective are a bit limited and narrow, and that he hasn't truly proven to me why he would forgo nutrient dense animal foods or conventional grains (he promotes only psuedo-grains like quinoa and amaranth). Because I already know I disagree with him a fair bit, I'm struggling to finish it, but I'm really going to try. 🙂
Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be
by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck
This is a really interesting read for anyone who has been a part of the emerging church movement, or would like to learn more about it for the purpose of speaking to those involved in it. My husband and I are reading it for both reasons- before we began going to the church we attend now (essentially reformed in doctrine), we had both been a part of our fair share of emerging church movements, and we also still have many friendships with those involved in such churches. Our desire is to strengthen our understanding of the movement and our conviction of it's dangers and weaknesses, so that we can better love and support those we know who are still a part of it. Several chapters in, I'm really enjoying it's mix of down-to-earth, honest conversation and deep, thoroughly Biblical insight into the issues.
So, what have you been reading lately?
I’ve been looking for some good book ideas; thanks for featuring these!
I’ve been working through “Feminine Appeal” by Carolyn Mahaney, which is a wonderful book on biblical womanhood. It goes through the seven characteristics of godly women outlined in Titus 2. I’d definitely recommend it!
I’ve also been re-reading “Reforming Marriage” by Douglas Wilson. I’m a newlywed (one year in a couple weeks!) and haven’t read this since my husband and I were dating. It’s a great, gospel-centered (reformed) book on marriage.
Finally, my husband and I just started reading “The Gospel in a Pluralist Society” by Lesslie Newbigin. I’m only one chapter in, but so far it is really good; it provides a wonderful Christian perspective on contextualizing the gospel within an increasingly post-modern world.
Thanks for your reviews! I’m not pregnant nor do I have children, but when I am I’ll be sure to check out the first book; I’ve heard great things about it! The book on the emergent church looks very interesting, too.
Every night my 3 yo son and I are reading from The Jesus Storybook Bible. His favorite story is about Namaan!
I’m re-reading Spiritual Mothering by Susan Hunt. My church is having two book club meetings this summer as we get ready to kick-off a mentoring program in the Fall.
I think I’d have a hard time with the Thrive diet, because raw food just does not work for me. I’m weirdly allergic to many things in their raw form (but not cooked, I know, weird weird weird) so I wouldn’t be able to eat much. Of course, I’d probably lose a ton of weight because of that. Hmm.
Anyway I just finished reading “The End of Overeating” by David Kessler and I thought it was pretty good. To be honest, I really struggled with the first half of the book because it’s very very sciencey and in depth and you have to think when you’re reading, which is something I was not good at this week. But I’m glad I read it and I want to read it again. When I can think more betterly.
The book you recommended on the emerging church looks really good. I’ll have to pick it up. My husband and I are studying with some friends to understand the beliefs of emerging/emergent church. We, too, have many friends involved in churches with emerging doctrine and it is our desire to show them love and share truth with them. Thanks for sharing this book!
Right now I’m reading Nina Planck’s Real Food for Mother and Baby, too! I won it off of Donielle’s blog. 😉 Fantastic info… making me angry at conventional information… making me desire more changes in our diet… making me take action!
Love the reviews–the first and last sound most interesting. I have way to many books reading, too, but am loving them all (and just got a number of great best-sellers for $1 at a garage sale!)
Some of my highlights this summer are: The China Study
The Backyard Homestead (got the info from this site and think it is a great resource)
Vintage Baby Knits (so, not really, a “read” but has some cute patterns!) and for my book club that starts back up agian in Sept. we’re reading The Pilgrim’s Progress. I have a summer of great reads ahead of me!
I often do book reviews onmy blog, if you’re interested in hearing more 🙂
ssmast.blogspot.com
Sarah
Emily, I also love Feminine Appeal! I read it a couple months ago and was really encouraged and instructed by it. That last book, “The Gospel in a Pluralist Society” sounds very interesting!
Sandra, my kids also adore the Jesus Storybook Bible (I just read them a story right before their naps this afternoon). Their favorite story is David and Goliath, because their Daddy tells it in a very animated way. 🙂
Kris, I don’t think it’s weird to have a harder time with some foods when they’re raw rather than cooked. I have personally tried a 100% raw diet while my husband was starting out his cancer treatments, and I definitely lost weight on it and had to go back on some cooked food and animal protein quite quickly.
Amy, you’re just winning books all over the place! 🙂 How fun!
Sarah, I’m glad you like the Backyard Homestead! I’m still picking it up to review something quite often, and am sure it will be a long time reference book for me.
Looks like your reading some great books! I also have Nina’s book and loved it! She does a great job in giving the importance of real food while giving a realistic view of her own life trying to live that out.
I don’t find I have the brain for reading much right now, as I normally have more books than this being read….but sometimes while nursing I read old Above Rubies for encouragement and also am trying to read some of the book called “High Yield Gardening” by Hunt and Bortz…its really good but very detailed into things I am not able to do right now. Its a thick, hardcover book I got at a yard sale 2 years ago. TONS of great info and you would really enjoy it, I think. I specifically am looking at the section on cold frames…wish I had have gotten into that this past year but with the pregnancy and new baby and a difficult, busy year for my husband’s work it didn’t happen. Maybe I can try to extend the season into the fall with one instead.
I did read the emergent book and was only mildly impressed with it. While we aren’t interested in emergent-type theology, and would actually describe ourselves more reformed, agreeing with John Piper and Mark Driscoll in most areas, we’ve never seen a strong biblical defense of the structure of the institutional church with the pastor at the head and an organization being formed around him. I was hoping for a discussion to that effect and did not find it there.
Many of the ideas we have come to find most sound are discussed in Frank Viola’s books, most specifically Reimagining Church. Though his “best work to date” (his words) is his new book, From Eternity to Here.
oooh, I’m going to have to look into the “Real Food” book! I am passing along the Honest Scrap Award to you. Please stop by to accept it!!