Books Read in June

For all the books I’ve read this year, see Books Read Between January and March, Books Read in April and Books Read in May. My goal in June was to read ten books which I have done and surpassed! It’s been a mixed bunch this month, which included a children’s book that I have never read, even to my children! I read The Art of War because it is touted as one of those ‘must read’ books, although if I’m honest, I’m not really sure why. I read The Invention of Childhood to get a start on some Master’s reading, which I begin again in September. This was surprisingly good, and I would recommend it for anyone interested in the history of how children have been treated and viewed over the years.

My least favourite book was ‘God: an Anatomy’. It made very uncomfortable reading as a Christian. I appreciated the research and intelligence which is obvious in every page, but I found the author’s tone difficult. She presents her thoughts as facts rather than interpretation and seemed fixated on the word ‘corporal’ which she uses so frequently as to be irritating. I enjoy reading books which challenge my faith but I suspect this one may cause much offence to believers – proceed with caution!

Another book I did not enjoy as much as I thought was Brideshead Revisited. It wasn’t that it was bad, more that I just couldn’t get into the story or invested in the characters. It came highly recommended but it did not live up to expectations.

My favourite book this month was Eat Better Forever by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. This was surprisingly good, down to earth, informative and just very well written. That said, I really did enjoy almost every other book I read. It was a good month!

26. The Art of War by Sun Tzu

27. The Life Giving Parent by Sally Clarkson and Clay Clarkson

28. Five Children and It by E Nesbit

29. How to Train a Wild Elephant and Other Adventures in Mindfulness by Jan Chosen Bays (the best book I’ve ever read on mindfulness)

30. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

31. God: an Anatomy by Francesca Stavrakopoulou (Warning: potentially very offensive content if you are a Christian)

32. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Lewis Stevenson

33. Eat Better Forever by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

34. Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote

35. A Grief Observed by C S Lewis

36. Mandela: An Audio History by Nelson Mandela

37. The Invention of Childhood by Hugh Cunningham and Michael Morpurgo

38. The Art of Writing and the Gifts of Writers by C S Lewis

39. How to Write a Book this Weekend by Vic Johnson

40. Anne Frank by Jemma J Saunders

I also love listening to podcasts. I now listen to Elizabeth Elliot every morning on my walk with Harv. They are 45 minutes long and that is how long I walk for, so they are just right and the perfect start to the day. She is a great teacher of the Bible and applies everything to her own life, making her sessions relatable and interesting.

I also found (I can’t actually believe I didn’t know of him before now!) Andrew Huberman. He is a professor in neurology and ophthalmology at Stanford. His podcasts are heavily scientific and research based and yet he is very easy to understand and incredibly interesting to listen to. His episodes are long (think 1 -2 hours) so I listen to one over a few days, usually whilst I am painting in the afternoon. I really recommend!

Podcasts Listened to this Month

Elizabeth Elliot:

• A Personal Encounter with the Cross
• A Personal Encounter with Contentment
• A Principled Life
• A Principled Life: Non-Negotiable Decision
• A Principled Life: Tranquility at Home
• A Steadfast Heart: Part One
• A Steadfast Heart: Part Two
• A Steadfast Heart: The Presence of Christ
• A Steadfast Heart: The Power and Peace of Christ
• A Steadfast Heart: Q & A
• Abandonment of Self
• Abandonment of Self: Instruments of Peace
• Abandonment of Self: Confidence in God
• Confidence in God: Foundation of Confidence
• Confidence in God: Enemies of Confidence
• Confidence in God: Fruit of Confidence
• Crowned Because He Suffered

Huberman Labs:

• How Your Nervous System Works & Changes | Huberman Lab Podcast #1
• Master Your Sleep & Be More Alert When Awake | Huberman Lab Podcast #2
• Using Science to Optimize Sleep, Learning & Metabolism | Huberman Lab Podcast #3

How have you done with your reading this month? Have you any books you can recommend?