Hanna wrote: "Finished reading:

23. The House at Sugar Beach A Memoir by Helene Cooper

in preparation for my trip to Africa this summer...the book is a memoir about Liberian childhood & history..."

Tiffany wrote: "Hi, Hanna. Welcome, and good luck! Looks like you're almost done already! :)"

I loved reading The House at Sugar Beach ... I was completely unaware of Liberian "royalty," and I thought Helene Cooper wrote beautifully of her and her family's experiences! Now I pay special attention when I hear or see her reporting ... from Iraq, I think.

39. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

40. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Haven't been able to tackle any major books since life had been keeping me busy (africa, fall semester...). But here's an update of what I did manage to read:

33. "Why Do I Love These People?" Understanding, Surviving, and Creating Your Own Family by Po Bronson
34. The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews
35. A Fish Out of Water 9 Strategies to Maximize Your God-Given Potential by George Barna
36. The Prodigal God Christianity Redefined Through the Parable of the Prodigal Sons by Timothy Keller
37. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman

That last one I had to read it for school but surprisingly, it wasn't so bad. So I have to read 13 books in about 2 weeks, eep!

Well, school's out for winter so I definitely have more time now.

Oh oh oh, wait. Does this one count?

38. Building a WordPress Blog People Want to Read by Scott McNulty

Trying to build a blog for my charity group: http://heartsunitedforsouls.wordpress.co...

31. Around the World in 80 Dates by Jennifer Cox
32. A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews

29. The Art of Travel
30. A Thousand Splendid Suns

Also, I did read The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (again), but I don't think I should count children's books in this challenge because I do read them every so often when I get extremely bored of real life and tired of reading grown-up stuff. Everyone needs a boost of imagination and who better to go to than CS Lewis? :)

27. Is Christianity Good for the World?
28. Letter to a Christian Nation

After reading up on apologetics and atheism I have a few personal thoughts. Some of the things I wrote for 'Letter to a Christian Nation': I didn't like the tone of this letter and I guess it makes all the difference when you start off with the notion of God as a Person rather than God as an idea or a concept. As a christian reader, I did try to read this book objectively, although there was nothing objective about the author's arguments. After reading it though, it gave me clarity and brought focus on what I believe and what matters to me in life. It gave me a stronger conviction that I should never confine myself to atheism and never live as though God does not exist.

Hanna wrote: "I am traveling to Liberia with a group of friends to work with Hope for the Nations orphanage and a local hospital. A few of us are nursing students so we're also looking to run a community outreac..."

That's awesome, Hanna. I have always wanted to visit there. My mother and I were hoping to take a trip in the next year or so - Botswana and South Africa or Kenya. We are just in the talking-about-it stage, not quite to the actual planning stage. : )

Congrats for being over 1/2 way!

26. The Wednesday Letters

It was a bit cheesy and reads like a bad sitcom script but I absolutely love the concept of writing Wednesday Letters and will put it on my list of things to start when I have a family of my own. Another thing that kept me from abandoning this book was the values and truths the characters play out through their actions and their lives. Love, forgiveness, integrity, openness, and more love...ingredients of Jack & Laurel's lasting marriage and also of their gift to the next generation as they leave this world.

Tiffany wrote: "Hi, Hanna. Welcome, and good luck! Looks like you're almost done already! :)"

Thanks Tiffany! I guess I'm half-way through but in a way I half-cheated as well. The first 20 or so books were read just before I started this 50-book challenge...though I wouldn't mind reading a few extra books to account for my cheating!

25. Memory A Novel

I also tried reading The Boys in the Trees but it was not the right kind of fiction for me. I didn't really get it and stopped trying after the first chapter.

I am traveling to Liberia with a group of friends to work with Hope for the Nations orphanage and a local hospital. A few of us are nursing students so we're also looking to run a community outreach program in the village.

Do you have a special interest in Africa? The more I read about the country the more I'm drawn to it.

Hanna wrote: "It seems like I'm reading a lot more non-fiction this year...yay for me!


Started reading these two...

Been reading up on africa t..."

Hi Hanna!
Where are you traveling to in Africa?

Finished reading:

23. The House at Sugar Beach A Memoir by Helene Cooper

in preparation for my trip to Africa this summer...the book is a memoir about Liberian childhood & history. Stoked!

24. Why I Write

Hi, Hanna. Welcome, and good luck! Looks like you're almost done already! :)

Hanna wrote: "6. Anne of Green Gables

I can't believe hadn't read this as a child! I picked up this book thinking it is too strange as a Canadian to have never read this book. Looking forward to ..."

I also JUST read this book.

It seems like I'm reading a lot more non-fiction this year...yay for me!


Started reading these two...

Been reading up on africa to prepare for a trip that I'm taking this summer...of course, the experience will be a million times better but reading about it is getting me excited!

Any recommends?

8. A Long Way Gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
9. How to Teach Grammar
10. Callgirl Confessions of an Ivy League Lady of Pleasure
11. Twenty Chickens For A Saddle
12. Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now
13. Blue Like Jazz Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
14. Letters to a Young Poet
15. The Year of Yes
16. First They Killed My Father A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers
17. The Beginning Runner's Handbook The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program
18. Crazy Love Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
19. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
20. Maus I A Survivor's Tale My Father Bleeds History
21. Gary Vaynerchuk's 101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World
22. Look Me in the Eye My Life with Asperger's

7. Status Anxiety

I love his writing and humor. Will definitely look for more books by Alain de Botton!

6. Anne of Green Gables

I can't believe hadn't read this as a child! I picked up this book thinking it is too strange as a Canadian to have never read this book. Looking forward to the day I can read it to a daughter of my own.

1. The Book of Ruth
2. Four Letter Word New Love Letters
3. The White Tiger
4. How We Are Hungry
5. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

Alright! Let's do this challenge.