What I Read: January 2025
Let’s talk about books, shall we? Eventually I’ll share my reading journal thoughts for this month, but for now - here’s a look at what I read last month.
I’m a huge John Steinbeck fan, so when my husband picked The Moon is Down for our couples book club, I was thrilled. Written during World War II, this is unlike any other Steinbeck I’ve read. Steinbeck brilliantly illustrates the humanity of both sides of a conflict - both the good and the bad. If you’re in search of a quick but powerful read relevant to the times we’re in, this is a good choice. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I was at the art museum in December when I saw Winter Solstice: An Essay by Nina MacLaughlin on display. It felt like a great way to ease into Winter after the hustle of the holidays and it did not disappoint. I savored it over a week, reading one section each day. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner was my first fun read of the year. I don’t want to tell you anything about it except that I thoroughly enjoyed it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton is THE book everyone needs to be reading now. I have so many quotes and thoughts pulled out in my reading journal to be shared in a couple of weeks. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I read Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall for the Mother’s Education Course I’m doing with some friends and it was the best discussion we’ve had since we started meeting in September. While a bit outdated (it was published in 2015), it was an excellent introduction to geopolitics, and now I have a stack of library books all about maps. ⭐⭐⭐
The Planets is the spine for my 7th grader’s Science class this term, so I read it to be familiar with what she’s learning. I absolutely love the way Dava Sobel approaches this subject. She weaves in mythology, folk lore, science, and more. It was a fun way to learn about the vast solar system we’re a part of.⭐⭐⭐⭐
For Christmas, we got the girls a subscription to Broadway in Boston. Before we went to see Peter Pan, I challenged everyone to read the book. The heart of the story is sweet, but the writing is outdated and offensive. I appreciated the updates Larissa FastHorse made to the play. ⭐⭐
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden was an interesting look at what happened to property owned by Jewish people during WWII. The characters were mostly unlikeable, but I think that may have been intentional. While it brought up some interesting ethical points of view, I felt like it was mostly just meh. But, I can’t stop thinking about the characters, so in the end, I’m glad I read it. ⭐⭐⭐
Continuing my space research, I read Orbital by Samantha Harvey in less than four days. It’s a short book, but it packs a big punch. I loved living on the international space station for a day. It is a fantastic book to add to your list. ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
I read Dracula two years ago and thought it was decent, but didn’t think I’d ever pick it up again. When I discovered it was the first book for the high school literature class I’m teaching this term, I knew I needed to give it a re-read. I don’t know if I paid more attention or if it’s a book that you don’t understand the first time through, but it completely knocked me off my feet this time around. I will be thinking about Dracula in so many ways for a very long time now. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What a great start to the year you’ve had in reading!! Love seeing what you read and adding a few to my list!