Books read in July

I am back from a weekend at the Yoder reunion in southwestern PA/western MD. I will post pictures of that soon. If you can't wait, you can check out my cousin Miriam's blog. She is much more timely than I am.

Summer is always a good time to get some reading done. Here are four books that I finished in July. I tried to download front covers from Amazon and other places but it didn't work, so there must be copyright issues or something. They are on to me! If anyone knows how to do this, short of taking a picture of the book, let me know.

The Bear and the Porcupine by Jeffrey Davidow. This was a "textbook" for my Mexico trip in May. Since I wasn't taking the class for credit, there was no real incentive for me to get the book read before I went on the trip. And I thought I might have better context after experiencing the Mexican culture. I finally finished it only two months after I got back from Mexico! :) Jeffrey Davidow is a former US Ambassador to Mexico and gives a fascinating behind the scenes look at the political scene in the US and Mexico and the relations between the two. I am not usually that interested in politics but this book was very interesting.

Chicago History for Kids by Owen Hurd. I got this book free last fall at a conference I attended in Chicago. It is geared toward late elementary/junior highers, but I found it interesting and an easy read. Lots of good pictures and information. The chapter about the great Chicago fire was particularly interesting.

The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith. The latest book in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency, a series set in Botswana. These books manage to be a lot about everyday experiences and not a whole lot of plot, but they are humorous in their depiction of life in Botswana. My friend Kristine, currently living in Uganda, says they are a realistic assessment of life in Africa. If you like light mysteries and some humor, check out this series.

Lifestories by Mark Hall and Tim Luke. Mark Hall is the lead singer and songwriter for the Christian music group Casting Crowns. The book describes some of the stories behind their songs and lyrics. Not as good as I thought it would be, considering the songs and lyrics are amazing.

Read in June:
Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson (highly recommended!)
A Cold Day for Murder by Dana Stabenow (Alaska writer)
T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
Mistaken Identity by VanRyns and Ceraks (about the Taylor U students identity switch after a fatal van accident)
Modern Mexico - another Mexico textbook.

Reading now:
A Superior Death by Nevada Barr
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (listening to on CD)
Mosaic by Amy Grant

Happy reading!