Plain and Simple: A Woman's Journey to the Amish

By Sue Bender

Bender, a career driven wife and mother from Berkeley, sees an Amish quilt in a store.  She is taken with its simplicity, and becomes obsessed with finding a way to live with the people that create such timeless, uncomplicated designs.  It takes some effort, and a little luck, for Bender to find an Amish family willing to take her in for a few weeks.  During that time, she learns that there's nothing wrong with living day to day, finding joy in ordinary tasks.  While some modern conveniences are creeping in to Amish society,  community spirit and joy in just "being" may be more important than recognition and notoriety.

I don't think I could be friends with a person like the author and her friends -- their whole life is built around accomplishments and self-congratulation.  For example, even though she is An Artist, she creates for recognition, not the love of the craft.  Everything has to Mean Something, and every person has to Be Somebody.  She even struggles with how to introduce herself at a party, and whether to describe herself as a therapist, an artist, etc.  After she returns home, she wants to bake bread, quilt, and be domestic, but where she lives won't allow it -- no one has time.  When she scrubs her vacation home top to bottom, a friend mocks her for becoming too submissive and homey.  Sheesh people, it's not all about you!

Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Got Married

By Gary Chapman

Dr. Chapman takes couples through ordinary yet important matters to discuss before marriage.  Topics include dividing chores, spirituality, and handling money.  At the end of each section there are "Talking It Over" questions & suggestions to help couples discuss & problem solve.

This is a good book before marriage, but is even helpful after marriage.  Dr. Chapman even has examples from already-married couples who needed help solving issues before their marriage deteriorated completely.  This book really makes you think in far-reaching terms, not just the "but we're in love!" attitude that sometimes wipes out logic.

Silas Marner

By George Eliot

Silas Marner is a lonely and bitter country weaver.  He left his hometown after being falsely accused of theft, and losing his fiancee to the real thief.  Fifteen years later, he is robbed of his life savings.  Thankfully, an orphan comes into his life that saves him from absolute defeat.

It's a short story, which is good since the writing style is old-fashioned and difficult to read.  Still, it's a good story.  I felt so sorry for Silas.  He trusted his best friend, who repaid Silas by destroying his reputation and marrying his fiancee.  Then, when Silas became obsessed with counting his money, it was mysteriously stolen from him.  So when Eppie comes into his life, I was afraid someone would take her away and he would be alone again.  I was afraid he wouldn't be able to go on.  And I was afraid that I couldn't take it if he was knocked down again.

Stop The Wedding!

By Stephanie Bond

Annabelle is horrified to learn that her widowed mother, Belle, is about to marry a man she's only known for eight weeks -- Martin, a former movie actor who's already been married six times.  She rushes home to talk some sense into Belle, and meets Clay, Martin's son who is even more opposed to the wedding.

Don't read this book if you want anything more than a silly summer-read book.  It's one of those over the top romance novels, full of misunderstandings and goofiness... which is why I love these books :)

Insatiable

By Meg Cabot

There are two unusual things about Meena Harper: she writes for a soap opera, and she can see how people are going to die.  When her soap bosses want to create a vampire story line, Meena is frustrated, since she is sick of all the supernatural silliness.  Then she meets Lucien, a tall, dark, brooding stranger who is impossible for her to resist.  Of course, he's also a vampire.

This book couldn't decide whether to be sinister or silly, so it settled on uninspired.  Had the author stayed with Meena's odd gift of foretelling death, it would have been unique... instead she is the pawn of a vampire war.  Some characters were just too stupid for words.  How can a vampire be gossipy and chatty and stay alive for hundreds of years?  And don't get me started on how dopey Meena's brother Jon is --- not a surprise that he's unemployed and lazy.  Thank heavens for a determined vampire hunter, and some campy fight scenes.