What I Read in 2012--Part 2: Non-fiction

Here is my rating system.

* Ehh. Didn't like it at all.
** Just okay.
*** Good. Borrow it from the library.
**** Really good. Well-written.
***** Excellent. One for your personal library.

1.  MADE TO CRAVE by Lysa TerKeurst  *****
A very timely and instrumental book for me.  I originally picked it up the year before, and read through it sporadically.  This year I sensed the need to be very intentional about having a reading partner (my mom) to discuss it with and using it as a devotional book of sorts within a defined time span.  The book's message is essentially this: God designed each of us to crave and desire, but we turn to all kinds of things (even good things) to fill those desires and cravings.  Usually our attempts to satiate are out of balance if not completely misguided, and we fail to recognize that only in God will we find the satisfaction our souls need. 
Don't think of this as a book only for those who struggle with unhealthy eating or weight issues.  Each of us struggles in one area or another to find balance, and this book speaks to that in a powerful way.  (And TerKeurst's is self-deprecating and hilarious at just the right moments.)

2.  PRODIGAL GOD by Timothy Keller  *****
So many sermons on the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 have concentrated on the flight and return of the younger brother.  This little book proposes that that approach in fact misses the real message of the story.  There are two brothers, each of whom represent a different way to be alienated from God, and a different way to seek acceptance into the kingdom of heaven.
My first introduction to Keller, it will certainly not be the last!  I've added THE REASON FOR GOD and THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE to my "To Read" list.

3.  A LONG WAY GONE by Ishmael Beah  ***
Published in 2007, this is an account of 12 year old Beah's attempt to flee the attacking rebels during Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war; something that forever separated him from his immediate family.  Wandering the countryside with a handful of other boys, they inevitably were forced to join an army unit and brainwashed to believe only in big guns, bloodshed, and drugs.  Finally at the age of 16, Beah is rescued and removed from the rebel army by UNICEF, only to begin the incredibly difficult journey to healing.
 
4.  CLEANING HOUSE: A Mother's 12-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement by Kay Wills Wyma  *****
I took pages of notes while reading this book, and plan to pick up a copy of my own.  In my opinion, Wyma hit the nail on the head over and over again, chronicling the good, the bad and the ugly, with just the right amount of hard truth, humility, and humor.  She challenged me to seriously evaluate how much I do FOR my kids instead of EQUIP them to do, how often I choose what is most expedient over what could be a valuable learning experience, and how much I resemble a hovercraft...LOL!  Just trust me and read this one!  :-)

5.  THE DRESSMAKER OF KHAIR KHANA by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon  ***
The true story of Kamila, an Afghan teenager, who with her sisters and brother find a way to keep from starving during the Taliban-era in Kabul.  In the process of establishing a sewing business, despite the strict limitations placed on women during this time, she and her siblings not only display an entrepreneurial tenacity, but a dedication and concern for their community that is inspiring.

6.  HINTS ON CHILD TRAINING by H. Clay Trumbull  ****
Originally published in 1890, I have found this book to be not only incredibly current, but practical.  We have at least one child that is VERY strong-willed (she shall remain nameless), and I've often felt at a loss to know how to navigate those hard moments, discipline with grace, yet train in a way that resonates and gets to the heart.  So often it just feels like a power struggle.  While Trumbull's "language" is definitely from another century, I haven't had any trouble understanding it or making immediate application.  To give you an idea of what he covers, here are a few chapter titles: Will-Training Rather Than Will-Breaking, Denying A Child Wisely, Training A Child As A Questioner, Never Punish A Child In Anger, Scolding Is Never In Order, Dealing Tenderly With A Child's Fears, and Good-Night Words.


(A few of our Book Club titles in the previous post were Non-fiction as well.)