The View From Here – Let’s Read More Books

So I decided this year was less about making big changes and more about adding more value to the life I have.  With my two words of the year – Discipline and Intention.

I want to be more disciplined with my time.  Life is way too short and goes by way too quick to spend it all scrolling Facebook.  Not that there is no value there.  I love staying connected.  But I realize just how much of my time it’s taking away from me.

So I’m determined to make some positive changes this year.  One of them is to read more books, taking advantage of my free library card.  It’s so easy to reserve online.  I’m waiting to read Spare – Prince Harry’s tell-all that is stirring up all kinds of emotions.  Fighting with his brother William.  The accusations of Camilla leaking stories to save her own reputation.  I’m curious.

I’m reading The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins right now.  A simple act of giving yourself a high-five in the mirror every morning has the ability to change your attitude, mindset and behavior.  I don’t know about you, but I am tired of the negative self talk.  I’m all for trying to change that in 2023.

I also started Bright Lights, Prairie Dust by Karen Grassle.  So far I’m learning a lot about this actress I have loved so much onscreen as Caroline Ingalls.  But I’m worried how I see the character will change after learning about her life outside of that role.  I kinda love Ma.   Karen Grassle grew up in a troubled home, with an alcoholic father and struggled to find her way in the world.  I’m only in the first few pages of the book.  Knowing that she struggled herself with alcohol, and loving herself and thinking of how she made it to the set of Little House changes my perspective a bit.  Seeing her as more than a character.

And I just picked up a copy of Still Life – One Book Lambton‘s pick for 2023.  I figure it will be easy to get into reading again if we are doing it as a community.  It’s the first time reading anything by Canadian author Louise Penny.  One Book Lambton is an event to celebrate Canadian authors and to bring people from the community together by reading the same book.  There will be events upcoming to highlight themes from the book.  Louise Penny has won a number of awards for her writing, and many for this book including the Barry Award for Best First Novel.

“Still Life is a fictional traditional mystery novel following Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators who are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter”

Still Life is available to borrow through Lambton County Library’s online catalogue, through the Libby app, by calling a Lambton County Library location, or purchasing a copy from your favourite book seller.

Let me know what you are reading right now and if you’ve read or are reading any of my picks.

cbuchanan@blackburnmedia.ca

Categorised in: Afternoons

This post was written by Carrie Buchanan