Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

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You are here: Home / Family / Best Books of 2019

Best Books of 2019

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December 30, 2019 By Jennifer Lambert 16 Comments

I can’t remember how many books I read this past year, but I average about 1-2 per week. Which means that sometimes I stay up very late to finish a book.

I love reading, like, a lot.

I get many books from my local libraries. I love that I can borrow eBooks and read them within three weeks!

I was today years old when I realized I could organize my Kindle eBooks into categories within the app. I was up until 2 AM and still have about 400 books to categorize.

I won’t give up on a book even if I hate it.

I’ve read White Teeth twice. My daughter was assigned it in a college course and I thought maybe I would like it more the second time around. Nope.

My Favorite Books I Read in 2019

Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteachers’ Journey Through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto

I’m anti-school. I taught for ten years and we’ve homeschooled for sixteen years. While most of the experiences mentioned in this book was not surprising to me, the history of American public schooling is insidious. I love all Gatto’s books.

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen

Growing up in and teaching in Georgia public schools, I can say that yes, I was taught incorrect and biased history from poorly written textbooks and we rarely even finished each school year.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

A super important book for anyone who has ever suffered from anxiety or depression or considered suicide.

Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

A bit of a break for me, but very enjoyable and funny. I love this feminist manifesto, pseudo autobiography.

You Are Not Special…and Other Encouragements by David McCullough, Jr.

A profound expansion of a popular commencement speech—a call to arms against a prevailing, narrow, conception of success. Perfect for the “everyone gets a trophy” generations.

Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness by Cindy Wang Brandt

A wonderful introduction to respectful, progressive parenting in these challenging times. I found myself nodding and cheering as I agreed with just about everything in this book.

Hold Onto Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers by Gordon Neufeld

A great book for parents of older kids and teenagers. Family is super important to me and I want my kids to feel safe and happy in my home. I know friends and peers matter a lot to kids because society portrays this as normal. But family matters more and should have more influence than peers.

The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost by Jean Liedloff

American writer Jean Liedloff spent two and a half years in the South American jungle, living with indigenous peoples. The experience demolished her Western preconceptions of how we should live and led her to a radically different view of what human nature really is. She offers a new understanding of how we have lost much of our natural well-being and shows us practical ways to regain it for our children and for ourselves.

See my favorite books of 2018. See my favorite life-changing books.

What did you read recently?

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jenalambert

INTJ. Only child. Military Wife. Homeschool Mom. Geek. Naturalist. Traveler. Questioning authority since 1976.

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What's really devastating is that my parents have What's really devastating is that my parents have these annual agendas they used as journals and they recorded absolutely everything about their daily lives. My father mainly recorded his meals, digestion, sleep schedule, weather, finances, and medical appointments. So I get a glimpse into what my mother 's daily schedule, medical history, meals, thoughts, and feelings were for the past decade and it's glaringly obvious how little she thought of me and my children.I was barely on the checklist. I'm not sure at what point or even how to reconcile this and I just feel very alone.
Since my son has a baseball game tonight right in Since my son has a baseball game tonight right in the middle of dinner time. Southern bento box: salmon patties with remoulade, Cole slaw, Publix tater salad, fried corn. Gonna bring a cup of cherry limeade.
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So, real issues now when Kerrygold butter is out o So, real issues now when Kerrygold butter is out of stock at Sam's.I bought the entire shelf of Kerrygold at our military commissary. But there's no good jasmine rice at the commissary and fewer breakfast sausage and lots of empty shelves where international foods should be stocked.I love how no one understands or cares how tariffs work.
Good heavens, this roasted garlic bread from Publi Good heavens, this roasted garlic bread from Publix and organic rosé wine (the Natura Pinot noir is good too) from Chile is absolutely amazing. I love Publix so much y'all. The subs, the potato salad, the salmon dinners, the cake! How friendly and helpful everyone is. I'm so excited that I have one only an hour and a half away now. I bought my wedding cake from Publix in 2005.
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Comments

  1. Lisa notes says

    December 30, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    I have a hard time giving up on books too. I keep thinking it will get better if I just stick with it. :) I’ve read an earlier John Taylor Gatto book so I probably would enjoy this one too. Actually so many of these books look like something I would read! Thanks for compiling your list.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Lambert says

      January 2, 2020 at 2:50 pm

      I love your reading lists!

      Reply
  2. Patsy Burnette says

    January 2, 2020 at 10:21 am

    Great list, Jennifer! Thanks for sharing. :)

    Pinned to our “Books You Will Love” Pinterest group board.

    Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

    Reply
  3. Joanne says

    January 2, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    I am not one to read much non-fiction (other than a few memoirs here and there) but Lies My Teacher Told Me sounds great! I have noticed that history is the biggest area I was lacking in as a homeschooling mom and I have learned through our travels that what we are taught are definitely not the same “facts” even within these United States. I have tried to bring a much wider world view to history and have yet to use a single history textbook with my boys.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Lambert says

      January 3, 2020 at 10:05 am

      We love history and we’re reading through Joy Hakim’s textbooks right now.

      https://www.jenniferalambert.com/how-we-do-history/

      Reply
  4. Laurie Hanscom Harmon says

    January 8, 2020 at 6:22 am

    Great list. I am adding a few of these to my books to read this year. Thank you.

    Reply
  5. Kimberly says

    January 9, 2020 at 2:26 pm

    Great post, Jennifer! Prompted me to add Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong to my Amazon wish list. Thank you for sharing this on Traffic Jam Weekend! It has been chosen as a fave feature for this week’s party going live on Thursday at 5:00 pm CST.

    Reply
  6. Tina at Mommynificent says

    February 23, 2020 at 6:15 pm

    I love reading people’s book lists! Thanks for sharing yours at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com!
    Tina

    Reply

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