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?