WHAT I'M READING V. 28

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a fantastic future | By Ashlee Vance

I spotted my manager with this book one day and asked her about it. She said it was a great journalistic insight into a  remarkable man who has achieved so much over his life. I was intrigued and put it on my holds list at the library. It's a long book, but it truly was a fascinating read.  I only knew the headline version of who Elon Musk is, but this writer was able to get in-depth interviews with Elon Musk, his family, and the people who work with him, to explain who he is in a thorough and interesting way.  He was able to master difficult physics concepts within business plans, and he had this unique ability to perceive a path from scientific advancement directly into a for-profit enterprise. People like Elon Musk who are not only smart and passionate, but also driven and have the ability to execute their vision, are inspiring for me. It also reminds me again that if you are going to be that successful, that there may be touch of eccentricity, and that often things like family are sacrificed for the sake of achieving these goals.  You have to have a sort of obsession to accomplish the things that he has, and the world has seen amazing things because of his obsession.

Mere Motherhood: Morning Times, Nursery Rhymes, & My Journey Toward Sanctification | By Cindy Rollins

I read this entire book while I was away at the Ladies Weekend a month ago. I asked my friend Laura if she could bring her copy for me to read, and I gobbled up the whole thing over a few sittings.  Cindy Rollins is a homeschooler (she has nine kids!) who I have heard often on the Circe Network through the Mason Jar podcast, talking about the Charlotte Mason homeschool method. This was her very candid account of how she first learned of homeschooling and her experiences through raising her children in this way. I found several parts to be humorous; she doesn't spare herself the embarrassing details and there was much in there that I found helpful and encouraging. I'm not a homeschooling mom, but I embrace the intentionality of the homeschool mindset, the belief that education of a child is found in every aspect of our lives, and especially the part about inspiring children through reading. An extra bonus was that when I finished this book, I was able to talk about it with friends who had also read this book and were away with me at the Ladies Weekend!

Run by Ann Patchett

It is beautifully written - no surprise there - but the story didn't ring true for me like her stories usually do. The characters seemed more like caricatures or a symbolic representation, and not like real people. It was almost distracting, because I kept wondering what she was up to, rather than being swept along by the emotions and turns of the story. If you love Ann Patchett, it's worth reading to observe more of her writing style and ability, but if you don't care either way, I wouldn't recommend this one.

Finding God in the Waves: How I Lost My Faith and Found it Again through Science | By Mike McHargue

I first heard about this book from The Liturgist Podcast. Mike McHague, also known as Science Mike, is one of the hosts of that podcast and when he mentioned this book, I got the waiting list for it months ago.  I really appreciated the honest way he lays out his story, including all the questions, insecurities, and self-doubt he had, along with his God-doubt. There were some parts in the latter half of the book where he describes where he has currently landed with his faith that had me scratching my head a little bit, but the way he presented the whole of his faith journey - the ugly along with the good - that I think is valuable for anyone who has struggled with their faith (which I think should be everyone at some point in their lives).  Since I have heard several episodes of The Liturgist Podcast, there wasn't anything new or surprising, but I enjoyed hearing him have the time and space to tell the whole of his story in this format.