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OK, so I admit that I did not keep to my word to myself when it comes to reading books with a bit of a Lenten theme… I tend to lose stamina when I’m not in to a book, so I nixed some of the ones I started, with the hopes of eventually getting in to them again. I did, however, re-read one of my all-time favorite Christian books, The Screwtape Letters
. I also decided to focus a bit on self-improvement this month because, well, who doesn’t need a little jolt every so often? OK, I digress.. Here is my March book review.. Enjoy!!
1. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance: This is definitely my favorite of this list. Hillbilly Elegy is a memoir from a self-proclaimed hillbilly, who went on to completely break out of that culture, yet still has an esteem for it. It is told in an often humorous way, and really changed my perspective on those our society has marginalized. One small example is when Vance tells the story about going to buy a car, and the car dealership tries to rip him off with the interest rate. Fortunately, he had someone there with him to defray this from happening.. What’s noteworthy here is the importance of relationship.. If he didn’t have that friend with him, how would he know? I’ll be honest, that is a small part of the reason I am focusing so much on personal finance on this blog. I have awesome parents when is comes to guiding me to handle money in a smart way, but not everyone has that. Hillbilly Elegy really taught me to never take that fact for granted. Seriously–read this book. I would recommend it to ANYONE.
2. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis: I’ve read this book several times, and every time I do, something new strikes me. This book is a series of letters from an uncle demon (Screwtape) to his nephew (Wormwood), sharing techniques and insights on how to tempt his “patient,” a man living in World War 2-era England. I have been guilty of… you know.. EVERYTHING Screwtape tells his nephew to instill in his patient. It’s very provoking and often humorous. It was my book club read this month, and I’m glad I had a reason to read it again.
3. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath: I would recommend this book to ANYONE wanting to start or improve their business (or blog!). It completely changed the way I communicate. It especially changed the way I write email.. It’s simple thing, but I’ve really seen a change in getting my ideas across. Highly recommend.
4. 
The Money Class: How to Stand in Your Truth and Create the Future You Deserve by Suze Orman: If you’ve read everything Dave Ramsey has to say about personal finance (which I recommend as well.. More on this later) and want something a little more in-depth, look no further. The Money Class is a little dated, but most of the information is still true today, with some small changes. For example, the book says that the maximum contribution you can make to your Roth IRA per year is $5,000, but it’s since been increased to $5,500. These are small intracrecies, but it’s definitely DEFINITELY worth the read. I love how she goes in to detail about seemingly every money-related life circumstance. If you’re looking to buy a home, take out student loans, or want to get more aggressive on your retirement savings, look no further. The book is organized in to sections that may or may not fit with what you need, so it’s a nice resource to have to refer to as circumstances arise.
5. The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living: Last but CERTAINLY not least…. This book is yet another study on human happiness, but takes on a totally different perspective. The idea of “Hygge” (pronounced “hugh-gah), which does not translate to English, is something the Danes take very seriously, and it’s paid off in their general idea of happiness. Basically it’s the idea that relaxation and being around friends is more important than anything, and I can’t help but completely and passionately agree.
So, there you have it… My friends get so annoyed with me because I’m constantly talking about my latest read. I tend to really enjoy what I’m reading, and I hope you do too! I won’t put any books I’m not totally in to on here, so I hope you can rest assured that these are good ones! I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read any!
