In my last semester of college, I went to visit a good friend of mine who had been my mentor though a good portion of my time at school. I made my way down an uneven sidewalk, across a small courtyard, and into the main campus building. It was a gloomy day, but I knew he would be expecting me.
“Come on in,” he said warmly, after hearing my knock on a his half-opened office door.
“I came to return the book I borrowed,” I said, pulling a book out of my backpack to hand to him.
“Thank you,” he smiled, taking the book and heading back toward his desk. “And, how did you like it?”
“I think I need to order my own copy,” I replied, trying to think of how much I should say, “But I don’t know if it is really worth me going into all the reasons why. I thought it was a fantastic book.”
“I have an hour, if you want to tell me a good story,” my mentor sat himself at his desk, leaning himself back in his chair slightly, and looked at me with interest. “I do believe that stories are some of the most important things that we can share with each other. That’s why I became a counselor. I love a good story.”
Although I did not realize at the time, this small conversation with my friend would later become the foundation of a philosophy I hold about stories. After many years, I have come to realize that some of the most resilient people are those who have wrestled through great trials in their lives. Particularly women, who have struggled in their faith and looked for answers, have some of the most powerful stories. And, I believe the books we have read say a lot about our lives. What I have read shows my pathway of growth and learning.
In my home, the books on my shelves tell a huge part of my own story. There are books that have served a key part in helping me move throughout the different seasons of my life. Much of what I have read also marks specific times in my life when I was asking questions, and the stories of others (both fact and fiction) have helped in offering me guidance.
My Goodreads has 200+ books, and is growing
In dedication to my mentor, who helped me start gaining confidence in my own story, I present this list of inspirational books. This is not a typical homemaker’s bookshelf! These books are ones I have found helpful throughout various seasons of my life (many with a faith-focus) that have sharpened or grown my worldview in some way. Take a peak at my bookshelf, and perhaps you might be inspired too!
-Nonfiction-
Educated: A Memoir – Tara Westover
This book is such a page-turner, and it had me glued in my seat from cover-to-cover! If I ever write a memoir, Westover is my inspiration. Educated recounts Westover’s journey growing up in an isolated, survivalist Mormon community to attending college. While her story is rather brutal, she tells it in such a way that brings a good deal of humor. Her journey is really inspiring, and stands as an deeply powerful story for those who overcome great adversity.
Joni: An Unforgettable Journey – Joni Eareckson Tada
My parents had a large, 3 volume set of books written by Joni in our family library that I eventually picked up in my teens. Joni’s story is one of the reasons why I have grown to see memoirs, filled with testimonies, as being incredibly powerful. Although I, myself, have never been bound to a wheelchair, I could not help but feel deep empathy for Joni’s struggle through suffering. She tells her story with such a genuineness, including some really tough subjects.
Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear – Jinger Duggar Vuolo
Inadvertently, this book is a peak into my own life, but with the addition of Jinger Duggar Vuolo’s own voice of what happened specifically in her own intense environment of reality TV and Christian Fundamentalism. What I personally find so relatable in this book is how Vuolo approaches the topic of what legalism can do to families with so much integrity and delicacy. Jinger and I differ on some perspectives, but I love how she conveys her own spiritual, mental, and emotional journey in a manner that I have not seen many other authors accomplish.
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life – Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend
Where do I even begin explaining how this book changed my life? My mentor in college handed me this book, and I soon had a revelation, which was that the majority of the people in my life were not treating me well. Moreover, I also was not treating other people well either. In essence, this book was one of the most instrumental, kick-in-the-pants read I have ever had, and I believe everyone should read it to discover some hard truths of how to act responsibly toward our families, friends, co-workers, and whomever else we encounter.
The Meaning of Marriage – Timothy Keller
Honestly, I really wish I had read this book when I was single! Not only did it transform my perspective of marriage, it changed my entire outlook on how I was raised! While my husband and I were engaged, we went through Keller’s book as an in-depth study for our premarital counseling. I did not agree with absolutely everything in the book (in my personal opinion, Kathy Keller’s chapter on wives lacks depth), but Tim Keller’s concept of loving your spouse for the pure sake of simply loving them (covenantal love) brought me so much joy. Read his book, even if you are single, and I promise you will enjoy it!
Praying the Prayers of the Bible – James Banks
A couple of summers ago, I had the privilege of sitting underneath James’ preaching, and he awakened my mind to how greatly I needed prayer in my life. Until that summer, prayer felt like such a foreign concept to me. This tiny book has served as such a helpful foundation to my prayer life, and has followed me through both hard and wonderful times. It is also a book I have gifted to many people.
-Fiction-
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall – Anne Brontë
Did you ever know about the third Brontë sister? Yeah, I did not either. Apparently, Emily, Charlotte, and Anne Brontë all wrote about the similar circumstances they experienced in their lives. Charlotte’s Jane Eyre is widely popular, and Wuthering Heights is a masterpiece, but Anne’s The Tenant often goes unnoticed. Personally, this overlooked perspective of Anne’s is my favorite. Her main character Helen has the courage to leave an abusive relationship, which was unheard of during Victorian times!
The Tenant also made me understand the darkness of character both found in Emily’s Heathcliff and Charlotte’s Rochester. Contrastingly, Anne’s Gilbert Markham is an ordinary, kind man who seeks to help others. Anne’s dark character is Arthur Huntington, who holds all of the scary elements of Heathcliff and Rochester. The addition of Gilbert Markham to the narrative gives me such a deep appreciation to the complexity of the three Brontë’ sisters’ various characters. Heathcliff, Rochester, and Huntington are all such terrible men, while Markham is a shining, overlooked hero. Emily wrote realism, Anne wrote redemption, and Charlotte’s writing aims somewhere in-between.
For more of my thoughts on the Brontë’ sisters, see my Teacup Tuesday video!
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ – Lew Wallace
This is the book Anne Shirley got in trouble for reading during class in Anne of Green Gables. Want to read a riveting tale about hatred and revenge? The story follows Judah Ben-Hur, who is a Jerusalem prince, throughout his youth, being enslaved by the Romans, his deliverance, and then rise to being a charioteer. What is so interesting about this book is Judah’s story runs parallel with the story of Jesus, who is from the same region and around the same age as him. And, what is more interesting is a dive into Wallace’s journey in writing this book. Wallace’s interest in the biblical story of Jesus led him to start writing this adventure novel, and before he penned the last chapter he became a Christian.
Wives and Daughters – Elizabeth Gaskell
If you are looking for a Victorian novel version of Cinderella, this is it. I fell in love with Wives and Daughters after watching the BBC miniseries (by the same name) and wanting so badly to be like the dependable Molly, who is the Cinderella in this story. What I discovered was that I was more like the fun, energetic step-sister Cynthia. For years, I felt rather guilty to identify so deeply with Cynthia, until I came to realize characters, and their morality, have so much more depth than at first-glance. Often, in the book, Cynthia is described as “not constant” and “flighty” and, from time-to-time, she definitely does lack a fair amount of consistency in the choices she makes. On a deeper read though, you come to realize that the making of this complicated step-sister is by the neglect and harm of much older people in her life, and there are many reasons for why her character strives for stability. Truly, the moral of this tale is that surface-level assumptions about someone are not the entire story.
Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
While I do love the adventurous nature of Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, I greatly appreciate the quiet, calm maturity of Elinor Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility. Her romance with Edward is also a lot more quiet than other couples in Austen’s work. Elinor’s love interest Edward is described as being awkward. Her sincere love for him is something to be admired though. Moreover, the contrast between Elinor’s quietness and her sister Marianne’s lively personality is intriguing. Elinor struggles to self-disclose, while Marianne overly shares. Through a fascinating series of events, the book brings both of the characters to a balance. By the end of the novel, Elinor learns to share the tough things she buries down, and Marianne learns temperance. I love the journeys of these two sisters who both come to understand each other more deeply.
The Scarlet Pimpernel – Baroness Orczy
I love historical books from the Reign of Terror, and although the pimpernel never truly existed, there is something endearing about the dream of this hero having perhaps existed. There is an argument to be made that Sir Percy Blakeney is the first superhero to have ever existed, and he most certainly has all the hallmark qualities of character like Thor, Captain America, and Ironman. While there are many books following the pimpernel’s adventures, the first book is likely the easiest, most enjoyable read as it follows the perspective of Sir Percy’s wife, Marguerite Blakeney, discovering his true identity. This adventure story is secretly one about a marriage, and the journey two characters make toward being together again.
Island of the Blue Dolphins – Scott O’Dell
Children’s books count as being cornerstones great fiction! Based on true events, this book follows the story of a Nicoleño girl named Karana who survives alone for 18 years on San Nicolas Island off the coast of California. Her story is reminiscent of Robinson Caruso, in that she finds a great deal of peace living in solitude. Truly, through all Karana’s struggles, she finds sanctuary on her island despite not having a single other human being with whom to communicate.
Peter Pan – J. M. Barrie
I was very young when my older sister read me Peter Pan for the first time, but it had a great impact! To this day, I do not entirely understand what Barrie’s reasons for writing this sad story, but I do know it holds many gems. Disney helped bring Peter Pan a whole lot of recognition, but I think it is often missed some interesting plot points, such as just how many adventures the children did have on the island before returning home. Every film adaption, for lack of time, only covers perhaps one or two events, but the book holds so much more.
A side note: I always wanted Peter Pan to fly up to my window and take me away. I never knew my husband Peter would someday marry me and also whisk me away!
The Chronicles of Narnia – C.S. Lewis
Although I technically would describe Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit as higher literature, Narnia has a dear place in my heart. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is a classic that stands on its own, but my preference is The Silver Chair, which is one that I often find to be overlooked in this series. The journey of Jill Pole from being an absolute brat to a hero is one of my favorite character transformations. I also love The Horse and His Boy, which reads as such a great adventure book!
While the majority of these books are story-based, I do have some great recommendations for cookbooks, homemaking, and decorating. Visit Homemaker’s Bookshelf | Homemaking, Cookbooks, & Lifestyles for more!