Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

This topic has 20 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 11 months ago by Tukata.

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May 31, 2012 at 8:15 pm
Tukata
Participant
Since starting to learn about CM methods about 4 years ago, I’ve been trying to change the books I read from Twaddle to rich literature. But lately, I’ve been struggling with some of the content in some of the ones I have picked up. The main issue for me is when an author uses God’s name in vain. Everytime I read a book where a character uses His Name in an unholy way, I feel convicted. I really internalize what I read and notice tendencies to use bad language when I read it. I have had to stop reading two otherwise good books as I just did not feel okay about them. Do you all have some titles that are “clean” in that way? I’m talking good, classic literature – no twaddle… I love to read, and I love love love getting free books for my Kindle. =) Thanks in advance!
Erin
May 31, 2012 at 11:01 pm
Linleigh
Participant
I just finished my first read through of Honey for a Child’s Heart. The author mentions one of her other books, Honey for a Woman’s Heart, which addresses exactly what you’re referring to here. Might be worth a read, or at least getting it from your library so you’ll have a list of great titles.
June 1, 2012 at 12:30 am
amandajhilburn
Participant
I just read Girl of the Limberlost. It was clean, moral, and wonderful. I got it free on Kindle.
I also liked Jane Eyre, Pocketful of Pinecones, Lessons at Blackberry Inn, and books by Lynn Austin and Francine Rivers. These are not all “classics” but good reads. 🙂
I plan on trying some Charles Dickens next 🙂
Sometimes what the world calls a “classic” is not my idea of a good book 🙂 KWIM
June 2, 2012 at 2:59 am
andream
Participant
I just read the book, “Christy” and really enjoyed it.
http://www.amazon.com/Christy-Catherine-Marshall/dp/0380001411
June 2, 2012 at 10:07 pm
Tukata
Participant
Thank you for your suggestions!
Linleigh – I will have to check out Honey for a Woman’s Heart. Our library doesn’t have it, so it’s now on my Amazon wishlist.
Amanda – Oooh..my mom always said she liked Girl of the Limberlost but somehow I never read it. Thanks!
Andream – Christy is one of my favorites! I will have to reread it! Thanks!
June 2, 2012 at 11:01 pm
Sonya Shafer
Moderator
I just finished Vanity Fair. Quite the interesting book, and Charlotte refers to it in her writings.
Oh, and Karen introduced Laddie to me. (Same author as Girl of the Limberlost.) What a wonderful book! Many mottoes and quotes culled from that one!
June 2, 2012 at 11:11 pm
Bookworm
Participant
Gene Stratton Porter was quite an author. I read a bio of her last year. Really interesting! Christy is one of my very favorite books from when I was a teen. Vanity Fair is on my Towering Stack by my bed but I haven’t gotten to it yet. It’s one I also culled from Charlotte discussing it.
June 3, 2012 at 2:31 am
amandajhilburn
Participant
I just started reading David Copperfield by Dickens. It’s very disturbing so far…I hope it gets better.
June 3, 2012 at 2:58 am
moralesml
Participant
oh! I am just about to start reading David Copperfield!
June 3, 2012 at 3:14 am
Tukata
Participant
Amanda – That’s so frustrating. That’s exactly what I am talking about about needing good, wholesome titles….I hope it gets better soon!
June 3, 2012 at 4:14 am
MommaK5
Participant
“The Keeper of the Bees” another Gene Stratton-Porter book is one my favorites.
June 3, 2012 at 4:16 am
LDIMom
Participant
Thanks for starting this thread. I’m taking notes!
June 3, 2012 at 5:39 am
my3boys
Participant
I’m reading David Copperfield right now, too. I started it a bit ago along with 2 other books, and I love it. I’m taking my time to get through it so I can “live” with the characters for long period of time, which isn’t that hard, it is a good sized book and I’m rather busy. I love how Dickens spends so much time “setting the scene” with each event/character….I guess you could say that I like alot of detail. I’ll miss little David when it’s over (I think bookworm said the same thing, LOL).
I can’t say it gets better as I thought it was good from the beginning, even if it is a bit sad. It’s still kind of sad (poor kid) and I’ve been reading it for some time now (not sure what chapter I’m in, it’s on my kindle), so that part hasn’t actually changed yet. I just like how challenging it is, the lang., but still doable. I started Les Miserables, but that was a little too much right now, maybe some time in the future I’ll get back to that one.
June 3, 2012 at 8:29 am
MamaSnow
Participant
I asked this question awhile back also – here is that thread if you would like some more ideas…
http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/your-very-favorite-classic-novel/page/2
Have you ever read anything by Elizabeth Gaskell? I loved North and South and Wives and Daughters is also very good. (The BBC movie productions were also quite good, FWIW!)
And a 2nd for Christy – I reread that one last year and loved it all over again.
Oh, and stick with David Copperfield. It does start out kind of sad but gets better. Once I hit about the halfway point I couldn’t put it down. =) My sister is a big fan of Dickens and I think has read everything he’s written, and this is her top recommendation for a first Dickens. I wasn’t sorry.
Jen
June 3, 2012 at 2:31 pm
2flowerboys
Participant
A great read for the Christian life that I am currently reading is Stepping Heavenward. It is a book written in 1891 by Edward Payson’s daughter. I must say that this book is the best book I have ever read! It is simple to read and written like a diary. So it is easy to find a stopping point!
I absolutely cannot recommend this book enough! I cannot wait to pass it on to my friend! It really is speaking to my heart.
http://www.lamplighterpublishing.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RCSH