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i don’t really feel qualified to offer a bona fide review of this book, because i have no personal experiences in parenting to reflect from. but i can speak to the quality of the writing, the wonderful conversational ease of the style, and the soundness of the scriptural foundation.

megan and laura have shared openly their own struggles as first-time moms, and the road that led them into joyful and enriching motherhood. they have created a parenting book that is the opposite of a detailed how-to manual. rather than listing every do and don’t, the authors outline the attitudes of raising a child as you seek God’s guidance in every step.

this book gives me hope for the time when i walk through the first year of mommyhood, and i already feel the release of the subconscious apprehension i’ve always felt when thinking about getting motherhood right. the principles and lessons they share have already begun to work on the maturity of my character and the stubbornly self-centered parts of my spirit.

speaking from my own place in life, i highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever thought of becoming a parent and been paralyzed by the overwhelming feeling of wanting to do everything “the right way.”

don’t forget to stop by the book release party in honor of megan this saturday at studio midtown in okc from 5-7 pm. hope to see you there!

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reading the book was a sort of deja-vu of watching it on screen, because the script stuck so closely to the novel. the biggest delight was drinking in the author’s drawings, or “mini-movies,” throughout the pages. it’s obvious that these illustrated scenes are not used just to supplement the story, but to actually drive the action forward without words. and the super-detailed hand-drawn pictures had a clear influence (gladly) on the movie adaptation.

i thought reading the book might give me more of the story that could not fit into the film, but what i got instead was a deeper look into hugo’s world. the book is focused more on hugo’s journey and point-of-view, with all the other characters playing a supporting role. the movie placed several characters in the spotlight, investing the viewer more in the feelings and struggles of isabelle and papa georges as well.

selznick’s drawings truly enhanced the book for me. they gave the extra-thick volume an enchanting effect that made me want to read the book lying on the floor on my stomach with my legs kicking up behind me like a kid engrossed in a treasure map. sitting in a chair or in bed with a side lamp seemed to grown-up.

do you like to read books that have inspired movies before or after you’ve seen the film? do you enjoy it when authors include illustrations in novels, or does it distract you?

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manning has never been afraid to expose himself as a ragamuffin soul, tattered and flawed, but wholly accepted by God’s grace and love. his autobiography is no exception.

the author takes his readers on a meandering tour of his life, offering a brutally honest recount without a trace of sugar coating. his story might feel depressing and hopeless if it weren’t coming from a man whose central theme throughout his career has always been “Abba Father is enamored with you, warts and all.”

leave it to manning to not only indirectly inspire hope with his own story, but to explicitly challenge his readers to develop a trusting heart and openly accept the overwhelming love, grace, and forgiveness of a God who is enough.

have you read any of brennan manning’s books? do you think a non-fiction author can share a message more or less effectively through his or her own story?

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set in earth’s future, the novel presents humankind in conflict with an alien species called “buggers” by the humans. in preparation for an anticipated third invasion of the buggers, an international fleet has a school to train future commanders…among very young children. the world’s most talented children, including andrew “ender” wiggin, are taken as early as age six to a battle school where teachers train them in the arts of war through increasingly difficult games in zero gravity.

card’s takes a potential contrived plot and creates something extraordinary with skillful development of his main character’s genius, brutality, and vulnerability, and clever pacing in revealing the complexity of the tactical games.

some of the major underlying themes at play here are the same as another wildly popular story about a game — violence among children and the government taking children from their families. the moral dilemmas presented in ender’s game are the source of much criticism toward the book.

i truly enjoyed the story, and then i listened to an interview with the author (regarding this novel) that gave me an even deeper appreciation for ender and his game. i want to read more books in ender’s saga and also the ender’s shadow series, and am now really looking forward to the movie due out next year.

how do you feel when reading dystopian books like ender’s game and the hunger games that address political and moral issues so directly? why do you think these types of books become so popular?

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in the airport bookstore on the way to our honeymoon, lee and i each picked out a novel to enjoy on the long airplane ride and lazy days on the beach. this was my choice. it’s thicker than i usually go for in a traveling book, but my interest was piqued by creative syllabus format (each chapter in the “core curriculum” is named for a classic work of fiction, with a final exam at the end and a glossary of terms on the cover flap). i was convinced to give it a try by the description of the sixteen-year-old heroine, blue van meer, as brainy and deadpan with a head full of literary, philosophical, scientific, and cinematic knowledge.

after moving to yet another remote academic outpost with her professor father, blue finds herself eyeball-deep in a series of inexplicable events and eventually a murder mystery. at first i was completely delighted by pessl’s bibliography-style descriptions and hand-drawn “visual aids” sprinkled throughout the book. the perpetual student in me was thrilled to be immersed in academic vocabulary and references to great literature as a tool to paint detail into a work of fiction.

somewhere around chapter 24 the incessant research paper-esque citing became tedious…and then i began to appreciate it for it’s significance to the story and not just a clever writing style. i was also pleasantly surprised by the skilled weaving in of uncommon words and the unexpected turn in the plot. i was certainly entertained and closed the book quite satisfied with my impulsive choice.

have you read this book? does the idea of reading a novel with style elements of a term paper sound exciting or mind-numbing to you?

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i have always enjoyed mcwhorter’s style of teaching — i borrowed his lecture on “the story of language” from the library and listened to all twelve hours in rapt attention. i admit that i’m already a fan of the subject matter, but mcwhorter has a way of making the international origins of English words and syntax patterns seem like a lively story.

he covers everything from the the odd use of the word “do” in question form to the claim that language reveals culture. i connected with his attitude toward the maddening nature of arbitrary English rules…he seemed to convey an exasperated affection as you would feel for an unruly family member.

one of my favorite things about this book is that he points out how it’s silly to get upset over broken rules like a preposition at the end of a sentence or split infinitives, because the entire history of the English language is of an ever-changing grammar with many broken rules along the way. somehow my brain naturally distinguishes between an evolving way of communication like simplified sentence structure (acceptable), and blatant, lazy errors like mistaken homophones: it’s/its, their/there, or your/you’re (so annoying).

this book may not be your cup of tea, but it is certainly not out of reach, even if you are not a linguaphile. if you speak English, you can appreciate this story.

do you ever think about why we use the words we do? what is one oddity of the English language that has always made you scratch your head in wonder?

scientist mlodinow pulls back the curtain to show us how the magician in our daily lives is randomness. he claims we overestimate the significance of everything from casual interactions to major setbacks, and so we often attribute successes and failures to “obvious” causes, when they are actually more profoundly influenced by chance.

mlodinow offers examples from the classroom and the supermarket to big financial markets and the White House, and each is more intriguing than the last. the author convincingly demonstrates that ratings, grades, polls, and many other things we rely on are just not…well, reliable.

this was certainly an interesting read. truly thought-provoking ideas. i can’t decide if the evidence and concepts the author presents are encouraging, or just encourage apathy. and as a believer in the One Whose Hand is at Work in this world, i have to think that many of these “random coincidences” are just not.

the point of this calculated tour of randomness, chance, and probability is to remind us that much in our lives is about as predictable as the steps of a stumbling drunk. i’m not sure what my conclusion is, but i definitely was not bored reading this book.

do you believe that randomness plays a major role in life’s events? does this idea make you feel relieved or hopeless?

it seems as if i’ve always loved reading. i can’t remember not craving books — both old familiar stories and new engrossing tales. but the motivation behind that desire wasn’t always the same.

i don’t know if other readaholics out there can relate, but in my history as a reader, there is a distinct moment that stands out to me — the moment when i realized that this reading thing was so much more than mere entertainment.

A Wrinkle in Time was the first fantasy book i ever read. i was in sixth grade, and up to then my reading was centered on tearing through each new title in Ann Martin’s The Babysitter’s Club series, Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High collection, and the Saddle Club books by Bonnie Bryant. i had (inexplicably) not even discovered C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.

when the school librarian suggested Madeleine L’Engle‘s Time Quintet, i was intrigued, and started reading immediately. A Wrinkle in Time fascinated and thrilled me in a way i had never experienced through books. meg’s intergalactic travels, the profound and thought-provoking themes, the impossible time-travel and bizarre space creatures, the inspiring heroics…i wanted more.

after quickly finishing all of the books in that series, i moved on to books by similar authors, then broadened my tastes to other genres like allegory and history and nonfiction.

i feel like A Wrinkle in Time was a gateway to a whole new world of reading for me. a world in which books serve to inspire, teach, and make you think, as well as entertain. now i read many more academic and life-application books than in my pre-teen years, but i still love to lose myself in a fantastic story.

the A Wrinkle in Time cover above is more pleasant, in my opinion (it’s the edition on my shelf now), but the cover art to the right is what was on the library book that i read, and it scared the bajeezes out of me. i don’t think i would’ve dived in if it weren’t for my intense curiosity, and my admiration for and trust in my librarian. (every reading nerd’s childhood hero — the school librarian.)

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if you have been a lifelong reader, do you remember a moment that changed the game for you? if you more recently discovered the joy of reading, what book hooked you? (if you don’t like to read…i don’t know what to say. )

sometimes, when life happens, and you begin to question all you’ve always held true…sometimes you just need to approach your area of uncertainty in a new way. my relationship with God has always been more emotional, more a matter of the heart. my relationship with His Word was surely intellectual, but i always based my faith and convictions more on what i had known since childhood to be true in my heart. i didn’t even realize where i had built my foundation until my heart was torn and my faith had to find new footing.

moreland presents a methodical, logical case for the role of the mind in spiritual transformation, challenging us to develop a Christian mind and to use our intellect to explore theology, doctrine, and spiritual growth. the analytical, academic style in which moreland presents the information was just what i needed when i read his book, and reminded me of nancy pearcy’s total truth (another life-changing book that i read a few years ago and hold as one of my top five favorite books).

i read this book while taking a theology course at the credo house, and between the two resources i gratefully found a more solid foundation for my beliefs and a new home for my love for God. if you need some traction in your faith, check out this book as a starting point, and fill in the gaps with a course or two in the theology program—they offer online options.

have you ever needed to change your angle in order to gain some spiritual perspective? what helped you re-focus?

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if you enjoy epic stories, you’ll like this book. if you are awed by incredible physical feats, you’ll like this book. if you are delighted by interesting characters, you’ll like this book. if you are fascinated by anatomy and physiology, you’ll like this book. if you are intrigued by different cultures, interested in science or history, or excited by adventure, you will like this book.

mcdougall’s writing style seamlessly transitions back and forth between research and information and the compelling narrative. it is his own story—his search for an answer to the nagging question of why running caused him nothing but pain.

much of the book is spent uncovering the secrets of the reclusive tarahumara indians, who for centuries have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest over the savage terrain of mexico’s copper canyon and enjoy every mile of it. but mcdougall also takes you from the high-tech science labs at harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across north america, meeting fascinating people all along the way.

i loved marveling over the ultra-athletes, learning awesome scientific and cultural facts, and feeling encouraged about my own potential. i would recommend this book to anyone. it is entertaining and informative, no matter what your interests.

i didn’t realize what a big deal “the longitude problem” was in the eighteeth century. it was the scientific dilemma of the day that impacted the fortunes of nations, the lives of thousands of sailors, and all exploration by sea. it was such a significant concern that the british parliament offered a prize equal to several million of today’s dollars to anyone who could solve the problem.

john harrison was the first person to imagine a mechanical solution. everyone else (galileo & sir isaac newton included) had always looked to the sky for the answer, mapping stars and planets. the story is of harrison’s forty-year obsession with building his perfect timekeeper–an epic scientific quest. and along the way the reader gets to learn about the fascinating world of astronomy, navigation, and clockmaking.

sobel’s storytelling is engaging, but not engrossing. the story itself is interesting enough to keep you flying through the short volume. i can’t decide if this book is more history, biography, or science, but if you like any of those you won’t regret spending a few hours with this one.

what is your favorite type of book to read? do you like when several genres intersect in one book?

Le Cirque des Rêves is only open at night, and the fact that it appears and disappears without warning is the least curious thing about it. the nocturnal attraction, styled entirely in black and white, is full of extraordinary wonders, and not even the performers know that it is the setting for a behind-the-scenes magical duel.

i was certainly charmed as celia and marco play in a game they’ve been trained for since childhood. their complicated relationship with the circus, the performers, the patrons, and each other entangles the fates of many into an already high-stakes battle.

the descriptive and imaginative detail in this book is truly…well…magical.

the fantastical themes really worked for me, sweeping me into scenes where i marveled at the creativity and inventiveness of the author.

for me, the story was more entertaining when i decided to just enjoy the ride and not worry about the route or destination of the sprawling, time-jumping story. the puzzle is tightly woven and very slowly unraveled, and while i usually get into a good brain-twister, trying to reconcile all the pieces of this one would only have diminished my delight.

has anyone read this book? were you drawn in by the mystery or the imagery?

more interaction, strengthened relationships, and cooperative accomplishments are the goal of my one word for 2012. but i have a feeling that sharing more this year will also have the happy side-effect of increasing my general activity in areas that i commit to share.

figment friday will no doubt encourage me to write more, so i’m sure establishing a weekly book review will guarantee that i finish the books i start.

i’ve been tracking the books i read on goodreads for several years, but not all of my bookish friends are members of the site. i do invite book recommendations and reviews here on the what i read page, but that’s not really the best forum for stirring up good discussion over a great (or horrible) book.

so for all the bookworms out there, wednesdays will be for you. i may not be able to read one book per week (i’m aiming for 2-3 per month), so when i haven’t finished anything new, i’ll share about an exceptional book that i’ve read in the past year or so.

i just finished a pretty good read that i’m looking forward to reviewing next week. what about you? have you read something lately that i should put on my list?

image via agile101

it’s rewarding to see hard work come to fruition. the project i mentioned working on with chef mandy is almost complete! she’s crafted a brilliant set of recipes, and the publisher has designed a breathtaking piece of eye candy with so-vivid-you-could-lick-the-page photos on every spread.  The Raw Food Feast: 7 Days Through the Rainbow is in the final stages of production, and i couldn’t be more excited about it’s june release!

the unique thing about this living cuisine cookbook is that it’s devised to help you organize and streamline your preparations so that you can easily put together three raw meals a day (plus a snack) with a real-life schedule. mandy provides a shopping list and menu for seven entire days, with each day’s recipes focusing around a different color of the rainbow. what a fantastic way to appreciate all the colorful produce God has created!

by concentrating on a few main ingredients to be used in several recipes, chef mandy shows you how to cut down on waste. this book makes it so easy to achieve raw food yummy-ness and reap the healthy benefits. there are even detailed step-by-step photos to accompany the instructions. another feature exclusive to this book is the demonstration of how to incorporate therapeutic-grade essential oils into the recipes, which adds a whole other dimension of taste and health advantages.

i can vouch that every single recipe is mouth-watering delicious. it was a ton of fun working with the team, and i feel very honored to be a part of this project. you can view more behind-the-scenes action of our adventures in recipe testing, planning, and final photo shoot here. so sorry – no food photos ’til the book is out! you can pre-order a copy now at the growing healthy homes store for only $16. Let me know if you want a signed copy!

somehow i stumbled upon barbara sher’s book Refuse to Choose and was blown away (and a little weirded out) by how accurately she was describing me. i’ve never known anyone else like me in this respect, so i assumed she must have been hiding in my house and observing me…or she cast a spell on the book so it would change its contents to fit the reader. but since her books have sold millions of copies and she consults with fortune 100 companies, i’m pretty sure she’s not a spy or a magician.

what follows is an excerpt from her book–word for word. i know that’s what “excerpt” means. it’s implied that i would transcribe precisely the words she wrote with no alterations. but for those who know me and have worried about the long-term effects of my schizophrenic interests, i want to emphasize that this is not an elaborate justification of my behavior. i’m a scanner! (i did add the bolding to some extra-relevant sentences.)

Are You a Scanner?
By Barbara Sher

“I’m fascinated by something new every week.”      “I can’t pay attention unless I’m doing many things at once.”

“I know I should focus on one thing, but which one?”      “I keep going off on another tangent.”

“I pull away from what I’m doing because I’m afraid I’ll miss something better.”

If you’ve ever said these things to yourself, chances are good that you’re a Scanner, a very special kind of thinker. Unlike those people who seem to find and be satisfied with one area of interest, you’re genetically wired to be interested in many things, and that’s exactly what you’ve been trying to do.

Because your behavior is unfamiliar — even unsettling — to the people around you, you’ve been taught that you’re doing something wrong and you must try to change. But what you’ve been told is a mistake — you have been misdiagnosed. You’re a different creature altogether.

What you’ve assumed is a disability to be overcome by sheer will is actually an exceptional gift. You are the owner of a remarkable, multi-talented brain trying to do its work in a world that doesn’t understand who you are and doesn’t know why you behave as you do.

Scanners love to read and write, to fix and invent things, to design projects and businesses, to cook and sing, and to create the perfect dinner party. (You’ll notice I didn’t use the word “or,” because Scanners don’t love to do one thing or the other; they love them all.)

Intense curiosity about numerous unrelated subjects is one of the most basic characteristics of a Scanner. Scanners are endlessly inquisitive. In fact, Scanners often describe themselves as being hopelessly interested in everything. A Scanner doesn’t want to specialize in any of the things she loves, because that means giving up all the rest. Some even think that being an expert would be limiting and boring.

To Scanners, the world is like a big candy store full of fascinating opportunities, and all they want is to reach out and stuff their pockets.

The problem is, Scanners believe they’re allowed to pursue only one path. But they want them all. If they force themselves to make a choice, they are forever discontented. Our society frowns on this apparent self-indulgence.

The conventional wisdom is overwhelming: If you’re a jack-of-all-trades, you’ll always be a master of none. You’ll become a dilettante, a dabbler, a superficial person — and you’ll never have a decent career. Suddenly, a Scanner who all through school might have been seen as an enthusiastic learner had now become a failure.

It appears that Scanners are an unusual breed of human being. One reason they don’t recognize themselves is that they don’t often meet people like themselves. It’s a whole new way of thinking, I know. And much of the world doesn’t see Scanners’ behavior as admirable or even acceptable. Of course, it’s not self- indulgence at all; it’s the way Scanners are designed, and there’s nothing they can or should do about it. A Scanner is curious because he is genetically programmed to explore everything that interests him. If you’re a Scanner, that’s your nature. Ignore it and you’ll always be fretful and dissatisfied.

* Excerpted from the book Refuse to Choose! by Barbara Sher, via getmotivation.com

i’ve often felt shame for my apparent indecisiveness, and frustration with the perspective that i am wasting my potential by not committing to one path and advancing continuously in that area. i remember meeting people in college and thinking i might change my major each time a new friend shared their professional aim. each vocation sounded so intriguing, i couldn’t fathom how others could choose just one to pursue!

i had to chuckle when barbara contrasted the scanner with the “diver” who can’t fathom being interested in anything else but their field. while i admire the specialists who accomplish impressive feats in their area of expertise (the scientists, professional musicians, athletes, etc.), i just can’t imagine not sampling everything i can at the buffet. there’s just not enough time in life to do and see all i want if i repeat experiences i’ve already covered. barbara mentions that she once met a scanner with a button that said “i did that already.”

lest we think barbara is suggesting a fancy title for something more common, she spends some time distinguishing between people who look like scanners, but aren’t. like those who move from one thing to the next for awhile, but can easily stop and give up all the alternatives they’ve considered when they find the “right choice.” or those who are avoiding doing what they really feel drawn to out of fear or outside pressures. and scanners do not necessarily struggle with ADD. also, someone who is content in their field with a normal range of outside hobbies is not a scanner.

after identifying the scanner type, the rest of the book is devoted to helping the scanner manage and nurture this nature, instead of fighting it. sher’s premise seems dubious: you can do everything that you love and don’t have to choose between your passions. but the chapters appear to be a practical guide to balancing your numerous loves and avoiding becoming paralyzed for the typical scanner reason of being attracted to so many things that you can’t figure out which project to reach for next. i’m looking forward to reading more.

this lengthy analysis is probably only fascinating to someone like me, but i have to tell you that it’s such a relief to discover that i’m not crazy, irresponsible, or an unrealistic dreamer. i don’t have to feel apologetic for wanting to do it all and having a resumé that seems unfocused. i’m a scanner, and i don’t mind that label at all.

Zealous Love is a response to some of the world’s urgent needs in light of Christ’s great love. Through first-hand accounts and up-to-date facts about eight global issues, Zealous Love uniquely provides readers with the information, inspiration, and involvement they crave to personally make a difference in their world.

the book hit the stores earlier this month, and i’d been anticipating it’s release because i know that the executive editors, mike and danae yankoski, always deliver thorough, sincere, relevant work. i pre-ordered it on amazon so that it would be on my doorstep the instant it was published. the title caught my attention because several of the eight concerns that the book addresses are target initiatives of the spero project. i can’t wait to see how spero can integrate the information and ideas into our programs in okc.

the really fantastic thing about this book is that it takes the message beyond education. these pages are truly for anybody who cares about helping others. the real, do-able ideas inside are not the kind of things you’d be inclined to brush off as an assignment for those in full-time ministry. the colorful, inspiring, organized sections guide the reader in how to turn passion into action, both locally and globally. the staggering needs of the world are suddenly less overwhelming when you have direction and focus for your energy.

i was especially impressed with the interactive website for ZealousLove.org. in addition to descriptions of each of the areas of injustice they hope to bring attention to, there is a forum for discussion about each of the topics. organizations and individuals can share motivation, resources, and practical ideas about taking on some of the world’s most pressing challenges: hunger, unclean water, HIV/AIDS, creation degradation, lack of education, economic inequality, refugees, and human trafficking.

Zealous Love offers hope throughout every chapter. hope for the world, hope for the reader. it’s not about being a “Super Christian,” it’s about seeing a need and deciding to do something about it.  it’s about making your faith more than just good intentions.

…and travel the world.

check out the children’s book by that title and other literary gems for young bibliophiles in today’s “What We’re Reading Wednesday” over at Simple Kids. my latest contribution to the weekly kid lit reviews is dedicated to free range kids everywhere.

what  i do have in my house is fully one entire bookcase dedicated to children’s books. and several boxes stored in the attic. (only my favorite 100 or so need to be easily accessible, right?) who are these books enjoyed by? me. it’s not that i wouldn’t love to share them with a precious little one on my lap, and i’m sure in time i will, it’s just that all the kiddos of my friends and family reside in other states.

but, as many parents know, kid lit is not just for kids. the works of art and profound themes depicted through children’s literature can be appreciated by readers of any age. i’ve been entertained, impressed, encouraged, and convicted by the books created for a young audience.

some have been loved treasures for decades, but many are from delightful and creative authors that have recently emerged. i find myself purchasing from the children’s section at least once for every five book selections i make.

which is why i jumped at the chance to be on the Simple Kids Book Review Team and participate in What We’re Reading Wednesday. today my first review is published along with others from different age categories. stop on over and read about one of my favorite preschooler books, and then let me know if you have any great book recommendations in the comments here or on the WHAT I READ page.

photo by kennymatic

like when the tower of books to read beside my bed is just growing instead of rotating. i’ve been determined to finish one book for every new “to-read” title that takes it’s place in the lineup, and so i’ve dedicated more time to catching up.

i also finally updated my goodreads account. i’m expecting the books i’ve got on deck to be hard hitters, so stay tuned to my what i read page for details.

the ambitious over-achiever in me had big plans to be über-productive: cultivate the garden, try some new recipes, finally find time to exercise, attack the pile of laundry, and maybe even get some work in to boost my results at the new job. all this and still have time to have some outdoor fun with my hubby and our canine companion. and i actually fit most of it in. but the most sublime part of the weekend was the extended spells of reading i was able to enjoy.

i’m a big fan of reading, to put it mildly. i think books are one of the most significant factors that impact our lives. books have the ability to affect the education, history, entertainment, industry, society, and psychology of the world we live in. for those of us who love literature, i found it interesting (but not surprising) to learn recently that literary readers are statistically more likely to visit a museum, attend a performing arts event, do charity or volunteer work, participate in sports activities, and generally be more empathetic, energetic, and engaged with their community (via the American Psychological Association). those are certainly admirable traits–who knew reading could propel you toward them?

i’m not going to start discussing the pros and cons of how one reads. there are already plenty of conversations circulating among bibliophiles about the benefits and downfalls of online novels versus a bound volume, audio books versus visual words, and the Amazon Kindle versus the actual tome. while purists will likely always prefer to hold paper and leather (or cardboard, rather) no matter how scarce their bookshelf space becomes, there are obvious advantages to alternative formats.

all i know is that reading of any kind is good. in my opinion, the best reading is a cross between learning and leisure – for me a great book combines enlightenment and enchantment, taking you to a higher place both intellectually and imaginatively. gotta love it.

Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted;
nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed,
and some few to be chewed and digested:
that is, some books are to be read only in parts,
others to be read, but not curiously, and some few
to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.
~ Francis Bacon ~