Really Very Crunchy (& More March Reads)
I finished six books in March, including the newly released Really Very Crunchy by Emily Morrow. Read on for my impressions of each title:
6 Books I Read in March
1. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
In C.S. Lewis’s classic work, The Screwtape Letters, a senior demon by the name of Screwtape offers diabolical advice to his nephew, Wormwood, on the most effective way to tempt, torment, and trip up the human in his charge.
Reading through the correspondence is both eye-opening and convicting, as the familiar methods discussed are instantly recognizable as tactics that have been employed, with greater or lesser success, against me.
I’ve read this book at least once or twice a decade for the past 40 years, always finishing with a fresh resolve to remain more alert against Satan’s schemes.
2. Quirky Sudoku by Djape
If you are as big a fan of sudoku puzzles as I am, you’ll want to check out Quirky Sudoku by Djape. True to its subtitle, it contains “totally crazy sudoku variants” as well as some bonus numeric puzzles called trigons in the back.
The sudoku variations include consecutive, non-consecutive, odd-even, greater-less, frame, diagonal, and jigsaw sudokus.
It took me about 18 months to complete all 90+ puzzles, primarily because I’ve started devoting time to doing the NYTimes daily Wordle and Connections, which are more quickly solved than these five-grid sudoku challenges.
3. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
My husband and I listened to Great Expectations while traveling last month. It came free with our Audible Plus Membership.
Sadly, it had been abridged, so much of Dickens’ rich language and complex sentence structure was lost in translation, not to mention plot points and other pertinent details.
But the abbreviated version was just as weird as I remembered from my last reading of Great Expectations during my honors English class in high school.
It makes me wonder how that came to be the Dickens novel assigned, instead of one of his far more enjoyable works such as A Tale of Two Cities or A Christmas Carol or even Oliver Twist.
4. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
The kids and I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading Carry On, Mr. Bowditch last month, an inspiring tale about the extremely brilliant and largely self-educated Nathanial Bowditch.
When a 9-year-indentureship dashes his hopes of attending Harvard, young Nat begins studying on his own: physics, astronomy, mathematics, Latin, French, navigation — he is interested and becomes proficient at it all.
His understanding of science and his precise mathematical calculations changed the way navigation was conducted and thereby made sailing the seven seas much safer for everyone who heeded his counsel.
5. Really Very Crunchy by Emily Morrow
I know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but isn’t the cover one on Really Very Crunchy adorable? In it, author Emily Morrow advocates for a simpler, more natural life.
I’m fully onboard for many of the ideas presented: limiting exposure to harmful chemicals, reducing stress, going barefoot, and improving sleep? Yes, please! But some of things discussed are a hard pass: swapping toilet paper for reusable “family cloth?” No, thank you!
The thing I enjoyed most about this book is its tone. Clearly knowledgeable, yet simultaneously humorous and humble, Emily strikes a good balance between conviction and compassion, repeatedly reminding us that “crunchiness is a spectrum” and urging readers to “think for yourself, do the best you can, and show love for your fellow human beings.”
6. Persuasion by Jane Austen
I finished listening to Persuasion by Jane Austen this week after getting the audiobook for free with my Audible membership.
Anne Elliot’s story is profoundly sad. It is a study, as it were, in the importance of keeping good counselors.
Anne thought she has such a wise and trustworthy mentor in the Lady Russell, but she lived to regret acting on the advice this friend and neighbor gave.
Of course, there is no way for Anne to take back her lamentable decision, but now, eight years later, might she finally be given an opportunity to reconsider?
Do you love to read as much as we do? I’ve gathered all my best resources for bibliophiles onto this page, or you can read more of my book reviews by following this link .
PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through any of those links, we may receive a small referral fee, at no extra cost to you. Such fees help defray the cost of running this website. This, in turn, allows us to continue offering our readers a wealth of FREE printable resources. So thank you for your support!
