My world fell apart when my husband left me. I knew I needed something to help fill the bill. My brother was in a book dinner, so I asked him about it. Then I told my friends, of whom I thought might be interested. I’m fairly quiet so I didn’t actually know who would be interested. I told the women about it; that we would only read Christian books, a wide variety, and stay away from the so-called romantic types cuz they were other than I was seeking.

Discovering The Book Dinner Together

Of course they were surprised. We had ten show up that first meeting. One woman always read by herself, only coming to an infrequent meeting, but I never forgot her. We met like four times a year. The first years were always in the evening. I was working and it worked best that way. Everyone brought something for the meal. The person hosting the meal. made the main dish. The others brought the salad(s), bread, and desert. We had a delightful time together. Everyone enjoyed the eating and rivalry. Then we went to the living room. There we discussed the book. It’s main points, It’s charge to us, and the things that individually spoke to us. I especially enjoyed this part.

I Learned What They Liked

I learned what kind of books the women liked and didn’t like. Fortunately, all of us liked most of the books, which meant something since I was the person who picked most of the books we read. I didn’t pick only my favorites, I picked what I knew they would like. But even though that was the case, I couldn’t pick them all to find favor with the women. Speaking of women, we had a few that joined for awhile and then decided it wasn’t for them. Which was quite all right.

Beyond The Obvious

Last year I told the women that I was quitting, though they could still meet if they wanted to. I was going to have a nice fancy dinner for the last meeting. But I got sick, and we didn’t have a final meeting. I miss the ladies. I really, really do miss them a lot. Yesterday, while I was talking to one of the ladies, I told her my secret. I want to see everybody again!!! I miss them. Their friendship meant so much to me. You feel lonely when you don’t have a husband. I’ve been walking this road alone for almost twenty-three years. The book ladies made it an easier path by being there with me. Some have lost their husbands, and they feel the same about it.

The Ladies Mean A Lot To Me

If you read this and you are one of the ladies…you’ll be hearing from me fairly soon! I can’t wait to see you again. It’s been too, too long. You are the best! Love to all. For now. Norma

. . .

Book Dinner Ladies in 2014.

BORED? Time to do something different.  LIKE TO READ?  Time to do something different. WANT TO GET TO KNOW SOMEONE BETTER?  Time to do something different.

Here’s an idea for you.

You can start a Book Dinner Group. Here’s the dirt. . .

CONTENTS

1. BOOK DINNER INSTALLMENT 1 / 15  Years and Why We’re Still at It
2. BOOK DINNER INSTALLMENT  2 / How to Make a Book Dinner Work
3. BOOK DINNER INSTALLMENT 3 / The Books We’ve Read, All 51 of Them Books we’ve read through 2018.

HAPPY BOOK READING TO YOU until we meet again . . .

Books You Might Not have Heard of Before

Most of these books are Christian-based

Here are the books I promised last week here to share with you this week. This list contains most of the books my Book Dinner Ladies have read over the fifteen years we have been meeting. I wrote about my Book Dinner Ladies here. 

In some cases I have selected a later version of the book than we originally read. I tried to pick paperback versions for the books’ Amazon links, but there are usually other options to choose from. Some books have been updated and added to their original content in later anniversary editions.

*Black underlined titles link to a nlbrumbaugh book review.

* Books with red asterisks  * are standouts for their content, not for their presentation.

This post is a labor of love, trust me!

I hope one of these books tickles your fancy.

A Case for Faith . . . Lee Strobel  (spiritual pursuit, faith, belief, proof)   A Case for Faith on Amazon

A Light in the Window . . . Jan Karon  (fiction, back home)  A Light in the Window on Amazon

A Table in the Presence . . . Lt. Carey H. Cash  ( true story, chaplain, Desert Storm)  A Table in the Presence on Amazon

A Woman after God’s Own Heart . . . Elizabeth George  (spiritual pursuit, growth)  A Woman after God’s Own Heart on Amazon

At Home in Mitford . . . Jan Karon  (novel, back home, home town)  At Home in Mitford on Amazon

* At the Back of the North Wind . . . George MacDonald (novel, spiritual, mystical)  At the Back of the North Wind on Amazon

* Awkward . . . Jenna Benton  (true story, spiritual, lifestyle spirituality)  Awkward on Amazon

* Bridge Called Hope . . . Kim Meeder  (true life, inspirational) Bridge Called Hope on Amazon

Choosing Gratitude . . . Nancy Leigh DeMoss  (spiritual,  gratefulness)  Choosing Gratitude on Amazon

Crazy Love . . . Francis Chan  (spiritual, God, love)  Crazy Love on Amazon

Cross Roads . . . Wm. Paul Young  (novel, humorous, finding God)  Cross Roads on Amazon

* The Curate’s Awakening . . . George MacDonald (novel, mystery, spiritual, historical)  The Curate’s Awakening on Amazon

* Edges of Truth . . . Debbie Brammer, Steve Bennecke  (true story, falsely accused, infant death) Edges of Truth on Amazon

* End of the Spear: A True Story . . . Steve Saint  (true story, cross cultural, missionaries) End of the Spear on Amazon

Fierce Beauty . . . Kim Meeder  (spiritual, transformation)  Fierce Beauty on Amazon

Find Your Strongest Life . . . Marcus Buckingham  (self-help, inspirational) Find Your Strongest Life on Amazon

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire . . . Jim Cymbala  (spiritual reviving, prayer, belief )  Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire on Amazon

From Dust and Ashes . . . Tricia Goyer  (novel, WWII) From Dust and Ashes on Amazon

* Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World . . . Joanna Weaver  (spiritual, practical, Mary & Martha)   Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World on Amazon

* Hind’s Feet on High Places . . . Hannah Hurnard  (allegory, spiritual, transformation)  Hind’s Feet on High Places on Amazon

Homestead . . . Jane Kirkpatrick  (memoir, Oregon, homestead)  Homestead on Amazon

Hope has its Reasons . . . Rebecca Manley Pippert  (spiritual, faith, intellectual, relational)  Hope has its Reasons on Amazon

* Hostage . . . Nancy Mankins  (true story, missionaries, kidnapping, hostage) Hostage on Amazon

In the Presence of My Enemies . . . Gracia Burnham  (true story, missionaries, kidnapping, hostage)  In the Presence of My Enemies on Amazon

Inspiring Women of the Faith . . . W. Terry Whalin, Sam Wellman  (biographical, historical) Inspiring Women of Faith on Amazon

Joshua, a Parable for Today . . . Joseph Girzone  (novel, spiritual, parable, Jesus)  Joshua on Amazon

Levi’s Will . . . W. Dale Cramer  (novel, Amish fiction, rebellion, restoration)  Levi’s Will

Lies Women Believe . . .  Nancy Leigh DeMoss  (spiritual, truth vs. lies) Lies Women Believe on Amazon

Lost Boy No More . . . Abraham Nhial, DiAnn Mills  (true story, Sudan war, refugees, faith)  Lost Boy No More on Amazon

Loving God with all Your Mind . . . Elizabeth George  (spiritual growth, truth, application) Loving God with all Your Mind on Amazon

Mending Your Heart in a Broken World . . . Patsy Clairmont (spiritual, Nehemiah, faith)  Mending Your Heart in a Broken World on Amazon

Mourning had Broken . . . Jan Hasak  (true story, cancer)  Mourning has Broken on Amazon

* My Enemy … My Brother . . . Hanna Shahin  (true story, spiritual, Palestinian, conflict)  My Enemy … My Brother on Amazon

Night Song . . . Tricia Goyer  (novel, historical, WWII)  Night Song on Amazon

One Thousand Gifts . . . Ann Voskamp  (spiritual, depression, overcoming, inspirational)  One Thousand Gifts on Amazon

Out of the Salt Shaker & Into the World . . . Rebecca Manley Pippert  (spiritual, lifestyle evangelism)  Out of the Salt Shaker on Amazon

* Redeeming Love . . . Francine Rivers  (novel, forgiveness, love, spiritual – Hosea)  Redeeming Love on Amaon

Relinquishing My Dreams . . . Tricia Bradley, Sue Burrows  (true story, adoption, troubled teen)  Relinquishing My Dreams on Amazon

Reckless Faith: Let Go and Be Led . . . Beth Guckenberger   (true story, missionaries, orphanage)  Reckless Faith on Amaon

Finding Spiritual Whitespace . . . Bonnie Gray  (spiritual, overcoming, abuse, inspirational) Finding Spiritual Whitespace on Amazon

Sun Stand Still . . . Steven Furtick  (spiritual, outlook, awaken, being real)  Sun Stand Stillon Amazon

The Five Love Languages . . . Gary Chapman  (spiritual life, marriage, relational, self help)  The Five Love Languages on Amazon

The Gift of the Blessing . . . John Trent, Gary Smalley  (spiritual, relational, parents)  The Gift of the Blessing on Amazon

The Promise of Hope . . . Edward Grinnan  (true story, overcoming, inspirational)  The Promise of Hope on Amazon

* The Waiting . . . Cathy LaGrow, Cindy Coloma   (true story, powerful, adoption)  The Waiting

They’re Rugby Boys, Don’t You Know . . . Natalie Vellacott  (true story, addiction, homeless youth)  They’re Rugby Boys

* Unbroken . . . Laura Hillenbrand  (true story,powerful, Louis Zamperini)  Unbroken on Amaon

* Walk to Beautiful . . . Jimmy Wayne, Ken Abraham (true story, powerful, homeless, overcoming)  Walk to Beautiful on Amazon

Water Walker . . . Ted Dekker  (novel, suspense, cult)  Water Walker on Amazon

When a Woman Finds Her Voice . . . Jo Ann Fore  (true stories, domestic/sexual abuse, spiritual, overcoming) When a Woman finds Her Voice on Amazon

When Your World Falls Apart . . . David Jeremiah  (true story, spiritual, cancer)  When Your World Falls Apart on Amazon

I have not ranked or rated the books because we all have our individual preferences. I’ve probably forgotten some of the books we read. Maybe my ladies can tell me which ones are missing. I know we read a civil war novel that isn’t listed here.

If you would like to know more about any one of these books, please leave me a comment or use the contact box.

Any questions?

Thank you for stopping by.

-AMAZON associate links may be in use.