My Latest Reading Selections

Time for another round of "What's been on my nightstand lately".

Cabin Lessons by Spike Carlsen

I was hoping this book would be about someone building a cabin, getting back to the land, simplifying life, etc. What it really is about is a fairly well off family building a second house on the shore of Lake Superior. It's not really a cabin in my mind; it's too nice and too big. There's not much rustic about it, so it wasn't what I expected at all. Also, the guy used to work as a carpenter, and then as a editor at Family Handyman magazine. So he knows a ton about construction. It doesn't really have a DIY aesthetic to it. It was entertaining enough, but it's definitely not what I was expecting or hoping for.

The Tree House Mystery by Carol Beach York
I remember reading this as a kid and enjoying. When I saw it recently at a garage sale I thought it would be worth a second look as a grown-up to see if my kids might like it. I found it a pretty engaging mystery without too much suspense, but enough to keep your attention. I think my kids will both enjoy it, so this might be one to read out loud to them before bed.

Made in America by Bill Bryson
I'm only about halfway through this, but so far it's a history of how the American version of the English language came to be what it is today. He breaks it up by historical eras, starting with the Pilgrims through the Revolution and going on from there. There are times when it gets a little dry, like when he just gives a list of phrases and their origin for a page at a time, but the bits where he's doing narrative Exposition on history are pretty entertaining and seem well-researched. I read this based on a recommendation from @dfinney, because I liked Bryson's other book about the Appalachian Trail. so far I haven't found this one as engaging is that, but it's still worth a read if you're interested in the history of American English.