Nonfiction Books I'd Like To Read This Year

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So over on Pinterest I posted the many, many novels I'd like to read in 2013. It's massive but not un-doable based on what I read last year. The key (for me) to getting this many books read is NOT WATCHING TV. Really, how many old episodes of Law and Order does one woman need to watch? How many times do I need to see detectives track down a killer on ID Channel?

I will, however, keep watching Castle. So other than that hour of viewing a week, I need to be in my bed reading fastidiously in the evenings before I fall asleep.

But that's not what this post is about.

I thought I'd post about the nonfiction books I hope to read in the coming year, books that have captured my attention because they speak to some need or desire in my life that I think they will assist with. Because isn't that what we read nonfiction for? To become better people? More productive people?

So, here goes. I already wrote about my one word for this year (LOVE). With that in mind, I've been on the lookout for books that will lend themselves to that theme for this year.

One is Love Does by Bob Goff. What was my tipoff? Well, the title of course. If I want to live a life of love, then I need to act in love. This book, I suspect, will help with that.

The other is Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick

Another one is Etched Upon My Heart by Jill Kelly, a book that was sent to me unsolicited. When I saw that the first chapter was titled, "Love" I knew I was meant to read it. Serendipity!

I'm sure I'll find others along these same lines.

Other books I hope to read:

My One Word by Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen (I just finished this one but I wanted to count it. I can tell you that it's worth the read. I wrote about it last week if you want to scroll down and learn more about it.)

Back of the House: The Secret of Life of a Restaurant by Scott Haas (I have an idea for a novel that would involve a restuarant, so this is research.)

Life After Art: What You Forgot About Life and Faith Since You Left The Art Room by Matt Appling

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

The books below are all to help me run She Reads more effectively:

What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam

What The Most Successful People Do On The Weekends by Laura Vanderkam

Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, Actions by Guy Kawasaki

The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau

These books are for the mom in me:

Cleaning House by Kay Wills Wyma

Train Like A Mother by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea

The Element by Ken Robinson (A friend recommended this as a wonderful book for helping your kids find and tap into their passions. With teens in the house, that really spoke to me. I've met too many adults who have no idea what their passions are or how to pursue them.)

You might notice I don't have many spiritual self-help type books listed. That's because I've really shied away from those because of a couple of reasons. Mostly I'm just convinced that if we want to grow spiritually, we should read the Bible. I am so grateful for Community Bible Study allowing me the opportunity to do that weekly in a group of women I've grown to love. And I love that they don't allow any other books/authors to be mentioned. It's refreshing after years of being immersed in a culture that seemed to, more and more, follow people and their words more than Jesus and His. My daily Bible study will always come before any of these books. All this other stuff is just gravy meant to help me be more successful in parenting and business.

I also have a long list of writing books I'd love to read this year that I didn't dare include here, lest I completely overwhelm you all. It's a sickness I freely admit to having.

So what's on your list of books you'd like to read this year? Books to make you a better mom, wife, business person, writer, etc?  Got any "can't miss" recommendations? Leave a comment and let me know!