What’s on My Nightstand? 11/08

 On the fourth Tuesday of every month, 5 Minutes for Books hosts the carnival called “What’s on Your Nightstand?” This month I’m a day late getting my post up because we were traveling for the holidays yesterday, but better late than never, right?

Right at the moment I’m reading On Hitler’s Mountain: Overcoming the Legacy of a Nazi Childhood (P.S.), by Irmgard Hunt.  She was just a child when Hitler and the Nazis came to power, living with her family in the mountains of Berchtesgaden near Hitler’s mountain retreat known as the Eagle’s Nest.  Reading about the rise of the Third Reich from the perspective of a six year old German girl makes for an interesting perspective.  I recently finished reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a novel written from the perspective of an eight-year-old German boy whose father becomes the commandant of Auschwitz.  I finally had the chance to see the movie based on this book and will write a separate review for both in another post.  On Hitler’s Mountain is a memoir written for adults, Striped Pajamas is written for teens, and both are worthwhile reads.

A Christmas Carol is on my December to-read list for 5 Minutes for Books’ Classics Bookclub read.  I have seen so many versions of this Christmas classic, including this one and this one (I love Patrick Stewart), but my hands-down favorite is this one.  Even though I’ve seen it many times, I’ve never actually read the Dickens’ story, so I’m looking forward to it.

I wanted to read all of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series before the end of the year, but so far I’ve only read The Magician’s Nephew.  This month I will be rereading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  It is the only one of the series I’ve read before, but I love it…and it is the  next  in the series.

Streams in the Desert is a wonderful devotional book that I’ve been reading throughout the year.  I haven’t read it every day, but it is definitely one that I will be rereading every year.

Great Tales from English History is full of short snippets of history that are interesting to read when I just have a minute or two, perfect for keeping the car when I’m playing taxi-driver mom.  The Crucible by Arthur Miller and Murder on the Orient Express are on my nightstand in case I get through the others.

To join in this or any of the other carnivals, click on over to 5 Minutes for Books and jump right in!