All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Welcome to December! This is probably the most unproductive month for reading, as far as I'm concerned. It's surrounded by holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years. Ultimately, December means getting to spend time with loved ones, which is great. But it also leads to book neglect, unfortunately. Books are loved ones too!

So, as we wade into December, I encourage you all to pick up a book from time to time. It's ok if you don't finish it, but you deserve those couple of minutes each day to yourself.

This is where my most recent read comes in: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum. This novel is comprised of thoughts (expressed through short stories) of daily encounters. It's one of those "feel-good" novels. Some stories are a little more depressing than others. I was on a rollercoaster ride of emotions: a little sad, laughing so hard I'm crying, deep in thought, smiling, and giggling to myself when I have a similar experience. But most of all, it brought me back to childhood. Not necessarily the innocence of childhood, but the sheer enjoyment of life, a constant count of life's lessons. It's perfect for this busy holiday season. If you do not already own a copy, I encourage you to get one (I've seen several on shelves at used bookstores--now that I've read it, I'm horrified anyone would ever want to part with their copy!). It's only 196 pages, and each story is only 2-4 pages. But don't read it all at once (even though, at times, you'll want to devour it) because it won't allow time for the lessons to seep in. It's the perfect way to take a quick break in your busy day to make time for reading and remembering your blessings.

Here's the info for this book:
Rating: 10/10
Pages: 196
2010 Reading Goal: 10,112/10,000
I finally reached my reading goal! Woo hoo! That won't stop me from continuing to read the rest of this year though--but the holidays may. If you haven't already, please vote for my reading goal for next year. It's currently a tie between 12,500 pages and 14,000 pages, and I need someone to break that tie!

In spite of the busy busy holiday season, I hope you are all able to find a few minutes in your day to relax with a mug of coffee, cocoa, or glass of wine and a fabulous novel. Have a great December :)