Favorite books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I enjoyed in the month of February…

Books:

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves.

I don’t typically gravitate towards murder mysteries, but I’m glad I read this one. The writing is great, the characters sympathetic, and the story intriguing. I picked the book up because one of you recommended it since the story contains two young women with Down syndrome. They had distinct personalities from each other, and Cleeves demonstrated both their limitations and gifts in a way that felt true and right.

A Disability History of the United States by Kim Nielsen.

If you are looking for a book that is exactly what its title suggests, here you go: A Disability History of the United States by Kim Nielsen. This book will stay on my shelf as an engaging, well-written primer on this topic. It left me wanting to learn more about the history of disability within medicine and education.

Book: One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus.

This teen murder mystery was a great one to listen to with our 14-year-old daughter Marilee. I was surprised by how much I appreciated the character development in this book. What I particularly liked about it was the way having a painful secret exposed actually helped each character grow into themselves. When what seemed like the worst thing about them became known, they learned they were still loved (by some, and rejected by others). (Warning for parents who take my recommendations to heart: there’s plenty of older high school material in this one!)

Podcasts:

This Anti-Social American Life.

I appreciated Derek Thompson’s thoughts on why (and how) we need to take action to overcome our age of isolation.

Resetting Our Minds: Andy Crouch on Technology’s Grip.

I always appreciate insights from Andy Crouch and Curtis Chang, and this conversation about technology was no different.

Episode 87: My Body Is Not a Prayer Request with Dr. Amy Kenny.

There were so many gems in this conversation between Katherine Wolf and Amy Kenny. Here’s one:

“My disabled body is not an impediment to being an image bearer but a channel of the image of God…”

Essays:

Looking for Faith? Here’s a Guide to Choosing a Religion.

I’m looking forward to having Ross Douthat on the podcast in a few weeks to talk about the reasons for faith.

The Cruel Attack on USAID.

Pete Wehner puts my feelings about the abrupt end to USAID well.

A Lawsuit Threatens the Disability Protections I’ve Known My Whole Life.

This whole article by Rebekah Taussig is helpful in explaining the threats to disability rights at the moment. I loved her conclusion:

“And while the politicians are still reciting the same script, our revolutionary predecessors gave us a new story. We are a valuable part of our communities, we belong here, and we’ve been shown how to fight.”

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