August Book Bracket 2026

 Book Bracket August

The start of school meant a serious drop-off in my reading habits. However, I'm grateful to have finished the following books.

Belisarius: The First Shall Be Last, by Paolo Belzoni, read by AI-generated voice**

This historical fiction work follows the life of a young man, Belisarius, as he trains in the army, learns strategy, and begins battling the Persians.

Why I picked it up: I think this book was recommended on a list at some point, and I obtained it with an Audible credit a while ago.

My impressions: This wasn't the most engaging work of historical fiction, but it wasn't terrible, either. It felt a little like a biography with a little more story to it, and I think that's why the final showdown was not the exciting pinnacle I hoped it would be. I think there was a decent sense of the decline of Roman power, including military might, which prepares the ground for Belisarius' rise to fame. There were comments here and there that referred to mature topics, such as getting drunk and sleeping around with women, so this isn't something that would be appropriate for just any middle schooler. I think the focus on military action would make this book more interesting to boys than to girls, but I don't think this book is necessary to read.

The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis: How Great Books Shaped a Great Mind, by Jason M. Baxter

A scholar describes how C. S. Lewis' professional interest in Medieval works was more than just professional, and the many ways it influenced his creative writing.

Why I picked it up: A friend expressed excitement about reading a different work that had been translated by this author, and I figured this book would be worth a try. Available through my public library system.

My impressions: This book helped answer some questions about some works of Lewis that I'd read previously, including  Till We Have Faces. I felt like my previous reading of many of Lewis' works made me already familiar with some of the points Baxter was making, including Lewis' love of the Medieval model, but he deepened my knowledge in some areas. This book would probably be most interesting to adults who are already fans of C. S. Lewis and his writings.

Clinging: The Experience of Prayer, by Emilie Griffin

A woman describes what the experience of prayer is like, as well as the changes it creates in a person's soul and life.

Why I picked it up: My sister had recommended this book to me, and I bought it within the last couple years from my favorite bookstore. I picked it up recently because I was trying to do that bookstore's summer reading challenge. Although I gave up on the challenge, I wanted to finish this book so I could reduce how many books I'm actively reading right now.

My impressions: Some of the first chapters were really thought provoking for me, and the author writes in a unique blend of metaphor and references to Scripture and poetry. I liked much of what the author had to say, and it made me desire to pray more often and pray well. Unfortunately, as I think back on the book, I have difficulty remembering specific details; I think this is a result of so many metaphors being employed, as opposed to practical, concrete details about how to pray with greater devotion. I think this can be a decent book for Catholics and Christian adults to consult as they seek to grow in prayer, but I suspect other works might have more practical applications.

The Invisible Child: On Reading and Writing Books for Children, by Katherine Paterson

Award-winning children's literature author Katherine Paterson shares her ideas on writing for children, and the role of children's literature, in a series of talks and speeches collected in this book.

Why I picked it up: A good friend of mine recommended that I borrow her copy of this book.

My impressions: I've never read this author's works, and although I think I'd be less than likely to enjoy them, I found she had some excellent insights into creativity, wonder, and writing for children. I wrote down many quotes. While I don't agree with all her ideas or much appreciate the heavy topics she tackles in her stories, I'm now curious enough to want to try reading two of her books. She makes me want to be a more creative type, a better writer, and someone who writes the story she can write. She doesn't sugarcoat her writing process: writing a good story is hard work, and even coming up with a plot is difficult. I appreciate that she owns she is an author of children's literature and that she defends that profession as not being something less-than compared with authorship for adults. For those who want some good food for thought on writing, and particularly on writing for children, this book would be a good choice.

Draft that I Beta-Read for Someone I Know

I'm not at liberty to discuss the contents of this work, but it is fiction.

Why I picked it up: The author asked me if I'd be interested in beta reading their draft. I've never beta read before, and I was excited to be asked!

My impressions: Again, I'm not at liberty to discuss, but I will say that I hope I get the chance to beta read the next book.

Until the Streetlights Come On: How a Return to Play Brightens Our Present and Prepares Kids for an Uncertain Future, by Ginny Yurich**

The founder of the 1000 Hours Outside movement writes about her experience of discovering the benefits nature provides to families and especially children who spend time outdoors.

Why I picked it up: I wanted an audiobook and this one, which I'd picked up on Audible a while back, sounded good to me.

My impressions: It's good to revisit the "nature is good!" genre, and this book is a great book both for those being introduced to the benefits of time outdoors, as well as casual readers like me who already believe nature has so much to offer modern Americans. Yurich includes many points that I cheer along with - what's the rush to educate kids formally? Isn't the college and sports track a rat race? There's a time and place for technology, but there's so much we're missing outside if that's all that we do. She does a great job of synthesizing many sources and presenting a compelling case for spending as much time outside as possible.  This book would be a great resource for families who want to learn about and possibly embrace a more outdoors-y lifestyle.

Bracket Play

The bracket is pretty small this month. As always, I paired weaker books against stronger ones in the first round. The audiobook about the benefits of letting children play outside won over the historical fiction work based on the ongoing violence between Constantinople and the Persian empire, Belisarius. Katherine Paterson's collection of essays on writing for children won over Baxter's analysis of Lewis' formation in Medieval texts - a good scholarly book, but not one that changed my understanding of Lewis too much. Paterson's book also won over the playing-in-nature book in the next round. I put Clinging, the book on prayer, in the best slot on account of its subject - and as excellent as I found parts of it to be, I chose The Invisible Child as the winner for this month. I felt like I was really engaged with Paterson's ideas, whether I agreed with them or not, while I currently have difficulty remembering many details about the book on prayer. 

Books Attempted and Put Down

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, by Caroline Criado Perez, read by the author**

A researcher provides data and stories to argue that the research we use to do so many things, from city planning to technology design, is skewed and fails women.

Why I picked it up: A gal pal said she'd listened to this audiobook and it sounded interesting.

Why I put it down: I found myself feeling dissatisfied with certain aspects of my life, even though I was calling out the author's bias as I listened. I figured that continuing to listen to this audiobook would lead me to focus on minor inconveniences that don't really matter to me, and I'm actually quite happy with the life I am privileged to live. I think there would have been a lot more to interest me in the book, but I didn't want to focus on so much negativity while I listened.