Nightstand Books #2

Notice any similarities between this month's Nightstand Books (click the link for info) and the last one I participated in?
3 of the 4 books are the same! And the 4th from last time is the same author as a book on this month's pile.
So lets take an in-depth look at this month's Nightstand Books.

The top two books are books that I'm hoping to start in the next few weeks.
On the tippy topis The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle. I got this out of the library on impulse before we went on our trip, knowing that I could read it when I got back. Now, however, I'm not sure if I'll get to it before it has to go back.
Second down is Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. For my Church History course, I'm supposed to do projects. The course comes with project suggestions but so far I've mostly just made up my own. I'm just coming to the Crusades right now, and since Ivanhoe takes place during the Crusades, I thought why not read it for a project? It's kind of intimidating though... Especially with all those other books stacked up with it. There's a lot of big books in the pile!
Third is Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I actually finished this one a few days ago, but felt like I missed a whole pile of stuff because I was focusing mostly on plot and characters. Also, since I was reading it while on vacation, I wasn't reading it as critically as I would normally read a book for literature. So, on Monday, I did a whole pile of research on Great Expectations, looking at themes and character analysis and such, and then started the book again. Wow, I'm finding more and more reason to be amazed at this story! Look forward to a very detailed review in a few weeks time.
After that is The World of Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse which is an omnibus of all the Jeeves and Wooster short stories. I've read them all (and very recently too, because I only discovered wonderful Wodehouse in February!), but since they're light, fluffy reads, I figured why not read them again? Plus, these are all in chronological order of how they happen story wise, which I didn't have the first time 'round. Plus, the first time, I didn't have a beautiful omnibus version to read, but separate collections.
And after that is Agatha Christie's Autobiography. I think I'm going to take my time finishing this one, because of the other things on my reading list. Right now I'm at the point in her life where she's beginning to go out in company, and is thinking about courtship and marriage.
American Girl Doll Josefina's stories are next. This is a bind up of all six of her books. I've gotten through three of them now and am just about to start Happy Birthday, Josefina! I read the Josefina books once a long, long time ago, and could only remember bits and pieces of the plot. Before we left, I felt like I needed something light to read, along with the "heavier" books I was reading at the time. I'm so glad I picked Josefina! I'm really enjoying her stories, and I'm super, super impressed with the writing and the inclusion of God and moral principles in the story. Josefina and her sisters are taught to be polite to their elders, hard workers, to trust God in times of hardship and fright, and to dedicate their day to God in the morning. Who would have thought it possible from a secular company! Of course, Josefina's stories were written 15 or 20 years ago, and even in that small space of time, lots has changed in this world.
If you have little girls or know little girls, go forth and read them America Girl stories (at least Samantha, Kit, Kaya, Josefina, Kirsten, Molly, and Felicity). There is so much history packed into the stories (with the exception of Marie-Grace and Cecile) and, in the earlier books (I haven't read too many of the newer ones; only Marie-Grace and Cecile and Julie), good principles. The girls in these stories are truly role models!
At the bottom is Jane Austen's Letters which I'm about ready to give up on. I'm enjoying them, but what with a fast approaching due-date, and so many other books to read (on top of schoolwork and blog work and going to bed earlier), I think I might step away from Jane Austen's Letters. I wish Goodreads had a I'm-giving-up-on-this-book-no-I-don't-want-to-add-it-to-my-want-to-read-pile option. Maybe I just haven't looked far enough.

What are YOU reading?

Live long and prosper!

P.S. I still fully intend to post about our trip! I'm just finding time to write up long, thought-out blog posts a little scarce right now. Which is also why I haven't written up a review for Wuthering Heights, my last literature book. And I was doing so well being caught up...