RyAnne Carr

How we know you: I am a lifelong member of St. Philomena Parish in Peoria. I served as a FOCUS missionary for two years after college where I met my husband. Currently I am a homemaker with three children ages 6 and under.

Why I love reading: I love reading because it allows me to gain knowledge through the lens of a story. I’ve never been good at memorizing facts about history or important people and places. But when those things are woven into a story they stay with me and are easy to comprehend.

What I am reading now: “Kristin Lavransdatter” by Sigrid Undset. This is an incredible read about Norway in the 1400s and a woman named Kristin who we get to follow throughout her life. It has a rich backdrop of Catholicism and the role of the church during that time period. It is a trilogy, which are among my favorite books to read because they just keep going!

My favorite book: “Giants in the Earth: A Saga of the Prairie” by Ole Edvart Rolvaag. More Norwegian literature! This book is essentially the “R” rated version of “Little House on the Prairie.” Set in the 1800s American Prairie, we follow the story of Norwegian immigrants to South Dakota. And because it’s another trilogy we get to follow the two generations after the initial group emigrates. This book captures love, loss, and the feuding over religion all with the American Spirit driving everything.