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Honey for a Woman's Heart: Growing Your World through Reading Great Books
Vibrates with encouragement for women who want to explore and enjoy the world of books Gladys Hunt, long-time advocate of reading and author of the cherished Honey for a Child's Heart, has written this new book for busy women who want a wider worldview and stimulus for intellectual and emotional growth. Honey for a Woman's Heart explores: * The wonder of words, language, and reading * What good books offer thoughtful readers * What makes a good book * The value of reading fiction * Best books in genres of fiction, nonfiction, spirituality, and poetry * How to enjoy the best of books: the Bible * The pleasure of sharing books with others * Something for everyone, no matter what age or reading experience * Recommendations for over 500 books to enjoy Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24
208 pages, Paperback
First published December 25, 2001
42 people are currently reading
999 people want to read
About the author
Gladys M. Hunt
41 books68 followersGladys Hunt was a well-known author and speaker. Her books include Honey for a Woman’s Heart, Honey for a Teen’s Heart, and Honey for a Child’s Heart (revised edition). She also wrote numerous Bible study guides for the Fisherman and Lifeguide series. She lived with her husband, Keith, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 1, 2022
Despite the treacle-y title, Honey for a Woman's Heart has some good substance and a wide range of book lists. Unlike some similar books I've encountered, Hunt calls on a lot of her friends and fellow readers to recommend their favorites. She doesn't shy from recommending out-of-print gems, which I love. There is something special about receiving a recommendation for an obscure book that is worth reading, and then finally getting a copy and reading it.
There are so many interesting, off-the-wall, and curious titles here that I think I might keep a copy of this book in my library to mine it for gold. Hunt recommended back to me some of my own favorites (Gail Godwin, The Scent of Water, Wendell Berry) and I found myself wanting to recommend titles to her once I'd figured out her reading tastes. I was genuinely surprised when I didn't find Bo Caldwell's A City of Tranquil Light in this book--but it was published eight years too late! The absence of Miss Read I cast up to the concurrent US publication date of her books. And so forth.
I appreciate what Hunt has to say about content in books: "If we reject a story, we should reject it because its excesses make it unconvincing, not because it makes us feel unsafe or uneasy. And we reject it for ourselves, not for someone else." (37) I wish I could slap that on the book descriptions of a few titles on Goodreads! I've seen reviews where readers excoriate those who like (or dislike) a book and could well do with the reminder to not reject (or accept) a story for someone else. Similarly, pinpointing the difference between discomfort and untenability is an insight to keep.
The final chapter discusses sharing books, and I think Hunt could have cast a better vision in this chapter. Her section on book groups is helpful enough, but when it comes to individual sharing, I found it weak. She includes a long quotation from someone who recommended a book to a friend that never read it, and Hunt leaves it there, sending a message of "don't expect others to love your darlings." That's true, but she should have continued the conversation in a more helpful way. Instead, I'd urge readers to pay close attention to their friends when they talk about books. What do they praise? What do they disdain? Notice these things about the books you read, and see what might fit in their reading life. Do you take their recommendations, too? Recommending is not a one-way street. I've learned the hard way that my favorites may not be someone else's, and exactly what I love about one book may turn someone off. In giving grace for that, and learning to understand other readers better, I've gained literary riches. Learning Nancy Pearl's four doors into reading has helped me, too. As a devotee of character and setting, I must keep in mind those who look for plot and artistic language. We often assume poorly about this, I've discovered. Some of my friends assume, because of my degree in English and love for poetry, that I enter through the door of language, when I have little tolerance for purple prose. I assumed that my dad looks for plot because he often reaches for a John Grisham title to relax; I was surprised to learn that the prose of A Gentleman in Moscow was what made him love it. Opening up this discussion with reading friends has always been a learning experience for me.
I didn't find it as gendered as the title promised, either. Despite references to husbands and children with a rather 1990s-comedian feel, none of the recommendations struck me as focused on women. Overall, while I wasn't particularly invigorated by Hunt's prose alone, the variety of books recommended here, especially the lovely obscure ones, made it worth reading. Sarah Clarkson's Book Girl has much better prose but more predictable book lists.
My star rating would have been a bit higher had the editing shown more attention to detail. There were some typos that made reading difficult in places. Some book lists don't describe certain titles and refer you to another description. But I wanted to hear the description in that recommender's voice, too!! Cheap.
There is an index of authors by surname, and an index of titles. I love those details that show the book was made by a reader, for a reader, and I've already benefited from the easy referencing.
There are so many interesting, off-the-wall, and curious titles here that I think I might keep a copy of this book in my library to mine it for gold. Hunt recommended back to me some of my own favorites (Gail Godwin, The Scent of Water, Wendell Berry) and I found myself wanting to recommend titles to her once I'd figured out her reading tastes. I was genuinely surprised when I didn't find Bo Caldwell's A City of Tranquil Light in this book--but it was published eight years too late! The absence of Miss Read I cast up to the concurrent US publication date of her books. And so forth.
I appreciate what Hunt has to say about content in books: "If we reject a story, we should reject it because its excesses make it unconvincing, not because it makes us feel unsafe or uneasy. And we reject it for ourselves, not for someone else." (37) I wish I could slap that on the book descriptions of a few titles on Goodreads! I've seen reviews where readers excoriate those who like (or dislike) a book and could well do with the reminder to not reject (or accept) a story for someone else. Similarly, pinpointing the difference between discomfort and untenability is an insight to keep.
The final chapter discusses sharing books, and I think Hunt could have cast a better vision in this chapter. Her section on book groups is helpful enough, but when it comes to individual sharing, I found it weak. She includes a long quotation from someone who recommended a book to a friend that never read it, and Hunt leaves it there, sending a message of "don't expect others to love your darlings." That's true, but she should have continued the conversation in a more helpful way. Instead, I'd urge readers to pay close attention to their friends when they talk about books. What do they praise? What do they disdain? Notice these things about the books you read, and see what might fit in their reading life. Do you take their recommendations, too? Recommending is not a one-way street. I've learned the hard way that my favorites may not be someone else's, and exactly what I love about one book may turn someone off. In giving grace for that, and learning to understand other readers better, I've gained literary riches. Learning Nancy Pearl's four doors into reading has helped me, too. As a devotee of character and setting, I must keep in mind those who look for plot and artistic language. We often assume poorly about this, I've discovered. Some of my friends assume, because of my degree in English and love for poetry, that I enter through the door of language, when I have little tolerance for purple prose. I assumed that my dad looks for plot because he often reaches for a John Grisham title to relax; I was surprised to learn that the prose of A Gentleman in Moscow was what made him love it. Opening up this discussion with reading friends has always been a learning experience for me.
I didn't find it as gendered as the title promised, either. Despite references to husbands and children with a rather 1990s-comedian feel, none of the recommendations struck me as focused on women. Overall, while I wasn't particularly invigorated by Hunt's prose alone, the variety of books recommended here, especially the lovely obscure ones, made it worth reading. Sarah Clarkson's Book Girl has much better prose but more predictable book lists.
My star rating would have been a bit higher had the editing shown more attention to detail. There were some typos that made reading difficult in places. Some book lists don't describe certain titles and refer you to another description. But I wanted to hear the description in that recommender's voice, too!! Cheap.
There is an index of authors by surname, and an index of titles. I love those details that show the book was made by a reader, for a reader, and I've already benefited from the easy referencing.
October 18, 2014
Ignore the saccharin title. This book is full of great book suggestions. Not a terribly novel lot (no pun intended), but a good reminder to add them to my never ending books to read list.
If you're one of those who is often searching for a next great book to read, this is a good resource.
If you're one of those who is often searching for a next great book to read, this is a good resource.
January 13, 2019
I really loved this book! It’s exactly what I figured - a bunch of lists of books to read! I am keeping this as a great reference book to pick up now and again when choosing new books. I wish it had some more reading advice in it because those bits that were in it were awesome! But overall it’s a terrific book companion. Another excellent title like this one is Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson (Sarah’s book is even more comprehensive)!
May 8, 2023
After reading through over 500 of the books Hunt recommends in Honey for a Child’s Heart see my shelf, I was excited to delve into this one.
Not so much.
I was pretty disappointed to find that many of the books did not appear to be recommended by her. She had countless contributors provide their favorite books. And as I looked up the reviews on the many and various titles to see which I wanted to begin with, I ended up finding that many of them had content that I didn’t care to read. That’s really sad. I would have been much happier with a smaller book containing the titles Hunt personally recommended because, for the most part, I appreciated her selection in Child’s Heart.
I have Teen’s Heart but I’m hesitant to trust the majority of its recommendations if I find Hunt didn’t read them all again.
That’s my take away from doing a fairly hefty perusal of the books mentioned herein and my research on them.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
Not so much.
I was pretty disappointed to find that many of the books did not appear to be recommended by her. She had countless contributors provide their favorite books. And as I looked up the reviews on the many and various titles to see which I wanted to begin with, I ended up finding that many of them had content that I didn’t care to read. That’s really sad. I would have been much happier with a smaller book containing the titles Hunt personally recommended because, for the most part, I appreciated her selection in Child’s Heart.
I have Teen’s Heart but I’m hesitant to trust the majority of its recommendations if I find Hunt didn’t read them all again.
That’s my take away from doing a fairly hefty perusal of the books mentioned herein and my research on them.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
March 8, 2019
I always think I'm going to LOVE books like this. Essentially, it's about book about books and reading. While a few of the chapters were enjoyable, the ones that went on and on about books I should read were just a bore (probably because many of the books mentioned are books I will never read). Thankfully the last chapter was enjoyable so that helped to redeem this book in my eyes. One day I will manage to find a book about reading that I actually enjoy reading!!
May 17, 2021
This was phenomenal. I should have started this book about 5 years ago when I first started reading for pleasure, but books come to us at the most needed time. I added so many books to my TBR but I was pleasantly surprised to find many of Gladys Hunt's recommendations available to me at my local library. It's gonna be a fantastic summer for reading thanks to my now owning a copy of this book!
April 18, 2019
I had high hopes for this book after my sister began reading it and said she really liked it. I was disappointed.
The format of the book was a little confusing to me. Hunt didn't seem to be able to pick out just one, so it is like a strange mix of telling readers the value of reading certain kinds of books, plus book lists that are not actually straight-up lists with descriptions.
I was very frustrated that she gave spoilers for a few books! My favorite part of reading is not knowing what's going to happen next. I had a book on my to-read list and now that I know how it ends, Hunt has taken all the joy out of my reading it.
Also, this book was written by a Christian and published by a Christian publishing house, so it kind of frustrated me to see books being recommended that have content in them that is objectionable to many Christians. She did at least put a note next to those ones, but with all the many books in the world, why not just omit these reads entirely?
She has one chapter covering genre fiction (all of it) and I thought the recommendations here were quite weak. Many of them were classics in their own right and so nearly everyone has already heard of them. In my opinion, one of the points of reading a book like this is to discover lesser known gems.
However, I liked the fact that this book was published in 2002, because it means there are no current "popular" books cluttering up the text, so I did still come across many books I'm interested in reading. Hunt includes over 800 titles in the book and there is probably something every reader could take away from this.
The format of the book was a little confusing to me. Hunt didn't seem to be able to pick out just one, so it is like a strange mix of telling readers the value of reading certain kinds of books, plus book lists that are not actually straight-up lists with descriptions.
I was very frustrated that she gave spoilers for a few books! My favorite part of reading is not knowing what's going to happen next. I had a book on my to-read list and now that I know how it ends, Hunt has taken all the joy out of my reading it.
Also, this book was written by a Christian and published by a Christian publishing house, so it kind of frustrated me to see books being recommended that have content in them that is objectionable to many Christians. She did at least put a note next to those ones, but with all the many books in the world, why not just omit these reads entirely?
She has one chapter covering genre fiction (all of it) and I thought the recommendations here were quite weak. Many of them were classics in their own right and so nearly everyone has already heard of them. In my opinion, one of the points of reading a book like this is to discover lesser known gems.
However, I liked the fact that this book was published in 2002, because it means there are no current "popular" books cluttering up the text, so I did still come across many books I'm interested in reading. Hunt includes over 800 titles in the book and there is probably something every reader could take away from this.
March 10, 2023
A neat book on the merits of reading, how it can influence us, and how the right book at the right time can change us. The author recommends all kinds of genres and has book lists from herself and others throughout. I definitely added some books to my TBR list and added some new authors to check out.
The formatting on my phone was kind of clunky, and there were some editing mistakes. There were a few things the author said that I didn't necessarily agree with, but overall, it's a great book for book lovers.
The formatting on my phone was kind of clunky, and there were some editing mistakes. There were a few things the author said that I didn't necessarily agree with, but overall, it's a great book for book lovers.
June 6, 2024
A great resource book about books!
October 1, 2022
A lot of people are familiar with Gladys Hunt's Honey for a Child's Heart. Now she writes specifically for women. She organizes the book into topical sections, including both fiction and non-fiction, and a section specifically highlighting women writers. She moves through several genres, including classics, mystery, historical fiction (and non-fiction), western, fantasy, religious (contemporary and historical), humor, biography and autobiography, travel, engaging the natural world, courage and hardship, tales of adventure, parenting, and spiritual growth. For almost every book, she gives a synopsis and for many she gives a personal recommendation. She also includes recommendations from other people - teachers, writers, editors, friends. All in all, there are many books to choose from if you wish to expand your world through literature.
My reading is limited to what I can get through the library in large print, and I found that many, if not most, of her suggestions would not be available to me. However, I made several lists of books that I can find, and I will see if my tastes align with hers!
My reading is limited to what I can get through the library in large print, and I found that many, if not most, of her suggestions would not be available to me. However, I made several lists of books that I can find, and I will see if my tastes align with hers!
May 23, 2018
Ugh...I tried. I really appreciated the more succinct book list in Honey For A Child’s Heart, as well as the focus on high morals and looking for the “best” of Children’s literature. This version for women felt like she got top 5 book lists from any random woman she could find, and the book was sooo long; I couldn’t hope to have that same feeling of looking for the “best.” Obviously, what is “best” to one person isn’t likely to match another person’s, but I don’t feel like slogging through 100+ people’s opinions of what’s “best” either. My biggest issue is that I could no longer count on the recommendations to have that same high standard found in the Child’s Heart book. There were multiple recommendations for books with content I don’t want to read, which is what finally made me decide to stop reading...180 pages in (on Overdrive).
Now to go back to reading books instead of booklists...
Now to go back to reading books instead of booklists...
December 27, 2021
This is the second book I've read in this series (the first was for children). I was expecting this one to be more like that. Just a little bit of writing to introduce each chapter, and then lists. Instead, these lists were interspersed throughout the paragraphs, and there were others' lists in separate blocks throughout. It wasn't bad this way, just not what I was expecting. There are so many great sounding books that I've added to my list from this book! I just wish it had been updated to include more recent books. Overall, I'm very glad I read this! I've been inspired to read more widely.
March 2, 2021
I wish more of her recommendations where still in print. The book was still super enjoyable to read.
“Something happens inside you as you read a really good book, and it’s significance is what haunts you long after you have finished reading it.”
“Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.” PJ O’Rourke
“Something happens inside you as you read a really good book, and it’s significance is what haunts you long after you have finished reading it.”
“Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.” PJ O’Rourke
February 26, 2024
“Reading is not an escape from life; it is an exercise in living.”
A wonderful resource, this book is chock full of great literature recommendations. My copy is now riddled throughout with sticky note tabs.
A wonderful resource, this book is chock full of great literature recommendations. My copy is now riddled throughout with sticky note tabs.
July 6, 2018
Admittedly, I skimmed quite a few pages but there were some really good book recommendations and some great quotes from said books (I love a great quote).
March 13, 2017
This review goes out to all women who love to read. Ever feel you don't know what to read next? Check out "Honey for a Woman's Heart" by Gladys Hunt. She has so many recommendations (each with a summary) that you are sure to mine new gems from her work. Not only Hunt's favorites, but numerous other recommendations about books and authors come from those Hunt surveyed/ interviewed. I also like the organization of the book by reading genre (novels, historical fiction, sci-fi, mystery, etc).
While the title is very woman to woman and all the people interviewed are women, the recommendations are so solid, I can't see why men wouldn't benefit from eavesdropping.
Enjoy!
For children
Honey for a Child's Heart, Hunt, 1969
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For a more robust approach, see:
The Well Educated Mind, Wise Bauer, 2003
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
While the title is very woman to woman and all the people interviewed are women, the recommendations are so solid, I can't see why men wouldn't benefit from eavesdropping.
Enjoy!
For children
Honey for a Child's Heart, Hunt, 1969
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For a more robust approach, see:
The Well Educated Mind, Wise Bauer, 2003
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 3, 2016
Hunt's book is like sitting down with a close friend and chatting books. It's definitely a 'niche' book, aimed at the literary female Christian who wants to read really good books in a wide variety of genres. I love that she does not limit herself to 'Christian' writers but includes works from many parts of history, geography, and belief background. It is a little cumbersome that the entries are in paragraph format, not a bullet point - but there is a list of authors and titles in the back for quick reference. After reading my library copy, I ordered one for my home library because it is so full of great recommendations. Since this was published back in 2002, it makes me a little sad that this will never be updated (at least not by Hunt) since the author died in 2010. It's definitely a 'book on books for book lovers'!
April 28, 2021
Hunt's book is definitely written from the perspective of a Christian. There are great recommendations to be had for any reader but those who are not Christians might find the narrative annoying.
I have developed quite a "to-read" list from the trove of books listed here. I'll be busy for a long time.
This one stays on my shelf in prominent view for when I need a new author or genre to explore.
I have developed quite a "to-read" list from the trove of books listed here. I'll be busy for a long time.
This one stays on my shelf in prominent view for when I need a new author or genre to explore.
June 29, 2014
Oh my... this book will about double my Goodreads To-Read list! Lots of amazing suggestions. I loved that there were quite a few suggestions for Canadian authors. I also particularly loved the chapter about reading the bible. A book to refer to again and again.
February 18, 2017
If you want a good reference guide for what books you might want to read, this is a great resource.
September 9, 2015
Love her friendly way of writing and the books she talks about all sound so good. Have a nice list to work from now.
March 20, 2025
The title is fitting: this is an enjoyable, comforting read. Ive been wanting to read this book since I read Honey for a Child’s Heart and I was thrilled to find a copy on sale at a local bookstore!
I was slower in reading this book because I had to keep stopping to look up books and add them to my TBR list… which grew by almost 70 books 😅
This is a great resource for women who want to read more and for women who already read, but need new ideas. I appreciate the Christian worldview that guides the recommendations. As the book was published over 20 years ago, there is unfortunately a gap. Many of her “recently published” books were from the 90’s and many appear dated or out of print now. I would love to have an updated version to see what more recently published books would be added!
I was slower in reading this book because I had to keep stopping to look up books and add them to my TBR list… which grew by almost 70 books 😅
This is a great resource for women who want to read more and for women who already read, but need new ideas. I appreciate the Christian worldview that guides the recommendations. As the book was published over 20 years ago, there is unfortunately a gap. Many of her “recently published” books were from the 90’s and many appear dated or out of print now. I would love to have an updated version to see what more recently published books would be added!
August 23, 2021
I love books about books. I’ve added so many new titles to my tbr list, but I really enjoyed her commentary and the way the book is organized. Reading other people’s (contributors’) ideas about what makes a good book also prevented the book from sounding very one-sided or stuck on a particular theme.
December 1, 2017
Wonderful read about reading wonderful books! I highly recommend to anyone with a desire to fill your mind and shelves with goodness. I will have to read again and again to remind myself all the good suggestions of books I want to read!
June 23, 2023
Filled with booklists generated by other people, with very few of the recommendations coming from Gladys herself. Maybe a few interesting recommendations to glean here, but more of a “skim” than a “read”.
July 2, 2024
This is a nice read & a good resource for books to read. Some of the book recommendations I didn't even know existed, but they are now on my Amazon to order list. Thank you Mrs. Hunt for writing this book
December 21, 2025
3.5⭐️ - didn’t love as much as I did Honey for a Child’s or Teen’s Heart books, but may still get a copy for reference. Would recommend starting with the other two & reading your way through those recommendations before picking up this one.
September 12, 2017
Loved the book recommendations.
January 7, 2018
Thanks to this book, I added 46 books to my to-read list! I don’t know if that’s good or bad! (Just kidding; it’s good.) A great book to inspire more and deeper reading.
October 1, 2018
Lots of choices
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews