Reading Lists
I am about to enter a period of life where I will have to read many books on the same subject. I thought I'd let that world when I left university many years ago. I can remember the wonderful joy I felt when I opened a book I wanted to read rather than one I had to read! Yet... our staff has committed our lives and efforts to evangelizing our corner of Michigan and beyond and we have come to the conclusion that we need to know a great deal more about multi-site churches. Some of us have already traveled to visit multi-sites such as Napierville and all of us have found some books that all of us should read. So... starting next week I will be reading about missional churches and multi-site churches exclusively.
For now, I'll enjoy the books I'm reading. I am loving John Stossel's new book "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity." It is a very easy and quick read loaded with common sense defusing of media and cultural myths. Alexander Webster and Darrell Cole's book "The Virtue of War" is a wonderful introduction to the Orthodox Church's view of just and justifiable wars (two different classifications). It is an important message from a rarely heard segment of wider Christendom.
Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors and one of just a handful who can make me laugh outloud. His latest isn't his best, but I am still enjoying "A Brief History of Everything." Get the standard version. The extra special coffee table version is just too unwieldy.
Of course, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so my thriller of this week is the latest novel by Lee Child in which he brings back former CID and MP Jack Reacher. "The Hard Way" looks to be another winner in the series.
I just finished "The Undercover Economist" and "South Park Conservatives" along with two of Ian Rankin's latest books, one starring John Rebus and the other Gordon Reeve. Good Scottish settings, genuine mysteries, and lots of thrills.
What books are you reading for fun or for study? Don't try to impress everybody -- just share what's good and what's not so good. When I come out from the cave after reading all the multi-site/missional church stuff I'll need some suggestions to bring me back into the mainstream world!
For now, I'll enjoy the books I'm reading. I am loving John Stossel's new book "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity." It is a very easy and quick read loaded with common sense defusing of media and cultural myths. Alexander Webster and Darrell Cole's book "The Virtue of War" is a wonderful introduction to the Orthodox Church's view of just and justifiable wars (two different classifications). It is an important message from a rarely heard segment of wider Christendom.
Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors and one of just a handful who can make me laugh outloud. His latest isn't his best, but I am still enjoying "A Brief History of Everything." Get the standard version. The extra special coffee table version is just too unwieldy.
Of course, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so my thriller of this week is the latest novel by Lee Child in which he brings back former CID and MP Jack Reacher. "The Hard Way" looks to be another winner in the series.
I just finished "The Undercover Economist" and "South Park Conservatives" along with two of Ian Rankin's latest books, one starring John Rebus and the other Gordon Reeve. Good Scottish settings, genuine mysteries, and lots of thrills.
What books are you reading for fun or for study? Don't try to impress everybody -- just share what's good and what's not so good. When I come out from the cave after reading all the multi-site/missional church stuff I'll need some suggestions to bring me back into the mainstream world!
posted by PatrickMead @ 5/22/2006 07:52:00 PM
18 Comments:
At 5/23/2006 04:49:00 AM ,
Anonymous said...
I recently finished "For Men Only" by Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn, the sequel to "For Women Only". Both quite good.
"Risk", by Kenny Luck was challenging to me, and I think it's right down your alley.
For fun, I just finished re-reading "The Anubis Gates" and "Drawing of the Dark" by Tim Powers. (I tend to read several books by one author when I get rolling.) I know you're not a science fiction (or fantasy?) fan, but these are well-written, clever, and fun.
At 5/23/2006 05:24:00 AM ,
reJoyce said...
Yay! Book recommendations. I've got a huge list of books to look for thanks to the blog world, and you just added to it.
Too bad you aren't a fan of fantasy. I'd recommend Terry Pratchett. He's one of my favorites. I guess technically he'd be classified as Humor/Fantasy. Does that help any?
I'm listening to an audio book called March right now. It's by Geraldine Brooks. It is a book about the father from Little Women and takes place during the time he was at war (though it flashes back to other parts of his life, too).
I just started Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
I've heard that the two books by the Feldhahn's are good - I've got the one for women on hold at the library, but other folk must think it's good too, because it's taking a long time to come.
At 5/23/2006 08:20:00 AM ,
heidi said...
Since I'm not impressing anyone. :)
I'm reading R.A. Salvatore's The Legacy.
I will be starting the Eldredge's book "Captivating" this week. But that's for work and I'm not excited about it at all. Even though I have heard,indeed, that it is 'captivating".
At 5/23/2006 01:46:00 PM ,
Jo said...
I'm reading Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keiller. It was a freebie, and I'm enjoying it. The guy has a way with characters.
I loved Bill Bryson's A Walk In The Woods. I'd love to read more of his stuff.
At 5/24/2006 08:26:00 AM ,
Lee Hodges said...
Presently reading, "Life On The Vine" by Philip Kenneson. It is a very practical look at the Fruit of the Spirit. Excellent section in the beginning about the cultural influence on our application of scripture.
I also just started N.T. Wright's "Paul". Wright's works are not quick reads for me, but always filled with great stuff.
At 5/24/2006 09:05:00 AM ,
PatrickMead said...
I recently read "For Women Only" and thought it was well done. I agree with Lee that NT Wright isn't a quick read, but he is always worth reading. I just got my multi-site/missional churches package so tonight and tomorrow I will work on Mark Driscoll's "Radical Reformission" and Surratt, Ligon, and Bird's "The Multi-Site Church Revolution."
TL, Haven't seen or heard of Anderson Cooper's book yet. The Stossel book was a lot of fun.
Greg Iles is a very good writer as is James Patterson. Good thriller stuff there.
Heidi, I loved Eldredge's "Wild At Heart" and have heard good things about "Captivating." We expect a full report from you!
And who wouldn't like Garrison Keillor?
I read the new book "Torn Asunder" by Ben Brewster this last weekend. It is about the division in the CoC tribe in 1906. It is a very quick read and quite well done. College Press has picked it up to reprint it so get a copy.
At 5/24/2006 08:25:00 PM ,
Matt said...
I'm a huge SF/Fantasy fan, so I won't bore you too much, but I will mention Orson Scott Card. He's one of the best at characterization ever, so if you give him a try, you will enjoy him, in spite of the SF. "Ender's Game" It's the bomb.
Freakonomics by Steven Levitt. Very cool. See the world through and economists eyes. Every thing comes down to incentives.
Deep Survival by Lawrence Gonzalez. "Who lives, Who dies and Why" is the tagline. Amazing stories of people who've gone to the very edge of and made it back.
The next book I plan to read is "Between a Rock and Hard Place" by Aron Ralston. Aron is the guy who got his hand trapped under a boulder in a a canyon, and after 5 days, made the hard choice, that's right, he cut his own hand off. That's guts.
At 5/24/2006 09:11:00 PM ,
salguod said...
Currently, nothing. I’m not as big a reader as I maybe ought to be.
The last good book I read, though, was F.W. Faller’s Lonama’s Map. It’s the second in his ‘Portals of Tessalindria series’, which he calls ‘visionary fiction’. It’s similar to the Lord of the Rings in that it’s a fictional world that roughly resembles our own, but is profoundly different as well. It’s Christian in its themes, but not directly in that you can see Jesus in any of the charcters like in Lewis’ Aslan. It does have a redemption story line, though, and a heavy emphasis on seeing the spiritual reality that is behind the veil of the physical.
The main character in this book goes through a spiritual awakening throughout the book. It’s chock full of deep spiritual concepts that challenge the core of his soul. I found that the main character’s thought process, wonderings, doubts and faith mirrored my own as well, which may be why it resonated with me so much. It makes you think about deep concepts and the consequences of not thinking about them. I can’t recommend it enough. I think it’s available in some Christian bookstores as well as through the publisher’s web site (linked above).
The first book (A Sword For the Immerland King) was good as well, but it didn’t hit me like this one. Faller has an epilogue on to Lonama’s Map on his site that’s good too. Read it after the book though, or it won’t make sense.
At 5/25/2006 12:11:00 PM ,
David U said...
I just finished "The Secret Message of Jesus" by Brian McLaren.
I am now reading a nonfiction account of a Peace-Corp worker who spent time in Togo. It's called "the Village of Waiting" by George Packer. My next read will be "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson.
I am ADDICTED to reading! :)
Good luck in all of your readings, Patrick!
DU
At 5/26/2006 10:21:00 AM ,
reJoyce said...
In addition to his SF, Orson Scott Card does have some biblical fiction that I've enjoyed. The series is called Women of Genesis.
Sarah
Rebekah
Rachel and Leah
At 5/26/2006 02:32:00 PM ,
Anonymous said...
I'm just finishing Brave New World.
At 5/27/2006 10:10:00 AM ,
Jim MacKenzie said...
You'll like this one Patrick: How The Scots Invented The Modern World by Arthur Herman. It's a grreat read, absolutely brrilliant. Hey, and it's about the homeland.
Jim MacKenzie
of the Clan MacKenzie
At 5/30/2006 08:55:00 AM ,
Soren said...
Just started reading Kenny Luck's "Risk." Also "No Perfect People" by John Burke. And "Searching for God Knows What" by Donald Miller.
At 5/31/2006 03:16:00 PM ,
Anonymous said...
recently finished McLaren's Secret Message... as well.
currently reading 3 - The Myth of a Christian Nation by Gregory Boyd, The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan, and Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley.
For those reading Don Miller's books, I recommend them every chance I get. I read both Jazz and God Knows What a couple of years ago, and in my "to read" stack is his newest (To Own A Dragon). Also, a couple of N.T. Wright books as well.
At 6/01/2006 11:12:00 AM ,
Chalmers said...
I recently completed Wild at Heart (excellent). I am reading three books right now: The Barbarian Way by McManus (excellent), On the Damned Human Race by Mark Twain (interesting) and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (I have a thing for banned books).
I am also reading Conspiracy of Fools, an interesting read about the Enron meltdown.
At 6/02/2006 08:31:00 AM ,
PatrickMead said...
This is fun, guys and gals. We'll revisit this in a couple of weeks.
At 6/26/2006 05:30:00 PM ,
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