Nov 11, 2008
Recommend some reading that you bet we’ve never heard of.
What’s a book that you’d suggest people read, but that you’d also guess most of us at this blog are unfamiliar with?
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Reader Recommendations
Some of the books and music that you, the readers, have recommended here over time:
Twitter Recommendations
Theme based on Derek Punsalan's Grid Focus.
How about The Ten Commandments by Thomas Watson? He’s a Puritan who my pastor says is one of the easiest Puritans to read. I would tend to agree, although it still takes me much longer than usual to get through a chapter.
It’s worth it, though, because the book deals so well with how we as Christians are called to live under grace, yet still abide by the Teh Commandments. I would highly recommend it.
The Son of Man by Alexander Men.
This book was widely read amongst Russians after the fall of communism and introduced thousands to Christ. He practiced full-on underwater baptism, believed in evangelizing, encouraged bible reading, was open to non-Orthodox thought, and started what looked like a reformation of Orthodoxy.
Unfortunately he was murdered in 1990, right before the doors opened up.
He was probably the most evangelical one could get while being Russian Orthodox.
How about The Shaming of the Strong: The challenge of an unborn life?
This autobiography is of Sarah Williams who discovered that the child in her womb would not be able to survive birth, she was presented with a dilemma every parent dreads. Does she follow the ever pressing advice of the medical profession? Or does she follow her heart? And if she chooses the second option, how on earth does she make it though? .
It’s an extraordinary story of a wonderful family and an incredible God.
Another great one is “The Cross and the Prodigal, Luke 15 through the eyes of Middle Eastern Peasants.” This is great book and well worth buying!
The Return of Felix Nogara, by Pablo Medina.
Medina emigrated from Cuba at 12 and writes great fiction about the exile experience. His memoir, Exiled Memories, and the prequel to Felix Nogara, The Marks of Birth, are also stunning.
Any of the following three by veteran missionary in Nepal, Thomas Hale: Don’t Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees, On the Far side of LigLig Mountain, and Living Stones of the Himalayas
From the back cover of _Don’t Let the Goats_: Thomas Hale writes about being a missionary surgeon in the same delightful way James Herriot writes about being a country veterinarian.
Concrete and Wild Carrot, or any collection by Toronto poet Margaret Avison. She died last year at the age of 89, and her devout faith in Christ shines through so much of her poetry. Her work has been called “an occasion of beauty” that is “alive with sublimity and humility.” She’s way too smart for me, but I read and re-read her nevertheless!
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. Awesome book for those who’ve tried Franklin Covey and other day timers and didn’t like ‘em. :o)
Inbox Zero, “posts from a special 43 Folders series looking at the skills, tools, and attitude needed to empty your email inbox — and then keep it that way.”
But definitely:
The Blessing of God: Previously Unpublished Sermons of Jonathan Edwards. The first sermon in this book is worth the price of admission. I started blogging about it in this entry, How to Obtain the Blessing of God: Introduction.
THE BARON IN THE TREES, Italo Calvino
This is the first book I read by this remarkable Italian master of magic realism.
One of the most delightful discoveries of my post-English major reading life, this novel is the story of a young baron who, angry with his father at the dinner table, climbs a tree and says he’s never coming down, and … he doesn’t.
“A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life” by William Law.
The most powerful book I have ever read. Challenged me spiritually in every aspect of my life.
A Complex Delight: The Secularization of the Breast, 1350-1750, Margaret R. Miles
How about Peter Jensen’s THE REVELATION OF GOD (Contours of Theology series, IVP) – one of the best overviews of a theology of revelation, general and special, which manages to combine pastoral sensitivity and theological acuity.
“Witness” by Whittaker Chambers
The only autobiography I think about regularly because of its insight into the human condition and the poetic use of language throughout.
Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner, Revised.
Interesting facts, stories and history of how the West (particularly California) gets their water in the middle of the desert.
Also, as far as secular books are concerned, check out:
Non-fiction: Bryan Appleyard’s Understanding the Present – gives a brilliant introduction to the impact of science and the Enlightenment on contemporary western culture.
Fiction: Ismail Kadare’s The Successor – set in communist Albania in the throes of a terrifying dictatorship (clearly based on Enver Hoxha’s), this novel brilliantly evokes the horrors and uncertainties of trying to interpret the political wind. Disturbing but a must read of what happens when words never mean what they appear to mean.
Outrageous Mercy by Farley
The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. There’s no better way to track the way human beings have thought over the years than to see how they think about reading, speaking, and language.
Radical Orthodoxy. See postmodernism climb the mountain of thought and arrive at a place where theologians and Christ-followers have been living for thousands of years.
Superman: Secret Identity or Superman: Red Son. Easily the two most important superhero stories of the last 30 years.
Sublime Desire: History and Post-1960s Fiction. I’m biased a bit, because Dr. Elias is an old professor of mine, but this is simply the best treatment of postmodernism and postmodern literature I’ve ever seen. She’s every bit as good a writer as she is an analyst of postmodernity, and that’s a rare thing indeed. Absolutely invaluable for anyone interested in postmodern literature.
Finally, Chesterton’s Ballad of the White Horse. No matter how many times I read it, I never get tired of Chesterton’s fabulous prosody and spectacular imagery, and I am continually amazed at his prophetic understanding of the directions in which modernist thought would ultimately lead.
The Seven Laws of the Learner, by Bruce Wilkinson (yes, the Prayer of Jabez guy). Incredibly practical and helpful guide to teaching — relevant for those teaching theological or non-theological subjects.
The Canticles of Leibowitz
by Walter Miller
An enjoyable yet thought-provoking examination of the relationship between faith and science. It is three short stories set after a major nuclear war that has caused a new Dark Ages. It follows a monastery that springs up in the Southwest United States to protect scientific information from the anti-intellectual crowds. I heartily recommend it.
Complete in Christ:
Rediscovering Jesus and Ourselves
by Nigel M de S. Cameron
It’s not the best edited book, contains numerous grammatical errors, or so my friends told me. I couldn’t really tell, coming from a non-English-speaking background. ;-)
But this book helped me in understanding and meditating on the humanity of Jesus and I gained much encouragement for my faith from it.
Piper, Pipe that Song Again
Poems for Boys and Girls
selected by Nancy Larrick
Enjoy with children
Who should hear delightful words.
“The Death of Adam” by Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Marilynne Robinson (Gilead).
This is a collection of essays that strive to restore John Calvin to his place of importance in western civilization, dispel myths about him, look at his influences and see who he influenced and how we are losing something valuable by forgetting him.
I’m pretty new to the blog so maybe everyone has heard of this book, but singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson’s first book On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is amazing. It’s book 1 of a series he’s writing (Book 2, North! Or Be Eaten is being edited now for release next summer). Most people in my immediate circle of friends didn’t know he had a book out until I mentioned it to them.
A book from the 70s. Larry Richards’, A Theology of Christian Education. Did you know that ministry was about relationships? Even then.
“10 Great Ideas from Church History: A Decision-Maker’s Guide to Shaping Your Church” by Mark Shaw. A look at various ‘milestones’ that affect the church and the men of God who were instrumental in shaping the solutions.
The Anatomy of a Hybrid by Leonard Verduin. It’s out of print, but widely available used.
This is a study of church-state relationships – the hybrid is the marriage of church and state. Well worth the trouble to find and read.
Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain.
The Existence and Attributes of God – Stephen Charnock
Since somebody said “Twain”, The Mysterious Stranger falls into the category of books Kafka was describing in Abraham’s earlier post about what kind of books we need.
It’s a book unpublished in Clement’s lifetime, and you have to ask yourself at the end of it: “What do I believe about God?”
BTW, most of the great books in English are not primarily theology books — even if they have a deep connection to theology.
One man’s opinion.
The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
If you’re a C.S. Lewis fan or Tolkien fan, you must read. Both were heavily influenced by MacDonald.
The History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth
One of the original accounts of King Arthur. Very cool.
The Go Between by L P Hartley (fiction)
The Christian in Complete Armour by W. Gurnall
Man found alive with two legs: Manalive by G K Chesterton.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Declare by Tim Powers
On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
Chosen for Life by C. Samuel Storms
The Enemy Within by Kris Lundgaard
“Society Against The State” by French anthropologist Pierre Clastres.
Under the Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken. His sequel to A Severe Mercy includes much of his writing during the 60s and 70s, his activism in civil rights and feminism (the latter of which he later came to regret), and how he invented the word “sexism”. Also a humorous essay on feminism and its ridiculous marring of the English language.
“They Knew Jesus”
by Edwin Moore Martin
It was published in 1929, and has been awesome at opening up some insight on the lives and characteristics of certain people that followed, lived with, knew, or persecuted Christ. Written from the perspective of people such as John the Baptizer, Peter, Pilate, and even Judas.
“Godric” by Frederick Buechner
Two books by Robert Farrar Capon:
“The Supper of the Lamb,” a cookbook/meditation on the spiritual implications of cooking and eating together. The title is a play-on words: he gives a recipe for lamb stew and dissects it chapter by chapter, while also pointing along the way to the ultimate Supper of the Lamb. Reading it made me love food even more (if that’s possible) and long for heaven more (which is always possible for me).
and
“Between Noon and Three: Romance, Law and the Outrage of Grace,” a hybrid novel/theological treatise in which he uses a parable about adultery to illustrate the radical, even offensive, nature of grace.
“The Hungering Dark” by Frederick Buechner
A Tale of Three Kings: A Study in Brokenness
by Gene Edwards
This short drama (I read it in a few hours) completely changed my understanding of authority and helped me realize how much I complain about the circumstances I find myself in and the people over me…
Deadly Emotions by Don Colbert – he ties in the link between various serious diseases and health conditions with emotions such as anger, etc. Very thought provoking.
Letters by a Modern Mystic by Frank Laubach.
Don’t let the title turn you off.
Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a Reformational Worldview
by Albert Wolters
Story: Recapture the Mystery by Steven James
unique, beautiful, touching mixture of stories, reflections, & poetry designed for both “seekers” & believers on the story of Christ
The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke.
“Creators: From Chaucer and Durer to Picasso and Disney” by Paul Johnson
The Gift Of Pain by Paul Brand and Philip Yancy. This book has to be one of my top 3 books of all time; it’s an autobiography/memoir of Paul Brand, a doctor who worked with leprosy victims in India in the 40s and 50s, and his parallels between pain and the Holy Spirit. It changed the way I view suffering and pain (physical and emotional) in my life… actually, it shaped my view of God.
No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green I’ve only read this once about 8-10 years ago, but I was deeply impacted by the story of how the Lord drew a young guy out of the world (ie, first gen Christian, saved at an older age) and into His service. It opened my “PK” eyes to be aware of the hurt and seeking people that are outside the “church bubble” and right around me. Not to mention, Keith’s deep hunger and passion for the Lord are genuinely contagious, and most of us know that through his music, but it’s awesome to read it as a story, too.
Anything by James Herriot. If you can overlook the occasional outburst of colorful language and don’t mind somewhat graphic medical descriptions, these stories of a English country veterinarian are poignant, funny, charming, and sweet. Herriot’s writings made me want to pursue vet school for about 20 years of my life. These will be in my book rotation for the rest of my life.
Blindness by Jose Saramago
Contagious blindness. Chaos ensues.
Early Occult Memory Systems of the Lower Midwest by B.H. Fairchild.
Especially the poems “Rave On,” “Brazil,” and “The Blue Buick.”
Especially if you live in Oklahoma or anywhere else near the Great Plains, drive like a maniac, believe in God or wish you did, are related to a machinist, share a history with 3.2 beer and 4-letter words, and/or really love a few friends.
THe Gospel of Lamb:
http://www.amazon.com/Lamb-Gospel-According-Christs-Childhood/dp/0380813815
The Border Trilogy, Cormac McCarthy
The Dark Tower Series, Stephen King
Forgotten Spurgeon, Iain Murray
Answering God, Eugene Peterson
Fields of Fire by James WebbA great book that recalls one unit’s tumultuous journey through the Vietnam War. It explains how a person’s thoughts about and reactions to the war could change dramatically from start to finish.
Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo!
by Stone
Ender in Exile, just out by Orson Scott Card. It’s the latest in the Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow series, set as a midquel in Ender’s Game. Secular (Card is Mormon), but brilliantly written, with good food for thought.
Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis
1. The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest: A Romantic Travel Guide (completely revised and updated 7th edition) by Laura Kraemer and Linnea Lundgren. :-)
2. Raising Your Child to Love God – Andrew Murray
3. Theological Roots of Pentecostalism – Donald W. Dayton
The Life And Campaigns of Lieutenant General Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson by Robert Lewis Dabney. A very good biography of a Christian gentleman.
There is No Me Without You by Melissa Faye Green. An amazing story of an Ethiopian Woman’s journey to saving her country’s children.
The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard.
I love to read this book. Every page has something to think about. I can hardly imagine a thoughtful person not benefitting from it. Am I going overboard. Read it and then tell me.
“Am I going overboard?” is a question, actually.
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
She’s in her 40′s, Somali and has a price on her head – it’s her autobiography. Reading it made me want to meet her.
“The Tower of Geburah” by John White, and the other books in this series. Little known, but excellent books along the lines of, but as good or better than, Chronicles of Narnia.
“In Search of Perlas Grandes” by Timothy Child. Out of print now, but a superb example of adventure story where every chapter leaves you hanging. Presents a powerful picture of the substitutionary death of Christ for us. I lent this to my sixth grade son’s teacher to read, and she had kids sneaking in at recess to read ahead! Definitely needs to be reprinted!
Those two books I read as a child for entertainment, yet they stuck with me and they created a hunger in me which led me to seek God. I highly recommend them.
“The Wise Woman” by George McDonald. Another like “The Princess and Curdie” – Great wisdom on raising children in this book presented in an unique way. I learned alot about myself from this book, too.
A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent.
Vincent provides testimony of how he took the advice of Jerry Bridges to systematically preach the gospel to himself every day. Very practical and edifying.
“Deep River” by Shusako Endo (sp?? i should check but you can find it on amazon w/ the title)
It’s written in much the same format as “Pastures of Heaven” by Steinbeck: little snippets of the same thing from lots of different points of view. It’s the story of a group of travellers who are touring all the historic sites of Buddhism in India. There are people from all different religious backgrounds and beliefs on the trip, and the way they learn about Buddhism in the middle of a Hindu country is really interesting. The author is a Japanese Christian, and there is a strong theme of the Suffering Servant throughout the book (he quotes Isaiah 53 multiple times).
But now that i’ve mentioned Steinbeck, i have to recommend my favorite steinbeck book that is perhaps one of his least-well-known ones: “the winter of our discontent.” it’s the story of a man and his family and how he almost loses his battle against the depressing nature of his life. it’s fascinating. i haven’t read it in over 5 years, but it still sticks out as one of my favorites.
this one may not be as obsure as “deep river,” but i love the book “a severe mercy” by sheldon vanauken. it’s the autobiographical story of a “pagan love” that was hijacked by God, and the ‘severe mercy’ and sanctification that followed in the early death of sheldon’s wife.
ok, i guess i’m done :)
“The One Minute Cleaner” by Donna Smallin. I bought it on a whim last week and seriously, it is changing my life. Well, my cleaning life. Every homemaker should own this title!
Also, “The Disciplined Life” by Richard Taylor.
And “The Blue Castle” by L.M. Montgomery.
I quite enjoyed an old French book called the Cent nouvelles nouvelles. It’s a collection of bawdy short stories (a hundred of them) in the novella style. It’s online at
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18575
deep river: http://books.google.com/books?id=c4eg2MhmszAC&dq=deep+river+Endo&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=x7LRbaHqiL&sig=9Y_ZyRlkn9nuJMs7CHz9KnECoqo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA10,M1
Modern Rock Guitar Improvisation, by Jon Finn. This book really opened up my understanding of the fretboard, allowing me to break out of the main minor pentatonic box position. It also introduces a nice way to start incorporating modal sounds into those standard “boxes.” Published by Mel Bay.
Wild Stringdom, by John Petrucci. A collection of the Dream Theater guitarist’s columns from Guitar World magazine. Covers practice techniques, musical vocabulary, building technical ability, composition advice, and more. Lots of genreal awesomeness. It would also not kill you to buy his solo album, Suspended Animation, from soundmindmusic.com. It will either make you want to quit playing, or practice a lot more.
condi: the condoleeza rice story, by antonia felix
talk about an amazing woman!
Jan, you beat me to it.
Also if you’re intrigued, Card’s Alvin Maker series is pretty cool. Kind of historical fiction meets fantasy.
No gryphons though.
Tramp for the Lord, by Corrie ten Boom. Awesome, awesome book of inspiration.
The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. Other than the Bible, this book has influenced my actions moreso than any other. It has helped me view my role as a homemaker as one who is responsible for saving income and finding creative ways to do it.
Any of the Anne Of Green Gables books. Book 8, Rilla of Ingleside, is set during WWI and has helped get me through both of my husband’s deployments. Book 5 helped me through my miscarriage.
Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss
laugh out loud about punctuation…
“humility” – andrew murray
“what we talk about when we talk about love” – raymond carver (short story collection)
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (contemporary of Dickens and also author of the more famous The Woman in White). It’s the first British detective novel and is told through multiple narrators, forcing the reader to interpret what is going on through the biases of each character’s perspective.
Though it was turned into a movie so some have heard of it, Atonement by Ian McEwan is very good. Thematically, contrary to what the movie trailers portrayed, the book is more about atonement, forgiveness and the nature of truth than the love story. (Disclaimer: these themes are explored from a secular perspective). The writing is also just fantastic.
Stuart Robinson’s Discourses of Redemption. If you can find a copy this is an amazing work of Biblical Theology from a very able Southern Presbyterian of the 19th Century. If you need a copy you can email me and I will photocopy it for you. You will have to pay for the shipping however.
Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy by Michael Polanyi.
“The History and Theology of Calvinism”
by Curt Daniel
i’m really excited that i haven’t heard of many of these books!
umm . . . two excellent and fun musicology books i’ve enjoyed recently -
The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross
Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk about Love: A Journey to the End of Taste by Carl Wilson
also, i’m sure some have heard of these, but never enough in my opinion -
Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss
The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker
just ’cause each literally changed my life.
“Building With Dad”
by Carol Nevius
Fantastic illustrations for anyone mesmerized by construction equipment. It’s our son’s favorite selection from the library this week.
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Ishmael and My Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Nation of Rebels by Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter
Evolution by Carl Zimmer
Dune by Frank Herbert
Also I second (third?) Infidel.
“Walk Across America” by Peter Jenkins.
So, mine is not theological but it is fantastic for kids and adults!! It is a 700 page adventure book called “The 13 and 1/2 lives of Captain Bluebear.” It is about a blue bear and his adventures. Example, he is raised by mini pirates who are 6 inches tall. They attack big ships and lose because the actual ships never know they are under attack. Enjoy!
Dethroning Jesus exposes the pop-culture obsession with claiming that Jesus was a real man but not divine and refutes 5 or 6 popular claims by popular authors.
Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams.
I read this book for a prose writing course back in college, and his chapter on eliminating metadiscourse tremendously improved my writing skills.
You know: instead of writing, “I would like to take this opportunity to offer you a heartfelt congratulations…” shouldn’t be written.
Instead, write, “Congratulations.”
Great book. I’m about to read it again.
To mention something I’m sure isn’t popular with readers of this blog, Julia Sweeney’s “Letting Go of God” is pretty amazing. I actually saw it as a one woman play, but it’s also available as a CD and book. It’s a very moving tale about how searching for spiritual answers can lead one to conclude that we humans really are alone and have to find truth in the world around us.
On a less spiritual note, “The Good Citizen” is my favorite non-fiction book ever. It’s a history of how dramatically the definition of a citizen and what he (and more recently she) is supposed to do to be a “good citizen” have changed. It demonstrates that many of our beliefs about how great American democracy used to be are pure myths.
I also can’t help myself but to recommend a book I co-wrote, “All the President’s Spin.” It’s a bit out of date, but if you’re interested in politics and/or the media, I think it’s still interesting. Best of all, it’s available used on Amazon for one penny (our publisher was a bit ambitious) and I can guarantee you’ll get more than 1 cent’s worth of enjoyment:
http://www.amazon.com/All-Presidents-Spin-George-Media/dp/0743262514/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226435831&sr=8-1
Speaking of Jesus – The best book i’ve come across on evangelism.
Shining Like Stars – Lidsay Brown. Inspiring stories of Students who changed the world through their boldness.
The Wrestler of Philippi by Fannie E. Newberry
A Tale of the Early Christians
Lamplighter Publishing
Waverly, PA 18471 1-888-A-Gospel
From the Rare Collector’s Series
http://www.lamplighterpublishing.com
A friend highly recommends it, but I haven’t started it yet, so I can only quote from the preface:
“A provocative tale of the early Christians…Meet Hector, the well-trained and much-respected Olympic athlete whose unmatched skill threatens the unrivaled superiority of the Roman leaders, as well as Lydia and Salome, the apostle Paul, the Emperor Claudius, Agrippina and amusement-loving Nero among others. Here is a story of Rome’s staggering contrasts–extreme poverty amidst the wildest extravagance; treacherous dungeon life in darkness and chains amidst the splendors and amusements of luxurious court life…
“Ezekiel”
Written by an exiled Hebrew living in Babylon, who, through the years, has been judged as a psychic, schizophrenic, epileptic, catatonic, psychotic, or paranoid. The story makes for great drama, and most Christians know absolutely nothing about it!
Letters to Sam by Dr. Daniel Gottlieb Written to his grandson who he wasn’t sure he’d live to know due to his own paralysis and wheelchair. Turns out they have more in common than he expected when Sam is diagnosed with autism.
Not exactly obscure titles, but gems nonetheless. All three, in their own way, have affected my world view to this day.
The Idiot – Dostoevsky
The Sirens of Titan – Vonnegut
Franny and Zooey – Salinger
HUMOUR:
Tremendous trifles _ G K Chesterton
Catharine and other writings – Jane Austen
OTHERS:
Longing to know: The philosophy of knowledge for ordinary people. – Esther Lightcap Meek
Letters to a diminished church – Dorothy Sayers
Amusing ourselves to death – Neil Postman
Hmmmm …
A lot of good ones on here (though amen, Frank Turk).
I’ll add a couple more.
Annie Dillard (best known for A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek also wrote a wonderful set of meditations called Holy the Firm (only 3 left in stock — order soon).
I think Camus’ The Myth of Sisyphus is under-read and would be great for many readers of this blog.
Then, how about Yamamoto Tsunetomo’s Hagakure — one of the best of the Samurai handbooks from the old empire.
The latter includes gem after gem like:
“We all want to live. And in large part we make our logic according to what we like. But not having attained our aim and continuing to live is cowardice.”
The Sunflower: the limits and possibilities of forgiveness by Simon Weisenthal.
THe first half of the book tells of his experience with a dying nazi soldier while in a concentration camp. THe second half, called The Symposium, is a collection of responses to the question that he posed at the end of his story: “What would you do if you were in my place?”
I LOVED this book.
Education of a Wandering Man by Louis L’Amour.
It is his autobiography of sorts, about how he educated himself through the reading of books as a young man in the Depression.
Fascinating read for both history and book lovers.
New book full of awesomeness…
“Making Culture” by Andy Crouch
“GILES, goat-boy” by John Barth
One book that was amazing is: Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope
by Don & Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak. This book was about two girls in a car crash and one dies, and one lives. the one family is attending the one girl while she remains in the hospital and the other family is mourning the loss of the other girl when their girl is alive in the hospital with the other family. That is the gist of it. So, go look it up and read it and you will be encouraged!! Blessings as you read!
[...] Recommend some reading that you bet we’ve never heard of. What’s a book that you’d suggest people read, but that you’d also guess most of us at this blog are unfamiliar [...] [...]
The Day No Pigs Would Die
For Orison:
Peep by Kevin Luthardt
Favorite Things by Kimberyl Brubaker Bradley
BADLAND. A historical narrative describing the settlement of the really tough country of eastern Montana in the late 1800′s, courtesy of the Homestead Act as marketed by the railroad companies. Amazing read, particularly because the author (whose name is not available in my brain at the moment) was a Britisher who, working out of the great Northwest country (Wa/Or), just “became curious” about “the old west”.
THE ONE AND ONLY BOOK I SUGGEST EVERYBODY (INCLUDING YOURS TRULY) READ IS THE HOLY QUR’AN — the best English Translation has to be by Yusuf Abdullah. Former English Rock singer, Yusuf Islam a.k.a. Cat Stevens cried when he first read this Islamic holy book decades ago and made him embrace the Muslim Faith after reading it.
Yusuf Islam is more Islamic than I am now! :)
In some circles, this is a well-known book and in others it’s not, but:
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
The Courage to be Protestan by David Wells
Both are excellent!
A Taste of Heaven by Dr. R.C. Sproul.
This book is refreshing to one desiring to worsip God from a biblical perspective rather than a man centered point of view. It is not long and can be read quickly.
A Confederacy of Dunces
John Kennedy Toole
The Pacific and Other Stories, short stories by Mark Helprin. Not to be missed.
By skimming through the 100+ responses, I think my suggestions will fit into the “guess most of us at this blog are unfamiliar with” category. These are children’s books that a quick witted four year old would love. My middle child’s response when he first read The Gruffalo was, “I don’t get it.” So, we explained it and then he was able to enjoy it. They are both a good, fun read.
Room on a Broom
http://www.amazon.com/Room-Broom-Julia-Donaldson/dp/0803726570
The Gruffalo
http://www.amazon.com/Gruffalo-Julia-Donaldson/dp/0142403873/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c
Well I guess none of the blog readers has had a chance to read ‘Beyond Tolerance’ by Herbert Marcuse, despite the fact that there has been going on something like the sixties revival for a few years now.
It’s interesting literature about a difficult and even absurd concept: tolerance. This issue is frequently demanded by governments from their citizens, however, there must be limits in order to maintain the political system. Tolerance without limits would include the freedom to eliminate the system itself.
Oh yes. A Day No Pigs Would Die reminds me of another by the same author (I think) — Kirk’s Law. I enjoyed it and it was a great book for young teen boys–a hard group to satisfy.
First, I have to second the Orson Scott Card suggestions. I used Ender’s Game to encourage dyslexics to read in High School. It’s that good.
So I’d recommend…
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.
Eifelheim by Michael Flynn.
Those are the two best works of Christian fiction that I’ve read in a long time.
A Great Cookbook!
Southern Living 30 Years of Our Best Recipes
(The one with the cake and fruit on the cover)
Call me crazy, but I love reading through a book full of mouth-watering recipes :-)
The Doctrine of God by Herman Bavinck:
http://www.amazon.com/Doctrine-God-Herman-Bavinck/dp/0851512550/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226464068&sr=8-1
Dreams of my Father, Barock Obama
Whether or not you voted for the man, this is a fantastic, moving book worth your time.
i believe you mean Gorock Obama
Bridal Intercession by Gary Wiens. Totally revolutionized the way I looked at prayer; I would highly recommend it.
Noli Me Tangere and its sequel, El Filibistuerismo. They’re both written by Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. These novels are said to have been partly responsible for the end of the 300 years of Spanish colonization in the country. Penguin Classics has them in English.
El Filibusterismo (sorry for the misspelling).
Taliessin in Logres – Charles Williams and CS Lewis. Two sets of poems concerning King Arthur, told by his poet, a Christian. Beautiful, haunting, and packed with images that stay with you. Lewis edited an accompanying prose piece written by Williams called The Figure of Arthur.
Williams was one of the Inklings, with Lewis, Tolkien, Sayres, and others. His fiction is well work reading but nearly impossible to describe.
Naturally Supernatural, by Gary Best.
What if Jesus really does want us to be his hands and feet on the earth? What if He does want us to “do the stuff” that He did?
Announce the Kingdom, Free the Captives, AND Heal the Sick? Sounds pretty weird! What if it could be as natural for us as it was for him, without the drama, the hairdos, and the caricactures?
How about something not as spiritual as the rest of you? :-)
Affirmative Action Around the World: An Empirical Study by Thomas Sowell.
“Belief or Non-Belief: A Confrontation”, a series of letters on various social and spiritual topics exchanged between Umberto Eco, an agnostic professor and novelist, and Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. It’s an interesting and cordial exchange by two people with very differing worldviews.
Christopher Buckley wrote a great little fictional ditty called, “God Is My Broker.” The book begins with a former Wall Street trader turned Catholic monk on his first day after he finished his year-of-silence oath. Throughout the course of the book, he inadvertently turns the near-defunct monastery into a tourist trap that sells cheap wine. Buckley offers seven and a half spiritual laws for happiness throughout the book (e.g. “God loves the poor but that doesn’t mean he wants you to fly in coach.”) It’s fiction folks, which makes the book hilarious.
70 Lessons in Preaching & Teaching Christ (Setting Forth The LORD Jesus Christ in the Beauty and Dignity of His Person, Offices, Work And Teaching)
By George Goodman
This title has been out of print for a while but Revival Publishings (a branch of Every Home Crusade) is reprinting it in the future.
The title gives the impression that it’s mainly for Pastors & teachers etc but this is probably my biggest criticism of the book since its title perhaps may put some off getting it.
Rather it’s a book that will bless any believer as it simply shows different aspects of Christ
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King. It’s a great fiction book written under the guise that Sherlock Holmes actually lived and, much later in life, took on a young apprentice. I’ve read almost the entire series & absolutely love it!
HERE IS NEW YORK (E.B. WHITE)
My Lobotomy by Howard Dully
Sad, sad autobiographical story of a man who had a transorbital lobotomy at age 12. More about abusive parents and a self-serving doctor than anything.
Fat: An appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient by Jennifer McLagan
A cookbook designed to defuse fat’s bad rap and enlighten us to the many ways that fat is actually good for our health.
Pablo Neruda’s Veinte poemas de amor e uma cancion desesperada
Abraham, you might like SAVE ME FROM MYSELF, the recent autobiography of Brian “Head” Welch, the former lead guitarist of Korn. It is the story of his accent in metal music, his descent into drugs, and his turning to Christ. I picked it up off the shelf at the library for a long flight to Africa.
Deuteronomy.
“The Last Year of the War” by Shirley Nelson. A powerful novel about a girl’s “dark night of the soul” during her first semester at a thinly veiled Moody Bible Institute in the 1940′s. Well written and spiritually rich.
For Orison and parents
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems (hilarious)
“Young Larry”, “At the Hotel Larry”, “Ice Cream Larry”, and “Author’s Day” by Daniel Pinkwater (must have off-the-wall sense of humor to appreciate.)
The days of The Fathers in Ross-Shire
by John kennedy
@Pam: Thanks for the recommendation. I think I’m going to get the book.
My most recent read:
Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever
by children’s author and literacy expert Mem Fox
[...] here and read the suggestions. « For Those Feeling [...]
Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore
USAMA:
What is “Days of the Father in Ross-Shire”? I’ve been to Ross-shire, so the title catches my attention.
Thanks
Knuffle Bunny is good; so is practically EVERYTHING by Sandra Boynton!
In particular, I’m referring to Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs!, Birthday Monsters, But Not The Hippopotamus and Blue Hat, Green Hat—oh, and her A to Z is great, despite the generic title.
Yes, the young Seitlers in our home are fed generous portions of Boynton. It’s part of a healthy diet! (Hmm, maybe I need to check out that Jennifer McLagan book mentioned above…)
The Snowgoose by Paul Gallico
The Hawk and the Dove, by Penelope Wilcock.
This is a absolutely beautiful story about redemption and repentance and day-to-day faith. It is about a monsastery of Benedictine monks and their learning to live together and to love each other and God. If you love George Macdonald, you’ll love this book. The writing quality is also very excellent.
http://www.amazon.com/Hawk-Dove-Trilogy-Penelope-Wilcock/dp/1581341385/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226553647&sr=8-1
Urgency to Rise – a call to the American ‘church’ by Jeremy B. Strang
This book is a challenge to every professing Christian in America. Will the challege be answered?
“It is my Urgent cry that all professing Christians respond to God’s calling and seek to understand the deeper truths of Jesus Christ. In the future, American Christians will face physical persecution and the immanent righteous judgment of God will be fulfilled. No one knows the exact moment these truths will begin, therefore there should be a real Urgency to Rise and turn to the full truth of our Lord and Savior. This book is written to shock dead hearts, through the power of the Holy Spirit, into new life. Every professing Christian should examine their faith, understand their depravity apart from God, seek the Lord with all diligence and put their faith into tangible action. The Urgency to Rise is upon us!”
There are quotes and thoughts in this book from John Piper, Paul Washer, Jeff Noblit and others. The message in this book is not easy, but it is necessary.
http://www.amazon.com/Urgency-Rise-Call-American-Church/dp/1603831037/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226582730&sr=8-1
Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal
From my recent reading: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and The Story of the Trapp Family Singers.
A book called Graffiti – Learning to see the art in ourselves. Although it was written by my lovely wife as a youth pastor I know it is a must have for the girls in my ministry and for women of all ages.
Picked up a new release at the library on my day off.
It’s quite amusing (but some language is bad).
Title:
Quiet Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian
Author has a great sense of humor that has left me LOL many times.
“progress paradox” by gregg easterbrook
for perspective on how much we’ve been blessed
The Philosopher’s Playground is a very good place to spur up good discussions, even if I don’t agree with most of the points of view purveyed.
I think you, Abraham, would like Nick Hornby’s The Polysyllabic Spree. There are a FEW references to breasts, but still, it’s good.
Flabbergasted by Ray Blackston. A great read that will make you laugh.