2016 Reading Challenge April Update

Around this time last month, I posted my March Update as part of Tim Challies Reading Challenge. Reading was down slightly this past month, as was blogging (to say the least). Rather than spring training games, it was a week in California that through everything off, but boy was it worth it (still hanging in there with Mad Men too, just started season 6). I decided to not really annotated the list this month. Believe it or not, the truncated list is kind of a pain to add new reads to, so I’m back to the full list of books. The benefit is that it saves me time and now you can see what kinds of books I might read in the coming months.

Here’s the April reads:

Here’s the whole list, in case you’re curious (and even if you’re not):

THE LIGHT READER (8 BOOKS)

☒ A book about Christian living (Sanctified by Grace)
☐ A biography
☐ A classic novel
☒ A book someone tells you “changed my life” (You Are What You Love)
☒ A commentary on a book of the Bible (The Promise of His Appearing:)
☒ A book about theology (Theology as Discipleship)
☒ A book with the word “gospel” in the title or subtitle (The Gospel according to Heretics)
☐ A book your pastor recommends
☒ A book more than 100 years old (The Bruised Reed)
☐ A book for children
☐ A mystery or detective novel
☒ A book published in 2016 (From Topic to Thesis)
☒ A book about a current issue (Five Views on The Church and Politics)

THE AVID READER (2 BOOKS)

☐ A book written by a Puritan
☐ A book recommended by a family member
☐ A book by or about a missionary
☐ A novel that won the Pulitzer Prize
☒ A book written by an Anglican (Paul and The Trinity)
☐ A book with at least 400 pages
☐ A book by C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien
☐ A book that has a fruit of the Spirit in the title
☐ A book with a great cover
☐ A book on the current New York Times list of bestsellers
☐ A book about church history
☒ A graphic novel (Watchmen)
☐ A book of poetry

THE COMMITTED READER (8 BOOKS)

☐ A book from a theological viewpoint you disagree with
☐ A book written by an author with initials in their name
☐ A book that won a ECPA Christian Book Award
☒ A book about worldview (The Experience of God)
☐ A play by William Shakespeare
☒ A humorous book (This is Awkward)
☐ A book based on a true story
☐ A book written by Jane Austen
☐ A book by or about Martin Luther
☐ A book with 100 pages or less
☐ A book with a one-word title
☒ A book about money or finance (The God Ask)
☐ A novel set in a country that is not your own
☐ A book about music
☒ A memoir (The Pastor: A Memoir)
☒ A book about joy or happiness (Happiness)
☐ A book by a female author
☒ A book whose title comes from a Bible verse (Eat This Book)
☐ A book you have started but never finished
☒ A self-improvement book (Nudge)
☐ A book by David McCullough
☒ A book you own but have never read (The Work of Christ (Contours in Christian Theology))
☐ A book about abortion
☐ A book targeted at the other gender
☐ A book by a speaker at a conference you have attended
☐ A book written by someone of a different ethnicity than you

THE OBSESSED READER (21 BOOKS)

☒ A book published by The Banner of Truth (Silent Witnesses)
☐ A book about the Reformation
☐ A book written by a first-time author
☐ A biography of a world leader
☒ A book used as a seminary textbook (The Birth of The Trinity)
☐ A book about food
☒ A book about productivity (Smarter, Faster, Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business)
☐ A book about or relationships or friendship
☐ A book about parenting
☒ A book about philosophy (Philosophy in Seven Sentences)
☐ A book about art
☐ A book with magic
☒ A book about prayer (Habits of Grace)
☒ A book about marriage (The Dude’s Guide to Marriage)
☐ A book about a hobby
☐ A book of comics
☐ A book about the Second World War
☒ A book about sports (From Season to Season)
☒ A book by or about a pastor’s wife (Black and White Bible, Black and Blue Wife)
☐ A book about suffering
☒ A book by your favorite author (Theology and The Mirror of Scripture: A Mere Evangelical Account)
☐ A book you have read before
☒ A book about homosexuality (People To Be Loved: Why Homosexuality Is Not Just An Issue)
☐ A Christian novel
☐ A book about psychology
☒ A book about the natural world (On Animals Volume 1: Systematic Theology)
☐ A book by or about Charles Dickens
☐ A novel longer than 400 pages
☒ A historical book (American Exceptionalism and Civil Religion)
☒ A book about the Bible (The Miracles of Jesus)
☒ A book about a country or city (California: A History)
☒ A book about astronomy (The Ultimate Star Wars and Philosophy)
☒ A book with an ugly cover (Life’s Too Short to Pretend You’re Not Religious)
☐ A book by or about a martyr
☐ A book by a woman conference speaker
☒ A book by or about the church fathers (Augustine on The Christian Life)
☐ A book about language
☐ A book by or about a Russian
☒ A book about leadership (Zeal Without Burnout)
☐ A book about public speaking
☐ A book by Francis Schaeffer
☐ A book by a Presbyterian
☒ A book about science (How to Be an Atheist)
☐ A book about revival
☐ A book about writing
☐ A book about evangelism
☐ A book about ancient history
☒ A book about preaching (Preaching the Whole Counsel of God)
☒ A book about the church (The Scandal of The Evangelical Mind)
☐ A book about adoption
☐ A photo essay book
☐ A book written in the twentieth century

(image via challies)