Well, May was a mess and for reasons I’d rather not explain at the moment. But, school’s out and it’s finally summer. I didn’t blog quite as much in May, but I did manage to post my April Update as part of Tim Challies Reading Challenge. Reading was about the same as last month, but continues to grow more varied. Some of that is the time of year. Some of that is because theology books have started boring me. I’ve started questioning my reading a little more, and may become more ruthless about it to start reading more for enjoyment rather than rote habit (which is honestly how you make it through some books in the biblical and theological categories). If this sounds a bit cranky, you’re probably right. And I should probably explain more of my thinking in a separate post. For now, here’s what I read last month:
- Living in The Light: Money, Sex, & Power (see my review)
- Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians
- I’ll have a review of this at some point, but after talking with Brandon Smith, decided to give it a read-thru, and then also decided to make my 9th grade Bible class read it next year.
- Batman: The Killing Joke
- Recommend by my brother-in-law Andrew as I start making my way around graphic novels
- A Theology in Outline: Can These Bones Live? (see my review)
- Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ (review coming)
- Discipleship in The Present Tense: Reflections on Faith and Culture
- I grabbed this to continue working through James K. A. Smith’s stuff. This is a collection of previously published essays and reviews. It’s worth the $10 or so it costs on Amazon.
- Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
- Finally got around to reading this and also watching the movie for a movie night. Enjoyed both, although I liked the book more.
- Unparalleled: How Christianity’s Uniqueness Makes It Compelling
- I’ll have a review of this soon, but when I was barely into it, I decided it should be a book for my 12th grade Bible class next year
- The Soul of The World
- Not entirely sure what I think of this. Maybe Roger Scruton is too smart for me, my mind wandering too much reading it, or it just didn’t click. Maybe all of the above.
- How to Survive The Apocalypse: Zombies, Cylons, Faith, and Politics at The End of The World
- I should have a review of this up soon
- Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World
- A gift from one of my students, and I finished it by Memorial Day (at her grad party no less, don’t worry, it was a beach day, and I was given permission to introvert)
Also, as it my custom around this time of year, I re-read some Bill Bryson books (The Lost Continent, Neither Here nor There, A Walk in The Woods). If you’ve never discovered or read anything by him, consider this my strong recommendation.
Lastly, if you’re keeping score at home, I’m up to 45 books in the lists below, but I’ve read 57 new books total this year.
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 (4 BOOKS)
- ☐ A book written by a Puritan
- ☒ A book recommended by a family member (Batman: The Killing Joke)
- ☐ 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 (Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World)
- ☐ 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 (11 BOOKS)
- ☐ A book from a theological viewpoint you disagree with
- ☒ A book written by an author with initials in their name (Discipleship in The Present Tense: Reflections on Faith and Culture)
- ☐ 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 (Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game)
- ☐ 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 (Living in The Light: Money, Sex, & Power)
- ☐ A book written by someone of a different ethnicity than you
THE OBSESSED READER (22 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 (The Lost Continent, Neither Here nor There, A Walk in The Woods)
- ☒ 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