Well, I’m glad you asked.
[Updates in Bold, finished books are strike-through]
Summer is a great time to get into some extra reading, or in the case of those of us who like to read but have had books chosen for us to read by our respective schools, a time to read what you’ve been unable to get to over the past year.
Either way, summer is a great time, and reading is my thing, so it’s like a match made in heaven.
This summer, I am still finishing my thesis and an independent study called “Writing Effective Book Reviews” so those collectively dictate some of my reading. Beyond that, I like to use summer to read well outside the biblical/theological field, so my list reflects that focus. I’ve broken it down into categories, but if you’re interested in just how exactly I plan to read all these books, shoot me a message and I’ll send you my plan.
Anyway, here’s what I’ve got:
Thesis Related
Calvin- Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling
- The Christian, the Arts, and Truth (Regaining the Vision of Greatness)
- The Liberated Imagination: Thinking Christianly about the Arts
- Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century (Cultural Exegesis)
- Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue (Engaging Culture)
- Reframing Theology and Film: New Focus for an Emerging Discipline (Cultural Exegesis)
- A Matrix of Meanings: finding God in pop culture (Engaging Culture)
Culture and Science
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big DifferenceThe Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human NatureWhat the Dog Saw: And Other AdventuresBlink: The Power of Thinking Without ThinkingFlow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience- The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
- The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century
- Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, Revised and Expanded Edition
- What to Listen For in Music (Signet Classics)
- Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music (Engaging Culture)
Eating the DinosaurSex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto- Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas
Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True StoryFargo Rock City : A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota- The Advanced Genius Theory: Are They Out of Their Minds or Ahead of Their Time?
- Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide
- Shaming the Devil
- The Compound Effect
For Review
Meaning at the Movies: Becoming a Discerning ViewerThe Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way- The Doctrine of the Word of God
- In the Beginning: Language – A God Centered Approach
- Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything
- Paradox in Christian Theology: An Analysis of Its Presence, Character, and Epistemic Status (Paternoster Theological Monographs)
Redeeming Sociology: A God-Centered Approach(reviewed here)Branded: Sharing Jesus with a Consumer CultureAm I Really a Christian? (9Marks)
Theology (just a few)
Simply ChristianSurprised by HopeAfter You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters- The New Testament and the People of God
The Gospel Commission- An Introduction to Systematic Theology (re-reading with a good friend)
- Herman Bavinck: Pastor, Churchman, Statesman, Theologian
- A Gracious and Compassionate God: Salvation and Spirituality in the Book of Jonah
- The Theology of B. B. Warfield: A Systematic Summary
- Christianity and Liberalism
- Lectures on Calvinism (if you buy this at the link, you can get Machen’s eBook free)
But God…Smooth Stones
Well, that about rounds it out. Additionally, over the next 6 weeks, I hope to finish books 6 and 7 of the Harry Potter series (didn’t expect that did you?). I probably won’t get to all of these in full (particularly some of the thesis related) and all but one of the books for review I’ve already read. I figure its better to shoot high and then scale things back so summer might include a bit of relaxation. But then again, my idea of relaxation includes reading books in the science and culture section above.
Of the books above, which would you most like to see a review of over the summer?
What about you, what are some books you’ve been looking forward to reading this summer?
Comments
2 responses to “What Am I Reading This Summer?”
Would be interested to hear your thoughts on multiple gladwell works. My impression in perusing the ones after tipping point were that they were basically the same book over and over again.
(But have not read them, so would be interested in what I consider a “trusted” opinion.)
I’ve got a post coming up on Gladwell’s Tipping Point. I liked What the Dog Saw and even used it as a Father’s Day gift. I can see what you mean though about the same ideas cropping up repeatedly. I think he might be able to manage being a one trick pony since I think its a pretty good trick