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Saturday, February 11, 2006

Book Suggestions

Okay, everyone. Pick a book that has really influenced you (other than the Bible), one that you think others would really be encouraged by as well, and tell us a little bit about it. Who is the author? What is it about? Why would you suggest it for others?
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

i'm just gonna wait here to see who the first person is to post a brian mclaren book. let the countdown begin. i'll go with mike yaconelli's "messy spirituality". it sort of "gives persmission" for me to accept the fact that i'm messy and that my walk can be messy, yet useful.
Posted by Maurice Broaddus on 02/12/2006 08:43:55 PM

I loved "Messy Spirituality", too, Maurice. Thanks for posting before I had the chance to get my fingers on the keyboard. I will not be the first to mention Brian McLaren, I don't know if you find that disappointing, but if so...well, too bad, oh, man in the flashy suit! Actually, my favorite books are often fiction - I gain some great insight from some of them. My favorite of the moment is "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving. It is not a so-called Christian book, nor is John Irving a so-called Christian writer. All of John Irving's books are well written in my opinion, but this one just really made me think. Here's a bit of what the story is about. "In the summer of 1953, 2 11-year-old boys - best friends - are playing in a Little League baseball game in Gravesend, NH. One of the boys hits a foul ball that kills the other boy's mother. The boy who hits the ball doesn't believe in accidents; Owen Meany believes he is God's instrument. What happens to Owen after that 1953 foul ball is extraordinary and terrifying." It has also been made into a movie, "Simon Birch." I saw movie first, which prompted me to get the book - book is better. And by the way, is this a generational thing or what? Did no one teach people under the age of 35 or so to use capitalization in school? "i" is not a word, okay? It's a letter of the alphabet!
Posted by Never without a comment Miller on 02/13/2006 04:14:12 PM

I believe my top 5 books are: Generous orthodoxy by Brian McLaren (shout out to Maurice) - The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard - Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence - Ancient-Future Faith by Robert Webber - and anything by N.T. Wright. All of these authors are great writers and thinkers. All of their books are fantastic and cause you to desire to follow Jesus. - Shane
Posted by Shane on 02/13/2006 06:25:20 PM

Frankly, I would not be a Christian if not for "A New Kind of Christian" by Brian McLaren. This book single-handedly saved me from apostasy.
Posted by Rich on 02/13/2006 06:46:07 PM

Oh, and "Never without a comment Miller" - my favorite fictional novel of all time is "A Prayer for Owen Meany." I read the last 20 pages through sheets of tears - it moved me so much. My second child - Owen - is named after Owen Meany. I love Owen Meany so much I consider "Simon Birch" a blasphemous representation of a true classic - kind of like a golden calf compared to the true sanctity of the God-on-the-mountain. ;)
Posted by Rich on 02/13/2006 06:50:28 PM

Why, it's Rich! THE RICH VINCENT! Do you realize that Cary, Blog Master, compared us under Forced Evangelism because I said I was a self-starter and she put me in the same category with you? I didn't know whether to feel blessed or scared! I thought you named Owen after John Owen. Well, this just goes to show that brilliant minds really do think alike! See, Dwellers, fiction will not kill you or soften your brain cells...or at least not all of it!
Posted by Laurie says listen to our former pastor on 02/13/2006 08:14:32 PM

When it comes to nonfiction, my favorite books are by Richard Foster (Celebration of Disciplines), Dallas Willard and John Armstrong. John Armstrong has made Catholicism understandable to me and I love, "When God Moves". When I'm not being theologically minded, I like to read true crime stories. I find the criminal mind fascinating - I know Maurice will appreciate that. When I want something a little more on the light side I like to read Webster's Unabridgeded Dictionary of the English Language from cover to cover.
Posted by Nameless, Faceless and sometimes Brainless L. on 02/14/2006 12:13:35 AM

I feel the same way as Rich about 'A New Kind of Christian'. That and 'Blue Like Jazz' (Donald Miller), 'Messy Spirituality' and 'Stumbling Toward Faith' (Renee Altson). STF was especially helpful for what I was feeling toward God at the beginning of last year. New Kind of Christian explained the more intellectual side of it. Spirituality and Jazz were just a big relief! :-)
Posted by sunshine2316 on 02/14/2006 12:31:38 AM

My two favorite "Christian" books are "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom and "Captivating" by John & Stasi Eldredge. Corrie's book is a true story about a family who lived in Holland during Hitler's reign and tried to help the Jews escape his terror. Not only was the story fascinating and the characters completely charming, but the book had so much to be learned for our lives here and now. I've read it so many times that I lost count. "Captivating" is a story about what it means to be a Christian woman in today's society. It was so liberating for me and so encouraging. They did a really nice job of exploring a woman's soul and why we behave the way we do. (Don't get your hopes up, gentlemen, I'm sure you'd still walk away clueless. Ha!) As for "non-Christian" I'd say anything by Amy Tan. She does such a nice job of capturing the Chinese cultures and bringing them to life for those of us without much experience outside our own Western ways. I think it is vital for us to try to understand other cultures, and I am especially fascinated by Asian cultures.
Posted by dwellingplace on 02/14/2006 03:06:59 AM

My favorite "secular" (just kidding) book is the Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. It is a heartbreaking story about a married couple who persevere when the wife no longer remembers her husband because of Alzheimer's. I think there is a movie, but I haven't seen it. This is a real tear jerker!
Posted by Angie on 02/14/2006 11:23:54 PM

Angie, actually it has been made into a movie. You should be able to find it at the video store and they didn't change the name either. I like all of Nicholas Sparks' books. They are just really good stories.
Posted by Laurie on 02/15/2006 01:33:19 AM

I really like Sparks. He's a good story-teller. A bit sappy for my taste but he sure can reel you in and grab your heartstrings.
Posted by sunshine2316 on 02/16/2006 04:18:02 AM

I have to go with Stephen Lawhead's "Patrick: Son Of Ireland" I have read that book four times in the last year, and I never cease to pull anything out of it. It is, I would say mythical/historical fiction since most of St. Patrick's life is lost in legend; the only facts that we know of him is his father's name, where he was born, and his kidnapping by the irish. Like the divine comedy it walks through the complete dismal abandonment of God to seeing him face to face so to speak. It resembles what Kirkegarrd said about coming face to face to God "Only when a man has come to the bottom of himself can he, then see God."
Posted by eugenius on 02/20/2006 09:11:05 PM

I suggest everyone read Calvin's Institutes. If you make it through the whole book, there is a prize - I know I have a while to think about what it might be. Rich and Shane are not included in the contest. If you make it past the first two pages, there'll be a quiz...unless you're asleep by then.
Posted by Laurie on 02/24/2006 08:19:51 PM

Wow...that was just such a flowery review that I think I'll rush right out and buy a copy, Laurie. :-)
Posted by dwellingplace on 02/24/2006 08:46:02 PM

I think they may have come out with Calvin's Institutes in a "Message" version. I'm not sure I'd still get "the message" of Calvin's Institutes, even if it was written for a 3-year-old in boardbook form with little squeekies in it. I'd actually be curious to find out if there is one person besides Calvin himself who has ever read it from cover to cover.
Posted by Laurie, the bored with work on 02/24/2006 11:33:54 PM

December 19, 2007 at 8:28 PM

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