Here's what I read:
Fiction
The Odyssey, Homer:
I’m sure I read this at some point during my education, but it made no lasting
impact on my memory. So, I thought I’d try it again. I was surprised at how
emotionally real and raw it was on occasion. I was especially moved early in
the book by the real feeling of despair from young Telemachus as he watches his
father’s wealth consumed by others. Perhaps this initial connection is what
kept me reading through Odysseus’ lengthy (and often tedious and boring) journey
home. I’m glad I endured because the moment of utter triumph and celebration
(for Odysseus and Telemachus) and surprised terror (for almost everyone else)
when Odysseus strings his war bow thus revealing himself as returned is one of
the finest literary moments I’ve yet stumbled across.
The Keeper’s Son,
Homer Hickam: I initially picked this up as a book on tape for my wife while
she was laid up injured in bed, and then decided to read it myself. It is the
story of a rag-tag group of Outer Banks islanders who work on a US Coast Guard
cutter, mainly because they get paid to fish. That’s until the US enters the
Second World War and their “fishing grounds” become the hunting grounds of
German U-boats. In the midst of the battle, some remarkable connections are
made between the enemies. Overall, this was a good beach read. Some of the
characters are a little flat, and the plot is occasionally a little ambitious,
but it was an enjoyable read.
The Ambassador’s Son,
Homer Hickam: The sequel to The Keeper’s
Son. The rag-tag band of Coast Guarders is sent to the South Pacific to
observe the taking of the Solomon Islands on behalf of the Secretary of the
Navy. Their unique position as outsiders makes them the perfect crew to
investigate when an extremely well connected officer goes missing. Their
mission takes them throughout the islands, rubbing shoulders with some of
history’s greats (maybe before they were so great) along the way. Another fun
read.
Holmes on the Range, Steve
Hockensmith: Another hand-off from my wife. What happens when two cowboy
brothers (one of whom is illiterate) stumble across a Sherlock Holmes novel?
They roam the old west solving mysteries, of course! This is the first of four
novels by an award winning short story mystery writer. It is a mixture of two
disparate genres into an enjoyable read.
Master and Commander,
Patrick O’Brian: One of my all-time favorite novels. This was at least my third
time through it. It is the dawn of the 19th century as England is at
war with France. A young naval officer, Jack Aubrey, is given his first command.
By chance encounter, he invites an unemployed physician, Stephen Maturin, to
come aboard as ship’s surgeon. That friendship will keep readers on board for
another nineteen books. In this case, we stay with the two just long enough to
see them take their ship against an enemy frigate five times their size. O’Brian
is known for his exemplary prose and thorough historical research. This book is
worth multiple reads.
Non-Fiction
How Children Raise
Parents, Dan Allender: At the start, Allender admits that he isn’t writing
as an expert parent. Rather, he writes as one who has failed repeatedly and
still been blessed with wonderful children. He argues that every child, and
therefore person, needs to know the answers to two questions: Am I loved? and Can I do whatever I want? He goes on to explain the dangers of
answering these questions poorly, and the way that answering them well
ultimately shapes and matures the parent more than the child. The last chapter
alone makes the entire book worth the time.
Teaching the Bible through
Popular Culture and the Arts, Mark Roncace and Patrick Gray: I have to
admit, I pretty much skimmed this one. This is a reference book in which each
chapter deals with how to teach the Bible through a specific form of media. The
chapters begin with brief essays on each form and are followed by lengthy lists
of specific works with suggestions for their use. It’s a good resource, but not
a page turner.
After Our Likeness:
The Church as the Image of the Trinity, Miroslav Volf: Probably the work
that put Volf on the map (he’s a world famous theologian at Yale). I had to
read a portion of this while in seminary and had wanted to return to it for
some time. I the first section, Volf selects two representative theologians
from the Catholic and Orthodox traditions and analyzes their theology of church
as informed by their understanding of the Trinity. He then finishes by
presenting his own understanding of the church and Trinity while critiquing and
utilizing insights from the previous section. This is one of those books where
you find yourself reading some passages three or four times just to grasp their
meaning, but are never sorry that you invested the time. This is a highly
technical work and the English translation doesn’t do it any favors. I would
actually read a chapter and then read a “lighter” book before returning for the
next chapter. Regardless, it has challenged and shaped my thinking.
Bold Love, Dan
Allender and Tremper Longman III: What is love? How do we love others? A
psychologist and an Old Testament expert (who happen to be best friends) team
up to answer the question. In the process, they reveal an image of love that is
far harder and more disturbing that we typically acknowledge. As soon as I
finished this book, I loaned it to a friend. When I get it back, I plan to read
it again.
Spiritual Theology, Simon
Chan: This is another book I started in seminary and am now finishing off. It
is an attempt to systematize a Christian understanding of spirituality. As such,
it does a fine job. Chan lives and teaches in Singapore and approaches his
writing from a “non-western” approach. This brings some interesting and
challenging observations to his work. My problem is Chan’s use of the
systematic approach. I’ve read a few systematic theologies over the years and something
about them just doesn’t connect with my brain. I remember that this was a good
book, as I flip through it I see my usual underlinings and comments,
but for the life of me I can’t remember one significant take-away from it.
A Book of Voyages,
Patrick O’Brian: Well known for his historical fiction, Patrick O’Brian
compiled a collection of his favorite factual voyages. The book is literally a
series of journal entries from real people on real trips several hundred years
ago. Some went quite well. Others ended with starvation and the fighting of
polar bears with sharp sticks. Depending on the author of a given journal, the
reading can be a little difficult.
A Celebration of
Discipline, Richard Foster: This is a Christian classic that I just never
got around to reading before. It is very good. In the 1970s, Foster set out to
discover and share ancient spiritual disciplines which he felt the church had
lost (our Catholic and Orthodox brothers and sisters might disagree). Foster
created a wonderful, accessible, and brief guide to practices like prayer,
submission, and confession. It is an excellent starting point for anyone
looking to deepen his/her spiritual practice.
Never the Same,
Steven James: James is one of my favorite authors because of his random and
rambling approach to devotional writing. In this book he selects a series of
biblical characters and explores their world, perspective, and encounters with
Jesus. It is good, but easy. It would be right on pace for a high school
student. That isn’t to say that it lacks depth. The chapter on the boy about to
stone the woman caught in adultery was sufficiently convicting to make me think
twice.
Money Well Spent?
Michael Grabell: Grabell is a reporter for ProPublica who found himself at
ground zero of the Great Recession. In this book he looks at the largest
economic stimulus package in history. He simultaneously tells the story of how
the package was put together and administered while also asking if it was worth
it. Ultimately he ends up with a strong maybe. He concludes that the package
certainly bolstered the economy and helped to shorten the recession, but was
also poorly managed, sometimes shockingly so. Grabell’s style is easy to read.
I appreciated that while he certainly falls on one side of the political
divide, he isn’t afraid to point out the failings of those who may be his
friends, or even heroes.
Psalms, Dietrich
Bonhoeffer: Bonhoeffer has quite the reputation. As a pastor and theologian who
was hung for speaking out (and maybe a bit more) against Hitler, he deserves
that reputation. Yet, he didn’t earn it with this book. It is a very quick
overview of the Psalms, specifically the use of the Psalms in prayer. If you want
a quick read on this topic you can finish this in a few hours. I just didn’t
find it very engaging.
Experiencing God, Henry
and Richard Blackaby and Claude King: I’m going to ruffle some evangelical
feathers with this one. I have heard so much about how wonderful this book is.
I’ve heard it lauded from pastors’ pulpits and professors’ podiums. I’ve had
friends tell my how it changed their lives. I had a mixed experience. I should
say that I read the 2008 revised and expanded edition, and I think much of the
material I took issue with was part of the expansion. So, keep that in mind. In
a very general way, this is a great book. It gives some very helpful guidance
for how to seek God when facing a decision or uncertainty. On the other hand,
the author(s) come from a very specific religious context and can’t seem to see
beyond that. The material itself was mostly sound, but at some point (the
expansion?) they added case studies of what happened to people who followed the
stated principles. Almost without exception, every person became a missionary,
pastor, church planter, or just gave a bunch of money to one of those causes.
Does God not call people to cure cancer, fight crime, build homes, or raise
families (unless you are a woman raising your children while your husband
pastors)? And if these authors have never seen God call people to do any of
these things, what does it say about their methodology and theology? I could go
on, but won’t. In the end, if you are going to read this book, find an early
edition.
War, Politics, and
Power, Karl Von Clausewitz. Edited by Col. Edward M. Collins: This book sat
on my shelf for years and I never really had any interest in it. Sometimes I am
quite the fool. Clausewitz was a Prussian military officer who fought against
Napolean and later in life wrote a massive book, On War, which delineated the lessons he had learned in that struggle.
In 1962, Col. Collins edited and translated key portions of On War, thus creating War, Politics, and Power. Today, the US
military describes itself as “calusewitzian.” Regardless, this is a wonderful book.
While Clausewitz maybe wasn’t the clearest communicator, his clarity of thought
and insight is amazing. With a little effort, one can take his insights on war
and apply them to most human endeavors. The effort is well worth the time. In
fact, I enjoyed this so much that I placed On
War on my 2015 reading pile. This is a must read for any organizational
leader.
Please Understand Me
II, David Keirsey: This is one of the
classics on personality type. Keirsey puts his own twist on Jungian type theory
(commonly marketed as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator). Rather than focus on
the sixteen types of the MBTI, Keirsey looks at four broad categories or “temperaments”
into which each of the sixteen types fit. He argues, pretty convincingly, that
these four temperaments have been recognized going at least as far back as
Plato. Indeed, he names his four temperaments, the Artisan, Guardian, Idealist,
and Rational after the types delineated by Plato. He then looks at how these
types have been viewed throughout history and delves into the unique skills,
attitudes, motivations, and desires of each. I especially appreciate his
insight that everyone carries intelligence in some area. No one is stupid.
Rather, different cultures value different types of intelligence and suffer for
neglecting others. It is an informative read, but Keirsey’s style can be blunt
and difficult. I’ve used his approach when working with others on personality
type. More than once a client has referred to him as a “jerk.” I prefer to call
him honest.
