10. Talk to the Hand: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door—by Lynne Truss. A delightful book on the decline of manners and etiquette which is done by with such good humor and wit you will not really care that it proves that the world as we know it is doomed.
9. The Road—by Cormac McCarthy. Now my favorite book about nuclear winter and cannibalism. McCarthy has been riding a wave or renewed popularity since No Country for Old Men (see below) hit it big. I spent some time learning about him and learned to enjoy his hopeless negativism. If you are suffering with a bout of manic happiness, The Road will, no doubt, cure you.
8. A Thousand Splendid Suns—by Khaled Hosseini. I enjoyed his first best seller The Kite Runner, so I thought that I would try this one out. I was not disappointed. Hosseini writes about his
Afghanistan
in a wonderful and terrible way piecing together its beauty, joy, suffering and depravity. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be a woman in an Islamic country, this is as close as you will need to get. He writings reveal the troubling power paradigms and struggles that are built into Islam.
7. Redwall—by Brian Jacques. This one is great for kids. This story of destiny, trial and how good stands and triumphs in the face of evil is complex enough for adult consumption—particularly if that consumption is done with your children. They will love it. . . .
6. John Adams—by David McCullough. I knew little of
Adams
before this book, but came to admire and respect him greatly as I got to know him. The importance of his role in the founding of
America
can hardly be overestimated. His brilliance and his tenacity are incredible. Also, McCullough must be praised. His historical writing brings
Adams
to life, demonstrates great love and admiration for him, and unveils his flaws. It praises without being hagiographic. It condemns without demystifying. It is what happens when history and ability are mixed with love.
5. Leadership and Self Deception—by The Arbinger Institute. This falls into the class of Business Parable (which is a great improvement on the former class of books known as business drivel). The story is engaging and fairly elegantly done. It unveils what sin does to relationships. It speaks in terms that are not overtly religious, but I smell some Christian brother at work in this one. It beckons us to step outside of our boxes, view other people as more important than ourselves and calls on us to give our lives away for the sake of others. What a challenging book!
4. Through New Eyes—by James Jordan. This book will transform what you see with your eyes.
Jordan
masterfully opens the language of biblical symbol and image. He helps you see God’s world the way he meant you to see it. This path of symbol and image also increases the joy and wonder of worship. If you have not read this, just stop what you are doing and go get it. Read it before next Sunday.
3. For the Life of the World—by Alexander Schmemann. This book hits like a thunder bolt. The first chapter can be read over and over. It demonstrates God’s love and wonder flowing out through the world. At times, as a Reformed Protestant it is easy to—as you busy rejecting images—forget that the world reveals the glory of God. Schmemann reminds you of
Eden
and helps you to see that world though marred is overflowing with glory. (I recently heard that I might get to read this one again next year. Horay!)
2. No Country for Old Men—by Cormac McCarthy. While I thought that the Cohen brothers cinematic portrayal of world gone mad was dazzling (not as good as O, Brother, but what is), the book is much better. Instead of focusing on the killer, it focuses more on the sheriff. It makes sense of the title more effectively by demonstrating the deeply flawed and diminished view of manhood in the modern world. We should be ready to defend what we say we love. We should be ready to die. But we aren’t and we don’t. When men fail and abdicate, the demons are loosed. Suddenly what used to make sense is a smoldering heap of rubble and the old folks stand around, shake their heads and mutter “How could this happen?”
1. The Divine Comedy—translated by Lawrence Grant White; Gustav Doré illustrations). What this version lacks in juicy notes, it makes up for in illustrations. I found myself enjoy
Paradise
more this time. There is a beauty in seeing relationships restored.
Here are a few additional essays and short stories to add to the list:
Revitalizing Reformed Culture—by Doug Jones. I have a copy if you would like it. It brilliantly examines the reasons why Reformed culture tends to fail in its grand multi-generational plans. That Distant Land —by Wendell Berry. This book of short stories is a great introduction to
Berry
’s Port William and his philosophy. “The Consent” is a great starting place. Older kids love this one.
