I’ve been taking in some good books and music lately. I keep a Book Log spreadsheet each year and challenge myself to increase the number of books each year. I also review the list each year (this year it will finish out around 28-30 books) and evaluate how balanced the genres/topics were. They tend to be a mix of theology, worship, fantasy, and outdoors/hiking. Right now, I am working through 3 books:
1) I am finally finishing the C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy. I have read the first two (Out Of The Silent Planet and Perelandra) twice, but could never make it past the first couple chapters of the final book “That Hideous Strength†(it’s stinkin’ slow in the beginning). But this time I got through it and now it’s getting good. The Space Trilogy is much more complex and adult than Narnia, but is amazing.
2) I am also reading The Knowledge Of The Holy by A.W. Tozier. A great study on the attributes of God.
3) Lastly, a friend and I are reading and discussing Experiential Worship by Bob Rognlien. Bob writes about worshipping God with Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength and what those 4 areas represent. You will probably see these themes pop up during Terra worship times.
Musically, I am still enjoying Matisyahu “Live At Stubb’sâ€. Matisyahu (aka. Matthew Miller…but not of Nehemiah Project fame…) is a Hasidic Jew reggae artist. Also loving the live Wilco CD, Kicking Television: Live In Chicago; Ray LaMontagne Trouble (our generation’s Van Morrison); and Charlie Peacock’s instrumental jazz CD Love Press Ex-Curio. BTW, don’t buy the new Fiona Apple CD Extraordinary Machine. I think it’s awful. I would rather hear any other machine, including drills, jack hammers, and an 18-wheeler grinding its gears…….
What are you reading and listening to?
Ps. My Name Is Earl is the funniest new show on primetime TV.
good books i recently read:
(1) extremely loud & incredibly close by jonathan safran foer
(2) the curious incident of the dog in the night-time by mark haddon
(3) conversations with bono by michka assayas (french music journalist)
(4) chronicles one by bob dylan
i’m now reading:
(1) the rise of the creative class by richard florida
(2) life of pi by yann martel
(3) moo baa lalala by sandra boynton (that’s for gracie, of course)
i don’t watch tv.
Mostly I listen to eqx in the car, elevator music at work, and cackling children @ home. I just finished two books by Paco Underhill about consumerism. They’re called “why we buy” and “the call of the mall”. Now I’m reading Frank Peretti’s latest called “Monster”.
sa
sam’s been encouraging me to turn off the tv and pick up a book lately. i started “moby dick” by herman melville a month ago. i have to read it with a dictionary next to me, every other word needs more explanation, so that’s going rather slow.
also re-reading “the bondage breaker” by neil anderson in my quiet times. interesting book to be reading when your pastor is teaching on Luke 8.
just read a GREAT book about heart-oriented disipline vs. making my kids be little christian robots, “don’t make me count to three” by ginger plowman. her influences are ted tripp “shepherding a child’s heart” which is next on the list to read.
if you’re looking for good christian book reviews, don’t ask me. i don’t read much christian book lit. okay, wait. yes, i do. i read them when i am reviewing them for magazines… because i get paid to do it! the last one was “real sex” by lauren winner, reviewed for prism magazine (to be published in their jan/feb 06 issue).
OK, this is my first blog reply. It can be a scary thing for one who remembers owning a Commodore 64.
Scott, this is great! My church here in the city (the Village Church) is contemplating adding a blogroll to our site.
Cheers, and if I’m ever in town on a Sunday night, you can be sure I will be there.
One of my favorite authors is Frederick Buechner. I absolutely love his book Son of Laughter. I am currently reading another Buechner book called Telling the Truth:The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy & Fairy Tale. The language is so beautiful that I find myself reading it aloud…
shuugs, i’ll definitely have to check out buechner. you’ve yet to steer me wrong in good book reviews. i too like reading beautiful language. speaking of beautiful, have you checked out the “pride & prejudice” website? the background music is breathtaking just like the movie.
http://www.prideandprejudicemovie.net/splash.html
you have to click “enter the site” to hear the music.
I’ve been reading “Emerging worship” for about two years now. i think i’m on chapter 2. That’s pretty good, one chapter a year. I too am reading through Experiental Worship. Musically I’m only listening to rehearsal cd’s for Terra Nova worship. And Dispatch-the best band out there.
back to reading the chronicles of narnia…the dawn treader. its a classic and i want to read the whole series in the next 2 years. if i do it…it will be a miracle. but i will do it…