Sunday, July 31, 2011

Reading Log, July 2011

Short list - but Bonhoeffer was almost 600 pages, and you had to read it slowly!

47. The Cross-Centered Life – 4- C.J. Mahanney – very short book, sort of devotional – just about keeping the gospel, Christ, the cross central to our lives.


48. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy – 4.5 – Eric Metaxes – long book, hard at times. I didn’t know much about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, beyond that he’d been martyred by the Nazis. Incredible theologian, incredible faith and courage.



49. A Heart for Home: Home to Blessing #4 – 4 – Lauraine Snelling – book 3 in this series, which is one of three spin-offs from The Red River series. I enjoyed it, it was a simple historical, very light romance. After Bonhoeffer and the horrors of the Nazis it was nice to go to Blessing, North Dakota and visit with Ingeborg, Astrid and the rest of the Bjorkland clan.

50. Jesus, Made in America: A Cultural History From the Puritans to The Passion of the Christ – 4 – Stephen J. Nichols – saw this in Tabletalk Magazine (RC Sproul). Excellent, a history of how American culture has shaped Christ – the Puritan views, the Founding Fathers, the frontier and Victorians, up to the Jesus People, CCM, The Passion of the Christ and the retailing of Jesus. Very interesting and convicting.



(note – I know I read something else between the CJ Mahanney book and Bonhoeffer, and cannot for the life of me remember what it was! It seemed like it was something light, that I enjoyed, though….)

Monday, July 4, 2011

Reading Log for June, 2011

Pretty slow month, overall.  I had a hard time getting into any of them, except True Grit.  Seems like I watched a lot more tv than usual, too....but, here it is, what there is of it!

42. Clara and Mr. Tiffany – 3.5 – Susan Vreeland – It was okay – very interesting historical information about Tiffany Glass and that time period, I never really got into the character of Clara (who was a real person, btw) though. I would like to do more research on my own.


43. True Grit – 5 – Charles Portis – incredible book. I love her explanation of the doctrine of election. I did not expect this to be such a theologically rich book. I had never seen either of the movies before I read this. I have now seen the new movie, and it is pretty close to the book.

44. Don’t Call it a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day – 3.75 – edited by Kevin DeYoung – okay – collection of essays about various doctrines, written from a Reformed perspective, and then some about applications of those doctrines in Christian life. A good book for someone just starting out in their journey.

45. The Great Brain – 4.5 – John D. Fitzgerald - I remember reading this as a child. My older boys absolutely loved it. I like it with cautions – Tom and his great brain does the wrong things for the right reasons, and has an attitude of tricking people out of their money, though he does reform in the end.

46. Anne of Ingleside – 4 – L.M. Montgomery – book 6 in the Anne of Green Gables series. Anne is all grown up, and it is more about her young children than her. I think I liked it least of all the books, but it was still a pleasant read.