Category Archives: Academic Pursuits

Top Ten Books I Want To Give for Christmas

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I love http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/search/label/Top%20Ten%20Tuesday. Much better than some unwanted trinket! I’m actually giving a couple of these as ebooks this year, which unfortunately is not a straight-forward process. Barnes and Noble needs to get their act together!

I also love to receive books as gifts (hint, hint)…

Here are some that I want to (and for the most part, am giving):

1. Mine! Being able to give The Journal for Christmas is why I aimed to have it published this month.

2. Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. Great introduction to the Bible.

3. The Parrot Tico Tango by Anna Witte. A little girl I know is going to love this.

4. Driving My Tractor by Jan Dobbins. This one looks cute, too.

5. Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol. I loved these as a kids, and I think this is the perfect book for an adventure-loving reluctant reader in my life.

6. Harriet the Spy by Elyse Fitzhugh. Another book I loved as a child that I hope that will also be loved by the recipient.

7. The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker. Giving this to a teenage boy that I hope will read and enjoy them.

8. The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. I’m actually saving this for the recipient’s 7th birthday. It was one of the first chapter book series that I read, and I hope they will be hers, too.

9. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I’ve given this in the past. It’s fun to get your friends hooked on the same series you are…

10. Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick. I haven’t read this yet, but I did give it as a gift. I do want to read it for myself, considering how much time I spend with children, even if they aren’t my own.

Top Ten Childhood Favorites

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I’ve always loved to read. I can credit my Mom for that one…I have lots of memories about books: from visiting the large “liberry” downtown to being read aloud to each evening.

Here are ten of my favorites from my childhood…I’m not sure they’re the “top” but they’re the top ones that I can remember! But if I can remember them, that says a lot. I can’t wait to share these with the kids in my life. In fact, I already have plans of giving a few of them as gifts!

1. Bill Peet: an Autobiography

2. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

3. Betsy series by Carolyn Haywood

4. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien

5. Alexander, and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

6. The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume

7. Little House on the Prarie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

8. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

9. Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol

10. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Top Ten Books On My TBR List For Winter

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This is actually a hard list, as I hope to read a few books this winter that I’ll receive as gifts…but I haven’t received them yet. But I’m sure that I’ll be able to come up with 10 books that I already have access to:

1. Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer

2. The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther

3. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

4. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

5. The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene

6. Black Wealth/White Wealth: a New Perspective on Racial Inequality by Melvin L. Oliver

7. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

8. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

9. Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber

10. The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria

Top Ten Authors I Want at My Thanksgiving Dinner

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I really thought this would be a hard list to come up with. Nope. It was completed in 5 minutes! I clearly didn’t make any distinction between alive and dead. As far as I know, half of these people are alive (Fforde, Card, Bridges, Friedman, and McCulley), and half are dead.

1. Ayn Rand. I’d love to ask her why she couldn’t see that any system built on self-interest would never be in the best interest of the people.

2. Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’d just love to hear more stories of her childhood.

3.  C.S. Lewis. I think I’d be way too shy to ask him any questions!

4. Jasper Fforde. I wonder if he’s as humorous in person as he is in his books?

5. Orson Scott Card. I’d love to hear him talk about Ender’s world.

6. Jane Austen. Mainly because I think it’d be cool to say I had Jane Austen at my Thanksgiving dinner…

7. Corrie Ten Boom. Definitely would be inviting her for her, not her writing. Though I loved The Hiding Place in a hard-to-read way.

8. Jerry Bridges. His writing is so gospel-centered, and I think that would be a welcome addition to any meal.

9. Thomas Friedman. I’m now reading my 3rd book of his. I don’t agree with him on a lot of things, but he’s very astute.

10. Carolyn McCulley. I really respect her and think I have a lot to learn from her.

Top Ten Books That Have Been On My Shelf For The Longest But I’ve Never Read

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I’m happy to say that this list is much shorter than it would have been even a month ago!

1. Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby

2. The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther

3. Disciples are Made Not Born by Walter A. Henrichson

4. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

5. The Liberated Imagination by Leland Ryken

6. The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer

7. How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart

8. A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren

9. Streams in the Desert by L. B. Cowman

10. The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper

and for good measure (because it is the only other book on my TBR shelf!):

11. He Is There and He Is Not Silent by Francis Schaeffer

I had hoped to have this list done by Christmas, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. But I’ll be close!

Other top ten lists can be found at Broke and Bookish.

Final Readathon Update

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This weekend I attempted (and succeeded) to read for 24 hours over 4 days. I’m glad that I stretched out the traditiona readathon, as it allowed me to read non-fiction almost exclusively. I reached a point near the end of a couple of those days that I was just done with the non-fiction.

My TBR shelf is now beginning to look pathetic, which was the goal. I seriously doubt I get it emptied by Christmas, but it’s getting much more reasonable.

Here’s a few thoughts on the books I read:

I read:

Addictions: a Banquet in the Grave by Edward T. Welch

I highly recommend to anyone who has ever struggled with addiction or any sin habit…meaning everybody.

Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick

I just started this one, but I’m liking it so far. I really don’t think I can read enough books that point me back to the gospel.

The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing edited by Leland Ryken

I haven’t finished this one yet, but it’s an anthology with lots of good points. I hadn’t realized how much of my philosophy of literature and art I’ve picked up from our utilitarian culture and not the Bible or the Christian faith.

The Cross of Christ by John Stott

I had previously started this one, but I finished it this weekend. It’s very thorough and well thought-out.

The Kids from Nowhere by George Guthridge

This is the story of a white teacher from the mainland taking his family to rural Alaska to teach Eskimos who had been previously labelled unteachable.

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

A small book to break up the bigger books. It was short and sweet.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

This is a reread for me: or a relisten. I am enjoying it as much this time as the last time I listened to it. I listened to it for about 6 hours this weekend and am nearing the end.

Readathon: Climbing the TBR Hill

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I’ve enjoyed participating in Dewey’s Readathon in the past, but this time around, my participating will look a little bit different, for a couple of reasons.

I’ve mentioned a couple of times this fall that I’m really trying to clear off my to-be-read shelf.  It’s on my 30 before 30 list, and I know it will be more difficult after my shelf gets restocked with Christmas goodies.

I may have over 2 dozen books on my birthday/Christmas wish list. That may need to be pared down a bit…

Also, I have only limited Internet access at home, so I’m not going to be able to update this blog during the Readathon. I can tweet, though.

Finally, I’ve got a bit of a busy schedule this weekend. I had a couple of opportunities that I just couldn’t pass up.

So what does that all add up to?

This Readathon, I’ll be trying to read 24 hours in 4 days: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. And I’ll be focusing exclusively on what is already in my reading pile or on my TBR shelf. I know I won’t get too far, but I want to try to do what I can. All my Readathon updates will come via Twitter, instead of on this blog.

So what will I be reading? These are the books I’m currently reading:


And these are the books still on my TBR shelf that I have to choose from:

Don’t they look lonely?

Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again For The First Time

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This list was surprisingly easy to write. If you haven’t read these books yourself, I’d recommend them! Find more Top Ten Tuesday posts here.

1. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

I really liked this the first time I read it, but knowing how it turns out ruined it when I reread it a couple years ago.

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Makes for a good reread, but not as stunning.

3. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

I do hope to reread this again someday soon. I have a feeling I won’t like it as much, though.

4. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Sometimes you just want to discover for the first time what you’ve already discovered. This was a surprising gem for me the first time.

5. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding

I wish I could read it again for the first time, because at its size, it’s probably not worth rereading. But, oh, did I enjoy it!

6. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

On second thought, I don’t know that I want to be shockingly devastated again.

7. Red by Ted Dekker

I liked all 3 books of the trilogy, but this one really got me. What would I have thought if I lived in Jesus’ day?

8. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

This book loses a bit of innocence when you realize it’s not quite as innocent as it seems.

9. 1984 by George Orwell

Though the ending will make me cry every time, anyway.

10. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

I have reread this, but it’s not quite as powerful as the first time.

Top Nine Books I Want To Reread

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1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I’ve been wanting to re-read this for years. I have the audio book in hand, I just haven’t been listening to audio books the last few weeks. Soon, though.

2. The Harry Potter series

I really enjoyed these when I listened to them in the spring. I try to wait at least a year before rereading books, so I plan on re-listening to these come spring…if I can wait that long.

3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

I have this audio book in hand, too. If you can’t tell, I much prefer listening to a book when I’m rereading it. I listened to this a few years ago, and I want to again.

4. The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis

Not sure when I’ll get around to this, but I want to. I think I’ve already read these twice, but definitely worth it.

5. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

The fact that I want to reread a 1100-page book of small type says a lot, right? But at least I can get it on audiobook this time.

6. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges

This was very insightful and convicting, and I know I’ll want to reread this at some point in the not-too-distant future.

7. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I’ve listened to this several times, and it’s about time for another. It’s like going home.

8. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

I really don’t like the audio version of this, so I don’t know what I’ll do. But I do want to reread it one way or the other.

9. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

I actually stopped listening to this halfway through the last time, as my library took the second half out of circulation. I’m so going to sign up for Audible.com just to get this on audio for keeps.

Okay, I can’t come up with a 10th book. So top nine it is! See more (actual) top 10 posts…

My Thoughts on Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee

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Forbidden was this month’s selection for the Faith and Fiction Roundtable. I really had a hard time getting through this one, as I have with any Ted Dekker book I’ve read since the Circle trilogy. As much as I loved those books, I guess his writing is not my style.

So what thoughts did Forbidden provoke in me? Well, not many. To be honest, I basically forgot everything I read upon closing the book, which was partly what made it so hard to get through.

I really don’t mean to be dissing the book…it’s not bad, just not my thing. Way too fantasy for my tastes.

The concept—a society that intentionally developed genetic mutation to remove all emotions but a mild sense of fear—is interesting. But I thought the implied answer in the book to whether emotions were good or not was, “Duh!”

So what do I think? As someone who has struggled with overwhelming emotions, I once wished I didn’t have them. But for all the pain they’ve been, I’m thankful for them now. They have pushed me through difficult situations to draw nearer to the Lord.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Forbidden for discussion purposes.

Other Faith and Fiction Roundtable Participants:

Amy
Brooks
Carrie
Florinda
Hannah
Heather
Jennifer
Julie
Liz
Nicole
Sheila
Sherry
Thomas
Tina