Or: What You Should Probably Read This Winter
The tradition here at the blog is to post photos of the new literary arrivals after notable occasions like birthdays and Christmas and (sometimes) semester breaks.
We've had some stellar recruiting book classes in the past, but the Fall 2006 crop looks especially promising. Headlined by several new authors and a few can't-miss titles, Lindsay, Aidan and I have some good reading ahead of us. And who knows what new volumes Christmas may bring? Here's the new arrivals list, moving from top to bottom. Notice that I'm limiting by commentary on each book to one sentence, but I'm allowing multiple commas and, if necessary, semicolons!
The Nine Tailors, Dorothy Sayers - Lindsay's book
We're big Sayers fans, and this one is widely regarded as her best Lord Peter mystery story (although Gaudy Night is also right up there).
A Timbered Choir, Wendell Berry - my book
**New author! I've read snatches of Berry's writing in the past, and been intrigued; this book of poetry looks promising.
Radical Reformission, Mark Driscoll - my book
Given my appreciation for Driscoll's straight-up approach to truth-telling, and my previous regard for Confessions of a Reformission Rev, this closer look at the theology behind his church planting will be a treat. 
The Crossing, Cormac McCarthy - my book
I was deeply impressed (and moved) by my first exposure to McCarthy in All the Pretty Horses, and I'm more than ready for the second book in his Border Trilogy. 
Mere Humanity, Donald Williams - Lindsay's book
**New author! I came across this title and immediately knew I would have to buy it for myself Lindsay, as the back cover reads: "...poet, scholar, and teacher...Williams digs into the treasured writings of G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien in search of...answers regarding the human condition."
The Sparrow, Mary Doria Russell - my book
**New author! I'd heard a lot about this science fiction novel which ostensibly weaves together interstellar travel, aliens, and searching questions about God while maintaining the integrity of a character-driven story; having read the book over Thanksgiving break, I agree (more later).
Beyond the Shadowlands, Wayne Martindale - my book
The subtitle, "C.S. Lewis on Heaven & Hell" should sufficiently explain my interest in this book by Martindale, a noted Lewis scholar who I've enjoyed before; also, the cover is really good-looking. 
Gilead, Marilynne Robinson - Lindsay's book
**New author! I'd read rave reviews about this masterful Pulitzer Prize-winner that is infused with probing Christian spirituality from page 1 to the back cover; Lindsay's already finished it, and she tells me I have to read it. 
Not the Way it's Supposed to Be, Cornelius Plantinga Jr. - my book
**New author! Although I'm intimately acquainted with the subject, this is the type of theological book that will hold an alluring mystique until I dig in; the subtitle is "A Breviary of Sin."
Indelible Ink, Scott Larsen, ed. - our book
It's hard to pass on a book about books when it features some of your favorite authors; Indelible presents people like Ravi Zacharias, John Stott and Walter Wangerin "discussing the books that shaped their faith."
That's all...for now. If you're thinking about adding some of these titles to your book stack, do me a favor and buy them via the links in this post - that way I get a (little) cut, which may just make it possible for me to buy Aidan that illustrated edition of The Lord of the Rings that he keeps asking for. Happy reading!
Monday, November 27, 2006
Fall Book Stack 2006
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6 comments:
The Nine Tailors is one of my favorite Sayers novels, if not my absolute favorite. My dad loved it, as well.
I own four of these titles but have not yet read any of them. So, please share your thoughts on them when you read them and maybe that will give me the encouragment to take them off the shelf and actually read them.
I'm sure you will remove the comment ahead of this one soon, so no one will know what I'm talking about, but man, that is some awesome spam.
I like your subtle idea of buying your wife a book that you want to read. I need to buy my wife some comic books...
I appreciate your list, as always. Winter makes fine reading weather.
Anonymous guy stole all my recommendations ;)
As an evil question asker extraordinaire, can you tell me this: if you were me (no jokes) and you could only afford one of these books (this is hypothetical - i have reams of money, last year we wandered into a bank while looking for a nice little restaurant and Susan thought it was cute, so we bought it. True story) which would you buy (remember, you're me - stop laughing)
Good to know that Nine Tailors has already received some local acclaim, Littlepeace. Maybe Lindsay and I will have to chat with you after we finish it.
Kevin, got to say I'm curious which of these titles you already own. That's a pretty high degree of correspondence!
Yeah, the spam comment was almost a masterpiece of internet graffiti. Had I not known that it would send unwary clickers spiraling into a black hole of spam advertising, I would have been tempted to keep it.
I like your subtle idea of buying your wife a book that you want to read.
Woah, slow down! Who said anything about that? You've got it confused, man. Coincidentally, I happened to want to read a book that I knew Lindsay would want to read...
if you were me (no jokes) and you could only afford one of these books ...which would you buy
If I were you, I wouldn't need books for entertainment, I'd just look in the- I mean, well, I'm forced to give a qualified answer. If you're looking for fiction, I'm going to say go with Cormac McCarthy. You should probably start with All the Pretty Horses if you haven't read it yet. On the theology side, I'll give Wayne Martindale's Beyond the Shadowlands the nod, mostly because of his excellent track record.
Of course, my recommendations aren't very authoritative because I'm only slightly acquainted with several of these authors. Anyone else have a take?
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