I like reading. Here’s what i read last year. No repeats. Did i like it? Yup. The reading, i mean. Didn’t like all the books. This was the year of fiction- shorts and classics- for me. I hadn’t read this much fiction for a long time. The non-fiction, of which there is considerably less, is at the end.
A Study in Scarlett, The Hound of the Baskervilles, all the Sherlock Holmes shorts, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle- I read all of them. They’re classics for a reason- absolutely spectacular reading, although i sometimes felt jipped on the mystery portion. Some say to read Hound of the Baskervilles first. I think i’d lean toward A Study in Scarlet first, and read Hound last.
Father Brown- all of them, G.K. Chesterton- My friend Andrew kept bothering me to read Chesteron, so i read the fiction stuff, since i don’t like his brand of theology so much. Father Brown is my hero, now. Such good writing makes up for Chesterton’s terrible plots. Andrew rolls his eyes at fiction.
The Man Who was Thursday, G.K. Chesterton- I ask, “Was Comrade Conrad a complete rip-off of this story?” Yup. This book was good until the last part- he lost me at the duel and I have no clue what the apocalypse at the end was supposed to be about. He’s a great writer, I’ll give him that. But for the record, Comrade Conrad had a better ending. ‘Cause there’s a record.
The Man Who Knew Too Much, G.K. Chesterton- Overall, these were even better than Father Brown and Sherlock. There were just so few of them. I wanted to keep reading.
Casino Royale & Live and Let Die, Sir Ian Fleming- These books are the real deal and make you wonder who that guy in the movies is supposed to be. Thank goodness for Daniel Craig and Marc Forster.
The Mysterious Flame of Queen Leona, Umberto Eco- This wasn’t his best idea ever, but you can tell he’s at the top of his game when it’s comes to story telling, regardless of the story he’s telling. Sadly, he has said this was his last novel.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne- Again, there’s a reason they’re called classics. A little tedious at certain points, but overall a great story. I came away feeling like i had read a classic.
Riki-Tiki-Tavi, Rudyard Kipling- Stuck on my short fiction phase, i had to read this again. This could be the best short story i’ve ever read- repeatedly.
The Princess and the Goblin, George MacDonald- our master, George, tells the best stories.
The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Emmuska Orczy- Isn’t “orcsey” what Gollum called the goblins? Such a good book, whether you know the secret of the Pimpernel or not, makes little difference. I don’t recall the usual “boring parts” that come with classics. Prob because i was constantly looking for clues in the mundane… which there were. Clues, i mean.
Blood of Angels & The Last Goodbye, Reed Arvin- Reed wrote 3 legal thrillers. I read two. Better than Grisham? Yup. Plus, he’s one of the funniest men in Nashville. Which you wouldn’t know from the books. They’re serious. Books.
Non-Fiction:
Mary Magdalene, Bruce Chilton- Bruce has become something of a hero to me. Whether you like his conclusions or not, he gets props for learning five new languages and translating his own bible for study purposes. Everytime i want to disagree with him, a little voice says, “Have you actually studied this?” and i shut my mouth.
Made to Stick, Chip Heath & Dan Heath- Two brothers tackle organized crime in the big city- sorry. Two brothers write a book about communication. It sticks. I think this is seminal stuff. In the same way John Maxwell helped me realise everyone is a leader, the Heaths help me see that everyone is a communicator.
Seeds of Contemplation, Thomas Merton- This is one of those books that you can read one paragraph, section or chapter at a time- over and over- and you can almost feel it changing you. I would read the same chapter for two and three weeks straight just to let it take hold.
The Difference Maker, John Maxwell- This book made me sit up straight and pay attention. I now read a chapter everyday to improve my mental posture.
Up the Middle (working title), Matt Keller- Matt retells the story of the first five years of Next Level Church for the benefit of church planters, drawing lessons from each of the stages of growth. Its the book he wishes he had back then. Supposed to be released this year.
**Giraffes? Giraffes!, Dave Eggers (as Dr. & Mr. Doris Haggis-on-Whey)- When i watched “A Mighty Wind” for the first time, I silently laughed thru the whole movie- a constant, uncontrollable shaking. When I read Giraffes, I nearly passed out from laughing so hard. I seriously had to put it down just to compose myself. It’s the most beautiful book i have ever read- i haven’t been able to finish it yet because i can’t breathe. I can’t even think about the sequels.
Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham, et al.- Saw this book years ago and felt like it was “just part of that over-done strengths stream”, but it turns out, it was actually very good and i should have read it when it first caught my eye. Deserves more of a plug than this! HT: NLC Team
Leadership and Self-Deception, Arbinger Institute- Such an unbelievable book. Its like getting punched in the gut… in a good way. Pairs well with Brennan Manning’s The Importance of Being Foolish.
Teacher Man, Frank McCourt- This is supposed to be about teaching and teachers love it- but i think its more about being Irish. Frank is unlike any other writer- except maybe Chuck. If you haven’t read his others, ‘Tis or Angela’s Ashes, we may have to fight.
There were more. Will add later.
