Surprised by Re-Reading

I rarely re-read books. In general I try to power through whatever is in hand  (except for the Bible, of course) and move on to something new. But I noticed this year that I had re-read a number of books, and many of them have had a significant influence on my life over the years.

Surprised by Joy by C. S. Lewis - I remember the spot where I was sitting in the hotel lobby when I closed the cover on this book, New Year's even of 1999, (y2k anyone?) and just sat in wonder at God's unique work in Lewis' life. It brought great comfort to realize God had wired him for a specific purpose, and to know God had done the same for me. Picked it up again this year for a piece I was writing for the forth-coming Passport2Identity. Tried skimming through it to find a specific passage, but ended up not being able to put it down. Yes it slowed down the writing, but the re-reading was a great delight.

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry -  I want to be like Jayber in so many ways when I grow up. You should read this to learn about selfless love, connections to a place and a people, and a vision of community. I tossed the audio book in the car this summer. Often lingered in the parking lot before entering the office as a result.

What are People for? Re-read this last year for at least the 4th time. Can't get enough Wendell Berry. A good reminder that people are more important than institutions.

Fahrenheit 451 - For many years it was hard for me to consider reading this book again. It made me rather uncomfortable. but this book also caused me to fall more in love with books and ideas and the preservation of thought. I will likely re-read it annually (though when I've said this before I've not followed through...)

A Brief History of Thought by Luc Ferry- Read this at the recommendation of a friend who quoted Keller saying this was the most important book on culture one could read. Re-read it and discussed it with a group of bros on my back porch a few nights this fall.

The Story of Christianity Church History volumes - read both of these in seminary. Re-read them this year with a group of guys at the office. Most stuck with it. All agreed that the books are tremendous. A recent quote by Churchill reminded me of the importance of reading church history: "The farther one looks into the past, the more distant one can see into the future."

How Should We Then Live by Francis Schaeffer - I've read this once on my own and discussed at least two times with others. Now gearing up to work through it this spring with a group of guys at the office. A great overview of the history of western thought and the influences that have shaped the way we think today.

My Reading Life by Pat Conroy- Wow. What a book. Read through it a couple of years ago, and listened through it this year, some parts twice. Inspired me to read Gone With the Wind, which was better than I imagined, but not nearly as epic to me as it was to Pat Conroy's mother. His chapter on the bookstore in Atlanta made me long for an experience like that. His chapter on the influence of his english teacher made me want to quit everything and teach english. I've got a work by Thomas Wolfe on my nightstand because of him. His chapter on writing in Paris made me want to write a lot more, though not in Paris. Great writing and story telling.

Top Books of 2015

Some years reading is so-so, just plugging along or not going very deep. This year it seemed there was a greater than average variety of reading and some surprises along the way. Below are my top 9 books of 2015 in no particular order, except the last one was my favorite.

Sea Wolf by Jack London - One of my all time favorite books is Call of Wild, which I probably read the illustrated classic version over 100 times as kid. But I've not read much else by London and hardly any as an adult. Recently Ryan Holiday recommended Sea Wolf, so I picked it up, and I'm glad I did. Not only is it a fun read, but it's surprisingly thoughtful. The development of the two main characters and the criss-crossing arc of their character is both mesmerizing and maddening. It felt like a bit of a mash-up of Hemingway (in its bleakness) and Steinbeck (in its action). Definitely worth reading. And I'll for sure be reading more London this year. My daughter began asking me to read it aloud to her at night by the fire. I was so shocked because the language is not kid friendly. She even became very interested in the fate of Mr. Wolf. Go figure.

The Story of Christianity (Vol. 1 & Vol. 2) - These 2 volumes of church history are the best church history books I've read. Discussed them with a group of guys at the office this year and we had a rollicking good time (yes we did). Worth reading. Note that the Kindle version does not have page numbers. (Why oh why amazon can't you figure this out?)

Preaching by Keller - The beauty of this book is that it's not about how to preach, but how to think about communicating with an audience and connecting to their deeper heart issues. Important for every Christian to read if you want to know more about how the world thinks and how to bridge that gap to the message of Christ.

Junius and Albert's Adventure in the Confederacy - Two Union reporters are captured by the Confederacy after a battle on the Mississippi river. The book is the story of their prison stay, escape, and journey back to Union safety. The byline sums it up well, calling it a "Civil War Odyssey." A fascinating story in and of itself, but I also learned much about the war, especially the complexity of the warring allegiances in the southern states, which grew especially complicated in the mountains of Tennessee, where few slaves were owned due to the lack of plantations. So pro Union factions were fighting pro Confederacy groups, both of which were at odds with the "home guard" seeking to protect Tennessee's interests, and throw in fractured groups that just wanted to protect their isolated mountain freedom. Reminded me a bit of the complex political situation that developed in Italy during WWII, which I learned more about through the amazing novel, The Red Horse. If you like Civil War history, Junius and Albert is a great read. If you like WWII history and good literature, The Red Horse is a must read.

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus - A former Muslims describes his journey from the faith of his family to following Christ. It's a powerful illustration of the enduring influence of friendship. It also calls all persons of faith to examine carefully their long held dogma, giving credence to fact over emotion. A great read to learn more about Islam and more about Christianity and the differences between the two.

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up - I've always loved to keep things organized. This book gave more of the why behind the importance of keeping your home tidy. Primarily because of the joy it brings. She gives one very helpful pointer to determine if something is worth keeping or not: ask yourself, "Does this bring me joy?" Great read. Revolutionized my sock and T-shirt drawer. If that doesn't excite you, I don't know what will.

The Happiness of Pursuit - Loved the title. Picked it up because of how much I enjoyed the author's previous book, The Art of Non-Conformity. This book talks about having big goals in life (he traveled to every country in the world over a 10 year span) and how to get there. Also chocked full of stories of people who went after big goals. Conclusion: it's the pursuit of the goal that brings about the most joy and meaning in your life - even more than accomplishing it.

Fahrenheit 451 - One of the more haunting books I read in high school. For years I wouldn't even look at the cover in the bookstore. A book about burning books? Horror. But for some reason I overcame my fear and re-read it this year and I'm so glad I did. So much more depth here than I remembered, as we watch Montag question his occupation and moved by the sacrifices of those that would rather be burned with their books than live life without them. I used to think the book was condemning a society that would ban books. But I now see it was condemning a culture that grows so shallow in its thinking that they demand books be censured. Bradbury was more prophetic on this theme than I ever could have imagine. Here is evidence. (PS - I love the cover on this edition). I had my son read it, and I think I will re-read it every year.

JRR Tolkien bio - Of all the books read this year, this was hands down my favorite. I'll definitely be re-reading this in future years. His story was so incredibly inspiring. Made me want to quit my job and become a professor of middle-earth, I mean middle English. Fascinating person of great depth. My favorite part of the book was when he explained that he had to write LOTR/Hobbit so he could discover the back-story to the languages he had invented. Of course. Who wouldn't. I previously posted my notes from the book here. I picked up a collection of his letters by the same author and hope to read through those this year.

I'll soon publish a list of books I re-read this year. I rarely re-read books, so I was surprised when I looked back over this year's books to discover I had re-read quite a few from previous years. I also noticed that all of these books had significant importance for me. So keep an eye out for that list.

Top Books of 2014

Another annual summary of the top books of the year. This year I had a goal of reading 60 books, but didn't quite make it, instead landing somewhere in the mid 50s. 

Anna Karenina – One of the most revered novels of all time. I was inspired to read it because of Teddy Roosevelt’s interest in the book (There's a story in Edward Murrow’s biography of TR describing how he read the book during a river boat journey while in pursuit of thieves). Definitely worth reading and a great reminder to not let sin grow, but bring it out in the open.

Command and Control – Recounts the many near misses in the atomic weapons program, centering on the tale of a missile silo explosion in Arkansas in the 80s (one of my co-workers lived nearby at the time and remembers feeling the explosion some 30 miles away). Fascinating read. Given all that is covered in this book, It really is amazing that there has not been an accidental explosion of a Nuclear weapon. 

Is God Anti-Gay? by Sam Allberry – Great, great book for putting in the hands of those who question whether one can be both for the preservation of marriage and yet also extend love towards those who would find a homosexual lifestly acceptable biblically. Allberry lays out the biblical case for traditional heterosexual ethic, and does it from his own perspective of being a same-sex attracted man who is fiercly committed to a life of celibacy. I had a chance to interview him last fall for a project we’re working on at FamilyLife and was VERY impressed with his compassionate, humble spirit.

Defiance by Tec – Reading this book was ridiculously inspiring and humbling at the same time. It recounts the brave leadership the Bielski brothers gave to hiding upwards of 1500 Jews from Nazi persecution in the Bellarussian forest. What incredible men! Made me feel very small, and yet emboldened to do brave things. You can watch the movie version of the book by the same name starring Daniel Craig. Very inspiring as well and fairly accurate.

Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards – Wow this book blew my mind. It was much more influential than I could have ever imagined. And I am under no illusion that I even really comprehended the main point of the book. In fact, most of it was very difficult to follow and tedious in its repetiion. But after completing it I was overwhelmed by the complexity of the soul and the various factors that weigh in on every motivation and decision we make. How ‘free’ are we truly? It deepend my trust and faith in God’s sovereign hand to guide me through life. Definitely worth taking the time to read. I read it with a couple of other guys (and was the only one of the three to finish it... and if one of you two are reading this I hope you feel just a twinge of guilt) and it was a great forum for reading and making better sense of it. I think this was honestly one of the most influential books I've read in the last few years in terms of understanding the human soul.

Bomb by J. Shankin – Tells the story of the building of the atomic bomb and also weaves in the espionage efforts by the Russians to steal the key program secrets as they happened. Written for a High School student, but a great read for anyone. Reads like a novel. Enjoyed the audio version during the daily commute.

Pensees by Pascal – one of the most widely read books of all time. Pascal’s theological ponderings are thought provoking and soul enriching. I read this in small daily doses over the course of the year (some of which are posted on this blog) and found that to be a tremendously enriching approach.

Sex, Economy, Freedom & Community by Wendell Berry - Not my favorite of Berry's books, but still good. I think the whole book is worth the essay from which the title is drawn (the last half of the book), as well as the essay on tobacco. 

A Brief History of Thought by Luc Ferry - Started reading this book because of a friend's

recommendation. He had heard Tim Keller say this book was the best single summary of why we think the way we do today. Written by an atheist French philosophy professor, you wouldn't know it (that he's an atheist) till nearly the end of the book, as he treats Christianity pretty fairly, even emphasizing the importance of it in shaping western thought. Readable, interesting, accessible. Need to read it again. If anyone wants to read/discuss, let me know.

Mastery by Robert Greene – Every young man or woman should read this book. It is so good at outlining some of the basic principles that lead to someone becoming a “Master” in their field. In fact, Greene presents these more as laws than principles, showing how they work time and time again, even debunking the belief that only ‘geniuses’ really become masters in their fields. Instead, he seems to make the case that those who work hard to become Masters in their field also become geniuses. Great read, though laced with some evolutionary mumbo-jumbo, but one can sort through that and still benefit greatly from the book. I was put on to Greene by reading some of Ryan Holiday (who reads like crazy and publishes an excellent monthly reading list – sign up for his email here). Ryan points to Greene as his mentor and as the man who taught him everything he knows about his research method. I'd put this book at the top of your reading list for 2015 if you are under 30. If that is you, then don't let the year end without reading it.

Other good books I'm working on right now:

J.R.R. Tolkien Bio by Humphrey Carpenter - wow. what an amazing biography. I love, love, love reading about his life. Most fascinating part about him is learning that he wrote LOTR to make sense of the languages he had created (and not the other way around).

Strange Glory - Another excellent bio on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In some ways I like this better than the one by Metaxas.

"S" by J.J. Abrams and some other guy - fascinating approach to a novel. Amazing design detail. I don't think I've ever seen a book quite like this.

As always you can check my Shelfari feed to see what I’m reading right now. The theme for reading this year will be “Book discussion groups.” Right now I’m reading 5 different books in discussion groups, sometimes only covering a chapter or two a month. They are as follows:

1. Center Church by Tim Keller
2. Instructing a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
3. Lost in the Middle by Paul David Tripp
4. The Story of Christianity Vol. 2 by Justo Gonzalez
5. Slaughter House Five (finished the book but waiting to discuss...)

Discussion groups are a GREAT way to trick yourself