Here are some of my favorite books. I used to spend a lot more time reading than I have in recent years, and I've got a lot of books on my shelves that have gone unread for years. But these are some of the books (after The Bible) that I have valued reading most and would recommend to your interest.
Good places to get books on-line:
Since I think reading is a life-long activity, this page isn't finished (and may never be). I plan to add to it regularly. So please stop by again if you like what you see here. Send e-mail if you have any comments. Thanks.
If you liked the game Myst, (and its sequel Riven) and enjoy reading good books, you will definitely want to read the Myst Novels:
Two other interesting fantasy books that I have read are The Book of the Dun Cow (1978) and its sequel The Book of Sorrows, by Walter Wangerin. These books have an "edge" on them, though. They have to do with how hard and a struggle life can be. The triumph of good over evil in these novels is not easy or cheap.
This book is the first in a series, called The Time Quartet, is a wonderfully imaginative story about a rather exceptional family (The Murray's). The other books in this series are A Wind In The Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and Many Waters. I enjoyed reading these books to my kids (who wouldn't let me put them down). A fifth book, An Acceptable Time can also be read as part of this series and is also a very good book. The characters travel through time and space on adventures that give you a sense of the ordinary world as part of a larger (or smaller, as the case may be) reality.
Of course!
This book and The Second Coming are my favorite Walker Percy novels from the five I have read. Others are The Thanatos Syndrome (the sequel to Love in the Ruins), The Last Gentleman (of which The Second Coming is the sequel), and The Moviegoer. It's hard to explain why I liked these novels. They aren't about good times and don't have particularly happy endings. They tend to echo the disillusionment with modern life that many people feel. They have a way of exposing man's inability to solve, or escape, his own social problems. Yet there is humor mixed in and sense that we are not without hope.
P. D. James is a great mystery writer. I haven't had the opportunity to read any of her other books, but I understand that this one is a bit different from the others. This is a futuristic novel (set in the year 2021) about a time when all men have become sterile and the human race is in its last generation on earth. The story is a very good picture of what people may become in that situation. Although this might seem like a grim scenario, the story has a very hopeful ending.
I haven't read The Brothers Karamazov yet so, for now, this stands as my favorite by Dostoyevsky. I have only The Idiot to compare it with, so I have much reading of his work yet to do. I look forward to it. I enjoy reading Dostoyevsky not only for the themes of his novels, but for the way he allows you to get inside the heads of his characters. They are rich in psychological detail and depth.
The major theme of Crime and Punishment is resurrection, drawing on the biblical narrative of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Resurrection has become a popular theme for me recently. (The only Leo Tolstoy novel I've read so far is Resurrection. I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as this book.) Here the main character, Raskolnikov, becomes an axe murderer when he lives out the consequences of his here-to-fore academic belief that some human lives are worth more than others and that one can have a moral indifference about killing those whose lives seem pointless in order to gain whatever one needs to carry out his own desires in life. This isn't a horror story (except, perhaps, in the sense of the horror of certain ideas) filled with violence and gore. It's a story of how even such a man, fallen so low, can be restored, morally and spiritually, by the grace of God. Dostoyevsky's skill in writing is such that you, the reader, get to feel what it is like to be Raskolnikov. This is a valuable experience because, whether we are axe murderers or not, we all are in need of resurrection.
I read this one in late 1999. My daughter had it as a reading assignment in her humanities class, so I decided to read it too. I'm glad I did. I also found resurrection themes in this novel. Not only in the way Dr. Manette was "recalled to life" but also in that his son-in-law, Charles Darnay, was saved by the sacrificial act of his (unknown to him) father taking his place under the guillotine. The example of Darnay's father (known as Sidney Carton) throughout the story, showed how even a thoroughly "wasted" life can be redeemed.
"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the
Lord:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live:
and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die."
John 11:25-26
Yes, I have read all three volumes (over 1800 pages) of the unabridged edition. The book makes difficult reading in many places because of its not being organized well (due to the circumstances of its publication) and because it is written for a Russian audience. But there are many great passages to be mined from this book. Reading it will change the way you look at life, how you value your freedom and will deepen your respect for the human spirit.
If you are unwilling to take on the whole book, there is a very good one volume abridgement available (edited by a good friend of Solzhenitsyn). If you have even less time, but still want a small taste, read Solzhenitsyn's short fictional work One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch.
This is probably the best single-volume history of the Civil War available. I enjoyed reading this book very much for the way it presented this fascinating period of American History. It is written in a clearly readable narrative style, but is not superficial. It includes plenty of detail and presents it in a very coherent manner. In spite of what may have been your experience in high school, studying history can be very interesting and rewarding.
I read this book in preparation for a tour of Israel in August 1999. The reading can be difficult and tedious in parts, but I found the subject matter very interesting. It describes a period in the history of the Jews in the Middle East, from the rise of Herod the Great through the war with the Romans and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the fall of Masada in 73 AD. Josephus was writing this history for the education of his Roman benefactors. He was captured during the war and sided with the Romans in their subsequent campaign against Jerusalem. He thought it was foolish to oppose Roman rule, foreseeing the devastation that would result. Consequently the book make the Romans seem more just and fair than the probably were and the rebel factions more cruel and unjust than they might have been. Still it presents a valuable picture of the events that took place in this important time and place in history. The Penguin Classics edition (translated by G. A Williamson) is very readable and contains valuable maps, tables and background material in the appendices.
I grew up watching a lot of television but then, as an adult, lived without a TV for about 20 years. I grudgingly bought one TV (and a VCR) in 1997. I don't like TV on the whole and watch only about 2 or 3 hours of it a week. Neil Postman's book is a very good analysis of television's detrimental effects on its viewers and our society. This isn't so much about the content of TV program (though that is often very bad), but the nature of television as a medium of communication; the subtle way it effects our view of reality, our epistemology. Television is certainly not going to go away. This book is good reading for those who want to put TV in its place and be aware of the problems with seeing too much of the world through a television camera.
Abortion is one of those extremely controversial and complex issues that divide people. It's difficult to find reasonable discussion of the issue on any side. Back in the mid to late 1980's I involved myself heavily in discussions on the internet (in what is now the talk.abortion newsgroup) with all kinds of people on this topic. I debated back and forth with so many people for so long that, after a few years, I thought I had all the arguments (pro and con) memorized. I read a great deal on the subject. The issue was (and still is) important to me because it lies at the root of our society's values concerning human life and dignity. I think it's important to have a well informed and thought out position on issues like abortion. I think I'm drawn to some controverial issues like this because of the way they test the limits and consistency of a person's worldview. Trying to form as comprehensive a worldview as possible has been my avocation for a long time. I'm still a believer in Truth and that it ought to be pursued passionately. With the abortion issue, that pursuit still leaves me solidly on the 'pro-life' side (though I often disagree with many things that people who wear that label do and say). Rachel Weeping has always stood out among the books I have read as the best general argument against the current license for abortion on demand in our society.
One of the most helpful books in this category that I have read is Man's Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy, by Viktor Frankl. This book was very helpful when I was in the thick of a very difficult struggle with depression a few years back. When, and if, I'm ever in serious need of a psychologist, I would like to see one who practices logotherapy (preferably a Christian). Viktor Frankl was a Jew and a survivor of the Nazi Holocaust. The first part of the book gives a brief account of his experiences in a concentration camp. If you've read Elie Wiesel's book Night, you will get a surprisingly different perspective from Frankl's account and the conclusions he draws from his experience:
If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death. Without suffering and death human life cannot be complete. (p. 76)The second part of the book is an introduction to logotherapy, the school of psychology developed by Dr. Frankl. Before reading this book, I had become convinced that the whole field and practice of psychology hadn't much to offer me personally in the way of help for discerning meaning in my life or dealing with its struggles. This book changed that; at least with respect to logotherapy. Unfortunately, this method does not seem to have had a big influence on the field of psychology at a whole. Some more of my favorite quotes from the book:
This emphasis on responsibleness is reflected in the categorical imperative of logotherapy, which is: "Live as if you were living already for the second time and as if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now!" It seems to me that there is nothing which would stimulate a man's sense of responsibleness more than this maxim, which invites him to imagine first that the present is past and, second, that the past may yet be changed and amended. Such a precept confronts him with life's finiteness as well as the finality of what he makes out of both his life and himself. (p. 114)
It is one of the basic tenets of logotherapy that man's main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. (p. 117)
Those things which seem to take meaning away from human life include not only suffering but dying as well. I never tire of saying that the only really transitory aspects of life are the potentialities; but as soon as they are actualized, they are rendered realities at that very moment; they are saved and delivered into the past, wherein they are rescued and preserved from transitoriness. For, in the past, nothing is irretrievably lost but everything is irrevocably stored. (pp. 123-4)
... it is a characteristic of the American culture that, again and again, one is commanded and ordered to "be happy". But happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue. One must have a reason to "be happy". Once the reason is found, however, one becomes happy automatically. (p. 140)These quotes were taken from the fourth edition, published by Beacon Press (1992). Here is an interesting interview with Dr. Frankl published in April 1995 issue of First Things.
I hesitated to list this book here. I'm not very keen on popular psychology and self-help books. But it was interesting to find book written about a character of people into which I fit very well. I never knew there was such a group before.
I've found some things in this book that don't fit me specifically (and a few things I don't like), but I score very high on the self-test on page xvii and many parts of the book describe my personality very well. The book goes a long way in helping the reader understand what makes sensitive people tick and in dispelling the negative stereotypes of "shy" or "introverted" people. If you are an "HSP", the book will help you live with yourself, understand your limitations and value your uncommon abilities. If you're not the sensitive type, you may find in this book a tremendous help in understanding such people.
Not all of the book was helpful for me. The first two chapters, describing the trait of an HSP, were very interesting and convinced me that I belong in this category of personality. Chapters three and four, however, did not interest me very much. The idea of managing the reactions of one's body to worldly stimuli as if you were caring for an infant seems a bit strained to me. I also have no desire to "reparent myself". Thankfully, my own parents did a good enough job of that the first time. I don't want to spend a large part of my life trying to repair any mistakes that may have been made back there. I've found God to be a good father to me now, and I have two great kids on which I want to spend all of my fathering energies.
Chapter six, on "Thriving at Work", was probably the most helpful since I have a strong desire to do creative, meaningful and productive work. Yet it's also the place where most conflicts arise. When I read the page of "Tips for Employers of Highly Sensitive People" at the end of the book, it seemed to describe the ideal work environment for me.
The chapter on medications (nine) was interesting for the insight it gave on how antidepressants work. I have no experience with such drugs and I am now more certain that I want none. I think Dr. Aron's perspective on their use as a last resort or short-term measure is very sensible.
I was also very interested in the last chapter on spirituality, but found it disappointing for its lack of depth. Its main observation is that HSPs tend to place more importance on spirituality than others, but we're a mixed bag when it comes to the forms that takes (as would be expected). Dr. Aron is a Jungian Psychologist and spirituality is taken seriously by that discipline. Yet the things I have heard and read about the nature and practice of Jung's spirituality greatly disturb me. Not that Dr. Aron is advocating a particular form of spirituality. In line with the opinion of most of her profession, hers seems to be that anything that helps is good.
If you have read this book and would like to discuss it with others, there is an HSP Mailing List that you can join.
This is really a biography of Jesus Christ which presents Him in the light that I see Him and wish to know and follow Him. Philip Yancey is one of my favorite contemporary writers. Everything I have read of his has been well worth the reading.
Years ago, when I used to spend a lot of time on the internet newsgroups and computer bulletin boards, I would get into plenty of discussions about the main reason I find atheism (or modern secularism, if you prefer) to be an untenable worldview: I think it leaves us without an adequate basis for morality; any morality. I've saved some of those writings an may put them up elsewhere on this web site someday. But Philip Yancey has done me the great favor of writing his own essay on the topic for Books and Culture. I'm sure he got many of his ideas from me (ha!): "Nietzsche Was Right" (part 1) and "Dark Nature" (part 2).
This is a book that I would put next to Philip Yancey's The Jesus I Never Knew. It is the most helpful and honest book I've read in "The Search for a Personal Relationship with God" (the book's subtitle). So many books on this subject merely scratch the surface or amount to books on "knowing about God". This one deals honestly with the doubts and uncertainty we struggle with in our efforts to know God for ourselves, but doesn't leave you in the dark and on your own either. I know there have been two editions of this book published. I have the first edition (1986). I'm not sure if the book is still in print.
I've always been a reflective sort of person. This is especially true when it comes to the "big questions" having to do with why we are here on this earth and what it all (life) really means. This book is for Christians who can't help inquiring about their own beliefs and who wrestle with doubt and uncertainty, but who also see the need for a strong commitment to the Faith. It's for those who see closed-minded skepticism and unexamined belief as equally undesirable alternatives. (Not that there is any interest in finding a balance between these two extremes, but rather a desire to transcend them.) One of the most helpful insights in the book is the idea that commitment (in faith) need not depend on certainty in knowledge.
There is no more spurious use of reason than to suggest that reason demonstrates that faith in God is irrational. It simply is not so, and anyone who argues such does not understand the nature of reason or faith. They are also wrong, however, who claim that reason and evidence prove the existence of God. God is not reducible to proof and only our weakness makes us wish it were so. (p. 70)
Ironically, the insistence on certainty destroys its very possibility. The demand for certainty inevitably creates its opposite--doubt. Doubt derives its greatest strength from those who fear it most. Unwisely glorified as the primary way to truth by many secularists, it is equally unwisely feared by many in Christendom as truth's mortal enemy. (p. 80)
While certainty is beyond our reach, meaning--something far more valuable--is not. Meaning derives from a right relationship with God, based not on certainty and conformity, but on risk and commitment. (p. 94)The book is sprinkled with fictional interludes that dramatize familiar situations which illustrate the author's points. This short book makes very interesting and thought-provoking reading. I found it invaluable. I hope you can find it in print.
Another book by Daniel Taylor that I like very much is Letters to My Children: A Father Passes On His Values. I would very much like my kids to read this book, since I share these values. I would like to write my own letters like this to my kids, but I haven't yet (at least not directly).
Here is an interesting article by Daniel Taylor from Christianity Today on tolerance: Are you tolerant? (Should you be?) Deconstructing the gospel of tolerance.
This book contains some very good insights for Christians dealing with pluralism (the predominance of many differing belief systems--religious or not) in our society.
"Reason and Mystery as Pointers to God". I found this to be one of the most helpful short books (only 140 pages) on the reasonableness of the Christian Faith. Evans is a very clear thinker and writer.
Here is an interesting article by Evans on the "historical Jesus" entitled Can the New Jesus Save Us?
This is an excellent study of the role that religion has played in American public life from the founding of the USA until the mid 1980's. This is indispensable reading for understanding the current issues of the relationship of religion to politics and human values, the intent of the Founders with respect to religion, the interpretation of the First Amendment and the "Separation of Church and State".
A very good introduction to that branch of philosophy concered with "how we know what we know", from a Christian viewpoint. Part of a series called Contours of Christian Philosophy edited by C. Stephen Evans. William Hasker's book (in this series), Metaphysics: Constructing a World View is also very good. These are well written introductory level texts. Very readable, if you are interested in the subjects. I haven't gotten around yet to reading the other volumes in the series on ethics and the philosophies of religion, science, and education.
This is one of the most helpful books I've read on the development of Christian character. I found its insights on death and the Christian belief in eternal life especially valuable. This book first got me thinking about the idea that maybe death isn't a topic that we ought to avoid in our thinking, or just plan for as the inevitable fact of our life's ending someday. Our attitude toward death has tremendous implications for how we should live. Some important use must be made of the fact that we are going to die. Roberts also has some very valuable insights into the virtues of humility, gratitude, hope and compassion.
Professor Roberts has also written another very good book called Taking the Word to Heart: Self and Other in and Age of Therapies where he examines some the more influential schools of psychotherapy (Carl Rogers, Albert Ellis, "assertiveness", Carl Jung, Heinz Kohut) in light of Christianity. (I wish he had had something to say about Viktor Frankl and logotherapy.) He then goes on to give some very thoughtful insight of his own into Christian personality and relationships.
This little book challenges some commonly held ideas of what God is like and helps open the doors of our minds for a more expansive view. Many of us think and act like we've got this God thing all figured out; whether we dismiss Him as irrelevant or non-existent, see Him as an enemy or, perhaps, too much of an ally. This book could be the beginning of the end to your "safe" or sorry ideas about God.
This book is a classic study of Jesus' teaching and training of his disciples. When I first read it, I was fascinated by the light it shed on my reading of the Gospels. It is very valuable reading for any Christian who serves in any form of leadership capacity or anyone seeking to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
This book and its sequel, Under the Mercy, have been very important to me. A Severe Mercy is a story of a love shared by Vanauken and his wife, Jean Davis ("Davy"). Many who have read this book have seen their marriage as an ideal of what love between a husband and wife should be. I could share this view with the reservation that the ideal is limited as an example for couples who have children (since they had none). It is also a story of their journey to faith in God and through hardship and grief when Davy dies, leaving Vanauken behind. If anyone has had to struggle with broken dreams, Sheldon Vanauken has.
Under the Mercy fills in more of the details of Vanauken's life and thought. As one friend of his said of the book, "it has something to offend everyone". I'll admit that I wasn't offended by much of it. I found the chapter on "The Loves" to be an indispensable help at one point in my life.
Sheldon Vanauken died on 28 October 1996.
A very good biography of C. S. Lewis whose writings are very important to me. (See below.)
C. S. Lewis deserves a category of his own. I've read many of his works; not quite all yet. Mr. Lewis' writings have been a great source of enjoyment, inspiration, and stimulation to me. Here are some interesting links to learn more about Lewis and his writing:
Here are links to some of my favorite periodical literature: