Tim Challies is having another book giveaway. First prize this time is 40 copies of “The Truth of the Cross,” by R.C. Sproul and one copy of “Jesus the Evangelist” by Richard Phillips.
Jim Toms won first prize in the last contest that Challies did (through a link that I provided — I still think I should get some kind of commission), so let’s make it two in a row. Enter the drawing here.
Albert Mohler has posted some thoughts on the reading of books. Good stuff here.
How do you approach your reading? Do you have any kind of system or routine?
I probably need to be more systematic in my reading, because most of the time there’s no rhyme or reason to it. I typically read what I’m in the mood to read.
I just finished “While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within,” by Bruce Bawer. I highly recommend it, but it’ll scare the snot out of you. He shows how many European countries are so sold out to political correctness and so intimidated by Muslims that they’re allowing radical Muslims to take over their countries. It’s too bad Europe didn’t learn anything from World War II.
I’m getting ready to start Tony Dungy’s book and Steve Weaver’s new book on Hercules Collins.
Tim Challies is sponsoring a book giveaway contest. First prize is all six available volumes of the Reformed Expository Commentary series. Second prize is any three volumes from the series, and third prize is one volume from the series. Go and enter.
A new survey shows that one out of four adults didn’t read a single book last year.
From Honey for a Child’s Heart, by Gladys Hunt:
What do books bring a child? A recap is in order: a big world with all its possibilities — people to know and understand, places to imagine, eyes to see beyond the obvious, words to stretch the mind and heart, and a lasting stewardship of language used in the right way.
A new book about Hercules Collins — “Devoted to the Service of the Temple: Piety, Persecution, and Ministry in the Writings of Hercules Collins” — co-edited by Steve Weaver and Michael Haykin — is now available.
Here’s a brief description:
While largely forgotten in modern times, Hercules Collins (1646/7-1702) was highly influential among the late 17th and early 18th century Calvinistic Baptists of London. Through a biographical sketch and 35 sample selections collected from Collins’s writings, Michael A. G. Haykin and Steve Weaver introduce us to the vibrant spirituality of this colossal figure.
I don’t know much about Collins, but I do know about the book’s authors and am looking forward to finding out more about Collins. I’ve already ordered my copy of the book, and I hope you’ll do so as well. Buy it here.
A story in today’s New York Times examines the increasingly popular practice of listening to books — and how many book-club types consider that to be “cheating.”
Because audio enthusiasts generally listen aloud in a private space like their cars or with headphones, they are spared having to publicly defend the format. When they join reading groups, however, they enter what can be enemy territory, where dyed-in-the-wool bibliophiles want to hear nothing of a book but the crack of its spine.
Dain Frisby-Dart, 40, an avid audio book listener from Trempealeau, Wis., told her book group a few years ago that she was listening to the current selection. One of the members, a man in his 70s, reacted as if she had been reading CliffsNotes.
“He said, ‘It doesn’t count if you listened to it. That’s cheating,’ ” Ms. Frisby-Dart said. “I was so floored by the comment that I just kind of laughed it off.”
Christianity Today’s Ted Olsen takes exception to the snobbery and leaps to the defense of audiobooks. He makes a great point:
But really, if you’re going to mock someone in your group for being lowbrow because they listened to He’s Just Not That Into You rather than read a paper copy, you might want to check your irony detector.
Matthew Hall also addresses the topic.
I’ve gotten into the practice of doing these “recommend a book” posts every three months or so, and have found them immensely helpful. It’s time for another one.
I read Voddie Baucham’s “Family Driven Faith” and thought it was excellent. Read Ray Van Neste’s review of it here. It’s a quick read, and you can finish it in two or three days.
I also recently finished “How Now Shall We Live?” by Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey, and am just about done with Pearcey’s “Total Truth.” I’d classify this duo of books as revolutionary to my thinking about Christianity and worldview issues. Unlike the Baucham book, however, these are going to take a much larger time commitment — but it will be time well spent.
I just ordered “While Europe Slept,” by Bruce Bawer — one that I’ve been planning to read for a few months. I’m expecting good things from it.
So, what book or books have you read in recent weeks that you’d recommend to others? Or, maybe you’ve read one that you’d encourage us to avoid. Here’s your chance.
Tim Challies reviews “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins.
Desiring God is holding a book sale today and tomorrow. All books for $5. Here’s a chance to stock up on some great titles by John Piper.
From my perspective, it seems that financial guru Dave Ramsey has an almost cult-like following among a lot of people. I’ve known about Ramsey for a long time, but it wasn’t until a few weeks ago on a trip to Louisiana that I actually had a chance to listen to his radio program.
A couple of weeks ago on my trip to San Antonio, I was able to listen to some of his program again.
From my limited exposure to Ramsey, I considered his financial advice to be pretty un-revolutionary. That’s not a knock on him, just an observation that he’s not promoting any concepts that blew me away. He preaches the wisdom of getting out of debt, of building an emergency fund, of preparing for retirement, etc. – pretty much, the kind of stuff that anyone ought to know about. Of course, from listening to some of the callers on his radio program, it became apparent that there are a lot of clueless people when it comes to financial matters.
“Hi Dave, do I have enough money to buy a new motorcycle? I’m bringing home $22,000 a year and have eight kids.”
I never cease to be amazed at how people insist in living beyond their means. They rack up thousands of dollars in credit card debt, drive fancy cars, buy houses they can’t afford – and wonder why it is they are in such dire financial straits. Gee, I wonder.
This weekend, while I was visiting my parents, I read through Ramsey’s book, “The Total Money Makeover.” It’s pretty much a rehash of what he talks about on his radio program (so save your money on the book, listen to his show a couple of times, and you’ll get the gist of it).
There’s certainly some biblical wisdom here. He discusses the folly of pleasing men and “keeping up with the Joneses,” because the Joneses, most likely, are head over heels in debt. He talks about the importance of living modestly. He deals with some common myths that keep people in debt.
If you’ve ever started a book and know from the outset that it’s going to be exceptional, you know what my thoughts are about the new John Newton biography from Jonathan Aitken, “John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace.”
I’m only about 60 pages into the book. Although it’s possible I’ll end up being disappointed with it, I highly doubt that, based upon what I’ve read so far. It’s one of those books that I can’t wait to pick up and continue reading.
Of course, given the compelling subject of John Newton, it’d be hard to write an uninteresting book.
I may have more to say about it after I finish reading it, but I wanted to go ahead and put in my plug. If you’re not familiar with Newton (author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”), he was a slave ship captain who was miraculously converted. God certainly saved a wretch like him. He became an influential pastor in London and was instrumental in the life of William Wilberforce — and thus, instrumental in the abolitionist movement.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming and soulwarming biography to devour this summer, I highly recommend this one to you.
Looks like Rosie O’Donnell will release a book later this year, called “Celebrity Detox.”
I wondered if we could come up with some better names. How about “Fingernails on a Chalkboard: The Story of Rosie O’Donnell”?
Have at it.
If you’re looking for a great resource for your kids that provides an overview of the entire Bible, this is it. The Big Picture Story Bible tells just that — the big picture. It addresses the themes of creation, fall and redemption in a clear, simple way. Lots of big pictures make it especially appealing for small children.
It’s a big book, at about 450 pages, divided into 26 chapters. It’s no problem getting through one chapter in just a few minutes, and it wasn’t unusual for us to read two or three chapters at at time. I’ve gone through this Bible with Daniel twice, and it only took us about 10 days or two weeks to complete it each time.
If you’re looking for a resource that provides details about some well-known Bible stories, this isn’t it. But if you’d like to help your children understand the main themes of the Bible and provide them with an excellent overview of Scripture, look no further.
Albert Mohler has written about a new book hitting the United States this year, “The Dangerous Book for Boys.”
The book instantly recalls the great Victorian era of books for boys — books about boy heroes, adventurers, soldiers, and naturalists. …
This book will tell a boy how to read cloud formations, make a battery, make a periscope, and construct “the greatest paper airplane in the world.” Boys are told of the essential gear of boyhood — including Band-aids. Young adventurers will also learn of famous battles, the history of artillery, and how to understand girls.
On the subject of girls the authors warn that young females are likely to be “unimpressed by your mastery of a game involving wizards, or your understanding of Morse Code.” Boys are also soberly warned that girls, as a general rule, “do not get quite as excited by the use of urine as a secret ink as boys do.” This is important to know.
Of course, some raging feminists are all hacked off by the book, as you can see if you read some of the reviews on Amazon.
After reading Mohler’s post, I stopped by Books-a-Million over the weekend to check it out. I was impressed with the book, and plan to purchase it for my son in the near future.
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