Below are a list of books I’ve read over the years dealing with various topics and themes. Some are fictional. A few are somewhat fictional and are lacking in the fiction altogether. Pull up a chair and read a bit. I’ll go get the tea…
The Bible
First and foremost in this list: the Holy Scriptures – both Hebrew and Greek. Depending on my intent at the time of reading (deep study, lesson prep, relational), I will use various translations as many tend to. However, there are more translations of the scriptures than I have hair on my head these days. That said, I will commonly use the following versions and tools due to their proven longevity (stability), their closer ties with the root language and their lack of backwards cultural politics found in today’s supposed advanced world:
- King James Version
- Amplified Bible
- New King James Version
- Strong’s Concordance
With regards to Bible commentaries, I generally tend to stay away from them as a rule. A commentary is, basically, a fancy word for opinion. Whereas I enjoy dialogue and hearing various aligning or opposing opinions, I tend to enjoy a clean line between the scriptures and opinion.
That said, I would like to recommend a Bible commentary from a well known and very well read author and radio host, Dennis Prager. He has completed a full commentary on the first two books of the Bible, Genesis and Exodus, and he intents to complete the remaining three books of the Torah.
Though I don’t agree with him on every point, a perfectly normal expectation, I’ve found his insights very thought provoking. With the Church abandoning and even burying its connection to Judaism over the centuries, I’ve found it very refreshing to hear it from the culture who received it first. This is especially true from someone like Dennis who is open to hear and entertain opposing views – a long lost art today.
Bookstore: pragerstore.com
The Color of Water by James McBride
This was required reading as part of an English class I took in college in ~2004. This is the firsthand account of how James grew up during a time when there was a great deal more race tension in this country than has been stirred up in the last few years. The other half of the book contains the notes, stories and interview questions he sat down and gave to his mother, a Jewish woman who fell in love with an African American man at possibly the worst time possible in this country, the 40s and 50s. The construction or arrangement of their overlapping stories is also very unique. They alternate chapters. James will share from his life and perspective in chapter three and his mother will start chapter four where she left off in chapter two. I found it to be quite clever and a really good read.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
This is a classic book I loved as a child. In fact, I plan to begin reading this story, one chapter per night, to my sons.
In the most brief fashion, I found this story to be one of struggling for self-worth by a small pig, of all things. As his tale unfolds, we see him trying to find it by proxy of external and even public opinion. It’s a tale of conflict, loss, overcoming and the constant ebb and flow of life on small farm.
Why Churches Die by Mac Burnson & Ergun Caner
Despite the overly gruesome main title, the sub-title it was actually got my attention in the book store: Diagnosing Lethal Poisons in the Body of Christ. For many reasons, this idea of seeing the church as a living body just like the scriptures describe it resonated with me greatly.
One the main topics discussed still capturing my heart to day is the lack of vision, a type of spiritual and emotional myopia, our fellowships and parishes deal with. The Spirit warns us all…Without vision (a practical and experiential encounter with divine revelation) the people will throw up their hands and live however they FEEL. It’s a great read from two Pastors in the trenches.
The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn
Though this book is entirely a book of fictional characters and events, some of the correlations made by the author I found to be very thought provoking. And this is the fundamental job of any author – keep your audience both interested and, if possible, thinking about what they’ve read after the book is back on the table.
As with many books I ingest these says, I selected the audiobook version read by the author himself. In the opening chapter, it was a little confusing to determine which characters were talk due to the type of dialog, but he did a good job overall.
In various Christian and some Hebraic circles, there are debates as to whether the story behind the fiction carries any weight into the real world, but, like so many things, such discussions are best had initially between an individual whose knees are planted firmly on the ground (not making minor nor grandiose assumptions) and G-d Himself.
Pillars of Reality Series by Jack Campbell
Once again, I do prefer the audiobook version as narrated by MacLeod Andrews. The voice acting work on this six book series is quite good.
This sci-fi series takes place in a world where there are three major groups vying for survival on the world of Demater:
- Mechanics Guild: A group who maliciously controls virtually all technology beyond that of a shovel with an iron fist. They deny the abilities of the Mage guild and look on Commons as fodder and make shift servants for any need.
- Mage Guild: A group of emotionless and brutal people with special gifts of focus that often leaves people either running or in awe. They look upon the world as an illusion and with pitiless contempt, care nothing for the empty shadows of the people around them.
- Commons: A repressed group of merchants, soldiers, politicans, craftsmen and the group that basically encompasses the other 90% of the population on the planet.
The story deals with a mighty storm threatens to engulf the entire planet and wipe out all life while two VERY unlikely people come together in an attempt to rally even the dead in an attempt. While probably age targeted to those in the early twenties, it’s an amazing story that offers some interesting opportunities for internal reflection.
Golden Nuggets for Longevity by Ed Dufrense
This is a short read that G-d directed me to from a wonderful minister I was encouraged to glean as much as I could from. This unique book talks about many things that pertain to the Spirit and how to thrive in the arena of faith beyond a religious church experience.
I will commonly require that any person I am directly discipling or teaching read this book as a basic platform in Applied (living) Theology.
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R Tolkien
The Hobbit was required reading when I was a high school student in the late 90s, but it would be some years later before I encountered this amazing trilogy via an audiobook set a friend let me borrow. My favorite edition was narrated by Robert Inglis.
As with most all stories, the books are better than the movie. Nothing on the silver screen can compare with the flare of human imagination. My favorite character has to be Tom Bombadil. The best part of this series is the deliberate lack of predisposed meaning on behalf of the author. He wrote his books as fictional history and not in the more common allegorical style.
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
I came across this book recently and it has become one of the best reads of my life. I purchased the audiobook version and was very pleased to do so. Their material is amazing, challenging and very gut checking. The two authors are both former Navy Seal officers and have taken the lessons learn in Ramadi, Iraq and have brought it back to us in a means that applicable to every area of life. The core material circles around taking personal, exceptional and unapologetic ownership of everything in your individual life.
It’s sounds very intellectually simple…Almost to the degree of, “Duh.” Even so, I found this material deliberately challenges our preconceptions, assumptions and take a sledge hammer to personal deflections. Stop thinking, compartmentalized intellectual, and start thriving outside of your safe space!
The two authors have also taken the time to found a training organization called Echelon Front. I hope you’ll take the challenge to really look at how and why you lead the way you do. If you do, this book is an amazing resource. Like it or not, we’re all leading someone.
Here’s a video their group made that encompasses this notion quite well: It’s Not What You Preach
The Lost Fleet – Series (2006-2010) by Jack Campbell
As with many books, I opt’d for the audiobook narrated by Christian Rummel. The performance was well executed as a solid match for the story line.
The story takes place in the far and distant future where humanity has stretched out into the cosmos many hundreds of light years and where Earth is largely abandoned apart from tourists who make an occasional pilgrimage.
For over one hundred years, two separate human factions had been at war. The story outlines an unexpected hero out of time who comes back into a culture in need of remembering the old paths in the midst of trial.
It’s an amazing story with very mild language despite the context. There are a few moments of a romantic nature, but written in such a way as to not go into erotic detail. I was honestly surprised as I held my finger over the stop button on my phone. Most media presented today seems to be racing to be the most extreme of exposure to capture attention. This was a refreshing surprise.
I couldn’t stop listening! I went for an evening drive to get out of the house while listening to part of book two. I got back home around 9:30pm, but couldn’t stop listening. At 1:30am, I decided to finally get out of the car and go to bed.