I read pretty aggressively, regularly making my way through over 100 books a year. With that many books in a year, it’s pretty easy to get into a rut when you read that much, always gravitating to the same stuff every time you go to grab a book. Maybe you’re like me; you’re reading regularly, but are in need of some ideas for what to try next.
Throughout 2016, I’ve been sharing what I’m reading each month. I do this because I can’t review everything I read in detail, and because I hope there’s something on the list that you might like to try. In April, my reading was a little lighter than normal. This is, largely, because of my trip to T4G which allowed for very little reading time. Even so, I still managed to read eight different books—including a couple of graphic novels, two more books with my daughter, as well as a few on issues that matter to Christians. Here’s the list:
- Answering Jihad by Nabeel Qureshi
- Star Wars, Vol. 2: Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon by Jason Aaron and Stuart Immonen
- The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
- Star Wars: Vader Down by Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen, Mike Deodato, and Salvador Larocca
- The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
- Family Worship: In the Bible, In History, and In Your Home by Donald S. Whitney
- Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians by J.A. Medders and Brandon D. Smith
The end of the world and a trip into the imagination
April was a big month for Hannah and me. We finished The Last Battle, and she loved it (although she was a little sad because it was all over), and reading it once again reminded me of the hope we have in the new creation. The Phantom Tollbooth came as a recommendation from one gentleman on Twitter, and I’m really glad I took him up on it; it’s a pretty quirky story and we both really enjoyed it. In fact, after we were done, Hannah’s first request was to read it again. (I encouraged her to try the first book of 100 Cupboards, which she’s digging so far.)
A surprisingly solid take on galaxy far, far away
Comic tie-ins to movies are usually… how do I put this delicately? Just the worst. But one of the best comic books I read in 2015 was the first volume of Marvel’s new Star Wars series. The creators have done a great job capturing the tone of the original films, telling stories that actually feel like they have some significance (despite knowing that they have to stay inline with what’s been established on film).
Yes, you really should read about Jihad
Answering Jihad was a book I hadn’t planned on reading, believe it or not. But I’m really glad I did. Nabeel Qureshi does an excellent answering the common questions Westerners have about Islamic beliefs surrounding Jihad, but he does it in an extremely respectful way. This isn’t a book to be used as a weapon against Muslims, but a resource to assist us in having meaningful discussions as we grapple with the reality of religiously motivated terrorism.
Simple, helpful theology and family worship
Revisiting Jerry Bridges’ The Pursuit of Holiness was definitely a good idea for me. Although his writing could be a bit dry, there is a great deal of wisdom in the pages of this book. The two new releases, Family Worship and Rooted, were also books I’m grateful to have made the time for. Family Worship makes a compelling case for the necessity and simplicity of family worship (read, pray, sing), that I want to chat with Emily about in more detail as it could be a really healthy thing for our family to more fully engage with. Rooted is tiny, but definitely worth reading, especially for the final chapter on the good news of eschatology. (By the way, look for an interview with the authors on my upcoming podcast, which is now available on iTunes.)
Have a suggestion for a book for me or someone else to read or want to share what you’ve read? Connect with me on Twitter or Facebook and let me know!
Here’s a look at what I read in:
