Lisa notes

This is my grand reading hurrah for the summer. I made a library raid last week, and they actually had many of the books I wanted. I probably won’t finish them all before they’re due again. See other nightstands at 5 Minutes for Books.

CURRENTLY READING

1. The Circle
by Dave Eggers

This novel is a little scary in its normalcy about the direction that technology and social media are taking us through the guise of “The Circle,” the world’s most powerful internet company.

2. A New Kind of Christianity
Ten Questions that Are Transforming the Faith
by Brian D. McLaren

Put your thinking cap on for this one because you’ll need it. The ten questions include:

1. What is the overarching story line of the Bible? 3. Is God violent? 6. What do we do about church? 9. How should followers of Jesus relate to people of other religions? 10. How can we translate our quest into action?

3. Overcoming Sin and Temptation
by John Owen

Join in on this one! Tim Challies is heading up a reading group, discussing one chapter each Thursday, beginning September 4. I downloaded a free pdf of the book, then converted and transferred it to my Kindle.

4. Les Misérables
by Victor Hugo

I’m still plugging along in this one. Why am I surprised that it’s so interesting? Too often I underestimate classics.

5. If Grace Is True
Why God Will Save Every Person
by Philip Gulley and James Mulholland

I don’t believe in universalism, but I’d like to better understand why others do. So while I may not agree with everything these authors may say (which is true for ANY author), I trust I’ll still glean truth from their writings (as I already have).

6. Thinking, Fast and Slow
by Daniel Kahneman

This one is to change the way you think about thinking. I won’t read it word for word (it’s very long), but what I’m skimming is interesting about how our brain works in a fast, intuitive way and then a slower, more deliberate method.

FINISHED FROM AUGUST’S LIST

1. The Everything Store
Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
by Brad Stone

Oh my. This was a most fascinating book about Amazon and its founder Jeff Bezos.

2. Why We Eat Our Own
by Michael Cheshire

Sadly, Christians are often best known for how we judge everybody, even each other. This book challenges our tendency to be cannibalistic with our own.

3. The Presence Process
A Journey into Present Moment Awareness
by Michael L. Brown

Mixed feelings. The title caught my eye as I was browsing library shelves. It had good things in it about living in the now, but also things that didn’t click with me at all. I ended up skimming it after the first half, so I can’t give it a fair review.

4. So Long, Insecurity
You’ve Been a Bad Friend to Us
by Beth Moore

My family girls finished reading this book last week for our summer book club. Perhaps its greatest value to me was revealing more of my insecurities, thus showing me areas I still need to grow in. Bottom line: our security has to rest in Christ alone.

5. A New Earth
Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose
by Eckhart Tolle

I tried reading this 6 years ago and hated it. This year, I loved it. Go figure. Tolle is purposed on being content in the present moment. He’s very spiritual, but not necessarily Christian (nor anti-Christian). I read books like this through my own lens of Christianity, and usually find many principles very compatible with the teachings of Christ.

6. Naked Spirituality
A Life with God in Twelve Simple Words
by Brian D. McLaren

Another McLaren book. Here are the twelve words:

Here. Thanks. O. Sorry. Help. Please. When. No. Why. Behold. Yes. [ . . . ]. (I especially love that last one, an ellipsis! Genius.)

It’s a book of spiritual growth and practices. I went through it too quickly. It’s one of those books that needs more breathing space, so maybe I’ll return to it later.

7. 700 Sundays
by Billy Crystal

A quick memoir of poignant and funny moments by Billy Crystal about his youth. He made me laugh out loud, and inspired me to love him and his close family even more. He turned this into a one-man show on stage in 2004, and HBO aired a viewing of it this spring. I also checked out his latest memoir from the library, Still Foolin’ ‘Em, that I hope to read next.

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What’s a good book you are reading or want to read this month? Please share here.

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