I have always had books on my desk and nightstand. Okay, I don’t have a nightstand. You caught me. I just pile books on my headboard. But now that I am in seminary, these books seem to just stack up, waiting to be read. So I thought every once in a while, I would share some of my stack with you. Maybe you can read them and let me know what order I should read them in. So as of today, here’s the stack:
1. Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders
I really loved Saunders’ Tenth of December book of short stories. And I enjoyed him immensely at the writers conference at Calvin College last spring. So I pre-ordered his first novel and was thrilled for it to arrive last week. So I read the first few pages, was amazed at his brilliance, and put it on top of the stack.
2. Eternal City – Kathleen Graber
I have really enjoyed this book of poetry. And by “really enjoyed,” I mean I liked three of the four poems I’ve read and I loved the other one. The loved one is called Magic Kingdom and you can read it here from the New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/02/11/the-magic-kingdom.
3. Preaching and Teaching the Last Things: Old Testament Eschatology for the Life of the Church – Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.
Okay, I did get this for school, but I wanted to read it. I didn’t love chapter one (which is as far as I’ve gotten so far), but I’m looking forward to the rest. I especially want to see how eschatology fits into the psalms. We often talk about remembrance as an act of worship, so I’m curious how looking forward in faith instead of backwards adds a new dimension.
4. The Trespasser – Tana French
Okay, I love all of Tana French’s novels. They are mystery thrillers with a slant of weird in them. And the Irishness of them adds depth, especially to Faithful Place. I like them for many reasons, but I love starting each new book because the main character will be some side character from the previous book. But I just can’t find time to get to the newest one.
5. For The Glory of God: Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship – Daniel Block
Okay, I read this one already. But I had to read it really fast. So it’s still on the stack because I really need to go back and read it seriously. It’s one of two wonderful serious academic texts on worship from our generation. Well, two that I’ve read. The other is Recalling the Hope of Glory by Allen Ross, of course.
Even as I write I see Gilead by Marilynne Robinson and The Collected Poems of Czeslaw Milosz staring me in the face. But I can’t even get to them in this blog. Hopefully, someone will enjoy one of these books. Or even better, maybe you’ll hate one and I can take it out of my stack.
Keep reading.
Todd
“Gilead” is a wonderful book, bearing so much wisdom and depth. I personally would recommend putting that one higher on your “to-read” stack.
Thank you so much for sharing your “persistent shelf”, Todd. I have such a long list of books I want to read too. I tell my kids I’m working on my list for reading in heaven. God bless you, Todd!
Why don’t you write a book? Your music has always spoken to me and made me think. I would preorder a book (or CD hint hint) written by you in a heartbeat.
I am with you on the Katrina.
Notto complicate things, you should read Fading Blue Skies as well. The author is Kevin Rice. (Ok, shameless plug for my book, but it is a good Christian love story)
Lincoln in the Bardo is wonderful. I too am a fan of 10th of December, and was lucky enough to see Saunders speak in Dallas a few weeks ago. If you enjoy the novel, you might want to give the audiobook a try. There are over 166 actors in the cast, including Saunders himself. Thank you for the recommendations; I’d like to return the favor by suggesting Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.