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My Summer Reading List
I need all you good-looking people to keep me accountable to something- this one’s gotsta start readin’ mo.
I haven’t read a full book in over a month. I read at least two hours a day online, but I’ve been neglecting the real thing.
Reasons I like reading:
- Magic. There’s something magical about books, isn’t there? We’ve been making them for thousands of years. We have to opportunities to join conversations that are centuries old.
- Mega mentoring. For the price of a pizza we can learn from some of the smartest people in the world. We can feel like we know great people just by reading their works.
- Universe expansion. The world gets bigger when we take the time to read. We see new perspectives, hear new stories, and encounter new ways of thinking and living.
I’ve always loved reading, and I do believe that it can be an acquired taste for you too- you just need to start by reading what you love. Life’s too short to read boring books!
I’m currently reading Putting Your Dream to the Test by John Maxwell. You can except a full review here in a few weeks. I got the book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers…all I have to do is review it. It’s been very good so far. The questions are RUINING my dreams. In a good way!
I’m also reading On The Shortness of Life by Lucius Seneca. It’s REALLY teaching me to value time.
I used to read a book a week, but now I have piles of unread awesomeness.
Here’s what’s next on my list:
Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson (God-willing, I’m going to read this on the plane to Texas in July)
The Natashas by Victor Malarek (about the sex trade)
The Johns by Victor Malarek (about the men who fuel the sex trade)
Why I Write by George Orwell (more training for becoming an author)
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (looking forward to HOW he did so much)
The Gospel of Wealth by Andrew Carnegie (crappy title, but looking forward to reading a rich and generous man’s essays on money.)
Walden, or Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau (I’ve heard so much, it’s about time. Looking forward to thinking consciously and slowing down in order to figure out my own life rhythm.)
Starfish and the Spider by Ori Brafman (leaderless organizations? I’m skeptical, but willing to learn!)
I need you to keep me accountable- to finish all 9 books by August 31st. Call me on it, okay?!
Jay
I need your help here…
What are you reading right now?
What’s next on your list?
What books would you recommend I MUST read and why?
New blog post today on A Woman’s Place in the Home. It’s a good read, I promise!
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I’ve also realised I want to do more reading this summer, including Christian and theological books. I’m just finishing up the Narnia series (yes, they are kids’ books, but they’re masterfully written and hold a lot of insights about the Gospel). I would really recommend them if you’ve never read them, or haven’t in a long time. After that I’m so far planning to read:
The Art Of War by Sun Tzu (a classic I’ve had recommended to me, but never read)
Real Christianity by William Wilberforce (the British MP who fought for decades to outlaw the slave trade, spurred on by his Christian faith. This book was written about 10 years before he succeeded.)
Three Treatises by Martin Luther
Luther’s Theology of the Cross by Alister E McGrath (on the doctrine of atonement, recommended by Mark Driscoll & the Resurgence)
Death By Love by Mark Driscoll
Right now, the understanding of atonement is something I want to look into more. I’ve learned about substitutionary atonement, which makes complete sense to me, but I’ve been told there are other schools of thought, and I don’t know what they are, but I’d like to find out what their take is.
The Maxwell book also looks good. I may put it on the list.
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:17 pm
I never liked john maxwell…
it’s not that he’s dumb
it’s certainly not because he doesn’t know about leadership…
He always just came off as a bit of a jerk to me…
June 24th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Lol…and he’ll be the first to admit he’s a self-promoter. But he does have ALOT of good stuff going for him- a few great books, over $1 billion raised for church planting, co-founded Catalyst, etc. We should probably have lunch with him before we cut him up!