This season's book list welcomes a bounty of good literature from historical fiction to memoir; from Bonhoeffer to Steinbeck. I'm eager to indulge. Here's the rundown:
1. All That is Bitter and Sweet by Ashley Judd
Do not be deceived; Ashley Judd is far more than pretty movie star and kin to country music legends. Turns out she has heart. A lot of it which she is using, along with her smarts, skills and connections to reach the victims of AIDS, poverty and sex trade in Africa, India and beyond. So far this book has challenged my preconceptions and propelled me to live out Micah 6:8 in my own small sphere of influence.
2. The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan
"The world is not dying for another book.
But it is dying for the rest of God."
Thus Author Mark Buchanan invites his readers to join him in setting sail against society's never-ending tide of productivity and output into Sabbath rest. Referenced in this blogpost, Buchanan's writing is both gripping and enchanting as he draws us through personal life experiences in his native Canada.
3. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I fell in love with the his life story in Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy, and am now eager to read what is considered his pièce de résistance.
“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”
4. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Thought to be one of the great American classics, I hope the character's are half as engaging as the Trasks.
5. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
Three falls ago, Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle kept me entranced. In what is considered her most ambitious undertaking to date, Kingsolver explains World War II era Mexico and the United States from the perspective of a half gringo, half mexican boy. Rich, descriptive language pulls you through this great piece of historical fiction. Watch out though, the faint at heart will find portions too long winded, precluding them from getting to a real gem of a closer.
6. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanuaken
Prior to conversion, Sheldon's life passion was his wife "Davy," and his entire focus was the perpetuation of their great love affair. Then, through his faith, his intimate friendship with C.S. Lewis and the untimely death of Davy, Sheldon learns even the best of marriages pales in comparison to our relationship with Christ.
7. The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Timothy Keller
This was the September selection for book club, and it provided some good discussions on our preconceptions of the Luke 15:11-32 parable. From the author himself:
"Surprising, gripping, and deeply challenging; this book will mess with you. It will mess with your religious self-perceptions, it will mess with the contempt you have toward wayward believers or Pharisaical believers. It will mess you up in the best of ways by showing you that the gospel is only good news if you’re ready to abandon your religion and irreligion."
SEPTEMBER BOOK CLUB
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