It's great reading weather here: another cool, gray, rainy day in southeast Texas. I'm impatiently waiting for my next delivery from amazon.com because I just finished my last "new" book. I've always been one of those people who reads several books at once. Recently I found that I tend to have one history, one novel, one "comedy" book, and one book that fits into the "religion" category. Here's what will be on my bedstand when the next shipment arrives (hopefully today!):
- Power, Faith and Fantasy: America in the Middle East 1776 to the Present by Michael B. Oren. It will be interesting to trace the history of America's involvement in this area which is now so important to us.
- You Suck: A Love Story by Christopher Moore. This is the sequel to his comic vampire novel Bloodsucking Fiends. No, this is not my "religion" book!
- Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America by James Webb. El Jefe loves this one so I'm reading it, too. Maybe it will explain why the PCUSA, which is Scots-Irish in origin, loves to fuss and feud.
- Bless Your Heart Tramp and Other Southern Endearments by Celia Rivenbark. This is the comedy book. I just finished Rivenbark's We're Just Like You, Only Prettier and thought it was pretty funny. I'm tempted to go back and order her newest one, too: Stop Dressing Your 6 Year Old Daughter Like a Skank. Funnier if you're from the South.
And no, the religion book isn't another Paul Borden opus or anything from the emergent/missional church moment. I need a break from all that. ~Drumroll, please~ it's--
- The View From the Monastery by Brother Benet Tvedten. The monastery Brother Benet is writing about is the Blue Cloud Abbey that was described by Kathleen Norris in Dakota and The Cloister Walk.
This is such an unhelpful post. I am trying SO hard not to buy books this year. And now I want that last one. And there is one on Polar Bear's list I must have. This is not good.
ReplyDeleteOh man....I am so wanting to read some of those books now!
ReplyDeleteSo love Amazon for books. Just ordered "Life Together" by Dietrich Bonhoffer for my 'Village' idea., Just got some good Bible study aids. Two are humorously remedial by Jason Boyett: "Pocket Guide to the Bible" and "Pocket Guide to the Apocolypse"; Also reading "No Life for a Lady" by Agnes Cleaveland (likely a relative) a historical novel, and about to start "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do thank you for the comedy book tips. Been looking for some good comedy books.
I'm glad to hear that someone else likes to have multiple books going. I do the same, and one is always a history book! On my bed stand now are:
ReplyDelete- The Life of Greece (Story of Civilization, Vol. 2 by Will Durant...I'm determined to read the whole set eventually)
-- The Fall and Rise of the Stately Home, by Peter Mandler, which is about English stately homes over the last 200 years,
-- I just finished the latest Diane Mott Davidson culinary mystery "Dark Tort". The whole series is great light reading and Goldy, the main character, is a Christian who is actually involved at her church!
-- religious book is "Unspoken Sermons" of George MacDonald
And on the way from Amazon is “Beading with Brick Stitch” and “The Beader’s Guide to Color” …when I'm not reading I'm a beader!
These should be arriving any day now - Lectionary Hymns for 2007, A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLauren and Transitions by William Bridges.
ReplyDeleteMy husband hates going to the post office and opening up my credit card bill!
Garrison Keillor's Good Poems for Hard Times
ReplyDeleteEggs and Ashes--Worship resources from Shrove Tuesday-Easter from Iona
Phyllis Tickle--Eastertide: Prayers for Lent and Easter
I also have a stack of previously delivered books that I've not read yet.
You have mentioned a few I would like to read too. Rivenbark. Scoth Irish. I always wondered why I am a fighter.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have one of the most well-rounded reading strategies I've ever heard. No wonder you're so cool!
ReplyDelete"Fierce Pajamas - An Anthology of Humor Writing from The New Yorker" arrived yesterday. I love Amazon.