Sunday, June 19, 2005

Bookmania

I hate chain mail but I love books, perhaps chain blogging is harmless fun.

I came across the book meme on LutheranChik's "L" Word Diary so I am now propogating it here.

How many books do you own?

Oooh, I should probably lie about this, but I won't. I'm an absolute packrat when it comes to books. I read voraciously, but I buy even more books than I read, and I never get rid of books. Once in a while I'll give one away if I think it will make a difference for someone. I would guess I have about 700 books on the shelf and probably another 100 or so boxed up in the garage.


Last book bought:

In the mail right now from Amazon (Father's Day treats): In One Body Through the Cross, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought, The Passion of the Lord: African American Reflections and The Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible.


Last book read:

I most recently finished Rebecca Lyman's Early Christian Traditions.

I'm currently reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Ethics (as my blog has shown) and Jim Wallis's God's Politics (for a discussion group), and I'm listening to C.S. Lewis' Surprised by Joy on audiobook.


Books that mean a lot:

Obviously there's the Bible. I don't just say that as a pious requirement. It really does mean a lot to me.

I've got a couple of books, a leather bound edition of Thoreau's works and a one-volume collection of three of John Irving's novels, that my mother gave me with personal notes of encouragement inscribed inside when she was dying of cancer. Quite apart from the content of the books themselves, these are among my most valued possessions.

The Way of a Pilgrim almost single-handedly led me back into Christianity after I had drifted away. As C.S. Lewis said, "A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading."


What magazines do you read regularly?

I don't really read magazines much. I look at the cover of Christian History when I can find it, and read that if it's interesting. The current edition about George MacDonald looks promising.

I just subscribed to Sojourners, having enjoyed their e-mail newsletter for a while, so it may become the one magazine that I read regularly.

Before Baseball Weekly became Sports Weekly I read it regularly. Does that count as a magazine?


Tag Five People:

Like I said, I don't like chain mail, so don't feel pressured, but who doesn't like to talk about books?

1 comment:

Church on Main said...

Melancthon,
I, too, have been enjoying the Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible. I will try to fit The Way of a Pilgrim into my summer reading schedule. For me, the theologically life-changing book was Hammer of God, newly re-issued though poorly edited.