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Thursday's Missive: What's On Your Nightstand?
April 13, 2005
I've never been a voracious reader (see the "Reflections On the Ill-Read Society"). I got through high school and part of college without actually reading through an entire book. That probably says less about my abilities and more about crappy curriculum. I've read the first half and the last chapter of countless books, but unless the writer is captivating, it's tough for me to make it cover to cover. As I'm sure you can deduce, I'm strictly a nonfiction reader. With nonfiction you can afford to speed-read, skip, and skim. I have to buy every book I read because prep school gave me a nasty habit: annotation. I underline, I highlight, I fold pages, I write notes in the margins. It's bad. The good news is when I like a book, I'm a faithful customer. I'll read it and reference it again and again. Growing up, I always envisioned myself in bed on rainy Saturday mornings (of which Seattle has many), devouring books off my nightstand without a care in the word. Then life happened and I now realize that what little time I have for reading is usually spent online. When I get married, I will have to institute a "no laptops in bed" rule...for me not him. Ah the pitfalls of internet. My nightstand looks like a library these days. It's full of books I've put off reading, as well as references I've read hundreds of times. Here's my current pile, what's yours?
Related entries: 
Dake's Annotated Reference Bible (KJV) When I Don't Desire God, by John Piper The Spiritual Man, by Watchman Nee Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand You Can't Put No Boogie-Woogie on the King Of Rock And Roll - Lewis Grizzard Winston Churchill, The Wilderness Years. The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2005 And of course...my Bible. NASB The Rising, LaHaye and Jenkins - complete The Three Battlegrounds, By: Francis Frangipane Breakthrough: Taking the Kingdom into the Culture by Out-Serving Others, By: Wellington Boone Once Upon A Winter's Night, By: Dennis L. McKiernan ...And of course, KJV, AMP, NLT & Recovery Bibles. I need more. Alex, you need the parallel Bible. I love that thing. Bob Chandra, you're not the only one I've heard say that about Think adn Grow Rich. It certainly won't become my Bible, but I plan on reading it again and again. My nightstand is more a cardboard box than a nightstand, but anyways... it is home to a few Italian grammar/textbooks; the "Easy French Reader"; and "Tenured Radicals" by Roger Kimball. Oh I can't forget The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing - Nagle and Holden Rachel, you must be a college student. Wait, I already knew that. that has to be an embarrassing confession-that you never read a book in its entirety in high school or college; and, sadly, you are from the generation that had so many distractions that you never discovered the fun of reading for pleasure; curled up with a good book on a rainy day in Seattle (or a sunny day at the beach)is much more enjoyable than watching reality tv or most any other tv for that matter; for shame Hah, close, I'm done with undergrad and preparing languages for grad school (I think/hope). that has to be an embarrassing confession-that you never read a book in its entirety in high school or college; and, sadly, you are from the generation that had so many distractions that you never discovered the fun of reading for pleasure. It's not embarrassing at all. Not any more embarassing than dropping out of college. That's just not the way I think. Even today, I don't read books in their entirety unless they're fiction. But I'm not a fiction fan. As I'm sure you can see, I'm no worse for it. I made out alright in life having syphened through the Great Gatsby. In private school it's a coping mechanism. The work gets piled on and there's no insane way to read everything. It served me well in college. While your statement about my generation may be true....in my case, it was a rigorous college prep high school curriculum that sucked the fun out of reading for me. That's why I was burned out by my freshman year of college. TOOOOOOO much reading. Most recent: In progress: I still have to finish The Right Nation and The Heart of the Bible. And I have to read more of the Bible. I have to confess that I am a fiction lover. Yes, I buy hoity-toity tomes with the best of them, but they always end up boring me senseless. I have shelves full of "should read" volumes. I have managed to read a bit of William F. Buckley's Miles Gone By, but in the time since I bought that I have probably polished off 30 mysteries or thrillers. I'm also a voracious magazine reader. One more distraction from "serious" books. The Schaeffer books were on my reading list 25 years ago (or so it seems) during college and I actually very much enjoyed them. As for books about money or dating, I never had much interest in either, and my lack of success in both areas is solid proof of that :) The Death of Right and Wrong: Exposing the Left's Assault on Our Culture and Values by Tammy Bruce (yes, that Tammy Bruce) Brainwashed : How Universities Indoctrinate America's Youth by Ben Shapiro Alexander Hamilton: A Life by Willard Sterne Unwise Passions : A True Story of a Remarkable Woman and the First Great Scandal of 18th Century America by Alan Pell Crawford Noelle...how's "Brainwashed" thus far? That's on my list of need to reads.... Books that I've finished or will finish soon: SCAM; How the Black Leadership Expliots Black America; Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson(finished) The Millionaire Next Door:The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy; Thomas J. Stanley (finished) Intellectual Morons:How Ideology Makes Smart People Fall for Stupid Ideas; Daniel J. Flynn(finished) The Ten Things You can't Say In America; Larry Elder(almost finished) The O'Rielly Factor; Bill O'Rielly(finished, didn't care to much for it though) A Call to Conscience:The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Kris Shepard(may never finish) What I havent' started yet but would like to get around to reading soon: OH!! I forgot. Here's one I re-read periodically just because its so much fun: "Flatland" by Edwin A. Abbott The Millionaire Next Door:The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy; Thomas J. Stanley (finished) Jerry, I bought this book for my dad last Christmas. Changed his life. I always like to hear what other people are reading. Finally, for the first time in a long time, I am in the middle of a few books. Well I've been in the middle of one since August. Only 260 pages or so. No real excuse, I just don't have much time to read.
The Federalist Paper - Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey - Edited by Bob Blaisdell I've also got the current copy of Wired Magazine. woah. great minds read and learn to think for themselves! I love you guys!! Here's mine: "Dojo Wisdom" -Jennifer Lawler and of course, the Word("The Message" paraphrase by Eugene Peterson) I've got TONS more books all crowded around the space where my laptop is, and stacked up next to my bed (where I do most of my reading and studying). If I continued listing titles I've yet to read, we'd all be old & gray. LOL!! Ambra: Some of the books my wife and I have recently finished reading (and recommend): Fit To Be Tied, by Bill & Lynn Hybels At Home in Mitford, by Jan Karon Pedestrian Theology, by Deb Grant Every Man's Marriage, by Stephen Arterburn, Fred Stoeker, and Mike Yorkey Just Don't Marry One, edited by George Yancey and Sherelyn Whittum-Yancey An African Apostle: The Life of David Ndaruhutse, by Penny Relph Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns "New Testament Survey" revised - Tenney The latest issue of "Fly Fisherman" Ambra, after reading millionaire I was floored at how simple things can REALLY be in regards to getting to where you want to be financially. While they did use a great deal of stats and research to back up their points, it really boils down to good 'ol common sense. That is what I loved about it. Is "Think and Grow Rich" only about making lots of money? Because I want to cool job that I love. Is that too much to ask for? I guess it is :( Black Enterprise. Know the Truth - Bruce Milne Whew, heavy load at the moment... Scripture Alone, Dr. James White The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell Hard News: The Scandals at The New York Times and Their Meaning for American Media, Seth Mnookin The Writer's Book of Wisdom: 101 Rules for Mastering Your Craft, Steven Taylor Goldsberry Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity, by Nancy Pearcey The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Are Some So Rich and Others So Poor?, by David S. Landes Reaching for the Invisible God: What Can We Expect to Find?, by Philip Yancey Recapture the Wonder: Experiencing God's Amazing Promise of Childlike Joy, by Ravi Zacharias Think and Grow Rich Rich Dad, Poor Dad How To Succeed In Business Without Being White by Earl Graves (founder/publisher of Black Enterprise) Slavery and the Making of America by Professor ?? Horton (PBS did series on it earlier this year) and various other pop fiction by Grisham and the like No one reads fiction? My "nightstand" is the top of my headboard, which nicely holds paperbacks in stacks (I only occasionally tumble these unto my head). At the moment I have the first 9 Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich, which I recently re-read, _Into the Night_ by Suzanne Brockmann, Lydia Joyce's first novel (cuz I know her... It's a good story but quite explicit) a couple of used Nora Roberts romances, _The Prize in the Game_ by Jo Walton (fantasy) and a couple more romances and what looks like a murder mystery that I got as a raffle prize. If I move over to my computer desk right next to my bed I *do* have a handful of non-fiction, war accounts and "how to write SF" mostly. My "to be read" hardcovers are on a shelf above my monitor... _Cally's War_ by John Ringo and Julie Cochrane, _Tooth and Claw_ by Jo Walton, and recently read, _Family Trade_ by Charles Stross. Oh, and a couple of books by Lars Walker, _The Year of the Warrior_ and _Wolf Time_. _Wolf Time_ is fiction about the end days and _The Year of the Warrior_ is an omnibus of two fantasy novels about the Christianization of Norway. Five classics: 1. Augustine's Confessions (There's an excellent condensed version available from Eerdmann's with spectacular medieval artwork).
Do Gooders Accardo, the Genuine Godfather The Dark Side of Camelot Dean Koontz's Frankenstein The 2 Year Bible The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing Coming soon-State of Fear Eric Hoffer for his life congruence with you. Rated G Music video about what should be on your nightstand. http://www.whiteboydj.com/babygotbook/ I've just read: 1. Blue like jazz: non-religious thoughts on Christian Spirituality. -Donald Miller 2. Searching for God knows what. -Donald Miller 3. Undercover -John Bevere 4. Mere Christianity. -CS Lewis I do read "secular" books, I just haven't had the time. I have only completed two of the books listed here. The other two are on the floor next to my bed, waiting to be read.
Come back little Sheba! On my nightstand is my copy of Ivanhoe by Walter Scott, a clock radio, and a loaded Colt .45 pistol. "I made out alright in life having syphened through the Great Gatsby." Ambra, your thoughts are almost always fun to read, but what does this sentence mean? I don't recognize the verb. Keep on thinking & reading good thoughts! I've got several books on my night stand, too: April 1865: The Month that Saved America - Jay Winik The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History - Thomas E. Woods, Jr Whiteout - Ken Follett And I have several books on my PDA, which is the greatest thing since print was invented! I read 3-5 books there, too, but this is the current list: Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson Whew! Aw man, you missed your chance! { Comments are now closed for this entry. } |
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Desiring God, by John Piper
The Journals of Lewis and Clark, ed. John Bakeless
The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Korea's Place in the Sun, by Bruce Cumings
The Invisible Hand, by R C Sproul
Capitalism and Freedom, by Milton Friedman
A Call to Spiritual Reformation, by D A Carson