Shall I compare thee to Strahov Theological Hall library? Thou art more loving and more literate.

Library love.

10MillionWords

Tim Challies, one of Christianity's most prolific and well-known bloggers, has started his new project - reading every single nonfiction book that lands on the New York Times bestseller list.

My wife thinks I’m a little bit crazy, I’m sure of it. During eleven years of marriage I’ve done a lot of things that have led her to roll her eyes and sigh. I guess she is getting used to it, though, because even she is interested in what I am planning to do in 2010. I plan to read all of the New York Times bestselling books over the course of the whole year. Do the math and you’ll see that this will come in at somewhere around 10 million words.

While the project proper begins on January 1, 2010, in the months leading up to it, I will be attempting to read all of the current bestsellers to reassure myself that I can actually do this without losing my sanity. In so doing, I will be trying to “find my voice,” so to speak–finding the best way to deal with as imposing a project as this one, and looking for the cultural and worldview themes that I think will be so interesting.

I'm sure your wife isn't the only one, Tim, but good luck.

This is Dan Brown's America

We're just living in it.

RELATED: Check out this site by Westminster Theological Seminary.

Book Review Bloggers for Thomas Nelson

If you enjoy reading books and telling others about them, then consider reviewing books for Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Join Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers today! Any blogger can receive FREE copies of select Thomas Nelson products. In exchange, you must agree to read the book and post a 200-word review on your blog and on any consumer retail website.

Just go here.


Here's the first book I received, which I received seven days after signing up. I hope to complete it and post the review within a week or so. A large number of bloggers have already reviewed this book, but I don't plan to read them until I've finished my own.

Banned Books Week

Were you aware of such a thing? Well, there is, and it's this very week. I've read only one of the "10 Most Challenged Books of 2007" - Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass.

You know you're not a fan of the 43rd president when....

... you see this book title, and instantly think that it's about his administration.

Of course, there's this book, too.

And this one, about his last year in the White House.

This game could go on and on...

the Christian bookstore

Justin Taylor offers some links about the current state of the Christian bookstore. The closest one to me is a few miles south of my church. I enjoy going in and looking around, but most of their titles can be found in Barnes & Noble or Borders (either in the stores or online). My daughters like it because they have Webkinz there. As with most Christian bookstores, they sell a lot of what some people may consider to be "art," but I certainly don't.

JT also talks about a new book which I'm sure I'll be adding to my library, since it's right up my alley: Comfortably Numb: How Psychiatry is Medicating a Nation.

I heart Half-Price Books

I went to Border's Bookstore this morning, just a mile or so down from my work. It was shortly after 9:00 am, opening time; only a few people were in the store.

Four workers asked me if I needed any help. They didn't all ask at once, mind you, but enough of a quick succession to be irritable. I gave an emphatic "No" to the last worker who asked. He probably thinks I'm horribly rude, but I didn't mean to be. He didn't know I had been working all night and just wanted to be left alone.

I looked around a bit before spotting the table I always like to see: buy one, get one half off. Many appealing titles and covers lined neatly side-by-side, waiting for their turn to go home with an eager reader. I saw several books that intrigued me, but only two I seriously considered purchasing - Heat and Kitchen Confidential. I thought for a moment, and then a moment more. Finally, I decided against buying the books. I'd still be paying around $25, and I had better uses for my money.

I left the store and immediately drove to Half-Price Books, just around the corner from Borders. I walked to the food section, and quickly found both books I had been eyeing at Borders. I picked them up, walked to the check-out counter, and bought them. Ten dollars less than I would have paid at Borders.

Half-Price Books is truly a thing of beauty.

lusting

Let's be honest: is a little lusting necessarily a bad thing, especially when this is the object of your affections? Okay, it actually is a bad thing, but it's hard to resist the temptation, no? If I had a staircase like that, it would be hard for me to ever climb the stairs. I'd probably place my favorite books under the first step, and I'd be stuck every time.

I looked around apartment therapy, the site where you can find the pictures of that staircase. Lots of decorating ideas, and not just for apartments. Many inspirational shots of other people's apartments, bugalows, and whatevers.

123 Meme

Although he didn't ask me to, I think I'll participate in this meme to which Pastor Mark links. I'm sure he won't mind. There's a bit of mystery to it, which I think enhances almost any experience.

Here are the rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book ( of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

I'm presently sitting on the couch in our living room. Directly behind me is the bookshelf. I've reached back behind me and found a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading last year, Nathaniel Philbrick's Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War.

Page 123 is the first page of chapter eight, entitled "The Wall." The Pilgrims had just enjoyed the First Thanksgiving with over 100 Pokanokets, which did indeed include some wild turkey. As soon as the meal starts to fade into their memories, an unexpected ship appears just off Cape Cod.

Then, at the end of November, a lookout atop Fort Hill sighted a sail making for Plymouth Harbor. Many of the men were out working in the surrounding countryside. They must be called back immediately.

From where did the ship come? Were the sailors friendly or not? You'll have to get the book to find out...

Just like Pastor Mark, I'll ignore the instruction of tagging five others. If you are so inclined, feel free to join in.

Challies Blog Tour

Tim Challies is "touring" several blogs to promote his book The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment. The tour runs from January 7 through January 18, and he's visiting quite the eclectic list. Challies' book stirred up quite a discussion at Justin Taylor's place.

What I'd like for Christmas...

This book, please. I'd be more than happy.

top 10 bad books everyone reads

Anthony Esolen at Mere Comments has given his list for the 10 most undeservedly popular books.

1. The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran
2. The Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels
3. Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
4. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
5. Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut
6. Sister Carrie, Theodore Drieser
7. Candide, Voltaire
8. Catch-22, James Heller
9. Ulysses, James Joyce
10. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley

The only one I've read is Frankenstein. Although it is in my library, the last time I actually read it was for a college class on science and technology. Shelley presents some very high-minded concepts about the morality of scientific progress, especially for the era in which she lived. The questions she raises are very similar to the ones raised in the film Jurassic Park by Ian Malcolm about the ability to create dinosaurs. I think Esolen should give Frankenstein more credit; after all, where would Boris Karloff's career have gone if he hadn't played the electricity-powered monster?

"His Dark Materials" links

Rob Bowman has provided an excellent round-up of articles and posts about Phil Pullman's trilogy.

Use The Golden Compass as a teaching moment. (HT: BHT)

Is it Atheism for Kids?

An interview with Phillip Pullman.

I better get to the library

The New York Times not only lists the 100 most notable books of the year, but also the top ten books. I've only read one of the 100 books - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Have the come out with Cliff's Notes versions of these books yet?

WOWIO

Overstreet on "His Dark Materials"

This is quite probably the most thoughtful, well-written piece - by Jeffrey Overstreet and from a Christian worldview - about the "His Dark Materials" trilogy and the upcoming film The Golden Compass that I have encountered so far.

What does Overstreet suggest Christians should do?

• Educate yourselves. And equip your kids with questions… lenses, so to speak… that will expose the problems in these stories.
• Respond with grace and love. And truth.
• Admit that, yes, Christians have committed grave sins in the name of Christ, and that those shameful misrepresentations of the gospel have made many people fearful of, and even repulsed by, the church. But Christians have been called to serve the oppressed, proclaim freedom for the captives, bring healing to the sick, to seek justice, to love mercy, to walk humbly, and to bring good news of “great joy.” And by God’s grace, many are living out that calling. They paint quite a different picture than what Pullman has painted.
• Encourage the artists and storytellers in your church. If you see talent and imagination, provide resources and opportunities for those artists. We don’t want visionaries abandoning the church because they are tired of being misunderstood or having their talents exploited for the sake of evangelism.
• Do not get hysterical, mount massive boycotts, or behave in ways that the Magisterium in Pullman’s books would behave. You’ll just make Pullman’s stories more persuasive, and you’ll confirm for the culture around us that Christians only really get excited when they’re condemning something.
• Finally… pray for Philip Pullman, and pray about the influence of his work. Pullman is just a man who, somewhere along the way, got a very bad impression of the church.I also cannot help but note a detail from biographies published online: Pullman’s father died in a plane crash in the 1950s, when Pullman was only seven years old. I don’t know if that had anything to do with his view of God… but I do know that many of the men I know who have struggled with the idea of a loving, caring, benevolent god are those whose fathers abandoned them or died while they were young. Boys without fathers often grow up with deep resentment, and having no focus for that pain, they target God.I want to be careful here: I am not explaining Pullman to you, because I don’t know him. But that detail made me stop and think about how little I know about his experiences and motivations. Shouldn’t I be praying for him instead of condemning him? Shouldn’t I be looking for ways to show love and respect to the man, even as I look for ways to expose the flaws in his work? Pullman’s not likely to reconsider his notions about God if those who believe in God organize a full-scale assault against him and his work.

of Christ & culture

Tullian Tchividjian has suggested 20 books to read pertaining to Christ, Christians and culture.

... I would like to offer some direction regarding what I would consider some must-read books that can help us think through these issues biblically. No one will agree with all of the content in these books. In fact, some of these books represent opposing perspectives on how Christians should relate to the culture around them. But all of these books will help you develop your own conclusions.

The only one I have on Tchividjian's list is Nancy Pearcey's Total Truth, which I haven't actually had the chance to read thoroughly. I think I'll find the time to do so, and maybe check out some of the other books.

(HT: Justin Taylor)

christmas gift for your favorite girl

I think I know one gift that my girls will get for Christmas: this.

"unChristian"

My nephew-in-law first made me aware of this book - unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity... and Why It Matters. David Kinnamen and Gabe Lyons are the authors. The book has its own website, and received a mention in Time magazine. Publishers Weekly says the following about the book:

Kinnaman, president of the Barna Institute, was inspired to write this book when Lyons (of the Fermi Project) commissioned him to do extensive research on what young Americans think about Christianity. Lyons had a gut-level sense that something was desperately wrong, and three years of research paints exactly that picture. Mosaics and Busters (the generations that include late teens to early 30-somethings) believe Christians are judgmental, antihomosexual, hypocritical, too political and sheltered. Rather than simply try to do a PR face-lift, Kinnaman looks at ways in which churches' activities actually may have been unchristian and encourages a return to a more biblical Christianity, a faith that not only focuses on holiness but also loves, accepts and works to understand the world around it. It would be possible to get lost in the numbers, but the authors use numerous illustrations from their research and life experiences and include insights at the end of every chapter from Christian leaders like Charles Colson, John Stott, Brian McLaren and Jim Wallis.

Many people are talking about this one, including the following:

• Tom Gilson
• Dr. James E. White
• AJ Vanderhorst
• Scot McKnight has a series about the book entitled "Is Image Everything?" - parts 1, 2, 3

I haven't read the book, so I can't comment on anything the authors specifically say. That being said, however, I want to express some concerns that I have.

1. The book seems to have quite a few folks from the emerging-church/religious-left/trendy-Christian perspective, like Dan Kimball, Brian McLaren, Andy Stanley, and Jim Wallis. Why are we not hearing from anyone like David Jeremiah, John MacAthur, John Piper, or Chuck Swindoll? Were any of them asked to participate (did they decline if they were?), or do Kinnaman and Lyons think they have nothing to say (or that what they say is irrelevant)?


2. Who is actually guilty of creating these stereotypes? Paul & Jan and other creeps on TBN, or the Lutheran pastor down the street? Who is to blame?


3. Do Kinnaman and Lyons see any "negative perceptions" as being unreversable? For example, Jesus sounded like He was making any exclusive claim by saying, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father, but by me." Do Kinnaman and Lyons think that Jesus was being exclusive, or is following Jesus just one of many paths to God?


4. What do Kinnaman and Lyons think Jesus meant when He said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand?" What should we repent of?