Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Reading Log for June, 2009

I didn't read much in June, and have not finished ONE book yet in July. I keep starting things and putting them down, or reading magazines, and I've been falling asleep as soon as I sit down to read in the evening. Something has got to change around here......probably the amount of time I spend on the computer!

49. The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University – 4.5 – Roose – excellent book. A journalism student from a liberal family enrolls at Liberty University for a semester to learn how Evangelical students tick, and about that culture. I thought it was written very objectively and respectfully – not a hatchet job on Jerry Falwell

50. Celebutards: The Hollywood Hacks, Limosine Liberals, and Pandering Politicians Who Are Destroying America – 3 – Andrea Peyser – entertaining, but more of the same, a series of short chapters on different celebrities (Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, et al) and their moronic behavior.

51. The Sweetness At the Bottom of the Pie – Alan Bradley – 4.5 – fun mystery, set in 1950’s England. Flavia de Luce is 11 years old, and loves chemistry – particularily poisons. When she finds an almost-dead body on her family’s estate, and her father is charged with the murder she sets out to solve the crime. Flavia is an incredible hero – smart, sarcastic, resourceful. Looking forward to the next in the series.

52. Young, Restless and Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey with the New Calvinists – 4.5 – Collin Hansen – very interesting. From the back, “Collin Hansen invites us on a voyage of discovery, learning how our restless youth are discovering anew the great doctrines of the Christian faith. Weary of churches that seek to entertain rather than teach, longing after the true meat of the Word, these young people are pursing doctrine. Discover how God is moving among the young, the restless and the Reformed.” He interviewed people such as Josh Harris (I Kissed Dating Good-bye, son of Chris Harris and older brother of Brett and Alex (The Rebelution)); John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Al Mohler and R.C. Sproul. I found it particularily interesting as the SBC currently has a movement within it (led by people like Al Mohler) to return it to its’ original Reformed heritage. The book does go into some brief explanation of doctrine, but its’ main focus is on the movement of young people.

53. Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin – 3.5 – Nancy Atherton - one of the better ones in the “cozy” Aunt Dimity mysteries. Lori doesn’t fall all over the attractive man for a change!

54. The Borrowers – 3 – Mary Norton – classic story of the little people who live inside the house and survive by borrowing from the humans. Bedtime read aloud with the boys.