Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA (NF 2007) - Tim Weiner
Discussed earlier here.
What Jesus Demands from the World (NF 2006) - John Piper
Just who is Jesus and just what does he expect from people? All people? Piper always does a great job of making theological issues clear and simple without watering things down. My men's group read this from February to April and while we questioned a couple of Piper's thoughts, we all found the book enlightening.
Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets (NF 2008) - Sudhir Venkatesh
You might remember Venkatesh from one of the chapters in Freakonomics. He's the sociology grad student who walked into one of Chicago's worst neighborhoods carrying a clipboard with questionaires asking people "What's it like to be poor and black?" without getting killed himself. Venkatesh's book is eye-opening, entertaining, sad, and impressive all at once, giving the reader an idea of how a gang actually operates. You might be surprised by what you read. My only problem with the book: Vankatesh just couldn't be as naive as he portrays himself.
The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God's Call to Justice (NF 2007) - Mark Labberton
Labberton calls Christians to extend their worship of God beyond the worship service, beyond the walls that separate us from the homeless, the heart-broken, the needy - the people we either can't or don't want to see in our lives. A very bold (and convicting) book.
A Clockwork Orange (1962) - Anthony Burgess
A modern classic and rightfully so, o my brothers. This futuristic tale of violence run amok and the oppressive means to control it became both a blessing and a curse in Burgess's lifetime (Be sure to read his Foreword in the Norton edition.) and even more so after Stanley Kubrick's film version in 1972. Don't be put off by the slang used in the book; you'll get used to it as you go along.
The Black Ice (1993) - Michael Connelly
Connelly has become one of my favorite crime fiction writers during the past few years. This is the second book (after The Black Echo) in the Detective Harry Bosch series, finding Bosch trying to solve the apparent suicide of a fellow police officer.
Mister Pip (2006) - Lloyd Jones
Shortlisted for the 2007 Booker Prize, Mister Pip is a coming-of-age story set on an unnamed tropical island in the 1990s. Young Maltilda discovers the Pip of Charles Dickens's Great Expectations from the teachings of her classroom instructor Mr. Watts, the only while man on the island. While I enjoyed much of the book (especially watching Matilda encounter the love and power of the printed word), the presence of the invading redskin soldiers and the aftermath of their invasion felt too manipulated. Still recommended, though.
No Country for Old Men (2005) - Cormac McCarthy
This was even better the second time I read it. While I think Blood Meridian is a better book (possibly even a masterpiece), No Country for Old Men may be my favorite McCarthy book. If you've only seen the movie, you owe it to yourself to read the novel. While the two versions share many similarities, there are some very interesting differences.
Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks and Gangstas in the Public Library (NF 2007) - Don Bochert
A hilarious and sometimes sad look at the strange and wonderful things that happen in a public library. Bochert was part of the Los Angeles County library system, which is quite different from ours, but I still found myself nodding in several places thinking, "I can relate, man, I can relate."
Like the Stars: Leading Many to Righteousness (NF 2004) - Glenn Parkinson
A great look at how Christians can impact the culture without taking it by force. (More on this topic in the future.)
Ella Minnow Pea (2001) - Mark Dunn
Definitely the most fun I've had with a novel this month. A few thoughts on this novel in letters here.
That's it for April. Go read something.
2 comments:
Connelly has edited a new anthology, The Blue Religion that has a new Harry Bosch story in it. I meant to pick it up when it came out a couple of weeks ago, but I had forgotten until I saw that you had read The Black Ice. Thanks.
Oooh...a new Harry Bosch story! Thanks for letting me know. I'll have to check it out. Right now I'm trying to read the entire series in publication order, so I suppose I should wait...but I probably won't.
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