Reading list

Random picture of a cute chihuahua we took care of last fall. 
This is her 'whatchu talkin' 'bout Willis' look.

In a nod to New Year's resolutions, I've been going through a few paper piles that have developed here and there lately.  I try to keep clutter free surfaces, when possible but sometimes my desk is the recipient of those 'oops, my piano student will be here in five minutes, gotta put this mail somewhere' decisions.

The really nice thing about this is that at times I find some wonderful surprises.  Late last fall, I was searching for a particular piece of paper, one I knew I would not have thrown away.  Imagine my delight when I found it at the bottom of the pile on my desk.

It is a Suggested Reading List by Elisabeth Elliot.  Elisabeth Elliot, sadly, is no longer in the public eye, but her no nonsense teaching of Scripture, her life example and her writings continue to inspire me.

The list is long.  I've read some and would like to read all the recommendations, but that is too daunting a task for one year.

Blackmore:  Lorna Doone

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich: The Cost of Discipleship

Brother Lawrence: Practicing the Presence of GOD

Bunyan: Pilgrim's Progress

Carmichael, Amy: Gold Cord: If; His Thoughts Said;  His Father Said; anything else you can get your hands on of hers!

Chesteron, G.K. Orthodoxy; Everlasting Man

Dinesen, Isak: Out of Africa; Babbet's Feast; and many more short stories

Dostoevsky: Crime and Punishment; Brother's Karamazov

Fenelon: Spiritual Letters to Women

Guardini, Romano: The LordHerman, E. Creative Prayer

Hopkins, Gerard Manly: poetry - "God's Grandeur;" "The Leaden Echo;" The Golden Echo"

Kuhn, Isobel: In the Arena; By Searching

Lewis, C.S.: multiple titles

MacDonald, George: Sir Gibbie or any of his novels

O'Connor, Flannery: Mystery and Manners; short stories

Rutherford, Samuel: Letters

Sayers, Dorothy: Unpopular Opinions; The Mind of the Creator

Smith, Hannah Whitall: The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life

Thompson, Francis: "The Hound of Heaven: (poem)

Tolstoy: Anna Karenina; War and Peace

Trotter, Lilias: Parables of the Cross; Parables of the Christlife

Underhill, Evelyn:  multiple titles

Undset, Sigrid: Kristin Lavransdatter

Vann, Gerald: The Son's Course: The Divine Pity

How about you?  What are you reading?  Have you read any of the above?  What is your favorite book?

reads

Back in January, I purposed to read one book a week. I've kept a list of the books I read on the sidebar of the blog. I'm close to achieving my goal, but need to step it up a bit in these last 12 weeks of the year.

I love to read. I always had my nose in a book, when I was younger. As did my sisters, though Lori normally read two or three books at the same time.

I am currently reading two books - The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey and The Last Days by Joel C. Rosenberg. The Bible Jesus Read is thoughtful and thought provoking. Yancey generally inspires me to look at things another way. The Last Days is a page turner. I finished his first book The Last Jihad in two days because I couldn't put it down. Though, I have to say, it took me a few chapters to get into it - I thought some of the writing was a bit cliched (if that is a word).

I've cast aside other books if they don't grab me in the first few chapters. Life is too short to read dull books, but I'm glad I stuck with The Last Jihad. Of course, now I will have to read the whole series.

Next year I hope to be a little less haphazard in my reading. I think I would like to read biographies of our Presidents. In order of course.

So...what are you reading right now? Any recommendations?