Tuesday 18 January 2011

My books of the year

At the start of the year I made a realistic list of books I want to read.  There 20 on this list, out of the 40-50 books I have that are yet to be read. No doubt I may add some other books on the way and some on this list could become casualties of war (the new books overtaking these ones).

I hope to write a simple review of each book over the course of the year.  Why not let me know what books you are reading or what you think of these books if you have read them. 

The books I am reading now
Team of rivals : the political genius of Abraham Lincoln – by Doris Kearns Goodwin
[So far it is an absorbing historical account and a look into the mind & working of one of the truly great leaders]
The Road Less Travelled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth – by M.Scott Peck
[I am trying to read a chapter or two of this a week as part of trying to understand myself and my world – incredibly insight and very readable]
The Story From The Book - From Adam to Armageddon – by Ted Miller
[A summary paraphrase of the bible – reading this I hope to get a better sense of the sweep of scripture]
Books I plan to read this year
Persian fire: the first world empire and the battle for the West – by Tom Holland
[His previous book Rubicon on the Roman Empire was fascinating]
The War of the World – by Niall Ferguson
[His previous book Empire on the British Empire was excellent and made me proud to be British!]
The world needs more elders – by PJ Smyth
Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul – by John Eldredge
The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity – by William Paul Young
You Can Change: God's Transforming Power for Our Sinful Behaviour and Negative Emotions – by Tim Chester
The Associate – by John Grisham
The Catcher in the Rye – by J. D. Salinger
[I never read any classics when I was younger so I am trying to catch up, no pun intended]
The Road – by Cormac McCarthy
Gridlock – by Ben Elton
Frank Skinner (The Autobiography) – by Frank Skinner
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference – by Malcolm Gladwell
Leadership Handbook of Management and Administration – by James D. Berkley
Disabled Church-Disabled Society: The Implications of Autism for Philosophy, Theology and Politics – by John Gillibrand
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: A Practical Guide for Improving Communication and Getting What You Want – by John Gray
[pop psychology I know but I thought I’d give it a quick read]
The Wisdom of Crowds – by James Surowiecki
Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It – by Steve Taylor

2 comments:

  1. Hey Steve,

    Ambitious Dreams! Love it!

    I've read a couple of them:

    "Wild At Heart" - seem to suggest that real Christian men go hunting for big animals and then stick the heads on their walls!

    "The Shack" - very good creative bit of writing (even though someone will always moan that its heretical) that helps get to grips with the heart of the trinitarian God.

    I'm currently reading:

    "A Journey" by Tony Blair

    "Fatherland" by Robert Harris

    "Evangelical is not Enough" by Thomas Howard

    and "Pilgrim to the Holy Land" by HJ Richards (In preparation for our visit to Israel)

    Andy McMillan

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  2. Thanks Andy,
    When I heard Mark Driscoll had condemned The Shack I knew I had to read it, he has even made me want to watch Avatar!
    I have read Fatherland it is great and the one about Stalin\Russia called Archangel is even better
    I like the sound of Evangelical is not Enough - if only for the title!

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