Stopping to Think

Longtime readers of this blog-and virtually anyone who has any idea that this blog even exists-are most likely aware of my habit of posting a top 10 list of my favorite reads from the previous year. Anyone who knows me in real life also knows that I can be somewhat indecisive, and narrowing this year's list down to 10 seemed like more decisions than I wanted to deal with. So I'm pleading a special case for a special year, and giving a top 16 list.  Other differences from previous lists include my inclusion of re-reads (because I was hit so deeply by my re-reading of Till We Have Faces ), allowing multiples from the same author (the Carson books deserve it), and how I've written (I normally stack these books up in front of myself, but I'm in the process of moving, and so they're pretty well all packed up). 1. Till We Have Faces- CS Lewis I cannot communicate forcefully enough the impact of re-reading this book. I think the first time I read Till We Have Faces was 4...

I am an avid, if not particularly prolific, reader. Folks sometimes get the impression that I've read more than I have, partially because I retain fairly well, and I like to use quotations.  I suppose I could read more if I were to read faster (that seems logical enough), but I don't seem to enjoy the reading experience nearly so much when I do so, and the last thing I want is for my favorite leisure activity to become drudgery.  One thing that I have always lacked in my reading, besides speed, is any sort of tracking mechanism. I decided to change that this year, just to keep tabs on what sort of things I'm reading, if there are any books I need to focus more heavily on, and to keep track of what I've finished. I've included my first three entries for the year down below. I don't try to be weekly or anything like that with my entries, updating only when I finish a book, upon which I will leave a few thoughts. I believe the rest of it is fairly self-explanat...

First of all, it's far too late in the year to be writing a list like this. But here I sit. Secondly, I was going to do a top 10 or 15 book from 2015 post, but then I realized I hadn't put together such a post in about 3 years (what have I been thinking?!). So what I decided to do instead is try to compile a list of books I've read in that span that I would commend to you to consider this year. My memory is sketchy, and I've not done well at actually recording my reading, so this is off the top of my head (The order is semi-intentional, but not firm). The content of this list reflects the directions of my reading, obviously, but I did intentionally throw in some things off the beaten path of my typical diet. 1: Til We Have Faces, CS Lewis This is the best book I've read from Lewis, and I've read a substantial amount of Lewis. I cut my teeth on his non-fiction, but fiction was his true genius.  2: Gilead, Marilynne Robinson I picked this book up after rea...

End of year lists seem a popular thing to make. Movies, music, books, video games, sports moments, news stories, nothing seems left untouched by such lists. After reading a few of these, I decided it might be kind of fun to go over my top 10 reads from 2012. Keep in mind, these sort of lists are ridiculously subjective, but isn't that what makes it fun? Bear in mind, unlike many such lists, mine is not of books published in 2012, but of books I personally read this past year. 1. The Man Who Was Thursday - G.K. Chesterton This book tops my list for one reason-it was simply the most enjoyable read I have ever enjoyed enjoying; and I don't care if that's redundant. I was glued to the pages, which is an affect fiction generally does not have on me. Good story, a gripping style of writing. 2. Radical - David Platt I had put off reading this book. Not for any reason other than it was very popular, and I am rather leery of the popular. I have never highlighted and und...