Stopping to Think

Orwell's dystopian novel was good.  He is the essence of a cultural cynic, which both enables his penetrating analysis of socialism and destroys his ability to believe in any sort of egalitarian or equality based system. This book was almost eery to read in the age of the internet, smartphones, and ubiquitous cameras and microphones. The power we give those who control that information is quite disturbing. My rating: 3 of 5 stars.

Questioning Evangelism, Second Edition by Randy Newman My rating: 4 of 5 stars Newman's essential argument is this: questions are a more effective mode of moving conversations forward than sermons are. This would include evangelistic conversations. Upon reading the gospels, I think Jesus largely argees, which gives his argument a lot of credence. He also illustrates with a number of stories and sample conversations that help you mentally enter into what he's talking about. All in all, a very helpful book. View all my reviews

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society by Eugene H. Peterson My rating: 4 of 5 stars I always find Peterson worth reading. These chapters are presented as expositions of the Song of Ascents. Perhaps meditations upon the main subject of each song would be a better way of putting it. I often differ with Peterson on particular points of doctrine, yet he has an incredible sense for the feel of the Christian life. His familiarity with the metanarrative of Scripture, the history of Christian doctrine, and the plain practicality of living as a disciple make this book well worth picking up and musing over. View all my reviews

On the Way Home: The Diary of a Trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894 by Laura Ingalls Wilder My rating: 4 of 5 stars My wife read the Little House books to the kids and I this Spring and Summer, leaving me with a real hunger to learn more about the life of the Ingalls/Wilder clan. This little diary (with introduction and postscript by Rose Wilder Lane) was very enjoyable, just to see what life on the trail from South Dakota to Missouri would be like 120 years ago. View all my reviews

The Little House Collection by Laura Ingalls Wilder My rating: 5 of 5 stars My wife read these books aloud to our family this past Summer, and these will certainly be books we return to. Some people are disappointed to find how much of the books are fictionalized material, but they are absolutely delightful stories. And while obviously not history per se, they do introduce young minds to a world of covered wagons, washboards, and hard survival which might otherwise be hard for iPad toting toddlers to imagine. View all my reviews

Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church by Philip Yancey My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is an interesting book. I always enjoy Yancey; his probing, questioning, journalistic style is very reflective in a reflexive age. In this book he walks through the lives and writings of thirteen individuals who've helped him navigate his own life, and the narrative weaves between the various subjects of the chapters and his own story. Very enjoyable. View all my reviews

I remember reading Walden quickly in high school because it seemed like a good thing to do. I decided to listen to the audio book via Librivox because it seemed like an enjoyable thing to do. I was very pleased with certain parts of Walden. Thoreau's descriptions of his days, of the landscape, etc, are most enjoyable. Many of his critiques of modern man still apply with equal accuracy today. But as to his positive philosophiziing, his transcendentalism just doesn't cut the mustard. And he spends far too much time on it. He also is not quite the poet he apparently finds himself to be. On the whole, I think it's a book worth reading, and I in no way regret listening to it. Gordon Mackenzie is, I believe, the fellow who read the version I listened to, and his reading style was thoroughly enjoyable.