Some of my most beloved books are:
What Are People For? by Wendell Berry – Berry has published a lot of essays, but most of my favorites are in here.
Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry – My favorite contemporary novel. This book captures more of my vision for life in the world than any other novel I know of.
The Plague by Albert Camus – There is a warmth and humanity to Camus’ work that is thoroughly unique and wonderfully engaging.
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton – Essentially, it’s Notes from the Tilt-a-whirl, but written in England in 1908.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass – One of the most remarkable books I’ve ever read.
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo – The best novel ever written. End of story. If you want to understand the Christian narrative, what grace really means, read this book. It’s 1200 pages that capture the beauty of grace in the most captivating, breath-taking way imaginable.
The Collected Poems of John Keats by John Keats – Keats is my favorite romantic poet. Start with his Ode to a Nightingale and then move on to the Ode on a Grecian Urn. There’s a purity to his voice and style that is unique and, I think, unrivaled amongst the romantics.
The Branch Will Not Break by James Wright – One of my favorite poetry collections. One reviewer said “these poems should be read once a month.” While I haven’t lived up to that lofty goal, I wish that I could.
Delights and Shadows by Ted Kooser – In the same vein as Wright’s Branch Will Not Break, but not as good. That’s not to say these are bad poems, but simply that Wright’s are perfect.
Notes from the Tilt-a-whirl by N.D. Wilson – The subtitle says it all, “Wide eyed wonder in God’s spoken world.” If I had only one book to give someone to explain the Christian faith, this would be it.
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis – If I had a second book to give someone, one that gave clearer definitions of Christian doctrine, it’d be this one.
Gilead by Marilynn Robinson – Before Jayber Crow grabbed my heart, I would’ve called this my favorite contemporary novel. It reads like an extended prose poem.
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien – Or, if you prefer your explanation of life and the cosmos (provided brilliantly in the above works) in narrative form, might I suggest Tolkien?
Thanks for sharing your faves. I enjoyed Gilead as well. Have you ever looked at Eugene Peterson’s Take and Read? It is an annotated bibliography with recommendations as well, although a little more extensive
Perhaps you might find the following book of interest?
Title: Blood Guilt : Christian Responses to America’s War on Terror
Author: P. P. Kapusta
Publisher: New Covenant Press (http://covenant.nu)
Date of publication: Sept. 11, 2011
Pages: 534
Ten years in the making, a recently published book takes a reflective look back at America’s War on Terror, and does so from a Christian perspective. “Blood Guilt” recounts a decade of Christian involvement in America’s first “war” of the twenty-first century. With virtually all American troops scheduled to be out of Iraq by the end of the year, many people are questioning whether the sacrifice was worth the cost in lives and resources. The author, however, asks a different, but more important question — one with spiritual significance: Why is it that those who claim to follow the Prince of Peace are the staunchest advocates of war than any other demographic group in America?
According to a 2003 Gallup poll, church-going Americans were more likely to support a war against Saddam Hussein than Americans with no faith. Mahatma Gandhi once observed, “The only people on earth who do not see Christ and his teachings as non-violent are Christians.” “Blood Guilt” examines why this is so. The book provides an answer as to why Christians have, for the most part, “lost their saltiness” when it comes to their witness against war (Luke 14:34-35).
For more details, including select quotes, the Introduction, and two complete chapters which can be downloaded and read on your computer, please visit New Covenant Press’s web site: http://covenant.nu
Do you have an email address that I could contact you at to send you some questions I have?
jakemeador at gmail dot com