So, I'm one of those guys who has to read 2 or 3 books at a time to appease my ADD tendencies. Usually, this works out great. But, lately, I find myself picking up more books to read without having finished the others. This list will include some old and some new as a result. Currently on my nightstand (where all current reading goes):
Brothers K, Decoding The Universe, and Any Human Heart. All from previous entries. All very good.
Blindness by Jose Saramago. This is a re-read for this month's "New & Noteworthy" bookclub, which I co-host at BookPeople on the last Monday of every month. Blindness is one of my top 10 novels. On the surface, it is about a contagion of blindness that breaks out in an unnamed city. It is about so much more. Pick it up.
This Beautiful Mess by Rick McKinley. For you Donald Miller fans, McKinley is the pastor that Miller is always quoting. Very insightful guy, and just as readable as Miller.
They Like Jesus, But Not The Church by Dan Kimball. If I could put one book in the hands of most of the church leaders, planters, and members that I know, it would be this one. It is a wake up call and a call to arms. It is so much of what I have experienced during the past 2 years in Austin. Ask someone what they think of Jesus and their response will be benign to exceedingly positive. Ask them what they think of the church...let's just say that the most common response from co-workers at BP upon hearing that I was a Christian and a pastor was that I didn't remind them of Pat Robertson. I took this as a compliment (as any sane person would), but when did he become our spokesperson?
That's 6 books, for those that are counting. I'm flying through McKinley and Kimball and have to have Saramago done within a couple of weeks. Should have a whole new crop very soon.
Listening to:
Late For The Sky and The Pretender by Jackson Browne. How did he write these two albums back to back? His two best, in my opinion. They ought to re-release them as one album (16 tracks altogether). If you haven't heard 'Before The Deluge' or 'Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate', you haven't heard Jackson Browne.
Below The Radio by Grandaddy. This isn't actually a Grandaddy album, but a mix compiled by Grandaddy's lead singer. Harry's current favorite album, which I don't mind a bit. Tracks from Fruit Bats, Beck, and even Grandaddy themselves. Harry and I sing 'Nature Anthem' when we go on walks together. People either smile or run.
American Recordings V by Johnny Cash. I don't mean to be maudlin, but this is like listening to Johnny draw his last breaths. It's sad and hopeful and dark and everything else that is Cash. It hurts to listen to, but I love it.
I See A Darkness by Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Speaking of dark. This album is so spare and rich all at once. Billy's best and one of my desert island discs (if I didn't list it, it was an oversight). David Bazan and Will Johnson are still trying to write this album.
2 comments:
still loving the peter adams cd. man, so great.
also, blindness is fantastic, though it wouldn't be in my top ten. maybe my top 25. this makes me want to write a list of my top 10 books ever but i won't burden you or myself with that right now. i actually just finished reading "seeing" which is saramago's follow-up to blindness. though it was good, it doesn't push forward the way blindness did. when i read blindness it was all i could do to keep up with the story. it's one of those books that is such a good story and written in such a way that you feel like you must finish it as soon as possible. seeing didn't have quite the same effect. his "all the names", though, did. really amazing.
just finished reading "midnight's children" which was good though a little tedious at times. a really interesting story and a unique writing style, though a little childish at times. i couldn't tell if that was intentional or if it has something to do with his grasp of the english language. his grasp of the english language is obviously phenomenal, but i don't know...maybe.
you'll appreciate this. i just picked up "johnny cash's autobiography, 'cash', by johnny cash". i've only read the first chapter so far but i know already that it'll be a quick, enjoyable read.
i loved blindness, but didn't care for seeing at all. blindness managed to make an epic event be about individual characters that you really cared about. seeing felt like a sweeping political statement about no one in particular. all the names was a fantastic story.
never read any rushdie. always meant to.
cash by johnny cash. one of my favorite books. i've probably read it 10 times.
Post a Comment