# What is(are) Your Favorite Book(s) in Your Library?



## N. Eshelman (Nov 20, 2009)

Many of us here on the Puritan Board are bibliophiles. We LOVE books! Some of us have huge libraries, some of us have small but sanctified libraries. Many of us have antiquarian books or books that mean a lot to us for a number of reasons. 

What is/are your favorite/s book/s in your library and why? Do you have a great story about the book? How you acquired it. Who previously owned it, etc? 

Just some light booknerd fun to start the weekend:


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## Frank Brito. (Nov 20, 2009)

Bible is number one, of course...

After that, I'd say, "The Institutes"...


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## Augusta (Nov 20, 2009)

I can't choose between my top three: _An Alarm to the Unconverted_, _The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment_, and _The Bruised Reed_.


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## NRB (Nov 20, 2009)

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul


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## JennyG (Nov 20, 2009)

well, if it's just favourites...not necessarily the ones you most esteem or profit from, but just the ones you love, including for nostalgic reasons... that really narrows it down, maybe even to as few as 300, hahaha!
Some books I could never, ever part with:
_The Heir of Redclyffe_ by Charlotte M Yonge. Through that book, though I didn't know it the day it caught my eye in the Library stacks, God was to set my feet on the long road that led me to him.
_The Eagle of the Ninth_ by Rosemary Sutcliff. Set in Roman Britain, lots of the action near where I grew up. The best adventure story ever (forget LOTR).
_Ring of Bright Water_ by Gavin Maxwell. Hauntingly sad, and my daughter loves it too so we bond over it.....we can't believe anyone else really appreciates otters!!
_Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten_ and all the other Beatrix Potters. They're all covered in baby scribblings, which makes them yet dearer.
The other 200-odd will have to wait...

-----Added 11/20/2009 at 04:21:56 EST-----

....I now realise that looks as if I stole my copy of _The Heir of Redclyffe_ from the University library, but no, I went and bought one!


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## Sgt Grit (Nov 20, 2009)

When I was a baby Christian Our Sufficiency in Christ John MacArthur, and later Holiness by Ryle.


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## Daniel Haley (Nov 20, 2009)

For me it's always the book(s) I'm currently reading, which happen to be:

A Christian View of Men and Things by Gordon Clark, and

A Case for Amillennialism by Kim RIddlebarger


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## PuritanCovenanter (Nov 20, 2009)

I love biographies. I really love J. C. Ryles Light from Old Times. 

I really love my Nehemiah Coxe book, Covenant Theology From Adam to Christ.

My new favorite book right now is The Marrow of Modern Divinity. I am reading it now.

An old favorite of mine is William Symington's Messiah the Prince. It is on the mediatorial reign of Jesus Christ. Of course you know Dr. Roy Blackwood had some influence on my love for that book.

I have Read John Bunyan's Pilgim's Progress 5 times. 

Jeremiah Burrough's Gospel Worship is another of my favorites. 

I can keep on going.....

And oh yeah, I love Pooh bear.


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## Reformed Thomist (Nov 20, 2009)

Although I'm only a 6.5-step Osteenian.


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## calvinich (Nov 20, 2009)

I love how the book is so humble and pronounces itself "*The* #1 New York Times Best Seller". And not even in a particular period of time... It must be just sort of floating there as a persistent best seller. 



Reformed Thomist said:


> Although I'm only a 6.5-step Osteenian.


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## Dragoon (Nov 20, 2009)

It would have to be Holiness by J. C. Ryle not only because it was instrumental in me excepting the doctrines of Grace but because I have lent my copy to three of my friends which caused,

The first one, to embrace the doctrine of grace. 

The second, to realize he was counting on his good works to make him right with God at which point he went to the cross and embraced Christ. 

The third, to also embrace the doctrine of grace as well as helped her out of a bad case of depression.


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## Rich Koster (Nov 20, 2009)

Spurgeon: Morning & Evening Devo. (confession..it is an e-book)


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## sastark (Nov 20, 2009)

I have a few books that are signed by the author: a couple by Cornelius Van Til, one signed by Al Mohler, a pair signed by Kenneth Samples, one signed by Peter Hammond and a few others. I also own the first Bible my Dad owned after becoming a Christian, which I think is a pretty cool thing to have.

And, of course, my 1599 Geneva Bible from Tolle Lege Press.


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## Wayne (Nov 20, 2009)

Or to put it another way, what would you rescue if you could only grab a few?:

A leather-bound set of Matthew Henry's _Commentary_ that was originally my great-grandfather's.
and my nearly complete collection of the works of Jeremiah Burroughs (SDG reprints), *especially* his commentary on Hosea (a rare jewel indeed!).


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## SolaSaint (Nov 20, 2009)

If it counts, I would say my E-Sword. After that it's Grudem's Systematic Theology.


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## Knight (Nov 20, 2009)

The books I have by Gordon Clark.


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## Pilgrim72 (Nov 20, 2009)

I have too many books to list. But one book that has become a recent favorite is a first edition Jeremiah Burroughs "Moses His Choice" from 1641. It's not only special to me because Burroughs is one of my favorite authors, but also because of how I acquired it.
I was honored to be allowed to spend a whole day at David Lachman's home, where he has a treasure of antiquarian books. His collection is one of a kind. I was blessed beyond measure to be able to handle and peruse many Puritan works from the 1600s, for example. And the Lachmans' kindness was a blessing to me as well. (I hope to be able to visit again some day.)
Anyway, I'm going through it now, much to my spiritual benefit.


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## Don Kistler (Nov 20, 2009)

David Lachman is indeed a treasure, Alex. My favorite book of all the many I've edited (350+ titles) is "Gospel Worship" by Jeremiah Burroughs, although a close second is his book "The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit." Also Christopher Love's book "Grace" and Thomas Vincent's book "The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ."


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## TaylorOtwell (Nov 20, 2009)

Cardiphonia - John Newton
The Godly Man's Picture - Thomas Watson


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## PresbyDane (Nov 20, 2009)

I collect old Bibles and have one from 1740 I really like that one. I also love my ESV studybible and after that Calvins institutes Sprouls holiness of God ans etc, etc....


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## Berean (Nov 20, 2009)

My little _Valley of Vision_ book of Puritan prayers. _The Holiness of God_ by Sproul.


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## fralo4truth (Nov 20, 2009)

I LOVE MY BOOKS!

1) _The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_ by Edward Gibbon. This is one of the greatest historical works ever written.

2) _In the Beginning_ by Walt Brown. For anyone interested in creation science and its defense, this book (more like an encyclopedia) is incredible.

3) _The Death of Death in the Death of Christ_ by John Owen. NOTE TO ALL UNIVERSALISTS: BE AFRAID! BE VERY AFRAID!

4) _10 VOL. COLLECTION OF SPURGEON'S SERMONS_. What I would have given to be under the sound of his voice!

5) _The Works of Josephus_. Great extrabiblical material!


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## JM (Nov 20, 2009)

A Christian Directory.


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## RTaron (Nov 20, 2009)

Man's Guiltiness before God by Thomas Goodwin.


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## N. Eshelman (Nov 20, 2009)

Good show! Good show! Keep it up! I am TOTALLY driving to Orange County to snatch a book from Alex!  

I have some that are favorites due to intrinsic value: 

1. United Presbyterian Worship Manual called The Book of Common Worship which Dr. Charles Krahe gave to Ray B. Lanning on his ordination to the ministry in 1976- and Ray (who was my mentor) gave it to me on my ordination. I hope to pass it on someday as well. It is a very useful book for young pastors and the prayers are quite devotional. 

2. An Associate Presbyterian Westminster Standards from 1770. Wonderfully bound in brown leather. 

3. The Work of the Civil Government by James Willson that was owned (and signed) by WM Glasgow. This is part of my historic RPCNA library. I have about 25 1st edition RP pastor books that are of historical value to RPs. At least three are signed by WM Glasgow (he is THE RP historian). 

4. A Bible in Swedish that my Great-grandmother brought from Sweden when she came to the US in the 1800s.


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## jambo (Nov 21, 2009)

Other than the bible, 

Pilgrim's Progress
Rutherford's letters
Flavel's Fountain of Life
Watson's Godly Mans Picture
Westminster Confession containing larger/shorter catechisms, directory of public worship, sum of saving knowledge etc 
Valley of Vision
Careys biography by S Pearce Carey
Operation World


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## JBaldwin (Nov 21, 2009)

PuritanCovenanter said:


> And oh yeah, I love Pooh bear.



Me too!

I have different favorites at different times. It's amazing how God has used books in my life when I needed them, and I can almost trace my christian walk through my favorite books. 

Next to the Scriptures, these are the ones that have had the most impact on me over the years. Two are no longer in my library. (from the earliest in my life until now) This list is not exhaustive. 

"By Searching" Isobel Kuhn (autobiography, part 1)
"The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" C.S. Lewis 
"Here I Stand" (The biography of Martin Luther) Roland Bainton
"le Prie de la Joie" (The Price of Joy) The authobiography of Blanche Gamond
"The Four Loves" C.S. Lewis
"That Hideous Strength" C.S. Lewis (I can't remember how many times I've read it)
"Predestination" Loraine Boetner
"The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God" John Piper 

My favorite young children's book is "The Library" by Sarah Stewart. My daughter and I checked that book out of the library so many times, I finally went and bought a copy.


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## Osage Bluestem (Nov 21, 2009)

I have a little over 1000 books. There are many that are special to me.

My new KJV bible by R.L. Allan is my most prized book. I love it.


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## historyb (Nov 21, 2009)

I would say mine is _*A History of the English-Speaking Peoples *_by Winston Churchill and a series on the Civil War.


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## reformed trucker (Nov 23, 2009)

Joshua said:


> Besides the obvious, _Horton Hears a Who_. It's not in my library, because it was located elsewhere. This was a book that my little girl loved. I read it to her at naptime everyday for almost a year. It was right after some hard family times. It has a lot of bittersweet nostalgia attached to it.



Dr. Seuss rocks! Every night I would read my oldest daughter a story; she always talked me into two books. I read her "The Foot Book" so many times, she knew it by heart. One Christmas when the family was over, my grandma was amazed that she was 3 1/2 years old, and "reading" every page (she knew it by heart). 

Other than that, all 500+ in my library (after the Bible).


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## Heidelberg1 (Nov 23, 2009)

These are some of my favorites: 

Works of Jonathan Edwards (2 Vol BoT)
Reformed Confessions Harmonized (Beeke & Ferguson)
Desiring God by John Piper
A Quest for Godliness by JI Packer
Old Paths JC Ryle
Christian Leaders of the 18th Century JC Ryle
John Paton (Autobiography)


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## Christoffer (Nov 23, 2009)

*...*

Clarks "Christian view of men and things" - covers a lot of ground, really made me realize that christianity is a holistic worldview

Calvins "Institutes"

Packers "Knowing God" - almost like Institutes-lite. Full of wisdom


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Nov 23, 2009)

Right now my favorite book is Iain Murray's bio of Lloyd-Jones. 

I'll have to ditto a book I just began reading, Gospel Worship by Jeremiah Burroughs. Also for purely personal reasons the book that really transformed me from an evangelical PC(USA) man to moving to a Reformed position on gender roles and the clergy Andres Kostenberger's Women in the Church: An Analysis and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9-15.


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## Theogenes (Nov 23, 2009)

Gesetveemet said:


> nleshelman said:
> 
> 
> > What is/are your favorite/s book/s in your library and why? Do you have a great story about the book? How you acquired it. Who previously owned it, etc?
> ...




I love those two books as well. You should get Colquhoun's Discourse on the Law and the Gospel. I think that's my favorite.
Jim


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## kceaster (Nov 23, 2009)

_An Earnest Ministry: The Want of the Times_, by John Angell James. I read through it every year.

Witsius' _Economy_.

_The Practice of Godliness_, by Abraham Kuyper.

_Letters of Thomas Chalmers_, by Thomas Chalmers

Just to name a few.

In Christ,

KC


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## coramdeo (Nov 23, 2009)

My Signed Spurgon Autobiography


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## Titus35 (Nov 23, 2009)

_The Letters of Samuel Rutherford _- Unabridged BOT Edition


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