What are you reading this week?

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PhilA said:
The Worst Journey In The World - Apsley Cherry-Garrard
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I still have this wonderful book on my computer kindle app, after failing to work up the courage to revisit it since 'Inexpressible Island.' That tale of men subsisting on very little but good cheer, Dickens, Scripture, and the Te Deum at the frozen bottom of the world, and then in the mercy of God (which they had been praising all along) finding food left by some other wanderer when they needed it most, is one of the most beautiful stories on earth. And set as it was against the tale of Scott's failure, with food so close, to reach it -- it was overwhelmingly poignant.
 
The Sovereignity of God by A.W. Pink
Christianity & Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen
The New Amplified Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan and Jim Pappas

I can't believe I haven't read The Sovereignty of God before! It is so so so good. I want to buy a million copies and give it to all my friends. :D
 
a mere housewife said:
PhilA said:
The Worst Journey In The World - Apsley Cherry-Garrard
Click to expand...

I still have this wonderful book on my computer kindle app, after failing to work up the courage to revisit it since 'Inexpressible Island.' That tale of men subsisting on very little but good cheer, Dickens, Scripture, and the Te Deum at the frozen bottom of the world, and then in the mercy of God (which they had been praising all along) finding food left by some other wanderer when they needed it most, is one of the most beautiful stories on earth. And set as it was against the tale of Scott's failure, with food so close, to reach it -- it was overwhelmingly poignant.
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Heidi

I have read this book a number of times and do enjoy re-visiting. A most remarkable story. I don’t think Cherry-Garrard ever really recovered from his personal sense of failure.
If you enjoyed this I would recommend: The Last Place on Earth – Roland Huntford, Scott & Amundsen’s race to the South Pole. Amundsen is one of my great heroes. His great achievement being overshadowed by Scott’s predictable disaster is one of the great injustices of history.
 
PhilA said:
I don’t think Cherry-Garrard ever really recovered from his personal sense of failure.
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'A man who gives a good account of himself is probably lying, since any life when viewed from the inside is simply a series of defeats.' -- George Orwell. From even the short acquaintance I have with it, I did believe the book deserved to be one of somebody's favorites and to be reread. How nice to meet you :) Thank you for the recommendation.
 
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Drudge Report
PB
Contract modifications (suggested)
Lots of e-mails
The Gift of the Holy Spirt (pt 1) by John Reuther
 
Grad school is kind of strange. I'm reading so much, yet I'm reading (in some cases) so frantically that it's hard to absorb. This thread made me realize just how scattered I am.

Homilies on the Gospel of John 1-40 by Augustine

Luther's Earliest Opponents by David Bagchi

Peter Martyr Vermigli and Predestination by Frank James III

Passion and Paradise by J. Warren Smith (finished and reviewed)

Protestant History and Identity in Sixteenth-Century Europe (vol. 1-2) by Bruce Gordon

The Reception of the Church Fathers in the West (vol. 2) by Irena Backus

Colin Gunton and the Failure of Augustine by Bradley Green (finished and working on a review for publishing)

Augustine and the Fundamentalist's Daughter by Margaret Miles

Philosophy for Understanding Theology by Diogenes Allen

selections from Thomas Aquinas' ST and SCG on predestination

About half a dozen more books used as reference for Augustine's exegesis of John's Gospel

About half a dozen more articles or chapters relating to Thomas Aquinas' philosophy or Origen's exigesis
 
CharlieJ said:
Grad school is kind of strange. I'm reading so much, yet I'm reading (in some cases) so frantically that it's hard to absorb. This thread made me realize just how scattered I am.

Homilies on the Gospel of John 1-40 by Augustine

Luther's Earliest Opponents by David Bagchi

Peter Martyr Vermigli and Predestination by Frank James III

Passion and Paradise by J. Warren Smith (finished and reviewed)

Protestant History and Identity in Sixteenth-Century Europe (vol. 1-2) by Bruce Gordon

The Reception of the Church Fathers in the West (vol. 2) by Irena Backus

Colin Gunton and the Failure of Augustine by Bradley Green (finished and working on a review for publishing)

Augustine and the Fundamentalist's Daughter by Margaret Miles

Philosophy for Understanding Theology by Diogenes Allen

selections from Thomas Aquinas' ST and SCG on predestination

About half a dozen more books used as reference for Augustine's exegesis of John's Gospel

About half a dozen more articles or chapters relating to Thomas Aquinas' philosophy or Origen's exigesis
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You should not feel so bad Charlie, I deliberately missed all the books that are queuing up with a couple of pages or one chapter read

Boston's Fourfold Nature - you really need to be in the right frame of mind
Two commentaries arrived on Nehemiah (next after John 21)
Politically Incorrect Guide to Socialism
Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming - humorous but a bit of a slog
Two other books I have started on environmentalism
The War Against Boys
Banquet in the Grave - nouthetic counselling but not Adams
Two books a friend sent me on the Rapture (oops I am amillennial!)
Cloning of the American Mind - not very well written in my opinion although it documents some important cases
Like Thousands not Billions - creationist

These are the ones my conscience can bring to mind while I am still seated I dare say there are a few more I have neglected. I deliberately left the inactive (i.e. not read this week) books off the list.

I think my contention is that PB'ers are pretty into literature generally. I was pleased to see Landmarks Herodotus on the list, I finished Landmarks Thucydides over the summer. We are living in an age that is neglecting literature. My new pet hate is the Manga Cartoon Bible which has taken over my loathing of The Message - I feel a blog coming on...

Like Thousands not Billions
 
Today the brown truck arrived with a copy of "The Puritan Hope" by Ian H Murray. I bought the book after seeing it mentioned else on the Puritan board. Just finishing the introduction and about to get started.
 
Treasury of David, Spurgeon (to help while going through the Psalms)
A Case for Amillennialism, Riddlebarger
Twitter for Dummies​ (2nd Ed)
The Climax of Prophecy (on Revelation), Bauckham
Will America Change?, Sardar & Davies
The Revelation of Saint John, Boxall
 
Reading Deuteronomy (Morning) and Mark (Evening)

Love,Freedom and Evil by Thaddeus J. Williams (well written and the author is a great person)

The Many Faces of Evil:Theological Systems and the Problems of Evil by John Feinberg
 
Golden Chain-Perkins
Mockingjay-Suzanne Collins
Some articles/speeches by Thornwell
 
Beoga said:
Golden Chain-Perkins
Mockingjay-Suzanne Collins
Some articles/speeches by Thornwell
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Oh, another Hunger Games victim! That whole series went through our family like wildfire - myself, adults son, teen son, teen daughter, younger daughter all flew through them. A different take on things, very compelling reads.
 
I read Steven Lawson's new book, The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon today and could not put it down. It was a wonderful read. And, I got some other wonderful books to read at the Ligonier Conference!
 
Miss Marple said:
Beoga said:
Golden Chain-Perkins
Mockingjay-Suzanne Collins
Some articles/speeches by Thornwell
Click to expand...

Oh, another Hunger Games victim! That whole series went through our family like wildfire - myself, adults son, teen son, teen daughter, younger daughter all flew through them. A different take on things, very compelling reads.
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I have enjoyed them so far, though the third one has been my least favorite, though that might be because tax season has really hit and I find less time and energy to sit down and read through them. Like your family, these books have caught fire in my church amongst us young folks. Engaging and fun reads, though like you said, very different things.
 
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Volume 1 by John Calvin
The Doctrine of God by Herman Bavinck
Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof
Inerrancy edited by Norman Geisler
The Shepherd Leader by Timothy Witmer
 
Three new purchases:

God is Love: A Biblical and Systematic Theology by Gerald Bray (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2012), 768 pages

A Commentary on the Psalms: Volume 1 (Psalms 1-41) by Allen P. Ross; Kregel Exegetical Library series (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic & Professional, 2011), 887 pages

Psalms as Torah: Reading Biblical Song Ethically by Gordon J. Wenham; Studies in Theological Interpretation series (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 233 pages

I notice that Steven J. Lawson has a new book out on how to preach the Psalms, but I haven't acquired it yet.
 
American Sniper: The Story of America's most Lethal Sniper by Chris Kyle and Jim DeFelice


it's a good one...
 
Read The Bee Book For Beginners by Frank Randall. I always wanted to raise Bees but it never came to be. Used to ask Tim Vaughan, Bee questions so now I read a book about it.
 
The Bible

Refuting Evolution by Jonathan Sarfati

God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew

I'm trying to get into the habit of reading regularly.

Eventually I want to get into the habit of reading at least one non-fiction book a week. We'll see how it goes.

In fact...I'm procrastinating as we speak.
 
I'm reading Luther's Commentary on Galatians, Galatians, Little Britches, and The History of Us to my kids. We are also finishing up memorizing the WSC. I'm not sure I'd call that reading. On my own I've been working through 1 Kings, Streams in the Desert, and The Pursuit of God in the Company of Friends. I was working through Rose in Bloom by Alcott, but I'm so busy right now I can't find time to read for entertainment.
 
Just finished reading, "Attending Upon God Without Distraction" by Nathanael Vincent. Phenomenal read! If you've ever suffered with being distracted for any reason in your walk or having lack of focus, as I believe all believers will struggle with from time to time, this is well worth your time! Definitely one I plan on going back through soon and reviewing his main arguments and related Scripture. I love how everything the Puritans wrote is just so saturated in the Word!
 
I have a feeling that I will be searching for an on-line service manual for a lawn mower & reading it this week. :doh:
 
Getting the Blues: What Blues Music Teaches Us about Suffering and Salvation Stephen J. Nichols and really, really lovin' it.

David expresses his dark side in the Psalms.

The prophets cry out in anguish and condemn social injustices.

And Paul bemoans his frailty as a man.

In Getting the Blues, Stephen Nichols examines this dissonance in the Bible--what he calls "theology in a minor key"--and leads the reader in a vivid exploration of how blues music offers powerful insight into the biblical narrative and the life of Jesus.

Subtly weaving Bible stories together with intriguing details of the lives of blues musicians such as Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, Nichols reveals what blues music teaches about sin, suffering, alienation, and worship. He delves into how the blues can intensify our understanding of bondage to sin and redemption and how the blues encourage us to strive for justice and righteousness.

Getting the Blues will resonate with anyone interested in Christianity and culture. In the end, readers will emerge with a deeper understanding of the value of a theology that lingers on the dark side and embraces Good Friday as well as Easter, suffering as well as joy.
Endorsements

"In the current cultural climate, surrounded by so much sentimentality, we need blues music and its Christian resonances as perhaps never before. Nichols's book should go a long way to putting this art form back on the theological agenda."--Jeremy Begbie, Duke University

"Too often the Blues is put in opposition to Spirituals. But when the church's songs stray too far from the cries of a broken humanity, they lose their truth, depth, and power. In Getting the Blues, Stephen Nichols compellingly shows how the minor key of the blues resonates with the minor keys in scripture and theology. By attending closely to these 'blue notes' Nichols writes truthfully and wisely about God's ways with wayward children--not only famous ones like Muddy Waters and Ma Rainey, but also the likes of you and me."--Christian Scharen, Luther Seminary; author of One Step Closer: Why U2 Matters to Those Seeking God
Reviews
"It's difficult to associate the loneliness and downright mournfulness of the blues with the joyful teachings on salvation that often characterize the Christian religion. Yet in this splendid little book, theologian Nichols engagingly reminds us that the musical genre of the blues helps us to understand what theologians call redemption. Drawing on a wide range of blues singers and their lyrics, he blends the strains of the blues into the harmonies of theology and scripture in order to compose a new song about the powerful manner in which the blues prepare us for understanding the mercy and love of God. . . . Nichols's elegant study offers fresh insights into the blues and their meaning for religion."--Publishers Weekly

"Going to the roots of the blues, Stephen Nichols shows how this quintessential American musical form ties inextricably to Christian theology. . . . Nichols weaves a thoroughly intricate but fascinating history of Mississippi Delta blues. . . . Our spiritual and musical forebears have suffered greatly, and this book helps you to get in touch with this essential message."--John Dunham, YouthWorker Journal

"Nichols is not afraid of being provocative. He looks at the psalms as a forerunner of the blues, with King David as the singers' prototype. He finds spiritual lessons in unlikely places. . . . This is an unfashionable book, yet that is to its author's credit. It is convincing for the most part, and, even where it pushes to extremes, it is always engaging. Getting the Blues will help readers hear blues music with refreshed ears and read Scripture with a revitalized perspective."--Ted Gioia, First Things

"Nichols spends much of his time introducing a who's who in pre-war blues history. . . . For good measure, Nichols sprinkles in other artists with blues affinities . . . plus an additional cast of biblical characters. To add his own personal mark, Nichols splices in his own blues-inspired poetry . . . a select discography, and photos of key blues locales. The result is a remarkably full picture of the Delta blues. Getting the Blues is an excellent introduction to the diversity of pre-war blues music. Nichols writes thoughtfully and economically, seamlessly blending description, quotation, and commentary. . . . His book displays strong research throughout, and Nichols strikes a nice balance of cultural and historical material to contextualize his discussion."--Brent Wittmeier, Crux

"Nichols weaves the stories [of the places and people who have created the blues] into a beautiful tale of redemption. . . . This is an enjoyable and engaging book. . . . For those with little knowledge of this music Nichols introduces the major characters and their influences, thus bringing these artists back to life. For those with some knowledge of and appreciation for this art form Nichols reminds the reader of the impact of the blues on popular music. He writes in a masterful style that draws readers into the stories he tells. Using his own poetry in each chapter, Nichols demonstrates that he does get the blues. And he helps his readers get them too. . . . Christian ministers who desire to be agents of grace will be interested in Nichols's work."--Glenn R. Kreider, Bibliotheca Sacra

"[A] fascinating account. . . . This is a welcome piece of scholarship. . . . Nichols's book brings its own fresh perspective to the study of the blues. The author's experience as both a theologian and a historian of the South contributes nicely to his study of the blues. Extremely well-researched, the book stems also from something of a personal journey. . . . The content is great, but so is the form. I loved the way Nichols weaves theological discussion through the pages of this book in a way that is neither preachy nor abstract or flatly conceptual. Nichols uses the redemptive-historical understanding of Scripture to make sense of the world of the blues, and he tells it like a story, the same kind of story told in the blues. . . . A truly marvelous book. It deserves to be widely read, not only by Christians, who can be encouraged to 'get' the blues from a balanced, yet loving presentation, but for unbelievers as well, who may be prone to think of the blues merely as secular entertainment, or as some sort of pure protest music."--William Edgar, Themelios

"Nichols creatively interweaves the stories of early Blues artists like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters with such themes as sin, forgiveness, redemption, justice, and eschatology to show how Christianity and culture interact and address the human dilemma. By carefully listening to its message, we can begin to appreciate how this music, which began in the Mississippi Delta, can show us how the church relates to modern culture. . . . Nichols's book will help readers to understand how the Blues, rooted in the African American experience, 'teaches us what it means to be human.'"--Michael B. Simmons, Religious Studies Review
"What a fantastic little book on the Blues! Not only do you feel the history but the spiritual growth of the Blues. Author Stephen J. Nichols does an amazing job as he takes you on an incredible journey to the beginning of the Mississippi Delta Blues. . . . This book is extremely well written and would be perfect for solo learning or group discussion or classroom study. So whether you are a historian, Christian, a lover of the Blues and especially if you are all three this is one book you won't want to miss!"--Cheri Clay, Midwest Book Review

"This book, filled with history most of us have never heard, plays a vital role in the musical history of America, opening our eyes in ways history class never did. A well researched book that should take its place on the shelves of libraries and those who love music."--Carolyn R. Sheidies, idealinhope.com
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