One of the things that I’ve been able to do since the accident is read. I have a stack of books that I’m making progress through. Another stack is gathering dust. Still, another stack is no longer a stack. These books have made their way back to the shelves, but have not yet been properly shelved, giving faint hope that I will get to them.
Currently Reading:
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. This is the biography that inspired the Broadway musical. It’s been on the list ever since I heard about the musical and showed clips to my US History class this past year. Great Read!
Revival and Revivalism by Iain Murray. A look at the development of revivals and evangelical Christianity in the United States and Great Britain before the American Civil War.
Homeric Moments by Eva Brann. Reflections of teaching Homer for over fifty years at St. John’s College. This is a good read but a challenging book, and worthwhile to build a stronger foundation in my thinking about and teaching of Homer.
Serving With Calvin by Terry L. Johnson. A guide to the fundamental principles of public ministry and the calling of the pastor. While much of this is material is content I’ve picked up and absorbed over the years, I sure do wish this book was around when I was a young minister! It’s a judicious condensation of the work of the pastor that has spurred me on in prayer and preparing for the ministry of the Word.
Listening to on Audible:
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters At The End by Atul Gawande. Thought provoking book on aging and how the West cares for an aging population. Gawande convincingly shows us how the medical model of caring for elderly people often ignores their desires and robs them of the agency that those of us who are able to live independently take for granted, and profiles residences where elderly people are able to exercise greater liberty and agency in their making, and how this adds years to their lives and life to their years.
On the shelf/nightstand:
The Didascalion of Hugo of St. Victor. A medieval treatise reading, education, and the seven liberal arts. It’s a little challenging to get through with the discomfort I’m feeling so I’ve put it aside for now.
Eisenhower by Stephen Ambrose. I’ve always thought that Eisenhower is one of the most underrated and interesting Presidents. I want to get into this one, but it will probably wait until after Hamilton.
How To Read A Sentence and How To Write One by Stanley Fish. I try to keep a writing book going all the time. Right now, the plot of this one fails to grip, but I really haven’t given it much of a chance.
The Power Broker: Robert Caro and The Fall of New York by Robert Moses. I’m about 8o percent through. An interesting and must-read for anyone who is at all interested in the history of “the city that never sleeps.” At 1200 pages, it’s too dang heavy to pick up now!
Half Baked 