[NOTE: I mistakenly THOUGHT I had posted this last Sunday. Here it is now. Please check back tomorrow as I will post List #2. As always, please let me know what you think. Thank you. - Stan]
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Dear friends, Over the past few years, I have read about 150 books. Awhile back, I wrote you a list of the best novels I’ve read, all of them written by Christians. Below you will find the best books I’ve come across this year alone – both non-fiction and fiction. ALL of those I recommend below I was able to borrow from my public library and hopefully if you are not in Orange County, Florida, you will also be able to find these titles in your library. I rarely find a book so good that I encourage you to purchase your own copy. I usually just take notes from the non-fiction books I like but can’t afford to purchase at this time. But there is one book below that I do recommend you buy. It is marked with a * mark. - Stan
PUBLIC POLICY:–[My one MUST BUY book this year.]* "Indivisible" – James Robison/Jay Richards
During the past few years, I have probably read several dozen books on public policy issues, trying to educate myself on the issues facing our country. NONE has impressed me as this recently released book that presents a Christian/well-reasoned perspective of the major issues of our day – limited government, abortion, capitalism (talks about it’s Christian roots!),immigration, education, and about a dozen other issues. I don’t think there is a page in this book that I didn't underline or mark in some way. I actually began by reading the chapter on what is termed “same-sex marriage” and was very impressed by how it answered many of its proponents but also had a cautionary word for Christians about marriage itself. That chapter alone told me that this was going to be a very special book and I have not been disappointed.
If you read just one book this year, trying to understand what is going on in our country, THIS is the one to get. In fact, this should be standard/required reading for every youth, especially Christian youth in your family and church. And for that college grad you know, this is the most excellent gift you can give them! If you can, make sure your pastor has a copy of this book. Furthermore, this book would be an excellent book for any neighborhood group at your church to go through between now and the elections in November. It’s really, that good.
As far as purchasing the book, please consider going to www.LifeToday.org/resources/currentofferOne of the authors is the head of this ministry that sends aid to the needy around the world. Your donation of any amount would thus go towards this very worthy ministry.
The Roots of Obama’s Rage – Dinesh D’Souza
This book takes a close examination of the two autobiographies that President Obama has written in order to try to understand just what is his worldview, ie. his heartfelt motivation for the policies he proposes. The conclusions the author comes to are hard to argue with and, if accurate, present a very unsettling, and yes, scary picture of who is our current President.
ECONOMICS:"Money,Greed, and God"– Jay Richards [NOT available from the library but 5 of the 20 chapters in "Indivisible"(above)deal with info from this book so you would still learn a lot of economics from what's in that book.]
Yes, I know. What?!! Economics. Who the heck wants to read something as boring and hard to understand as that.? Well, in this book a Christian with the American Enterprise Institute explains capitalism and the basics of economics in a way that even I found interesting and easy to understand. The author takes on the lies and myths being promoted these days (such as by those Wall Street protestors) and answers them as well as anyone I’ve read. I wish every American could read this one volume and especially that every young person entering high school would be required to read this book.
BIOGRAPHY: Being George Washington – Glenn Beck
Whatever you think of the author, it will be hard to not be fascinated by this easy to read book on the life of our first President. It looks at the personal qualities he had that each of us should do well to try to emulate. There were many things I read in this volume that I’ve never heard of before. Just a great read; one day, I WILL get a copy of this well written book.
CHRISTIAN FICTION: The series "A.D. Chronicles" – Bodie and Brock Thoene (12 volumes thus far; not fully in chronological order)
It’s gotten to where,when I pick up a book of fiction by a Christian author (the only kind I read), I flip through it to see just how many times I even see the word “God” written. Many “Christian” novels unfortunately have good moral stories and have nothing objectionable, but often they fail to provide anything to point me to understand God or my walk with Him any better. But this series actually takes an in-depth understanding of the culture of Israel in the days of Jesus and gives an expanded view of some of the gospel stories. Each book includes dozens of scripture references. And at the end of each, there are 6 lessons to help you think through the themes of the book. Each volume is excellent, but my favorites are:
Second Touch – Moving story of the life of a leper
Eighth Shepherd - A fuller story about Zacheus, the tax collector
Tenth Stone - A fuller story of the Prodigal Son
Twelfth Prophecy – A fuller story of the Samaritan woman in John 4
P.S. - Please look to the next post (#228)for my post of a second list of books, as well as several DVD movies I further recommend.
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