So since I knew I'd be living by myself for most of the year, I brought with me some friends for company... i.e. half my library. (well, for those of you who know just how big my library is, it really isn't anywhere close to half- but still a good number of books) So I thought I'd do a bit of book reviewing to tell you what I've been reading and do a few recommendations while I'm at it. I've really had some good stuff to read.
The Idiot, by Fyodor Dostoevsky- 19th Century Russian novel, about a guy that is in a way Dostoevsky's vision of someone as close to Jesus as it gets, who is considered an innocent idiot by everyone else and who just doesn't fit into wealthy Russian society of the time- stirs up some interesting ideas of society's reaction to a Jesus-figure. Long and slow, but really great character development.
The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis- a collection of letters written by a experienced demon to his demon nephew about how to ensnare a young man. Very witty and at the same time convicting.
Cross-Cultural Servanthood, by Duane Elmer- this book focuses a lot on what it means to be humbly learning and not having superiority when working in a different culture- very key for me here, and dealing with some of the things I feel are not very well done by missionaries working here making it hard for me to figure out what it means for me.
The New Friars, by Scott Bessenecker- Wow. This book talks about young people moving into slums and garbage dump communities in major poor-country cities to be an incarnation of the Gospel to the poorest and most desperate people, and traces their radical lifestyles to historic monastic/missions movements in the church. I've had to question my own unwillingness to give up comforts here and how separate my life in Mwanza is from the most desperate... what will it look like for Jesus to change me into someone willing to go into the garbage dumps to be with people there??? And can he accomplish such an impossible task given how selfish I still am even though it looks like I've given up a lot to come here to Mwanza to hang out with the kids at Starehe? I really recommend this one.
The Bible Jesus Read, by Philip Yancey- An overview of his understanding of why it is good to read the Old Testiment... making some insights into how much there is for us to relate with in the wide range of people's experiences with God.
Reading the Bible with the Damned, by Bob Ekblad- Wow. I've finally finished this one. It is one of the most life-stirring Gospel-revealing books I've encountered. It is all about seeing the Bible through the eyes of God's liberating of the outcasts of today who are usually ignored and who are the very ones most needing to meet a God who specifically reaches out to them. So good!
Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller- I was sceptical of this one, because it seemed like such a fad-book, but it is really good. It is a collections of rambling, on all sorts of topics, and very honest and revealing, i.e. very much something that I like and can relate to. He has a lot of really interesting insights in how his journey has been and where it is going, and usually doesn't end up giving some new fad party line like I expected it to.
Race Against Time, by Stephen Lewis- Also an amazing book. Lewis writes so compellingly about AIDS, about crisis and life in Africa, and the response of the West/the UN/etc. And where the world could be heading if people were willing to care deeply. Not a book that will change everything and fix all the problems, but great to open people's eyes to see what's been going on in the world.
1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus, by Charles Mann- I read bits of this for my cultural-historical geography class at WLU (a course I loved while not enjoying the not-nice professor) Its title is clear, and it goes into the richness of civilization in the americas before the Wazungu came (some things apply so well both to my present home in Tanzania and back home...) It especially highlights the scope of the disastrous spread of disease that came with Europeans that he argues was the main reason for the weakness of Native cultures to resist the dirty hairy Europeans who came. Very well written.
Many more books to come from the Library of Steve, especially some African novels I've picked up lately and some of the history I brought with me from home. Hope you enjoyed seeing what I've been reading, since reading is what I do mostly when I sit by myself most nights and enjoy the quiet restful time.
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4 comments:
Very cool reviews, Steve! Keep them coming :)
By the way - I contacted the company for my calling card after we were disconnected the other day. They are going to refund me for the attempts I made to call you today and they are going to work on establishing a connection so I will actually get a hold of you.
TL; DR.
j/k
Yeah man, I finally sucked it up and began reading Ekblad again, since previous attempts had seen me discouraged by the density of the first chapter, saving my "able to concentrate" time for other things. But after that the rest seems much lighter and many times more amazing! I cannot believe some of these stories. It's ridiculous and awesome. Anyway, good times, thanks for the post.
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