Read These Books

My favorites from the last six months or so….

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Elijah is a boy living in a Canadian colony of escaped American slaves.  This is a book for young people, but is so well written, highly entertaining, and deeply moving that I recommend it for adults as well.  Parts of it are emotionally intense (as a book on slavery should be), so we’re going to wait a year or so before letting Grace read it.  (She is ten but pretty sensitive.)  

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

If you like historical fiction, you will enjoy this post-World War II novel.  It’s full of fascinating historical detail, but also absolutely delightful storytelling.

What’s Your Worldview? by James Anderson

Anything with “worldview” in the title always captures my interest.  This one is particularly useful, as it reads like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, helping the reader to understand his own worldview.  This would be an especially good book for older teens and college students.  

Prayerby Timothy Keller

I read this one slowly, over about four months, because every time I would read a few pages, I would want to stop, digest, and remember what I just read.  I wanted to cling to every word; it was that good.  I highlighted about half the book.

Joy:  Poet, Seeker, and the Woman who Captivated CS Lewis by Abigail Santamaria

This book was fascinating!  The author digs deep into Joy’s story, bringing out detail not found in the sugar-coated Shadowlands.  Joy was a brilliant writer, but also an ex-communist, brash, somewhat rude and selfish woman who fell in love with (and pursued) C.S. Lewis while still married to her first husband.  How God used their relationship and her cancer to bring out the best in them both is a wonderful story of redemption.

The Pastor’s Kid by Barnabus Piper

John Piper’s son wrote a book about being a pastor’s kid.  This was a quick read, but useful for any parents who are involved in full-time ministry.  

Dreams of My Mothers by Joel L.A. Peterson

I read this one during our recent Zanzibar trip, and it’s the kind of book you don’t want to start unless you have a good chunk of time available–because you won’t be able to put it down.  This is a semi-autobiographical story of a Korean child adopted by American parents.  But instead of pretending that the child’s story began with his adoption (as happens often), the story gives equal time to his years living in Korea with his first mother.  The book is brutally heart-breaking but ultimately redemptive.  

*Please note:  This book contains strong language that may disturb sensitive readers.

In Defense of the Fatherless:  Redeeming International Adoption and Orphan Care by Sara Brinton and Amanda Bennett

So I know that I already plugged this book in my series on corruption in international adoption, but I just can’t shut up about how good it is.  If you, or any Christian you know, is involved in international adoption or orphan care (even in a small way), this is an absolute must-read.  No other book on adoption (and I’ve read dozens) even comes close to the importance of this one.