Books Worth Reading
I love to read. I have been reading voraciously for as long as I can remember. When I find books worth reading I like share them with the other readers in my life who are also always on the hunt for their next good read. I tend to go through spurts of reading fiction then I binge on non-fiction for a while. At the beginning of this year, I was in one of my non-fiction modes. I like to read biographies but lately I have been drawn to books on social issues. There are so many good books out there but not enough time to read them all! Here are my thoughts on some of the books I’ve been reading:
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“The Tech-Wise Family” by Andy Crouch
This is a quick read. The author comes from the premise that technology is good in the proper place. This book had some good points for parents of teenagers. Not all of his ideas were applicable to my family because of the age of our kids but overall the data and stats he provides are at times staggering and convicting.
“Toxic Charity” by Robert D. Lupton
Every pastor, church group, and individual who wants to make a lasting difference in the lives of people in need should read this book. This was a pretty quick read that addresses the “business” of charity both locally and globally. The author answered some questions I’ve had about the effectiveness of the methods we use to help those in need.
“Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” by Barbara Demick
This book is about the everyday lives of North Koreans. I’ve never had much interest in that part of the world so this was an eye-opening book for me. I think it is easy to know that people have a hard life but not fully grasp what that means to them on a daily basis. This is an excellent book to read if you need a reminder to be grateful for the life you have. This book highlights the power of propaganda. Reading this book makes me think about the influence of our own media. Fair Warning: this book does have some bad language in it.
“Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” by J.D. Vance
The author has woven his own story into this book to highlight a crisis he sees happening in white working-class Americans. This book gave me a new perspective on poverty and how difficult it can be to escape. The general air of hopelessness in this section of the population saddens me. The courage and drive of the author’s family to make a better life for themselves inspires me. Fair Warning: this book has a lot of bad language in it.
“Unbroken: A World War ll Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption” by Laura Hillenbrand
I enjoy reading accounts of World War ll survivors. However, most of my reading has been about what took place in Europe. I knew very little about the Pacific theater during the war before reading this book. This is an amazing story of how Louis Zamperini survived a Japanese POW camp. How the prisoners managed their circumstances is inspiring. My favorite part of this story is how God redeemed Louis’ life after he came back to America. There is a young reader’s adaptation available and a movie that was made based off of the book.
“The Vanishing American Adult” by Ben Sasse
At the beginning of the book when the author is laying out his reasons for writing the book it is very interesting. Again, as a parent, I was challenged as I am part of raising the next generation. To be honest I saw some of what he writes about in myself and that was convicting. This book bogs down in several spots and I had a hard time finishing it. I had to get it from the library 3 times just to get through the book. However, I still think the author brings up some good points that warrant consideration so I’m adding it to my list of books worth reading. I am including the link in case you are a person who loves to own books. My recommendation is to get it from the library.
I would love to hear what you are reading. I’m always looking for new books to read. Please feel free to share in the comment section!
