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You can learn a lot about a person by examining the books he reads. Here are a few of mine.
The Bible The source of Christian theology. I use this reference edition of the New American Standard Bible for studying, along with resources like Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and Ferrar Fenton's Holy Bible in Modern English.
Ages in Chaos Authored in the 1950's, this book by Immanuel Velikovsky seeks to synchronize the chronology of Egypt with the chronology of the Bible. Compelling and controversial, as are his other books. They're being reprinted this year, according to Amazon.com. Anne of Green Gables The well-known series about Anne and her family is, as usual, substantially better than the movies. The classic first book is a cathargic tale of coming of age, and the rest of the series is as poignant. The final volume, Rilla of Ingleside, is especially touching; it led me to keep a journal. Competent to Counsel Are only licensed psychologists or degreed counselors capable of providing sound guidance for others' lives? Jay Adams shows that all Christians are, in fact, competent to counsel. [Thanks Dad] Eternity Road An engrossing story of our descendants trying to make sense of our culture centuries after we're gone. Every Jack McDevitt book I've read has been impossible to put down. Now if he could just write an ending. [Thanks Cooper] Exploring Requirements: Quality Before Design In systems development, we tend to move too quickly through the early stages of projects and straight to design and construction, leading to poor quality and missed deadlines. This book guides us in gathering and verifying requirements to ensure better products. [Thanks Ron] Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change This book helped change my perspective on software development processes. Kent Beck outlines XP, an agile software development process that fits today's development needs better than monolithic processes. This book plus a book on RUP should be required reading for all software developers. Her Hand In Marriage This is Douglas Wilson's excellent Biblical treatise on the faults of recreational dating and the Christian alternative. Rarely has an author earned my respect so quickly, but Wilson writes directly, frankly, and with subtle humor. An intense book -- I recommend you read I Kissed Dating Goodbye first to warm up. I've read other impressive book by the same author, including Federal Husband, Fidelity and Reforming Marriage. I Kissed Dating Goodbye This book came at a key crossroads in my life and helped strengthen my faith that God is watching over all facets of my life, including the selection of the person who is going to share it most closely. If you're a single Christian, or if you counsel them, read what Joshua Harris has to say. It will make a difference in the choices you make and the joy you allow yourself to possess. (Be sure to read the sequel, Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello to Courtship.) Lee After the War Sometime in high school, I read this unique account of Robert E. Lee's life. It starts at his surrender at the end of the War Between the States. Lee was truly a man of character and I frequently recall that small habits and beliefs in my life are patterned after him. The Light and the Glory Evidence that God had a plan for the United States of America. The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies, 1760-1785 I've always been a student of the War for Independence, but this is the first book that presented the history from a perspective that spanned both sides of the Atlantic. As entertaining as a novel. Love Must Be Tough James Dobson's best work. A compelling case that respect must be the foundation of relationships between people. Great advice for people with broken relationships or strong ones with hope to be stronger. Montana: A History of Two Centuries I bought this book at the Montana Historical Society in Helena when I visited Montana in 2000. I finished it on my trip there in 2002. It's a very complete, easy-reading story of the state I call home. The Myth of Separation The constitution calls for a "wall of separation between church and state," right? Wrong! I met the author of this book one summer, and I did a speech on it in college that took me to the speak-off. Ordering Your Private World The source of my favorite quote (always found on my home page). Gordon MacDonald explains the need for each of us to order our private worlds in order to be effective in our outward actions. I struggle with choosing to be "called" and not "driven." I need to learn to apply more from this very practical book. [Thanks Patti Jo] The Rational Unified Process: An Introduction Most professions, like electrical engineering and project management, have bodies of knowledge and proven ways of making success repeatable over time. From my experience, the Rational Unified Process encapsulates a substantial part of the systems development body of knowledge. Every IT professional should know it front to back. Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology A radical book: read at your own risk. One of the key principles from this book is that all teachers have to be history teachers to be effective; learning can only be done in context. That's just the tip of the iceberg, but you have to read Technopoly to understand. [Thanks Professor Patterson] The Way Home: Beyond Feminism, Back to Reality Don't choke on the title: this book is a solid treatise on Christian relationships between husbands and wives. Mary Pride sometimes crosses into conjecture, but for the most part, she tells it like it is. It's a great starting point for intense discussions. Feminists beware. [Thanks Mom and Dad]
Copyright © 1996-2012 Jason Roberts. All rights reserved. |
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