I just read this post on Stuff Christians Like, and like I do when I read most of his posts, I was nodding my head and going, ”This is so true!” 
(click over and read the post… I’ll wait)
I have recommended books to people and they were like ‘eh, whatever’, and people have gone on and on about certain books that I couldn’t even force myself to finish, let alone be inspired by. The opposite has happened as well. Some recommended books have literally been life-changing for me. There have even been times when books were given to me, but they just sat on my shelf for months, maybe even years, until I finally picked them up and read them at what ended up being the exact perfect timing of when I needed it (this has happened at least 3 times that I can think of). And I have sometimes recommended books that the recipient has told me how much they needed it and loved it and it changed their life.
Anyway, I was curious if any of you has a book you want to recommend to me and the other readers of my blog. Or one that you want to let us know that you hated?
By the way, regarding the controversial book The Shack: I have friends who have read it and said they loved it, and it was life-changing (in a good way), and they said I should read it immediately. I have other friends who said they hated it, that it was blasphemous, and they told me I should never read it. I actually haven’t had a chance to read it so I don’t have an opinion on it. In case you were wondering “what does Petra think of The Shack?!” Well, now you have your answer. Petra doesn’t think anything because she hasn’t read it. But she does think she may be facebooking too much because she’s now referring to herself in the third person.
If you don’t usually comment, nows the time to start (not-so-subtle hint about how much I like comments) – let’s talk about books. And they don’t have to be Christian books, but of course, they can be. :)
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I read “The Shack”, um it was ok, not great. It seemed like it was based on the guy’s feeling or just his opinion of what God is. As for me I like adventure/mystery books but most out there have to throw in weirdness or sex to sell, so I have a hard time finding books that I like. Read “The Girl with the dragon tatoo” well written but lots of weirdness and sex. Not going to read the other two in the series.
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I was wondering if that series was any good – thanks for the tip!
For fun reads, I enjoy serial killer/detective novels (like James Patterson, etc), but those often include weirdness and way-too-graphic sexual depictions as well… some I can skim over, but some is just too much so I don’t read them.
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Love reading the link about books – so true!! I’ve had people hardly speak to me after I was honest with them about the book they recommended. And I’m sure some folks have hated books that I love. Such is life!
So I read The Shack and promptly wanted embroidered jeans like the Holy Spirit Asian woman wore! LOL! I did enjoy seeing the male and female aspects of God represented in a tangible way.
Probably one of my all time favorite books is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Love the way he weaves hope through the long ache of a man’s life. I’m finishing up Thomas Moore’s book Care of the Soul. Interesting mix of psychology and religion…..mostly, I’ve been impacted by his thought that psychology is not meant to ‘fix’ a person. He believes that psychology should meet a person in the broken places and help them walk through to the other side.
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If you like serial killer/detective novels, you should try Ted Dekker. He is so good author. Most of his books are so different. His books really make me think hard and trying to figure out what it was all about. I’d sugguest you to try Black by him. It’s first book in a Trilogy. Read Black, then Red, and last White. They’re my favorites.
And try Eric Wilson’s books too. His books are very cool! Can you tell Ted Dekker and Eric Wilson are my favorite authors? lol. I like authors that write good books that really make you think really deeply about life in gerenal. That’s Ted Dekker, Eric Wilson, Frank Peretti, and Angela Hunt for me. Do you have some favorite authors? I’m curious. And Is James Patterson good? I haven’t read his books yet. I mean to.
I love talking about books.
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Life changing books hmmm… I would have to say for me were Ester Reid by Isabella Alden, several of George MacDonald’ s books – his characters have great theological conversations, Blessed Child by Ted Dekker and Bill Bright was a thought provoking book about worldly influences… I probably have others but those are the first ones that pop in my head. Also Grace Awakening by Charles Swindoll.
Of course as you said above, sometimes the books have to be read at the right time in one’s life for them to be life changing. All of the books above I read at a moment when I was open to what God was trying to teach me.
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all time fav: beauvallet by georgette heyer (I’m sure you knew that)
I also enjoy In His steps, and Pilgrims Progress and could read both of them over and over
The rest are business oriented, Loved the outliers
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whats with everyone having a picture of a weird bug on your blog?
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Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett… I don’t read religious books, I have the Bible for that…
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I would have to say that “In His Steps” is one of my favorite books (The original version, not the “new” version that they came out with a few years ago).
I can’t say I’ve read a lot of books that “Changed my life” other than the Bible. I’ve read a lot of books that were good and made me stop and think about things though.
Books that are just for entertainment – I’ve enjoyed all of Clive Cussler’s books, and have read every one he’s written.
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I got nothing… I’ve read a bunch of books, but mostly the books that I like to read are just fun books. I’m not a real “deep” person when it comes to reading…
Matt– have you seen the mini-series of Pillars of the Earth?? It’s on HBO or something like that… Titus loves it!
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I love to read, but mostly it is all non-Fiction….love to learn, ya know? I always was the smart one in our relationship, wasn’t I?
But for Christian fiction, I enjoy Francine Rivers. Have you read her? I do enjoy Elisabeth Elliot. Hmm, now that I am thinking about it, there are several authors I really have learned from. But, as Timberly said, and you in your post, we are at different places in life, where a book can effect us, where it wouldn’t have in a previous place, you know? I wasn’t offended this time, by the way…I know you care. Deeply. -
I read a book once.
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