eleneariel | May reading list

A short list this month because I spent so much time on the road. I always think of travels as times to read more, not less, but I forget this doesn't really work when you are the responsible adult driving, and not the kid hanging out in the backseat with nothing to do but read.

1. Teaching True Love to a Sex-At-Thirteen Generation, Eric & Leslie Ludy

I've heard about the Ludy's for years and thought it was time I read something of theirs. This one is billed as being for parents teaching a true and healthy view of sex, romance, and godliness to their children, but I found plenty of convicting and encouraging things for myself. I would definitely reread this if I someday have children. However. There's something about this book and almost all the others like it (Joshua Harris, John and Staci Eldridge, etc.) that I've read that rubs me the wrong way. It makes me squirm uncomfortably in the same way reading Lori Wick does. I don't even want to get in to the reasons why this might be - I'm not completely sure, and I don't want to offend anyone while I'm trying to figure it out. :)

2. Authentic Beauty, Leslie Ludy

See above!

3. Heist Society, Ally Carter

After hearing this described as the "female version of Ocean's 11" I had high hopes - too high. I think if I had gone into with fewer expectations I would have enjoyed it more. It was fine for what it was, but I'd hoped for a little more depth and details, a little more of the dash and romance of crime.

4. Notes From the Tilt-a-Whirl: wide-eyed wonder at God's spoken world, N. D. Wilson

I loved this book so much. I can see how others could have quite different reactions, but I loved the unorthodox, almost chaotic style: it reflects the world we live in, God's world, a world that is like like a tilt-a-whirl you can't get off, but can find beauty and joyfully wild abandon in anyway, at least if you'll only open your eyes and see.

5. This Book is Overdue: how librarians and cybrarians can save us all, Marilyn Johnson

I liked this book solely because I am a librarian, and I like reading about libraries and books and people who work in and with them. Other than that draw, the book is poorly organized, disjointed, and wanders rather pointlessly.

6. Odd Thomas, Dean Koontz

I'd always heard that Koontz was a readalike for Stephen King (and he is), and since Stephen King creeps me out, I had also avoided Koontz. Actually, let me rephrase. Nothing so strong as "avoided" - I had never even given a thought to reading him at all. That changed because of reading the graphic novel prequel to Odd Thomas last month, where I discovered that ... Dean Koontz has a sense of humor! This book is still suspenseful, but somehow the humor saved it from being creepy or gruesome to me (I won't vouch for your experience, however.)

But OH, I flipped ahead to the end and found out about Stormy, and it made me so mad and sad! The best part of the whole book was Stormy and Odd's sweet, odd relationship, so ... I'm not sure how the rest of the books will be?

7. A Sweet and Bitter Providence, John Piper

First time I've ever read Piper. I liked it! He has a pleasant way of writing, and of course it didn't hurt that the book of Ruth is one of my favorites.

Books from The Pile: one.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Pretty much agree with everything, except that 1) no, that's not why the books make me uncomfortable, :) and 2) I think proper views of sex and marriage need to be talked about MUCH more openly in Christian circles than they are. It is so frustrating to me to see how many Christian parents unintentially bring their children up in the mindset that sex is an embarrassing, "dirty" or shameful topic that one shouldn't talk about, shouldn't ask questions about... That is not healthy. And it leads to all kinds of problems that I won't go into here.

(edited for spelling :))

Edited 2010-06-11 17:04 (UTC)

1) Like I said, you didn't say exactly so I don't really know. :)

2) I'm not sure what you mean by "openly". I think there is a time and place certainly and I don't think parents or children should be embarrassed for any reason. I feel like its the parents duty to be the primary educator of their child in lots of areas but particularly in this one. We may not disagree here but I do think that sex specifically is turned into something "dirty" and "shameful" in modern society because of how it is portrayed and presented. That's the part I have a problem with. A healthy discussion of the topic between parents and children is pretty much a requirement in my mind for proper parenting. Some of the hold over from Victorian England still permeates the church today and that attitude is not healthy in the Christian setting I'm describing. Certainly men and women both should be modest in their dress and behavior towards other people but between a married couple I don't think the same rules of modesty apply in private moments of intimacy. I'm trying to be delicate here without getting too involved but I hope you get my point.

May reading list

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