got through 2 and a 1/4.
the 1/4 was another 1/4 of Hip: The History. really intesting reading. lots of stuff for youth workers to mull over, since “hip” and “youth culture” flirt so openly with one another. i have a little over half-way to go (and it’s a long book!).
read an amazing fiction book, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by jonathan safran foer. it’s one of those laugh one minute, cry the next, ponder the next, kind of books. narrated by a brilliant, but eccentric, 9 year-old who’s dad died in the world trade center on 9/11, it’s really a winding romp through grieving. since i’m still somewhere in the process of grieving yac’s death, and watch it so closely in karla every day; and since one of my most significant memories of time with him was the 4 days my wife and yac and i spent stranded in st. louis on our way home from argentina (we landed in chicago, from buenos aires, on the morning of sept 11, took off for san diego, got re-routed to st. louis, spent 4 days there), there were some unique connections for me. oof. great, great, great book. i so highly recommend this to anyone who likes fiction, or just fantastic story-telling.
and last, but not least, doug pagitt’s new Preaching Re-Imagined: the role of the sermon in communities of faith. yes, ys published this book (in our soon-to-be-gone emergentYS line); but i hadn’t read it yet. i highly enjoyed it. one thing — not minor, really — is that doug’s writing is getting very engaging (maybe it’s the work of his brilliant developmental editor and solomon’s porch church attender, carla barnhill; but let’s be nice and assume it’s doug’s good writing). it’s a seductive book. here’s what i mean: it’s easy to read, but the ideas are unavoidably disequilibrating. there’s no way to just read it and dismiss it. an absolutely must read for anyone who ever preaches, or gives youth talks, or communicates to people in a church context in any way. scot mcknight is posting a series of reflections on the book with a preaching (speaching!) friend of his: here, here, and here (with more to come, i think).
Curious… how many pre-published books do you read that never get published?
must be nice to get advance copies of all the books you want. I missed out on Doug’s offer to be part of the preview group. I’m dying to read it.
PS
hey can we find some time at NYWC (sac) to hang, I’d love to pick your brain on a few things and have a few ideas about YS to share?
You must be a speed reader to stay as busy as you do and yet read as much as you do!
Very admirable.
tony — pretty much none. i used to read all the proposals that get submitted to YS (which aren’t normally full book manuscripts, just proposals), but our publisher jay howver does that now. i do get some pre-release manuscripts — like i have mark yaconelli’s book right now, which comes out in the spring, and i get some from publishers who want me to write endorsements occasionally — but those always get published.
andrew — i’m not actually reading an advance copy of doug’s book! i’m reading a hot-off-the-presses copy. the book should be in stock in a week or two (or maybe already is!). email me a week before sac and we’ll set a time to hang.
clint — i’m a really slow reader! it’s just that when i travel, i love to read on planes, and there is usually down-time sitting in a hotel somewhere.
If you read a minimum of a chapter a day from a book you would be suprised at how many books you can get through. Any thoughts on Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell?
yeah, brian, i posted about rob’s book here, and got filleted and grilled for it here and here and other places!
on Doug being an engaging writer – one word Carla. I might have the ideas, but the come to print form in collaboration.
Heh… now I don’t feel quite so bad for getting blasted by some of those same peeps about my last YS article. :)
Whoa … I didn’t realize your blog was being quoted, criticized and subjected to such intense examination elsewhere. Kinda overkill … although maybe flattering being compared to President Bush having a blog? Sheesh …
Velvet Elvis is the bomb. I loved it and put my review on my blog. Awesome stuff. The criticism and use of scripture saying Bell is wrong and that the disciples did use the resurrection, etc., to prove Christ is taking scripture out of context. To the Greeks Paul used logic and reasoning; to the Jews he did not. Different cultures and worldviews necessitate different approaches. He even makes that point in the New Testament.
But definitely the best book I’ve read in a while.
How does that SNL skit go? “I need more Rob Bell!”
er… maybe it’s “cow bell,” but it certainly sounds like “Rob Bell” these days. :)
I just picked up “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” at the library yesterday. Your stellar review has me really pumped to read it!
Mark, I just read Doug Pagitt’s Preaching Re-Imagined and enjoyed it. I’m blogging about it at:
http://firstmovethyself.blogspot.com/2006/02/review-of-preaching-re-imagined-by.html