books on my radar

Here is a list of books that are in my queue to read next (not in any particular order).

Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crisis, and the Revolution of Hope. (brian mclaren)
A book that will definitely challenge and shape my world view.

Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade (david batstone)
The more I hear about this book, the more stirred I get about the movement. I recenltly listened to a podcast featuring the author and was blown away by the stories he told about human trafficking. When confronted with the truth about modern day slavery…its utterly abrasive to the soul. How is it that this largely goes unchecked…and unnoticed?


The Brothers Karamazov (fyodor dostoevsky)
Started reading this book last year and enjoyed it until I realized that I had mistakenly bought an abridged version. It felt like cheating….so I decided to start over with the uncut version.

The Pearl (john steinbeck)
One of my favorite fictional authors. I enjoy his stories on a multiple levels. His tales are composed of elements of faith, social justice, philosophy, and ethics, while still being enjoyable to read. The man was a master storyteller.

The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical (shane claiborne)
Shane founded the Simple Way, and is becoming a revolutionary voice in the Christian community right now.

Searching for God knows What (donald miller)
I’m a big fan of Donald Miller. Compelling as an author and a speaker, he is a good blend of academia and humor.

Watership Down (richard adams)
Matt recommended this book to me once. I take his recommendations pretty seriously since he introduced me to Lord of the Rings in college.

God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (christopher hitchens)
An atheist’s perspective on religion. A good literary diet is one that consists of books that you don’t agree with.

Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World (bill clinton)
Despite what you think about his politics….the guy is a gifted and charismatic communicator. You can find out more about the book’s concept from a talk recently given by former President Clinton here

People’s History of the United States: 1492 to Present (howard zinn)
Matt also recommended this one to me. Telling the story of US history from a different point of view than our textbooks, it may (as Matt declared) make you never want to celebrate Columbus Day again...although I am not sure I would go to work in protest.