My Top 5 Books of 2006

OK, let's go ahead and keep the party going here. I could easily make this list 10 (or 20) items long, but 5 keeps the oh-my-gosh-you've-got-to-check-this-out factor intact. Also, bear in mind that these are all books I read last year, not books that were necessarily published during that time:

1. The Weather Makers, by Tim Flannery - A great introduction to what could be one of the biggest issues of the 21st century. I've rarely said this about a scientific book, but I could hardly put it down.
2. The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield - This book was geared towards creatives but is a must-read for anyone with a pulse. Pressfield nails the reason it's so hard to finish anything worth starting. In one word, RESISTANCE.
3. Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, by Anne Rice - A beautiful portayal of what young Jesus' life might have looked like.
4. Crunchy Cons, by Rod Dreher - Is this just some new breed of moderate conservative, or some kind of upstart green movement? Dreher argues that this just might be closer to the original conservative movement than anything the GOP has thrown at us in recent memory.
5. Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'Engle - L'Engle reminded me of why she's one of a kind. She has a way of making me understand heady theology and in a way that I cherish like an old friend.

Comments

[Troy Kennedy]

I just love your blog,Mark. Keep up the good work.

[Seth Reese]

Let's see...
1) Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt.
McCourt's memoir about growing up in Limerick, Ireland.
2) A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe.
A story of an Atlanta businessman's fall from the top from the author of The Right Stuff and Bonfire of the Vanities.
3) Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor.
She is a very dear professor but that does not change the fact that she has written an amazing book. BBT's journey to and then from parish ministry is a must read for anyone who has been burned out with church but is still in love with the church.
4) Vanity of Duluoz by Jack Kerouac.
Kerouac is one of the greats. His writing has influenced Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and another author on this list, Tom Wolfe. This beat generation writer's adventures deserves your time.
5) Chronicles by Bob Dylan.
It's by Bob Dylan. Need I say more?

[Melanie]

I have heard of Madeleine L'Engle, but I have not read any of her work. That book and the Anne Rice book really sound like they would be worth reading. The War of Art sounds interesting as well.

[Rick]

I hadn't heard of that L'Engle book. I'll definitely check it out.