Books, books and more books....

Over the last few years I've gotten a bit compulsive about listing all the books I read -- or listen to. You have to understand that reading is my most favorite pasttime. Beats watching TV by about a hundred-fold, going to the movies by about a thousand-fold, and exercising by about a million-fold. Two million-fold?

Anyway, at some point I started my book list. Since I read relatively fast and often don't remember WHAT I read, it is very handy to go back and find out -- "oh yeah, that is why this is familiar -- I've BTRT.

My "year" goes from September thru August as I started doing this in September of 2003. It is on the computer and is in color -- one color for novels, another for books of the Bible, one for audio-books, another for biographies/true stories, yet another for professional books (true confession -- THAT color is sporadic!!), and still others for Christian novels and Christian books (like by Yancey, McLaren, and others of that ilk).

One of the most fun books I read this year was "Glimpses of Paradise" by James Scott Bell. Not that I am all that excited about Christian fiction (which, for the most part, I find a bit dim), and not even that this was all that good (the plot left a bit to be desired), but -- this is true -- this is most likely The Only Novel Ever Written to Feature My Great-Grandfather.

My GGF is R.A. Torrey -- founder of BIOLA, Evangelist, first "president" of Moody Bible Institute (I think he was actually called "superintendent"), founder of Montrose Bible Conference, primary subject of R. A. Torrey Legacy on Facebook. (Now THAT'S an honor!!)

So to find a novel that has him as one of the characters was -- well, um -- really interesting. Especially since he died in 1928 -- long before I was born -- and this book was published in 2002.

Anyway, I've started my new "year" for reading. Last year was a banner year for number of books since I'm listening to books on tape/CD as well as reading -- I get to count all those fun driving hours listening to books -- much, much better than when I was driving listening to the radio or the same music tapes over and over and over and over.

FWIW: just finished "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the author of "The Kite Runner." Both books are excellent! I recommend them. And for listening? I'm up to book 5 in the Harry Potter series. There is not a single reader that can hold a candle to Jim Dale. He is outstanding!! And the books are great....

If you haven't done it yet, listen to the Bible on tape as well. "The Bible Experience" (I've heard the NT -- the OT comes out in October) is amazing. You will hear things you have never heard before. Try it! But get one that uses different actors and sound effects....like Paul ripping the pages from the epistles he is writing....

I have to learn how to listen to books on tape and do e-mails or write lectures at the same time. Haven't quite figured that out. They are great for cleaning house though!!