My friend Clark Goble posted the below questions, with his answers, at his blog, as did his brother Steve at Steve's blog. To follow through, I thought I'd post the questions here with my answers.
1. One Book That Changed Your Life
The Road Less Traveled, by M. Scott Peck
Peck was a psychiatrist and a secular humanist when he first wrote this book more than 25 years ago, but he eventually became a Christian. I've read all of his non-fiction, and it's been interesting to see his opinions and theories grow over the years. His Christianity is pretty far left, but that can be overlooked if you are not of that spectrum. Peck has much good to say about how we can work with others to build what he calls a sense of "community." His second book, "People of the Lie," takes a look at evil. I don't agree with all Peck has to say, but he's opened my mind to a sense of peace I never though existed before ten years ago. Too bad I can't always keep that mindframe.
2. One Book You've Read More than Once
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Actually, "Fellowship of the Ring" is my favorite Tolkien book, but "The Hobbit" is such a light, easy read that I've probably read it more than any other book, at least a half dozen times.
3. One Book You’d Want On A Desert Island
The Holy Bible, New American Standard edition
This book has everything in it I could want: action, adventure, love, hate, heroes, villains, philosophy, religion, history and more. And maybe even some truth. I don't consider myself a Christian, but I do consider the Bible a fine piece of literature and of philosophy.
4. One Book That Made You Laugh
MYTH Adventures, by Robert Aspirin
This is the first book of many in the MYTH series, but I found this to be the funniest.
5. One Book That Made You Cry
DarkTower IV: Wizard and Glass, by Stephen King
This is the only book that has ever made me cry. King's Roland Deschain is the ultimate tragic hero in my opinion.
6. One Book You Wish You Had Written
The Stand, by Stephen King
One of my favorite King books. And I'd like the money that went along with it too.
7. One Book You Wish Had Never Been Written
None
I can't list one. I can't think of one single book, no matter how awful it was (in any fashion), that would make me wish it had not been written. The written word provides knowledge, for good or ill ... or simply for entertainment. What mankind does with such knowledge ... well, let it be on man's head. Okay, okay. The Book of Mormon comes close.
8. One Book You Are Currently Reading
Midnight Sun, by Karl Howard Wagner
This is a complete collection of Wagner's Kane short stories. I'm lovin' this stuff. It's all dark fantasy, almost more horror than fantasy in some places.
9. One Book You’ve Been Meaning To Read
The Rise of Magic in Early Medieval Europe, by Valerie I. J. Flint
This is just one of 30 or so books I have stacked in my office that is waiting to be read. I picked this one because I like the title.
10. Tag 5 Others
None
I'll skip this one, thank you. Those who want to do this listing on their own blog, can. Those who don't want to ... okay, that's cool too.
2 comments:
Great list Ty! I'm gonna have to check out The Road Less Traveled and Midnight Sun, both sound pretty good.
Clark, one thing I found amusing in "The Road Less Traveled," is that you can see Peck's philosophy of psychology and how it's related to Christianity, despite the fact he doesn't consider himself a Christian.
It's much later, at least 4 books, before Peck finally becomes a Christian.
Again, I don't agree with everything he has to say, but he is very much about accepting reality for what it is, not what you want it to be.
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