I was blessed to receive a lot of books for Christmas. I've raced through four of them so far in 2014. All four have been amazing reads and I recommend them highly:
The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne - This book has been one of the most powerful books I have ever read. Claiborne articulates a world view centered on the life of Christ and Christ alone. Going beyond trite WWJD marketing, Claiborne stresses that maybe Christ was serious when he preached the Sermon on the Mount. Claiborne calls for us to rid ourselves of our worldly goods, help the poor and show Christ's love through our actions. Claiborne has a lot of credibility on these matters. He practices what he preaches. He has given up most of his possessions and has lived in intentional community in inner city Philadelphia for the past decade.
Love Does by Bob Goff - Bob Goff's thesis is simple: real love does things. Love goes beyond talk and actually moves on people's behalf. Goff tells stories of hope and love. He believes that we should sacrifice ourselves for others at all times, not just when convenient. Once again, he uses Christ as his ultimate example.
David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell - According to an interview in Relevant Magazine, Gladwell rediscovered his faith in God while researching this book. Gladwell shows how the underdogs in this world actually have more advantages that may seem possible at the time. He also demonstrates that some advantages are illusory and may actually be hindrances.
A Life Worth Living (Albert Camus and the Quest for Meaning) by Robert Zaretsky - An inspiring biography of Albert Camus. The book does not follow the standard biographical narrative. Instead, Zaretsky divides his work into five themes: Absurdity, Silence, Measure, Fidelity and Revolt. Each theme reveals interesting dynamics of Camus's life and work.
