what's on my bookshelf

I haven't talked about the books I am reading in ages- and it's time for an update! If you're new to this corner of the Internet, you should know I'm a complete bookworm. Not many things make me as happy as reading in a coffee shop while sipping a latte, or nestled on my couch, candle burning, with book in hand. Ah. 

Summer happens to be a big reading season for me, as I am not as tempted to hit Netflix after having completed readings for all my classes. 

I'm trying to read more and more fiction this Summer- I'm a total non-fiction junkie, but I am increasingly realizing the importance of appreciating the craft of novelists. I also think fiction helps us understand human thought in a way non-fiction doesn't. And it gets the creative juices flowing! 

I will try to share a mix of fiction and non-fiction that I have enjoyed lately. Without further ado, here's a taste of my Summer 2018 reads thus far. 

Uncomfortable, by Brett McCracken. 

Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community was hands down one of the best books about ecclesiology that I've ever read. The book describes commitment amidst discomfort in the church setting- choosing to forego church-hopping and searching for "the perfect church" for relentless devotion to the local Church despite its flaws. He conceptualizes discomfort and awkwardness as a Christian practice- but does so in a way that is convicting rather than legalistic or condemning (I felt compelled, but not guilty, which is uncommon for me!). While McCracken's theological tradition shone through the book (and I must add I come from a somewhat different theological background and church context), his work was thorough, well-researched and so approachable... he's hilarious! In a time where Millenials are so critical and disillusioned with the Church, Brett McCracken speaks on her behalf with incredible hope. The book helped me fall in love with my church and her quirks all over again.

Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. 

I decided it was time for me to read a classic, and this one did not disappoint. Maybe it is because I have a sister myself, but there is something about the way Louisa May Alcott describes sisterhood that just gets to me. In sum, this book is about four sisters in a relatively normal American home in the 1800s, the adventures they share together and the lessons they learn amidst poverty, sickness, and trouble. The plot is rather slow, but I found myself deeply appreciating the simple morals that the author ties into the ending of each chapter, generally through the character of Marmee. Sweet truths to remember! I also love the characters, their unique features and I dare say the author describes their personalities brilliantly. Character development is poignant and a strong suit in Little Women. I became so attached to the March sisters that, when the book was finished, I was practically grieved! To all of you classic readers, I am sure you will also be left wanting more. 

The Liturgy of the Ordinary, by Tish Harrison Warren. 

This is one of my best reads, if not the best, of 2018. Tish Harrison Warren beautifully describes the way by which congregational, corporate liturgy compares to and crashes into our daily habits and rhythms. I was completely convicted and compelled by the author's vision to contemplate the sacredness of ordinary happenings like making my bed or looking for my keys. Warren is an eloquent writer, with a perfect mix of wit and prose. Her ideas stand in contrast to our culture obsessed with instant gratification, nonstop stimulation, and extreme sensation-seeking. Instead, she invites readers to recognize how daily habits shape us, and how God wonderfully makes Himself known in our everyday- even the most trivial activities of our lives.

Loveology, by John Mark Comer. 

I find John Mark Comer's teaching to be some of the most convicting, challenging and nuanced out there. With both a relentless commitment to Scripture and deep understanding of this 'cultural moment' (check out his podcast!), Comer offers a beautiful theology of love that surveys everything that "went wrong" after the Garden of Eden beginning. I really appreciate his vision for counter-cultural love, marriage, sex, dating relationships, singleness, romance, male and female. I would add that this book is a great read to married, singles, dating, engaged individuals alike! His call for the Church to speak up about the Christian ethos of love and relationships (in all its complexity and beauty) is an important one to be heard. 

Charlotte, by David Foenkinos. 

Quel beau livre! I read Foenkinos' Charlotte in French a few weeks ago and devoured it. This book tells the story of Charlotte Salomon, a German painter who was killed at age twenty-six, whilst pregnant, at the hands of the Nazis in October 1943. It simultaneously tells the story of David Foenkinos, the author, and his process of falling in love with Charlotte's story, art, and person. The book was raw, and poignantly written. Foenkinos' novels are comparable to poetry, with sentences intricately constructed in a rhythmic fashion. It was so easy to detect the passion of the author in writing this work. I was so moved by it!

Well, that's it for now. I am currently in the process of reading Boomerang by Tatiana de Rosnay (in French) and Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition by Christine D. Pohl (for book club!) and will probably be starting a couple others in the meantime. 

What are you reading now? Please share!