The Engineer is in Year 6 and his class does this ace thing every morning: 20-30 minutes of silent reading before the register. As I reflected on 2015 and my plans for this year, I was struck that I’d not read much other than detective fiction last year. Of course, good fiction is a great thing and I find it very helpful for relaxation. But I thought that I might have not had my reading balance quite right. And I wondered whether I needed to do some silent reading of my own.
And then I came across Canadian blogger Tim Challies’ 2016 Reading Challenge. And THEN some clergy wives in a Facebook group I’m a member of started asking if anyone was doing the challenge.
So I’m going to have a go with Challies’ list. Being realistic, I’m going to try out the challenge for a Light Reader – 13 books over the year. And then if I manage them more quickly than I expect, I’ll move to the next level. So it means that I’m going to try and read the following:
- A book about Christian living
- A biography
- A classic novel
- A book someone tells you ‘changed my life’
- A commentary on a book of the Bible
- A book about theology
- A book with the word ‘gospel’ in the title
- A book your pastor recommends
- A book more than 100 years old
- A book for children
- A mystery or detective novel
- A book published in 2016
- A book about a current issue
I’ve got a few already about the house (am already reading a detective novel, of course, and am using a commentary in my devotions) but I’d love any recommendations you could make in these categories. Particularly a book that changed your life. And I’m going to see if I can manage some silent reading most days. Join me?
Tim Challies’ Reading Challenge – the Big List
The Vicar's Wife 
I’m up for that, just the kind of discipline I need. Would welcome any book suggestions
I’ve recently read “Being Mortal – Illness, Medicine and What Matters in the End” by Atul Gawande, which would I would put in either the “book that changed my life” or “a current issue” category – thought provoking, moving, profound, enriching.
When exploring my calling to be a Reader in the Church of England I read John Ortberg’s “If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat”.
I would certainly put this in the books that changed my life category.
I have read the Atul Gawande book too and it is very good. Wonder by R J Palacio is a fantastic children`s book. The Shepherd`s Life by James Rebanks is a beautifully written autobiography. Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer for a very thought provoking book about coping with life with other christians, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson – not an easy read, but one which I read had almost changed the mind of a well known writer, and which has stayed with me for many years. Good luck with your challenge.
I have suggestions!
A book about Christian living: Matt Fuller’s book on Time.
A biography: Eric Metaxas’s biography of Bonhoeffer is supposed to be amazing. It’s on my list.
A classic novel: Middlemarch!
A book someone tells you changed their life: James Jordan, Through New Eyes
A commentary on a book of the Bible: Ros Clarke’s unwritten commentary on the Song of Songs. Obviously.
A book about theology: Mike Reeves’ Christ Our Life.
A book with the word ‘gospel’ in the title: Amazon tells me there’s a book called The Gospel According to Drew Barrymore…
A book your pastor recommends – you’ll have to ask him!
A book more than 100 years old: Well, Middlemarch would count for this one too, but why not try one of the Puritan paperbacks?
A book for children: The Cricket Term by Antonia Forest, though it’s very difficult to get hold of.
A mystery or detective novel: Busman’s Honeymoon, if you haven’t got to it yet! Also Gaudy Night.
A book published in 2016: The sequel to Bring up the Bodies is due out this year, I think…
A book about a current issue: Ed Shaw’s The Plausibility Problem.
If you like detective novels, have you read any by William Brodrick? I started with A Whispered Name. His hero is Father Anselm, a lawyer turned monk. Brodrick is a monk turned lawyer turned author. They are both superbly plotted crime novels and profound theological meditations on the human condition.
Some great ideas! Thanks for the suggestions all.