I sometimes post reviews of the books that I am reading on here (and I’ll continue to do so) but have not in some time. So for the sake of time, I thought that I would share some quick thoughts on books that I have read recently (2015). This won’t be exhaustive, but will provide some insight on what has been on my nightstand of late.

Accidental Saints- Finding God in All the Wrong People (Nadia Bolz-Weber)
This is the most recent book I’ve finished (just the other night). I saw Nadia speak at a recent conference I attended which led to the purchase of the book. I admire her ministry and her transparency in her book- and her recognition of grace in a messy world. I will admit, the cursing got old quick. I don’t think I’m prudish about language, it just got to the point where it did not advance or add anything to the narrative. I found her chapter called “Frances,” which was on Mental Illness to be particular moving and worth buying the book for.

Big Data Baseball: Math, Miracles, and the End of a 20-Year Old Losing Streak (Travis Sawchik)
This was a summer read while I was on vacation. Sawchik tells the story of how the Pittsburgh Pirates finally ended a streak of 20 consecutive losing seasons by changing the way they analyze baseball using saber metrics. Think Moneyball, only better.

The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate: (John H. Walton)
The Lost World of Adam and Eve: Genesis 2 & 3 and the Human Origins Debate (John H. Walton)
The book of Genesis, especially the first three chapters, is the source of much confusion and misunderstanding. Does it tell us how the world was formed in 6 days? Or something else? Was Adam and Eve real, historical people or archetypes for humanity? John H. Walton gives two excellent books that seeks to help the reader understand the ancient world in which the narratives were written and how they are MUCH different than today. He warns that we cannot read our cosmology and culture into the text, but have to understand how an ancient reader/listener would have understood it. I though these books were excellent!

The Martian (Andy Weir)
I loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. As a sci-fi fan I enjoyed the premise and the story. I felt it got a little bogged down in the details at times, but it read as a plausible story rather than some fantasy sci-fi account. I haven’t had the opportunity to see the movie yet, but I am looking forward to it!

Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (Laura Hillenbrand).
I am late to the game on this book, but it was powerful. There were several times when I had tears streaming down my face late at night while I read as I considered the brutality that Louis Zamperini faced on the open sea and as a POW in Japan during WWII. I think this is a must read for courage, integrity, and the importance of hope and faith.

That is a summary of what I’ve been reading. I’ve left a few things out, and I start a new book tonight. What have you been reading? Anything good?