Move over, Oprah. A new book club is in town.
I thought it would be fun to see if anyone wanted to read along with me. We’ll try it this month and see how it goes. The choices for May are:
[fiction] G.K. Chesterton’s The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare. Chesterton has entranced Miska as of late. I’m jumping on the bandwagon too. You probably know Chesterton best for his classic Orthodoxy or from the fact that he was a major influence on C.S. Lewis. Chesterton called this piece of his work “a very melodramatic sort of moonshine.” I’ve never tasted moonshine; I’m in.
[theological] N.T. Wright’s Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection and the Mission of the Church. Right now, Wright is a fellow making a deep impact on my mind and soul. I was able to have a long chat with him last week (more on that to come). This book will bend some categories, I think. However, it pushes us back to Scripture and expands our vision of the radical restoration God is doing in his world. This is no cold, theological meandering on the theoretical state of heaven. This is gritty, real-world, hopeful stuff.
So, we’ll convene in a month to reflect on the works. I’d love to know if you are joining me – shoot me an email or a comment to let me know you’re in on the fun. Or not. You can just surprise me.
I’m going to try to join you in the fictional world. Thanks for inviting us to join you!
Those are both books I’ve been wanting to read, maybe this will be my inspiration for actually doing so.
Is this a local book club or are out-of-staters invited?
I’m really looking forward to hearing about your chat with Wright! And while we’re on the subject, I’ve heard The Resurrection of the Son of God is really good, but 700+ pages seems daunting. Have you read it?
Dude, you know I’m in.
Jonathan and Jeromie, welcome to the awesomeness!
Jeff (and I wonder if I will be fit for my own book club if all the other member’s names begin with “J”? Wait…my birth certificate actually says my first name is “John.” It’s fate!) Ok, back to Jeff – it’s absolutely open to everyone. In fact, I had only imagined it being here in the virtual world. However, who knows what other forms it may take…
On Wright’s 700 page magnum opus, (the book he refers to regularly and flatly as “The Big Book”), I actually haven’t read it, though I’ve thumbed it, recommended it, and hit a page here and there via the index.
What turned you on to Wright?
This guy (church planter in Austin). We read Wright’s ‘Simply Christian’ for a discussion group. And I read a Wright interview which made me want to read ‘Surprised by Hope.’ And in terms of ‘The Big Book,’ I heard a lecture or read an interview or something of Tim Keller’s where he said that is was one of the most influential books on his life that he’s ever read, but he was only able to read all 700+ pages because he had cancer and he couldn’t do anything but read.
i’m also in on this one, that is if i can still join even though my name doesn’t begin with j…
I’m in! (I commented on your relevant blog but forgot that all the cool kids hang out here)
I’m in Winn. I’ll be reading Surprised by Hope. Thanks for taking over the reign of Oprah!
I’m also in. My name does start with J.
I’m J number 5.
Lead on, O Captain!
I shall follow where you read!
Whoops. I forgot that my name is not, in fact, my handle.
-Will McCain
I’m gonna try even though it’s my last month of teaching. I’m always up for a book club!! Great idea!
I’m over half way through The Man Who Was Thursday. It’s incredible. Just letting you know I’m still in on this crazy plan to take down Oprah!
What a great book! When do we get to talk about it?
I’ll post on Monday for a discussion. And anyone who is local (or wants to make the drive), we’ll be meeting at Jittery Joes in Clemson @ 2 on Sunday.