2022 included three features that guided much of my reading. First were the two excellent classes on Christianity and Islam which I took from ISRME, as well as the resulting book club. These launched me into readings on religion and religious thought as well as by a couple of authors from the Middle East. The second feature was packing up for a year in the States, and the third was the excellent inter-library loan system in Denver.
The goal of sorting through various books I'd been given or bought very cheap means that I flipped through, skimmed, or got gradually drawn into various books too, such as LaHaye's How to Win over Depression or Watson's The Godly Man's Picture. Although LaHaye's book has a few insights of value, mostly it just seemed very dated and insensitive in many comments. Watson's book had various thought-provoking aspects. Reading older (17th century) writers has that beauty of showing both how things (including language) change and how things (especially human beings) remain the same.
For ISRME, our first classes' reading involved complementary selections from Religious Affections (Edwards) and The Faith and Practice of al-Ghazali and James' Varieties of Religious Experiences. These authors formed a surprisingly cohesive dialogue in spite of the fact that they wrote centuries apart and in vastly different cultures. (previous post, another one)
City of Wrong by Kamel Hussein (on Archive) - A fictionalized meditation on the crucifixion and its surrounding events by a Muslim author. The version with the introduction by the translator Kenneth Cragg is particularly helpful as Cragg, a Christian friend of the author and respected scholar of Islam, offers a Christian perspective on the book which reflects their apparent friendship and dialogue and brings up the key issues in sympathetic discussion. Highly recommended for those interested in this area! (previous post)
Children of the Alley by Naguib Mahfouz - This book by an Egyptian author is an allegorical consideration of the Prophets, prophethood, and societies responses to them. It is an insightful fictional consideration from the Muslim perspective. Fascinatingly, there is also a 'prophet of modernity' as such. (previous post)
Prophetic Precursors by Wilson - a useful comparative study of the different histories and interpretations of the prophets in Christianity and Islam
T. S. Eliot's Four Quartets - With the encouragement of two dear friends, this poem has become an increasingly dear friend itself. This year I finally got a hard copy and read it through. Much marking up of it occurred.
Epidemics and Society
(Snowden) - I'm only part way through this 2019 book on epidemics, but
it's proven fascinating, particularly so given that Snowden wrote it
pre-COVID. The section on the non-medical issues which epidemics create
in societies was particularly interesting.
Whispering the Word: Hearing Women's Stories in the Old Testament - Jacqueline E. Lapsley - I've done a lot of reading in stories centered on the end of Judges and the book of Ruth this year. Lapsley's book was one of the most beautiful to read. It was scholarly, empathetic, and devotional all in one. Critically it engaged with the real critiques of feminists (Christian and otherwise) regarding these stories in substantive ways, which I found helpful in both their honesty and their faith-perspective. It's worth getting and reading.
The Sultan of Byzantium by Selçuk Altun - This was a 2021 Christmas gift after I'd come across it in a bookstore, and it has easily become my favorite novel by a Turkish author. It's themed a bit like a Byzantine version of Da Vinci Code, although it includes the episodic nature of other Turkish novels that I don't really love. It often lacks linkage between the various scenes. Anyways, it was quite enjoyable, and I'd recommend it for those looking for a new author: even my Turkish friends hadn't heard of this author.
Iron Dragon series (all 5 volumes) - I read the entire series for the first time this year: eighth century Viking, sci-fi, space saga involving futuristic and past time travel. Very fun!
The Lonely Sea by Alistair MacLean - short stories by a favorite fiction writer!
The Mysterious Mr. Quin (Harley Quin Mysteries) by Agatha Christie - I'd never heard of these, but really enjoyed the spiritual-mystery writings by this beloved author. Excellent short stories!
The Gift of the Stranger by David Smith and Barbara Cavill - a book that considers language education from a Christian perspective; I have really enjoyed reading the thoughts of others thinking about what I spend my job hours doing.
Albert Luthuli: Bound by Faith by Scott Couper - I already posted about this informative biography and what I learned here.
Audiobooks: During our various travels in the last months, we have enjoyed various audiobooks. The key to a great audiobook is great content tied to a great reader Here’s the ones we’ve most enjoyed as a family, enjoyable for all!
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place (series) - written by Maryrose Wood, brilliantly read by Katherine Kellgren - accessible, humorous, mysterious, and educational as the author regularly uses and defines high-level vocabulary cleverly
The Tale of Despereaux - written by Kate Dicamillo, read by Graeme Malcolm - an exciting tale of a mouse, a serving girl, and a princess
Reread: The Simarillion (Tolkien) & The Eleventh Commandment (Archer)
Recommendations from years past: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011
