Obviously, these aren't the ONLY books I've been reading. Most of the professional ones are on the reading list, and I try to put short notes about them on that page. These are some of the favorites or the ones which made the biggest impact. I have also included the fun stuff, family stuff and spiritual stuff as well. These notes will give you a little more information. I hope you try some of these and enjoy them. If you do, let me know what you think!
Professional and Course-Related Books
1999
The New Tolerance
By Josh McDowell
This is one of those books that while I read it, I just keep saying to my self, "This is great! This is just great!" as I underline away. This is the best, most readable book I know that communicates the issues of traditionalism vs. modernism vs. postmodernism and the issue of TRUTH.
McDowell, in his conversational way, articulates clearly and concisely the most complex philosophical issues in a step-by-step procedure. Students who struggle with the competing philosophies in Com 310 will find this book will clearify the issues and make the whole unit much easier.
Read this one first, and then go to Ravi Zacharias' book, Can Man Live Without God (discussed below). You'll be ready to rock and roll when the "TRUTH" unit comes up.
Both of these have a distinctly Judeo-Christian perspective, but even if that isn't your perspective, you may still find they will clarify the other philosophies discussed in class. Were it not for that perspective, I would probably require this book for Com 310; it's that good!
1998
Can Man Live Without God..
By
Ravi Zacharias
This is one of the most impressive books I have read in a LONG time. Ravi Zacharias is a brilliant scholar whose specialization is Christian apologetics. His writings examine in a clear and academically sound manner the various world views of modern society, how they came to be and where they are leading us. This is the book that just may have the answers to those HARD questions you may have been asking. It is intellectually sound and philosophically sophisticated, but very, very readable. This is one of those book in which you read a few pages and find yourself saying, "wow....." and you just have to stop and think about the ideas you have just considered.
This book is perfect for students of Com 310 , because it attacks the tough philosophical issues that so often confuse students. I absolutely loved it, and most of it is highlighted. I even outlined several chapters, and some of that information will probably end up in the Com 310 lecture notes. I can't wait to read more from Ravi Zacharius. You can check out his website at http://www.rzim.org . The site has a number of valuable resources for students and non-students alike.
From Sea to Shining Sea
by
Peter Marshall and David Manuel
I really enjoyed the first book by these authors, The Light and the Glory, which I read nearly ten years ago. This one picks up where that one left off. The first begins with the discovery and settlement of this country, and its focus is on not only the historical events, but the philosophical and faith-based motivations that facilitated them. These books are, in a sense, a spiritual history of the United States. I understand there is another in the series, but I have not yet read that one.
From Sea to Shining Sea picks up after the revolutionary war and considers the settling of the regions east of the Appalachian Mountains and the growth of our nation as a whole during that time. The period is far more significant to us today than I ever understood, because it was during this period of time that the roots of the philosophical perspectives of today began to take root and grow. For students of philosophy and ethics, it is fascinating to see the progression from traditional theism to what we now call "modern thought."
Another area I found particularly interesting was that of the role of the great revivals of that period. While the Great Awakening is mentioned in most history books, the revivals of this period usually get little more than a footnote, and yet they were very important in development of ideas and resolve which led to the battles against slavery and the preservation of the union.
As I mentioned in the Reading list page, I was an undergraduate American history major. I had to read an average of 4 to 8 books per course per quarter. Yet only one really examined these issues and even then not with the depth or the readability that Marshall and Manuel do.
The book is written in an easy, readable style and is full of personal accounts and first-person sources. While getting the "big picture" one still has the opportunity to see how these events and issues affected the individual of the era. It is an easy read and yet it is full of information to challenge the student who will pause to THINK about the issues and how they apply to this life in this century.
Feeding Frenzy: How Attack Journalism Has Transformed American Politics
by
Larry Sabato
If you've had it up to "here" with the Monica thing, but are trying to figure out why that's all you seem to hear about, you might like to read this one. Sabato does an excellent job of examining the "feeding frenzy" as he calls it - how the media swarm on any thing that smells of scandal, especially where politicians may be involved. He provides an historical look at previous frenzies for context and then examines how media went from "lapdog journalism" to "junkyard journalism," including how the politicians, the media and the pundits all feed the frenzy.
I really enjoyed this book and found it very enlightening on the issue. It was written in 1993, so it doesn't have the "latest stuff" but you can easily make your own application, and the pre-election Clinton frenzy is in there.
You might find this especially helpful in light of current events.
Spin Cycle: Inside the Clinton Propaganda Machine
by Howard Kurtz
Howard Kurtz is the television reviewer for the Washington Post and as one student commented after reading this book, "I don't know how he got that stuff!" But he did, and this book is an excellent inside look at how a political PR machine operates. The book examines the working of the Clinton White House Press Office under the leadership of Mike McCurry and goes into closed door sessions where "spin" strategy is planned.
Don't think that the methods employed here are only used by Democrats. If you want the inside on how the Republican White House worked, read Democracy Without Citizens by Robert Entman. This book is extremely valuable for its detail, its clarity, and its depth. You get an inside look at the struggles, pressures and perspectives of the media and the media managers. It's a must read for any PR student considering working in politics or for any BJ student who may end up doing political reporting.
1997
During the last two weeks in August, I picked up a couple of very interesting and thought-provoking titles. If you have read and were challenged by Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves To Death, you should definitely consider these books as follow-up. Either would be good for Com 201 or Com 314 books reviews, and I will accept them for extra credit reports in any class. Death of Discourse is also appropriate for Com 400.
by
Westview Press: Boulder, CO., 1996) ISBN 0-8133-2723-7
This book takes a boldly different look at the state of thought and freedom of expression in our country today. It is divided into three "books", each discussing a key idea and followed by a dialogue composed of the words of some of the great thinkers in from communications, to law, to advertising. Book I compares the Huxleyan vs. the Orwellian view of the current and future world. In one the government (Big Brother) is the enemy of freedom and in the other, the enemy is our own pursuit of pleasure. The authors examine how these dichotomous views influence the thinking of decision-makers in our society and their interpretation of the First Amendment. The authors question whether or not the ideals which supported the creation of that part of the Bill of Rights are still held in the same way today. Book II examines the influence of consumerism on information, and what that has done to the interpretation of the First Amendment. Does extending such freedoms to corporations and advertisers weaken the principle? Book III is entitled "Discourse and Intercourse" and examines what the authors call the rise of the 'pornographic state.' This section looks at the roles of erotic expression in a society and whether or not such materials can contribute to the Marketplace of Ideas.
I found the book to be really enjoyable. It is very readable but also presents challenging ideas in a clear and thorough way. The dialogues at the end of each book ask questions the reader might ask and present answers from a broad range of disciplines and perspectives. This is a "must read" for Com 400, but read it with a high-lighter and some of those post-it flags. There will be passages you will want to mark and find again. (253 pgs)
by
Vintage Books (New York: 1994) ISBN 0-679-74285-9
In this book, Barry Sanders examines why we are becoming a society of superficial thinkers. He, like Postman, is concerned about the influence of media on the simplification of our thought processes and our ability to approach problem and solutions in a thoughtful logical manner. However, he takes the concept further. His focus is on the development (or lack of) literacy in our society. His first contention is that our ability to read allows us to begin to have conversations with ourselves, and to see ourselves as a distinct "self" that changes, that grows, that is different from other people who also have a "self." When that ability is compromised, he believes we cease to be human beings in the same way we have been for the last 6 thousand years. He discusses why this is happening in our culture in a very thorough and sometimes startling way. He examines the role of parents in developing "orality." or the ability to listen, use and enjoy the language. Orality is necessary for the development of literacy and without it, true literacy cannot be attained. His contention is that changes in our culture, the lack of parental attention (even use of the baby bottle), the conception of learning as a commodity, and new technologies (especially television and the computer) are all contributing to this change. He illustrates this with an excellent chapter on gangster mentality.
This book is more than just a media book. It examines crucial issues about who we are as individuals, as human beings and as a culture. It will challenge you and make you think from a new perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and while the book was written before the boom in computer interactivity, I found most of the author's points to be valid. The author involves a broad range of expertise, thoroughly documents the work presented, and pulls all of this together in a very readable book. I found it to be an exciting read, and I had my high-lighter out in several places. The book will make more sense to you if you have already read Postman, and it would work very well for a report in Com 310 or Com 314. (244 pgs.) I highly recommend this book.
For Fun.......
Star Trek books...
As you probably already know, I'm a Star Trek fan. So when I have some time to read things I don't have to read, I frequently pick up a Star Trek novel. They are always a three or four-hour read and I know I'm not going to get offensive surprise and I will get a good story with characters I understand and like. All of them are good, but I have read a few that are particularly involving and very, very good. As a rule, all of the full length novels such as The Lost Years, Imzadi, and Sarek are excellent. In them, you'll find backstory on the early years of the Federation and on most of the characters in the series. You can't miss with those if you like Trek. Of the more recent books, there are several that stand out. Here are a few.
I just finished books 1 and 3 of the Dominion War series. Basically they're one long book and while the first starts slowly, it's really exciting toward the end and the second one moves much faster. I was glad I'd read them. These two follow the activities of the Enterprise crew during the war, something we haven't heard about in DS-Nine.
The Invasion Series: First Strike, Soldiers of Fear, Time's Enemy and the Final Fury are all page-turners and kind of creepy. There are biblical overtones, and lots blatant good vs. evil stuff. These aliens are as scary as the Borg, if not more so. Each book has characters from a different Star Trek series.
Crossover (Next Generation) by Michael Jan Friedman. This one picks up where "Unification" left off with Spock trying to bring the Romulans back into the fold. I t also brings Scotty and McCoy into the drama. Very good.
Vulcan's Forge (Next Generation) by Sophea Serman & Susan Shwartz. Interesting book that provides lots of good backstory on Spock's childhood and how he decided to go to Star Fleet against his father's wishes. Good read.
Ashes of Eden, The Return, and Avenger are written by William Shatner. I was prepared NOT to like them because of that, but instead, I found them to be among the best of the recent books. These the first deals with the time just prior to the last movie, and the last two are after it. Yes, Captain Kirk is NOT dead, but who among us wanted him to be anyway? They are really well-done and non-predictable. There's a new one out in hard cover and I can't wait until it comes out in paper back. Pool reading this summer for sure!!!
An older one that is one of my favorites is Q-In-Law about the mysterious and troublesome Q. It is a "hoot." Q-Squared is also very good and funny as well.
Other Good Stuff....
This past summer the books that dominated by pleasure reading were written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. These four (so far) document the events of the book of Revelation from the perspective of those who life through it.....Beginning with the rapture, the first book is entitled Left Behind and starts the series very powerfully. The others, Tribulation Force, Nicholae and finally Soul Harvest deal with the aftermath, the rise of the anti-christ and the disasters that follow. The characters are vivid, the action compelling and the plot full of surprises. Each of these is a real page-turner, but I warn you. You will finish one and head right for the bookstore to get the next one! These are the best books I have read in a long time! They were so hard to put down, I even took the third one with me to Six Flags and read it while standing in roller-coaster lines. (For a two-hour Bat Man line, you NEED a book!) I didn't even notice the time!
If you like a good historical novel with lots of excitement and a romantic story without being one of the "bosom books," you might like these books by Diana Gabaldon. The first one was recommended to me by fellow browser at Book Stop in Huntsville as I was looking for a "spring break book." She said she loved it, and I couldn't put down. I gave the book to my sister-in-law after I finished on the vacation, and subsequently forgot the author. It was five years later that I saw a display in Books A Million and realized THAT was the book and that there were MORE! I read them ALL in a span of three weeks over last Christmas break (at about 1,000 pages each!) Here are the titles:
Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Drums of Autumn, and Voyager.
The books follow the lives of Claire Randall and Jaime Fraser. Claire, a doctor visiting Scotland after World War II, stumbles through a time portal in a stone-hedge type formation and finds herself in the middle of a battle in the 18th century Scottish highlands. Rescued by the dashing highlander, the book is off and running. While this may sound a bit far-fetched (it is) it is also very well written and absolutely compelling. It's a great beach read. If you're like me and hate to go shopping for a new book, these will solve the problem for a GOOD while! (Don't start them unless you have time.....deliver yourself from temptation...)
Anything by James Michner
Any of Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove books. Be prepared to cry and brace yourself for the violence, but Texas was NOT a nice place.
On a Spiritual Note....
The Search for Significance: We can build our self-worth on our Ability to Please Others, or on the Love and Forgiveness or Jesus Christ. Robert McGee. Billy Graham is quoted on the cover as saying every Christian should read this book, and I pretty much agree. The focus of the book is how to get away from a performance-based criterion for human value, and help us build a healthy self-worth. Many of you have heard me talk about the problems with a performance-based cultural value of human beings, and it is from this book that many of those ideas were developed. It's great.
Michael Brown. Let No One Deceive You: Confronting the Critics of Revival. After visiting Pensacola and the Brownsville revival, and hearing Michael Brown speak, I wanted to read everything I could get my hands on about revivals in America, past and present. I read a number of books, but this one I like the best. It is clear, fair, and thorough. A book which takes a more critical position on modern revival is Hank Hanegraff's book, Counterfeit Revival. Michael Brown's book is written largely in response to it, but as I read them both, I found they have much in common. Both are concerned with excesses and self-driven "manifestations" in revival. Both are concerned that the word and the will of God are more important than worship style. Brown criticizes some of the same things Hanegraff does. The authors come from different theological perspectives, but it is my understanding that since the writing of these books these men have met and have recognized a great deal of common ground while agreeing to disagree amiably on other matters. If you read both, you'll get a good feeling for the issues involved, but I'd high-light and take notes. This is serious business.
Another Michael Brown book which really challenges what we think of a Christian commitment is It's Time to Rock the Boat: A Call to God's People to Rise Up and Preach a Confrontational Gospel. This book challenges our comfort zone and it hits us where we live - our leisure time, how we spend out money, and how God is moving in people who really commit. If you want a spiritual challenge, read this.
Frank Pereti. This Clear and Present Darkness. This compelling novel deals with spiritual warfare on a very practical level. I couldn't put it down, and it made me look at the world and those "powers and principalities" in a new and different way. I also learned more about how powerful prayer is in that battle. Great book.
If you're looking for inspiring reading and reading that will make you think read any of the works of .....
Family Life.....
ANYTHING by Dr. James Dobson... Some of my favorites are
I don't know how I would have gotten through rearing two strong-willed boys without the wisdom I found in Dr. Dobson's works. Focus on the Family has a great website at http://www.family.org at which you can find all of these titles and many, many other resources to aid you in your marriage, child-rearing, parent relationships, aging, illness, etc. It is a gold-mine for families!
Another good one for new marriages is The Language of Love by John Trent and Gary Smalley. It took me ten years to learn how to effectively communicate with Randy....I just didn't get it. I wish I'd had the book when we were first married. MUST READ!!
On the subject of Attention Deficit and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in adults and kids, there are some wonderful resources:
The Hyperactive Child: What You Need to Know About Attention Deficit Disorder - Facts, Myths, and Treatment. By Dr. Grant Martin. This is my favorite. It's written on a very practical level and from a Christian perspective, but it's right on the mark!
Helping Your Hyperactive/Attention Deficit Child by John F. Taylor, Ph.D. is one the classics on the issue by one of the foremost experts. Excellent!
Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood. Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D. Excellent book that deals with child and adult ADD. One of the very best works available.
Answers to Distraction: The Authors of Driven To Distraction Repond to the Most Frequently Asked Questions about Attention Deficit Disorder. Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D. Excellent and very helpful.
You might also check the C.H.A.D.D. web site for more information.
So....
I hope these books offer some interesting suggestions for you. I have always loved to read, but it's not fun if the books aren't good. Let me know what YOU're reading, and especially let me know if you like any of these!!! I hope you will read for fun, pleasure, encouragement and inspiration as well as for knowledge....Never, EVER stop reading, no matter how busy you are. You owe it to yourself, to your children, and to your culture!
Last Updated: 1/6/99
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