Nadine wrote:
Joseph, will we be getting a featured book to read for April?
No, I'd like to give everyone the time needed to get ahold of the book and clear out their reading schedule, so the first featured book(s) won't be until May.
Reading through this discussion, I'm leaning towards having multiple featured books each month. Perhaps a more scholarly book(historical, theological) for those interested, and then a lighter fiction or inspirational book for those who aren't interested in the academic side of things. I might even throw in a small section from various scriptures (the Bible, the Vedas, the Tao Te Ching, etc.) for those who want to discuss those, since short passages shouldn't take people too long to read.
I don't want to overload people, and I would definitely keep discussions separate so you would only have to take part in the reading that interested you.
For right now, I'm leaning towards making Karen Armstrong's A History of God the scholarly book for May. As for the fiction/inspirational book, I'd have to go by input from you all because I wouldn't be sure where to start.
Anyway, no decisions need to be made now. I'm definitely paying attention to books being brought up in this discussion, so keep tossing suggestions into the hat please 
Joseph_F wrote:
Nadine wrote:
Joseph, will we be getting a featured book to read for April?No, I'd like to give everyone the time needed to get ahold of the book and clear out their reading schedule, so the first featured book(s) won't be until May.
Reading through this discussion, I'm leaning towards having multiple featured books each month. Perhaps a more scholarly book(historical, theological) for those interested, and then a lighter fiction or inspirational book for those who aren't interested in the academic side of things. I might even throw in a small section from various scriptures (the Bible, the Vedas, the Tao Te Ching, etc.) for those who want to discuss those, since short passages shouldn't take people too long to read.
I don't want to overload people, and I would definitely keep discussions separate so you would only have to take part in the reading that interested you.
For right now, I'm leaning towards making Karen Armstrong's A History of God the scholarly book for May. As for the fiction/inspirational book, I'd have to go by input from you all because I wouldn't be sure where to start.
Anyway, no decisions need to be made now. I'm definitely paying attention to books being brought up in this discussion, so keep tossing suggestions into the hat please
I like that plan. It offers something for just about everyone's interest. In the meantime, I'm enjoying hearing about everyone's suggested reading. I've found several for my growing TBR pile!
Laura -- you enticed me to stop and consider The Shack in the bookstore tonight! The back cover almost got me to buy. Have you read it? Does it stand up to the allure of the mystery?
(I didn't buy it; instead I got a second copy of Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg and a cookbook for a gift. I had loaned my first copy of Rosenberg and have decided not to ask for its return, even as an on-going discussion leads me to need a copy myself. If it does eventually return, I'll have a copy to pass on to someone else.)
Fozzie wrote:
Joseph_F wrote:In any case, we'll probably be reading a featured book in May, and this is definitely a good possiblity. Everyone keep in mind other books they might want to discuss together. Maybe some fiction to go along with the denser Karen Armstrong?
How about The Shack?
Peppermill wrote:Laura -- you enticed me to stop and consider The Shack in the bookstore tonight! The back cover almost got me to buy. Have you read it? Does it stand up to the allure of the mystery?
No, I have not read it. A friend in a mother's spiritual group in which I take part read it and talked about it as part of our discussion one day. Several people in my neighborhood have read it and recommended it. Also, it has been on a Portland, Maine paperback bestseller's list for many weeks now.
I would like to suggest Any Bitter Thing by Monica Wood (link to her website).
I just read it as part of a Read Around Maine on-line group sponsored by the Portland Maine Press Herald newspaper. It is wonderful. It is full of moral questions, none of which can be answered definitively.
Joseph,
To have separate discussions aimed for different attention levels and commitments is a wonderful idea…
Because of my limited free time, I can’t participate in dense, scholarly readings. I would, however, actively participate in short fiction/inspirational discussions.
I would suggest parables from different religious traditions. (I don't mean the ancient Greek myths.)
I grew up steeped in the Buddhist tradition of parables. When I immigrated to the US as a teenager, I was happily exposed to the universality of metaphorical story-telling… parables can be found in all religions… they're universal.
It may be a fun and untaxing way to understand and compare the rich variety of religious beliefs through parables.
Here are some suggestions from the top of my head. There are many ways to explore this subcategory... by commonality, by specific themes....
"Parable and Story in Judaism and Christianity" by Clemens Thoma. Parables and stories in the biblical tradition that explains the common heritage of Christians and Jews.
"Zen Without Zen Masters" by Camden Benares. A collection of contemporary Zen Buddhist parables
"Wit and wisdom of the Talmud: Provers, Sayings and Parables for the Ages"
by George Lankevich. Wonderful Jewish parables from the Talmud.
"Tales of the Dervishes: Teaching-Stories of the Sufi Masters over the Past Thousand Years" by Idries Shah. Interesting parables from the Sufi tradition.
Joseph_F wrote:Reading through this discussion, I'm leaning towards having multiple featured books each month.
I don't want to overload people, and I would definitely keep discussions separate so you would only have to take part in the reading that interested you.
Anyway, no decisions need to be made now. I'm definitely paying attention to books being brought up in this discussion, so keep tossing suggestions into the hat please
It looks like there are some great suggestions here. One of the novels on my 'to read' list is one by C.S. Lewis, I find much of writing looks at Christianity, and how to incorporate one's Christian or religious values into all aspects of life. the Four Loves is one of my suggestions.
IBIS wrote:Joseph,
To have separate discussions aimed for different attention levels and commitments is a wonderful idea…
Because of my limited free time, I can’t participate in dense, scholarly readings. I would, however, actively participate in short fiction/inspirational discussions.
I would suggest parables from different religious traditions. (I don't mean the ancient Greek myths.)
I grew up steeped in the Buddhist tradition of parables. When I immigrated to the US as a teenager, I was happily exposed to the universality of metaphorical story-telling… parables can be found in all religions… they're universal.
It may be a fun and untaxing way to understand and compare the rich variety of religious beliefs through parables.
Here are some suggestions from the top of my head. There are many ways to explore this subcategory... by commonality, by specific themes....
"Parable and Story in Judaism and Christianity" by Clemens Thoma. Parables and stories in the biblical tradition that explains the common heritage of Christians and Jews.
"Zen Without Zen Masters" by Camden Benares. A collection of contemporary Zen Buddhist parables
"Wit and wisdom of the Talmud: Provers, Sayings and Parables for the Ages"
by George Lankevich. Wonderful Jewish parables from the Talmud.
"Tales of the Dervishes: Teaching-Stories of the Sufi Masters over the Past Thousand Years" by Idries Shah. Interesting parables from the Sufi tradition.
I really like what IBIS is saying here. I would very much enjoy a discussion of parables from various religions. On that note, I would like to add a couple of possibilites. I find these books to be very enjoyable. They also offer some rather profound and universal spiritual wisdom in the process.
Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?The Lakota WayKeep Going
This is an excellent book, La Rose. It is not a novel but a series of lectures on the four forms of love as seen in four Greek words. I have the whole thing on audio tape read by C.S. Lewis himself, from his BBC radio series. Barnes&Noble has a condensation of it, but your local store might be able to get held of the whole thing for you. Here is the condensed reading
la_rose wrote:It looks like there are some great suggestions here. One of the novels on my 'to read' list is one by C.S. Lewis, I find much of writing looks at Christianity, and how to incorporate one's Christian or religious values into all aspects of life. the Four Loves is one of my suggestions.
The Four Loves
Hi Everyone-----After reading several replies on what constitutes Christian fiction, I wasn't sure where to post this note, and actually my first suggestion is a Jewish childhood. I'm not necessarily suggesting these for discussion but just wanted to have a spot to mention books I have started that I think may be interesting to some people. Maybe we should have a thread just for bringing books to others' attention without putting forward for group discussion.
Anyway, I have started the first of two books I own that are by Anne Rice, told in the first-person voice of Jesus. i think it will be a trilogy. They are:
Out of Egypt
The Road To Cana
I've started Out of Egypt. It is fascinating reading'
Librarian
Ok, so I'll be making a more official announcement once I have time to consult with Jon on how it should be done, but I've settled on the following featured readings for May:
Scholarly/non-fiction book:
Lighter/fiction book:
I know very little about this one, but there seems to be a lot of interest in it right now, so let's read it.
There will be two separate discussions, so it's ok to only get one of those books or get both and participate in both discussions. Up to you! Also, when it gets closer to May, I'll probably introduce a short reading from some scripture to discuss (nothing that will take you too long to read) for those interested in that.
