Books that Changed my Life...or at least the way I think.

I'll admit it. I love reading. I love curling up on the futon with a novel. I love the smell of a brand new book. I can recall being told numerous times as a child, "Don't read at the table!" It's even one of the things that excited me most about living on campus for the summer - A library crammed with books, and I could read for fun! So in tribute to one of my favorite pastimes, I give you,

"Books that Changed my Life...or at least the way I think."

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I first read this book in grade 11. I instantly feel in love with the writing style, the characters, and the little town of Maycombe, Alabama. I think what resonated with me the most was the realism of it. Those who are victims of injustice don't always receive their recompense. Innocence lost can never be regained.

A couple years ago, I was in the stage production of To Kill a Mockingbird. And all the feelings that I felt when I read the novel became all more real and acute on stage. I saw Tom Robinson on the stand. I contributed to the unraveling of Scout's world. I walked the streets of Maycombe. I watched Boo Radley make right some of what had been wrong.

It remains, to this day, my favorite novel.

Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture by William Romanowski

Ohmygoodness. I love this book. It was a required reading for my Media and Society class in college. As with most required texts, I cracked the cover with some trepidation. I was fearing seven hours of dry textbook reading. But no! So much better. It is the best book I have ever read on Christianity and Media. He finds a great balance between "All media is 'worldly' and 'wrong'", and "Christians should even bother engaging with media." And he analyzes current media to prove his points.

If you have any interest in the relationship between faith and broader culture, read Eyes Wide Open.