What I Read

You can learn a lot about a person from what they read; these are some of my favourite books and authors, for various reasons.

The Chronicles of Narnia:. This is probably C.S. Lewis' best known work, for children and adults, and it has always been a favourite with me. His "supposals" are not surface-deep like many of the Christian books written today, but show many abiding truths and illustrate the beauty of the Word through childrens' eyes.

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. Lewis' last novel, this one is a lot more controversial than his other works. But still, if you dig deep enough, you'll find some timeless lessons and truth in these pages.

The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis. "Perelandra" is my favourite of this trilogy because of the Green Lady and the Eden tale that it represents. "Out of the Silent Planet" is a close second, with the glorious majesty of Deep Heaven and all the creatures on Malacandra. "That Hideous Strength" is powerful, but I need to read it again.

The Time Trilogy by Madeleine L'Engle. Though these are part of a larger series, "The Time Quintet," I prefer just the first three. I like the way they deal with space and time - something that has always intrigued me.

The works of Florence M. Kingsley. Lamplighter Publishing introduced me to her works, specifically "The Cross Triumphant," "Titus: A Comrade of the Cross," and "Stephen: A Soldier of the Cross." I am not usually fond of novels set in Jesus' time, but these books are powerful, beautiful, and really capture the way the world was "turned upside down."

The Wrestler of Philippi by Fanny E. Newberry. Another novel from Lamplighter Publishing, set after the ascension of Christ, this is as poignant as Kingsley's books.

The Spanish Brothers by Deborah Alcock. Set during the Inquisition in Spain, this tells the story of two brothers and their different paths through life. It's one of the few books at whose end I literally bawled.

Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace. Perhaps the best historical novel of Jesus' time ever written, "Ben-Hur" is an instant classic. The grace and mercy of God shine through the narrative almost blindingly.


Blamires' Trilogy
by Harry Blamires. This trilogy has no name, but it certainly has lessons. The first two at least (I have yet to read the third) are very thought-provoking as well as convicting, and bring to mind some points that we don't generally think about.

The Song of Albion Trilogy by Stephen R. Lawhead. While I would not recommend all of Lawhead's works, as some of them contain extremely unnecessary and mature content, this trilogy had all the components that make up a good story - it has elegant descriptions, adventure, beauty, power... It will make the reader laugh and cry, and it grips you to the end.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Yes, I am a Jane Austen fan, and Pride and Prejudice is by far my favourite that I have read to date. I like the humour and the romance, and also the characters.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare. It doesn't exactly go with the above list, but of the Shakespeare plays I've read, "Macbeth" is certainly my favourite. It may deal with a murderer and usurper, but he gets his due in the end - meaning, that this play has...morals!

The Iliad by Homer. Few morals, perhaps, but this classic does have the epic figures of Hector and Achilles to lend it favour in the reader's eye. They, the action, and the great amusement one can obtain from the various antics of the Greek gods all combined to make this an enjoyable read for me.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emusska Orczy. Not necessarily Christian, but this novel actually interested me in the French Revolution - which isn't easy to do. I liked the romance and the change of heart that the main character showed.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I would not directly label this book as Christian (it's more simply moralistic), but some of the themes and lessons were very profound. For instance, Jane's struggle with feeling like she is abandoning her faith when she falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and her scruples about not marrying him then, made the story far more than one's typical, lighthearted romance.

So much for some of my favourite works of fiction - now to non-fiction.

The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer. This must always go at the top of my list of non-fiction books - until I read something even better. "The Knowledge of the Holy" is a small, readable work on the perfections of God, written clearly and beautifully and truthfully.

God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew. One of my favourite biographies of a Christian man since childhood, when my mother and I read it together, "God's Smuggler" is a story that shows the hand of God working to spread His Word and pour out His Holy Spirit in the cold nations behind the Iron Curtain.

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. A good primer on the basics of Christianity, and written in Lewis' typical, engaging style, "Mere Christianity" is simply a must-read for young and old believers alike.

Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas. The movie "Amazing Grace," about abolitionist William Wilberforce, is very good and fairly popular. This book is even better. It's truer to the facts and shows the real life and times of the man William Wilberforce.

Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson. Apparently I like histories by "Eriks" and "Erics"! "Isaac's Storm" is the story of the man Isaac Cline and the hurricane that destroyed Galveston, Texas, in 1900.

Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie. This is the tragic history of the last of the Romanov family in Russia, and the circumstances that brought about their downfall. It is written by a master writer and reads more like a novel than any dry tome. NOTE: Read Squeaky Clean's review before running out and buying it, if that thought possessed you.

Six Frigates by Ian W. Toll. This is a history of the founding of the U.S. Navy and the original, famous six frigates, but also it shows the rise of the United States after her independence from Great Britain.

That's all for now!

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