:On my bedside table:

Have you ever read a book that has left its mark on you so indelibly that you can't stop thinking about it? Those books are few and far between for me but this one has:

I read Andrew's Heart Mender months ago, loved it, and promptly got my hands on as many others as I could. I have an amazing library system here that can get me books from all over the state so i usually go that route and then buy from there. The Noticer  is about Jones, a man who has always been old and shows up in time to help people in dire needs. He meets up with Andy, a young homeless man who lives under a pier at the beach and invites himself into Andy's life and they start talking. Andy spreads a meager supper out on the sand and the two start talking and eating. Jones asks Andy, "So what are you eating right now?" Puzzled by such an obvious question, he replies kinda bitterly, "I am eating sardines and vienna sausages out of a can on the beach." Jones then looks at him and says, "Well, I am dining on surf and turf with an ocean view." He then talks to Andy about perspective and how that can change one's life. He leaves a few books for Andy to read and then goes on his way. The rest of the book is about his encounters with other people, a workaholic businessman who is neglecting his family, a suicidal man in despair, a couple who is on their way to get  a divorce, intertwined with his further encounters with Andy. The key to his success in working with difficult situations is his careful attention to detail and perspective.

It's a different sort of book, which I happen to be partial to. I keep thinking about that surf and turf bit and wonder what all would be different if we could see things from other perspectives.

Other books on my bedside table:

 

A review of some of them:

• When Jesus Came to Harvard by Harvey Cox- I haven't finished this one. I got half way through and then stalled. Cox started an undergraduate class at Harvard on the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The book tells of his experiences in the class. It's thick stuff and somewhat interesting but since I didn't finish it I can't review the whole thing.
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• The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. He fluctuates between random and brilliant in his writing. His style is distinct and if it wouldn't be for those one liners every couple of pages that leave me going, "Wow!", I probably wouldn't keep reading.
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• Desiring God and Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper. I haven't read a whole lot of these yet but the whole Christian hedonistic concept is mysteriously intriguing. I don't know how I feel yet so please don't ask :)
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• The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I just finished the first chapter here and love it because I know what these views and beliefs cost this man (the movie about him is really good!).
• Finding an Unseen God deserves its own picture:

What drew me in initially to this book was the great design and layout. Seriously! A crossword puzzle title?! It even has a crossword puzzle inside to fill out. This is not a story book. It's a book about a former atheist's life and her journey to the Lord. Interwoven in this too is practical tips for dealing with nonbelievers and a condensed course on apologetics, which happens to be one of my very favorite subjects. I highly recommend this book to anyone who rubs shoulders with nonbelievers and feels like there is no way to connect. All the chapter titles are in crossword puzzle form too which I love. 

And lest you think I spend all my time wallowing around in this deep, thick stuff, I may or may not have just read a Karen Kingsbury book about autism. I typically don't care for her work; it's too fluffy and the plots too predictable, but this book was good. 

And then there's O.Henry. How I love that man!  Reading a chapter in his book is like eating a slim piece of cheesecake. Rich, delicious and filling. You can't read too much without feeling all full but he is always a treat and never disappoints. One of my favorite O.Henry stories is A Cosmopolite in a Cafe.

Have I mentioned on here before how much I like Chris Fabry's books? June Bug in particular is great. A friend thought it ended a bit anti-climatically which is true. However,  I would rather have a sad sort of ending that leaves you reeling, then a happily ever after ending that you saw coming after the first two paragraphs. 

So those are what are gracing my table. What are y'all reading?

And this is just a bit of nonsense to finish this off. If O.Henry in desserts is a cheesecake, what would these be?:

• L.M Montgomery
• Karen Kingsbury
• Francine Rivers
• Harold Bell Wright
• Louisa May Alcott
• Dr. Seuss
• Jerry Jenkins

Utterly silly I know, but kinda fun too, huh? :)

So tell me, what are you reading? And list a dessert that embodies one of the authors, just for fun :)
 
Vicki