March Reading List

Here are some of the books I've consumed over the last month (in random order)

Sin & Syntax by Constance Hale. My wife thinks I'm strange for reading books on grammar and syntax before bed, instead of watching "Blind Justice" This is an excellent book. It is fun to read and full of practical ideas to make your writing sparkle.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. If you are into that "Zen" thing, then Goldberg's writing guide may provide a brief flash of enlightenment. Her chapters are mostly recapitulations on her main theme: To be a writer, one needs to write. I used some of her exercises in my sermon writing and found pleasant results.

You Don't Know Me by David Klass. I picked this up at Borders while my family and I waited in line at a Mary Pope Osborne book signing. The book captivated me, and I had to finish it that night at home. I love how Klass' sentence structure and word choices change from bouyant to terse, depending on the state of the main character's soul.

Simpicity: The Freedom of Letting Go by Richard Rohr. His writing is sloggish, and I like the older edition better than the update. However, his chapter on identifying the problems in the Church is prophetic and moving. Rohr's Franciscan spirituality reminds us that growth comes through letting go.

My friend Ken is recommending In Praise of Slowness. It is on my wish list. Let me know if you have read it.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/006054578X/qid=1112192522/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/104-9775105-8342323