Book Review: Week One

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

            This first week of reading has been a hard week of reading, as it should have been. After completing orientation on Wednesday of last week, we were given the assignment of reading C.S. Lewis' An Experiment in Criticism and Dr. Jeff Myers' Cultivate. As the week ensued, we were given various assignments from Eric Smith. This blog post will vary from my other entries in that it will primarily concern the books and articles that we have read, instead of the various activities and updates.

            An Experiment in Criticism was by far one the hardest reads that I have had within recent times. I cannot remember a book, which I have read, that was written with a harder lexicon. As I read the book over the period of 4-5 days, I had to re-read a number(about 4) of chapters in order to ensure that I understood what Lewis was saying within the text. Having never had to re-read much of anything, this was a very humbling experience and it put a proper perspective on what I need to work on over the coming months and years. I would greatly recommend this book to be put on your reading list, even though it may be a bit hard to understand at points.

            Cultivate is a book that has been set up as a reference book for mentors and mentors-to-be. It discusses what my generation lacks and desires within mature relationships. It caused me to think about how I can affect those around me(here and when I return home to Michigan) in a more full and godly way. While I have been attempting to help others, I feel like this book has helped clarify what I can do and how to do it in a better manner. Its organization makes it an excellent resource for youth leaders, adults, and anyone who plans to mentor within the near future.

            The Books of the Bible NIV: Covenant History and The Books of the Bible: New Testament ,both of which are printed by Biblica, are the bible written without the chapter and verses so as to encourage longer reading and greater understanding with the full story in mind. I have found reading the Bible in such a way very helpful as I am not caught up in how many chapters I have read or how far I need to go, it keeps my interest peaked. I would highly recommend that you buy a copy of each(I think it's a set of three books for the whole Bible) for your library/home.