Accelerated Reading Program Part I

I try to read 100 books a year. Last year I missed my goal and only read 94. Some were great and some I would not recommend. Here is a list of the books I read in 2006.

1. The Swiss Reformation, by Bruce Gordon...Loved it, but then, I am really into history.
2. The Anabaptist Story, by William Estep...Loved it, helped me with my genealogy.
3. Bernese Anabaptists, by Delbert Gratz... Even mentions some Klopfenstein ancestors.
4. Age of Napoleon Alistar Horne...Liked it, but I'm sure there are better works on the topic.
5. The Great Fire of London, by Neil Hanson...Liked it and totally loved London when I got to visit. So I think I would enjoy most books about the history of London. With the exceptions being Numbers 20 and 39 on this page.
6. The Reformation, by Patrick Collinson...Liked it.
7. Leonardo, First Scientist, by Michael White...Loved it. The history of science is way cool.
8. Lies My Teacher Told Me, by James Loewen...Liked it, fun subversive facts to quote.
9. That's Not In My American History Book, by Thomas Ayres...See 8.
10. Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code, by Bert Ehrman...Just ok, read DaVinci Code in 05 and quickly grew weary of the hype.
11. Night, by Elie Wiesel...Loved it.
12. Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott...Loved it, and love her. Don't agree with her politics, but this gifted writer has helped me so much.
13. Plan B, by Anne Lamott...Loved it. You hate Bush, I get it, move on please.
14. Traveling Mercies, by Anne Lamott...Loved it, She stretches and challenges me.
15. Crooked Little Heart, by Anne Lamott...Loved it, go read this book, one of my fav authors.
16. Sir Apropos of Nothing, by Peter David...Liked it, big on puns, some clever.
17. The Woad to Wuin, by Peter David...It was ok, as a novelist he's a very good comic book writer.
18. Spiritual Notes to Myself, by Hugh Prather...He should keep the notes to himself, Hated it.
19. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman...Liked it, fantasy, comic book writer turned best selling author.
20. Great Tales from English History Vol. II, by Robert Lacey...Not so great.
21. The Message New Testament, by Eugene Peterson and God...I love reading the Bible in understandable words, just like how most of the New Testament was originally written in the commonly spoken language of it's day, Koine Greek. Another example would be the King James Version which was also written in the style which everyone spoke at the time. That was before the Shakespearean english in the KJV was elevated to holy writ and Bibliolatry, the worship of the Bible, ensued. Am I ranting? Where was I? Oh yeah. The Message. So contemporary it can be jarring in places. And so contemporary it will be obsolete in a couple of years. But I don't think I'll ever be ready for the gangsta hip hop rap Bible which already really exists. So I guess I'm no different than the KJV only people I was offending, and now beg forgiveness from. In the immortal words of Emily Litella, the character played by Gilda Radner on Saturday Night Live, "Never mind."
22. Up From Slavery, by Booker T. Washington...Loved it.
23. Just As I Am, by Billy Graham...Liked it, but not as much as I thought I would, love the man though.
24. The Real Rain Man, by Fran Peek...Loved it, go read this book, fascinating read about the man who inspired the movie.
25. The Age of Shakespeare, by Frank Kermode...Just ok, looking for a better one on him.
26. Flashbang, by Mark Steele...enjoyed it, funny stories, good message about how to get over yourself.
27. American History in Black and White, by David Barton...worth reading.
28. Soul Survivor, by Philip Yancey...liked the book, great writer, not his best work.
29. The Story of My Life, by Helen Keller...It was good, interesting,but I expected it to be better.
30. A Prayer For Owen Meaney, by John Irving...Wow. Loved it, will read again, go read it.
31. How to Master your Time, by Brian Tracy...Waste of time.
32. Stealing Gods Thunder, by Philip Dray...about Ben Franklin, good, but I want to read a better book about him. I heard his autobiography is the one.
33. The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield...on resistance to creativity, it was ok.
34. Indelible Ink, Scott Larsen, editor...Go read this, Christian leaders on best books they read.
35. Faster, by James Gleick...tedious, waste of time, should be called Slower.
36. Rich Mullins, An Arrow Pointing to Heaven, by James Smith...Awesome book, Awesome God.
37. Crime and Punishment, by Dostoyevsky...Go read it. On inner struggle to justify sin.
38. The Power of Self Coaching, by Joseph Luciani...nope, sorry coach, not a winner.
39. London, A History, by Ann Wilson...zzzzzz. History is not boring unless it is made so, it was.
40. Celebration of Discipline, by Richard J. Foster...challenged me, called me to go deeper.
41. Self-Worth Without Self-Worship, by Kenneth Beavers...good title and...good title.
42. Walking the Bible, by Bruce Feiler...worth reading, didn't buy his transformation.
43. The Unaborted Socrates, by Peter Kreeft...A gem, shines light of logic on emotional issue.
44. The Knowledge of The Holy, by A.W. Tozer...Classic, I've read it several times.
45. The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger...Huh? Did not get it.
46. The Pleasure of My Company, by Steve Martin...very funny, well written.
47. The Inner Life, by Thomas a kempis...Classic.
48. The World According to Narnia, by Jonathon Rogers...worth reading, good insights.
49. Hamlet, by Will Shakespeare...enjoyed it. Helped that I listened on tape as I read the book.
50. The Brothers Karamozov, by Dostoyevsky...I loved it. It is my nephew Joel Boerckels' favorite book. Which should be enough of an endorsement right there for you to read it. Better than Crime and Punishment.
51. Chasing Daylight, by Eugene O'Kelly...go read it. True story of a Fortune 500 CEO who gets cancer and learns to live before he dies.
52. Remembering Jim Crowe, by Stephen Smith...powerful, effects of slavery, made me angry.
53. Eisner/Miller, book length conversation between Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit and Frank Miller, creator of the graphic novel 300, which is sure to win the Oscar for Best Movie Ever.
54. Dawn, by Elie Wisel...liked Night better.
55. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee...Love it, re-read it, I want a sequel. Brilliant.
56. Silence, by Shusako Endo...powerful, every missionary, every Christian should read it
57. The Prince and the Pauper, by Mark Twain...ok, not his best work.
58. To Be a Slave, by Julius Lester...former slaves and their children tell their stories. uh, wow.
59. Financial Peace, by Dave Ramsey...If I ever get some money I'll know what to do.
60. Something Beautiful For God, by Malcom Muggeridge...life of Mother Teresa, helped me to gain a better appreciation for her life and work.
61. When God Doesn't make Sense, by James Dobson...just ok, dated, Yancey handles the topic better.
62. The Real Jesus, by Luke Timothy Johnson...blasts the Jesus Seminar, which needs blasting, but still misses the truth.
63. The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey...see number 59.