Lenten Blogging: Day Seventeen (Favorite Books)

Today's Question: What was your favorite book as a child? Did it influence the person you are now?

I do not have one favorite book from my childhood, but I do have several that I remember reading (I read a lot). The fact that I remember them probably means they had somewhat of an impact one me. I'll only mention a few of them in this post.

This first book was Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. Myers was actually the first black author I can remember reading. The way he wrote was so real to me that I would find myself binge reading, and wishing his books were longer. His book Fallen Angels introduced me to the painful and inglorious side of war. I was a huge fan of all things military, but most military things focus on the glorification of it all; Myers showed me the pain, it was a fascinating introduction.

Another author I enjoyed reading was Donald Goines; he was more of a guitly pleasure for me. In fact, I often felt like I was getting away with murder when I would read his books in front of my parents. They were very selective about what we put into our minds (as parents should be) and they were thrilled that I was reading books again, instead of gaming my life away. But if they knew some of the stuff Goines wrote about it would have been curtains for me. Goines glamorized the thug life and pimping before all these so called gangsta rapping thugs did it. But, like Myers, his writing was never devoid of pain and consequence. He was definitely a man of his age as he struggled with drug addiction and the criminal activity that would support it (he even wrote vociferously in order to get money for drugs). This struggle showed in his writing.

The last book(s) that influenced me were The Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. For those who are unfamiliar, this series was all about the end-times and their interpretation of what that would look like. The rapture happens and Jesus takes all the believers away while the earth goes through 7 years of tribulation. Although I now disagree with the theology and biblical interpretation of the books, they still served as a catalyst in my pursuit of biblical studies. Because of those books I began studying what the Bible really had to say about eschatology. I still recommend them to others who want to read Christian fiction. By the way, it's okay to read stuff you don't agree with. Just relax a bit, read, and think critically.

Writing this has made me think of the books that influenced me as an adult. There are 5 of them.

1. The Joyful Beggar by Louis DeWohl. This is a historical fiction account of the life of Francis of Assisi. I read this soon after graduating from Ohio St. and wondering what Christianity was truly all about. The life of Francis made me pause and rethink everything.

2. The Pilgrim's Progess by John Bunyan. Every Christian should read this book. You can get it for free.

3. The Importance of Being Foolish & Abba's Child by Brennan Manning.
4. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard. 

Tomorrow's Question: You're stranded in a foreign city for a day with no money and no friends. Where do you go; what do you do?