As I was walking through Wal-Mart, I noted Christmas stuff being stocked. It is not even Halloween! However, it got me thinking about what books I might put on my Amazon list from Santa Claus.(Hey, he leaves me gifts so who am I to argue?)
Anyway, some I would like for myself, some to give away to others. While the recommended books on this site make a pretty good start, here are a few books I especially wouldn’t mind seeing under the tree:
The New Interpreter’s Study Bible- I have plenty of Bibles, but this one was well reviewed by Enns and looks like it would fill a gap. I was looking at a Big Box Bookstore the other day to see if they have it, which they did not, and was a little nauseated by the number of study Bibles put out by celebrity preachers, most of the commentary of which was no doubt written by grad students, but that is another subject.
The Lost World of Adam and Eve by Walton. or pretty much anything he wrote. Looks like it would be good to read and pass on to friendly pastors etc.
Origins Deborah and Loren Haarsma . I gave away my copy, would like another to give away. Great little non-technical book that addresses the theologic problems of the common approaches to creation in Christianity.
Surprised by Scripture: Engaging Contemporary Issues
N.T. Wright - or again, almost anything he wrote. Good to receive, good to give.
What books would make you smile to see in your stocking?
Great question! I have to say after today’s Forum discussions, I would have to put a pre-release order of @DennisVenema’s and Scot McKnight’s new Adam and the Genome book on the list!
After that, I would put just about anything that would help introduce my kids to the awe-inspiring story of life unfurling over billions of years, whether that’s a nature documentary we could watch together, a children’s book (like a hard copy of our beloved Grandmother Fish, of which we currently have only a PDF), or a game like Clades: Secular Life: 2016. Unfortunately, given that he hasn’t started the Kickstarter yet, I can’t imagine Clades being ready to ship by Christmas.
@jpm Actually, I see that N.T. Wright has another book coming out in the next month or so that I’m hoping to get my hands on. Otherwise, anything by Peter Heather and I’ve been eyeing Mary Beard’s SPRQ for awhile. Also, I’m kind of seriously hoping for an O Scale Train set with that old-school Antebellum period look.
Oh, and I just heard today that the Bibliotheca Bibles should be shipping by Thanksgiving so I’m hoping to surprise my wife with her birthday present. (It was in June…)
That reminds me, I was thinking of ordering Wright’s Advent book for my daughters. Has anyone had a chance to look at it as it has just recently been released?
Speaking of Advent books with kids, we love this one at our house. There are 25 doors and each one has a part of the text of the Christmas story. On day 1 you read 1 door, on day 2 you read 1 and 2, day 3 1, 2, 3, etc until on Christmas Day you read the whole book. The text is a compilation of the Nativity narratives from the Gospels, I got it ten years ago because my aunt went to church with the author/illustrator. My high school boyfriend’s dad posed for one of the shepherds. We have used it every year since my oldest was two and all my kids look forward to it.
Resurrecting this thread to point out that the Clades card game looks like it may be ready to ship by Christmas, which is pretty exciting to me! The Kickstarter ends tomorrow: Clades, the Evolutionary Card Game by Grandmother Fish LLC — Kickstarter. Apparently, game play is similar to Set, and it teaches basic facts of evolution. Cool stuff!
Thanks for bringing it back from the dead. We are all about resurrection here. I was looking over Scot McKnight’s list of his 10 best books of the year, and saw several I may add to my list. How to Read Job by John Walton and Tremper Longman III looks like a good addition. RJS reviewed it, and as Job is one of my favorite books, I would like to look into it further.
Indeed! Actually, it turns out, my brother already bought me this card game without even knowing I knew about it. Guess he knows me! =) And we should be back home next Christmas, so gifts will be a little easier to plan for.
We have used it every year since my oldest was two and all my kids look forward to it.