I asked yesterday what you have been reading, and would love to hear your answers before I go on vacation since we always make a trip to the bookstore before leaving for the beach.

Here is what I have been reading:
Non Fiction
I read both of Malcolm Gladwell’s new books, The Tipping Point and Blink. I found both fascinating and important books. For anyone trying to make changes in our society The Tipping Point should be required reading, paying close attention to the concepts of Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen.

I also read Jack Rogers’ (former moderator of the PCUSA) recent book Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality . He subtitles the book, “Explode the Myths, Heal the Church” and tries to speak to the whole of our Church on a very contentious issue. He talks about his own change of heart on the issue of same sex relationships and looks at the whole matter of Biblical interpretation before looking specifically at the dozen passages that seem to deal with same sex relationships.

Downtown by Pete Hamill. You will like it if you are interested in Urban History or New York City in particular. I found some parts more interesting than others.

Fiction: I have read all of these this spring and summer and recommend each one.
The Life of Pi
The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls (actually a memoir, not fiction, but it reads like a first person novel)
Me & Emma, by Elizabeth Flock
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
Right now I am almost done with the latest novel by Fannie Flagg (Author of Fried Green Tomatoes which was made into a major movie). This one is entitled Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven. When Aunt Elmer has a conversation with God one of God’s revelations echoes the thesis of The Tipping Point. I don’t have the book here to give you an accurate quote but he says that the world is on the brink of a new age of peace. When the time is right for an idea, God says, change can come very quickly.

The Life of Pi is a coming of age, survival story rich in detail concerning animal behavior. I have seen it displayed as both Adult and Youth fiction, I enjoyed it.

The Glass Castle and Me & Emma are both stories of young girls suffering through terrible childhoods marked by extreme deprivation and abuse, both emotional and physical. The Glass Castle is a memoir while Me and Emma is fiction. Me and Emma has a surprising twist at the end. While for me it was unexpected when revealed it was not surprising, I had had passing thoughts about the possibility several times during reading it.

The Kite Runner has been out and on best sellers lists for some time. I thought it was set in present day Afghanistan and it seemed that I had read more than I wanted to about our invasion of that nation. Actually it ends before the American invasion, and provides a window into Afghan history. Although this is an important background and side benefit the reasons I became engrossed in the story have to do with excellent character development and complex and ironic relationships among the main characters. I am very glad I grabbed it in an Airport Bookstore waiting to come home from the General Assembly.