From time to time I offer some suggestions concerning books worth a look for your reading pleasure. During the holidays I had the opportunity to enjoy some special reading time that enriched my life. I would like to share some of those books that served to inform, inspire, and even entertain me.

Tolkein: A Biography, by Michael White, was a very good biographical examination of the extraordinary writer, J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as other works of fiction.

Finding God in the Lord of the Rings, by authors Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware, is a most helpful insight into the theological thinking of Tolkien. It is a good primer for those who have not read the works of the famous British writer.

Louis Markos is another writer who focused on the life and works of a British author – Lewis Agonistes: How C.S. Lewis Can Train Us to Wrestle with the Modern and Postmodern World. The title says it all. This is a timely book.

I took the opportunity recently to reread The World According to Peter Drucker, by Jack Beatty. Words cannot begin to explain the insights wrapped up in the works of the prolific Peter Drucker. He is one of a kind, to say the least.

Calvin Miller has done it again! The Sermon Maker is a unique book subtitled The Tales of a Transformed Preacher. When I read the works of Calvin Miller, I am amazed at his ability to use words as a brush to paint a beautiful picture.

Jimmy Draper has authored a good, solid book simply titled We Believe: Living in the Light of God’s Truth. This is a basic study of Christian beliefs that can be used in study groups or in sermons.

The Problem of Life with God is an intriguing book written by Tommy Nelson, a pastor in the metro Dallas area. Can the book of Ecclesiastes offer wise counsel to the people of our day? Pastor Nelson says yes!

I must add a few historical books to the list of recommended reading. A Year in the South: Four Lives in 1865. If you want to know what living in the South was like in the final days of the Civil War and the early days of the Reconstruction, this book by Stephen V. Ash will give you that view through the lives of four people. Louis Hughes was a slave determined to be free. Cornelia MacDonald was a widow of a Confederate officer who battled poverty to rear her seven children. Samuel Agnew was a minister who grappled with the issues of the changing society. John Robertson, a former Confederate soldier, searched for a new life after the war. What a read!

General Washington’s Christmas Farewell, by Stanley Weintraub, was a touching story of chivalry and loyalty. It may well be the most honest portrayal of the man, George Washington. Additionally, Lincoln’s Greatest Speech, by Ronald C. White, Jr., was a captivating account of the down-to-earth but brilliant oratory of Abraham Lincoln. Is the book about the Gettysburg Address? No, it is a commentary on President Lincoln’s second inaugural. You may remember his words, “with malice toward none; with charity for all… .”

Time will not permit further elaboration. Thanks for allowing me to share some of the books that have meant so much to me recently. They may be good reading for you as well. If so, then my time writing this review is well worth the effort.