Songbird brings us 5 about summer reading, introducing it with:
Back in the day, before I went to seminary, I worked in the Children's Room at the Public Library, and every year we geared up for Summer Reading. Children would come in and record the books read over the summer, and the season included numerous special and celebratory events. As a lifelong book lover and enthusiastic summer reader, I find I still accumulate a pile of books for the summer.Although as a kid I was far more artist than reader, during my late elementary and junior high years I usually joined the library summer reading club and like Songbird, I worked at the library during HS and spent a fair amount of time shelving books in the children's room as well as doing a few story hours (prequel to a teaching/preaching ministry, maybe?) Here's my 5:
1) In general I don't read as much during the summer as during other seasons, though historically I've always loved summer school and almost always find a class to take even when I'm not in a formal program of study (meaning lots of reading and writing). Summer's not the best reading season for me mainly because of the strong pull of other activities.
2) I don't usually take reading other than magazines to the beach, though I always have a journal-notebook and sketchbook with me. However, I fell asleep more than once reading Jurgen Moltmann's The Church in the Power of the Spirit because I'd borrowed senior pastor's copy and he wanted it back in a hurry. BTW, Moltmann is one of my favorite theologians; it's just that the sun, sand and ocean air tend to make me lazily sleepy.
3) My favorite childhood and adolescent books, summer or any season, always were the ones with appealing illustrations. Though as an adult I've become very much a word/Word person, I'd still claim the artist-designer in me usually stays front and center.
4) Usually Better Homes & Gardens and graphic design type mags are my best summer reading rather than books.
5) My next book probably will be one from the short stack I got from Amazon a couple months ago. Not sure which one...
5 comments:
I hear you on the sleepy oceanfront!
I usually take magazines to the beach, too. (rather than books). when I was in my 20s I often took the magazine "Utne Reader."
Thanks for the great lists!
I'm excited that Moltmann is one of your favorite theologians! I have too many of his books, but have only finished one.
Ooo, good! Come talk about why you like him with the rest of us at jurgenmoltmann.com
To combine your love of illustrations and reading get Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret. It's a beautifully illustrated novel, and the story is great!
Good play.
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