pile of books
Although Counterfeit God’s was number 1, the rest of my “favorite books of the year” list would probably go like this…
(2) “The Naked Now” by Richard Rohr. I’ve mentioned Fr. Rohr many times as one of my favorite spiritual writers, and this book took it deeper. Really, I can’t over-state how important this book was at my darkest moment of 2009. God used a specific chapter to literally rescue me from something I couldn’t get out of. If you’re currently living in the tension between two conflicting values/ideas/voices, then you need to read this book.
(3-4) “Community” by Peter Block, and “Tribes” by Seth Godin . Both of these books radically re-formed my idea of what leading a movement looks like today…and certainly will look like tomorrow. The days of the top-down corporate domination are winding down, and the power is returning to the grass roots. “Tribes” is the more pop-culture, quick read…but “Community” takes things much, much deeper.
(5) “Art and Fear” by David Bayles and Ted Orland. My friend Mark recommended this book years ago as “required reading for every artist”, and now I know why. The authors have fleshed out a deeply realistic, honest, and helpful world view about what it means to be an artist and how to actually live like one. I found it wildly challenging and inspiring…in fact, even though it kicked my lazy, excuse-making butt a number of times, I’d never been more excited to be an artist than I was finishing this book.
(6) “A Deadly Misunderstanding” by Mark D Siljander. What happens when a conservative evangelical Congressman begins to discover that Christianity and Islam are not fundamentally at odds. . .but have much more in common that either side might imagine? First, he’d freak out and wonder if he was going crazy. Second, he’d dive into the scriptures (both the Bible and Qur’an) and dig into the compelling overlapping themes. Third, he’d make a lot of people angry. Forth, he’d put his money where his mouth is and build bridges and friendships across the most dangerous divisions. Fifth, he’d write a book and share these unbelievable findings and stories. I found this book challenging and profoundly inspiring. And if Mark Siljander is right, his message could literally change the world. Literally. Check it out at adeadlymisunderstanding.com.
(7) “Born Standing Up” by Steve Martin. I deeply enjoyed the experience of reading this book. But more than entertainment, his approach to his art challenged me deeply. It felt like a college course in creation, courage, and true innovation.
Here are the top five things that Steve Martin did with his “vision for comedy”:
ONE: He worked his tail off, giving 10+ years of broke obscurity to perfecting his craft. Most people didn’t get what he was trying to do at first, and they even tried to push him to get in line with current comedy trends. But instead of selling out or raging against “the man”, he just went back to work. . .grinding it out until his vision was fully realized and undeniable. So inspiring!
TWO: He spent seasons at “more practical jobs” that provided much-needed income, experience, and connections, but he never stopped pursuing his vision after hours. AND most importantly, he never got stuck in the practical but knew when to walk away.
THREE: He didn’t give up. Through years of empty rooms, bad reviews, and no traction, he never gave up.
FOUR: He didn’t see mass appeal as an affirmation of his art, but as a potential distraction/compromiser. Steve had an inner sense of what he was trying to do that was both independent and completely dependent on outside reaction. To be honest, this seems more complicated than he let on, but there’s something important here that I want to keep thinking about. The relationship between an artist’s innate, unshakable vision and the artist’s deep need to connect to others through their art is quite a conflicting dance.
FIVE: He read and studied and hung around smarter, more artistic people. . . and then let that inspiration bring depth and lift to everything he created.
