Matthew

As someone new to the science of learning, I found this to be a great resource in dispelling many education myths (such as learning styles or rereading material) and offering practical advice (memory retrieval exercises, spaced and interleaved practice, etc.) for learners and instructors alike. The authors do well at backing up their conclusions with scientific studies. I noticed the authors even utilized the interleaving concept in their book as chapters repeatedly circled around to previous ideas.

Some of the stories ramble on a bit, but this was the only real negative I noticed.

I'll be leaning on the concepts in this book as I try to find my place in the field of education. Recommended for students and teachers.

I found this book to be an excellent critique of our nation's philosophy of education as well as a great starting point for thinking outside of the box (with advice both for the parent who wants to work within our current K-12 public education system and for the parent who wants to step outside that system and homeschool).

For me, parts 4 and 5 were the most relevant–part 4 guiding you through rethinking the system and creating a vision for your children's education; and part 5 giving some bare-bones basics of how to get started in homeschooling and what that looks like from the 20,000 foot level.

This book served as a decent introduction to the debate on what Communion is and some of the practical implications of each view. Though I find myself aligned closest to the Reformed view, the Baptist and Catholic chapters were my favorites (the other two seemed to ramble). Beyond the debate on presence, both of these chapters really dove into the background and meaning of Communion in ways that I think are meaningful no matter what view you hold (such as the connections with Passover and other covenant signs, and the emphasis on the communal nature of the Lord's Table).

Whether this book is the best introduction to this topic is debatable (right now I have nothing else to compare it to), but it's definitely a topic with exploring for anyone who calls himself Christian.

I picked this one up because I saw it on a list of top sci-fi books (I forget now where I saw the list). Plotwise, the story centers around a flu-like disease that takes out most of the population (not sure if I bought into the speed and totality of the collapse, but that's a minor squabble compared to where the book excels). There are definitely a few moments of suspense, but overall I would consider this a character driven novel–and here the book really excels.

The book follows a number of characters, lives interrelated, both before and after the apocalypse. Throughout the book you see slowly unfold how their various stories are connected. More than that, you see expertly woven into the story themes of what life is meant to be, how we relate to the past and future, and how we react to disaster and tragedy. All of this is pulled off very naturally such that the themes really don't start to hit you until you've taken some time to reflect on the story afterward (the edition I read had some questions in the back that helped spark some of this reflection).

I would put this on my highly recommended list (for just about anyone). I think the combination of deep characters with compelling storylines, all interwoven expertly, should make this book appealing to a wide audience.

A classic that (in my opinion) should be read by every follower of Messiah. C. S. Lewis here has written a clear and compelling defense and vision of the core of Christianity. He goes through a sort of moral argument for God, outlines the basics of what it means to be a Christian, and talks a bit about Christian virtue. As with most of Lewis' writings, this one is filled with little nuggets of wisdom. I'll share two of these here that stood out to me:

On the nature of atonement, C. S. Lewis makes passing reference to the various atonement theories. But as far as being a Christian, he says it doesn't matter so much that you get the mechanics of atonement right so much as you partake of Christ. It's like eating. Knowing the details of how vitamins and minerals work in your body doesn't fill your belly. Eating the food does.

On theology, I love his metaphor of the beach. Here Lewis responds to critics who claim that experiential knowledge of God is more real and therefore theology is inferior. Lewis concedes that experience is more real, just like standing on a beach looking out at the ocean. But, theology does something experience can't–it takes the collective experience of believers across the ages and arranges them together into a sort of map. It's not as real as being at the beach, but it gives you a much bigger picture then you could ever get from just your own two eyes.

This one is definitely a must read.