Books I’m Loving This Summer

Posted on July 8, 2022 | Leave a comment

I’m a non-fiction reader (obsessed with connections to Church World) but I’ve picked up a collection of short stories as well. These are my all-around favorites so far this summer for what it’s worth:

There are many things to protest this summer. Let’s do more than shake our fists says the extraordinary Eboo Patel. Why this book can change the culture: we need to build a future that looks like the wildly diverse reign of God.
Order this gorgeous book immediately. Cole Arthur Riley is unspeakably gifted in storytelling and liturgical reflection. Why this book can change the culture: among other things it reminds white people about the utter depth of our white supremacy DNA.
I rarely do this, but I asked someone working in an independent bookstore in Charlotte what he was reading and he took this book by Yoon Choi off the shelf and said, “You must read this.” He was right. Brilliant short stories so well written and poignant. Why this book can change the culture: for white people like me, it opens up the work of immigrants who are so essential in being the community God’s created us to be.
Alan is a college friend and he knows the corporate world well. This book reminds me a bit of Yancey Strickler’s book I read last summer, although Alan’s book is coming from the perspective of a business journalist. Why this book can change the culture: we in the non-profit religious world need to partner with our business leaders for the benefit of everyone even if business leaders don’t realize that yet. Tomorrow’s capitalist will not thrive without concern for community stakeholders and there is no better partner to address the needs of community stakeholders than The Church.
I would like to hang out with Leidy Klotz all day long and hear him share subtraction stories at Mudhouse Coffee in Charlottesville (where he teaches.) Why this book can change the culture: We in the Church (and world) have been taught that being better means adding things. Sometimes we are better when we subtract things.

This is just a start. What books are you reading?

Can’t wait to get MaryAnn McKibben Dana’s new book in the coming weeks.

Order MAMD’s book here.
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