My Year In Geeky Books

I love to read. There are bookshelves and piles of books in every room of my house. I spend my free time in bookstores. And I carry a book in my purse everywhere I go. So when I say I love to read, I mean that I have an addiction that runs deep because deep in the core of my being, I am a geek. And I know that I am not alone. Some of you are geeks, too. So if you're a geek like me, or if your New Year's resolution is to read more, or if you're looking for more books to add to your reading list, this geeky list is for you!

For the science geek: 
Physics of the Impossible (A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel), by Michio Kaku
Though I love to watch scientific documentaries, I don't typically read science books. In fact, this book is so different from the books I typically pick up that reading it was almost like an escape for me. Kaku's language is accessible and he has a way of stretching your imagination and changing the way you look at the "impossible."

For the Asian studies geek:
Japanland (A Year in Search of Wa), by Karin Muller
I did not expect much from this book. In fact, I only read it because my husband told me I should. But once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. This memoir is full of observations, bits of history, and old Japanese stories. It is beautiful and painful. And by the end, I was deeply moved and wanted to move to Japan.

For the art geek:
Karsh: Beyond the Camera (Selected photographs of Yousuf Karsh with introduction and commentary by David Travis)
I picked up this book at the National Portrait Gallery after I fell in love with Karsh's photograph of Aaron Copland. Karsh's ability to capture the character of his subjects is incredible, and Travis' commentary digs into the artist's psyche in an intriguing way. I will come back to this book again and again.

For the history geek:
Night, by Elie Wiesel
In this autobiography, Wiesel gives a vivid picture of the horrors of the Holocaust and human nature. Dark. Moving. Intense. Powerful. Poetic. A beautiful work.

For the biblical studies geek:
The Case For the Psalms (Why They Are Essential), by N.T. Wright
This is an intellectual and passionate look into the Psalms. I have read the Psalms over and over again throughout my life, but this book challenged me to make the Psalms a more integral part of my daily life. I don't think I will read the Psalms the same way again.

*Bonus for the biblical studies geek:
How To Read the Bible As Literature...and get more out of it, by Leland Ryken
Written by an English professor from Wheaton College, this is a book for improving your methods of hermeneutics and Bible study. In other words, this book will help you understand the Bible better.

For the geek with a lot of heart:
Kisses From Katie (A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption), by Katie Davis
Katie left behind her family, home, college, boyfriend...and moved to Uganda. She is a foster mother to over a dozen girls and she started an organization that sponsors hundreds of children to be able to go to school. Her life and love for God is incredible. This book will challenge you to live for something greater.

For the geek who wants to change the world:
Courageous Compassion (Confronting Social Injustice God's Way), by Beth Grant
Eye-opening, convicting, and profound. Drawing on her experience with starting Project Rescue, an organization that helps bring people out of human-trafficking, Grant gives insight into a very real darkness in the world and what needs to happen. The wisdom she shares is informative, practical, and Spirit-filled. She delves far deeper than quick fixes and helps the reader think long and thoroughly.

For the literature geek:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling
I know, I know. After mentioning numerous Christian books, this is probably not the path you were expecting me to take. But before you cry, "Anathema!" and declare that I have turned from God and gone over to the dark side, keep reading. My all time favorite books are C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, but the Harry Potter books are now a close second. The Christian themes in The Deathly Hallows are unmistakeable. These themes can be seen in the movies, but they are much more pronounced and blatant in the books. In fact, two Bible passages - Matthew 6:21 and 1 Corinthians 15:26 - are quoted and have an important place in this book. Rowling has been recorded saying, "I think those two particular quotations he finds on the tombstones at Godric's Hallow, they sum up - they almost epitomize the whole series." The only thing is, to get to The Deathly Hallows, the last in the series, you have to read the six books that come before it in order for it to make sense. But if you are willing to take the time, Rowling's gripping storytelling makes it well worth it.