pat loughery

I wasn’t tagged with this meme, but I read Scot McKnight’s version and then John Frye’s, so I figured I’d just jump into the pool. Feel free to play along; link to your blog entry in the comments here!
1. One book that changed your life: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together. As one who, though horribly introverted, seeks healthy community for myself and others, this book dropped my jaws. Even more so when I read the story of Bonhoeffer’s life, and the context in which he wrote this gem.

2. One book that you’ve read more than once: The Shaping of Things to Come by Frost & Hirsch. One of the most helpful books for me to stir imagination in the idea of missional church.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island: The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard. Maybe then I’d be able to finish it 🙂

4. One book that made you laugh: Ball Four by Jim Bouton. Without a doubt one of the funniest books ever written, by a countercultural baseball pitcher during the inaugural season of Seattle’s first expansion team which got pirated away by the evil Bud Selig. Snort milk out your nose funny.

5. One book that made you cry: Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden. An incredibly well written journalistic triumph. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire book (and then during the movie). Horrifying, tense, matter-of-fact, real.

6. One book you wish had been written: Call to Commitment by Elizabeth O’Connor (or really pretty much any of her works telling the story of the Church of the Savior.

7. One book you wish had never been written: Love by Leo Bascaglia.

8. One book you’re currently reading: Soccer Against the Enemy by Simon Kuper. A bit dry, but decent nonetheless. Probably I should have just kept looking for copies of How Soccer Explains the World and Fever Pitch.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: Community and Growth by Jean Vanier.

10. Tag 5 others: Myopic Pilgrim, A. at To the Quiet, Bill Bean, Scott Bridwell, you. Comment or trackback here so we can see your answers!