A Not so Musical Musings Post

One of the pleasures I have with working behind the scenes for Revgalblogpals is to get to see what books and other items have been purchased by those who use the search box on the sidebar or click on the links of items mentioned in posts, in which we connect to Amazon's web site. Of course some of the books and music are items mentioned on the site, where others are personal choices you have made.

Well, there are some out there that seem to be gems which should be shared with the entire group. No need to have them traveling under the radar screen.

Since June 1, there have been over 50 different books purchased, along with music and other items. So, here are a few to browse.

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana (Christ the Lord)
Review from Publishers Weekly:

Starred Review. In the New Testament, the miracle at the wedding at Cana-where Jesus turned water into wine-marks the commencement of his tumultuous three-year ministry. In Rice's beautifully observed novel, a sequel to 2005's Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, however, the wedding miracle is in fact the culmination of an intimate family saga of love, sorrow and misunderstanding. As the novel opens, Yeshua (Jesus) struggles with a sense of restlessness of purpose and a deep love for a comely kinswoman. Waves of isolation sweep over him as he comes to understand that serving the Lord's will takes precedence over the desires of his own heart. Whereas the first novel in this series hewed so closely to Scripture and to the author's meticulous research as to be somewhat arid as fiction, this book, imagining the "lost" young adulthood of Jesus, offers wise and haunting speculation where the Bible is silent. And the final chapters, which pick up the story with the New Testament's accounts of Jesus' baptism, temptation and early miracles, manage to be soulfully insightful even while faithfully tracking the Gospels. Rice undertakes a delicate balance: if it is possible to create a character that is simultaneously fully human and fully divine, as ancient Christian creeds assert, then Rice succeeds. (Mar.)

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This one I have seen on several RGBP blogs as a must read:

I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church! by Paul Nixon

There were no official reviews on this, but there WERE reviews by people who had read the book who sure did give it a thumbs up as a must read. Should it be put in the monthly book discussion lineup?

By the way, I did find a review on a blog. (not an RGBP'er, but a review, none the less.)
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One of the reviewers on this book, chose to read this book because of the recommendation of Bill Moyers, which was on the back of the book. Looking Around for God: The Oddly Reverent Observations of an Unconventional Christian by James Autry. Here is Amazon's product description:

James Autry, author of Looking Around for God, thinks that the true message of the old spiritual is not just that God has an eye on the sparrow-it's that God is demonstrating that if these details are worth God's attention they are certainly worth ours. It may be that we will more readily find God in the details of this world-and of our own lives- than anywhere else. Looking Around for God, Autry's tenth book, is in many ways his most personal, as he considers his unique life of faith and belief in a God often clouded by church convention. In assembling these personal essays, stories and poems, Autry strives to share how God has been revealed in many different circumstances of his life, while at the same time offering a few ideas for how the Christian church might better serve in making God's love and presence manifest in the world.

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There has been music ordered - this seems quite lovely and has excellent reviews:
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
Listening to it is convincing enough to want a copy of it. It can also be downloaded MP3 style!

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In two weeks, we will be discussing this 112 page book The Friendship of Women: The Hidden Tradition of the Bible by Joan Chittister examines different women in the Bible and their personality traits and reflects on how each of the personalities fit into our lives in regards to friendship. Here you can find an interview with Chittister on this book.

I look forward to hearing what others think of the book. The introduction itself is well worth the investment of this book! You still have time to order this book and read it. Please chime in the comments if you have read the book already and encourage others to join in the discussion.


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Ok, the "winner" of the most unusual item ordered since June 1:

Black & Decker 18-Volt Cordless Electric Chain Saw
See, you can find most anything!

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So what books are on your bedside table? What CD are you listening to?