Ex Libris 8.2024

This month's book roundup

Hello and welcome to ex libris (“from the library”), my monthly roundup of book discussion and recommendations. This work will be better with your contributions, so please feel free to chime in below if you’d like!

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Titles I read this Summer (not a complete list)

On the Road with Saint Augustine: James K.A. Smith. This is a hard book to describe, but it was a fun ride. The “On the Road” portion is part tribute to Jack Kerouac, part acknowledgment that Christians are on a road all their lives. Smith covers topics like motherhood, intimacy, knowledge, freedom, and many others, with the help of Augustine and other thinkers. You will question how you think about things, in a good and healthy way.

The World’s Largest Man: Harrison Scott Key. I read this author’s books in reverse order, which I don’t necessarily recommend. This book is Key’s first; it talks mainly about his childhood in Mississippi, featuring his father most prominently. If you’ve read any of his other stuff, you’ll recognize the same laugh-out-loud dark humor coupled with introspection.

Surprised by Oxford: Carolyn Weber. I haven’t quite finished this one yet, but I’m really enjoying it. Weber captures so well her spiritual journey upon arriving in beautiful Oxford.

Culture Making: Andy Crouch. As you might know, this book is an important one to me. This summer I got the chance to read it with a group of women from my church. I find it so helpful to return to from time to time. I find myself wishing every Christian would read it, but at least a dozen more in my immediate circle did this summer. Little by little. :)

The Summer Book: Tove Jansson. I read this because Leif Enger recommended it on Jonathan Rogers’ podcast. It’s the story of a Scandinavian summer, focusing on the relationship between a granddaughter and her grandmother. Initially, I was not too fond of it, but it grew on me. It has a very distinct feel for the time and place.

What were your favorite summer reads?

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A note on purchase links: I’m a happy supporter of independent bookshops, so the links I provide will almost always go to my affiliate link at bookshop.org. For my local readers, I heartily recommend you buy them through our favorite, Goldberry Books, but you might have a shop closer to you. Of course, you can always find these selections on That Big Website That Ships Quickly, But Not As Quickly as It Used To, and Remember How They Sucked Us All In By Being a Bookstore to Begin With? I’m also a big fan of saving money and patronizing your local library. Happy reading!