Reading Suggestions

Interested in reading a good book? Here are some suggestions of books that we've found helpful. Clicking on the book title will take you to Amazon.com's site. (That's not an ad for Amazon, just a way for you to find out how the book is available. Borrow it from the library or buy it where you most feel comfortable.)

Oscar Romero: Memories in Mosaic, by Maria Lopez Vigil. There's finally an English translation of this wonderful book that looks through the eyes of his friends at a man who many of us regard as a saint.

The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver. This has quickly become a classic exploration of mission, especially how not to do it. Wonderful to read and discuss with a study group.

Living on the Wind: Across the World With Migratory Birds, by Scott Weidensaul. This well-written book takes a look at bird migration in the world, an unusual approach to how life in different areas of our planet is all interconnected.

The Biblical Jubilee and the Struggle for Life: An Invitation to Personal, Ecclesial, and Social Transformation, by Ross Kinsler & Gloria Kinsler. What did the Biblical idea of Jubilee mean long ago and, more importantly, what would it mean in today's violent and unjust world?

'Say to This Mountain': Mark's Story of Discipleship, by Ched Myers (Editor). If you want to engage in a serious, life-challenging study of Mark's gospel, this is your book.

Jesus Against Christianity: Reclaiming the Missing Jesus, by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. What's all this modern Biblical scholarship aboutn Jesus really mean for us?

School of Assassins: Guns, Greed, and Globalization, by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and Roy Bourgeois. A painful look at how the U.S. military has trained terrorists.

The Death of Ben Linder: The Story of a North American in Sandinista Nicaragua, by Joan Kruckewitt. This is the story of a friend of ours who was killed by the contras.

Don't Be Afraid Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks from the Heart: The Story of Elvia Alvarado, by Elvia Alvarado and Medea Benjamin. Although it's a bit dated by now, a good look at Honduras in the 1980s through the eyes of an activist woman peasant.

The War Against Oblivion: Zapatista Chroncles 1994 - 2000, by John Ross. A veteran Mexicologist takes a look at why indigenous people in the south of Mexico aren't happy with a NAFTA world.

We'll add some more in a while...