Your summer reading guide

Looking for a good book to get stuck into this summer? Eternity asked for recommendations from our in-house experts … 

David Foster – Chief Retail Officer of Koorong

Q: What book are you planning to read this summer?

A: Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing by Andy Crouch.

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It’s out later this month. After reading about the content, I was drawn to this book with the statement Andy makes that flourishing people are strong and weak. He says two common temptations lure us away from abundant living: withdrawing into safety and grasping for power. True flourishing, he says, travels down an unexpected path – being both strong and weak. We see this unlikely mixture in the best leaders – people who use their authority for the benefit of others while also showing an extraordinary willingness to face and embrace suffering. He holds up Christ as the perfect example of this. I like Andy’s style of writing and was very impressed with the talk at the recent Bible Conference held by Bible Society.

Q: What book have you already read that you would recommend?

A: Being the Bad Guys: How to Live For Jesus in a World That Says You Shouldn’t by Stephen McAlpine.

I really enjoyed this book as it helps Christians better understand the world’s current view of Christianity and gives some practical and helpful ways of talking to people with opposing views. We are seeing more frequently in recent times how Christians’ beliefs are perceived in this cancel-culture world and Stephen’s book is so good to reflect upon how we should better approach others in showing them the truth in a more thoughtful way. I strongly endorse it and it did win the 2021 Australian Christian Book of the Year.

Susannah McFarlane – Head of Publishing, Bible Society Australia

Q: What book are you planning to read this summer?

A: This summer I am, once again, going to start on Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Quartet.

A global bestseller and hailed by many as a modern masterpiece, capturing both the sweeping historical arc of the 20th century and the personal story of a lifelong friendship. I seem to be the only person I know who hasn’t read and loved it. There are so many things I should love about it: beautiful writing, deeply drawn characters, female friendship, Italy … I have tried a few times with, obviously, the first book, My Brilliant Friend, inspired by my own brilliant friends’ recommendations, but have never been able to get into it. I am not sure why, but am pretty sure that it’s me and not the book! I recently bought the first three in fresh new paperback editions (I am a total sucker for beautiful covers) as part of a “buy two, get one free” offer as a statement of intent. It is said that books have their certain season in your life and one that fails to ignite one time might just become your new favourite book another – I’m hoping that’s the case this summer!

Q: What book have you already read that you would recommend?

A: Brennan Manning’s The Furious Longing of God would be my pick not just for this summer but every summer reading.

This small but perfectly formed, beautifully written book is “a love story for the broken hearted,” a cold-religion-free reminder of the ridiculous love of God. It’s an annual downtime, re-fuel read for me – to remember whose I am.

 

Grant Thomson – CEO of Bible Society Australia

Q: What book are you planning to read this summer?

A: Having read a lot of books over the years, I’m trying to focus on more quality, less quantity. So over the summer, I’ll read a bunch of C.S. Lewis books I’ve recently purchased. I’ll probably re-read Mere Christianity and go from there.

Q: What book have you already read that you would recommend?

A: I’m finishing off Cosmic Chemistry by John Lennox. Mind-blowing, especially the part about quantum physics. The universe is amazingly complex!

 

“I really want something easy, cosy and an unalloyed pleasure to read.” – Natasha Moore

 

Natasha Moore – Senior Research Fellow for the Centre for Public Christianity

Q: What book are you planning to read this summer?

A: It’s easy to get over-ambitious about your summer reading. I always imagine stretches of uninterrupted, golden hours curled up with a good book – the reality tends to fly by far more quickly. I could resolve to finally tackle Dune or Proust, but when it comes to it, I really want something easy, cosy and an unalloyed pleasure to read. I adored the first two Thursday Murder Club books, by TV personality and now novelist Richard Osman, about four friends in an English retirement village who find themselves solving crimes. So I was thrilled to see that the third book, The Bullet That Missed, is out in time to be saved up for the Christmas break. I loved the characters and the way that they leverage the indignities of ageing (in particular other people’s tendency to underestimate or dismiss them) to the advantage of their sleuthing, and I’m eagerly anticipating this new romp with Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron.

Q: What book have you already read that you would recommend?

A: If you still have the entire series ahead of you – starting with The Thursday Murder Club – I’m almost jealous. These lazy days of summer are a perfect time to get stuck in!

 

 
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