This year I’ve decided to be more intentional with tracking my reading … which means I’ve started logging everything on Goodreads. I read eight books in April. Here’s the list in order of when I finished them and my quick thoughts on each one:
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. This is the book that inspired the cult sci-fi classic film Blade Runner, which I have watched more times than I can count. I really enjoyed reading this one; it’s actually very different from the film … yet still feels familiar. Kind of like an alternate universe where there are familiar names and places but you don’t really know how it’s going to turn out. Definitely glad I finally read it!
Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds by David C. Pollock. This was a hefty read but deeply helpful. I am an adult third culture kid and it helped bring a lot of clarity to things I’ve noticed about myself or that I have struggled to process over the years with how my nomadic childhood (I had eighteen different bedrooms by the time I was 18 years old!) has impacted my adulthood.
Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8: A Young Man’s Voice from the Silence of Autism by Naoki Higashida. This is the second book by Higashida that I’ve read; his writing is so helpful. His approach is simple – he’s essentially answering questions about what his experience with autism has been like. I love that it’s from an adolescent’s point of view. Super helpful, highly recommend!
The Crack in Space by Philip K. Dick. A futuristic novel where our world has destroyed itself and is looking for a fresh start elsewhere and discovers an alternate earth. Fun premise, fascinating story. I wish he had developed the characters more, but I still enjoyed it. I definitely will be reading more Philip K. Dick books.
Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair by Duke L. Kwon and Gregory Thompson. I really appreciated Kwon and Thompson’s insights on the topic of reparations and what it means for our modern culture. Definitely thought provoking, wild to find out we paid reparations to slave honors when slaves were freed. There is much about our American story that still needs work.
Gender Roles and the People of God: Rethinking What We Were Taught about Men and Women in the Church by Alice Mathews. This one has been on my reading list for a few years now – I’m glad I finally got to it. Matthews does a great job of systematically working through the topic. It’s a strong book on the role of gender in the church and what that looks like for women’s position in the church.
AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep: Leading and Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Sean O’Callaghan and Paul A. Hoffman. Definitely a timely book, it’s subject matter is broader than simply the topic of AI. The authors do a good job wrestling through the different theological and ethical implications of modern technology, and in particular AI, for the Christian leader and pastor. It’s thought provoking and helpful!
Morning Star (Rid Rising Saga #3) by Pierce Brown. I’m reading this series because my oldest son is really into it and it’s fun talking with him about it. While the book series itself is half a dozen or more books and counting, this one essentially finishes the initial trilogy and leaves some doors open for future stories. I really enjoyed where it’s going, was caught off guard by some of the developments, and it left me curious to read more.
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