Book List part II
When Helping Hurts:
How to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor and yourself by Steve
Corbett & Brian Fikkert. I probably read this book in 2010, but who knows.
I think I taught it in SS in 2011 plus I got to hear a seminar by one of the
authors, Steve Corbett—an interesting and genuine guy. So basically I read it
again. This is a definite recommend.
I found so much of this very very valuable that I will
mostly just recommend it to you. I will mention the beauty of the asset based
approach vs the needs based approach to solving poverty. Instead of going to a
person or community and asking what is needed, you ask what are the assets here
that can be developed. Really a key difference in empowering people or
enabling. “What is right with you? What gifts has God given you that you can
use to improve your life and that of your neighbors?” Also the authors take
great pains to explain why Jesus came to earth, which gets quite confused in
many conservative Christian’s minds. (Keep this asset approach in mind as you make New Year's resolutions.)
The
Hole in Our Gospel: What Does God Expect of Us? The Answer That Changed My Life
and Might Just Change the World by Richard Stearns. I can’t find
my copy of the book, so I’ll just paste the blurb from Amazon. I will say
reading Stern’s autobiography intertwined with the mission of World Vision was
fascinating. Definitively recommend it. (This book has a similar philosophy to When Helping Hurts.) I wish I had the
book to paste in some of my favorite quotes. When I find it, I will come back
and edit! And now, from Amazon:
Stearns, the CEO of World Vision, says Christians
have a huge hole in their lives, an emptiness that comes from ignoring the
plight of the poor. He details his own quest to fill this hole by leaving Lenox
Inc., where he was CEO, to run a not-for-profit that helps feed, clothe, and
educate children worldwide. Unlike many evangelical Christians, Stearns
believes poverty is explained by something more than choices, and lifting
cultures from the systemic causes of poverty requires a multi-pronged approach.
This accessible book will make it into the hands of evangelical Christians who
may not pick up one of the many ABA books on issues of hunger, access to clean
water, malaria and AIDS. Readers of Rick Warren, Jim Wallis and N.T. Wright
will find Stearns synthesizing thoughts from them as well as from economists
and missionaries. This is a passionate and motivating magnum opus from the
leader of one of the most recognized aid organizations in the world. The book
is a surprisingly no-holds-barred prophetic voice in the wilderness crying out
to rich Americans, "Repent and help your world neighbors."
The
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.
This is such an interesting book!! Definitely recommend it. Of course the part
about athletes and January birthdays was particularly interesting to me because
Russ and Mary have January birthdays and both got beaucoup scholarship offers. The
gift and the drive have to be there—still the birthday is an interesting factor.
But really the whole thing about where, when, and how people grow up, who
becomes successful and who doesn’t is really really interesting. From Bill
Gates to the Beatles and the 10,000 hours of practice, to the frightening
crashes of Korean Air, it’s a fascinating book.
(Yes, I am aware that very very and really really
are not good stylistic choices. And that the overuse of words like interesting
and fascinating eventually have a net negative effect. USUALLY. (And that usually
all caps is a no no).
Mountains
Beyond Mountains and Strength
in What Remains by Tracy Kidder. Since everyone who had any interest has
already read Mountains Beyond Mountains, the
book about Paul Farmer’s amazing life and mission, I will just say that Strength in What Remains (a beautiful
title, and you realize how fitting it is at the end of the book) is the amazing
journey of a young man from Burundi who miraculously survives the massacres and
makes it to the underbelly of New York City; he miraculously survives that
eye-opening experience as well. A must read! ;)
Reviewing all these great books, makes me want to
read them all over again!
pics: Mantua in October
No comments:
Post a Comment