This site often deals with hardcore and serious topics. For example, I recently penned 11 articles in a row on Charlie Kirk. Sometimes we all need a bit of a breather. We need to chill at times and just relax. Sometimes a diversion, or something humorous, can help to get us through this dark and cloudy world.
Those of you who know a little about me and this site know that I read a bit and I have a few books. So that will be the focus of this article. And it comes in the form of random thoughts on books, bookstores, reading and the like that I have penned over the years.
And a note to would-be writers. If you have any sort of writing gift, you should be saving what you write – even short and seemingly temporary things. For example, perhaps you simply posted on the social media a few paragraphs about some important topic. But you spent a bit of time thinking about it and carefully writing it. Don’t let that go to waste.
Collect and save all these and other writings – you never know when they might come in handy. That is how this article has come about. I have one 83-page Word document filled with my random thoughts and comments on all sorts of topics, often posted here and there on the social media over the years. So here I present a random and disjointed collection of things I have said and written about books – some serious but most not:
There are few joys in life greater than getting a new bookcase and filling it!
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Top reasons why my house is not always very clean:
One. Some new books have just come in the post.
Two. I just returned from a bookstore.
Three. These books are not going to read themselves!
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Hmm, is there a big contradiction between praying daily ‘Come quickly Lord Jesus’ and having 15 books due to come in from overseas orders? Asking for a friend.
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One of the joys of having a large, well-stocked, and carefully selected library: You can have some books sitting on the shelves for 10, 20, 30, or 40 years untouched, but then you are really keen to get back into them. You do not have to scour second-hand bookstores or pay exorbitant prices to find some long out of print copy. You simply stroll to your shelves, grab it, blow off the dust, and greatly enjoy it. Does it get much better than that?
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I just saw a promotional offer in which you could win three favourite cigars picked by Dennis Prager. Hmm, maybe I should have an offer in which you could win three of my favourite books. No, forget it – I am not giving away my three favourite books!
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You may find this hard to believe, but I once threw a book away! I think it was Will Durant’s The Story of Philosophy which I was reading while with YWAM in California. I felt the Lord wanted more of my attention at the time, so I chucked it in a bin. Some years later in YWAM Holland some friends had a spare copy of it, so I bought it from them – or they may have given it to me, not sure. A good book by the way.
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Book meditation #1 – With much consternation and alarm, it occurred to me the other day that if I were to devote 10 entire hours a day to reading, chances are good that 20 straight years of this may not get me fully through all my books – let alone any new ones I get. Some of my books I have read all of, and all of my books I have read some of – but to paraphrase Joshua, ‘there remains much book territory yet to be possessed’. A bittersweet thought indeed!
Book meditation #2 – One of life’s simple pleasures is when I am reading and see a neat quote or book being mentioned, and I realise that I have the book. I go to my shelves, pull down the volume, and happily peruse it again. Such a nice feeling – one advantage of having a large library!
Book meditation #3 – One of life’s great miseries is knowing you own a book, but despite hours searching for it, you just cannot find it anywhere. Is there anything worse in life? Double jeopardy: the wasted time hunting for it, and the missing book itself. Woe is me!
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So what’s a guy gonna do? The 14-volumes on Romans by Lloyd-Jones come to some 5000 pages. His 8 volumes on Ephesians some 3000 pages. His 2 volumes on the Sermon on the Mount nearly 700 pages. Those are just 3 works by one guy. Add all the rest of my library, and how will I ever fully read everything, especially given I am an old guy? Woe is me! And don’t remind me about the ‘occasional’ new books I keep getting!
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My wife once told me we were spending more money each month on books than on food. But that of course is fully biblical: man does not live by bread alone!
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Like everyone, I have my fair share of problems and concerns. Two of them always spring to mind: I do not have enough bookcases, and I do not have enough room for more bookcases. The trials and tribulations of a bibliophile!
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I just told my wife there is a good, divine reason to order books! A delivery guy just came to drop one off. Quite chatty, we ended up talking about God and the afterlife. He said he had questions to ask God if he exists, eg., why his 2-year-old died. I said God also knows all about losing a child. We chatted more. He is agnostic, but maybe open. Sounds like he has had these chats with others before. So pray for my book delivery man. He may have been here before, and he may come again.
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Hmm, I did something today I almost never do: I went to a bookstore and bought some books. OK, maybe I do it now and then. But as I was paying, I was told someone anonymously put some money into my account earlier in the day. OK, that obviously means two things: One, I am meant to buy books, and two, angels unawares are now going into Koorong! Thank you saint – I hope your wings were tucked in at the time.
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Of necessity, all analogies between the human and the divine will be far from perfect. But here is one I at least think is pertinent. There are many people who see the greatness of creation but think nothing of it and give no thought of the Creator. How might God consider such people? In a lesser but similar fashion, when guests come into my home and pay zero attention to, and say absolutely nothing about, my rather large and impressive library, I think ‘hmm…’! Imagine people like that existing! Scandalous! It is like walking into someone’s home who has a marvellous collection of French clocks or war memorabilia or sporting trophies or whatever, and not saying a word. The host would feel a bit miffed. Sure, not everyone likes books or clocks, but ignoring and not appreciating the world God has made is a real worry.
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You can’t buy happiness – but you can buy books!
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Hmm, when the 3 books you ordered just arrived, and you discover you already have one of them. Should that make you 2/3 happy, or 1/3 miserable?
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As I have mentioned, twice a day I pray for all my neighbours as I walk the dogs past their houses. I just met one who could be a winner. One of the first things she said as we chatted was: ‘Oh so you are the one with all the bookcases’! She is also an American, also has a lot of books and is a teacher. I will have to chat more with her and see how her spiritual condition is. Her dog is Rory – but I forgot her name! But you can pray for me and my dog walking ministry!
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Bill’s tip of the day: when going on a short trip, always take plenty of books. After all, you never know when an 8-day trek might turn into a 9-month marathon – just ask the recently returned astronauts!
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I know some of you think I am weak – can’t even walk past a bookstore… Pfft! I have taken the 3-day challenge: I will NOT buy any new books on February 29, 30 & 31. So there!
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Every librarian’s and book-lover’s nightmare: cross-referencing, wherein one book can perfectly fit into a number of different categories. One example: The Cross of Christ by John Stott. It could go in my Christology section, my salvation section, my Stott section, and so on. I suppose the only proper answer is to be so filthy rich and with such a large house/library, that you can buy several copies of a book and put it into each category!
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If you are a book lover – especially of non-fiction and more academic or scholarly or theological works – are you like me when checking out a new book? Do you first look through the bibliography and the endnotes? That will usually tell you a good deal about a book if you are not fully familiar with its author. If you are not a reader, you can ignore this post. If you can’t read, you likely are unable to understand anything I just said here!
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New Year resolution: never to buy a new book until I have read all the old ones. OK, I lied – so shoot me already!
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If you think you got it really bad, just remember: someone, somewhere just arrived at a bookstore 15 seconds after it closed.
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A day without books is like… Just kiddin’ – I have no idea.
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15 reasons why Elvis and I are really one:
-As long as I have a book you never have to ask Are You Lonesome Tonight?
-If I get no new books each day, I feel like I am living in Heartbreak Hotel
-To those who refuse to give me books, all I can say is you ain’t nothing but a Hound Dog
-While I often read while wearing my Blue Suede Shoes, that is not always the case
-When it comes to reading, It’s Now or Never
-I sure don’t want any books that I have to Return to Sender
-No new books means I will be Crying in the Chapel
-I keep telling folks: Don’t be Cruel – send me another book
-Reading gets me All Shook Up
-If you want to Love Me Tender, send me a book
-When I am reading I always ask for a Little Less Conversation
-I only have a Burning Love for books
-I say this to the book I am reading: Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear
-Even if I have to endure some Jail House Rock, I will be content with a few books
-If you leave me all your books, That’s All Right Mama
14 Replies to “Random Musings on Books and Reading”
Good Bill….!!
You who are an apologist, a thinker, a “culture warrior”, it’s good that you don’t “fight” all the time.
It’s nice to read that you’re not on the barricade/battlefield all the time.
A rested and well-rested warrior accomplishes more than someone who is exhausted with all the battles, with humanists, atheists and communists….
You’re even funny with the occasional point
Long live!
Thanks Rolf.
This article had me laughing all the way through! As an avid reader myself, I could relate only too well. Although I must confess to infrequently buying books-due to space issues and being a librarian (must support local library).
It’s also a great pleasure to read your more light hearted articles. Not that I don’t appreciate your more serious ones (I do), but sometimes we all need a break from weighty topics.
Many thanks Elaine.
By bookworm spin: Send me to a desert island. Would I survive with my sanity intact?
Well give me enough food, a dry, warm place to hang out and a big pile of books and I’d be fine… Oh, I almost forgot, a pencil with which to write comments in the margins of my books…
Sounds about right Paul.
Dear Bill,
I wish that I could walk into your house and see your library! I promise I would gasp and be awestruck! It isn’t by chance that God has given His precious Word to us in the form of a Book! Not to mention The Word of Life Who is the subject of that Book! Keep on reading and writing, dear brother! And we will keep on reading!
much love, Jim and Julie Hess
Thanks Jim, and I would love to show it you! But the next best thing might be this video tour of my library from 5 years ago (of course it is even larger now!):
Thanks for the video tour, Bill! 25 bucks to tour your library would be well worth it! By the way, I have a copy of Chesterton’s Orthodoxy that looks very much like yours. I got it at a YMCA book sale. It is much older than I am! I purchased Darrel Bock’s commentary on Luke (one of your recommendations) and have been using it extensively in preaching through the Gospel. Thanks again for the tour and for your ministry! Praying for you!
Thanks and bless you heaps Jim!
I treasurer the anticipation of 4 or 5 books arriving in a plain brown box! Like you, I feel like a little kid! Leafing through a new book, smelling the fresh pages, and relishing the time of learning is one of the best feelings. Heading to the bookshelf right now to start the day!
Quite so Tom.
We went to a second hand bookstore today and my daughter came out with a huge armful of books. I said ‘Where are you going to put those??’ She is beyond out of room for books. She told me, ‘You are not meant to ask that, Mum.’
I can remember living in denial, similarly.
I remember my husband (not a reader), being alarmed when he married me at helping pack up my, then, 6 boxes of books. Ha! Only six! That was 18 years ago….He had no idea then what it was to marry a bibliophile….
I have you to thank for introducing me to the writing of Lloyd Jones, (recommending Sermon on the Mount) but now I have a worse quandary! I have fallen in love with his writing, having finally finished his books on the Sermon of sermons. I love both Romans and Ephesians, but I certainly would never have time to tackle the whole series of either, even if I could choose between them!
Many thanks Lauren. Yes many are the problems of a book-lover.
Good Bill….!!
You who are an apologist, a thinker, a “culture warrior”, it’s good that you don’t “fight” all the time.
It’s nice to read that you’re not on the barricade/battlefield all the time.
A rested and well-rested warrior accomplishes more than someone who is exhausted with all the battles, with humanists, atheists and communists….
You’re even funny with the occasional point
Long live!
Thanks Rolf.
This article had me laughing all the way through! As an avid reader myself, I could relate only too well. Although I must confess to infrequently buying books-due to space issues and being a librarian (must support local library).
It’s also a great pleasure to read your more light hearted articles. Not that I don’t appreciate your more serious ones (I do), but sometimes we all need a break from weighty topics.
Many thanks Elaine.
By bookworm spin: Send me to a desert island. Would I survive with my sanity intact?
Well give me enough food, a dry, warm place to hang out and a big pile of books and I’d be fine… Oh, I almost forgot, a pencil with which to write comments in the margins of my books…
Sounds about right Paul.
Dear Bill,
I wish that I could walk into your house and see your library! I promise I would gasp and be awestruck! It isn’t by chance that God has given His precious Word to us in the form of a Book! Not to mention The Word of Life Who is the subject of that Book! Keep on reading and writing, dear brother! And we will keep on reading!
much love, Jim and Julie Hess
Thanks Jim, and I would love to show it you! But the next best thing might be this video tour of my library from 5 years ago (of course it is even larger now!):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upm_VYolksw
Thanks for the video tour, Bill! 25 bucks to tour your library would be well worth it! By the way, I have a copy of Chesterton’s Orthodoxy that looks very much like yours. I got it at a YMCA book sale. It is much older than I am! I purchased Darrel Bock’s commentary on Luke (one of your recommendations) and have been using it extensively in preaching through the Gospel. Thanks again for the tour and for your ministry! Praying for you!
Thanks and bless you heaps Jim!
I treasurer the anticipation of 4 or 5 books arriving in a plain brown box! Like you, I feel like a little kid! Leafing through a new book, smelling the fresh pages, and relishing the time of learning is one of the best feelings. Heading to the bookshelf right now to start the day!
Quite so Tom.
We went to a second hand bookstore today and my daughter came out with a huge armful of books. I said ‘Where are you going to put those??’ She is beyond out of room for books. She told me, ‘You are not meant to ask that, Mum.’
I can remember living in denial, similarly.
I remember my husband (not a reader), being alarmed when he married me at helping pack up my, then, 6 boxes of books. Ha! Only six! That was 18 years ago….He had no idea then what it was to marry a bibliophile….
I have you to thank for introducing me to the writing of Lloyd Jones, (recommending Sermon on the Mount) but now I have a worse quandary! I have fallen in love with his writing, having finally finished his books on the Sermon of sermons. I love both Romans and Ephesians, but I certainly would never have time to tackle the whole series of either, even if I could choose between them!
Many thanks Lauren. Yes many are the problems of a book-lover.