Media > Sy's Book Recommendations
Sy's Book Recommendations
People often ask me what I read. I enjoy reading daily often covering a chapter or two per book in several books. Here!s some recent and longstanding favorites from my bookshelf:
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Our Culture, What's Left of It by Dr Theodore Dalrymple Former Supreme Court Judge nominee Robert Bork stated famously in his classic book 'Slouching Toward Gomorrah', that "if you want to know what the collapse of a civilization looks like, you're in one". Our Culture, What's Left of It, explains how and why--and with brilliant clarity. One of my favorite reads in a while, Dr. Dalrymple's wit, literary genius and years of global experience in the fields of medicine and sociology make for compelling reading--how the elites have fostered the overthrow of standards and with devastating consequences upon individuals and society as a whole...and all done in the name of enlightenment and freedom. Never has the ruin of a civilization been chronicled so well. At least those who unearth our ruins will have an explanation. |
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Liberal Facism by Jonah Goldberg It's important to know the context of your life. Our times in the west are marked by a bizarre and increasing bent toward control. 'Liberal Facism' exposes and explains the flirtation with and drift toward a socialist state and how it is playing out now--and where we may end up if this trend is not arrested. Among the important and disturbing insights are the history of facism and the significant fact that 'we've been here before': the alleged enlightenment of the politically correct left, including pc speech codes, vegan diets, animal rights, pc-compliant churches, environmentalism and fitness enforcements, were all platforms of the Nazi Party. While presently less thugish, today's creeping facism seems more polite but still insists on 'tolerance only for those who agree and conform.' So, have a nice day...I insist. |
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America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It by Mark Steyn With great insight and clarity, Mark Steyn's book importantly details how and why the rise of Islamic extremism is relentlessly encroaching upon western culture, co-opting previous allies, and leaving the U.S. increasingly vulnerable and in several ways. If you want to understand the bigger picture that will inevitably affect us all, this book will achieve that and without hysteria, and serves up wit and useful responses. |
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Americans At Risk: Why We Are Not Prepared for MegaDisasters and
What We Can Do Now by Dr. Irwin Redlener Pastors and congregations alike must ask themselves the question, 'What would we do if...a nuke goes off in our city or in a city nearby? or 'What would we do if...a major storm, or earthquake or Katrina-like flood ruined entire sections of my community? 'Such concerns are plausible and church culture needs to think through the issues of preparedness and response, so we can be part of a solution, not just victims of the situation. As the book jacket says: "This important book by one of our leading experts on disaster preparedness offers a compelling narrative about our nation's inability to properly plan for large-scale disasters...he concludes with a real prescription: a nine-point proposal for how America can be better prepared as well as...what citizens themselves can do." |
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YAHWEH by Philip Baker Just because Phil is a friend, doesn't disqualify him from being an excellent writer of several worthy books...which he is. This recent book illumines aspects of the awesome, mysterious, personal God who reckons with and redeems us--an intimate book, fresh in perspective and beautifully presented. Check out his other books too: www.philbaker.net. |
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The Shaping Of Things to Come “If I had my way, you would be forced to read this book—especially if you are in or hope to be in any kind of ministry. Certainly it’s been one of my best reads of recent days. I suggest you get it if you want an idea of what’s wrong with the current template church cultures offers…vs. discarding the template to find innovative ways to bring God’s character and redemption to a wary but needy generation. This IS the cutting edge stuff others often hype about but rarely deliver. This book delivers and will leave you challenged and inspired in the best way.” |
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The Fourth Turning Wow…if you want to understand the times we live in, and where we are going and why, then this brilliant historical overview will give you that and more. Avoiding crystal ball guessing, or Bible prophesy interpretations, the authors paint the future view with historic fact: we live within an ever-repeating 80 year cycle with four distinct seasons, each with its social and generational destiny. According to their researched opinions, we are once again headed into the darkening season of 'winter', or crisis-but all is not doom perhaps. While we can't stop the onset of winter, so to speak, we can prepare to be effective in it, IF tuned in to the times. If you are a Christian leader or youth worker, or just love history and future prediction stuff, then why aren't you reading this?? See www.fourthturning.com. Thanks Phil! |
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The Sacred Romance This inspiring, encouraging and practical book tells it just like it is when it comes to relating to an unpredictable, invisible God in an uncertain, uncontrollable world. If you've longed for more from life, or longed for more security in God's love, then this book is for you. |
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Beyond the Cosmos The subtitle says it all: "What recent discoveries in astronomy and physics reveal about the nature of God." |
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Fast Food Nation Compelling, well documented, but always entertaining study of fast food as both consumer commodity and metaphor. I will never view fast food - or the society that enabled it to evolve - in the same way. You owe it to yourself to read this... be prepared, though, to be disturbed... and your modern eating habits challenged. I told you so. |
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In His Image Dr. Brand's follow up to bestselling 'Fearfully & Wonderfully Made', details the amazing biological package that is the human body, and draws a rich supply of spiritual parallels. I love science, particularly biology. I find it very useful to understand our physical machinery, as it is always full of profound spiritual/theological insight. |
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My Utmost for His Highest A classic daily devotional that I'm enjoying for my 4th year in a row. I am inspired and encouraged by his insights into the character of God. Though written many years ago in a previous generation, Chambers speaks to me today. |
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Fingerprints of the Gods This best selling secular book is a rich, exhaustively detailed compilation of ancient, global human history & it's compelling implications for today. 9 years in the writing by a former correspondent for one of my fav magazines.... 'The Economist'. (And no, it's not about aliens.) |
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The Return of the Prodigal Son Henri Nouwin is a gifted writer who offers a simple but powerfully moving study of love greater than failure, rejection and injustice. If you've ever been an outcast, or have wrestled with the fear that you aren't worthy of love, then read this and be encouraged... I surely was. Inspired by the classic Rembrandt painting of 'The Homecoming', this remarkably crafted book will remain one of my favorites.' |
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No Place to Hide Yes, you ARE being watched, monitored, tabulated and increasingly so. Justifiable paranoia. Welcome to the end of privacy. |
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GEORGE MUELLER OF BRISTOL : A Biography This book was foundational in my understanding of how to pray for God’s provision even in the face of hardship and deprivation. No better example than George to show you real prayer. Another good book like it: Is That Really You God? By Loren Cunningham. |
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THE EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY CHURCH As the pastor of New Life Fellowship, a thriving multicultural New York
City church, |