Books I´ve Read Thus Far in Peru

I’ve always loved to read. Nothing compares to the feeling of cracking open a new book and devouring it, page by page, while the stiff spine slowly melts in the warmth of your hands. Or picking up an old favorite and having it fall open to the best part, the pages worn from years of love. (Someone once told me that I didn’t seem like the type of person who would like to read – I was horrified and offended! He quickly clarified that it’s not because I don’t seem like an intellectual person but, rather, that I “don’t seem like the type of person who can sit still long enough to finish a book,” which might actually be a fair assessment of me.) 

Unfortunately, my reading list for eight years was dictated, first, by the State of Florida’s Board of Education and, second, by my professors at Georgetown. With so much schoolwork and required reading, there was little time left for reading for enjoyment. Luckily, since graduation, and especially since moving to Peru, I’ve had time to more than make up for the lost years. I usually spend my bus ride to work each day (about an hour and a half round trip) reading and I’ve been known, on occasion, to lock myself in my room on a Friday night and ignore conventional social protocol of interacting with my community mates in lieu of finishing a book.

Without further ado, here is the list of books I’ve read in the last 16 months (organized somewhat into categories) and a short synopsis, comment, and/or recommendation. The ones with an asterisk (*) are especially recommended.

Spirituality

*They Come Back Singing (Gary Smith, SJ) – Fr. Smith writes a beautiful book full of stories and life lessons learned from the strong and faithful refugees he worked with in Africa.

*Radical Compassion (Gary Smith, SJ) – Fr. Smith’s book, about his many years working among the poor and homeless populations of Portland, is a wake-up call to be a more loving and non-judgmental person.

*Tattoos on the Heart (Greg Boyle, SJ) – Incredibly powerful book about Fr. Boyle’s years of working in Los Angeles in neighborhoods stricken with gang violence and poverty. He also talks about practical approaches to helping young men and women caught up in the culture of violence.

Being Peace (Thich Nhat Hahn) – One of the most famous Buddhist monks, writers, and teachers of his generation, Hahn offers mediations on how to cultivate inner peace.

Sadhana: An Approach to God (Anthony de Mello) – This Jesuit priest has studied Eastern religious traditions extensively and offers Sadhana meditations in a Christian context.

*The Song of the Bird (Anthony de Mello) – A collection of short stories, poems, and passages with simple but profound comments made by the author.

Simplicity (Richard Rohr) – An easy read, the author makes a compelling case for why we should live a more simplified and spiritual life.

Sinner (Lino Rulli) – “The Catholic Guy” from Sirius XM’s Catholic Channel offers funny, often semi-sacrireligious anecdotes from his life and explains how these moments are shaping him into a better Catholic and a better person.

My Life with the Saints (James Martin, SJ) – One of the most famous contemporary Jesuits authors and personalities (he’s appeared on The Colbert Report multiple times), Martin introduces his favorite Catholic saints and spins a tale of how their lives have influenced and inspired his own.

*The Jesuits Guide to (Almost) Everything (James Martin, SJ) – Martin takes the complex and often-overwhelming enormity of Jesuit spirituality and whittles it down to an understandable and compelling explanation for how we should all live, make decisions, and seek God in everything. 

*The Screwtape Letters (C.S. Lewis) – This gem tells the story, in letters, of the devil’s deliberate actions to tempt man and lead him away from God. Outstanding and memorable, you’ll find yourself re-reading passages on every page.  

Proof of Heaven (Dr. Eben Alexander) – An atheistic neurosurgeon has a near-death experience and visits heaven. After coming out of his coma, Dr. Alexander struggles to make sense of his experience and reconcile his new-found religious beliefs with his academic beliefs.

Doing the Truth in Love (Fr. Michael J. Himes) – A little dense, Fr. Himes focuses on our Christian call to love one another. The student and lecture-participant reflections help make sense of Himes’s theories.

Thirst (Mary Oliver) – Wonderful, contemporary, and relatable poetry about grief, struggle, nature, and faith.

Memoirs or Autobiographies

Alive! (Piers Paul Read) – The true story of an Uruguayan rugby team that crashes in the Chilean Andes and struggles to survive, finally resorting to cannibalism. Miraculously, some members of the party survive. There is a great movie, of the same name, made from the story.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling) – A short book that is one part memoir and two parts internal monologue, you’ll read it in an afternoon and chuckle the whole time.

*A Million Little Pieces (James Frey) – Although the veracity of Frey’s alleged memoir has been called into question multiple times, it is still a powerful and uniquely-written story of a young man’s weeks in rehab.

The Guinea Pig Diaries (A.J. Jacobs) – The author chronicles his life as an experimental writer – from the time he tried to live by all the rules of the Bible for a year to the time he practiced “Radical Honesty” for a month. It’s interesting, short, and fun.

Born Standing Up (Steve Martin) – Interesting stories from the life of this famous comedian.

Naked (David Sedaris) – A compilation of stories from the famous essayist - some are his own, some are fiction, but all are incredibly good.

Holidays on Ice (David Sedaris) – More witty, clever stories from Sedaris. He has the power to convey real feeling and influence thought without weighing down his stories.

In Good Company (James Martin, SJ) – This time, the famous Jesuit author tells his own story – from high-achieving education and a corporate job to a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Martin’s ability to relate to the reader is outstanding. He makes the drastic turn-around in his life accessible and understandable.

Breaking Trail (Arlene Blum) – This brilliant scientist cum mountain climber tells the story of her life – from sheltered childhood to Mount Everest – and of the true love and real loss along the way.

Night (Elie Wiesel) – Compact and powerful, Wiesel’s famous book tells the story of his time in a Nazi death camp. You’ll read it in a few hours but the images will stay with you forever.

Surprised by Joy (C.S. Lewis) – Lewis’s autobiographical account of his religious beliefs – from a religious childhood to atheism to a believer – it’s dense and a little boring, but the message is strong.

Road Fever (Tim Cahill) – A goofy book about two men’s attempt to break a world record by driving a truck from Patagonia to Alaska in 23 days. This short book highlights some of the funny moments and bureaucratic nightmares of their trip through the Americas.

*The Color of Water (James McBride) – A touching and interesting story of a mixed-race adult who explores his white mother’s unconventional life and brings up powerful points about race and identity on the way.

Novels

The Hunger Games

Catching Fire (sequel to The Hunger Games)

Mockingjay (final book in The Hunger Games series) – These books probably don’t need an introduction… if you haven’t read them yet, you should! They’re super easy to read (I’ve read the whole series three times since I’ve been here) and not just for children. Also, for those of you wondering, I think the movies are excellent and I have no critisicm (which is rare, I’m usually a huge “the movies are never as good as the books” kind of person).

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King – These books definitely don’t need an introduction! I’m ashamed it took me 23 years to finally read them. After completing the series (well, I didn’t read The Hobbit), I became obsessed with the idea of putting a giant map of Middle Earth on the façade of our house.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – Rounding out the “book series” section, I had to re-read my favorite childhood books, as I hadn’t touched a Harry Potter book since before college. Unfortunately, we do not have number six or seven in the house, so I’ll have to wait until I get home to the States to re-read those. Also, for the record, the movies are good but fall way short of how amazing the books are.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) – A classic, great book. I don’t have the rest of the series but one day I’ll get around to reading it.

A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving) – An amazing (but long) book about friendship and faith that focuses on the characters while mixing in a rich story about America and the Vietnam War in the 1960’s.

One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) – Magical realism at its finest. Long, but spectacular.

Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson) – Classic tale of swashbuckling and adventure. Re-awoke my childhood fantasies of being a pirate.

  

Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe) – Classic African tale of culture clash and modernization. Powerful, deep, and moving.

*The Sparrow (Mary Doria Russell) - An interesting novel about Jesuits visiting another planet after intelligent life is found there. Tackles the “missionary” theme in a unique and forward-thinking way. Written in an engaging style.  

The Killer Inside Me (Jim Thompson) – A book that reads like a great episode of CSI or Criminal Minds. Thrilling and surprising.

Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury) – Enjoyed reading this as an adult far more than as a teenager. It’s a classic for a reason.

Franny and Zooey (J.D. Salinger) – The antithesis to the Elvis song “A Little Less Conversation a Little More Action,” Franny and Zooey consists of two locations and two very long, philosophical conversations. I liked it, but need to read it again to fully understand it.

Little Altars Everywhere (Rebecca Wells) – From the author of the Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, this book focuses on the ever-deepening relationships between strong mothers and their independent daughters in the South. Not just for females – it’s a great book!

Animal Dreams (Barbara Kingsolver) – From the author of the Poisonwood Bible, this is story about families, traditions, and figuring out what you’re searching for in life. I was surprised by the depth and complexity of the characters and their progression throughout the novel.

Pigs in Heaven (Barbara Kingsolver) – A story about unconventional families woven with themes of cultural understanding and the trials and tribulations of Native Americans living in the United States today. Touching and thought-provoking – who should make the decisions about the fate of a child’s life?

Bel Canto (Ann Patchett) – A literary take on a real-life hostage situation that happened in Peru in the 1980’s, the book is intriguing and beautiful, focusing on the humans involved and not the politics of the event.

Inferno (Dan Brown) – My favorite Dan Brown book thus far. Long and, as usual, full of history and random facts, the theme of this book and case Robert Langdon is trying to solve is the most mature and complex topic yet. Twist ending!

Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates (Tom Robbins) – Quirky and zany are the first words that come to mind. Robbins introduces odd characters in even more bizarre, improbable situations and manages to work in spiritual and political elements as well. A fun read!

The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) – The interesting style of writing contributes to the startling nature of this story – a future United States where women’s rights and position in society has been systematically taken away and any dissenters are put to death.

Wicked (Gregory Maguire) – A long and detailed story of the life of the Wicked Witch of the West with a rich theme of faith, reason, and good versus evil. Very different from the famous musical of the same name and not just for fans of musical theater. It’s quite philosophical.

Non-fiction

*Born to Run (Christopher McDougall) – A must-read for runners and non-runners alike, the book is part memoir of a one-time runner rediscovering his potential, part anthropological story of a mysterious group of amazing athletes, and part scientific explanation of our extraordinary bodies. 

*The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down (Anne Fadiman) – A young child of immigrant parents in diagnosed with epilepsy. What follows is a years-long cultural struggle between Western medicine and traditional treatments. Heartfelt and poignant.

The Undercover Economist (Tim Harford) – Similar to Freakanomics, Hartford explains complex topics in simple, fun, economic terms. Easy and interesting.

The Little School (Alicia Partnoy) – A short but powerful book written by a woman who was kidnapped, detained, and tortured for having liberal beliefs during Argentina’s “Dirty War.”

The Freedom Writer’s Diary – Diary entries written by students in Los Angeles who struggle with violence, poverty, drugs, and self-esteem issues. Also a great movie.

*Under the Banner of Heaven (Jon Krakaur) – A deep and complex look at Mormon Fundamentalism in the United States interwoven with the question of what faith is and what faith drives us to do. Excellent.

The New Jim Crow (Michelle Alexander) – A shocking, thorough investigation of the mass incarceration system in the United States and the many lives ruined by our nation’s harsh laws. While an important book, it is very academic and a little dense.

Planning – Rethinking Cuidad Guayana (Lisa Peattie) – An academic book written by an anthropologist, it critiques the process of “planning” cities. Interesting topic but dry.  

Blink (Malcolm Gladwell) – An academic topic that Gladwell makes digestible for the average reader, it is a provocative look at reason and consciousness with fun examples. 

Currently Reading

Walden (Henry David Thoreau)

The White Man’s Burden (William Easterly)

Any suggestions for me? Let me know in the comments!