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Arbitrary Thoughts

April 21st, 2011 - Arbitrary Thoughts, Uncategorized - 45 Comments »

+ Not sure how it happened, but someone just received a double copy of my book in the mail – halfway through the book, the book started over (photo evidence below). It shall henceforth be referred to as the Everyday Absurdities Deluxe Edition, OK Gabriella?

+ According to the survey, The Weekly Six and Arbitrary Thoughts are your two favorite series here on the blog. Trying to figure out a better way to interpret this.

+ Loved all the documentary suggestions. I’ve already watched The Pixar Story and The Fab Five, which were both great. For those interested, I may have stumbled on the documentary mother load – documentarystorm.com

+ Oh, and the reason I asked about comedians that you like is because I accidentally revolutionized yard work last weekend. After the hilarious goodness of Mike Birbiglia balanced out the horrendous badness of cutting the grass, I decided I’d never embark on yard work of any kind without some random guy in my ear cheering me up.

+ Will Ferrell didn’t disappoint on The Office last week. If you haven’t seen it yet, make it a priority. The Dundies tonight? Yes please.

+ Explosions in the Sky has become my go-to work/writing music (they’re the ones who did the music for Friday Night Lights).

+ Today I’m giving away my copy of Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman. All you have to do is answer the question below and I’ll pick a winner at random.

Question: What are you reading right now (and do you recommend it)?

I’ll go first.

  • Tyler Stanton

    Love Wins by Rob Bell
    Quitter by Jon Acuff
    Marathon: You Can Do It by Jeff Galloway
    Your Wildest Dreams Within Reason by Mike Sacks

    Highly recommend all of them.

    • http://www.facebook.com/jeremytstephens Jeremy Stephens

      How is "Quitter"?
      I'm reading:
      Packing For Mars – Mary Roach
      King's Cross – Timothy Keller
      Under The Banner Of Heaven – Jon Krakauer

      • Tyler Stanton

        quitter is great. i'm only two chapters in, but it is perfect for people thinking of pursuing their dream job. i wish i had this before i made the leap.i'll probably write a post about it once i finish.tyler stanton

    • http://www.overdivulgent.blogspot.com Lauren

      Someone was just recommending "Love Wins" to me Tuesday night. I need to look into him, apparently.

  • http://www.thecjadams.com CJ Adams

    The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook-Ben Mezrich
    Wild at Heart-John Eldredge
    50 Things Your Life Doesn't Need-Sam Davidson
    Pour Your Heart Into It-Howard Schultz

    Somewhat of a diverse list, but I definitely recommend all of them.

  • http://Www.thesparrowsneststl.org Carissa

    I’ve been trying to read Emyth for months. I think it’s mocking me so I’ll reccomend only so it doesn’t think it has won.

  • broadcastnmbc

    I'm looking forward to reading Quitter soon. I just had to read Four Views on Hell for Seminary (more boring than Tyler Tarver's math class). I'm about to get into these:

    Between Two Worlds – John Stott
    Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God – Packer
    Breaking the Islam Code – Greear

    • Tyler Stanton

      Wow. Sounds like some dense reading. Ever considered throwing an Us Weekly in there to balance it out?

  • Brandon Rodgers

    I'm just finishing a 40 day read-through of the New Testament–highly recommended!
    I'm about to start reading Les Miserables. In seven years, when I finally finish, I'll let you know if it is any good.
    Also, finally getting to Stuff Christians Like by that Acuff guy. Funny.

  • Kit

    1) Devil in the White City
    3) Storm of Swords
    2) Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
    4) Um….Bible (The)….

  • http://twitter.com/fantanna @fantanna

    I'm an English major, so my readings right now consist of Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad and a bunch of books about Mark Twain.

    I def. do not recommend Lord Jim.
    And probably not the ones about Mark Twain either.

  • http://themikerice.com Mike

    Killer by Stephen Carpenter
    Invitation to Valhalla by Mike Whicker

  • http://twitter.com/brandonschmidt @brandonschmidt

    Just finished King's Cross (Keller). In the middle of both The Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) and God is Not One (Prothero)

  • http://joshlafayette.com/blogs Josh LaFayette

    Just Kids by Patti Smith—definitely recommended if you're into late 60's, early 70's Lower East Side art and music culture
    The Rebel by Albert Camus—recommended if you're a rebel

  • wbd1023

    Right now I'm reading:

    1- All Things Shining by Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly
    2- Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick
    3- Harry Potter #1 (again)

    I always recommend the Potter series, and All Things Shining has been very interesting (philosophy about finding sacredness in our secular age) and I'm still figuring out what I think about Sun Stand Still.

    • Tyler Stanton

      Just as good the 2nd time through

  • http://kelseyhill.blogspot.com Kelsey Hill

    Crazy Love by Francis Chan
    Practicing Affirmation by Sam Crabtree

    Not very far into either one of them yet, but I'd still recommend them both.

  • http://www.adaupdates.blogspot.com Scott

    I just tweeted that I was reading Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Definitely recommend it. I'm sloooow reader, but will finish this book in less than 3 days.

    • Tyler Stanton

      Is it the same storyline as the show?__________tyler stantonSent from my new Palm Pilot.

  • http://twitter.com/imtimrhodes @imtimrhodes

    "Provocations: Spritual Writings of Soren Kierkegaard" — fantastic book, even though it's mostly just long quotations.

    "The Day of the Triffids" – a sci-fi novel written in the 1950s. I'm not usually into sci-fi, but this one's really great. It's an incredible post-apocalyptic novel. Most of the population (save for one man) is struck blind by a meteor shower, and a carnivorous plant species called the triffids attack. Sounds weird, I know, but it's pretty interesting.

  • Marc

    reading stephen king's dark tower series. only recommend if you're into king's dark "fantasy" stuff and up for a loooong read

    • wbd1023

      I enjoyed that series, but like you said it is so looooooooong.

  • http://www.overdivulgent.blogspot.com Lauren

    Chuck Closterman is one of my favorite authors, and I have a nice signed copy of "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs," so I'll pass on the giveaway. But can I recommend "Killing Yourself to Live"? It's my absolute favorite of his.

    I'm currently reading some crap YA fantasy novel about faeries. While also finishing up Pete Wilson's "Plan B."

    • http://mleetaft.tumblr.com M. Lee Taft

      I recommend reading Eating the Dinosaur. It's another good Klosterman read.

      • http://www.overdivulgent.blogspot.com Lauren

        I haven't gotten to that one yet, but I've heard all good things!

    • Tyler Stanton

      Killing Yourself to Live – I'll be sure to check that one out.

  • allisonlh

    And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts. An outstanding journalistic approach to the AIDS crisis in the United States. Fair warning: there is some graphic content.

  • http://dustinstout.com Dustin W. Stout

    Currently reading “Crush It!” by Gary Vaynerchuk & “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis. I recommend them both.

  • michelle

    This Momentary Marriage by John Piper. Amazing so far. I'm getting married in three weeks and figured I better start reading those books for premarital counseling…

  • http://www.knoxmccoy.com Knox McCoy

    Re: The Pixar Story
    What about the cereal orgy that is their breakroom? So majestic. Google can't even top it. The damage I could do in a place like that…

    The Next Hundred Years by George Friedman. Having it on my nightstand makes me feel like Charles Krauthammer.
    http://www.amazon.com/Next-100-Years-Forecast-Cen…

    • Tyler Stanton

      Is feeling like Charles Krauthammer a good thing?
      Instead of just googling him, I shall await your response.

      • http://www.knoxmccoy.com Knox McCoy

        He's like the Stringer Bell of smart people.

  • http://www.joerob.com Joseph

    'The Three Musketeers' by Alexandre Dumas

  • Tyler Stanton

    It won't disappoint.

  • Tyler Stanton

    hmmm…that sounds really interesting.
    Re: FNL…are you finished with season five?

    • yousaidso

      yeah. Watched the entire thing in one weekend. amazing. it could not have ended better, in my opinion. I cried my eyes out in the last episode.
      this season didn't have as much football as past seasons. That made me sad. but the rest is perfection.

  • David

    "The Count of Monte Cristo – Unabridged" by Alexandre Dumas. It's longer than the bible, and I recommend.

  • http://www.pjstilnoon.com Jennifer

    Reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
    The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith
    The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
    All excellent and recommend-able.

  • http://johngruber.us John Gruber

    The Watchers: The Rise of America's Surveillance State

    Yes, I do recommend.

  • Tyler Stanton

    agreed. i loved the ending.tyler stanton

  • http://www.ricknierwoo.blogspot.com Rick Nier

    Naked Spirituality by McLaren. And yeah, I think I might.

  • Kassie

    Bossypants, by Tina Fey. Just started, but it's hilarious so far.

  • http://jeremysconfessions.com Jeremy's Confessions

    The Quitter comment was a total brag since it is not available to the rest of us right now.

    I am reading David Sedaris "Engulfed in Flames."

    • Tyler Stanton

      good call.tyler stanton

  • Gabriella Auer

    I am reading Radical by David Platt and I would recommend it. It is causing me to re-think ways I looked at how I live as a Christian.

    I am also excited to read Quitter.

    (The Deluxe Edition is a really great read!! Thanks for the shout-out.)