Guest Post: What My Nephew is Reading

After I posted on “Books In My Family” on 4/24/11, my nephew Eric, who is in his late 20s, responded with an interesting email, portions of which -- with his consent –- I am posting below as a guest blog. I love that he feels the same way about our family heritage of reading, and I am so appreciative that he is kind enough to give me credit for having a part in his being a lifelong reader. (Readers of this blog won’t be surprised to learn that I was the auntie that always read to the kids, took the kids to bookstores, and gave them books for every birthday and holiday and sometimes just for the fun of it.) I also always like hearing what people are reading, so I appreciate Eric’s eclectic list of what he has read this year, and what he is planning to read. You can see his interests in the environment and in religion, among his many areas of interest, both alternative and mainstream. I remember, for example, that when he was in college he once called me to tell me he was taking a course in Russian literature, was reading "The Brothers Karamazov," and wanted to discuss it; as you can imagine, that made me happy! So, without further ado, here is Eric’s email.

“I particularly enjoyed your post about 'Books in the Family.' I felt the same way the last time I visited, and really enjoyed browsing through Granddad's books. In a way I felt like it brought him into the present, being surrounded by the books that informed and inspired his life. I thought it would be fun to share with you what I have read/been reading so far this year:

PrairyErth (A Deep Map): An Epic History of the Tallgrass Prairie Country - William Least-Heat Moon
Zeitoun - Dave Eggers
Prayer and Modern Man - Jacques Ellul
Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology - Neil Postman
All Creatures Great and Small - James Herriot
Topophilia: A Study of Environmental Perception, Attitudes, and Values - Yi-Fu Tuan
The Naked Anabaptist - Stuart Murray
Walden - H. D. Thoreau
Watership Down - Richard Adams
The Power and the Glory - Graham Greene

My plans for Spring/Summer reading are Flannery O'Connor's Complete Short Stories, her Habit of Being (letters), a theology book about the role of Catholicism in her life and writing, and finally a book on Church history.

Thanks again, Aunt Stephanie, for encouraging me since childhood to be a life long reader; it certainly has enriched my life.”