Five for Friday

The shelf above my computer holds a printer. Nothing to see there, move along. The shelf above the printer is of a little more value. I use it as a book shelf (as my real bookshelves are packed to maximum capacity with books and CDs).

Here are five books that are on my top shelf. I don't see a pattern - but you might.

1) I am America (And So Can You) by Stephen Colbert. It's a gut-busting satirical look at American culture. Just plain funny.

2) Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. The author of Into the Wild and Into Thin Air takes a painfully detailed look at a case of murder involving Mormon fundamentalism.

2) Letters from a Nut by Ted L. Nancy (pseudonym). Have you ever wondered the appropriate way to exit a seating row at a sporting event? What should be shoved in the faces of fellow sport fans - your butt or your crotch? Have you ever wanted to pose those questions to the people in charge of sports stadiums? No? Well the humorist writing under the name Ted L Nancy has several absurd questions to ask and Letters from a Nut chronicles his correspondence with dozens of customer service personnel - from the Baseball Hall of Fame to fast food joints and popular hotel chains and their answers to his ridiculous questions.

4) Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. This is the quintessential of modern thought in theological study. C. S. Lewis presents a case for Christianity based in logic, compassion, and morality. Sometimes tough to read as it was compiled from a series of radio lectures, this is a must read for anyone professing faith in Christ.

5) Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. Velvet Elvis is to post modern life what Mere Christianity was to the World War II era. Rob Bell presents a basis for Christianity with his off-kilter writing style, buried in explanation of Jewish traditions and modern implications. Rob Bell is a love him or hate him personality, but his words are challenging and provocative. Be forewarned: this is not fluffy material.