A book. A movie. An album. And a raffle.
I am absolutely rolling in the dough at the moment. Thanks to some really nice people who remembered my birthday. So now I have $200 to spend on Amazon but I haven’t the foggiest idea how to spend it. I’ve been living under a mango tree in Africa for the last two years and don’t know about any of the recent books, movies and music that are out there.
So, I’d like to ask you, my fabulous readers to help me out:
- What book should I buy?
- What movie should I buy?
- What album should I buy?
I’m so out of it that I don’t even know if they call them albums any more.
If you give me three recommendations, I will enter your name in a raffle with a chance to win $20 in Amazon cash. Anyone is eligible to enter, but if I don’t like any of your recommendations I reserve the right to reject your entry and kick you out of the raffle.
Enter this raffle by putting a comment on this post or by putting a post on your own blog linking to this post. The winner will be drawn from all eligible entries on Monday, March 17, 2008.
1. Same Kind of Different as Me
2. The Bourne Ultimatum
3. Rebel Poet, Jukebox Pioneer: The Anthology
1. Suprised by Hope – NT Wright – the best book I’ve read in five years
2. The Bourne Ultimatum – I agree with JK
3. Raising Sands – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – Absolutely outstanding.
These are the right choices, but I will, of course, refuse the offer of a prize.
Hey, if your regional director is there at your meetings – give him a huge hug from me! He’s earned it.
The Heavier Options (i.e. the ones that make me cry) :
1. Ordinary Man (About Rwanda–by the man whose story is featured in Hotel Rwanda. Though I agree with J.K. about Same Kind of Different as Me, which I also just finished reading. Even while I was reading it, I was continually surprised that such a non-assuming book was impacting me so powerfully.)
2. In My Country (About the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in S. Africa)
3. Hidden Face of God by Michael Card, a CD of laments
The Lighter Options (the ones that make me lighten up a little bit) :
1. The Year of Living Biblically (the guy is like an OCD anthropologist; his observations sometimes make me cringe and often make me laugh. Sometimes he totally misses “the point” but in taking on the extremes of obedience to The Word of God–he includes wide shades of Judaism and Christianity, including some of the most fringe–he brings to light idiosyncracies and promotes thoughtfulness about what we take literally and what we don’t and why.)
2. Akeelah and the Bee
3. Roar of Love, by 2nd Chapter of Acts (a 70ish carnivally sounding musical take on the Chronicles of Narnia)
For the kids (I know, I know it was your birthday, but just in case you have left over and are still stuck. I always love juvenile stuff and knowing my kids will enjoy it is an extra benefit):
1. End of the Beginning by Avi (my favorite philosophy book ever. Maybe it’s not even a philosophy book, but it’s as close I can get and actually think I’m understanding something philosophical. We’ve read this book aloud a couple of times and my older kids read it again by themselves.)
2. Ruby Bridges (not much action or breath holding plot, but a powerful true story and Disney doesn’t edit out the faith elements)
3. The Gift of the Tortoise, by Ladysmith Black Mambazo (with a close second being Beethoven’s Wig–hilarious songs sung to excellent performances of classical music. The music repeats without the words at the end. My kids love this CD, and so do I)
And you can feel free to disqualify me for breaking the rules by giving three lists (and including more than one option in some of the lists) and then breaking the rules again by giving one extra vote again, but I’m going to suggest this one anyway: The Bible Experience, audio recording of the Bible. I love this recording–I just have the Psalms and the emotion in the recordings makes me listen and absorb what is being read way more than any other audio Bible. I love it.
With a comment that long, you shouldn’t just kick me out of the raffle, you should ban me from commenting on your site… You should see my Amazon wish list, though, and then you’d know I can’t help getting carried away with such an open-ended question as what to buy with $200 Amazon cash.
Never worked out how to make track-back work, so you’ll have to visit here to see my suggestions. http://journeyman-justpassingthrough.blogspot.com/2008/03/lingamish-birthday-celebrations.html
1. Book: Beyond the Mango Tree: http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Mango-Tree-Bronwen-Zemser/dp/0064407861
2. Movie: Mango Tree:
http://www.amazon.com/Mango-Tree-NON-USA-FORMAT-Reg-4/dp/B000BUNFSI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1205364611&sr=1-4
3. Album: Little Mango, Big Mango Tree:
http://www.amazon.com/Little-Mango-Big-Tree/dp/B000URUJFE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1205364731&sr=1-1
And for safe measure: Mango Foaming Bath:
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Shop-Mango-Foaming-Bath/dp/B000K79BF8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=beauty&qid=1205364848&sr=1-2
and don’t forget some Mango Candy:
http://www.amazon.com/YummyEarth-Organic-Candy-Drops-16-Ounce/dp/B000M7VC7Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1205364912&sr=1-2
Thanks, all. I already have all the Bourne movies, so is there another option?
And the kids are definitely involved in this so feel free to make recommendations. Some of the money I am referring to is actually theirs for birthdays so they would appreciate your suggestions for kids.
For a book I recommend The Shack by William (Willie) P. Young.
Haven’t had time for an album or movie for a few years,so you are as uptodate as I am!
1. What book should I buy?
2. What movie should I buy?
3. What album should I buy?
Get Philip Davies ‘Origins of Biblical Israel’- book.
Get ‘Amadeus’ – Movie.
Get any of J. Michael Haydn’s Symphonies- music
There ya go. Now send me the gift card- I know I won!
1. Book – Martin Goodman’s Rome and Jerusalem: The Clash of Ancient Civilizations
2. Movie – The Pursuit of Happyness
3. Album – U218 Singles (a “best of” U2 from 1980-2004, released in 2006)
Book: The Preexistent Son: Recovering the Christologies of Matthew, Mark, and Luke or Pauline Christology: A Exegetical-Theological Study
Movie: The Bee Movie or 30 Days of Night
Music: Jesus by Shekinah Glory Ministry
Plenty of good suggestions here. Perhaps a few more that I’d like to read/watch/listen to someday…
Books
How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization
The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture: How Media Shapes Faith, the Gospel, and Church
Movies
Journey From the Fall
Music
Assembly
Book: Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Movie: Stranger Than Fiction
Album: Angie Palmer: Road
Book: Silas Marner
Movie: The Legend of Zoro
Album: David Crowder Band, A Collision (or B Collision)
What’s the matter, you didn’t like my suggestion, so you left it unmoderated??
My only suggestion is that you let the kids, Hilary and you visit the Amazon site and shop. There is no way I can offer any suggestions especially with the variety on Amazon – books, games, toys. Ok one suggestion you need the Rubik’s cube – 5×5. hahahaa Have fun!
The lite list:
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/encoder/default.mspx)
Perserverance and trust in the plan of God!
Time Bandits
(http://www.amazon.com/Time-Bandits-John-Cleese/dp/6305388482/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1205458121&sr=8-1)
Really funny and actually a profound grappling with theodicy
Perfumed Letter by Bill Mallonee (assuming you already have the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds)
http://www.amazon.com/Perfumed-Letter-Bill-Mallonee/dp/B0000AVHBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1205459897&sr=1-1
dreamy…
The heavy list:
The Grand Inquisitor by Dostoyevsky (if you don’t want to read the whole Brothers Karamazov)
http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Inquisitor-Chapters-Brothers-Karamazov/dp/0872201937/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205458252&sr=8-3
Required reading for my seminary students; keeping pastors faithful and honest
A.I. by Kubrick / Spielberg
http://www.amazon.com/I-Artificial-Intelligence-Two-Disc-Special/dp/B00005UW7V/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1205458466&sr=8-2
Incredible movie about God and humanity… except Spielberg ruined the ending
Ohio by Over the Rhine
http://www.amazon.com/Ohio-Over-Rhine/dp/B0000AKY5J/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1205459535&sr=8-1
a ‘Christian’ band, but that hardly describes them… and you probably won’t find them in your local Xn bookstore
OR
Illinoise by Sufjan Stevens
http://www.amazon.com/Illinois-Sufjan-Stevens/dp/B0009R1T7M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1205459748&sr=1-1
“Casimir Pulaski Day”… Oh the glory that the Lord has made, And the complications when I see his face”
1. Book: Keith Ward, What the Bible Really Teaches.
2. Movie: The Fountain.
3. Album: Kurt Atterberg, Symphony No.2. The opening and closing sections of the second movement are particularly incredible.
Some of these were available before you left, but I’m assuming that you don’t always get to books, movies or music as soon as it is released and thus may have missed these anyway. If I’m wrong about this, feel free to substitute a more recent recording of Korngold’s violin concerto for the album!
Book – It’s not new, it’s not Jesusy, but for history reading, Robert Caro’s series on Lyndon Johnson is outstanding. A great non-fiction book is the Secret History (also not new)
Movie – Agree on Bourne flix
Music – Love, love, love the Hold Steady. Boys and girls in America. Their albums are pemeated with Midwestern Catholicism and people getting lost and found
Awesome suggestions! Thanks for them all. And sorry about those of you whose comments were awaiting moderation (I have a 3 link maximum on comments).
1) Being that you’re so close to South Africa, have you read Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton?
2) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – hilarious. The humor is all verbal humor, pragmatics, lect, voice intonation. It also stars Paul Newman & Robert Redford.
3) When in doubt, go with Debussey, I say. Beautiful piano music.
1. Anything by Terry Prachett
2. Robin Hood (the Kevin Costner one). It’s the only film I could watch over and over.
3. Dark Side of the Moon.
Book: The Middle Way by Lou Marinoff
Movie: Evan Almighty. Great for you and the kids, and a good message
Album: Any of the newer U2 releases. All are good.
Book: Eat Pray Love
Movie: Planet Earth
Album- In Rainbows by Radiohead
The Bee Movie is not boring. It’s very funny. But Transformers is also a movie that the whole family can enjoy.
I don’t know what kind of books are suitable for the entire family. Perhaps Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories by Dr. Suess. My daughter loves it and I was quite pleased with it myself.
What kind of music are you and your kids into? Age doesn’t really help without knowing what genre you all like. The Shekinah Glory CD I suggested is all praise and worship music, so it’s appropriate for the kids to listen to as well as the parents. But then again, I love everything that Hillsong does, so you might want to check out something from them, plus they have the benefit of appealing to various age groups.
Book[s]: A Wrinkle in Time boxed set – Madeleine L’Engle. Just rediscovered these and they’re imaginative and engaging.
http://www.amazon.com/Wrinkle-Quintet-Swiftly-Tilting-Acceptable/dp/0312373511/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205767746&sr=8-1
Movie: National Treasure – Book of Secrets. A bit ridiculous, maybe, but quite entertaining. It’s fun to get lost in adventure.
http://www.amazon.com/National-Treasure-Book-Secrets-Widescreen/dp/B0013BM63O/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1205767881&sr=8-4
Album: Passion: God of this City. more great God-exalting music!
http://www.amazon.com/National-Treasure-Book-Secrets-Widescreen/dp/B0013BM63O/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1205767881&sr=8-4
or: Mark Miller – All for Love’s Sake – not on Amazon, but I love the hymn-like, slightly bluegrass style.
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=267446647&id=267446596&s=143441
Book: Carole Marsh Mysteries
Movie: Night at the Museum
Album: Toby Mac, Diversity
In the spirit of the campaign season, should I win the raffle, I promise to “buy” your Amazon card for a $25 donation to your translation project. (insert guilt trip here).
If you want things for 8s to 12s:
Book: The dangerous book for boys/daring book for girls (depending obviously)
Movie: Last Mimsy
Album: Anything by Dougie Dug Dug
Book: With that much money, buy all the Harry Potter ones.
Movie: Casino Royale (Bond does Bourne)
Album: The Feeling (Twelve Stops and Home)
For kids too:
Book- Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief
Movie- Ratatouille
Album- Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus
Enough already!
Thanks, we’ll try to do the drawing at break on Wednesday morning.
Ok for the kids… Box Car Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner – FABULOUS FABULOUS FABULOUS. I read the first 19 books in the series and it is wonderful! Shakespeare’s Secret, Chasing Vermeer or The Wright3 by Blue Balliet were good. There is always Narnia unless they have read those. If they like fantasy – the Spiderwick series was very good, 5 books in the original series with a new “Beyond Spiderwick” series also starting. Bunnicula series told by Chester the dog (vampire rabbit but if your kids know anything about vampires it is hilarious!) Anne of Green Gables, the Enchanted Garden by Elizabeth Nesbit was very nice. Artemis Fowl (13 year old criminal mastermind – I know but it was a good series except for book 2 which was a little disappointing). Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew always good. I also read the Lemony Snickett series and although sad, the children are wonderful and do good things for each other always.
Start them now on the classics – Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Black Beauty and my favorite when I was that age – Bambi by Felix Salten (adult, not Disney). Agatha Christie is very good but could be a little ‘racy’ in some ways (language, situations, etc.). I read Moby Dick – get them the watered down version! hahaha Don Quixote was very funny with a sad ending. Someday you may have to rejoin this rat race and end the wonderful adventures of the Ker kiddies. Start them on classics…you won’t be sorry and they are good reads!
Oh and 2 more by Julie Andrew Edwards (yes the Sound of Music Julie Andrews) – Mandy (more for Ellie) and The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles – which was WONDERFUL! If you can’t get them I will send them to you – I have an extra copy. (and at the risk of sounding overconfident – you KNOW not to give me the Amazon cert. right? I’ll just send it back…) BUY BUY BUY! hahahaa Movies: Whale Rider, Night at the Museum (corny but cute)… I can’t think of many movies for you tho’. Whale Rider is very empowering, Fly Away Home was also very heartwarming.
One of the Best Movies Ever Made:
House of D
One of the Greatest Recodings Ever:
Paul Simon’s Concert in the the Park
An utterly fascinating, if epistemologically flawed, book:
Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything
My 11 year old girl and 12 year old boy both enjoyed reading Listening for Lions (set in Africa and England at the time of one of those worldwide flus–1919?) by Gloria Wheelan. I enjoyed reading all of her books. They are perhaps a bit Pollyannaish–life is really terrible, but with good attitudes and stick-to-itiveness and creativity and kindness, one never knows how things can turn around. But they are set in different countries and are interesting and not hard to read.
Hi Dave, I know your kids have read the Redwall books but, also by
-Jacques ‘the curse of the flying dutchman’ and related books are ok,
-Donita K. Paul has some good books Karen, Shaina and Ethan have enjoyed-her ‘dragon’ series.
-Christopher Paolini’s Eragon and Eldest might be ok for the older kids when I got around to reading them, I enjoyed them too.
-Elenor Henry and Andrew are now old enough to read the hobbit and LotR if they haven’t yet!
-for you and Hilary: Black, White, and Red, by Ted Decker
-a movie for the whole family: Amazing Grace
-a movie for you and Hilary: Il Postino,
Possible Movies: The LotR extended version movies
Talk to you guys later, Chris