My wife and I, newly married and preparing to enter training for ministry, hosted a seasoned pastor in our home for one of our entrance interviews. He asked what sorts of books we’d been reading, and we answered. I expected him to be impressed with my answer. After all … well, never mind.
But he smiled kindly. “May I offer a piece of advice?”
What were we going to say? “No”? So we gave the expected answer.
“Don’t read books,” he said. And then, after an artful pause: “Read authors.”
Ding ding ding. I may not be smart (hold your comments, please), but I knew immediately that this was something to hold onto.
He explained briefly that there are so many books to read (and this was before Amazon existed!), that one could spend a lifetime consuming this and that, wheat and chaff, hit or miss. But when you find an author of worth, you’ll do yourself a favor if you make a note and pursue his or her oeuvre.
I remember nothing else of our appointment with that good man. But that was worth the price of the glass of our iced tea he drank. Since then, my life has been enriched by so many authors: William Shakespeare, William Faulkner, E. M. Bounds, Samuel Logan Brengle, Eugene Peterson, Dallas Willard, Robert Frost, Dashiell Hammett, E. Stanley Jones, A. W. Tozer, Louis L’Amour, C. S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, Francis Schaeffer, John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, James Michener, Charles Dickens, Wendell Berry, Jack London, Mary Oliver, Anne Lamott, G. K. Chesterton, and, more recently, Wallace Stegner, Kent Krueger, Leif Enger, and so many more—including my wonderful clients, of course, all of whom belong somewhere between Lamott and Chesterton in the above list.
This is not to say that there’s no room in my reading for new authors (or “one-hit wonders,” so to speak); I intentionally include such books in my annual reading plan (which I’ve written about here). But once I find an author who floats my literary boat, I’ll keep reading like a dog on a bone, even if that means mixing metaphors and similes.
So, how about you? Do you read “books”? Or “authors”? Do tell, please.
I’ve tried to understand my wars,
(each vying for the worst)
by pondering the memoirs
left by those who’d seen hell first
and after that came home alive
to neverending night,
and in that darkness, to survive
were thus compelled to write
with artless skilled sincerity,
catharsis born of blood
and cloaked in ancient mystery
of evil and of good,
and having witnessed what they served,
never wrote another word.
Fabulous advice. I read authors. Once you find a good one you stick with them knowing and trusting the content inside.
Great post. I’ve never actually thought of it like that, but I do tend to read the works of those who’ve gained my trust. Charles Martin, Francine Rivers, Jerry Jenkins, Tessa Afshar, and many others. I realized as I read your post: I collect their books.
I really appreciate your blog. Thank you very much for it. I have read books by Derek Prince, Kenneth Hagin, Carlo Andacondia, Rick Joyner, Andrew Murray, Norvel Hayes and other similar ministers. And, of course, the Bible. Now, at age eighty, it’s mostly the Bible and
own writings. My own writings encourage me the most because they are things I have experienced with the Lord.
Dennis Callen
Yes! Like Caresse Carter’s comment above, I don’t believe I’ve ever expressed it that way, but I do read authors. Years ago, I was asked to submit a “favorite books every student ought to read” list, and as I recall the process now, my thoughts would go first to an author (e.g. Twain) and then to which of his books were my favorites. A few years back, I was so taken by Ken Follett’s craft and style in The Pillars of the Earth, that I read every one of his books before and since that one. Ditto with C.S. Lewis, Thornton Wilder (plays, not books), Steinbeck, Michener, and a long list. Even one-hit wonders like J.D. Salinger is known by his name as much as by his “Catcher.” And, when speaking about the wisdom of one of the most meaningful (no pun intended) books I’ve read (Man’s Search for Meaning), I speak not of the book but of author Viktor Frankl, sometimes never mentioning the book’s title unless someone asks “Where’d you hear that?”
Thank you, Bob. All the more reason for us to write as well as we can: however great the story may be, it’s the writing that makes it (us) compelling.
I read authors and love series…
That is true! Once I find an author I love, I usually will request a number of their books from the library. Ken Ham, John MacArthur, Tony Evans to name a few. However, I am very guilty when it comes to fiction of just typing a word into the library’s search engine and simply requesting whatever title sounds interesting.
I do both. And I’ve been happy and unhappy with the new authors I’ve read. You never know when you’re going to find hidden treasure.
I saw some “secular” writers mentioned, even Louis L’Amour. Yep, Dickins and men of old, and then 20-21st century writers can deepen and broaden our knowledge. We write from that well.
Yes, authors…and maybe you’ve heard of this one? He wrote Life Stinks…AND THEN YOU DIE.
Also, Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door.
No, but seriously…I thoroughly enjoyed and learned so much reading your works.
I also love Robin Jones Gunn, CS Lewis…there is such a long list.
I gave up monhs ago writing here cuz you are all writers. I’m aware of my not. But my way today is just keep caring. Got to get this writer thing fixed……both kinds. This was a day’s response of, “I want to be on that list. …So get busy. Work hard. It is ok if you do different. Be different. Just be quality.”…I say.