Top Five Books for Christian Adults this Christmas Season

Is there someone in your life for whom their faith is an integral part of THEIR life? Are you looking for a great book to buy the Christian(s) in your life that is NOT one of the top twenty most over-marketed Christian books sold at Walmart? Look no further than From My Shelf's 2015 list, here:

These are not listed in a particular order of favorites. We're excited about all of them! It's just a question of which best fits your recipient and your holiday budget. The staff at From My Shelf would be happy to help on both counts. Come by the bookstore any time, or contact us via email, website, facebook, or phone, for more personalized help.

1. Praying for Strangers: An Adventure of the Human Spirit by River Jordan: I don't know if River Jordan is her birth-certificate name or not. It doesn't matter. Her book is refreshing. Ron Hall's front cover review says, "Will alter the way you see those seemingly random people that God places daily in your path." Agreed. Paperback, suggested cover price, $15.00 (with better discounts here, of course!)

2. A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-1918 by Joseph Loconte. I was drawn to this for several reasons: (a)The Inklings. (b)I have read and discussed a lot about the influence and symbolism of World War 2 in Lewis's and in Tolkien's works, but I haven't seen as much about World War 1 themes in their literature. (c)There's not enough written for the layman about World War 1, period. Textbooks, yes. A book making these events more approachable to the every day 21st-Century reader, not so much. Hardcover, suggested cover price, $24.99 (we'll help you out on price!)

3. (Speaking of the Inklings.....) Joy: Poet, Seeker, and the Woman Who Captivated C.S. Lewis by Abigail Santamaria. If you're a C.S. Lewis fan, you've probably read Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis's recounting of his personal journey, late in life, from confirmed bachelor to new husband, from happy newlywed to grief-stricken widower, from believer to one who had to put his faith in heaven to the hardest test. There were two wonderful films produced -- one in the UK and one in the US -- called "Shadowlands" which also introduced millions of viewers to this personal side of Lewis's life and faith. Here is the book we've been waiting for since then. Hardcover, suggested cover price, $28.00 (ask us our prices, ok?)

4. The Accidental Pilgrim: Finding God and His Mother in Tuscany by Judith Sornberger. If you know Judith, this book will be an even better treat, because you can imagine Judith's down-to-earth sharing, her wryly gentle tone in reading it aloud, and the parts of her life she is writing about. Judith is a recently-retired English professor from Mansfield University, right down the road! This frank, funny, intimate, surprising, spiritual memoir takes us along with Judith from struggling single mother to awestruck, amateur art historian as images of Christ and Mary resound in her heart on a trip to Italy. Includes beautiful color reproductions of many works of art; quotes from sources as diverse as D.H. Lawrence to Pablo Neruda to the Gospel of Luke; and great travel writing. An interesting multi-genre piece that will challenge, delight, validate, and surprise you. Paperback, suggested cover price, $29.95, (ask about member discounts! We can even get it signed/inscribed for you!)

5. Celtic Devotions: A Guide to Morning and Evening Prayer by Calvin Miller. Sure, there are the Biblical prayers, psalms, and quotes you might expect to find in a devotional. This slim volume, however, holds so much more. Somehow, these brief entries for morning and evening prayer for 30 days, are so rich and lovely and poetic, they fill you up without leaving you feeling overwhelmed. Too many times when I try to follow a Bible study or devotional program, I end up feeling either overwhelmed, out of my league, or inadequate. Sure, a lot of that is "my stuff".... but I think there are a lot of us who bring similar baggage to these kinds of books, and this one is like drinking clear, pure water. Paperback, suggested cover price $16.00 (see notes below and above :)


Sometimes it's necessary to read other people's "suggested book lists" or "suggested gift lists" and buy the items other places. We ask that, if possible, if you are going to buy any of the books on our lists, that you consider buying them with us first. If you prefer to shop local in your neck of the woods, GREAT. Please don't take these suggestions, though, and buy these at the Evil Empire. That's not cool, man. THANKS!!