A Slice of Pi (and other March Reads)
My March reads include A Slice of Pi plus three other titles. I know I haven’t done a very good job at keeping up with reviews for the books I’ve been reading.
Such a tall “to-read” stack stands waiting on my nightstand. I hate slowing down long enough to pen my thoughts about one I’ve finished before beginning the next.
But I’ve enjoyed some really great reads of late and wanted to share them with you. If you see one that interests you, click through the (affiliate) links. You can find more reviews, sample chapters, and pricing information on Amazon.
Sometimes my husband surprises me with little, unexpected gifts, just to let me know he’s been thinking of me. He usually brings me candy or flowers, but every once in a while, he opts for something really romantic — like sudoku calendars or math books. 🙂
And that just melts my heart.
A Slice of Pi by Liz Strachan
I actually read A Slice of Pi
Anyway, I mention it here (a full year later), only because Pi Day is right around the corner. It falls on March 14 every year, which also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday.
My older kids have been planning a big celebration for months now, as Saturday marks the longest extended Pi Day of this century. The party is scheduled for 3/14/15 at 9:26:53 AM (Get it? The time approximates pi to 9 decimal places. One of my sons has pi memorized to 50 digits. Pretty neat, huh?)
The book’s a fun read, especially for anybody interested in mathematics. I got my degree in math and did two years of graduate work in the same field. And I still learned something new by reading this little volume. Not only is it full of number theories and formulas, but also includes interesting anecdotes about the mathematicians behind all the tips and tricks.
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
And we listened to The Screwtape Letters a few weeks before that.
Both books spurred lots of great discussion.
Lewis is a master at using analogies and word pictures to make difficult concepts easier to grasp.
He offers a powerful apologetic for the Christian life in this classic work, written in a way even children can comprehend.
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
Steal Like an Artist is excellent and inspirational. More importantly, the “stealing” Kleon advocates won’t violate anybody’s copyright. 🙂
Both books are fast, easy reads, but full of fantastic tips. We consider them must-reading for anybody who creates anything: writers, artists, musicians, etc.
Life’s Big Questions: Colossians” by Doug Flanders, M.D.
Several months ago, our pastor asked my husband to write the curriculum for the church’s small group discussions. Doug agreed, and got lots of positive feedback on what he had written.
Which explains why we’ve now compiled the material in to a book entitled Life’s Big Questions: Colossians
His plan is for this to be the first in a whole series of books. I’ve already read through it a couple of times during the editing process. My husband is now using it for family devotions with our children. So we’re reading through it yet again.
The book helps to bridge the gap between life’s questions and God’s answers.
Whether used as a personal devotion, a family discussion guide, or part of a Bible study group, you will find it to be an invaluable resource. We pray this resource will enhance your spiritual walk and inspire you to dig ever deeper into the Word.
That’s it for March (so far). I have several more books in play and am nearing the end of them. I’ll do my very best to include them in my April books column next month.
What about you? Have you read any good books lately? What titles do you have perched on your nightstand?
