“The limits of art are not reached. No artist’s skills are perfect.”
There are zero finished products. None who reach full potential. All remain works in progress. Always moving. Always changing. Always moving forward or back.
We are a month into the new year. Yes, we are already a month into a new year. For most, this is the time of year filled with the most motivation towards personal change. It provides a chance to turn over a new leaf. To change and improve.
Reading changes you. It informs and shapes your mind like nothing else. At the end of each month, I share a few of the books I’ve read within that month. I hope that you find something encouraging and motivating to you on your journey of personal change below.
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
Thermopylae. The images that spring to mind whenever this single word is uttered captivate the imagination and stir the heart. The story of the battle that took place upon that rugged land in 400 B.C. continues to stand as a testament to the warrior spirit. In this fictional retelling of the momentous events of this battle Steven Pressfield puts flesh on a tale that echoes throughout history. He helps you understand events and come to grips with how the actions of heroic men protected Western Democracy in its infancy.
Vikings: A New History by Neil Oliver
My wife was kind enough to purchase a 23 and Me kit for my birthday last summer. When my results came in there were several surprises. One such surprise came in the form of 16.4% of my ancestry DNA comes from Scandinavian origins. Even more interesting was the ancestry timeline showing its movement throughout history. The story of the Northman who would later become better known as Vikings has always captivated my imagination. Little did I know that part of my ancestry is tied up in their story.
Neil Oliver’s Vikings: A New History is a fantastic retelling of the Viking Age. It helped me gain a deeper understanding of the lives and times of the Northman who continue to deeply impact our world. Popular culture may cloud and distort what we casually hear of those we call Vikings, but it falls short of what history tells us about them. There is a deeper and richer story to be told.
The Iliad by Homer
“Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus’ anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss
and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men–carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.
Begin it when the two men first contending
broke with one another–”
These words open one of the most important works of antiquity. The tales of Homer contain gravitas and remarkable insights into the human condition. The Iliad and its sequel The Odyssey remain required reading. Like most assigned readings I recognized its greatness upon first blush. Revisiting it now, I find it difficult to put down. Proof once again that not all books assigned in school are as bad as once thought.
The Book of Proverbs Chapters 1-15 & Chapters 16-31 by Bruce K. Waltke
The Book of Proverbs is a timeless resource for living a godly and righteous life. It speaks to every aspect of life. All it teaches can be summarized in the term wisdom. This topic more than any other attracts my attention, as I desire to live a wise life. “The way of wisdom is the fear of the Lord and the way to honor is humility.”
The Gospel Coalition website offers a list of commentaries for each book of the Bible. When wanting to study a book in greater depth this is a great resource. The commentaries above are the top resources for Proverbs. It is a fantastic complement to your study offering key insights that will change how you think and apply all you read.