Book meme

My goodness life has been full, busy and largely good. I've got lots to write, only some of which will get written I suspect but firstly I've been tagged by Trav for a book meme so here goes:

Total books owned, ever: There are 447 books of mine that I can currently count in my house (plus my housemates books, plus the books we have on our shelves of a friend who is currently overseas, plus the 20 or so books I have from the library or friends). I also probably have 20 or so books at work of mine and another 20 or so books of mine out on loan to other people. Then there are heaps of books that I have owned that have been given away/sold/walked over the years (I remember 30 or so Trixie Belden's being given away when we left one house) - so maybe 200 of those. So we are up around 700.
(yes I do take after my father!!! But he has got rid of some of his!)

Last book I bought: 3 copies of Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. I read Julie's copy of this book when she lent it to me a couple of months ago and loved it - so I bought it for a friend who is going overseas on Saturday, bought one copy for myself and there was a 3 for 3 deal on so I bought another one - they have all already been boorowed (in one night!).

5 books that mean something to me: gosh this is hard and there are so many I could list, I'll try and choose a bit of a range.

1. Bold Love by Dan Allender and Tremper Longman
A book that quite literally turned my life upside down in a whole range of ways: what does it really mean to love, not the kind of love we often think and talk about as Christians but gutsy love that really has the other persons growth and the relationship at heart. Read it for the first time 6 or so years ago and I'm so continually trying to live out the stuff I learnt.
(Could also in this category have said Inside Out by Larry Crabb that completely turned my life upside down when I was 16 or 17 and still largely shapes me: the quote "it's not until you realise the life is profoundly disappointing that you learn to love" sent me into a spin for months)

2. Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
A book about Jesus, what really living in the kingdom is about, what transforming grace is and how to be an apprentice of Jesus. Great stuff that excites me about the adventure of life.
(could also have said The Spirit of the Disciplines also by Dallas Willard)

3. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (especially The Last Battle)
I've always loved the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but over the last few years on retreats I've been reading some of the other books in the Narnia Chronicles - and they spin me out. God has so often used them to help me see more (and know way more deeply) about him, myself and the world.

4. Community and Growth by Jean Vanier
At one time someone could have said that this was my second Bible - I don't quote it as much anymore but it still has a profound influence on me. Jean Vanier started the L'arche communities where people with intellectually disabilities live with assistants. It's a book of much wisdom coming from much experience and a deep spirituality. (I could also have put many things by Henri Nouwen - also connected with L'arche communities)

5. Open Minds: 21st Century business lessons and innovations from St Luke's by Andy Law
Over the last few years, I've done alot of reading about and thing about leadership and organisations. This is proving extremely useful for my role at SU Victoria. Lots of the stuff I've read and thought about challenges heavily the model of leadership that has been more traditional particularly in Christian orgnaisations. You might say that stuff I've been reading is based on chaos theory or living systems. I've picked this one to list because it tells the story of an organisation learning to work differently - something that is a living metaphor for me at the moment.

I tag Trish, Julie, Dave and Anj (if she hasn't done it already - I don't remember her having done it).