From My Shelf This Week
Books Worth Your Time
1. Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer by C.S. Lewis
Recommendation – A lesser-known gem among Lewis’ nonfiction, this book is a fictionalized series of letters about prayer, offering a deeply personal, reflective, and sometimes even playful take on a topic often treated with formality. Lewis doesn’t attempt to systematize prayer but instead invites us into the honest wrestling of a believer seeking communion with God. Ideal for readers who appreciate nuance and don’t mind theological questions left partially unanswered. His writing is accessible yet profound, often mingling theology, liturgy, and personal grief. Notable Quotes
“We must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us.”
“It is much easier to pray for a bore than to go visit him.”
“The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of. Our attention would have been on God.”
2. The Heavenly Christmas Tree by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Recommendation – This short story is only a few pages long, but it lingers in the soul. In it, Dostoyevsky presents a poor, suffering child who, after death, finds a kind of heaven only a child’s heart could imagine. It’s not overtly theological, yet it’s hauntingly Christ-like. The narrative evokes the deep compassion and sorrow of a world indifferent to suffering while pointing—quietly and beautifully—to divine mercy. A powerful Advent or Christmas meditation. Notable Quotes
“All the children sat round the tree and sang wonderful songs.”
"Christ always has a Christmas tree on this day, for the little children who have no tree of their own"
3. A Disability History of the United States by Kim E. Nielsen
Recommendation – Though academic in tone, this book is essential for those seeking to understand the broader cultural history of disability in America. Nielsen challenges the dominant narratives of independence and productivity by showing how disabled people have always been present and often excluded. Christians would do well to reflect on how our theology, hospitality, and community practices respond—or fail to respond—to the truths this book surfaces. It's worth the work. Notable Quotes
“Disability is not a fixed or easily agreed-upon category. It is a concept that has been shaped by time, place, and politics.”
“Some groups viewed the behaviors and perceptions of what today we call psychological disability as a great gift to be treasured and a source of community wisdom.”
4. The Façade by Michael Heiser
Recommendation – While fictional, this thriller from Heiser (of The Unseen Realm fame) explores fringe archaeology, UFO lore, and hidden spiritual realities through a biblical worldview. It’s not your typical Christian novel—it’s part X-Files, part apologetics. The questions it raises about truth, manipulation, and unseen powers are deeply relevant for thoughtful Christians engaging with conspiracy theories or spiritual warfare themes. It’s pulpy, sure, but deeply theological beneath the surface.