Books for the New Year

As promised, here is the reading plan for 2012. I allotted 52 books, and the slots filled fast. Crazy fast.

I'm of the opinion that it is dreadfully dull to plan my reading for the year, but I will read better books. And in the end, when you multiply 52 books per year by, say, 50 more years, it's really not very many books to read. I don't have time to waste on inferior books. Right? Maybe. Next December I'll give you my final opinion on a year of planned versus unplanned reading.

Theological/ Christian Living/ Etc.: 
1-2. Puritan books from last year
3. Scots Worthies
4. Augustine's Confessions
5. City of God
6. Calvin's Institutes
7. Imitation of Christ - Thomas a Kempis
8. Desiring God - Piper
9. The Great Divorce - Lewis
10. Shaping of a Christian Family -Elizabeth Elliot
11. A Call to Spiritual Reformation - D.A. Carson

Classics:
12. Daniel Deronda - George Eliot
13. Jane Austen Book
14. Three Musketeers
15. Plutarch's Lives
16-25. Horatio Hornblower Series

History/Biography/Etc.:
26-28. Shelby Foote's Civil War books
29-31. Shaara's WWII Trilogy
32. Becoming Dickens
33. Biography of Dostoevsky - Leithart
34. One other book review book
35-38. Kids school books I want to read

That leaves me with a little, a very little, room for fun and pleasure. Who do I like to read for fun and pleasure? Charles Todd, Ellis Peters, Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and Wodehouse. Notice a dominant theme? I love a murder mystery with a clean, well-written story line. And my brother has recommended Manalive by Chesterton, so I'm already filling one of the few remaining spots.

Whew! I can't wait to start reading. But that's true, with or without a list.