A pearl.
I started to read this book with a bias; something the author quickly convinced me was an incorrect approach. My bias was generated by something an ancient Greek philosopher, it may have been Socrates, commiserated about. Paraphrasing him, he said, “Books spell the doom of civilization. Why would students truly learn without argument and the clashing of ideas with fellow students if they only needed to refer to a book for the answer?” He lived when the transfer of knowledge was transitioning from oral to written. To an extent, we are now when the transition is from oral to visual. It has gone from “I heard it somewhere” to “I read it somewhere” to “I saw it somewhere”. Jessica Hooten Wilson’s rejoinder is a resounding ‘WHOA’. She directly addresses the issue on page 97 through the words of James Baldwin. The oral transition is transitory—once heard, the imprint on the brain is gone; the visual transition is constricted; only the written is retained for continued availability for reference.

Especially enticing about the author’s message is that she imbeds her ideas in a spiritual context. She implores readers to broaden reading habits and, by doing so, enhance their sensitivity to the messages contained in spiritual readings. She uses the writings of Augustine of Hippo, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass and Dorothy L. Sayers as examples to follow. The section focusing on Augustine read like mini sermons. I mean that as a positive.

The book is intimidating, the author gambols through cites with gay abandon. Many of her cites seem to be fellow professors, past and present, with a student or two thrown in. I discerned that many of her citations were secondary—cites to previous writers who cited other works. One citation that escaped scrutiny was to Makoto Fujimura’s Art and Faith where, on page 83 of this book, the artist refers to gazing out to sea standing on the beach in Los Gatos, California. Unless the Santa Cruz Mountains have floated away, Los Gatos is miles away. A small and insignificant point.

Not to be considered a negative is the uneasy feeling that the readers who could profit the most from this book are those least likely to read it. To a great extent, it takes a person somewhat comfortable reading about great writings to appreciate the wisdom Jessica Hooten Wilson has conveyed here. I am marginally comfortable but struggled. ( )

I received this work through the Early Reviewers giveaway program. I requested the work because I enjoy books about reading; the phycological, physical, sociological, linguistic, etc. aspects of the act. I also enjoy books about the Bible - particularly about the Bible as a work of literature. This book hit both buttons!

Wilson did a nice job of explaining the need for reading, specifically intentional reading, and why it's important to read the 'right' things. I enjoyed her recommendations on what constitutes the 'right' things - agreed with some and disagreed with others. But I particularly enjoyed her asides on how to read like other writers. Her pieces on Douglass (didn't know where he got his last name til now) and Sayers.

In any event, I'd recommend this book to any interested in the act of reading and/or anyone interested in reading the Bible as a work of literature. But be prepared, you'll come away with a long reading list based on Wilson's recommendations and commentary.

As Christians we are meant to love beautiful things. Pg 55

Read the work and consider it on its own merits. Pg 57

Our eyes are not enough by which to see. Pg 62 ( )

Reading for the Love of God is a plea for people to recognize the benefits of reading for spiritual formation. Wilson, the author, encourages people to read literature in order to enhance their reading of Scripture. This book is written in a more academic style, complete with a dense amount of references and quotations to other literature. I highly enjoyed the chapters on the reading lives of influential Christians: Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Dorothy Sayers, etc. It was helpful to see how these principles of reading could be applied in people's every day lives. Reading for the Love of God is written by a literature professor. One can immediately recognize and commend Wilson's passion for reading literature and encouraging others to do the same. However, this book is likely to only attract people who are already strong readers. This book might be difficult for those who do not normally read or are not strong readers. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions in this review are my own. ( )

Very academic book, not a light read. While I did find it interesting and thought provoking I can’t say I enjoyed it..it was far too lofty for my taste. The author explores how reading literature can improve our understanding and enjoyment of reading the Bible. She also interspersed chapters with “bookmarks” on the reading life of Augustine of Hippo, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglas & Dorothy L. Sayers: I really appreciated these as well as the extensive reading lists included. Only for the very serious reader. ( )

Reading for the Love of God reminds me somewhat of Leland Ryken and Glenda Faye Mathe's book Recovering the Lost Art of Reading, although Jessica Hooten Wilson's book is written in a more complex style. Her insights into ways of reading and her quotes from literature and other sources are phenomenal, but I think the book is marred by two features: first, she sometimes uses words that she does not explain until later or does not explain that clearly; second, she seems to be on a mission for women, always using the pronoun "she" and having two sections specifically about women in relation to her topic. Now, don't get me wrong--I don't mind her using "she" as a pronoun and I don't mind that she writes about women, but I think that focus could be in a different book, as this is about reading and we don't need to have a gender aspect to this topic (unless, of course, gender impacts the ways of reading). Overall, however, I liked the ideas in the book and even took some notes down on her insights. ( )