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A pile of books...a common sight around these parts.

I love lists. Today: the most urgent books from the to-read shelf. In approximate order of priority.  

John's Gospel and the Renewal of the Church by Wes Howard-Brook. A good friend of a good friend said this changed his life, church-wise, so I ordered it. Gets to be on the top because I'm most of the way through it already. 

Unlocking the Emotional Brain - Memory Reconsolidation and the Psychotherapy of Transformational Change by Bruce Ecker, Robin Ticic, and Laural Hulley. How do we change the rules stored in our un- and subconscious minds (and therefore the behaviors that all the willpower in the world can't seem to change)? Bruce Ecker has a theory...

My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem: How we store trauma in our bodies. Generational trauma. White supremacy. Each chapter contains body-centered practices the author says are crucial to the reading process, but for some reason when I started the book I wasn't in a space where I could do the practices, so I put it aside. Very much need to pick it up again.

What If We Get It Right? - Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. See: imagination.

How the Body of Christ Talks - Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church by C. Christopher Smith, founding editor of the Englewood Review of Books and who is, like me, interested in participatory practices in church. 

the art of holding space - a practice of love, liberation, and leadership by heather plett, not a fan of capital letters. I can't remember why I didn't read this book when I first got it. Or *did* I read it when I first got it and have I forgotten everything about it? In any case: holding space. Seems important.

Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenburg. Also seems important. But honestly? I don't want to read this. I'm afraid it will be in the vein of "reflective listening" which I will forever feel guilty for failing at. But the cover reminds me of How to Talk So Your Children Will Listen..., which was life-changing for me, so that's promising.

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. This was a parting gift from the Eco Summer Camp, so I feel like I should read it. But the back cover uses the phrase "ego attachment," which gets my hackles up, so it's not on top of the list. I'll keep an open mind.

The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. Science fiction - not usually my thing - but also, it's about climate change and set in Zurich, so I feel like I should try. I got this for Daniel for his birthday last year and the plan was for us to read it together, but he started it and said it was tough going. 

Taking bets on how long will it take me to work my way through these? Winner gets to read a bunch of random blog entries!