Take these reader favorites "off the shelf"
Readers of The Bridge offer their own reading recommendations

When we invited readers to enter to win a summer collection of faculty recommended favorites, over 110 entries poured in from alumni, current students, parents, friends of the College, and others! Some of them have their own recommendations to offer.

The Spirit of the Disciplines  by Dallas Willard
"An excellent exploration of the purpose of the spiritual disciplines, the way of life lived by Christ and the early church, that encourages believers to pursue the total transformation of life entailed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. It not only exhorts regarding possibilities, but points the way for all who desire greater godliness."

— Jonathan Owen '02

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

"This Man Booker prize–winning novel is full of intriguing characters, engaging questions, and page-turning narrative. Martel's prose style is at once charmingly simple and convincingly complex. Skilled at blending fact and fiction in his readers' minds, Martel turns the almost absurd survival account of Pi Patel into a platform for continuing the universal quest for authentic spirituality. His narrative successfully argues that a story can indeed be true, even if it never happened. Or did it happen?"

— Rebecca Buckham '05

A Mighty Heart by Marianne Pearl

"A heartbreaking and heartwarming account of the kidnap and murder of her husband, Daniel Pearl, Wall Street Journal columnist. I cried—came away with great admiration for her strength at a time of inconceivable loss!"

— Joyce Sammel

A Prayer for Owen Meaney and Cider House Rules by John Irving

"These are wonderfully written stories with meaningful plots. When reading, you become part of the story, a friend to the characters, and when you're finished, you feel a void from that friendship coming to a close."

— Emily Wilson-Hauger '06

Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer

"This book examines the way we think. The premise of the book is to help us achieve positive thinking in our everyday lives. The book looks at scripture as a direct way to reach that goal."

— Jenny Peterson '10

Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 by Steve Stockman

The new version of Stockman's book is current and extremely relevant, filling in long-open gaps for both the casual U2 fan and the serious follower of the band and of Bono's social justice work. Many articles and books over the years present religious generalizations or song by song exposition. Stockman, an Irish Protestant minister, takes the reader back to when the bandmates were adolescents and guides us through their spiritual formation, complete with the highs and lows, ebbs and flows of what it has meant to be Irish, to follow Jesus, and to be a rock star.

— Vince Caperelli '93

Crinkleroot's Guide to Walking in Wild Places by Jim Arnosky

A children's book about walking in the woods that is equally enjoyed by my 2-year-old son and by grown-up hikers :) Includes tidbits about safety and sketches and descriptions of plant and animal life.

— Gina Shatney '01

Heaven by Randy Alcorn and Prayer--Does it Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancey

They both appeal to the deeper contemplative life.

— Paul Martin

Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
This non-fiction book examines why some ideas "stick" and others don't. You learn proven principles for making your ideas "sticky." This can be useful in any vocation.

— Darryl Zoller

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Very interesting book about why some things become popular and others don't. From epidemics to crime this is a very interesting book. If you liked, Freakonomics, you will like this book.

— Joshua Brown '98

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

This book provides logical information on how we should pattern our lives.

The Confident Woman, Joyce Meyer—One of the problems in today's society is the lack of self-confidence—especially among women. An excellent read!
The Bible -- The ultimate book of guidance.

— Pam Clark

The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis
The stories and writings of Lewis are timeless.

— Darin Hickethier '03

What is the What   by David Eggers

This is a novelized autobiography; Eggers, the novelist, writes in the voice of Valentino Achak Deng, who was one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. It is heartbreaking, eye-opening, poignant, humorous, hopeful. Humanity's capacity for destruction and chaos is matched only by its capacity for resilience.

— Kipp Gilmore-Clough '96

These resources are recommended by readers and do not represent materials endorsed by Messiah College.