Brian Jones

Here are a few noteworthy things I stumbled upon this summer…

#1 Best Poetry Book

The Canti by Giacomo Leopardi, a 19th century Italian poet with the ability to paint beautiful images with words. There are a few love poems in there too for guys who want to impress their wives with Italian poetry. Picture it: Dinner…candles…glass of wine… “Babe, no words come to mind right now to describe how beautiful you are tonight…except a line from Giacomo Leopardi…” Husbands, how can you not get lucky with a line like that?

"We live content In idleness and led by mediocrity: the best have fallen. The worst have risen to one common place where all things level out. On with your work of finding; rouse the dead now, since the living sleep; arm the exhausted tongues of early heroes; so that this age of mud may come to lust for life at last and rise to noble deeds, or sink abashed."  (Written January 20, 1820, To Angelo Mai on the Occasion of his Discovery of Some Books of Cicero’s De Re Publica).

#2 Best Worship Song

“Always On My Mind” by Jon McLaughlin (album – OK Now). I’ve worn that sucker out on my iPod.

#3 Best Book

A Kierkegaard Anthology, edited by Robert Bretall. Bretall grabbed the best parts of all of Kierkegaard’s writings and puts them into one volume. I've read lots of his stuff before but wanted to cruise through his whole development of thought in one sitting. His “Attack Upon Christendom” was the most delightfully disturbing stuff I’ve encountered in a while. I also liked the book because I secretly wish I had a last name like “Kierkegaard.”

#4 Best New Artist

Gavin Degraw. His self-titled album “Gavin Degraw” is one of the best cover-to-cover albums I’ve heard in years. Definitely worth the download.

#5 Best Pastor Blogger

Bob Franquiz. This guy is flipping hysterical. Love following him on Facebook as well. His new book Zero to Sixty: 60 Principles and Practices For Leading A Growing Church just came out. If you are a pastor or a volunteer leader in the church I’d skip your next meal to buy that book. The down side is Bob lives in Florida. Typically I hate people who live in Florida because they always call me in mid January from their sunroom in the backyard sipping on fresh-squeezed OJ when its minus 345 degrees in Philly. Just love those people. Yet I will not hate.

Any cool stuff you found this summer worth sharing?

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