Dennis' Pile of Books: October 2015

Welcome to Dennis' Pile of Books

If you were to walk into my office, either at the church or at my house, one thing you would most likely notice many, many books. I have piles of books everywhere so it seems. I love books and surround myself with them wherever I am (at work, on vacation, in the bathroom... you get the picture). So welcome to my pile of books!

On one of my other blogs (Immersed in Mystery) I have a running list of books I have recently read, and ones I am currently reading. In the past few months I began writing short comments after each book title, these were sort of like mini-book reviews, really mini. I thought that rather than lose these comments in the future (I only keep 10 titles on the list at any one time) I would create a blog dedicated to the books I have read.

Having this blog dedicated to the books I have read will also allow me to expand on my comments, perhaps even expanding into a full book review on occasion. Each book will have its own entry, and after the initial 10 entries future books will be noted in this blog when I finish them (in other words the date of the blog entry will indicate the date I finished that book). Mostly this blog is for my own benefit (to help remember all I've read), but I also like to share good books with others. Occasionally I feel the need to warn people about a disappointing book - our free time is scarce enough as it is, no use wasting it on a book that isn't worth the time or effort.

I welcome other comments on these books, it is always interesting to hear how others react to a book I've read - so feel free to leave comments on this blog. And I'm always open to book suggestions from others, I've encountered some great books because of other people's suggestions. Enjoy browsing through my pile of books.

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Flight to Heaven: A Pilot's True Story

by Capt. Dale Black

This book was lent to me by a parishioner because she knew I liked books about NDEs. It is certainly an inspiring story, though most of the book dealt with the plane crash and miraculous rehabilitation from that, and only a few chapters actually covered the NDE. It was a quick and enjoyable read.

Monday, October 19, 2015

The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientist's Case for the Existence of the Soul

by Mario Beauregard and Denyse O'Leary

I think the book is more a refutation of those scientist's who function purely from materialism than it is proving something, nevertheless some interesting information and interpretation of current research. Suggests that mystics reveal something about the nature of human life and our place in the universe, something that can not be explained away easily as a product of the brain.