Informal discussions about the books that Reagan Schrock and Jaran Miller have been reading.
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Katrina Hoover Lee provides encouragement and practical tips to Anabaptist creatives, knowing that conservative Mennonite and Amish communities sometimes view creative pursuits with skepticism. She seeks to encourage both creative Christians and their communities as they serve God, acknowledging the strengths of the Anabaptists rather than focusing on weaknesses. Katrina is the author of multiple Christian nonfiction and historical fiction books, along with a middle grade Christian adventure ...
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Book Discussion of "Elon Musk" and "Out of the Silent Planet"
36:56
36:56
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C.S. Lewis and Elon Musk views of the universe and humanity differ widely, but we find both to be worth considering. We look at Musk's view of the world through Walter Isaacson's biography called "Elon Musk," and C.S. Lewis' through "Out of the Silent Planet. Elon Musk: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122765395-elon-musk Out of the Silent Plane…
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Book Discussion of "Live Not by Lies" and "12 Rules for Life"
35:13
35:13
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After Reagan says, “Can we get a little more nuanced?! Can we have a more interesting conversation than ‘the sky is falling!’ We’re not political commentators, because that would be boring and lame.” in response to Jaran's report on Rod Dreher’s "Live Not by Lies,” we muse on Jordan Peterson’s “12 Rules for Life,” prolonging our 35 perilous minutes…
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Book Discussion of "Man's Search for Meaning" and "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy"
29:12
29:12
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“Buy a copy right now and go read it,” says Reagan about Frankl's “Man’s Search for Meaning.” After his enthusiastic review and recommendation, we morphed into a conversation about Douglas Adams’ "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy” which questions man’s existance and proposes that it’s meaning is “42,” or something like that. Perhaps an epistemo…
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Book Discussion of "Moby-Dick" and "The Virtues of War"
29:22
29:22
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It turns out that the serpentine course of Ahab and Ishmael’s hunt for a whale illustrates "man's search for meaning in a world of deceptive appearances and fatal delusions.” Furthermore, Ishmael's taxonomy of whales merely demonstrates "the limitations of scientific knowledge and the impossibility of achieving certainty.” In other words, the book …
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Book Discussion of "The Better Angels of Our Nature" and "The Patient Ferment of the Early Church"
31:05
31:05
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Jaran and Reagan are back to talk about Steven Pinker’s "The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined" and Alan Kreider's "The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire." You might hear us being unsure what to do with the arguments in these books. We’d love to hear your thoughts. The …
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Sorrow, Success, Surrender: Field to Table Book Series
32:17
32:17
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Today you will be encouraged and strengthened by listening to my talk with Colleen Musser about the process behind her book series for children. Whether or not you are a writer, I think you'll enjoy our conversation about sorrow, the writing craft, and putting God first.
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2022 Recap: 15 of Our Favorite Books That We Read Last Year
35:18
35:18
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We read many worthy books that didn't make it onto the podcast last year. This episode mentions 15 books that we love but didn't mention to you until now. Proper Confidence by Lesslie Newbigin - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/273775.Proper_Confidence The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey https://www.goodreads.com/book/sh…
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Book Discussion of "The Communist Manifesto" and "The Lessons of History"
30:17
30:17
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Jaran and Reagan are back to talk about Marx's "Communist Manifesto" and Will Durant's "The Lessons of History." We are interested in and somewhat skeptical of the Manifesto, but we're big fans of Durant's book. The Lessons of History: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/174713.The_Lessons_of_History The Communist Manifesto: https://www.goodreads.c…
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Book Discussion of "That Hideous Strength"
24:24
24:24
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"That Hideous Strength" by C. S. Lewis is the topic of this episode. We compare "The Space Trilogy" to "Lord of the Rings" (the two trilogies aren't remotely the same), discuss the perils of seeking the inner circle, and jabber about numerous other issues surrounding the book. That Hideous Strength: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/100933.That_H…
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Mennonite Composer Gary Yoder on Art, Poetry, and Music Part 3 of 3: Moving Forward as an Anabaptist Creative
22:43
22:43
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What would Gary tell a teenage version of himself? Is it true that it is impossible to earn a living as a creative? What would Gary do if he were never able to create music or art or poetry again? In this episode, listen in as Gary shares his hopes for the future.
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Mennonite Composer Gary Yoder on Art, Poetry, and Music Part 2 of 3: Tough times as an Anabaptist Creative
29:20
29:20
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Although Gary received a lot of support and encouragement, not everyone understood his dreams of becoming a composer. This episode delves deeper into the harder issues of feeling like a social misfit and processing other people's expectations. Gary was honored to have Tapestry singers record his Christmas Lullaby in their 2020 album "All Creation's…
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Mennonite Composer Gary Yoder on Art, Poetry and Music, Part 1 of 3
27:51
27:51
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Gary Yoder knew from a young age that he wanted to be a composer. But just what would that look like for a young Mennonite boy? Listen as Gary gives an overview of his interests and work. Click here to purchase the songbook Follow Me from the Shenandoah Christian Music Camp, which includes pieces composed by Gary Yoder. This songbook contains 54 so…
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Reagan and Jaran talk about a book that was all the rage during their childhoods, "Wild at Heart" by John Eldridge. We try to resist the fashionable move of critiquing this book, but we can't help but conclude, as Reagan said, "Oh boy. I think you might have taken this a little too far."
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Book Discussion of "Amusing Ourselves to Death" and "Digital Minimalism"
26:04
26:04
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Reagan talks about Cal Newport's "Digital Minimalism," and Jaran talks about "Amusing Ourselves to Death" by Neil Postman. We resolve that both "doomscrolling" and "doomsday scrolling" aren't good for us (nuclear war isn't either). Find our website: https://thebooksweread.info/ Visit kingdomoutpost.org to find our friends’ podcasts. Find Jaran on G…
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How can I know what direction I should go with my writing or art? Should I take on a big project? Should I charge people or work for free? Katrina Hoover Lee ponders these thoughts, drawing on her recent experience writing Kidnapped in Haiti.
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Book Discussion of "The Gulag Archipelago" and "The Righteous Mind"
28:32
28:32
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"Where was this book my whole life?" asks Reagan as he encounters human depravity in "The Gulag Archipelago." Jaran then reflects on what he's learning about some of the reasons for human disagreement from Jonathan Haidt's "The Righteous Mind." Find our website: https://thebooksweread.info/ Visit kingdomoutpost.org to find our friends’ podcasts. Fi…
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Cultural Literacy Game Show, third edition
14:34
14:34
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No. The Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository is in fact not in Canada or South America, nor is it an edition of macOS. Our cultural literacy is being weighed in the balance. Should it be found wanting, we are committed to recovery. In this game show, Sara and Trish guide Jaran and Reagan through a random selection of entries in E. D. Hirsch's Ne…
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Book Discussion of "Jesus and John Wayne"
29:40
29:40
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Reagan and Jaran both recently read "Jesus and John Wayne" by Kristin Kobes Du Mez. This podcast consists of both hosts responding to this book. We offer a little bit of critique, but mostly interest and appreciation. Jesus and John Wayne: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53121662-jesus-and-john-wayne Visit kingdomoutpost.org to find our friends…
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Book Discussion of "Tintin in the Congo" and "When Everything's on Fire"
37:31
37:31
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Reagan talks about "Tintin in the Congo" by Georges Prosper Remi, better known as Hergé. Jaran talks about Brian Zahnd's news book "When Everything's on Fire." Both books are problematic. One embodies a problem and the other points out problems. We raise several questions in this episode and would love to hear your thoughts. What do you think? Tint…
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Book Discussion of "Brave New World" and "Deep Work"
21:53
21:53
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What do Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" and Cal Newport's "Deep Work" have in common? First, both address threats to our attention and maximum capacity and both have been given airtime on the latest episode of The Books We Read. Brave New World: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5129.Brave_New_World Deep Work: https://www.goodreads.com/book/sho…
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Book Discussion of "Heart of Darkness" and "Unlimited Memory"
31:55
31:55
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Jaran talks about Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness,” and Reagan talks about Kevin Horsley’s “Unlimited Memory.” Though “Heart of Darkness” is one of the most studied books in academia, many such as China Achebe believe that it is harmful. How have you experienced this book? We want to hear from you. Visit kingdomoutpost.org to find our friends’ p…
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Book Discussion of "The Kingdom New Testament" and "To Change the World"
29:16
29:16
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Reagan and Jaran wax esoteric. Reagan has been been reading N.T. Wright's translation of the New Testament called "The Kingdom New Testament: A Contemporary Translation," and Jaran has been musing about a book he read a long time ago, James Davidson Hunter's "To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Moder…
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Book Discussion of “The Benedict Option” and “Show Your Work”
35:44
35:44
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Reagan and Jaran are back! Jaran talks about a book that influenced him several years ago, Rod Dreher’s “The Benedict Option.” Reagan talks about a book that he recently read called “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon. Visit kingdomoutpost.org to find our firends’ podcasts. All the music in this episode is from Blue Dot Sessions at sessions.blue. Find…
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Writing Year 10 of 10: 3 Research Tools, One of Which is NOT the CIA! (Thomas E. Kirkman book) With Brad Kirkman and Marnell Lee
25:42
25:42
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How another author, the telephone, and a road trip enabled my research for Thomas E. Kirkman: Artist, Spy, Amish Man. With a brief chat with my husband Marnell recounting our research trip to Abilene, Kansas, and an interview with Brad Kirkman.
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Writing Year 9 of 10 - Dusting Off Historical Characters (Captain Garrison) with Rachael Lofgren
25:12
25:12
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People in the 1600's really did have personalities! Join fellow author Rachael and I as we discuss the fine art of making historical characters presentable.
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Writing Year 8 of 10 - 3 Reasons to Stop a Project: Discussing Amish Millionaire With Sara Nolt & Emily Smucker
29:18
29:18
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In this episode, I discuss "the project that never was" with project partner and cousin Sara Nolt. I further discuss reasons to stop a project with Emily Smucker, who also declined the Amish Millionaire project.
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Writing Year 7 of 10: Should I Have a Mission Statement for My Project? (Voices of Syria) with Reagan Schrock
35:17
35:17
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This interview with Reagan Schrock delves into the various ways of starting a project, and how to know if you are succeeding.
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Year 6 of 10: Find a Great Project Partner (Faces of Syria) with Rosetta Byers
21:18
21:18
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From its birth at a kitchen table in Jerusalem to publication less than two months later? How was this possible? Not by the strength of one person! Tune into hear how Faces of Syria came about, with an interview with my project partner Rosetta Byers, and a recording of one of the refugees singing.
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Writing Year 5 of 10: Be Grateful for Criticism. Really! (Heart Memoir) with Sharon Martin
18:47
18:47
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Today I chat with my friend and former colleague Sharon Martin from Ontario. We hash out the time I sent her a manuscript and she told me to let it sit.
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Writing Year 4 of 10 - Find the Right Voice, and Expect Others to Disagree (Inferno in the Lost Pines) with Debra Pahlow
31:18
31:18
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"This kind of crazy is why I'm an atheist," a reviewer says of Inferno in the Lost Pines. More than just a story of a terrible wildfire in Texas, Debra's story is a kind of crazy - the crazy when you realize that God loves you and knows you by name. With tips about writing that I learned in the process of writing this book.…
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Writing Year 3 of 10: Writing Might Be Harder Than It Looks, Especially if You Confuse Your Audience (Shatterproof) with Sarah Miller
24:04
24:04
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I was critical of other writers until I tried disaster book writing! This episode includes an interview with research trip buddy Sarah Miller, and a short reading from Shatterproof, the tornado book.
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Writing Year 2 of 10 - Write Down What Matters, Now (Blue Christmas) with Bethanie Burkholder
27:11
27:11
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Why I needed to be reminded of what matters, insight into the process of writing Blue Christmas, and an interview with my friend Bethanie, missionary nurse practitioner in Bangladesh.
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Writing Year 1 of 10: How Faithfulness in A Small Assignment Mattered in 2010 (On the Winning Side) with my sisters
14:21
14:21
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What to do with creative projects that don't seem to achieve your goals? In this episode, I question my three sisters about their memories of our mom's last days. Also, a brief snippet with my 6-year-old niece. Happy weekend!
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Donating Plasma and Donating Words: Intro to the 10 Year Review
11:32
11:32
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This episode introduces an upcoming series of ten lessons from ten years of writing. I also give you a head's up on the 10th Anniversary festivities at my online store.
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Cultural Literacy Game Show, second edition
15:56
15:56
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E. D. Hirsch's "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" has inspired Jaran and Reagan to check up on each other, ensuring that they're appropriately culturally literate. In this episode, they quiz each other's cultural literacy by going through lists of questions on a website designed for this purpose. For the quizes, we used the webs…
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Book Discussion of (The Spiritual Poverty of) The Anabaptist Vision and Socrates
25:51
25:51
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Reagan and Jaran read widely. When they sat down to plan their next sequence of episodes, they realized that they've been reading books that cannot be paired in any coherent way. Consequently, in the coming episodes, our dear listeners will be blessed with commentaries on very diverse books. Jaran talks about Harold Bender's "The Anabaptist Vision"…
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Book Discussion of "Thirst" and "Hillbilly Elegy"
21:51
21:51
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Jaran and Reagan talk about books they've been reading. Jaran read "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis" by J. D. Vance (he read it a long time ago but is only now talking about it), and Reagan read "Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion, and a Mission to Bring Clean Water to the World" by Scott Harrison. Basically, from…
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Book Discussion of "Blitzed" and "For Women Only"
18:53
18:53
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How would WWII have ended differently without the influence of methamphetamine? We don't know, but we can be pretty sure that it made a serious difference. In this episode, Reagan tells us about Norman Ohler's "Blitzed: Drugs in Nazi Germany," and Jaran uses Shaunti Feldhahn's "For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men" to …
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Book Discussion of "Measure for Measure" and "Becoming"
22:38
22:38
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We at The Books We Read care about humanity. Yes we do. That's why we keep you, dear audience, informed about matters like William Shakespeare and Michelle Obama. Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure," probes into the painful ethical choices that humans must sometimes make, and Michelle's "Becoming" sheds light on the humanity of those in power. Beco…
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Book Discussion of “All Quiet on the West-End Front” and “The Pilgrim’s Progress”
19:09
19:09
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Reagan Schrock and Jaran Miller discuss the books that they’ve been reading.Despite the weighty (and sometimes unpleasant) issues it raises, reagan discusses William Rycroft’s “All Quiet on the West-End Front” quite positively.Despite it’s prominent place in the Protestant literary tradition, Jaran discusses John Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress” w…
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Book Discussion of "What If" and "Lilith"
16:15
16:15
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In this episode of The Books We Read, Reagan Schrock and Jaran Miller discuss two books that they've been reading. Jaran talks about George MacDonald's dark book Lilith, and Reagan tells about Randall Munroe's delightful book What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. What If: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21413662…
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Book Discussion of “A Year of Biblical Womanhood” and “Perelandra”
16:00
16:00
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In this fourth episode of The Books We Read, Reagan Schrock and Jaran Miller discuss the books they've been reading and thinking about. Reagan discusses C. S. Lewis’ "Perelandra” (The Space Trilogy, #2), and Jaran talks about "A Year of Biblical Womanhood" by Rachel Held Evans.We try to publish a new episode every second Friday, so expect to hear f…
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In the first episode of The Books We Read, Reagan Schrock and Jaran Miller discussed E. D. Hirsch's Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know. In this episode, they quiz each other's cultural literacy by randomly selecting topics in his The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know. We try to publish a new ep…
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Book Discussion of "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" and "Captive: My Time as a Prisoner of the Taliban"
26:20
26:20
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26:20
In this second episode of The Books We Read, Reagan Schrock and Jaran Miller discuss the books they've been reading and thinking about. Reagan discusses Jere Van Dyk's "Captive: My Time as a Prisoner of the Taliban," and Jaran talks about "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris. We try to publish a new episode every second Friday, so expect to h…
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Book Discussion of "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" and "Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now"
18:01
18:01
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18:01
In this first episode of The Books We Read, Reagan Schrock and Jaran Miller discuss two books that they've been reading. Jaran talks about E. D. Hirsch's "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know," and Reagan comments on "Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. We try to publish a new episode every second Friday,…
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