Ten Novels Every American Should Read to Understand the Culture Part 1

We all have our favorite books that we think everyone should read, both novels and non-fiction. I could probably name a hundred that I think need to be on your Don't Miss This! list.  Why? Because they help us understand what's going on in the world and how to respond to it. I'll start with only ten of my favorite books in a two-part post. Every one is worth reading more than once and reflected upon. Each has prophetic elements that strike the tocsin, the warning bell. We would do well to pay attention! 

George MacDonald and the God of Patience

I'm a big fan of George MacDonald (so were G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis). Recently I came across a quote from MacDonald's novel, There and Back:

"God is the God of patience, and waits and waits for the child who keeps him waiting and will not open the door."

The novel is a fascinating study of family life, unhappy marriage, sacrificial love, friendship, rejection, regret.... If you want a thought-provoking story about life and character, read it. Take it on vacation. Let the sound of the waves, like the heartbeat of the earth, be the background music for your thoughts. Seeing the quote reminded me of the novel which can be read or downloaded online. (Go here.)