I was given a Kindle e-reader for my birthday late last year, and since then have been sourcing the free (A History of American Christianity, Bacon), the very cheap (NIV Bible for US$1.99) and the very reasonable (the above for US$9.99), all purchased with one touch and almost instantly downloaded. So expect the odd e-reader review this year, although most are also available in hard copy.

I have often been inspired by preachers to read the great Christian classics, but have given up very quickly due to their length and archaic language. This volume addresses both those issues.  It consists of two pages of daily readings from the great Christian writers of the last two millennia, paraphrased into contemporary English.

You will read Ambrose and Clement, Calvin and Luther, Descartes and Knox, Spurgeon and Crosby, plus many others whose names you would not recognise.

Each reading includes the title of the book it is taken from and a small introduction to the author.

E-readers are just the right size to slip into a bag or purse, remarkably cheap, and make reading on the train or bus so easy. (Have you ever tried reading the NZ Herald with another passenger sharing the seat?) I have noted that when the scripture reading is given in church, most of the young people reached for their mobile device. Now I too reach for my Kindle – and if the preacher is very boring I can redeem the time by meditating on the Christian classic of the day.

By Mark Gilroy
Kindle Edition, Creative LLC, 2011
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-936034-60-4 
(also available in MP3 audio)

– David McLeod-Jones