"Blog # 400: Recreational Reading Recommendations"

When a man from the Sunday School Class that you teach puts his new book on Amazon...when you haven't been able to meet with your Class for WEEKS due to the Coronavirus Crisis, so you MISS those guys...and when you're looking for RECREATIONAL READING to balance out your WORK-related WRITING and DEVOTIONAL reading material, what do you do?? YOU BUY THAT GUY'S NEW BOOK, OFF OF AMAZON, OF COURSE, Lol!!  Those factors are what led me to purchase the tome shown above..."Big Jim Pitman" is the man who attends my Men's Sunday School class, and HE is the one who, at age 80, has decided to put his rather fascinating life story into book form.

Jim is not a member of our church (unfortunately.)

He is not a member of ANY church (unbiblically.)

But I'm happy that he at least attends my class and that he even gives me his offering to put into the collection plate during the subsequent morning service, as he leaves.  It's a START, yes, but I urge him CONSTANTLY to become more involved in our ENTIRE church.

Jim's book is 350 pages long and no, I haven't read it all yet, it'll probably take me months to finish it as I'm reading several books concurrently.

But I have a pretty good idea what it's about.  You see, Jim always shows up 45 minutes early for my class and, as we'd talk one-on-one, in private, he would tell me what's in his story. He even sent me previews, several months ago!! I saw that front cover design (above) before anyone else did because he wanted ME to SKETCH it (I didn't have time, so I declined, but it turned out GREAT the way it is.) And the blurb on the BACK cover ALSO sheds light about his story, hinting that Jim was a gang-leader, thief and vigilante who was jailed in a "Cool Hand Luke" type of facility down south. This was BEFORE Jim "surrendered it all to a life in Jesus Christ," according to that back cover promo AND Jim's personal account, which I've heard first-hand. I don't regret praying for the success of Jim's book because God uses ALL types of individuals, even the "unconventional" (think John the Baptist) to bear witness to His Name!!

So what makes this book RECREATIONAL and not DEVOTIONAL, then?? Maybe it's the DESCRIPTION of Jim, on page 350 and the back cover.   Whoever authored that description INCREDIBLY  sums up Jim as "A man with the tenacity of Clint Eastwood, the adrenaline rush of Indiana Jones, the physical feats of a James Bond movie, the genius of Einstein, the psychoanalyzing skills of Dr. Phil and the power of Al Capone." Lol, we joke around a LOT in my class before the class formally commences (and we then get serious about the Scriptures)...but what makes me think that, WHEN we're able to meet again, Jim is going to be TEASED about that description of him?? Lol!!

No, I haven't READ the whole book yet, but I've SKIMMED it and was pleased to note, on page 345, that Jim says I run an "excellent Sunday morning men's Bible class." I can't wait till we RESUME the class again, but, in the meantime, with all the "Social-Distancing" going on around here, reading this book is the closest "fellowship" that I can have with Big Jim.

And again...I can't wait.

Here is ANOTHER very interesting, "Recreational Reading" book on Amazon. This is one that I have recently read and even REVIEWED...and here is that Review.

I came across this great book because the author and I share the same editor. I was intrigued by the concept of short stories AND poetry done by an "old cowboy," being a city slicker, myself. Don's last name is "CANT" but let me tell you, Don's book CAN make you laugh, it CAN transport you to the West no matter where you live, and it contains poetry which CAN charm you and touch your soul. In these troubling times of the Coronavirus Crisis, I found it like a $10 "vacation" for the mind and it was well worth it.

By the way, I am NOT the "Chet" mentioned in several of Don's short stories...but I almost wish I was so I could meet the man in person, not just through this fascinating little book.

Chet Jelinski, Whiting, NJ

*****Both of these books may be previewed, and purchased, on Amazon!!  And don't forget to check out MY three (though they are more DEVOTIONAL reading than RECREATIONAL reading!!)*****