{"id":1585,"date":"2006-11-22T02:20:38","date_gmt":"2006-11-22T02:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/jesuscreed\/2006\/11\/sbl-books-and-what-to-buy.html"},"modified":"2006-11-22T02:20:38","modified_gmt":"2006-11-22T02:20:38","slug":"sbl-books-and-what-to-buy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/jesuscreed\/2006\/11\/sbl-books-and-what-to-buy.html","title":{"rendered":"SBL, Books and What to buy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday’s post on book buying at SBL generated a bundle of questions, and I thought I’d just drop some quick answers right here. So, here goes…
\nFirst, I have a long paper I wrote on my reading habits called “Never Alone<\/a>” and put it on the sidebar. Print it out and read at your leisure.
\nHere’s the assumption for what follows in my book purchasing: I’ve got a good library; I’ve got the basics — reference books, tools, grammars, commentaries, the basics in theology and church history. Concentrate there first was my policy. Then branch out; that’s what I’m doing.
\nSecond, since biblical studies is presently in a stale period — and I’ve said this before — I find myself gravitating toward theology. And, if you wander through the most provocative and stimulating book tables at SBL you’ll observe that there is a massive shift toward theology books. My own view is that the Dead Sea Scrolls stimulated new waves of thought in Bible — and we are mopping up those waves now. But, those waves gave new ideas for theology, and theology is where it is at today. I don’t find one more critique of the new perspective remotely interesting.
\nThird, most importantly I buy what strikes me as interesting, stimulating, and suggestive. I don’t stick to one subject; I buy what is interesting to me and what I want to read. (Sometimes I buy what I think you readers would like to converse about.)
\nFourth, I buy what I have to read for my writing and research projects: atonement, James, etc..
\nFifth, I buy what I need for teaching.
\nSixth, as to which books to choose: I go for mainline academic publishers (Eerdmans, WJKP, Baylor, Abingdon, Fortress, Brazos\/Baker Academic) for academic books, and I keep my eyes on the more evangelical church-oriented publishers (IVP, Zondervan). I always read books on spirituality — so Paraclete is a favorite for me.
\nSeventh, I don’t use a highlighter. I use a fountain pen; I underline with a straight line without a ruler; I mark my books; I underline what I think I’ll need to refer to later; I sometimes outline in the margins. I always have a piece of paper in the book to jot down thoughts that come to my mind.
\nEighth, frankly, I can afford to buy more books than I used to buy. I know this is even painful to some who’d like to have more funds for books; I remember the days well. Owning is convenience — some books can be checked out of the library. Owning is also possession — so I can mark the books.
\nNinth, I do check www.abebooks.com for used books. My preference is for a “fine” or “new” book; I don’t like books marked by others. I prefer clothbound to paper.
\nTenth, I love John Goldingay: I knew John in my Nottingham days and I think I’ve read most everything he’s published. Those 2 OT theology books are too fat and too long, but I need to consult him often. And I like what I see in him.
\nEleventh, I’ve registered this before: I don’t read much fiction; I read essayists all the time. (This is all in “Never Alone.”)
\nHand this last paragraph to your spouse and say it’s from me: Buy what you can afford and no more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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