Two Great Books for Beginning Readers: The Hiding Place and The Way of Life
This isn't so much a review as a recommendation. And like I say in every review, I'm just a kid! But I want to bring forward two books I read this week that I think would be great for beginning readers.
Today someone told me she wants to start reading, but she doesn't want to borrow anyone's books because she doesn't know how to read them or where to start. I encouraged her to start, but of course the question was: start with what? There are some phenomenal tracts and small works that would be a good start. But if you aren't intimidated by a little size, these two are both around 250 pages.
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
A biographical work. During World War II, Corrie ten Boom and her family fought against the Nazis by hiding Jews in their home. It's a fantastic, really encouraging story, and even theologically, I found it pretty solid for the most part. I don't know what you could complain about.
The Way of Life by Charles Hodge
Subtitled Christian Belief and Experience, this is basically a book of fundamental doctrine, an introduction to theology, if you will. Hodge is best known for his magnum opus, his three-volume Systematic Theology, published in 1872–73, a really solid systematic. But he wrote this one for young believers. If you've grown up in the church and know more or less some biblical doctrine, but not too much, I highly recommend it.
What I love for beginning readers is that it's split into chapters, and the chapters into sections. That makes for such an easy read. You can say, "I want to read this chapter today; there are four sections, so I need four reading sessions." Or if you're in a hurry, just read to the next section marker.
The chapters: The Scriptures Are the Word of God; Sin (all men are sinners, causes of indifference to the charge of sin, conviction of sin); Justification; Faith; Repentance; Profession of Religion; and Holy Living. That's basically the gospel right there.
Both are excellent places to start if you're just getting into reading, and very good books even if you're not.
Soli Deo Gloria!
