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Take and Read: Spiritual Reading
Spiritual reading has fallen on bad times. Today, reading is largely a consumer activity, done for information that may fuel ambitions or careers -- and the faster the better. Take and Read represents Eugene H. Peterson's attempt to rekindle the activity of spiritual reading, reading that considers any book that comes to hand in a spiritual way, tuned to the Spirit, alert to intimations of God.
Take and Read provides an annotated list of the books that have stood the test of time and that, for Peterson, are spiritually formative in the Christian life. The books on this list range from standard spiritual classics to novels, poems, and mysteries, and include an equally broad spectrum of authors -- from Augustine and C. S. Lewis to William Faulkner and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Annotations following each entry offer Peterson's own significant insights into the power of each work.
Take and Read provides an annotated list of the books that have stood the test of time and that, for Peterson, are spiritually formative in the Christian life. The books on this list range from standard spiritual classics to novels, poems, and mysteries, and include an equally broad spectrum of authors -- from Augustine and C. S. Lewis to William Faulkner and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Annotations following each entry offer Peterson's own significant insights into the power of each work.
136 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 1995
73 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
About the author
Eugene H. Peterson
432 books984 followersEugene H. Peterson was a pastor, scholar, author, and poet. For many years he was James M. Houston Professor of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. He also served as founding pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland. He had written over thirty books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language a contemporary translation of the Bible. After retiring from full-time teaching, Eugene and his wife Jan lived in the Big Sky Country of rural Montana. He died in October 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 4, 2016
Because I not only like to read books about books, but I also like to make lists about books, I took it upon myself to create a bookshelf on my Goodreads page that holds all the titles Peterson recommends in Take & Read: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
I consider it my lifetime goals bookshelf.
I consider it my lifetime goals bookshelf.
"Spiritual reading, for most of us, requires either the recovery or acquisition of skills not in current repute: leisurely, repetitive, reflective reading. In this we are not reading primarily for information, but for companionship. Baron Friedrich von Hügel once said it was like sucking on a lozenge in contrast to g ulping a meal. It is a way of reading that shapes the heart at the same time that it informs the intellect, sucking out the marrow-nourishment from the bone-words."
July 5, 2019
I'm a bit overwhelmed —in a gladsome way— after finishing Take and Read. Eugene Peterson's gift to readers is the cumulation of a lifetime of reading and studying. With twenty categories he lists the books that have most influenced and shaped his thinking.
This is an "Annotated List"; his notes besotted me. I liked perusing his lists, but I loved Peterson's commentary. For example, on Calvin's Institutes Peterson writes, This is some of the keenest theology ever written, but written, every word of it, by a pastor in the middle of a parish of rather unruly sinner-Christians.
Not being in the same exact theological stream as Peterson didn't prevent me from gleaning the goodness from his lists. I growled when he included Henry Adams' autobiography, a book I consider a massive waste of my time. I do wish, though, that other writers with whom I am more aligned would write their own annotated lists...and publish them!
I had a flurry of ordering books and a whirl locating titles on my shelves and moving them closer to my bedside stand. I never need worry about "what should I read next?"
I am grateful to my friend Hope who recommended this book and seems to find the best Kindle books on sale.
This is an "Annotated List"; his notes besotted me. I liked perusing his lists, but I loved Peterson's commentary. For example, on Calvin's Institutes Peterson writes, This is some of the keenest theology ever written, but written, every word of it, by a pastor in the middle of a parish of rather unruly sinner-Christians.
Not being in the same exact theological stream as Peterson didn't prevent me from gleaning the goodness from his lists. I growled when he included Henry Adams' autobiography, a book I consider a massive waste of my time. I do wish, though, that other writers with whom I am more aligned would write their own annotated lists...and publish them!
I had a flurry of ordering books and a whirl locating titles on my shelves and moving them closer to my bedside stand. I never need worry about "what should I read next?"
I am grateful to my friend Hope who recommended this book and seems to find the best Kindle books on sale.
November 14, 2018
Obviously, Eugene Peterson was brilliant, but this book brought his brilliance to the forefront. I know that wasn’t his intention at all, but his book choices in this book are impressively scholarly. I’m not sure how many of the books I’d actually read on some of the book lists, but his insights on the books he chose are well worth reading. I love that he takes the Christian life utterly seriously—our faith should touch every single part of our life. And yet he also writes about the importance of novels and poetry in fleshing out our unique lived experiences in a way that a Bible commentary or how-to book on prayer can’t. I’m glad to have this on my shelf for Eugene’s wise pastoral guidance.
April 23, 2024
Second time through. 3 1/2 stars. Peterson was a word smith and his comments on this rather eclectic reading list are well-worth the time. Though it's hard to pin Peterson down theologically (he seems to straddle the fence between evangelical and more mainline Protestantism), his love for the Bible, devotion to pastoral ministry, and deep spirituality all bleed through in this little book.
January 9, 2021
I have technically finished reading this and continue to reference it. It’s a beautiful annotated reading list from a spiritual leader I respect and dearly love. I’m
Using it in this new year to select some intentional reading for personal and spiritual growth.
Also, surprisingly and unexpectedly, it made me laugh out loud a few different times. Eugene Peterson’s honesty about some books — “an exceedingly dull book, but full of useful information” — made me laugh. His recommendations and notes on so many books are of high value. I’m excited to keep this on my shelf for years to come as a reading guide.
Using it in this new year to select some intentional reading for personal and spiritual growth.
Also, surprisingly and unexpectedly, it made me laugh out loud a few different times. Eugene Peterson’s honesty about some books — “an exceedingly dull book, but full of useful information” — made me laugh. His recommendations and notes on so many books are of high value. I’m excited to keep this on my shelf for years to come as a reading guide.
April 22, 2024
I initially gave this book 5 stars as it was well written and the author seemed to recommend interesting books that were in line with historic Christianity. After downloading and reading/skimming several samples and books on his list, I’ve formed a different opinion. It seems that Peterson enjoyed and endorsed writers who are more along the lines of “Progressive” Christians.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Well, that didn’t go as planned. I thought I’d knock this book out in half a day since it’s only 125 pages in length, but no. This annotated list of books on spiritual living was so full of interesting books that I spent a sizable chunk of two days tracking them down. Wait till my book bestie Ellen finds out I’ve added several to my already bulging TBR pile. The samples of several more are now waiting in my Kindle library. Time well spent if I do say so myself.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Well, that didn’t go as planned. I thought I’d knock this book out in half a day since it’s only 125 pages in length, but no. This annotated list of books on spiritual living was so full of interesting books that I spent a sizable chunk of two days tracking them down. Wait till my book bestie Ellen finds out I’ve added several to my already bulging TBR pile. The samples of several more are now waiting in my Kindle library. Time well spent if I do say so myself.
April 26, 2024
I try to reread this little book about once a year. It reminds me of wonderful books out there still to be read in numerous categories, and new friends I have discovered in the past year. You may not always agree with all of his choices - nor did he expect you to - but it remains a great reference and read itself.
January 1, 2025
Not me reading a book to help map out my reading list for 2025
September 3, 2016
One of my favorite resources for good reading! Highly recommended.
September 19, 2019
Having read many of the books discussed here before, I must admit that I did not think about who was writing the book until after I read it. I would have been spared more than a few puzzled moments when the author promoted the works of some hack named Eugene Peterson [1], whose works have been nothing if not uneven with some of them great (A Long Obedience In The Same Direction) and some of them terrible (The Message). This book is neither, but it is a thoughtful example of spiritual reading and some suggestions for reading for those who wish to involve themselves in the lengthy tradition of Christian mysticism. Even if I have mixed feelings about the book and the self-promotion the author engages in, there is still a lot to appreciate here. The author clearly has read and appreciates a lot of works and is part of a lengthy tradition of writers who have thought about matters of prayer and meditation and spirituality. The author gives a great deal of respect to that tradition even as he seeks to make it better known.
This book is a very short one at a bit more than 100 pages. The books that the author suggests to read [2] come in twenty chapters. The author begins with some basics (1), after which he goes through some of what he considers to be classics (2) as well as books dealing with the Psalms (3). After that come books that discuss prayer (4) as well as some prayerbooks and hymnbooks (5). The author then turns his attention towards worship and liturgy (6) as well as the subjects of spiritual formation (7) and spiritual discipline (8). This leads to a discussion of uniquely North American spirituality (9) as well as suggestions for writings by various novelists (10), poets (11), and pastors (12). The author discusses books relating to Jesus (13), mysteries (14), as well as suggestions for Bible commentaries (15) on various books of the Bible. There are suggestions for books that deal with a sense of place (16) as well as saints (17), sin and the devil (18), and history (19). Finally, the author suggests readers look at some of the author's other books (20), before the author closes with an index of authors and books.
Ultimately, it would take a considerable length of time for anyone to read even part of the works that the author suggests, and the fact that many of such books are out of print will make finding these books, much less reading them, quite a challenge for most readers of modest reads. The author has clearly not chosen books because of their popularity or accessibility but presumably because the author has read them and liked them and thinks other people should read and like what he does. I wonder how broadly the author has chosen among the books he liked, because there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 books chosen here, and it is likely to be a substantial portion of his own library that he recommends others read. The author is even aware of the Neoplatonic influence into Hellenistic Christianity and appears to approve of it, which I found strikingly remarkable here, if not praiseworthy.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...
This book is a very short one at a bit more than 100 pages. The books that the author suggests to read [2] come in twenty chapters. The author begins with some basics (1), after which he goes through some of what he considers to be classics (2) as well as books dealing with the Psalms (3). After that come books that discuss prayer (4) as well as some prayerbooks and hymnbooks (5). The author then turns his attention towards worship and liturgy (6) as well as the subjects of spiritual formation (7) and spiritual discipline (8). This leads to a discussion of uniquely North American spirituality (9) as well as suggestions for writings by various novelists (10), poets (11), and pastors (12). The author discusses books relating to Jesus (13), mysteries (14), as well as suggestions for Bible commentaries (15) on various books of the Bible. There are suggestions for books that deal with a sense of place (16) as well as saints (17), sin and the devil (18), and history (19). Finally, the author suggests readers look at some of the author's other books (20), before the author closes with an index of authors and books.
Ultimately, it would take a considerable length of time for anyone to read even part of the works that the author suggests, and the fact that many of such books are out of print will make finding these books, much less reading them, quite a challenge for most readers of modest reads. The author has clearly not chosen books because of their popularity or accessibility but presumably because the author has read them and liked them and thinks other people should read and like what he does. I wonder how broadly the author has chosen among the books he liked, because there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 books chosen here, and it is likely to be a substantial portion of his own library that he recommends others read. The author is even aware of the Neoplatonic influence into Hellenistic Christianity and appears to approve of it, which I found strikingly remarkable here, if not praiseworthy.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...
July 30, 2020
Eugene Peterson is someone I trust. He’s had a formative effect on who I’ve become through his writing. So, when I saw that he had a book of annotated reading recommendations AND that the ebook was on sale, I had to have it and read through it ASAP.
This book was written 25 years ago, which is both good and bad. Peterson acknowledges at the outset that his list is primarily books which have survived a couple of generations. Meaning, these books were old 25 years ago. That’s good because I appreciate and agree with his sentiment that new is not always better and in many cases, it’s worse. And yet, I still like new. It’s shiny and accessible - both in terms of being readable and purchasable.
I also found the list pretty narrow, with many authors being listed multiple times and many of the titles aimed at vocational ministers.
Nonetheless, at $3 this was a steal and a resource I will revisit often. There were 3 titles that I immediately added to my TBR shelf, and many others that I’m sure I will find interesting at another time.
This book was written 25 years ago, which is both good and bad. Peterson acknowledges at the outset that his list is primarily books which have survived a couple of generations. Meaning, these books were old 25 years ago. That’s good because I appreciate and agree with his sentiment that new is not always better and in many cases, it’s worse. And yet, I still like new. It’s shiny and accessible - both in terms of being readable and purchasable.
I also found the list pretty narrow, with many authors being listed multiple times and many of the titles aimed at vocational ministers.
Nonetheless, at $3 this was a steal and a resource I will revisit often. There were 3 titles that I immediately added to my TBR shelf, and many others that I’m sure I will find interesting at another time.
January 19, 2021
The more I learn about Peterson, the more I admire the man. His reading life was clearly vibrant, and he meaningfully integrated it into his ministry, something I aspire to do in my own work.
This one is a solid 5-stars as a reference (it's an absolute gold mine of recommendations, ranging from expected topics like "commentaries" and "Jesus" to unexpected ones like "mysteries" and "place"). But it's 3-stars as an actual reading cover-to-cover experience. It's much more on the dry side than most of Peterson's work, and as an extended annotated bibliography, is a bit choppy, which one would expect.
Definitely staying on my shelf, and for sheer reference potential, I'm excited to use it to expand my own library.
This one is a solid 5-stars as a reference (it's an absolute gold mine of recommendations, ranging from expected topics like "commentaries" and "Jesus" to unexpected ones like "mysteries" and "place"). But it's 3-stars as an actual reading cover-to-cover experience. It's much more on the dry side than most of Peterson's work, and as an extended annotated bibliography, is a bit choppy, which one would expect.
Definitely staying on my shelf, and for sheer reference potential, I'm excited to use it to expand my own library.
December 31, 2019
Appreciate Eugene’s thoughts, grateful he acknowledged that most of these are classics for western theology but do not reflect the importance of African American, African, Middle Eastern, or Asian voices. This is an older list that can probably be updated now. I found this helpful for identifying reading I won’t get to in my seminary classes but can access on my own and in my independent studies.
April 26, 2025
For over a year now, I’ve been slowly making my way through this annotated list of Eugene Peterson’s favourite books, adding each title to a “recommended-by-eugene-peterson” list here on Goodreads. The value of the book is more than just the list of books he recommends (which I wish he updated closer to his death), but for its wise reflections on how the books we keep company with shape us in profound ways.
December 28, 2020
Great resource
As a stand-alone book this is hard to review as it is simply a long list of books that Christians should read with descriptions as to why and an introductory few paragraphs for each category of books. That said, as a resource, this book is pure gold and points to pure gold. I found my “to-read” list get bigger as I was reading!
As a stand-alone book this is hard to review as it is simply a long list of books that Christians should read with descriptions as to why and an introductory few paragraphs for each category of books. That said, as a resource, this book is pure gold and points to pure gold. I found my “to-read” list get bigger as I was reading!
Read
July 27, 2021Eugene Peterson has become a spiritual mentor for me, and I recently found myself thinking, “How do I become Eugene Peterson?”
Then, I found this book in which Peterson lists books that helped shape him, and provides a brief word about each book.
Bingo.
I’ve already read 6 of his recommendations, only 292 to go until full Peterson status.
Then, I found this book in which Peterson lists books that helped shape him, and provides a brief word about each book.
Bingo.
I’ve already read 6 of his recommendations, only 292 to go until full Peterson status.
May 26, 2019
A annotated book list
It is exactly as described in the title an annotated reading list for spiritual reading. I would recommend especially for those interested in classic Christian writings.
It is exactly as described in the title an annotated reading list for spiritual reading. I would recommend especially for those interested in classic Christian writings.
September 6, 2020
A book about books, the best kind. I keep thinking to myself, "Take and Eat." So much here to partake of, to enjoy, to enter into what Christians profess: "the communion of saints."
January 14, 2023
This was a lot of fun. Peterson’s love of books, and these books in particular, jumps off the pages. A useful reference for years to come.
September 20, 2011
This is a book I am happy to own because it has served me well. It is, as the subtitle suggests, an annotated list of books. What makes this list wonderful, is that Eugene Peterson did the listing. This is someone who has shaped my understanding of the pastoral vocation, and a voice I trust. With this book, the veil is pulled back and I see the glory of all those voices which have fed him and his understanding. Certainly if I made my own list, there would be differences in content and in categories ( like urban mission, justice, etc.), but it is great to have a mentor to point me in directions and down paths I may not have otherwise traveled.
August 24, 2013
Peterson's annotated lists of books that have been spiritually important to him. It's a personal list, which means we'll all find things we love and dislike throughout. Peterson acknowledges this and encourages us to make our own list. Peterson's comments were often very intriguing. Can't tell you how delighted I was that he had lists on Novels, Poetry, and Mysteries. But I must admit that including a final chapter devoted to his own books was a bit curious. Also would've liked that opening essay on spiritual reading to have been a bit longer. Still, bibliophiles will enjoy skimming these lists.
September 29, 2015
Book Review - Take and Read: Spiritual Reading -- An Annotated List by Eugene Peterson - if you ever wanted to peruse Eugene Peterson's book shelves, this is the a book for you. Peterson has organized just over 100 pages of books divided into subject areas with descriptions of why he thinks the book is worth reading.
This isn't a book for everyone, but I read it on my kindle, highlighted the books that interested in me, logged into my notes and created a wishlist of books to read in the future. Many of the book are older and public domain.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/take-and-read/
This isn't a book for everyone, but I read it on my kindle, highlighted the books that interested in me, logged into my notes and created a wishlist of books to read in the future. Many of the book are older and public domain.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/take-and-read/
April 13, 2007
A list of books Peterson recommends for Spiritual reading. Doesn't sound like much, but I actually read through it twice, I enjoyed it so much. His annotations are helpful as well as interesting, and I have added many great works from his list that I would have likely never found otherwise. Not for everyone, but for those interested, a great find.
February 18, 2017
Peterson's comments about Wendell Berry are worth noting (i.e. where Berry writes "farm" read "parish" and most of his insights are of utmost help to ministers of the Gospel). I read this and almost shouted out loud "Yes." I always experienced this reading Berry and felt a special kinship with Peterson thereafter.
Read
October 30, 2013I can't say that I have read even half of Peterson's recommended books, but I agree that the ones I have read belong on the list. Peterson's recommendations have impacted what I have chosen to read over the past 20 years. A great resource and reference.
June 16, 2015
I spent a good 15 minutes with this book this morning and flipped through Peterson's recommendations. I really enjoyed his recommendations & the personal flavor of his lists. This would be an excellent book to own & refer back to.
December 29, 2010
A wonderful resource for sifting through the volumes of books on spirituality and spiritual topics.
July 25, 2011
A book about books - and a good one! Flavoured by Eugene Peterson's priority on the contemplative aspect of the Christian experience.
August 1, 2012
This is a good reference for spiritual reading in many areas including the classics, the Psalms, spiritual formation, mysteries and place. I would like to purchase this for my own bookshelf.
January 3, 2015
Just an interesting list of the author's favorite books, each with a mini review
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews