Yeah, I know. Geek.

So when I came across the chance to get a free book (via missiologist and pastor Ed Stetzer’s blog), I jumped at it. The deal he was offering was this: be one of the first 75 to email requesting the new book and commit to reviewing it through a blog, and they’ll send you a free copy. I emailed, I was fortunate enough to be one of those 75, and so now I’m awaiting the arrival of the book.

Now I know this happens all the time for famous people whose opinions on a book review matter. I know that most times review copies are given and usually only positive reviews are ever printed. And I know what the cynical among you are thinking: “oh, this is just a publicity stunt for the book”. I know. I thought it too. And then I got over it. If the book’s good, why shouldn’t it get some free publicity? (Plus, it was a risk on their part – they openly said the review didn’t have to be positive. Plus they’re asking for it to be reviewed by bloggers. If that’s not being transparent, I don’t know what is.

So I’ll be reviewing the book for the 5 of you that read this blog, and I pray it might be helpful to some. But as an exercise and experiment, I’ll also offer some thoughts and reflections on other books I’m reading too. And if those can be helpful, great. If not, then at least I get to process “out loud” and think through things as I like to do. (You know, because of my inner geek.)

Another prompt for this experiment is Goodreads. I have a Goodreads profile (it’s like Facebook for books, where you tell people what you have in your library and you can see theirs, and see what you have in common), and I’d invite you to add one too and connect with me there. But the one thing about Goodreads (or Shelfari or whatever book-social-networking tool you use) is that just because I have a book on my shelf doesn’t necessarily mean I endorse it. Yet they all have caused me to think and reflect, and especially when I read something I disagree with, it forces me to ask myself why I disagree, and in the end either changes my thinking or confirms it. Not a bad thing.

So over the next little while as I have time, I’ll offer some thoughts on books I’ve found especially noteworthy. I’m looking forward to the experiment, and we’ll just have to see where it leads.