Mark Stevens has started a meme around the blogosphere, asking what the most embarrassing book is that we have on our shelves. Jim West, Tom Verenna, and George of the blog σφοδρα have already joined in.
This is a hard question for me to answer. I have young-earth creationist books on my shelf, which are obvious candidates. But I have hung on to them precisely so that I can critique them when I teach on religion and science. So that lessens the embarrassment significantly.
There are other books that I’ve picked up for similar educational purposes – to pass around in class to illustrate tendencies in American popular culture and its view of Jesus, for instance. And one book in this category, that I would certainly feel embarrassed to have someone spot on my shelf without my having a chance to explain its presence, is this one
But to be honest, the books that I am truly most embarrassed about on my shelves are books which I’ve picked up but haven’t managed to find the time to read – or use to learn the language it teaches. I used to have a borderline compulsive habit of buying language-learning
What about you? If you have a blog or are on Facebook, share what your most embarrassing book is!
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