Alright, kemosabes, we decided to put together a gift guide this year. Apologies in advance for not straying terribly far from our books/movies/music wheelhouse:

For the cousin who’s been asking you where to start with all this grace stuff: One Way Love by Tullian Tchividjian

For the un-/underemployed recent college graduate or Teach For America burnout: Breaking Bad: The Complete Series

For the millennial son/daughter with a good sense of humor who keeps trying to shock you with his/her cynicism (but deep down just wants some love): We Learn Nothing by Tim Kreider or Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

For the Star Wars-obsessed nephew: Tauntaun sleeping bag

For the teenage niece you used to really connect with but then she discovered social media: Veronica Mars – The Complete First Three Seasons (and tickets to see the movie together when it comes out March 14th!)

For the overzealous but well-meaning and hopefully self-aware “radical grace” convert: New Reformation Press’ “Weak on Sanctification” T-shirt

For your lovably eccentric polymath uncle with an enormous DVD collection: PZ’s Panopticon by Paul Zahl (or the new Roger Corman bio)

For the sweet if slightly withdrawn brother-in-law who lives for ESPN: Undefeated or Unguarded on DVD

For someone you love a lot: The Wes Anderson Collection

For the seminarian who barely has enough cash to buy ramen: Logos Bible Software Mobile Edition (with Martin Luther upgrade)

For anyone looking to make next week’s Christmas party a swingin’ (and deceptively profound) affair: Quality Street by Nick Lowe, or ‘Tis the Season for Los Straitjackets, but probably not this.

For the father who used to be senior warden at your church: The 1928 Book of Common Prayer [Leather-bound edition]

For the college roommate who couldn’t be less interested in religion but wants to understand his new churchgoing girlfriend: Unapologetic by Francis Spufford

For the literature-loving aunt who’s had a rough go of it recently: My Bright Abyss by Christian Wiman

For the friend in ministry who’s become spiritually complacent/apathetic as of late: Between Noon and Three by Robert Farrar Capon

For the women of pre-Christmas in your life: The Whiskey Advent Calendar or Fake Turkey Home Staging Kit . Or, a bit more seriously, how about Kimm Crandall’s Christ in the Chaos?

For those about to rock: Sound System by The Clash or Jim Walsh’s Waxed-Up Hair and Painted Shoes: The Photographic History of The Replacements

For those about to worship (sort of): Love and Mercy by Sam Bush and Kathryn Caine

For the husband or wife who seems to have it all and really just wants a romantic (and life-giving) weekend away: An earlybird ticket to our 2014 conference in NYC (April 3-5)!

For the irony-appreciating family who doesn’t feel like braving the multiplex crowds the week after Christmas: Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan on Blu-ray

For your pastor/minister/priest who seemed a little indifferent to the 50th anniversary of CS Lewis’ death: Till We Have Faces

For the lovers, the dreamers and you: Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones

For the mother you really should call more often, especially since her prayers are probably the only thing keeping you alive: Flannery O’Connor’s A Prayer Journal

For anyone with a pulse: The Mockingbird Devotional: Good News for Today (and Every Day)

For your favorite bloggers: Tickets to the Sundance premiere of Stuart Murdoch’s film God Help the Girl

COMMENTS

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5 responses to “A Mockingbird Gift Guide (2013 Edition)”

1. Jim E says:

   12/05/2013 at 6:13 pm

   Yeah yeah, it’s all good, but hey — PZ’s Panopticon is an absolute must. One of my favorite reads ever, I can’t get it out of my head.

   And at last I got the story of 4.2.13.

   Please convince PZ to do an audio version, or at least a podcast or two on it.

   Reply
2. David Zahl says:

   12/06/2013 at 9:17 am

   Couldn’t agree more, Jim! And speaking of the Panopticon, it was unavailable for about 12 hours but is back up on both Createspace and Amazon. Also, the Love and Mercy link is now fully operational: loveandmercy.bandcamp.com

   Reply