A young woman I know sent me the link to an article that I admit comes from an unusual source for “First Thoughts,” but one that amused me: Favorite Books of the Secretly Jerky . If you can’t (always) tell a book by its cover, you can often tell a man by his reading, and the article’s insights seem to me accurate. For example:
Secretly Loves Himself More Than He Loves [Anything]: Atlas Shrugged , Ayn Rand.He’s not going to feed your fish when you go out of town, and he’ll be mean to your mom.
Secretly a Blubbering Manchild: Catcher in the Rye , J.D. Salinger.
I’m not saying this is a bad book. This is a pretty good book! I’d still like to raise two points. One, when a dude says it’s his favorite, I automatically think “So he hasn’t read anything since tenth grade English.” And two, any time a person over the age of 18 tells you how much they identify with Holden Caulfield, it’s a warning sign. Like a warning sign with flashing lights and shrieky sirens and a third alarming thing. I mean, I’m not telling you how to live your life, ladies. I’m just letting you know what you’re walking into. Do it with your eyes open.
If any of you have additional suggestions, please add them. I love The Lord of the Rings and write on apologetics, but I’d be a little nervous if a young man interested in one of my daughters told me that either was his favorite reading.
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