Book launch

I love books. I think it’s cool to meet authors at book signings. But I’ve never been to a book launch, until yesterday. I almost didn’t make it either. Charlene was sick, and so I had a couple of kids to look after. I don’t know if you’re supposed to take kids to a book launch, but I sure wasn’t going to miss it. I also didn’t know if blue jeans were okay, or whether something more was expected. But we went. Kids were okay; the kids sat with the authors’ children. Jeans were okay; the event was held at a university. There was wine, cheese, and other great food. There were songs and tributes and of course books for sale. I’ve picked up my copy of Colossians Remixed, and it looks great. The best part for me was seeing the authors behind the scenes, mainly getting ready and looking after their kids. This is in keeping with the preface of the book, which says:

We made a commitment to each other, and we make it to you our reader, that we would not propose a way of life that we ourselves were not living out. St. Paul knows that the vision he is talking about makes no sense if it doesn’t shape the Christian household as an alternative to the dominant Roman model of household life. And so the testing ground for anything we say in this book is first and foremost our family. Our three children…did not have to “suffer through” the writing of this book. If they did the book would in fact lack credibility. We did not “sacrifice” family life through long absences while researching and writing. So we offer the kids no apologies. Rather we thank them for grounding our lives in the important things like learning and housekeeping, playing and growing up, stories and nighttime prayers, tears and laughter.

Cool. It’s hard not to envy a couple who are friends with N.T. Wright – how cool would that be – and who have just published a great book. I didn’t stick around long enough for them to sign my book (my son was keeping me grounded by about 8:30), but it was a good night.