What Rachel's Reading

Habibi, by Criag Thompson

2012-01-19T14:02:00.000-05:00

Habibi, by Craig Thompson

Here's a review of a graphic novel to kick things off. And let me just say--Whoa.

I've read Craig Thompson's critically-praised earlier works, and if I were to use one word to describe Goodbye, Chunky Rice it would be "bittersweet". Blankets would be "loss." If I were to use one word to describe Habibi it would be "epic."

Actually, I might throw "tragedy" in there, too.

Set in a fictional middle-eastern Islamic country, this story has everything: child brides, slavery, prophetic visions, institutional misogyny and racism, water as a symbol of environmentalism, a harem... A lot of bad stuff goes down, but the author is very careful to never judge the Muslim worldview by which everyone is governed.

Equal to the scope of this book is the author's creative vision. Arabic calligraphy, magic squares, and the intricate abstract illuminations (necessary to the Muslim faith because representational art is considered idolatry) are all absolutely integral to the story-- all visual components, which move the narrative forward. The book itself is 665 pages with amazing art on every page. The author must have learned Arabic to write this, and obvious immersed himself in the Koran and Islamic tradition--nothing in the text gives away he grew up as a church-going kid in rural Michigan.

In the end, these broken characters have faith that water (and gnostic-like purity) will be their deliverance, and their ultimate redemption will be through loving Allah without the reward of heaven or the punishment of hell. As a Christian, I have faith that not water, but blood will save, and that the shed blood is evidence that a mighty God went through hell to love ME.

What a difference. This graphic novel is an amazing glimpse into an altogether foreign worldview which makes me so thankful for my own.

one more...

2012-01-12T13:45:00.000-05:00

I just knew I'd forget one...

When I wrote Christmas Roundup: Children's books I had a feeling I was forgetting one. And I was. It was an impulse purchase at a local shop, and it was so beautiful I bought it right away. At full price! It's that good.

5. One Starry Night, by Lauren Thompson and Jonathan Bean

Like the rest of the books on my list, it has simple words and beautiful pictures that add up to a moving book for little people. And their parents, too. In a simple poem, animals are described loving and protecting their babies, and then Mary and Joseph are shown loving their newborn baby, Jesus. A loving book that is just ... lovely.

Image and blogged here

Christmas Roundup: Children's books

2012-01-10T21:25:00.001-05:00

I'm not posting this 3 weeks late. I'm posting this 49 weeks early!

Actually I'm just very forgetful and I know if I tucked this post away until December, it would never happen. So, I'm sending out into the internet a few of the titles that my children and I greatly enjoyed this past Advent season, and hope that you will enjoy them in the upcoming year.

1. Peter Spier's Christmas.

A wordless, beautifully illustrated story of a family's entire Christmas experience. It kept my children transfixed, and I think it was especially helpful for my two year old, to help her know what to expect during the Christmas season.

images sourced and blogged here

2. Silent Night, illustrated by Susan Jeffers

If the classic carol wasn't already beautiful enough, Susan Jeffers' evocative illustrations give even more.

3. Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story, by Sally Lloyd Jones

My mom gave this to my girls for Christmas. Especially great for my four-year-old who loves animals, and I get goosebumps when I read it.

4. The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats

Confession: this book was due back at the library last week, but we're still reading it nightly to my two year old. I think she relates to the young boy seeing the adults worship in a manner beyond him, but wanting to honor King Jesus too. Plus, she likes singing the drum sounds while I read it.

Merry Christmas, everyone! :c)

P.S. I'm still looking for a good age-appropriate book about Saint Nicholas. Leave a comment if you have any recommendations!

P.P.S. Oops, I forgot one! Blogged here.

2012

2012-01-04T21:28:00.000-05:00

I, Rachel, being of middling health and (debatable) sound mind, do solemnly swear to blog every book I read in 2012, even if it is only one sentence, reveal my opinion, my whole opinion, and nothing but my opinion, to have and to hold from this day forward and until at least the following year.

some general thoughts

2011-08-11T20:26:00.002-04:00

I never stopped reading, but I did stop blogging. For almost ten months. I miss it, but I also miss having extra physical and mental energy, so there you have it. I'd like to return to blogging consistently but I don't know if that's possible, but in the meantime here's some miscellaneous reading goodness for you.

A new Credenda/Agenda Magazine is out! Because they formerly published solely through the generosity of donations, there was no print issue for the last two years. They were still posting new issues at credenda.org, but there's nothing quite like holding an actual magazine in one's hands. From now on, the folks at Canon Press will publish each issue as though it is a separate book. You can sign up at canonpress.org. This issue reminds me of what I've been missing the last few years. Some highlights include an interview with Tom Wolfe, an article by Peter Hitchens asking in the era of globalization, who is my neighbor, really? and general mocking of various follies. Welcome back, Credenda. You've been missed.
Have you signed up for Goodreads yet? I particularly like the iPhone app for convenience. I use it to keep track of books I'd like to read, and I find other reader's reviews are helpful. Add me as a friend if you're curious what's on my list to read next.
Justin Taylor posted something intriguing which which makes me want to read Moby Dick, something which I find quite remarkable. You can read his blog post here.

Happy reading, friends!

Something Borrowed

2010-10-03T17:41:00.000-04:00

Something Borrowed, by Emily Giffin

As chic lit goes, this one was fine. Lifelong BFF's Rachel and Darcy are now living the glamorous life in Manhattan... but beautiful Darcy has the hot fiance and all the luck, while Rachel just has long hours as an underling lawyer and her 30th birthday. The story was good, and I completely related to the protagonist. Not only was her name Rachel too, but she was the quiet, deferential best friend who couldn't believe someone would be interested in her. This is who I was in college, but I hope I've learned how to be kinder to myself since then... not to mention I have better friends now, too.

It's a good story, but none of the characters are very exemplary and as such, Hollywood is releasing the movie next summer.

Wilson

2010-08-18T09:31:00.000-04:00

Wilson, by Daniel Clowes

I found this from the sewing blog (with anti-establishment leanings) Angry Chicken and immediately reserved it from my local library. I like graphic novels, even if I'm a little late to the party. I enjoy seeing how authors use the artwork and medium to say something new. Also, the sarcastic humor appeals to a Calvinist like me, and I thought this one was pretty funny.

Wilson is a clueless, lonely, middle-aged man who is so aware of his own suffering he can't realize that his own self-focus has directly caused so much pain. Dark things happen, but his reactions are funny because of the total lack of self-awareness. I enjoyed the drawings, too, as the style varied on each page but the mood stayed the same. Each page is set up as a stand-alone episode, kind of like reading a collection of comics, except with heartbreak and a few felonies. The language and situations are most definitely R-rated, by the way, so don't read this, Mom and Carol.

Wilson: won't pick it up it again, didn't like him, and a depressing read. All in all, an excellent graphic novel.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2010-06-30T12:58:00.004-04:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Steig Larsson

Don't read this book.

I feel so strongly about this, that I came out of my self-imposed bloggy exile to review it. The orginal title was "Men who Hate Women" and it's much more accurate than "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", especially considering the girl in question had many tattoos which were much more meaningful, the dragon tattoo was only mentioned once in the entire book, and it was mostly about a male financial journalist, anyway.

On the whole, it was a thriller that completely absorbed me, even if it was a bit long-winded at times. Set in Sweden, it's about Lisbeth Sander, a social outcast with an uncanny gift of finding out information about other people, and Michael Blomkvist, a discredited journalist convicted of libel against a huge corporation. But the story quickly devolves into violence, and doesn't come out again until the very end of the story. Lisbeth is a strong character, but not entirely believable, in my opinion. Her retribution against her attacker left me feeling just as sick as the original crimes. Men who hate women keep appearing throughout the story, and the hatred and violence was described in too much violence for me--I wish I could get the descriptions out of my head.

So why show this much evil in a book? What good can it possibly do? I think that the increasing openness of our culture has created the benefit of increasing awareness of crimes, but on the other hand it desensitizes us against all the ugliness out there. Even worse, I'm sure there were some readers who enjoyed reading detailed descriptions of the abuse (a high probability among the many copies sold across Europe and America) and who knows what it may have triggered in already-twisted people. One could argue that there is a sense of thwarted justice running through the book and most chapters opened with grim foreshadowing about statistics about domestic violence, assault, and victimization in Sweden. But at the end of the story, the plot turns again to financial intrigue and secret Swiss bank accounts, abandoning the heart of the book. Even though the bad guys eventually meet ruin, the legacy of violence remains.

So what if you're like me, who gets very upset by violence against women? You support International Justice Mission, support your local women's shelters, and don't read this book.

Just a general update

2009-12-03T15:18:00.002-05:00

I love to read. I love to blog. But lately, not much of either has been happening. I'm okay with it--I'm reminding myself that this particular season of life, with two little ones and a husband who frequently travels, is a temporary one. Right now, I'm just trying to savor all the sweet moments that two little girls bring me. For now, that means more raspberries and snuggles and walks, and less blogging.

Once I get a break though, watch out! I have a huge list of books I'm looking forward to reviewing. But for now, I'm going to go downstairs, savor a cup of coffee, and enjoy some excellent company. I hope wherever you are, Dear Reader, you are able to do the same.

The Adventures of Sally

2009-09-06T21:25:00.004-04:00

I'm back! Well, back to Virginia at least. I'm not back to full energy or even back to myself for that matter, but I'm definitely feeling better. Basically, life with two little ones was kicking my butt, so I went to my parents house to rest and recharge. It was a wonderful visit.

It was eye-opening, too. I had lots of help with my two little girls and was relieved of all cooking, cleaning, and household responsibilities and I was still wiped out at the end of each day. If I felt tired on vacation, no wonder I was exhausted at home!

During the relentless nursing, I finished reading this. (I'm hoping to start posting more of the reviews I'm behind on. But they will be short, starting with this one.)

The Adventures of Sally, by P.G. Wodehouse
I got an iPod Touch, which is just about the greatest thing ever. Since I'm nursing so much, it's fantastic to be able to hold something small, bright, and entertaining for all of the long days and tired nights when I am nursing a baby.

I downloaded the Kindle app for the iPhone, and I like to visit the Kindle store weekly to see what free books are the top downloads. That's how I found this gem.

It's a classic P.G. Wodehouse story, but not so over-the-top as a Bertie and Jeeves story. Beautiful young Sally inherits money and goes back and forth abroad and to the New York theater scene. It's more along the lines of a romantic comedy or a screwball comedy from the 1930's. It's light, it's fun, it's free. Love it.

Here's an excerpt for your reading pleasure, from a dinner at the boarding house where theater folk are giving a Sally a going away party.

"I have been asked," proceeded Mr. Faucitt, "though I am aware that there are others here far worthier of such a task -- Brutuses compared with whom I, like Marc Antony, am no orator--I have been asked to propose the health..."
"Who asked you?" It was the smaller of the Marvellous Murphys who spoke. He was an unpleasant youth, snubnosed and spotty. Still, he could balance himself with one hand on an inverted ginger-ale bottle while revolving a barrel on the soles of his feet. There is good in all of us.

Wild Fermentation

2009-07-09T14:22:00.006-04:00

Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Katz

I'm starting to get way out there about my food... are you worried for me yet? The more I read, the more I am convinced that basically every culture has healthier food than Americans. The further back in history, the more nutritious the food. For example, if you go back several generations, women canned their own produce from their gardens. Better than supermarket food, right? Well, if you go back even further, before canning was invented, people used a process called "lacto-fermentation" to preserve food.

Lacto-fermentation used good bacteria to kill bad bacteria and in the process it actually adds nutrition to the raw ingredients. Here's an excellent article citing a USDA official who says it's actually safer than eating the raw produce from the fields (found via Food Renegade). My husband is totally repulsed by this method, but it's the same process that gives us yogurt, cheese, wine, beer, chocolate, black tea... you know, the good stuff!

I've made a few things using this method before, but reading this inspired me to start doing it again. Here's what's in my fridge right now:

From left to right, pickles, saurkraut, pickles, ginger carrots, pineapple chutney, and more saurkraut. The pickles ended up kind of yucky, maybe because I used the wrong kind of salt. They taste a little bitter and are carbonated, wierdly enough. As they say around here, that aint right. The saurkraut is a terrific condiment for red meats, although it discolors a bit after opening. The carrots are good with chicken and Asian dishes, and I haven't tried the chutney yet--it's on next week's menu.

I think most people who object to this book fall into two camps: either they are grossed out by the concept of using bacteria to preserve food, or they are offended by the author. Here is some philosophical musing on the two subjects.

I proudly call myself a follower of Jesus ("Christian" has lots of baggage, but I call myself that too). We are called to improve the world, just like Jesus redeemed us and made us a new creation. Eden wasn't a pristine wilderness--it was a cultivated garden. (Actually, part of the Curse was being rejected from Eden and forced to live in the wild, which is the best argument this bookworm has against recreational camping.) In the same vein, heaven is not clouds in the sky, but a dazzling city. God took us out of all of the crap that accompanies our humanity and instead applied the purity of the only perfect human, his own son Jesus. We are supposed to use God's law to transform our lives into what He intended for us in the first place. Ultimately, human being's mission on earth, and my job here right now, is to improve our immediate environment, redeem culture, and eventually transform the world. In practical terms, this means I'm not a raw foodist--I try to improve upon what God has given us, and that includes even small little details like making traditional saurkraut so that a lowly cabbage has extra flavor and nutrients. Theology always has consequences.

Which leads me to the author, who is also living out the practical implications of his worldview. He is gay, and lives in a self-described queer community in rural Tennessee. They live off the power grid and are self-sufficient. That community also wants to remake society, but in a way totally opposed to the Bible. I admire him for living out the implications of his idealogy. Frankly, I'd rather read books by people who are thinking and doing, rather than something like Julie and Julia, where the author just does random stuff to fulfill her angst. (But that's another book review.) I was surprised to read how offended people were on the Amazon reviews. There's nothing in here remotely obscene and gives about the same story you could find in a New York Times article.

I'm mostly using the recipes from Nourishing Traditions, but I like the scope of recipes and the ease of use. The author has a "try it and see" approach which is fun and relaxed. I recommend this book if you're interested in better food and better health.

Good Calories, Bad Calories

2009-07-08T20:48:00.005-04:00

Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes

The more I learn, the more I am convinced that if a scientific idea is popular, it is most likely untrue. Examples?
The four humors determine one's personality.
The sun revolves around the earth.
Leeches can cure a fever.
If a woman floats, she's a witch.
I'm sure you're nodding your head and rolling your eyes about those ancient, ignorant people. But what about our enlightened modern times? You might also believe, for example, that Americans are responsible for global warming. Did that one hit a little closer to home? No? Okay, how about this: maybe you think, like I used to, that saturated fat causes heart disease, eating fat is bad for weight loss, and lots of dietary fiber prevents colon cancer. Nutritionally speaking, this book rocked my socks.

Good Calories, Bad Calories was written by a distinguished science writer, not some dietary crusader. He seems to be writing for others in the scientific community and not the average Joe, so this book is quite technical, and frankly, a little too thorough for my sleep-deprived mommy brain. It's easy to get lost in the myriad of studies, interviews, hearings, and medical journals; I wish I would have taken notes as I read it. It would have helped me better summarize it for you, dear reader, and better argue with my husband about the best route to weight loss. I bogged down in chapter 9, when trying to keep track of the five different lipoproteins carried in triglycerides. I need to finish it later when I don't have a baby and a toddler competing for my attention. (I might watch this 1 1/2 hour webcast sometime when I don't want to read the entire book. What I did read, however, was thoroughly convincing and I'm already trying to eat differently based on what I learned.

He starts off with a brief bio of William Banting, who I had never heard of before. He describes how America, and then the rest of the world, came to believe ideas that are just plain wrong. For instance, did you know that high cholesterol is associated with longer life, especially in women? Indigenous people groups who eat no fiber have the healthiest digestion? And what we think of as common health problems (cavities, cancer, appendicitis, or really, almost every chronic disease) are almost totally absent in native, traditional diets. To make a sweeping generalization, not all calories are the same. Refined carbohydrates such as sugar, white flour, and white rice wreak havoc on our bodies. Here's an excerpt from the Prologue (page xvii):

The reason for this book is straightforward: despite the depth and certainty of our faith that saturated fat is the nutritional bane of our lives and that obesity is caused by overeating and sedentary behavior, there has always been copious evidence to suggest that those assumptions are incorrect, and that evidence is continuing to mount. "There is always an easy solution to every problem," H. L. Menken once said--"neat, plausible, and wrong." It is quite possible, despite all our faith to the contrary, that these concepts are such neat, plausible, and wrong solutions. Moreover, it's also quite possible that the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets we've been told to eat for the past shirty years are not only making us heavier but contributing to other chronic diseases as well.

This book is just as much an indictment of modern science as it is an expose of nutrition. It's amazing to read how researchers and policy-makers became even more committed to certain hypotheses with overwhelming evidence to the contrary. To paraphrase that old saying about law, bad science makes bad food.

Marley and Me

2009-06-18T21:28:00.004-04:00

Marley and Me, by John Grogan

I had no desire to read this book originally. It seemed to be romanticizing a crazy dog with irresponsible owners, and I had a strong hunch that the dog died in the end. I hate it when dogs die. Why would I want to read about that? Plus, this book was an easy reading top-seller, and I enjoy being contrary and ignoring popular trends. That's just me.

However, the universe conspired to change my mind. My mom recommended it, and she's not a sentimental person. The movie got good reviews. I had a free ebook copy. I was having a really bad day and needed cheering up. And now after reading it, I can see why so many other people enjoyed it too.

This one hit pretty close to home, actually. A young idealistic couple gets a really cute dog that ends up being a handful... check. Begin to outgrow their beloved home in a sketchy neighborhood... check. Start a family and focus on the all-consuming kids while the dog loves them unresevedly anyway... check. I'm at a different stage of life than where this couple ended up at the end of the book, and it was reassuring to hear from someone who made it through on the other side. Plus, it made me feel better about my own hyper dog!

This was a funny and authentic book about loving family, dogs, and life. Save it for when you're having a bad day, and I promise you'll feel better.

In progress

2009-06-15T14:31:00.005-04:00

Has anyone else read A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving?

If so, has anyone else found it fantastically boring?

I kept coming across it in lists of great literature, and when I saw a free ebook version of it, I downloaded it right away. I'm still slogging through the novel (right now I'm on page 216) but I checked reviews on Amazon.com to see what others thought. At last count there are 816 five-star reviews. Just typing that made me sigh again. It's supposed to be an amazing, funny, brilliant novel about faith, which inspired the movie Simon Birch. I found that movie okay, although a bit emotionally manipulative. I've forgotten how it ended but some of the reviews on Amazon gave away enough plot points that if I stop reading A Prayer for Owen Meany I won't wonder what happened to the characters. I also learned that it contains 512 pages of narrative, which begin in the 1950s and keeps trudging on through all the way to Vietnam and Iran Contra. To top it all off, the book is also considered an excellent critique of the faults of American foreign policy. Haven't we been here before? Can we move on to something else now, please?

This reminds me of the preface of Fanny Herself, by Edna Ferber. Click here to read it. I might give up on this one. Life is too short to read boring books.

The Princess Bride

2009-05-25T21:06:00.004-04:00

The Princess Bride: S. Morgensterns Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure, by William Goldman

I grew up watching the movie so I thought I knew everything there was to know about the Princess Bride. But two things about the book surprised me: (1) its author and (2) its audience.

The real author is William Goldman, a successful screenwriter who wrote Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, and many others. He uses a literary convention of discussing a fictional book to tell a story about a fictionalized version of himself. As such, it's really a book for adults, not kids. There are a few things that kids won't appreciate (like the humor) and a few things that they hopefully won't get (like some mild racial slurs and the author briefly considering an affair in the preface) but mostly its a story about a grown man in a cold marriage and a grinding job, who still longs for the ideals of a childrens' story: true love and high adventure. But fictional book and the real one both reveal that however wonderful romance and adventure are, life isn't fair.

The author tells the story of being a lonely boy obsessed with sports who has no interest in books until his father reads to him the Princess Bride by "S. Morgenstern". The young boy is so enthralled with the story that he becomes a writer as an adult.

Years later when his own son could care less, the author reads it for himself only to discover his father skipped the boring and sad parts so his son would enjoy it more. To hopefully make his own son love it as much as he did, the author decides to abridge it and get his editor to publish it. We the readers end up with a story with running commentary on the story. The gimmick works: the Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern could stand on its own, but the Princess Bride by William Goldman will stay with me.

Here's some dialogue, which might be familiar to you if you saw the movie.

'She does not get eaten by the sharks at this time,' my father said.
I looked up at him. 'What?'
'You looked like you were getting too involved and bothered so I thought I would let you relax.'
'Oh for Pete's sake,' I said, 'you'd think I was a baby or something. What kind of stuff was that?' I really sounded put out, but I'll tell you the truth: I was getting a little too involved and I was glad he told me. I mean, when you're a kid, you don't think , Well, since the book's called The Princess Bride and since we're barely into it, obviously, the authors not going to make shark kibble of his leading lady. You get hooked on these things when you're a youngster; so to any youngsters reading, I'll simply repeat my father's works since they worked to soothe me: 'She does not get eaten by the sharks at this time.'

100 Cupboards

2009-05-18T21:52:00.003-04:00

100 Cupboards, by N.D. Wilson

I've been reading N.D. Wilson's short stories and articles in the theology magazine Credenda Agenda for over a decade. He's matured from writing weird stories with off-the-wall observations to kooky stories with insight. I believe that writing, like any craft, takes much practice, and I'm glad it paid off so handsomely for him in this great story, 100 Cupboards.

The plot is this: twelve year old Henry goes to live with his relatives in small town Kansas after his parents disappear. He discovers secret cupboards in his attic bedroom, which turn out to be portals to different worlds. His understated uncle is more than originally assumed, his deceased grandfather's bedroom door is impenetrable, posted letters from other worlds deliver ominous warnings, and Henry finally plays baseball with other boys. Even though it is technically a children's story, it had me hooked from the beginning. I was completely spooked for the last half. (It probably didn't help that I was reading it in the dark, while nursing in the wee small hours of the morning.) My only quibble is there's no resolution to the story: this is only the setup for the next installment of the series, or what my husband calls the Tim LaHaye school of writing.

Here's an example of the engaging perspective Wilson brings to his story--constellations above watch Henry and marvel at his lack of imagination.

Above him, the stars twinkled with laughter. Galaxies looked. Nudged each other. Chuckled. He didn't even know about secret cities," Orion said. "His mother never told him."
The Great Bear smiled. "Did his dad tell him about forgotten doors?"
"Never."
"Journals?"
"Only having to do with science projects or bicycle trips."
"Maps?"
"Mostly topographic, or the kind that shad countries in different colors based on gross national product or primary exports."
"Nothing with 'Here be dragons' on the edges?"
"Never. He found a hidden cupboard with compass locks, and do you know what he thought was in it?"
"A unicorn's horn?"
"Socks."
"Socks?"

PS: While browsing through other bloggers' reviews of this book, I noticed that we all seem to have the same reactions: (1) Wilson's writing is so good that we can't help but quote excerpts and (2) it's spooky!

Reviews and ramblings....

2009-05-05T21:13:00.005-04:00

Oh my word, I'm so far behind.

Far behind on laundry, thank you notes, housecleaning, potty training Violet, and all that lifey stuff that gets thrown to the wayside when there's a newborn in the house. Although, I'm not sure if Faith is a newborn anymore--she turned 6 weeks old this week! It's a milestone I really enjoyed with Violet, because it seemed mark the transition from newborn to baby. (This time, I hope I will be awake enough to appreciate it.)

So in addition to all the other things I'm backlogged in, I'm also quite behind in blogging. As I very gradually figure out how to be a mommy to two little girls, I hope to catch up with all the books I've read these last few months. I'll start with a double review of two mysteries I recently finished.

Arson Plus, by Dashiell Hammett
I enjoyed reading a few Dashiell Hammett novels in high school. I hoped that this short story would be a fail-safe good read, but was disappointed. The characters, especially the hardboiled detective who solves the case, have nothing compelling about them and the story it ended up having the emotional impact of a newspaper. It could be from my sleep-deprived state, but I had to go back and read the first part of the book again after I finished it, because I had no idea who the bad guy was. That should only happen in Russian epics or Dickens' novels .

Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers
Why isn't Dorothy Sayers more renowned? She was brilliant and surprisingly well-rounded. Her friends and peers seem to have stolen some of her thunder, but her crime novels are on par with Agatha Christie, her love of medievel times was as reverential as CS Lewis', and her essays are just as obtuse as GK Chesterton's.

This mystery was a great counterpoint to Dashiell Hammett's, especially how the story revealed the characters' humanity--both good and bad. It played by the classic rules of mystery novels: the baffling crime, the interesting setting, the crime-solver and his sidekick, and the objective truth, deduced by both logic and awareness of man's capacity to do evil.

If the story has any faults, it's that it is dated. Here's an example of some dialogue:

"Bunter," said Lord Peter, "I beg that in the future you will restrain me from starting two hares at once. These cases are gettin' to be a strain on my constitution. One hare has nowhere to run from, and the other has nowhere to run to. It's a kind of mental D.T., Bunter. When this is over I shall turn pussyfoot, sorswear the police news, and take to an emollient diet of the works of the late Charles Garvice."

What? Nevertheless, it's a good story.

The latest news

2009-04-29T11:16:00.002-04:00

This is why I haven't posted lately....

We welcomed Faith Susannah into our hearts and home on March 24. She's such a blessing, but it doesn't leave much time for blogging. I have quite the backlog of books to review, but for now, I'm going to try to take a nap.

2009-03-09T22:24:00.004-04:00

Hello? Is anybody still out there?

I really miss my poor abandoned blog. Don't think I've forgotten you, kind readers. I haven't stopped reading (never!), but I just can't keep up with blogging right now. I'm two weeks away (or sooner) from having our baby, and at this point I'm doing good just to get dinner on the table and keep our toddler diapered.

Incubating a baby is hard work. This is me, two months ago:

This is me, now.

(Photo credits here)

I'll be back this summer!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2009-03-02T21:32:00.004-05:00

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I don't plan on seeing the movie, even though it won Oscars and got great reviews. Frankly, the whole movie looks pretentious and I find Brad Pitt annoying (and don't even get me started on "Brangelina"). But then I saw this at the library...

How could I resist? I could learn what the movie was about without needing to sit through hours of Brad Pitt gazing soulfully, plus I can smugly say I read the book instead of watching the movie. Perfect! Even better, the dialogue of the novel was used in the graphic novel format so my tired, mushy pregnancy brain didn't have to think too hard.

I liked the book, but it was a sad story. It's set at the turn of the century, and a baby is born "backwards." He comes into the world a full-grown, aged man who wants nothing more than a decent cane, hot tea, and the Sunday paper. His whole family is embarrassed by him and they have no idea what to do with this old person who is really their son. As time passes, he ages backwards, getting younger as the rest of his family passes him by. It was a sad story because at the end of his life, Benjamin Button was truly an infant. His family put him away somewhere where they wouldn't be embarrassed, his friends moved on, and all the memories of his rich and interesting life were replaced by the simple desires to drink his milk, sleep, and be comforted by his nanny.

It was an interesting concept for a book. Apparently the author really enjoyed writing these surreal novels but they didn't sell as well, necessitating his move into "serious" fiction and commercial success. It got me thinking about what I hope to have at the end of my own life, my family legacy and what accomplishments I want to remember. Not bad for a graphic novel.

The Forgotten Man

2009-02-04T14:55:00.010-05:00

The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression, by Amity Shlaes

This book was written last year but could not be more timely. Our faltering economy is reminding everyone of Great Depression, however inaccurate the comparison is. Things were actually much worse under Carter than right now, but it's easy to see how our normally happy-go-lucky country is being startled enough to look to history to make sense of it all. The Forgotten Man by Amity Shlaes, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, is the perfect book to explain our times and theirs.

My strongest conclusion from reading this book is that FDR was a bad president. I'm a child of the '80s, long removed from the Great Depression, but even I know the folklore. Supposedly he saved our country by doing what had to be done to bring the masses out of misery and hunger. This book has thoroughly convinced me otherwise. The author is like a good novelist in that she never makes character judgments (like I just did). She doesn't tell, she shows. And she shows thoroughly. I can't imagine the research she must have done for this meticulous 390 page book, but the notes, bibliography, coda, and index continue to page 464. There's so much in this book, but let me tell you what was new to me. Some of it was quite surprising.

FDR coined the phrase "Brain Trust" to define the young intellectuals who advised him. Many of them went on the same fact-finding trip to the newly soviet Russia in 1927. The Soviets, of course, were tightly controlling their image and at first glance they seemed to offer alternatives to the answers of their day. The naivete of the young Americans, who eventually got played by Stalin himself, is even more sad when compared with what we now know about the effects of communism. They patiently waited until a crisis gave them the opportunity to implement their ideas.

At the time, Black Tuesday seemed like a simple adjustment of a robust economy. "'Closing Rally Vigorous,' remarked the New York Times headline with the stock market crashed the last Tuesday in October 1929." (page 85) Ignorance of how basic economies work made the dip extend, especially by interventionist President Hoover and the newly created Fed. Their ignorance amazed me.

The US Government was officially trying to combat inflation, but the real problem was deflation. "Deflation meant that the currency was becoming more valuable every day, rarer and scarcer. Deflation can be good for lenders; the money they are owed in the future is more valuable that it was when they wrote the original contract to lend. But deflation is terrible for borrowers, whether they be countries, banks, businesses, or families. It means they must pay back more than they originally contracted to borrow. Inflation taxes savers. Deflation taxes risk takers and punishes leveragers. It makes paying mortgages, as well as property taxes, especially difficult. It goes against the American sense of promise, punishing those who dare to hope they might move ahead." (page 108) Eventually money would be so scarce that Americans resorted to barter systems and municipalities printed their own script.

When FDR was elected by using religious imagery and displaying a great sense of optimism which contrasted with the grumpy Republicans in office for the last 3 terms. But he basically expanded Hoover's poor policies of bullying businesses and punishing risk. He constantly tinkered and vacillated to the point it embarrassed his supporters. At an international summit on currency in London in 1932, he sent Brain Trusters who argued for opposite theories, which confused everyone. When there was finally consensus he vetoed the recommendations of his own delegates. One time, while waiting for a British diplomat who was scheduled to arrive at any moment, he interrupted the small talk by saying, "Congratulate me, boys! I've taken us (the US currency) off of the gold standard!"

The Supreme Court kept declaring the scope of the New Deal programs unconstitutional. For instance, the Tennessee Valley Authority was created to supposedly provide electric power, but it competed with private companies, who unlike the TVA, had to pay taxes and and didn't have laws written expressly for their expansion. "In 12 months, the National Relocation Act had generated more paper than the entire legislative output of the federal government since 1789." (page 202) FDR was so displeased that he launched a two-sided attack on the supreme court. He targeted some of them personally in an effort to make them retire so he could appoint new judges, and he developed a plan to "flood the bench" and have 15 judges instead of nine. The public reaction was so strong he had to withdraw his plan.

Even Keynes, the father of Keynesian economics, criticized FDR. His theory emphasized government spending as a way to help the economy and "gave license for perpetual experimentation -- at least how Roosevelt and his administration applied it." Even he disapproved of the New Deal's scope. "Keynes saw no use, he wrote, in chasing utilities around the lot every other week.... 'It is a mistake to think that businessmen are more immoral than politicians.'"

FDR was a brilliant politician, as can be seen by his popularity during an entire decade of broken promises. "The president made groups where only individual citizens or isolated cranks had stood before, ministered to those groups, and was rewarded with votes. ... Roosevelt's move was so profound that it changed the English language. Before the 1930's, the word 'liberal' stood for the individual; afterward, the phrase increasingly stood for groups." (page 11)

The New Deal created the appearance of attacking the problem but I got the impression that if nothing were done, the economy would have righted itself fairly soon. Instead, the administration constant tinkered with prices and wages (which are symptoms, not causes), increased bureaucracy, increased taxes (up to 83% income tax), demonized businesses and Wall Street, and used litigation to target individuals. The most egregious examples were personal attacks: attempts to shame the wealthy by suing and revealing their assets, and targeting poor immigrants in court cases to validate the constitutionality of the New Deal Programs. If FDR had used his enormous political capitol he could have changed the South and the racism of the 1950's and 1960s; instead, he consistently ignored the calls to end lynching (and even rewarded KKK members politically). Sadly, the Great Depression wasn't fixed until WWII offered jobs for so many unemployed, opportunity for businesses, and a common cause for America to believe in again.

I recommend this book highly. It seemed odd to me that after a long day, I couldn't wait to pick up a huge book and read about a topic as intricate and depressing as ... the Great Depression. But the personal stories especially made this book so interesting I was totally absorbed. It also, strangely enough, made me optimistic about our own "crisis." If Americans were able to overcome the Great Depression, we can face this quasi-recession. I just hope it doesn't take a world war to rescue us.

A Primer on Reformation

2009-01-23T15:52:00.006-05:00

A Primer on Reformation: Recovering the High Church Puritan, by Douglas Wilson

Here's another book by Douglas Wilson, kindly sent by the nice folks at Canon Press. Doug Wilson can always be counted on to give his reader plenty to think about, and I'm still thinking. Pondering. Musing. Here's a description of the book, which will hopefully prompt you to read it and think about these things with me.

He starts by establishing the need for reformation in the American church, something his audience surely can't disagree with. Full steam ahead, he launches into an indictment of the shallow and commercial nature of our church, as can be seen by the title of chapter one: They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Schlock. We gladly rip off pop culture in our desire to relevant, but in the process make light of God's holy name, and make lots of money doing it. It reminds me of a quote from the sitcom King of the Hill. "You're not making Christianity better, you're making rock music worse!"

Wilson makes the case that we ended up with such a trivial faith because we focus on ourselves, not on God. The sin of individualism is seen as a virtue. He argues that individuals have pitted correct doctrine and unity of the body of Christ against each other. This false dichotomy leaves no room for submission to each other (i.e., Ephesian 4) and genuine humility.

So what's the answer? Becoming a "high church Puritan." The word "Puritan" couldn't be more misunderstood today. I aspire to be like the Puritans, but I'm afraid I'm not intelligent enough, not educated enough, and not passionate enough. (Doesn't fit with the modern definition of Puritan, does it?)

And so I want to use the word in its original sense -- one who has a deep desire to purify the Church, but who has no intention of voluntarily separating from that Church if he doesn't get his way immediately. ... He has a high view of the covenant, and of our corporate identity with one another. Because he is a Puritan, he intends to be a theological cavalier, and he fights for the integrity of obedience. He does not do this as some gloomy caricature, sitting in the back pews lamenting the regrettable apostasies up front...
This cannot be done without affirming, sola Scriptura, the primacy of Scripture, and the centrality of the gospel within those Scriptures. (page 22)

The rest of the book describes how proper worship will necessarily promote respect for God's Word and a fierce love for His people. The following chapters are brief but thorough, addressing transforming cultural evangelicalism, corporate worship, Biblical preaching, correct understanding and practice of communion, psalm-singing, Sabbath-keeping, and our children's place in the covenant.

Wilson starts this book with both barrels blazing, but the topical chapters change their tone and are crammed full of Scriptural proofs and really good points. I could nit-pick the chapter on psalm-singing, but the chapter on why so many Christian parents are failing to evangelize their own children was excellent.

Christian parents are commanded to teach their children to believe, and instead, in the name of high conversion standards, we teach them to doubt. Then, when they grow up and mature in the doubting that we have taught them, we point to that doubt as clear evidence that we did the right thing in keeping them away in the first place. (page 64) (emphasis his)

I'm still chewing on this book, and I'd like to hear your input, dear reader. It seems like there are two audiences to Mr. Wilson's book: the typical American Christian, and the theologically conservative pastor. I can't help but feel like I missed a crucial point or something, but at first read I don't fit either of those two categories. However, I don't want to read something convicting and just agree how it applies to other people. What can I learn from this? Where is my sin?

I'm certainly not going to pastor my own church, so the chapters on liturgy, communion, and preaching were a little frustrating (although still edifying). I suppose it would be nice if my own church did things differently, but I'm so grateful for the church I have and I have no intention of leaving it, even if the "perfect" one popped up in my neighborhood.

As for the first part of the book, it didn't step on my toes so it was easy for me to cheer from the sidelines, so to speak. I make it a point to avoid most "Christian" pop culture stuff, because usually it's not very good and a little embarrassing. I prefer Stufjan Steven's music over most Christian acts, never wear messaged tee shirts in general, and don't even own any VeggieTales DVDs (no offense, VeggieTale fans.) I think I'm struggling most with this question: in regards to to the root cause of our shallow faith, how can I, as an individual, repent of of the corporate sin of individualism?

The easy answer is for me not to cause a church split (so far, so good). I'm sure the "right" answer is for me to have proper submission for the authorities God has put in my life (I still have a long ways to go). But I still have a nagging feeling like I'm missing something. If you've read the book, what are your thoughts?

Perhaps if I were a true Puritan, I would have figured it out by now.

Cordelia Underwood, Moosepath League Series

2009-01-23T15:28:00.003-05:00

Cordelia Underwood, or the Marvelous Beginnings of the Moosepath League, by Van Reid

I stumbled across this book from someone's Amazon list--the author of which liked PD Wodehouse, so I figured I could trust his recommendations. I read this in December, and it was a nice break from the cough lozenges, tissues, and stress of my Christmas this year.

It's a modern book written in the style of a Dickensian serial novel. The many characters speak in English appropriate for the times, and I found myself using a larger vocabulary while reading it. (See? There I go again.) It is set in coastal Maine around in 1896, and the author has a great sense of the time and place. Like Dickens, he keeps throwing new characters at you in the beginning of the book, but the story gradually focuses on a well-to-do young lady named Cordelia Underwood, who surprisingly inherits a mysterious chest from her deceased sea-dog uncle. The story meanders a bit so even more quirky characters can be introduced, but eventually becomes an adventure with pirates, kidnappings, bumbling fools, quick wits, and even a little romance hinted at--for the next installment, I'm sure.

It took me a while to get used the pacing but once I did, it was an entertaining read. The author's family has lived in Maine for generations, and he obviously has a great love for his home. I might pick up the next book in the series next time I have a gap in my reading list, but I definitely want to visit Maine now.

Heaven Misplaced: Christ's Kingdom on Earth

2009-01-11T16:09:00.005-05:00

Heaven Misplaced: Christ's Kingdom on Earth, by Doug Wilson

I'm back. I'm sorry I was away for so long. After months of the pregnancy fatigue, I was starting to (finally) feel like myself again. Then the holiday craziness took over my life, and I got a cold that just won't die. I did, however, read some terrific books during my leave of absence and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you. First: Heaven Misplaced.

I finished this a while ago, and I've been mulling over how best to review it. What do you say about a book written by someone smarter than you, who knows Scripture better, and is a better communicator? "Read this book." "Buy a copy for your friends." "I really liked it." See? Everything seems so trite. These underwhelming statements doesn't detract from the truth, though: I think you should read this book, get a copy for your friends, and I really liked it.

Doug Wilson tackles postmillennial eschatology in this book, although you'll have to read through to an appendix before you ever reach that description. He makes his argument using every day language, and footnotes define theological terms like "root of Jesse" and "the Incarnation". He makes his arguments in a particularly winsome way. He describes The Story, the best and greatest story ever told. In the introduction, he asks the reader to suspend skepticism and read his book with the same mindset as a work of fiction. But the best news of all, he says, is that it is all true. Instead of me poorly trying to paraphrase this, I recommend you read his introduction--it's an excellent summary of his book.

For you theological types, I grew up arguing for postmillennial eschatology, which is usually a pretty lonely road. I was challenged by this book though, because I've absorbed some of American Christianity's pessimism regarding the end times. For you non-theological types, eschatology is what Christians believe about how the world will end. Most Americans think that, to quote Wilson, "the world is God's Vietnam, and the return of Christ consists of the few lucky ones helicoptered off a roof during the fall of Saigon." To me, that just doesn't seem right (not to mention I have a pocket full of proof texts to back me up here). Christ conquered death and sin on the cross, bound Satan, and rose again from the dead and now reigns from heaven. Would this victorious God just slink off into history and let the world, literally and figuratively, go to hell?

This book is an introduction to historical optimism. This is the view that the gospel will continue to grow and flourish throughout the world, more and more individuals will be converted, the nations will stream to Christ, and the Great Commission will finally be successfully completed. The will will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. When that happens, generation after generation will love and serve the Lord faithfully. And then the end will come. (page 9)

This book would be a great companion piece to a book with another contrarian thesis, Heaven is not my Home, by Paul Marshall (see a review here). I marked up my copy of Heaven Misplaced and read it slowly because I wanted to really absorb it. I would have liked to have read it with other people--I'm sure the conversations would be great, and each chapter has discussion questions which I think are helpful for individuals or groups. Basically: I label myself with these theological terms, but I want to write this on my heart: Jesus Christ is victorious in history, and I am privileged to be tasked with the Great Commission and help accomplish "Thy Kingdom come, and Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Bush's reading list

2008-12-29T16:03:00.002-05:00

Reason #862 to feel badly about myself: President Bush reads more books, and reads more intellectual books than I do. See the article here. (HT: JT)

Say what you will about Bush, but the scope and volume of the list shows someone who is not only intelligent (gasp!) but is disciplined in what free time he has. After I'm done berating myself for spending too much time on the internet, I'm going to see if my library has some of these titles. Who knows--maybe I can match Bush's 40 books read in 2008. I'm staying realistic, though, so I'm not aiming for Karl Rove's 64. These are busy men, but they're not pregnant stay-at-home moms caring for a toddler.

And yes, I'm playing that card as long as I have it!

Bird by Bird

2008-11-27T20:38:00.004-05:00

Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott

I read this a while ago while visiting my parents, but I talked to both of them about it so I didn't feel as compelled to blog it right away. Basically, it was a well-written book about writing by an accomplished author, but now I don't want to read her other works.

The author has really practical advice about getting past all those voices in your head telling potential authors not to write. She tells us how to get past all that baggage, and just write. You can be perfect later, or write about the history of epic subjects, or become world famous published author, but for now, just write. Not bad advice for life in general, whether you want to be an author or not.

Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time,
was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three
months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at
our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the
kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder
paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized
by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside
him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder, and said, 'Bird by
bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.

Lamott has wisdom to pass on, but now I don't want to read her noted memoir, "Travelling Mercies." It's about her religious conversion but it's not the God that I know. The most annoying example is how she refers to God is "she," which is not only specifically NOT how God identifies Himself, but it's a cliched affectation as well.

I enjoy writing, but I don't want to be a "writer," at least not this stage in my life. Right now I'd just be happy keeping up with the laundry. But if or when I do decide to take it seriously, I'll reread this book. If you can get past the author, this book has great information on learning the craft of writing. Just take it "bird by bird..."

The Best Baby Books

2008-11-10T20:19:00.011-05:00

I have been surrounded by babies lately, not to mention my own incubating right now. (I'm at 20 weeks right now--halfway through!) With that in mind, I thought I'd share my thoughts about baby books. I have some strong opinions, as you'll see below....

I spent most of my pregnancy reading and researching all things baby. At one point, I had to cut myself off because I was reading too much and stressing out. I don't want my anxiety to be wasted, so here are some highlights of what I found. When you have a baby, you don't want your precious free time spent reading mediocre books.

First: avoid What to Expect When You're Expecting. I think it's over-rated. I had to stop reading it because I was starting to freak out about all the risks, complications, and possible nutritional deficiencies. I much preferred Your Pregnancy Week by Week. It's written by doctors and is much more reasonable. Plus, the readings are divided into weekly sections, instead of monthly, so the information is more digestible.

Second: avoid Babywise. What a terrible book, especially for someone claiming to be a Christian author: bad science, outrageous claims, faulty reasoning, no footnotes or references, and at one point, I had no idea who the author of one chapter was. Despite being so frustrating, I still read it twice, once before Violet was born and again when I was pulling my hair out because she wasn't sleeping. There is good information in there, but you have to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Okay, I'm done being mean. Here are the books I recommend:

The Baby Book, by the Sears family. This is the authority on attachment parenting, which is a child-focused parenting style. It was a total contrast with Babywise, which was very much focused on the parents. While I disagree philosophically with the Sears' worldview, they give practical ways to love your child and give him security. I thought the sections on nutrition, babywearing, feeding babies and toddlers, and developmental stages were especially helpful.

A good compromise between the above two books is Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, which despite its goofy title, is very good. It's a compassionate view of babies (who need their parents to be their advocate), while emphasizing their need for structure, routine, and familiarity. I wish I had read it before I had Violet, as I think it would have reduced some of my earlier mis-steps.

So who should be the focus of your parenting? The cheesy answer is to say "Jesus! We should focus our parenting on Jesus!" But it's true. To that end, I highly recommend Shepherding a Child's Heart, by Paul Tripp. The point of discipline isn't to merely change behavior, and the point of Christian parenting isn't to get your child to pray the sinner's prayer. Our goal is to produce adults who love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and their neighbor as themselves. The book is soaked with Scripture, and Tripp has really practical applications of what shepherding might look like during different stages of childhood. I am planning on re-reading it soon, because I feel like I need all the direction I can get during these toddler years.

And here's a super practical book: Signing Smart with Babies and Toddlers. I can't recommend it enough. A hearing-impaired coworker gave it to me, and I love it. Unlike other books, which tend to just focus on simplistic vocabulary, it teaches you how to initiate conversations with your child and invite him to interact with his world. I think Violet uses about 30 signs and it is so helpful, for both of us.

I hope this helps, if you were looking for some baby books. Babies are so amazing--enjoy your little one!

Tender at the Bone

2008-11-01T22:40:00.004-04:00

Tender at the Bone, by Ruth Reichl

I read Reichl's Garlic and Saphires a few years ago and really enjoyed it, and I finally got around to trying her earlier writing. I woke up hungry around midnight this week, so I got some food and started reading this book. I finished my snack, and then finished the book! It's 282 pages, and I read it all in one night. That's how much I enjoyed it.

Reichl is not only a foodie with serious street cred, but also an excellent writer. As one Amazon review said, "Ruth writes with all her senses." This book isn't so much about the food itself, but used food to explain the times, the places, and the people. She included recipes at the end of each chapter which added dimension to the story.

Essentially this is a coming-of-age story from the sixties and seventies, but don't let that scare you off: this one is actually good. Reichl's mother was manic-depressive who totally ignored food safety rules. Growing up, Reichl felt compelled to protect the family's guests from her mother's moldy dishes, which evolved into a love of good food. Her WASP-y upbringing was completely skewed because of her mother, who would do things like drop her off without warning at a French-Canadian Catholic boarding school, "so you can learn a second language!" She had went to college as far away from her family as she could, and did things like visit Tunisia, as a newlywed she shared a NY flat with others to make rent, attended Studio 54, and lived in a California commune. At its heart, this book is about growing up in a crazy time, loving your crazy friends, trying to escape crazy family members, having crazy adventures, and yet making the decision to stay sane.

A Bell for Adano

2008-11-01T22:02:00.005-04:00

A Bell for Adano, by John Hersey

I'm not sure. Meh. Did I miss something? Am I not very insightful? Would I have enjoyed it more if there were illustrations?

This book is set towards the end of WWII European theater. The American occupation has come to Italy, and an American major becomes the de facto mayor for the city of Adano. The people are starving, but what they want the most is their bell back. The town bell rang in the city square for 700 years, but the fascists took it and melted it down for war materiel during their retreat. An Italian-American major, who we are told is a good man but has clear flaws, restores the justice corrupted under the fascists, does what he can to get food to the people, but becomes driven to replace the bell for the people of Adano.

It was interesting reading this from a 21st century perspective. It was written in 1944, so I wasn't able to predict how the book would end. I could easily picture this in my head as a black and white movie with the stock characters. If this book were written today it would have been totally different-- the characters were a bit two-dimensional, but there was no doubt of the America's success in the war and that their good intentions would ultimately benefit the people. One can't help but make comparisons to the Iraq war, which has much more moral ambiguity surrounding it, even among people who believe it was the right thing to do. Maybe I'm left feeling conflicted over this book because I wish America today had the certainty and vision that we had 64 years ago. A lot has changed since then.

Semicolon's review here.

Is Christianity Good for the World?

2008-10-27T09:19:00.006-04:00

Is Christianity Good for the World? A Debate, by Christopher Hitchens and Douglas Wilson

Internet-wise, I was at the right place at the right time. When I was reviewing Doug Wilson's Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, I stumbled across a blog post at Canon Press offering Doug Wilson's latest for bloggers to review. Even though I was months late, the very kind Frank sent me not one, but three books to review. This is about as close as I will ever come to winning the lottery, and this was much healthier for my soul!

This morning at breakfast, I just finished Is Christianity Good for the World?, a debate between celebrated atheist Christopher Hitchens and the always-pithy Douglas Wilson. Despite the serious subject matter and considerable intellect of the two authors, it's an engaging little book which I finished quickly (especially considering I was usually feeding a toddler while reading it). It began as a series of articles sponsored by magazine Christianity Today and evolved (if I may use that word) into this book.

I love a good debate, and this one was fun. Logical arguments, spotting fallacies and weak reasoning, trumping the opponent... these all make my nerdy heart go a-flutter. This debate all came down to authority, at Wilson's insistence. Hitchens started by railing against totalitarianism and religion, and pitted them against atheism and free will. Wilson responded by saying that unless you glorify God as God and give thanks to Him, argumentation is moot. Wilson kept trying to ask why Hitchens could use words like 'right,' 'wrong,' and 'evil' if morality, as he claimed, was a product of our evolved species. Hitchens argued that his morality was more noble because he was motivated by goodness itself and not fear of an imaginary afterlife. I thought it was interesting that despite Hitchens claiming the moral higher ground, he was consistently disdainful and made Wilson seem even more polite by contrast. Here's an example of his tone:

Deists used to agree with you about a Creator but were not religious in that the assumption of such an entity did not license the further assumption that he or she desired to intervene in human affairs, let alone the assumption that the torture and death of a single individual in a backward part of the Middle East was the solution that we had been awaiting for tens of thousands of years of brutish homo sapiens existence. (p. 52)

In my opinion, Wilson not only proved Hitchens' evasiveness in showing a basis for his standards of right and wrong, but he also showed himself to be funnier and kinder. After much civility, Wilson finally broke down and wrote:

You write like a witty but acerbic tenth-century archbishop with a bad case of the gout. (p. 64)

So, is Christianity good for the world? Hitchens seemed stuck on attacking all religion in general, and Wilson became (necessarily) focused on asking how an atheist had any moral claim to right and wrong, if we're all just 'matter in motion' and continually evolving and besides, who is to say that morality won't evolve to something totally different in the future? Wilson's arguments reminded me of "The Great Debate" between my old pastor, the wonderful Dr. Greg Bahnsen, and Dr. Gordon Stein. I'm paraphrasing from my recollections from high school when we studied this, so I encourage you to check out the video or transcript, but Dr. B trounced the guy by basically saying, "You're using the standard of 'right' and 'wrong' to judge me, but a godless world has no basis for absolutes. You're just borrowing from my own worldview."

Of course I'm a Christian, but I think Wilson showed his position to be more interesting and logically sound than Hitchens'. More than that, however, is Wilson's grace: congeniality towards his opponent, thankfulness to God and Christianity Today for the forum provided, and the grace given in the gospel message at the end of the book. Especially during the upcoming book tour and public debates, I hope this book changes hard hearts by changing stubborn minds. I think that Wilson's argumentation and Hitchen's celebrity will make this debate another one for the history books.

UPDATE: I was really thinking of the Bahnsen vs. Tabash debate, not Bahnsen vs. Stein. That's okay, they're both brilliant.

Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall

2008-10-15T21:36:00.004-04:00

Fables: 10001 Nights of Snowfall, by Bill Willingham et. al.

Dark, dark, dark. This was another one of my graphic novel experiments. My honey scoffs whenever I say the words "graphic novel" which I have to admit, really is a way to say "comic books for grown-ups." He prefers to read technical manuals, which I call "comic books for nerds." This graphic novel was definitely R-rated. I guess I should have expected it, but it still took me by surprise. The book was so imaginative and the illustrations are so beautiful, that as long as you are prepared for the subject matter it's worth the read.

Here's the set-up: story-book characters have been chased from their homeland by a mysterious and gruesome enemy called "The Adversary." He and his ogres either can't or won't follow the Fables through a portal into our world that deposits them into New York City. Snow White is sent as an ambassador to a powerful caliph in story-book Arabia to form an alliance against the Adversary. Instead of conducting political negotiations, he marries her that night with the intent to kill her in the morning. Rather than beg for her life, she tells him a story. And another, and another. Soon it's morning and he agrees to let her live for one more day... and more stories.

Each of Snow White's stories are illustrated by a different artist, and the work is amazing. There is quite a range, but the writing (by Bill Willingham, who apparently is a legend) is what really grabbed me. He had an inventive take on the stories we all grew up on, but it made me wonder if anyone reads the Brothers Grimm and fairytales for their own sake anymore. Shrek 1, 2, and 3 strip-mined every story children might know and movies like "Stardust" and "Brothers Grimm" play in those worlds but don't follow the rules. Willingham took it even further. Not only are there the dark elements from the original stories, but then there's the really dark elements from Willingham's post-modern deconstruction of the stories and his 21st-century take on evil.

The imagination in these stories is amazing, and if you enjoy art at all you'll be drawn into the illustrations. I don't think I'll read the rest of the series though. If you have (or will), let me know--I want to know how it ends!

Happy Anniversary, Me!

2008-10-04T20:47:00.003-04:00

I was just browsing some old posts, and I realized that I started this blog exactly one year ago. How cool is that? Usually, I don't remember dates until it's too late to do anything, so I'm glad Providence directed me towards introspection tonight.

I started this blog on October 4, 2007, with the hopes of sharing my thoughts with you, gentle reader, and learning a bit more about myself. Hopefully you've liked what you've read. Or at least, you know which books to avoid. Browsing through the categories, I'm surprised by how much fiction I read, and a little embarrassed by the fluffy stuff there. I definitely went through a foodie phase earlier this year. Christianity is a constant category. (Whew!) The titles I've chosen to read are revealing, but what has surprised me the most is how much I've come to enjoy the process of writing my thoughts, and not just giving out recommendations. I hope I am becoming a more discerning reader through the process of blogging. Thanks for reading along with me.

Carry on, Jeeves

2008-09-28T01:07:00.005-04:00

Carry on, Jeeves
by P.G. Wodehouse

In a word, hilarious. I think this was Wodehouse's first book in the Bertie Wooster series. It's about a British dandy who acknowledges himself to be a bit of an idiot, and his faithful man Jeeves who always saves the day. This, being an earlier book, doesn't have quite the side-splitting hilarity of later books, but I still laughed uncontrollably.

In a related tangent, based on a discussion of this author with my family this afternoon, I have decided to call my winter home (which incidentally is also where I summer, spring, and fall) "Squirrel-Drop-in-the-Fields", a title befitting its station. If my parents ever get the beach house my mom now longs for, it shall be called "Penguin's End." I laughed until my mascara ran.

It's great to be with family.

Wild Blue

2008-09-28T00:42:00.005-04:00

Wild Blue: Stories of Survival from Air and Space
Edited by David Fisher and William Garvey

My mom left this book with me during her last visit, and I returned it to her during my visit this time (yup, I'm still here). It's a collection of short stories by a wide range of authors, and I enjoyed it. My honey had read it in something like three days when it first showed up at our house, but I forgot about it, and then discovered it again when I wasn't feeling well. It's another good morning sickness/super tired mom book. I could read it at the breakfast table while feeding my daughter, and curl up at night with it and read a few pages pages before enjoying precious, precious sleep.

The authors ranged from accomplished aviators/authors like Beryl Markham, Ernie Gann, and Antione de Saint Exupery, to unknowns who simply had amazing stories to tell. The story that I remember most was by William Rankin. He was a career Air Force pilot who had to eject from his FU8 at 47,000 feet above sea level. He survived the explosive ejection in near-space, only to fall into a thunderstorm and be caught in the violent updrafts for 40 minutes. Lightning, hail, waves of water: any of this would be enough to kill a man, but it's even more remarkable after his rapid decompression 10 miles above the earth. Another memorable story was by a British reporter in WWII, covering the RAF's burn unit and patients' rehabilitation. It was on the other end of the spectrum, but just as heroic. I skipped the few fiction pieces, because they sounded false in contrast to pilot's personal stories. In this case, reality was more powerful.

This book is a reminder of what humans can achieve and overcome, even in the face of overwhelming odds. It makes me think that maybe I should stop whining so much about my morning sickness.

Some general housekeeping

2008-09-22T00:42:00.006-04:00

Does nobody want a free book? Seriously people, it's not very encouraging to have one's first giveaway ignored. I'll take some blame, though. After a very long post, if you finally made it to the end to read about the giveaway, you probably felt like you had already finished the book. (Sadly, this is me trying to be concise. Long blog posts are a what happens when a quiet person receives a virtual soap box.) Well, in case you missed it, I am giving away my copy of "Banker to the Poor." I am at my parents' house right now, and I was going to bring it with me and and just leave it with them but then I forgot. I blame the babies, both of them. But anyway, now's your (second) chance to receive an inspiring book.

Also, I apologize for the unfinished blog design. I can't leave Blogger's templates alone, but I ran into technical difficulties. I can't help it: I alter my jeans, I make my own vinegar, and I can't use a stock web design. I'll eventually fix it, but you'll have to be patient with me.

Miss Match, Rematch, Match Point

2008-09-20T14:35:00.008-04:00

Miss Match, Rematch, and Match Point, by Erynn Mangum

Well, this post is a little embarrassing. But what good is the internet, if you can't make embarrassing admissions about yourself to total strangers? So here it goes: I read some chick lit. Okay, not just any chick lit... Christian chick lit. A combination of two genres not known for literary excellence. And... (sigh)... I enjoyed it.

Here's some background: I've just been feeling terrible lately. I'm so grateful to be pregnant but I've been experiencing morning sickness while my honey has been away for weeks on business trips. I've been trying to finish Dorothy Sayer's essays but lately I'm just not up to it. My friend loaned me a trilogy by Erynn Mangum which couldn't have been more timely. I read them while laying on the couch when my toddler was napping, drinking ginger tea and trying to ignore the piles of laundry and dust bunnies floating across the floor.

It was a little like watching a Christian version of the TV show "Friends," which I hope doesn't sound like an insult, because it's not. Nobody lives like that, but I was absorbed in that world for as long as it lasted. The main character, Laurie, is a 23- year old single Christian who can't stop playing matchmaker and was loosely based on Jane Austen's "Emma." I thought the author would parallel the plot of "Emma" too, but she respected her characters enough to let them have their own stories. There was no heavy-handed evangelism or salvation-through-romantic fulfillment which often pollutes Christian fiction. The characters were all saved and acted as such, and it was a pleasant, although sanitized, world. This isn't Flannery O'Connor, and I was so glad.

Still, if you're picky with your books, don't read this series. Most of the characters' dialogue had the same tone. The author used frequent Jane Austen quotes, Princess Bride references, Cheesecake Factory shout-outs, and lots of chocoholic activity in what seemed like an effort to help the reader identify with the characters more. They were unnecessary--I related to Laurie's inner life and a young single woman far more than all the Jane Austen love (of which there is plenty!). Laurie is happily single and loves her life, but begins to be blindsided by jealousy of all the newlyweds and engaged couples around her. Her nightly devotions speak to what's going on in her life, and are alternately surprising, thought-provoking, encouraging, etc. I think every Christian knows what it's like to have God quietly speaking to you in the midst of confusion, and the author's honesty gave the books authenticity.

It will be interesting to see how this author matures as a writer. According to Anne Lamott in "Bird by Bird," good writing is about telling the truth. , and I hope that Erynn Mangum will improve her craft so she can communicate more clearly in the future. I'll read it.

The Divine Hours

2008-09-05T20:39:00.004-04:00

The Divine Hours, by Phyllis Tickle

Simply put, this is a script for daily prayer. Depending on your background, this can really scare off Christians or they can become enthusiastic proponents of fixed hour prayer. My master-of-divinity brother-in-law Michael had a good point about fixed hour prayer when I was picking his brain last fall. He said that like all spiritual disciplines, it can be a great help in your Christian walk, or you can rely on Pharisaical actions to earn your own salvation. It always goes back to your heart: are doing this to please God and increase in holiness? Or are you doing it to impress God with your manufactured righteousness?

So, with that introduction, I like this book. I had some concerns to overcome before buying it after at least a year of deliberation.

My gut reaction against the title, "The Divine Hours," which sounds rather conceited in today's world. (Actually, it's an old, old title which probably could be paraphrased "The Sacred Times of the Day" in modern English.)
Phyllis Tickle, the author (or probably more accurately, the editor) is renowned in American spirituality and Christianity, but lately has thrown her support behind the Emergent Church, so I was concerned that she would dilute the truths of the Bible and the way historic Christianity has interpreted those truths.
Scripture quotations are from the New Jerusalem Bible, which apparently is the accepted Catholic translation but I don't know any more about it than that.
I don't come from a ecclesiastical tradition of fixed hour prayer or following the church calendar.

I used my birthday money to finally commit. I'm glad I did for the following reasons:

I'm not a disciplined person, so the prayers intended for certain times add structure to my day.
This is a great way to pray the through Scripture.
The Book of Common Prayer (a hallmark of orthodoxy) seems to be the foundation for this book. I would describe it more of a liturgy for personal worship. For example, each reading has Bible verses to praise God and make requests of God, there are selected hymns to sing, readings to meditate on, etc.
As described above, there's a nice variety to keep my attention from wandering.

I mostly just use the readings when I get up in the morning and before I fall asleep at night. I'm not a stickler for certain times, although I do the other two times (around lunch and dinner) if it's been "one of those days." It's nice to take a break from your day to specifically focus on God. The author emphatically notes The Divine Hours are not intended to replace personal prayer, and I've found that daily use encourages me make more informal, small prayers throughout the day.

If you're willing to take the red pill like me, check out this link to the current office. And now since I've stayed up too late (again) I'm going to bed.

"May the Lord Almighty grant me and those I love a peaceful night and a perfect end. Amen."

Peace Like a River

2008-09-03T13:51:00.005-04:00

Peace like a River, by Leif Enger

Loved it. I'm so glad I read this one. I actually started it a long time ago... Whenever I was at my friends Drew and Jessi's house, I would invariably nurse baby Violet upstairs in their office, where they keep their books. And of course, I would read. After all, I was stuck there for at least 30 minutes, so I worked through the first few chapters of "Peace Like a River" over several months. I liked what I read, but I didn't complete the book until this summer. I had an unused audible.com credit which I redeemed for our vacation this summer. I tried really hard to pick something my honey would like, too, but he hasn't read (or rather, listened to) this one yet. His loss--I'm sure he will love it, too.

The story is set in rural Minnesota in 1962. The narrator is a 10 year old boy named Reuben, and he describes his imaginative, honor-bound little sister, Swede; his father, whose prayer life is so alive, and whose King James Bible is so worn, that genuine miracles accompany his humble circumstances; and his 16-year brother Davy, who seems more like his father's equal than his own brother. Two bullies harass the family until Davy is provoked to violence that puts him in the town jail and the center of controversy. When Davy escapes, the remainder of his family sets out to search for him.

Their search echoes the poetry that Swede writes, epic battles of good and evil set in the American west. Swede brings plenty of allusions to "Riders of the Purple Sage," Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, and Zorro. But then Rueben, in his foolish 10 year-old judgement, makes disastrous choices which affect even more people than their own family.

The writing was lyrical, and the characters were firmly anchored in a strong sense of place and time. My only quibble was that the ending was so beautiful, and so gut-wrenching, that it almost felt like cheating. I usually listen to audiobooks (or podcasts) when I'm doing chores like mopping or laundry, but when I got to the ending, I just sat on the couch and listened while tears streamed down my face. If you want to read a really good story, get this book.

Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning

2008-08-28T22:17:00.003-04:00

Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, by Douglas Wilson

This one's for you, Dan.

I've been eyeing this book for a while, and even (gasp!) was considering buying it when my mom loaned me her copy. Don't you love it when things like that happen?

I like Douglas Wilson's writing. I've been reading Credenda Agenda since I was in my teens, and I've read a fair amount of his books, too. I like straight shooters with clear absolutes (I could never make it in the emergent church), andI respect those with the intellect and wisdom to deal gracefully in gray areas, which education certainly can be. Doug Wilson combines both... this book was so rich that I took notes (which of course, I can't find now) and I filled a 3x5 card with sources I want to read. His writing style is similar to Dorothy Sayers (no surprise--one of her essays was the inspiration for this book), but his lengthy endnotes changed the tone from scholarly to more conversational.

His basic premise is this: as Christians, we shouldn't allow our Christian children to be educated by God's enemies. Salvation doesn't come from education, but from Christ alone. We are (somewhat) fortunate to see the American school system reaping what it has sown and collapsing in our lifetime. Turning back the clock 50, or even 150 years won't solve what is fundamentally wrong with public education: its foundation is man, not God. That said, our goal shouldn't be to give our children a better education than in public schools: we should aim much higher than that.

After thoroughly laying the groundwork, expounding on "the nature of knowledge" and understanding the student as both a fallen sinner and made in the image of God, Wilson dives into the classical model of education which was used in the Middle Ages. Let me warn you: as you read this, don't be a modern elitist. The medieval times were not full of cave-dwelling idiots. It was a time period that produced engineering marvels without technology, invented science, new kinds of literature, formed new forms of government and law, and art which is still unsurpassed. It was not uncommon for 16-year-olds to go to Oxford or Cambridge, and then go on to do things like invent calculus or discover new planets. Wilson, via Sayers, argues that it was because they knew how to think.

I enjoyed this book because I enjoy education. The various philosophies of education and the brief history of education in America were interesting. This book really threw a monkey wrench in my plans, though. I've been looking forward to homeschooling my present and future children since before I even had them. As the headmaster of a private school, the author makes a persuasive argument in favor of private schools. I began to question whether it was pride that convinced me that I can educate my kids all the way up to college better than a private school can. After all, I'm just one person with many, many, many failings. As I fell into self-doubt, I read their school's course curriculum and loved seeing the nitty-gritty details. Which made me think, does the average person like to read course curriculums? Maybe that means I should homeschool. Like my honey says, we have lots of time to figure that out, but it's still one more thing to worry about. You know, in case I get low or something.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book if you are interested in modern education, or if you enjoy reading about logical conclusions of the Christian worldview.

Banker to the Poor

2008-08-22T10:05:00.003-04:00

Good grief. I haven't posted since July 5? I've been reading (no surprise here) but just haven't finished that many books. I've been rotating around some non-fiction and theological books lately, and I just need to commit and finish one. But in the meanwhile, here's what I did finish.

Banker to the Poor, by Muhammad Yunus

Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize for the work of his Grameen Bank and microlending program. Usually, it's the simple things that have potential to be revolutionary.

Yunus was an economics professor at a prestigious university in Bangladesh. It bothered him that he was in an ivory tower teaching theory when people in the villages around him lived in bondage to poverty with no way out. He started taking his students to the villages and listening to the people. He realized it wasn't the poor farmers who needed the most help, but those with no land or resources. He started by lending $37 out of his own pocket to a woman so she could buy the supplies to make and sell wooden stools. It evolved into a bank to help those with no resources, no assets, or not even an address. Like in America, how easy do you think it is to secure a bank loan if you have no experience, cosigners, or education? That's where the microloans stepped in.

The program expanded, through much opposition and red tape, to become a global project. I loved hearing about its success. The examples were moving. But I especially loved the respect he gave to his lenders. This muslim man seems to recognize God's breath in humans, and treated them with dignity. Here's an example, explaining why he doesn't require job training before giving loans:

Why give credit first?
I firmly believe that all human beings have innate skill. I call it the survival skill. The fact that the poor are alive is clear proof of their ability. They do not need us to teach them how to survive; they already know how to do this. So rather than waste our time teaching them new skills, we try to make maxiumum use of their existing skills. Giving the poor access to credit allows them to immediately put into practice the skills they already know--to weave, husk rice, raise cows, peddle a rickshaw. And the cash they earn is a tool, a key than unlocks a host of other abilities and allows them to explore their own potential. Often borrowers teach other new techniques that allow them to better use their survival skills. They teach far better than we ever could. (p. 140)

Other features that I loved were:

Focusing on giving money to women directly (who in Pakistan often never even touch money) because the women were much more likely to improve the overall health of the family than men.
Setting up small groups of borrowers for accountability and mutual help.
Focusing on results, not money spent. Each branch of the Grameen Bank must be "poverty-free" within a certain timeframe, as defined by simple things like access to a latrine, having no food shortages even during the most difficult time of a very difficult year, having all school-age children attending school, etc. (p. 202)
Near-perfect repayment rates. As the author pointed out, the poor have no other options. The success of the loan changes lives, and if they miss this opportunity, that's it.
His disdain for big governement and beauracracy, which really spoke to a conservative/libetarian like me. Remove impediments to people's success, and they will succeed.

The first part of the book tells his story, and the last chapter explains his overall philosophy and hopes for the future. They are so optimistic they seem unrealistic, but what would I know? He has already accomplished more than anyone would have thought possible. As a Christian reader, his compassion for the poor was inspiring to me. Although he's muslim, Yunus loves others by enabling them to succeed. It's the kind of poverty fighting that World Magazine has been encouraging for years. I'm sure that you will appreciate this book as much as I did...

...Which is why I'm giving it away! It was passed along to me by my friend Jenny, which was given to her, with the request that it would be given to others who would appreciate it. So if you are interested in reading it, leave a comment, a commenter will be chosen at random, and I'll mail the book to you. But--you have to pass it along to someone else when you're done with it!

The Tenth Muse

2008-07-05T17:40:00.003-04:00

The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food, by Judith Jones

Yup, another food book. This was an interesting memoir by an interesting woman. She had a WASP-y childhood but ended up living in Paris after WWII and working for a publisher. She loved good food and she came into her own when living in Paris. It opened her eyes to a new way of eating, and she combined her love of food with her literary career by searching out good writing about food. She worked with Julia Child, and they ended up publishing "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," which changed how Americans cooked. I didn't realize how influential is was until I read this book. Judith Jones then sought out other ethnic food cook book authors. After a while, she realized she was what she called a "food snob" and started looking for authentic American cuisine. Through many travels with her equally food-focused husband, from Appalachia to Vermont to Paris to Bali, they found and celebrated good food.

I also enjoyed her writing about her friendships with food giants like MFK Fisher, James Beard, and Julia Child. Other cookbook authors I want to find now are Nina Simonds, Edna Lewis, Claudia Roden, Madhur Jaffrey, Marion Cunningham.... The end of the book is a collection of recipes which mirrors the different stages of her life. I think it was generous of her to share what she loved, and her passion made the book a great read.

Here's the last two paragraphs of the book, which sums it up, I think.

"Moreover, I always take home new tastes and new challenges, so my table for one is constantly changing. And friends and family who partake of my fare are, I hope, never bored. There is an old Italian saying, A tavola non s'invecchia--"At the table one never grows old." Isn't that reason enough to come home at the end of the day, roll up one's sleeves, fire up the stove, and start smashing the garlic?
As Brillat-Savarin wrote: 'The pleasures of the table are for every man, of every land, and no matter of what place in history or society, they can be part of all his other pleasures, and they last the longest to console him when he has outlived the rest.'"

Boomsday

2008-07-05T16:53:00.001-04:00

Boomsday, by Christopher Buckley

This will probably be the last Christopher Buckley novel I read. It was laugh-out-loud funny at parts, but he's better at interesting plot lines than at writing good characters. At the end of the book, all of the characters annoyed me, which wasn't enough to redeem the 318 pages.

You have to hand it to him--he's good at creating interesting situations. The "heroine" of the novel becomes a disaffected cynic when her father blows her Yale tuition money on a dot-com startup. She then joins the Army to get money for college, but then is bounced out after a visiting senator takes over her jeep and almost gets killed in a mine field in Yugoslavia. He feels badly enough to get her a new job in a Washington PR firm. By this time, she's so angry at everyone older than she is, she angrily blogs away. (I'm guessing the author thought frequent mentions of blogs would make him more relevant.) She blames the Baby Boomers for all their selfishness and indulgence, and encourages others under 30 to commit acts of vandalism against golf courses and segways. The movement gains adherents and notoriety, and she develops a plan: "Voluntary Transitioning." Baby Boomers get tax breaks if they agree to kill themselves at 65, so young working people no longer have to fund the massive social security debt passed on to the next generation.

All the characters are two-dimensional, although the president was funny. The most irritating character was the southern Christian who acted as the self-appointed right-to-life expert. Of course, he ended up being a a loser and a hypocrite--so surprise here. Between that and the language, I think I'll pass on future Christopher Buckley novels.

The Omnivore's Dilemna

2008-06-23T15:56:00.000-04:00

The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan

It seems I've been a bit food-obsessed lately. I can't help it--I love to eat. But as you learn in this book, the question "What should I eat?" is a difficult one. If you're a koala bear, it's simple: you eat eucalyptus leaves. If you're a rat, a fellow omnivore, it's a bit more complicated. If you're a human with taste, traditions, societal conventions, history, grocery budgets, and a moral conscience, it's enough to fill a 500-page book.

I recommend this book highly. The author makes science approachable and links different ways to eat through a narrative, which makes the sometimes-abstract subject much more interesting. He divides the book into three foods, corn, grass, and fungi, which parallels different ways of eating: Industrial, part of the military-industrial commercial way of eating subsidized by the US government and heavy reliance on oil; Pastoral, comprehensive small farms where every form of food ultimately goes back full circle to rich soil and vibrant grass; and Personal, where modern hunter-gatherers use the forest (or suburbs, or cities) to find wild food.

For me, nothing in the book was revolutionary, because I already eat differently than your average American. I have celiac disease, I like good food, and I'm trying to be healthy, so that limits most fast food, prepared food, and restaurant food. This did go more into detail about some things I wished I didn't know, like about CAFOs: confined animal feedlot operations. So sad--these animals wouldn't exist if it weren't for us, and I think we have an obligation to treat them better. Or, how much oil is consumed for food. Between fertilizer, preservatives, tractors, diesel trucks and transportation, it's staggering. And unappetizing.

The hero of the books ends up being Joel Salatin, who actually lives not that far away from me. He owns Polyface Farms, and describes himself as a "Christian-conservative-libertarian-environmentalist-lunatic farmer." My kind of guy! His worldview is admirable, and more comprehensive than I can describe here. The author spent a week working on his farm, and as a Christian, this passage particularly resonated with me:

"As I stumbled up the hill, I was struck by how very beautiful the farm looked in the hazy early light. The thick June grass was silvered with dew, the sequence of bright pastures stepping up the hillside dramatically set off by broad expanses of blackish woods. Birdsong stitched the thick blanket of summer air, pierced now and again by the wood clap of chicken pen doors slamming shut. It was hard to believe this hillside had ever been the gullied wreck Joel had described at dinner, and even harder to believe that farming such a damaged landscape so intensively, rather than just letting it be, could restore it to health and yield this beauty. This is not the environmentalist's standard prescription. But Polyface is proof that people can sometimes do more for the health of a place by cultivating it rather than by leaving it alone."

I think this is what we are called to do as humans, and especially as Christians. We're supposed to work hard to improve the health of the land, the animals, and our families. The way America currently eats is doing none of those things, but as individuals, we have the choices available to us. Or rather, dilemmas.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

2008-06-23T14:59:00.000-04:00

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson

I saw this on the "new arrivals" rack at the library, and I decided to read it because I wanted to see the movie too. It was one of those "why not?" selections, and it really paid off. This was such a fun book to read. I wish I could selectively forget the entire book and bring it with me on vacation next month, so I could have the pleasure of reading it again while sitting on the beach. So fun!

The protagonist is a fading, genteel middle-aged governess who is about to be kicked out of her London flat, and needs a job immediately. She answers yet another add, goes for yet another interview, and gets swept away in the glamorous life a beautiful actress juggling three men at once. Miss Pettigrew becomes progressively bolder and really lives for the first time in her life.

I want to read more books by this publisher, Persephone Books. Their description from the book jacket sums up the novel perfectly:

"Persophone Books reprints forgotten twentieth century novels, short stories, cookery books and memoirs by (mostly) women writers. They appeal to the discerning reader who prefers books that are neither too literary nor too comercial, and are guaranteed to be readable, thought-provoking and impossible to forget..."

The Improvisational Cook

2008-06-16T14:50:00.001-04:00

The Improvisational Cook, by Sally Schneider

I think I have a girl crush on the author, Sally Schneider. I want to buy her a dozen roses so she'll cook me dinner. I had heard her speak several times on one of my favorite podcasts, The Splendid Table, but it did not prepare me for the magic that is her cookbook.

Just to look at it, it's a beautiful book. The photos alone will inspire improvisation. But content is solid. I don't normally review cookbooks, art books, how-to books, or the like on this site, but I'm so impressed with this that I had write about it. Plus, in case you were my honey and realizing that my birthday is soon and looking for a gift, there's a handy Amazon.com link at the top of the page. (Or, hypothetically speaking, this book would also be appreciated. Just in case.)

The author introduces her approach by describing how to know what flavors go with what, how to find inspiration, essential ingredients, etc. Then in the recipe section, she takes a basic recipe and gives a little background, explains the technical side of it, and then gives at least four or so riffs on the recipe as examples of how to continue on your own. I like the approach, and I like her overall philosophy of food, too. She uses whole foods, good herbs, high quality fats, and organic when possible: No bottled steak sauce or dried ranch dressing envelopes here. Her ingredients can be more gourmet than our grocery budget would allow for, but she gives so many different options it's not a big deal. I learned the most from the sections entitled "Long-Keeping Staples for Pantry, Refrigerator, and Freezer" and "A Guide to Classic Flavor Affinities".

I've only made two recipes so far, but they've both been great. The master cornbread recipe (Crackling Cornbread, p. 261) produced the best cornbread I think I've ever eaten. Here's the part I liked especially:

"Note: to render bacon fat, cook several slices of bacon in a covered skillet over moderate heat until crisp. Strain the fat into a bowl for easy measuring. Refrigerate unused fat. (Eat the crisp bacon.)"

Now how could you not like a cookbook like that?

The Red House Mystery

2008-06-01T21:49:00.000-04:00

The Red House Mystery, by A.A. Milne

Yes, by that A. A. Milne, the author of the Winnie the Pooh stories. He was quite an accomplished author and playwrite when he decided to try his hand at a detective novel. Apparently his agent told him not to bother: it would never sell, and England had too many mystery authors as it was. Milne ignored him, wrote the pitch-perfect "The Red House Mystery", received much acclaim, and then never wrote another detective story. He ignored his agent's and publisher's pleas for another one and decided to write for children next, and the rest is history.

I bought this book probably six or seven years ago, but I didn't get into it and put it away. A few nights ago, my cold kept me awake and so I looked for something to read until my coughing subsided. At times like that, I wish we had a TV. I ended up really getting into it, though. It's written in the tone of a light comedy, with the main character and his sidekick making ironic references to Sherlock and Watson. It follows the formula of the great mysteries: a dead body suddenly appearing, great English eccentrics wandering around a manor house, police officers and inquests, long-buried family secrets, and the clever civilian who solves the mystery. Except for the dead guy, everyone thoroughly enjoys himself.

Papa's Daughter

2008-05-27T20:09:00.000-04:00

Papa's Daughter by Thyra Ferre Bjorn

I'm not sure about this one. I think it's supposed to be a heartwarming semi-autobiographical story. Here's me reading in bed, with nut thins, cheese, and hot chocolate. Yum! It was a nice break from the heavier stuff I'm reading right now, but the snack was more satisfying than the book.

Apparently it picks up where "Papa's Wife" ends, in a parsonage in early 20th century Lapland. Button is the oldest daughter, and her high-spirited personality leads her to believe that nobody in her family understands her, and her true calling is to be a famous author. The family emigrates to America, she gets married, has two daughters, reaches middle age, and then goes through depression. After years of both her and her family suffering, she stumbles across her true calling: to be a writer. She begins by writing letters, then short stories, becomes a traveling lecturer, and eventually publishes a book about her parents to much acclaim. She is happy again, her husband opens his own shop, and everyone lives happily ever after.

I'm all for finding a creative outlet--obviously, or I wouldn't be writing this right now. (And I wouldn't have three different fabrics on my ironing board, either.) But I guess I had a problem with this woman making her family so unhappy. I'm no expert, but it seems like depression can have so many causes (spiritual, emotional, physical) but it wasn't fair to her family, or herself, really, to indulge in depression for a selfish desire. It seemed like writing helped her regain her cheerful personality again, but she wasn't fulfilled until she received public acclaim. Her dream was not just to write, but to be a published author. Is that right? To tell your family "I'm not happy unless other people like me"?

Despite all of the above, I think I want to read the first book, "Papa's Wife." It seems this woman's parents had a genuine faith that she tried very hard to imitate (something else that made me sad about the book).

Here's an excerpt, something I haven't done in a while. From page 145:

Button remembered how secure they all felt when Papa and Mama went calling and left them alone because the last thing Mama would say was "You be good children now. Know that God is watching here with you while we're away. He will watch over you carefully, but remember, you can't put anything over on Him. If you're good, we might bring something nice home with us. Who knows?"
After Mama and Papa had left, Button recalled, they had wondered where God was sitting.
... (page 146)
Yes, although in the parsonage God had been very strict and despised sin, He had also been very good and watchful; it was comforting to have a God such as that. Now she had almost completely lost Him. But she must and she would hold on to herself so she would overcome her inner disturbances and once more be well again. She recalled a story from the Bible of Jacob's wrestling with God; maybe she, too, would have to wrestle with God before she could again find peace and be cured of every ill.

The Man who was Thursday

2008-05-15T23:15:00.000-04:00

The Man who was Thursday, by GK Chesterton

This has been on my list of books to read for a while. I read the blog Between Two Worlds, which links to Christian Audio's free download of the month, which is where I got this book. Thanks, Christian Audio!

I've started reading GK Chesterton's Orthodoxy, but it's so rich I had a hard time getting into it. Especially considering that when I read it, I was nursing a newborn--not the best time for meaty arguments about the robustness of the Christian faith. My first thought when reading (okay, listening) to this book was Chesterton's fiction was more accessible than "Orthodoxy," but now that I finished it, I'm not so sure.

*Spoilers ahead* Initially, I thought the ominous threat of anarchy wasn't very threatening, but credited it to my jaded 21st century perspective. It turns out that the whole thing was created for.... what? I don't know if there are plot holes, or I just missed the point. I think I understand that the whole shebang was for the benefit of the participants, to show both sides of Sunday. But if Sunday is supposed to represent God in the parable, he's not playing a very just God, or loving for that manner. I do like how Chesterton showed that Sunday was both wise and terrible and uncontrollable, things we moderns don't like to ascribe to God.

It was a good book and a fast read, but I have a nagging feeling like I'm missing something.

Mrs. Polifax Unveiled

2008-04-10T17:21:00.000-04:00

Mrs. Polifax Unveiled, by Dorothy Gilman

My mother-in-law loaned me this book, and I read it while on a road trip. It was a good book for the car--it went quickly, and I was able to block out my honey's random radio-channel surfing.

Mrs. Polifax is a retired woman who is a secret CIA operative. Of course, she's been on adventures all over the world. This series has a different flavor than other CIA mysteries, like The Bourne Identity. There was no swearing, the US government doesn't have a malevolent omnipresence, and there was speculation of a wedding at the end. I liked reading it, but I don't think I'll pick up another one.

I was feeling a little bad that I didn't love it, but the book I recommended to my mother-in-law in return wasn't a hit either. So, I guess we're even!

Living the Cross Centered Life

2008-04-02T22:48:00.000-04:00

Living the Cross Centered Life, by CJ Mahaney

What a great book. I've be a Christian for as long as I can remember, so living a cross-centered life should be instinctive. "Oh wretched sinner that I am! Who will save me from this body of death?"

This book was a great accompaniment to Mark Driscoll's sermon on the day of Atonement. The cross was horrible. It's hard to see that our sin was so awful that Jesus had to suffer such a brutal death to restore us to fellowship with God. Religion likes to get distracted with arguments and rules, but Christianity is all about the cross. I also appreciated Tim Keller's articles regarding the same. Martin Luther said that the cross was so real to him, that it seemed like it happened yesterday. This book reminded me of what Jesus did. It's all about Jesus.

Free Gift with Purchase

2008-04-02T22:42:00.000-04:00

Free Gift with Purchase: My Improbable Career in Magazines and Makeup by Jean Godfrey-June

This book renewed my commitment to retinoids and self-tanner. It's been a dark winter (well, a dark early spring) marked by pale, acne-prone skin. Time to break out the big guns, and not take any of it too seriously.

This was a fun, quick book, but not great. The author's writing was like her articles in Lucky Magazine: sometimes funny, informative, and/or choppy. I reread several paragraphs, trying to figure out what her point was. Still, it was a nice diversion.

Stops and Starts

2008-03-29T22:24:00.000-04:00

It's been a frustrating time here in Rachel-land. I had my cast finally removed, only to have another one put on a few days later. Apparently my wrist was not ready to come out yet. Everyday actions are either difficult or slightly painful, and typing with one hand is wearing on what little patience I have. I did finish reading a couple books since all this happened, but I have several uncompleted books, which is unusual for me. Here's the run-down:

Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present by Peter Hessler
Beautifully written observations by a WSJ reporter, but it wasn't compelling enough for me to finish it despite renewing the book twice from the library. The author wrote somewhat distant observations about various people representing the diversity of modern China. I would have liked to finish it--maybe if the author made it more personal, or much shorter, the story would have moved faster.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
I got this audiobook for my ill-fated drive. I've tried to read this book before but gave up. I like getting audiobooks of more difficult literature, because having it narrated usually adds enough that I not only finish it, but enjoy it (my strategy for Anna Karenina). At disc 4 of 8, the author stopped his contrarian platitudes long enough for the plot to finally kick into gear. Then I fell and broke my wrist and haven't done much driving since then. Just when it got interesting, too. Someday, I will finish this book.

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency) by Alexander Mccall Smith
This was also an audiobook for the above-mentioned drive. I put this one in when I couldn't reach the CD case for Dorian Gray and I didn't want to pull over. This series is reliably good. I love the characters. Coincidentally, I only got to disc 4 of 8 in this series, too.

The Conde Nast Traveler Book of Unforgettable Journeys: Great Writers on Great Places
I saw this book advertised and put it on my 'must read' list right away. It turned out to be surprisingly boring. I read about Bath, England; Prague; and Ethiopia before completely losing interest. These beautiful locations surely deserve better writing than these essays. Meh.

The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes
While I was visiting family (and while I was not reading "The Oracle Bones") I reread several titles in this series: The Magician's Nephew, Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and the Silver Chair. What can I say? They are rightly classics. I have sweet memories of my dad reading these to us kids at bedtime, and I enjoyed reading them with the perspective of an adult this time. I think some Christians tend to canonize Narnia, but CS Lewis didn't intend for them to be the only allowable fiction for the Sunday school set (I'm looking at you, Harry Potter haters). They are primarily very good stories, and intended to be enjoyed as such. But what is a good story? These books echo the Greatest Story, the narrative of the gospel, and reflects a comprehensive worldview of the same which are marks of any good story (good versus evil, the lone hero, fall and redemption, and persevering to the end of the battle). So of course they're good!

In this rereading, I was struck by how thoroughly English this series is. (After all, CS Lewis was an English professor at Oxford. Doesn't get much more English than that.) I read the boxed set with the original illustrations and it added even more. Her artwork seemed to pay homage to old tapestries and woodcuts, but with the 1930's reinterpretation. Her illustrations seemed to honor the English roots of the story just as much as the author did. I really enjoyed seeing most of the illustrations for the first time. I was saving my favorite book for last (The Horse and His Boy). Next time I visit, it's the first thing I'm doing!

Non-bookish fun

2008-03-08T12:09:00.000-05:00

My honey brought a Southwest Airlines in-flight magazine for me to read, brought back from his latest trip. I got hooked with a puzzle called "Shinro," which reminds me of Sudoku, but more obscure and confusing. You can see the original puzzle here. Tricky, isn't it? I became obsessed with solving it. (Sadly, "obsessed" is not too strong of a word.)

At first I googled the puzzle, trying to find the methodology for solving it, but there was nothing out there. We were beginning to think it was another prank by Southwest, until I found posts like this, asking where to find more puzzles. So once I solved it, I decided to post how I got there, to help other obsessive puzzlers like myself. Enjoy! (And if you used this and found it helpful, please leave a comment.)

First, I redrew the grid larger, using a pencil with a eraser.

Then, add tick marks to show every square an arrow is pointing to. Some squares have more than one tick mark.

Here's where the fun begins. Remember, holes don't necessarily have an arrow pointing to them. So looking at the last column on the right, there are two tick marks in that column, and there are two holes in that column, but that doesn't mean that those squares are where the holes are.

Here is an example of the logic I used to solve this one. Looking at the row the pencil is pointing to, the row has only 1 hole, and it must be to the right of the arrow. Therefore the circled tick marks aren't for that hole, so I erased them.

Looking to the arrow above, that particular arrow is only pointing to one square. Therefore there that's where the hole is.

After an arrow can point to no other holes, X through it. When a column or row is complete, I check it. I erase the tic marks when they no longer indicate a hole.

Continue until the arrows can point to no other squares (Eight holes so far.) You still have unmarked holes somewhere in the puzzle. At this point, I decided to put a line through finished columns and rows to make it easier to see where the holes are.

From here, you can see there is only one spot in the top row where the third hole can be.

Keep going, and you solved the puzzle! Isn't that fun?

PS: Thanks for the math and logic classes, Mom and Dad! Education is never wasted, even if (or maybe especially if) it's used just for fun.

A leave of absence

2008-02-22T09:01:00.000-05:00

The bad news:

I broke my wrist
Typing now takes forever
I have an abscessed molar and an impending root canal
I have a bacterial infection in my jaw and can barely open my mouth or chew
I need to find babysitters for my newly incapacitated self and active baby girl

The good news:

I now have more time to read

Persopolis

2008-02-01T19:26:00.000-05:00

Persopolis, by Marjane Satrapi

Bad things:

Oppressive puppet regimes orchestrated by the British government
A promising revolution which quickly devolves into Islamic fundamentalism
War with Iraq to distract citizens from the new evil government
A religion which encourages the worst behavior from the devout

Good and bad:

Oil
communists

Good

Spunky girls
Poignant writing
Stark illustrations reflecting the claustrophobia of living in fear from your own government

In honor of this graphic novel, I thought I'd keep this review concise. While at the library this week, I stumbled across this book, which I've been looking for for ages. It did not disappoint. Now I'm looking forward to reading the sequel and watching the movie.

The Legend of the Firefish

2008-01-29T22:24:00.000-05:00

The Legend of the Firefish, by George Bryan Polivka

I've been a bit wordy lately, and it's getting late, so I'll keep this post short. Basically, this book was a stinker.

This is a sterling example of Christian fiction. Authors try to make profound theological points while hiding in trendy literature. The writing wasn't awful, but the story felt like "Pirates of the Caribbean" edited for a youth group. I guess my biggest complaint with the book was the author's lack of imagination. He tried to create another world, but it was basically a copy of 18th century England with fire-breathing fish. Half the names were English, and half were made up, but they all sounded clunky: Land Lunder, Packer Throme, Will Seline, Scat Wilkins, etc. They lived in the country of Nearing Vast and had sheriffs from the City of Mann. Their currency was "gold coins"--there wasn't even a descriptive name for money. Tolkien created detailed, comprehensive worlds with their own histories. CS Lewis made earth seem like a weak copy of his own worlds. This author could have had a much more believable book if he had just made it historical fiction.

I'll spare you an excerpt this time. Just imagine some mildly interesting sword fights interspersed with "good grief" moments. Meh.

P.S. Read the first review on Amazon--their a good evaluation of the author's theology and pacifism. The main character's mantra (who was a Christian character) was "resist not evil." What?!? A pirate ship is not the place to practice that theory.

A Century of Horrors

2008-01-29T21:45:00.000-05:00

A Century of Horrors: Communism, Nazism, and the uniqueness of the Shoah, by Alain Besancon

I've been putting off writing this review. I'm not sure why: I raved about this book to anyone who would listen. Despite its subject matter, I raced through reading it, but maybe now it's catching up with me. After a long day, tired Rachel just doesn't feel like curling up in bed and thinking about... a century of horrors.

It really was a fantastic book though. It evaluates Nazism and Communism, especially how they relate to the Holocaust (or "Shoah" if you're Jewish). The author avoided the grisly details of both ideologies to instead evaluate the bigger issues: physical destruction, moral destruction, the destruction of political life, theology, and memory.

Have you ever wondered why Nazism is considered evil incarnate, and communism just brings to mind "McCarthyism" and badly dressed dictators? According to the author, we have "hypernesia" of the former and amnesia of the latter, even though communism killed more people by over a factor of ten. The best analysis, I think, can be summed up from the following quote from "Physical Destruction" (chapter 1).

The mode of killing is not a criterion of evaluation. The temptation to judge one death as innately more terrible than another must be resisted: no death can be seen from the inside. No one can know what a child experienced while inhaling Zyklon B gas or while starving to death in a Ukrainian isba. Because people were killed without any form of justice, one must exclaim that they all perished terribly--one person as much as the next--because they were innocent. (p. 11)

This quote references premeditated "famines" in Ukraine by Stalin, who simply decided to eliminate some Slavic people. Just because.

I would like to read this book again someday. It was concise but powerful. It's been a long time since I've read philosophy, and I would probably comprehend more if I were better-read. I haven't heard references to Hegel, Hume, Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, or Trotsky since high school. The chapter on Memory was particularly over my head, probably because the author reference French politics and wrote from a Jewish perspective. As a Christian, I disagreed with a few minor points about Christianity, but he "gets" it, what Christianity is really about.

I was struck by Chapter 4 in particular, "Theology." He argued that both Nazism and Communism hated Christianity and Judaism because their gods were jealous. Fundamentally they are both evangelistic worldviews: Nazis thought the world would be redeemed through the "Aryan" people, and communism thought the world would be saved through their new definition of morality. They both tried to destroy God because they were/are His enemies, and they couldn't abide a God greater than them.

I highly recommend this book.

Smile When You're Lying

2008-01-23T20:36:00.000-05:00

Smile When You’re Lying, by Chuck Thompson

I didn't want to admit reading this book, but it’s not very honest to omit less-than-stellar books. I read it: here’s the review.

The author is a travel writer who was tired of sucking up to the various industries in travel, where everything is ‘breathtaking!’, ‘delicious!' and ‘an enticing mix of the old and new!’ So he wrote this book as an outlet for colorful stories like Shanghai Bob's exploits, muggings, and waking up in a pool of his own vomit. The biggest caveat of the book was that it was as descriptive of the Thai sex industry as you would expect an unregenerate, anti-Christian single man to be.

Still, it was funny. Right away, I pegged him as from the Pacific Northwest. He had that cranky, sunshine-deprived, angry liberal outlook on life that I remember from growing up in Oregon. Who else would say that by voluntarily paying taxes, even if you vote Democrat, you have Iraqi blood on your hands?

Chapter titles like "Is it okay to miss the Cold War? The philosophical dilemma of Eastern Europe" and "Why Latin America isn't the world's number one tourist destination and probably never will be" reveal the kind of humor to be found in this book. My honey kept reading me quotes and cracking up while I was trying to read a serious book, and it was very hard to concentrate while your spouse reads you excerpts like these (p. 100):

"American public school teachers have the world's best PR operation going. Whining every chance they get about how demanding their jobs are, how many "extra hours" they put in, how little they make, how much of their own money they have to spend just to do their jobs, how noble they are working this job that nobody ever asked them to do--welcome to the (expletive) world."

Thompson writes about the travel industry, hack travel writers, how he became a writer, destinations he should love but doesn't, and surprising locations that became his favorites. He is a funny (but crude) writer, and he has an excellent grasp of history. I learned several back stories to historical events I thought I knew. The book closed with an unexpected positive tone. As a general rule, Americans are the cleanest and most polite travellers you will ever meet, despite an international image that is otherwise ("Americans are the new Germans," page 301). Depending on how the supply of foreign oil concludes, we could be in the golden age of travel right now.

"You can take a week off work and be in Dakar or Tashkent or Borneo in less time than it took Ben Franklin to get from Boston to Philadelphia. Largely taken for granted, this revolutionary ability to go anywhere on a whim has altered our perception of the world in ways we probably don't fully comprehend. If that instant mobility is taken away, our worldview will be drastically reshaped again. The planet could once more become a forbidding place, expensive to see and scary to traverse, one that forces us to reexamine the basic lessons about the world collective that travel used to teach. This might not be a bad thing."

Hard to Believe

2008-01-23T20:30:00.000-05:00

Hard to Believe, by John MacArthur

Let me just start, by saying I love my honey. He’s leaving for a business trip tomorrow, the beginning of a month of in-and-outs and back-and-forths for the next month and a half or so. He said he feels bad to leave me alone for so long with just the baby and a hyper dog, so he encouraged me to go out tonight and get some alone time while I can. Isn’t that thoughtful?

So here I am at Starbucks, finally with the opportunity to write about what I’ve been reading lately. (Sidenote: why doesn’t Starbucks offer free wi-fi? Isn’t it bad enough to pay $4.50 for a skinny decaf cinnamon dolce latte? They want me to pay $6.00 for the internet, too?) Last week, I finished “Hard to Believe,” by John MacArthur. I got it on clearance at the Green Valley Book Fair, and I’m not surprised it was discounted twice by two separate retailers. The premise of the book is it is hard to follow Jesus: it’s not about signing a pledge card or walking down the aisle. It’s a powerful condemnation of seeker-sensitive churches, marketing the gospel, and examples like Robert Schuller’s “Self-Esteem: The New Reformation.” To quote from MacArthur on page 11: “So you want to follow Jesus, do you? It will cost you absolutely everything.”

MacArthur thoroughly builds his argument, starting with Jesus’ teachings about self-denial, and then moves to the unpopularity of the concept of God’s sovereignty, the disgust of crucifixion, and the lowliness of his followers. Thomas More disparaged Martin Luther by calling him a “privy pot”, which isn’t much of a stretch from the Apostle Paul saying that “we have this treasure in earthen vessels.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) In true paradoxical Christianity, I found this chapter particularly encouraging. It’s always a struggle for me to get everything done on my daily list; I could always be smarter, richer, thinner, funnier, etc. I stutter, I’m not ‘contributing to society’, and my second toe on each foot is freakishly long. After reading this, I was encouraged that I am among the foolish, lowly, and the “dregs of society” according to Paul (1 Corinthians 4:13). God has chosen me to glorify himself and expose the world for the foolishness it is. In my weakness, He is strong. I don’t understand it, but it’s really cool.

What I appreciated most about the book was his chapters on those who fall way from the faith, who appeared to be following hard after God and then renounced everything. I’ve had several friends do this, and I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong. It was a reality check: this also happened to Jesus and the Apostle Paul, so at least I was in good company. MacArthur showed how pride, false assurance, and religious activity can trick two groups of unsaved people in the church: the superficial and the involved. We actually just discussed this topic at our Bible study group last night. Can someone lose their salvation? The author argues (which I firmly believe) that they never truly had saving faith. It’s heartbreaking, but it should motivate us to question our own faith.

“The Lord brings us to His communion table over and over again in order that each professing Christian may examine himself. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, ‘Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you now know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you are indeed disqualified.' You need to look at your sin and your motivation for doing what you do. Believe me, if you are genuinely saved, God will confirm that by His Spirit witnessing with your spirit. Raising your hand or walking the aisle has nothing to do with it.”

Building Her House

2008-01-12T16:12:00.000-05:00

Building her house: commonsensical wisdom for Christian women, by Nancy Wilson

I like Credenda/Agenda, a theology magazine. One of the editors conviced his wife to write a column for women, and this book is a collection of her essays. My mom gave this book to me, and she blogged it here. Here I am modeling my Christmas gifts:

Her issues are concrete and her tone direct. Mrs. Wilson is very practical in her subject matter and her advice. I appreciate it--I think too many Christian women writers say too little in too many words. Here's one of my favorite paragraphs, from the chapter "Your Baby Has a Soul."

"All the loving attentiveness a mother gives her children is food for their souls. When the child is a small baby, all those smiles and kind words, the laughing and playfulness, and the motherly delight and pride in each new accomplishment is used by God to prosper a baby's soul. And it continues as the child grows. Even the smallest gesture, if done in love and kindness, is nourishing. We want our children to have fat little souls, to be healthy plants, as in Psalm 144:12: 'that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth.'"

Isn't that a great image? What a great phrase, "fat little souls." I don't believe there is a neat and tidy deliniation between the physical and spiritual world. I like to think that chubby baby thighs and round little bellies and apple-cheeked smiles somehow contain the sustenance needed to grow this little person into spiritual maturity.

You may think I'm nuts, but this thought is greatly encouraging when I'm nursing Violet at 3 am!)

Nothing in particular

2008-01-12T15:46:00.000-05:00

Hello, my bookish friends.

I just had a lovely afternoon which I want to share with you. I left the baby napping with my honey, and I walked to the library. Not really a big deal really, but I still feel a happy buzz from the experience.

Normally when I walk, it's with the baby and a hyper dog, so it was a treat to just be by myself. It's still unseasonably warm in the Shenandoah Valley, so it feels like a crisp fall day instead of dreary mid-January. The shortest route to the library is through the downtown of our little historic town. On the way I browsed in a used furniture store, and then lured by the appearance of a sidewalk sale down the street, I found myself right next the sweet shop. Three truffles later, I was on my way again. I found some great books at the library, three CD's I want to burn (I know, I know. But it's my tax dollars, right?), and some yummy magazines. I also got some cute books for the kidlet. On my way home, I walked by the park and took a hilly shortcut through an old cemetery. I weighed my loot when I got home: eight pounds of library goodness!

It's afternoons like this that make me enjoy my life. I only saved 30 cents by not driving, and my $1.58 at the sweet shop will not keep the proprietor in business. But my waist is a little trimmer, the gas tank a little fuller, the town's main street a little more vibrant, and my life is undeniably richer.

The Moonstone

2007-12-28T21:23:00.000-05:00

The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins

This story was a quintessential English gothic novel. A valuable jewel, a Hindu curse, opium addicts, beautiful (and innocent?) rich heiresses, unrequited love, bohemian young men travelling to the Continent in between adventures, dramatic suicide, elaborate dinner parties... I wouldn't necessarily call this "literature", but this was a fun read. I like stories like this--they keep me guessing, but without the gore and licentiousness of modern detective novels.

The introduction to the work proposed that there were three major themes to the book: imperialism, sensationalism, and mesmerism. They were certainly there, but the author was either ambivalent or deliberately ambiguous about his opinions regarding the subjects. Incidentally, it seems that he would have been a great character in his own novels: he was Charles Dickens's protege, openly kept a mistress, was a notorious opium addict, but nevertheless was intellectually curious and enjoyed conducted 'experiments' at home.

When I read English novels, I find I tend to lose my voice and write in a style from the 1800's. I had to practically start over today when I was writing an email to my brother. So, to get it out of my system:

I beg your pardon, gentle reader, for a hasty review of a story which deserves more than my artless commendation, and a recipient who, for noticing my humble weblog, is owed more than my meager entry. However, I must end here. The hour is late, and our programmable thermostat has decreased the heated comfort of our home to the point where it drives me away from the computer, and into the warm bed where my good husband awaits. Good night.

A Mirror Garden

2007-12-28T10:52:00.000-05:00

A Mirror Garden, by Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian

I really enjoyed reading this book. It begins with the author's account of her life as a little girl in Iran in the 1920's, tells how her eagerness to explore brought her to New York as a young woman, and then her return to Iran. Art, love of family, and adventure were her life's prevalent themes. Her story was highlighted by family portraits, sketches of daily life, and photos of the places she lived.

I admired her adventurous spirit, which began as a tomboy pulling pranks when she was little, and then progressed to her travels to a foreign country as a young woman (she went to New York to study art with her brother, "fiancee", and his friend during WWII), taking the risk of marrying again to a man who she learned was really a prince, and then her travels around rural Iran, becoming a patron of folk art, and then building her life again when she was exiled from Iran after the Revolution. I enjoyed seeing her country though her eyes, and I learned about the diversity of Iran--people groups, geography, cultures, and sadly, economic disparity. I also enjoyed reading about the art that she created, and following her through the creative process.

This book was a perfect counterpoint to "Lipstick Jihad." That book was written by a Generation X-er, and her introspection was quite a contrast with Monir's action. Monir suffered more--her disastrous first marriage, said goodbye to America, and then lost everything when the Shah fell--but Lipstick Jihad read like a pity party comparatively, as the author tried to find her identity as an Iranian or American. Monir's strong sense of self overcame the navel-gazing that many memoirs fall prey to.

I've been trying to find "Persopolis" for several years. It's a graphic novel about a young Iranian girl sent to live in France right before the Revolution. I saw it's being made into a movie, which I'm looking forward to. I hope to read the book first, and see how it compares with the two books mentioned above. In the meanwhile, here's an excerpt from "A Mirror Garden" (p. 201).

The city of Shiraz lies at the hub of the Qashqa'i migration routes, and I had caught glimpes of the tribewomen in the bazaar there. They had an air of freedom that was startling in the narrow passage-ways of the bazaar: tall, unveiled, trailing gauzy scarves in a riot of colors, they walked with long strides that seemed to end with a kick of their many layered skirts in a rhythmic flounce. So when I was introduced to a Mr. Bahmanbegui on a visit to Shiraz and he invited me to see one of his tent schools at a nearby Qashqa'i encampment, I jumped at the opportunity....

(p. 202) I was saddened to learn that even the tent schools were a source of conflict between the tribes and the government, ruffling feathers at the Ministry of Education. Never mind that it was in those breeze-blown classrooms that the Qashqa'i first learned that they too were Iranians...

Taste, by Letitia Baldridge

2007-12-18T15:14:00.000-05:00

Taste: Acquiring what money can't buy, by Letitia Baldridge

This book could have been alternatively been subtitled: "Taste: Did I mention I worked for Jackie Kennedy? and Tiffany's? and I went to Vassar?" It also could have been subtitled "Taste: Acquiring what money can't buy, although it certainly doesn't hurt". It started out well enough, with a tasteful (of course) and intriguing cover, and a thoughtful introduction about the nature and definition of "taste." The author is certainly experienced on the subject. Here is her bio from the book jacket:

Letitia Baldridge was born to a prominent family and educated at Vassar. She was chief of staff to Jacqueline Kennedy during the White House years. She has advised four other First Ladies, written two dozen books, and runs a consulting business. Letitia Baldridge lives in Washington, DC.

She certainly has seen and experienced enough to validate her self-proclaimed expertise in the subject, but the book read more like her memoirs with meandering stories and gratuitous name-dropping. I think a broader subject, or a firmer editor, could have improved the book, although it was unintentionally humorous. Take this example concerning menswear from the chapter, "Good Taste in Fashion":

...Today a well-dressed, savvy Frenchman, Italian, or Spaniard dresses like any English duke or Irish castle owner, in beautiful tweeds, cashmeres, brogues and laced oxfords, fine shirts, pure silk ties and pocket hankerchiefs, except of course, when the young, as in the United States, are demonstrating or attending a rock concert. (p. 120)

And here is my favorite quote of the book (p. 122): "But from this writer's point of view, 'tasteful jeans' is an oxymoron."

For me, as a middle-class housewife in a rural area, it would be in poor taste if I took Mrs. Baldridge's advice literally. That would mean wearing a little black dress frequently, gorgeous dinner parties, frequent visits to world-class museums to 'educate my eye', taking decorating inspiration from Versailles and the White House, and emulating Jackie Kennedy as much as possible. I believe it is more appropriate for me to ensure I'm not overdressed (so as to not limit my daily physical activity or make people around me feel uncomfortable), entertain frequently but humbly (inviting my neighbor over for coffee instead of multi-course dinners), and making our house welcoming and comfortable. And sorry for the cliche, but I choose to emulate Jesus Christ, not politicians, socialites, or taste makers (although, I'm sure in Mrs. Baldridge's opinion, Jesus wasn't a very good dresser).

I'm back!

2007-12-12T01:09:00.001-05:00

We got our computer issue resolved! I'm very glad. I can't make full posts on everything I read in my absence, so here are some quick summaries:

Florence of Arabia, by Christopher Buckley
A funny satire which would be a great airplane book if it weren't about the middle east and terrorism.

The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck
A surprisingly timeless novel contrasting the motives of family members.

Don't Be a Slave to Housecleaning, by Pam McClellan
A sensible plan for decreasing clutter and streamlining and organizing one's home.

Face Forward, Kevin Aucion
A fun picture book of makeup techniques, but the author's anger towards God's law couldn't be avoided.

Naked Babies, by Nick Kelsh and Anna Quindlen
I enjoy this photographer's work, and his beautiful photos elevated the text to a meditation on innocence and fleeting babyhood. I was actually teary when I finished reading it, and cuddled Violet even more than normal.

Everyone Worth Knowing

2007-11-03T23:54:00.000-04:00

Everyone Worth Knowing, by Lauren Weisberger

I've read this book before. It was called "The Devil Wears Prada." It was about a normal girl thrust into the glamorous life of a Manhattanite, has a high-rolling she-boss, gets caught up in the lifestyle and relationships suffer, friends and family worry increasingly, there's a gratuitous sexual encounter, and then the heroine leaves it all for something less fabulous but personally fulfilling. Yes, there are some differences between the two plots, but there are certainly uncanny similarities. Almost as though they had the same author or something...

Despite her lack of imagination, I still enjoyed the book. It really was an entertaining read. And like the previous book I read, it made me appreciate my life even more. I have good friends, a great husband, and out-of-season clothes from Target. (I now believe that being moderately unfashionable can be character-building.) I think I'm finally done with my chick-lit trend. It's time to resume literature that encourages personal growth--not books that increase self-awareness because of my reaction to them.

Bergdorf Blondes

2007-10-23T18:07:00.001-04:00

Bergdorf Blondes, by Plum Sykes

I'm glad I read this book, because it made me gratefull for out-of-season mules, natural hair color, and self-awareness. The book itself was really aweful. I was expecting something fluffy, but I can't describe how vapid it was. I could see the ending coming a mile away, and I would have been sad to see one of the characters end up with the "heroine", if you can call her that, but he was such a thinly drawn character that I couldn't feel sorry for him.

It was a good airplane book, I guess, but I probably would have been more edified if I had just stared out the windor for 3 hours.

Gods in Alabama

2007-10-13T22:55:00.000-04:00

gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson

I stayed up past midnight to finish this book--I couldn't put it down. The author had a well-told story with interesting characters that didn't resort to cliches. Please note that it is an "R-rated" book, but I thought it was worth it.

Basically, the plot is this: a southern girl successfully leaves her small town and big family for the anonymity of Chicago, but then is pulled back 10 years later when she tries to protect her secret. It could have been condescending towards the South, but the author respected her characters enough to write them fully.

I'm not sure what I think about "Southern Fiction." There are so many stereotypes and usually they really annoy me. I will probably always identify myself as a Californian, but I've lived in Texas for four years and Virginia for three, so I'm starting to take the southern jokes more personally now. It's a group of people who are fair game to deride in pop culture. I'm certain that the intellectual elite feel free to mock southerners because it's one of the areas of the country which still has a Christian culture, although I've found that Christianity to be quite shallow. And of course, the South still has such baggage from the Civil War (or "War of Northern Agression"). And southerners talk funny and love Wal-Mart, both of which are things I laugh at. Maybe that's part of southern literature, is acknowledging the kookiness and character flaws but being proud of one's heritage anyway. I need to think more about this, but in the meantime, just know I enjoyed this book.

Same Kind of Different as Me

2007-10-11T10:18:00.000-04:00

Same Kind of Different as Me, by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

This was a memoir of three people's spiritual journey. Check out the link to see the synopsis on Amazon--it's an usual story. An art dealer and a homeless man become friends through the influence of the art dealer's wife, Deborah Hall, a woman who was close to God and passionate about helping the homeless in Fort Worth, TX. The Dallas Metroplex is a tough place--instead of solving the root behavior, the cities criminalize homelessness itself. As if someone living on the streets doesn't have enough problems already, right? That's what Deborah Hall recognized, and instead of just feeling good about serving food once a week, she tried to personally engage the people living in a Fort Worth mission.

This book was written in an engaging manner, switching back and forth from the art dealer and homeless man's perspective. (It was co-written by Lynn Vincent, one of my favorite editors at World Magazine.) The story was unusual, so much so that my friend who lent it to me didn't realize it was a true story until half-way through the book when she read the dust jacket. Honestly though, I was disappointed in myself that I wasn't more personally effected by this story. Am I calloused? Could the story have been more dynamic if it were fiction? Is my white guilt keeping me for appreciating the story for what it is?

I wish I had felt more convicted my this story, but I still appreciated the story and I was inspired by all three of the main characters. I recommend it.

Joy in the Morning

2007-10-04T22:52:00.000-04:00

Joy in the Morning, by Betty Smith
I enjoyed reading this. Everything I've read lately has been sad, bittersweet, or grappled with epic conflict and lost. So it was good to read a nice story, for a change.

Betty Smith also wrote "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" and it was similar to "Joy in the Morning": plucky heroines who grew up in poverty, strong mothers, rites of passage, and absent or menacing father figures. This book didn't have the same scope as ATGIB, only focusing on the first year of marriage for a young couple. It was set in 1928 in a Midwest (or "Middle West") college town. It described their ups and downs, struggle to make ends meet, and how their relationship grew. Basically, it described a good marriage and reminded me of my own, which is probably another reason why I liked it. Neither mine nor the heroine's are perfect, of course, but it showed two people who were committed to each other and determined to make it work.

It was a simple story, but the characters were rich and the tone was positive. The author obviously had personally overcome poverty and believed that it was possible for others to do the same. This was a quick read which will probably stay with me for a while.

What Rachel's Reading

2007-10-04T22:34:00.000-04:00

I'm a reader. I'm also a sporadic journal-writer. My life has calmed down enough to the point now where I have been considering starting up again. I'm on vacation right now, and I brought my old reading journal. I started it in 2001, and my last entry was from May of 2004. I just finished a book, and was thinking about my entry, when I realized alot has changed since 2004. Mainly, blogs have changed the way we can record our everyday lives. So I decided to blog about the books I read instead of keeping it in a book for only me to read.

In honor of my old journal, here's the first entry I wrote.

July 16, 2001
This is my book journal. I am starting this for a variety of reasons, but the main one is I am a sucker for blank journals. Empty pages are among the many things I cannot seem to resist.
This will also serve to be a diary of my spare time. I don't seem to have much of it, so I want to remember my leisurely moments, both how I spent them as well as the fact that I did, indeed, have some.
But these are not the main reasons why I am writing this. Dad gave me a very interesting quote once, which I think was by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones. Roughly paraphrased, it is this: Ten years from now, the only things that will have changed you are the people you have met and the books you have read. I want to keep a record of the things that have influenced me as a person.
Why do I have this desire? Maybe it goes back to the Puritans' love of journaling as a means of discovering more about themselves and God. Or, maybe it is something else entirely, which I will someday discover in one of the books I will read...