I recently obtained an advance review copy of this book from Booksneeze. I was intrigued by this statement on the back cover: "Traitor. Divider. Defender of slavery. This damning portrayal of Robert E. Lee has persisted through 150 years of history books. And yet it has no basis in fact." Strong words, these. Yet I was puzzled as well, for this supposed pervasive portrayal of Lee was something I failed to identify with. To the contrary, every previous Civil War book I had read, both pro and anti-Southern, conveyed only admiration for General Lee. Had I somehow missed something? This could hardly be reason enough to write a new biography about a man who has already had numberless words written about his life. The editor's note helped me to understand the motivation for this new series about American Generals. Stephen Mansfield asserts that most that has been written about the lives of American military leaders falls into two opposing categories, hagiography and revisionist history (in which the subject is a "reviled symbol of societal ills"). He states that it is time for a balance portrayal of our leaders, one that gives honour where it is due, and yet does not gloss over human frailty. More than that, the intent of the series is to "help us learn the lessons they [these generals] have to teach". (p.x) In the author's introduction, Perry proposes to answer the questions "Who was the real Robert E. Lee, how did he become the man he was, and how is the genuine article different from the myth?"(p.xviii)
As I read the biography, I was most struck by the difficulty Lee faced in balancing his sense of duty to his country with his devotion to his family. During his more than 30 years of service in the U.S. Army, he experienced many lengthy separations from his wife and children. Some of the agony he felt comes out in some of the letters to his wife, Mary Anna Custis, which the author quotes at length. Perry also brings out the close connection that Mary Anna's family had to George Washington, whose memory was still fresh in many American minds during the early 1800's. Even at such an early date, there emerge strong hints of the popular mythology that was to grow around the first President of the United States.
Drawing heavily from personal letters and J.William Jones' biography of Lee, Perry concludes that "Lee was not an infallible commander. His recurring flaw was to assume his subordinates had the same energy, bravery, resolve, and sense of self-sacrifice he did and then plan accordingly. ... Yet, ... Lee was a great leader...because he never abandoned his personal standards, [and] never wavered from doing what he thought was right even in the face of inevitable, crushing, devastating consequences." (p. 226) I found the book easy to read, and think that Perry a fair job in accomplishing his stated goals in writing the book. However, I would have appreciated more detailed references, rather than the rather short bibliography given at the end.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, January 03, 2011
2010 in Books (Kara's list)
At the start of each new year, I like to look over all the books I read in the previous year. Sometimes I post the list on the blog. So here are all the new-to-me books I read in 2010, with my favourites in italics:
- The Paideia of God by Douglas Wilson
- Soul Survivor by Philip Yancey
- Asterix the Legionary
- Asterix in Spain
- Asterix in Britain
- Paddington Marches on by Michael Bond
- One Flesh by Amelia and Greg Clarke
- The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht
- Asterix the Gaul
- Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
- Chocolat by Joanne Harris
- Riverside Cup of Tea Recipes by Linda Lamp
- Tolkien's Gown and other stories of great authors and rare books by Rick Gekoski
- For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
- Girl Meets God by Lauren F. Winner
- The Flying Inn by G.K. Chesterton
- A Girl at Government House, ed. by Helen Vellacott
- Pride and Predator by Sally S. Wright
- Changing Planes by Ursula LeGuin
- Bobby Brewster's Ghost by H. E. Todd
- The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears
- Jane Austen by Peter Leithart
- The Immortal Lovers, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning by Frances Winwar
- Henry Reed's Baby-sitting Service by Keith Robertson
- Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
- Wild Yam, Nature's Progesterone by Rita Elkins
- The Mystery of the Screaming Clock by Robert Arthur
- Pajama School by Natalie Wickham
- Reformed is Not Enough by Douglas Wilson
- The Chase by Louisa May Alcott
- Monsoon Diary by Shoba Narayan
- 50 Great Curries of India by Camellia Panjabi
- Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller
- Healthy Indian in Minutes by Monisha Bharadwaj
- Turkish Cooking by Ghillie Gasan
- North African Cooking by Tess Mallos
- Repairing the Ruins, ed. Douglas Wilson
- Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt
- Psmith Journalist by P.G. Wodehouse
- Watership Down by Richard Adams
- Curry (Dorling Kindersley)
- A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle
- A Primer on Worship and Reformation by Douglas Wilson
- Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
- A Walk with Jane Austen by Lori Smith
- A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle
- Eating with Emperors by Jake Smith
- Around the World in 80 Dinners by Bill and Cheryl Jamison
- An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle
- The Age of Kali by William Dalrymple
- Jamie's Dinners by Jamie Oliver
- Gordon Ramsay's Great Escape
- One Rue Tatin by Susan Loomis
- Tarte Tatin by Susan Loomis
- Amy's Bread by Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupree
- Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle
- The Italian Baker by Carol Field
- Turquoise by Greg and Lucy Malouf
- Blessed are the Hungry by Peter Leithart
- Cat O' Nine Tales by Jeffrey Archer
- To Cut a Long Story Short by Jeffrey Archer
- Lee, A Life of Virtue by John Perry
- Heaven Misplaced by Douglas Wilson
- Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
- Eddie's Big Deals by Carolyn Haywood
Kara's Reading Goals for 2011
Last year I listed twelve books, chosen to fill out a well-rounded set of genres . This year, I just made a list of the books I want to read, and then found categories to put them in. I intended to stop at twelve, but just couldn't. So here are the thirteen books I plan to read in 2011.
Theology:
Eat this Book by Eugene Peterson
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
For some reason, I've not yet read this.
Letters to a Diminished Church by Dorothy L. Sayers
Biblical Studies:
Through New Eyes by James Jordan In progress
Gospel and Kingdom by Graeme Goldsworthy Finished
Both books highly recommended by my husband.
Nature:
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard Finished
This got a mention in Yancey's Soul Survivor, which I read a year ago.
Humour:
Jeeves in the Offing by P.G. Wodehouse Finished
Because one must always have some Wodehouse at hand.
Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome Began and finished in January
Because my dear sister says this is just as funny as Three Men in a Boat.
Children's book:
Redwall by Brian Jacques Finished
Biography:
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
Poetry:
Untune the Sky by Douglas Wilson Finished
Travel:
In Xanadu by William Dalrymple Finished
Now that I've read everything else in the house by Dalrymple, it's time to read his account of travelling in the steps of Marco Polo.
Philosophy:
The Journey by Peter Kreeft
Theology:
Eat this Book by Eugene Peterson
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
For some reason, I've not yet read this.
Letters to a Diminished Church by Dorothy L. Sayers
Biblical Studies:
Through New Eyes by James Jordan In progress
Gospel and Kingdom by Graeme Goldsworthy Finished
Both books highly recommended by my husband.
Nature:
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard Finished
This got a mention in Yancey's Soul Survivor, which I read a year ago.
Humour:
Jeeves in the Offing by P.G. Wodehouse Finished
Because one must always have some Wodehouse at hand.
Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome Began and finished in January
Because my dear sister says this is just as funny as Three Men in a Boat.
Children's book:
Redwall by Brian Jacques Finished
Biography:
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
Poetry:
Untune the Sky by Douglas Wilson Finished
Travel:
In Xanadu by William Dalrymple Finished
Now that I've read everything else in the house by Dalrymple, it's time to read his account of travelling in the steps of Marco Polo.
Philosophy:
The Journey by Peter Kreeft
Sunday, December 26, 2010
20 books John plans to read in 2011
I wrote a similar list last year. I finished 17 of those books, and am currently reading the remaining three. I'll use the same categories again.
Four novels:
Psmith, journalist by P. G. Wodehouse 5th - 18th February
I think this will be the 15th Wodehouse book I've read. He wrote 96 of them, so if I read two a year, I'll have read the entire Wodehouse canon by the time I'm 75.
The Heir of Redclyffe by Charlotte Yonge
Abraham Kuyper's fiancée gave him this book to read in an attempt to convert him to orthodox Christianity.
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
The 1952 film version of this was one of my favourite movies when I was young, but I never got around to reading the book.
Children of Hurin by J. R. R. Tolkien
Four books of theology or Biblical studies:
The Handwriting on the Wall by James B. Jordan 3rd January - 14th April
This is a commentary on Daniel by one of my favourite authors. In Semester 1, 2011, I will be helping to teach a subject at PTC on the Book of Daniel, so this will be good preparation.
Sola Scriptura by Keith Mathison
The Auburn Avenue Theology: Pros & Cons, edited by E. Calvin Beisner 19th June - 28th August
The so-called Federal Vision used to be known as the "Auburn Avenue Theology," from a conference held at Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church in Monroe, Louisiana. This book is a colloquium of writers for and against the perspective. It was published in 2004, at a time when people on both sides of the controversy were still talking to and listening to each other.
Canon And Biblical Interpretation, edited by Craig G. Bartholomew et al 4th September - 7th December
In the middle of 2010 I started a Doctor of Theology degree, looking at the portrayal of women in the Book of Samuel. I need to think deeply about my methodology, which will involve a canonical approach. That is to say, my thesis will be focusing on the Book of Samuel as a unity - not I and II Samuel, not spilling over into 1 Kings (though Bathsheba appears there as well). It will also examine the final form of the Masoretic Text. So I will need to work through issues relating to canon, and I trust that this book will help me do so.
Four books to help me in my work as a pastor:
Already Gone: Why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer 13th - 20th January
I read a book on this topic back in May: Quitting Church by Julia Duin. But I think the perspective will be somewhat different.
The Pastor as Minor Poet: Texts and Subtexts in the Ministerial Life by M. Craig Barnes 6th March - 21st March
Exploring Worship: A Practical Guide to Praise & Worship by Bob Sorge 20th November - 29th December
Why Johnny Can't Preach by T. David Gordon 9th - 12th January
Four more Christian books:
Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices by Frank Viola and George Barna
Finding God Beyond Harvard: The Quest for Veritas by Kelly Monroe Kullberg 29th January - 4th February
This is a follow-up to one of my favourite books: Finding God at Harvard.
Black and Tan by Douglas Wilson 11th - 16th February
Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner 1st - 11th January
I do like Lauren Winner, especially her autobiographical Girl Meets God.
Four other books:
The Mercurial Emperor: The Magic Circle of Rudolf II in Renaissance Prague by Peter Marshall
I must have been a teenager when I obtained a coin of Rudolf II. So it's about time that I learned about the man.
1421: The Year China Discovered America by Gavin Menzies
In Xanadu by William Dalrymple 14th June - 14th July
I love Dalrymple's From the Holy Mountain, where he relates his travels in the Middle East. It looks like here he does the same thing with central Asia, re-tracing the route Marco Polo took from Jerusalem to China.
Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence
Four novels:
Psmith, journalist by P. G. Wodehouse 5th - 18th February
I think this will be the 15th Wodehouse book I've read. He wrote 96 of them, so if I read two a year, I'll have read the entire Wodehouse canon by the time I'm 75.
The Heir of Redclyffe by Charlotte YongeAbraham Kuyper's fiancée gave him this book to read in an attempt to convert him to orthodox Christianity.
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
The 1952 film version of this was one of my favourite movies when I was young, but I never got around to reading the book.
Children of Hurin by J. R. R. Tolkien
Four books of theology or Biblical studies:
The Handwriting on the Wall by James B. Jordan 3rd January - 14th AprilThis is a commentary on Daniel by one of my favourite authors. In Semester 1, 2011, I will be helping to teach a subject at PTC on the Book of Daniel, so this will be good preparation.
Sola Scriptura by Keith Mathison
The Auburn Avenue Theology: Pros & Cons, edited by E. Calvin Beisner 19th June - 28th August
The so-called Federal Vision used to be known as the "Auburn Avenue Theology," from a conference held at Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church in Monroe, Louisiana. This book is a colloquium of writers for and against the perspective. It was published in 2004, at a time when people on both sides of the controversy were still talking to and listening to each other.
Canon And Biblical Interpretation, edited by Craig G. Bartholomew et al 4th September - 7th December
In the middle of 2010 I started a Doctor of Theology degree, looking at the portrayal of women in the Book of Samuel. I need to think deeply about my methodology, which will involve a canonical approach. That is to say, my thesis will be focusing on the Book of Samuel as a unity - not I and II Samuel, not spilling over into 1 Kings (though Bathsheba appears there as well). It will also examine the final form of the Masoretic Text. So I will need to work through issues relating to canon, and I trust that this book will help me do so.
Four books to help me in my work as a pastor:
I read a book on this topic back in May: Quitting Church by Julia Duin. But I think the perspective will be somewhat different.
The Pastor as Minor Poet: Texts and Subtexts in the Ministerial Life by M. Craig Barnes 6th March - 21st March
Exploring Worship: A Practical Guide to Praise & Worship by Bob Sorge 20th November - 29th December
This book is written from a charismatic perspective, but I still think reading it will help me think through aspects of public worship. I am inescapably a worship leader - the only thing is whether I do this well or poorly.
Why Johnny Can't Preach by T. David Gordon 9th - 12th January
Four more Christian books:
Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices by Frank Viola and George Barna
This is a follow-up to one of my favourite books: Finding God at Harvard.
Black and Tan by Douglas Wilson 11th - 16th February
Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner 1st - 11th January
I do like Lauren Winner, especially her autobiographical Girl Meets God.
Four other books:
I must have been a teenager when I obtained a coin of Rudolf II. So it's about time that I learned about the man.
1421: The Year China Discovered America by Gavin Menzies
In Xanadu by William Dalrymple 14th June - 14th July
I love Dalrymple's From the Holy Mountain, where he relates his travels in the Middle East. It looks like here he does the same thing with central Asia, re-tracing the route Marco Polo took from Jerusalem to China.
Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence
Saturday, December 11, 2010
John's December Reading
Currently Reading:
The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl
I expected this to be a cheap imitation of The Dumas Club, but in fact it is wonderfully original. It is a fictional portrayal of historical characters - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, James Russell Lowell and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. - who are at work translating Dante, and then come across a series of horrible murders inspired by scenes from the Inferno.
Best Friends by George and Karen Grant
This is the fifth book I've read of a brilliant series that combines stories and quotes in a wonderful way. This volume looks at some interesting friendships throughout history, like that of George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin.
Interestingly, George Grant's blog was the first one that I read. He started blogging in March 2003, about five months before I did.
Poincaré's Prize by George Szpiro
This is a popularisation of the story of a difficult mathematical problem and how it was solved. The mathematics is getting beyond me (I'm much better at typology than topology) but I love the stories - every mathematician along the way gets a mini-biography.
The Church and the Older Person by Robert M. Gray and David O. Moberg
This book is an interesting sociological study that is the product of a host of interviews with older people about church. Two things strike me in reading through them. In the first place, the vast majority of the respondents speak of the church as "they" rather than "we". Whether "church" means the pastors or elders, and whether the church is viewed positively or negatively ("they are really nice' vs. "they are really mean") even the church-goers interviewed seem to distance themselves from the church.
Secondly, there is a heart-breaking lack of understanding of the gospel among the church-goers interviewed. "I know my soul will go to heaven if I don't do anything wrong between now and then," "my conception of God is that he would never condemn us," "I have faith that I will [live forever] because I have lived a good Christian life and have been a good lady," etc. At least the authors note that "theological beliefs often fall short of the ideal held by the church for them."
Finished Recently:
Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman
I've read a few books on evangelism, and this is probably the best. The basic premise of the book is that it is far more effective and biblical to ask questions in evangelism rather than just tell people stuff. This is, of course, the way Jesus operated, though Newman doesn't go into that all that much. Instead, he spends most of the book looking at the questions non-Christians are asking, and how we can help them come to understand the truth by asking questions in response.
I don't know why I'd never read this before, but it is one of the great American short stories, and a precursor to the horror genre. I recently read an issue of an obscure little magazine called Semper Reformanda: A Covenanter Review in which Caleb Stegall suggested that Ichabod Crane was the "most celebrated Covenanter in all of literature."
Handle That New Call With Care by David Campbell
No, I haven't received a call from another congregation! But I figure that the time to think through what to do in that situation is before it happens. Another worthwhile volume from a helpful series.
The Doomsday Prophecy by Scott Mariani
Another religious thriller for people (like me) who enjoyed The Da Vinci Code. This one is not anti-Christian, however, though it is anti-wacky fundamentalist. It features a character who is purportedly evangelical and yet claimed that the Apostle John had appeared to him to tell him that the events of the Book of Revelation were going to happen very soon. Not only does this betray a non-evangelical view of revelation (the concept not the book - it goes against what Packer calls the "evangelical equation": the Bible = the Word of God), but it also suggests a very Roman Catholic view of saints. And yet, it sounds awfully plausible given the current American evangelical scene.
The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl
I expected this to be a cheap imitation of The Dumas Club, but in fact it is wonderfully original. It is a fictional portrayal of historical characters - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, James Russell Lowell and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. - who are at work translating Dante, and then come across a series of horrible murders inspired by scenes from the Inferno.
Best Friends by George and Karen Grant
This is the fifth book I've read of a brilliant series that combines stories and quotes in a wonderful way. This volume looks at some interesting friendships throughout history, like that of George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin.
Interestingly, George Grant's blog was the first one that I read. He started blogging in March 2003, about five months before I did.
Poincaré's Prize by George Szpiro
This is a popularisation of the story of a difficult mathematical problem and how it was solved. The mathematics is getting beyond me (I'm much better at typology than topology) but I love the stories - every mathematician along the way gets a mini-biography.
The Church and the Older Person by Robert M. Gray and David O. Moberg
This book is an interesting sociological study that is the product of a host of interviews with older people about church. Two things strike me in reading through them. In the first place, the vast majority of the respondents speak of the church as "they" rather than "we". Whether "church" means the pastors or elders, and whether the church is viewed positively or negatively ("they are really nice' vs. "they are really mean") even the church-goers interviewed seem to distance themselves from the church.
Secondly, there is a heart-breaking lack of understanding of the gospel among the church-goers interviewed. "I know my soul will go to heaven if I don't do anything wrong between now and then," "my conception of God is that he would never condemn us," "I have faith that I will [live forever] because I have lived a good Christian life and have been a good lady," etc. At least the authors note that "theological beliefs often fall short of the ideal held by the church for them."
Finished Recently:
Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman
I've read a few books on evangelism, and this is probably the best. The basic premise of the book is that it is far more effective and biblical to ask questions in evangelism rather than just tell people stuff. This is, of course, the way Jesus operated, though Newman doesn't go into that all that much. Instead, he spends most of the book looking at the questions non-Christians are asking, and how we can help them come to understand the truth by asking questions in response.
Non-Christian: You see, different religions are just like all of those blind men. None of them has the whole truth.The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Christian: How do you know that?
Non-Christian: Huh?
Christian: How do you know that none of the blind men has the whole truth?
Non-Christian: Well, it's just a story.
Christian: I know. And it's not a bad one - except I still wonder how the person who first told it could say with such certainty that none of the blind men got it right...
I don't know why I'd never read this before, but it is one of the great American short stories, and a precursor to the horror genre. I recently read an issue of an obscure little magazine called Semper Reformanda: A Covenanter Review in which Caleb Stegall suggested that Ichabod Crane was the "most celebrated Covenanter in all of literature."
Handle That New Call With Care by David Campbell
No, I haven't received a call from another congregation! But I figure that the time to think through what to do in that situation is before it happens. Another worthwhile volume from a helpful series.
The Doomsday Prophecy by Scott Mariani
Another religious thriller for people (like me) who enjoyed The Da Vinci Code. This one is not anti-Christian, however, though it is anti-wacky fundamentalist. It features a character who is purportedly evangelical and yet claimed that the Apostle John had appeared to him to tell him that the events of the Book of Revelation were going to happen very soon. Not only does this betray a non-evangelical view of revelation (the concept not the book - it goes against what Packer calls the "evangelical equation": the Bible = the Word of God), but it also suggests a very Roman Catholic view of saints. And yet, it sounds awfully plausible given the current American evangelical scene.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Kara's Spring Reading
A Walk with Jane Austen by Lori Smith
A combination travel book and spiritual memoir, this book kept me interested even though I was occasionally annoyed by the author's retelling of her love-life dramas. (I should have guessed they were coming from the sub-title, which in the British edition is something about a "search for my own Mr. Darcy." Blegh.) Smith, a 20-something girl battling chronic illness, decides to travel to England and visit all the places connected with Jane Austen. In the process, she learns more about Austen, herself, and God.
A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L' Engle
How could I help but be intrigued by a first line like this: "There are dragons in the twins' vegetable garden..."?
Eating with Emperors by Jake Smith
A collection of menus from various world leaders, from Queen Victoria to J.F.K., combined with recipes and historical trivia. Fun to read, but I don't think I'll try any of the recipes. Foie gras just isn't my kind of thing.
Around the World in 80 dinners by Bill and Cheryl Jamison
A great idea for a book is hampered by the attempt to narrate from the point of view of two people. Some of the sentences are truly cringe-worthy. It's bogged down by too many details--did I really need to know exactly what went into the suitcases? And the worst thing about this combination food and travel book is that it didn't make me hungry.
An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The last in L'Engle's Time Quintet, it is interesting, but too long.
The Age of Kali by William Dalrymple
Not your typical travel book. Dalrymple's tales of India are weird and heart-wrenching by turns. In this wide ranging collection of essays, he tackles the plight of widows (including an apparent modern occurrence of sati), and interviews terrorists, politicians and a cricket star. These are tales I will not soon forget.
On Rue Tatin and Tarte Tatin by Susan Loomis
Memoirs of an American food writer who moved to France, along with her husband and son, and started a cooking school. Each chapter concludes with a recipe or two. I loved these books! Loomis' rambling style is charming, and I found her observations on settling into another country and culture particularly insightful.
Amy's Bread by Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupree
I'm a bread lover and a bread baker on the search for the perfect loaf. Something beautiful, crusty and full-flavoured. This book is helping me reach that goal, with lovely pictures and detailed instructions.
The Italian Baker by Carol Field
Another good baking book, this one was especially helpful to me because of the sweet short pastry recipe, which was broken down into parts by weight. (making it easy to memorize)
Blessed are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper by Peter Leithart
During the past year, I've been reading this as a devotional during the weeks preceding communion. This method works particularly well with this book, as each chapter is a stand-alone meditation on a single Bible passage. Leithart helped me gain a broader understanding of the sacrament, in particular the aspect of a joyful feast. Highly recommended.
Cat O' Nine Tales by Jeffrey Archer
I came to John one day, wanting to read a mystery but bemoaning the fact that I'd already read all the Sayers, Chesterton and Christie in the house. He gave me this collection of short, humorous stories to try. Enjoyable and unpredictable.
A combination travel book and spiritual memoir, this book kept me interested even though I was occasionally annoyed by the author's retelling of her love-life dramas. (I should have guessed they were coming from the sub-title, which in the British edition is something about a "search for my own Mr. Darcy." Blegh.) Smith, a 20-something girl battling chronic illness, decides to travel to England and visit all the places connected with Jane Austen. In the process, she learns more about Austen, herself, and God.
A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L' Engle
How could I help but be intrigued by a first line like this: "There are dragons in the twins' vegetable garden..."?
Eating with Emperors by Jake Smith
A collection of menus from various world leaders, from Queen Victoria to J.F.K., combined with recipes and historical trivia. Fun to read, but I don't think I'll try any of the recipes. Foie gras just isn't my kind of thing.
Around the World in 80 dinners by Bill and Cheryl Jamison
A great idea for a book is hampered by the attempt to narrate from the point of view of two people. Some of the sentences are truly cringe-worthy. It's bogged down by too many details--did I really need to know exactly what went into the suitcases? And the worst thing about this combination food and travel book is that it didn't make me hungry.
An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The last in L'Engle's Time Quintet, it is interesting, but too long.
The Age of Kali by William Dalrymple
Not your typical travel book. Dalrymple's tales of India are weird and heart-wrenching by turns. In this wide ranging collection of essays, he tackles the plight of widows (including an apparent modern occurrence of sati), and interviews terrorists, politicians and a cricket star. These are tales I will not soon forget.
On Rue Tatin and Tarte Tatin by Susan Loomis
Memoirs of an American food writer who moved to France, along with her husband and son, and started a cooking school. Each chapter concludes with a recipe or two. I loved these books! Loomis' rambling style is charming, and I found her observations on settling into another country and culture particularly insightful.
Amy's Bread by Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupree
I'm a bread lover and a bread baker on the search for the perfect loaf. Something beautiful, crusty and full-flavoured. This book is helping me reach that goal, with lovely pictures and detailed instructions.
The Italian Baker by Carol Field
Another good baking book, this one was especially helpful to me because of the sweet short pastry recipe, which was broken down into parts by weight. (making it easy to memorize)
Blessed are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper by Peter Leithart
During the past year, I've been reading this as a devotional during the weeks preceding communion. This method works particularly well with this book, as each chapter is a stand-alone meditation on a single Bible passage. Leithart helped me gain a broader understanding of the sacrament, in particular the aspect of a joyful feast. Highly recommended.
Cat O' Nine Tales by Jeffrey Archer
I came to John one day, wanting to read a mystery but bemoaning the fact that I'd already read all the Sayers, Chesterton and Christie in the house. He gave me this collection of short, humorous stories to try. Enjoyable and unpredictable.
Monday, November 01, 2010
John's November Reading
Finished Recently:
Jeeves in the Offing by P. G. Wodehouse
I enjoy all of Wodehouse's work, but Jeeves is the best. This novel was written in 1960, around forty years after the first Jeeves stories, and surprisingly, Bertie becomes friends with Sir Roderick Glossop. Apart from that, everyone is just the same.
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
This is the fourth book by Miller that I've read. It was a bit disappointing compared to Blue Like Jazz and Through Painted Deserts.
A Reformation Debate by Jacopo Sadoleto and John Calvin
In 1538, Calvin was asked to leave Geneva and moved to Strasbourg. The following year, Cardinal Sadoleto took the opportunity to write to the Genevans and urge them to return to the Catholic faith. Geneva then asked Calvin to write a response to this, and this slim volume contains both men's tracts.
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
The last line of this book is "I'll pray, and then I'll sleep." I read Gilead on Jean's recommendation. The narrator is a third generation preacher, who has experienced all the familial dysfunction that this entails. He comes from a fictional town in Iowa called "Gilead". This a lovely portrait of grace and forgiveness, and a book that I would particularly recommend to pastors. It won a Pulitzer, and looking at that list I think it's the first Pulitzer Prize-winning novel I've read. (I've read two such non-fiction books: Gödel, Escher, Bach and Guns, Germs, and Steel.)
Currently Reading:
Dutch Color by Douglas Jones
This is a good example of Christian historical fiction for children. I read it some years ago, and I thought I'd read it again after finishing Tulipomania. It's all about painting and tulips in the Dutch golden age. To be honest, though, it doesn't have the same magic it did the first time I read it.
Outgrowing the Ingrown Church by C. John Miller
This has been helpful, inspiring and challenging to me. It argues that every church ought to be a missionary church, explains what that looks like, and suggests steps towards gospel-centredness.
A Son to Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel by Peter Leithart
Many of you will know that I have started a Doctor of Theology degree at the Presbyterian Theological College. My thesis topic is "The Portrayal of Women in the Book of Samuel". This is a very helpful overview-style commentary on the book. Can you guess which woman is in this picture?
Christian by Degrees by Walton Hannah
I thought it was time to read up on the issue of Freemasonry. Hannah describes many masonic rituals in order to demonstrate their religious and quasi-Christian nature. Hannah argues that Freemasonry is an apostate Christian sect.
Jeeves in the Offing by P. G. Wodehouse
I enjoy all of Wodehouse's work, but Jeeves is the best. This novel was written in 1960, around forty years after the first Jeeves stories, and surprisingly, Bertie becomes friends with Sir Roderick Glossop. Apart from that, everyone is just the same.
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
This is the fourth book by Miller that I've read. It was a bit disappointing compared to Blue Like Jazz and Through Painted Deserts.
A Reformation Debate by Jacopo Sadoleto and John Calvin
In 1538, Calvin was asked to leave Geneva and moved to Strasbourg. The following year, Cardinal Sadoleto took the opportunity to write to the Genevans and urge them to return to the Catholic faith. Geneva then asked Calvin to write a response to this, and this slim volume contains both men's tracts.
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
The last line of this book is "I'll pray, and then I'll sleep." I read Gilead on Jean's recommendation. The narrator is a third generation preacher, who has experienced all the familial dysfunction that this entails. He comes from a fictional town in Iowa called "Gilead". This a lovely portrait of grace and forgiveness, and a book that I would particularly recommend to pastors. It won a Pulitzer, and looking at that list I think it's the first Pulitzer Prize-winning novel I've read. (I've read two such non-fiction books: Gödel, Escher, Bach and Guns, Germs, and Steel.)
Currently Reading:
Dutch Color by Douglas Jones
This is a good example of Christian historical fiction for children. I read it some years ago, and I thought I'd read it again after finishing Tulipomania. It's all about painting and tulips in the Dutch golden age. To be honest, though, it doesn't have the same magic it did the first time I read it.
Outgrowing the Ingrown Church by C. John Miller
This has been helpful, inspiring and challenging to me. It argues that every church ought to be a missionary church, explains what that looks like, and suggests steps towards gospel-centredness.
A Son to Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel by Peter Leithart
Many of you will know that I have started a Doctor of Theology degree at the Presbyterian Theological College. My thesis topic is "The Portrayal of Women in the Book of Samuel". This is a very helpful overview-style commentary on the book. Can you guess which woman is in this picture?Christian by Degrees by Walton Hannah
I thought it was time to read up on the issue of Freemasonry. Hannah describes many masonic rituals in order to demonstrate their religious and quasi-Christian nature. Hannah argues that Freemasonry is an apostate Christian sect.
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