BOOKS: Jordan Reads...

I Sold My Soul on Ebay

2011-08-01T20:55:00.000-06:00

AUTHOR: HEMANT MEHTA

DATE: JUNE 2011

NOTES:

I bought this book for two dollars in a bargain bin at Chapters. The reason that I bought it was almost purely based on the advertised forward by Rob Bell. At the time of purchase I had not read any Bell but the name was familiar. (I am currently wading into Velvet Elvis.)

The premise for the book is interesting: Hemant Mehta is a self professed Atheist from a Jane background. He posts an add on eBay to "sell his soul". The soul selling was not actually part of the original deal but a magazine used it and it ended up sticking. The real deal was that Mehta offered to attend any religious service as a full participator for a fee.

A Christian group essentially bought the right to send Mehta to a handful of church services. Mehta attended the gatherings and reported his findings back to the organization in an article format that I presume they published. In this way he was acting a little bit like a secret shopper. Mehta is careful to sell himself in this way throughout the book. He presents himself as the every-atheist. It is this point that causes the book to be a little bit uninspired in my opinion.

Mehta visits a variety of churches ranging all the way from small suburban venues to Mega churches. He examines the churches based on sermon content, sermon delivery, musical talent, style, length, parking, seating etc. Although this information is very helpful for the specific churches and it is of some general interest to the Church at large I do think it is incomplete. Perhaps the most important thing that Mehta's evaluation highlights is a flaw in perspective that many Christians share with him.

Mehta is approaching the Church as a purely consumer experience. He is examining the Church as a "drop in guest" that is shopping for a place that is selling the product he wants marketed in a way he likes. The problem with this approach is that Church is a living community. Church, in my opinion, is better viewed as a family reunion rather than a Broadway show. While I can see the value in Mehtma's critiques and I sympathize with his bad experience at some more bigoted places of worship I don't think he is using the proper criteria for a true evaluation of Church success.

Mehta continually refers to himself as the "target audience" of the Churches he visits. I disagree with him on this point. Firstly, I think it is a mistake to think that the main goal of Sunday service is to attract a "target audience" with the goal of conversion. It is true that a major facet of evangelical belief is the desire to evangelize; however, I do not believe that the primary goal of Sunday service is evangelism. While I would hope that all churches would welcome non-believers to partake or observe a worship service I believe that the primary goal of the service is corporate worship with fellow believers.

I also do not believe that Mehta can claim, in any real sense, to represent all non-believers or even all atheists. In my limited experience I have met a huge variety of non-believing folks with a vast array of beliefs, personalities, and preferences. The truth is that much of what Mehta found unappealing may be very appealing to another person. This is also a good reason for Church to be thought of less as a shopping experience and more as a family function. If we only go where we like to music and the sermons than our commitment is not a religious one but a decision of entertainment. Their is much more to the Christian experience than a good show once a week.

CHRONOLITHS

2011-05-28T23:42:00.007-06:00

AUTHOR: Robert Charles Wilson

DATE: April 2011

NOTES:
My wife and I walk down to the Moose Jaw Public library a few times a week for exercise and to browse the shelves. I was just returning Spin, which I loved, so I thought I would browse the Sci-Fi shelves. I had thought about getting Axis next but I usually find that the sequel does not measure up and I was afraid of ruining my pleasant Spin memories. Grabbed a stack of other Wilson novels, looked over the covers and read the back blurbs and Chronoliths won me over. The thing that helped me decide was the excellent cover art that features a Chronolith jutting out of the surf while two tourist looking people look on dwarfed by its excess. The way the picture is rendered reminded me of the religious pamphlets that sometimes show up in the mail that always look a bit dated.

The book itself was really interesting. Basically huge monuments start showing up across the globe that memorialize the world conquests of a leader twenty years into the future. Wilson utilizes this unique situation to explore a number of avenues of life including cult worship, government, the science of time travel and so on. I loved the feel of the book. It was set in modern times but it felt a little bit the like the turmoil of the sixties(from what I have seen in film). My only criticism would be of the ending. The mystery that drives a lot of the novel is never really revealed in a satisfying way so the reader is tugged along chapter by chapter expecting a reward and is left empty handed.u

After reading two books by Wilson I think I can comfortably say that he holds the top spot in my "favorite modern sci-fi writer" category. His writing is smart and interesting and he is a master at creating oddly believable landscapes and using these landscapes to explore important and interesting issues.

SPIN

2011-04-21T23:17:00.003-06:00

AUTHOR: Robert Charles Wilson

DATE: April 2011

NOTES:

Robert Charles Wilson writes in a unique style. While this book is obviously science fiction with all the usual elements (aliens, futuristic technology, REPLICATORS (Stargate what!) even space travel) its doesn't feel like traditional science fiction. Almost the entire book is narrated through human experience (with the exception of the one Martian speaker who is essentially human [and not human like all the aliens were human in the original Star Trek; rather, human, with a plausible explanation for the similarities]).

The book has a really great mystery at its core and Wilson gives the reader enough answers in each chapter to satisfy while maintaining enough questions to make you want to keep reading.

The character development was excellent. By the end of the novel you feel as though you know the people from the story and you have distinct feelings about each of them (some you love, some you miss, and some you hate).

I really can't say enough about the book. It did have a dry spot about three quarters of the way in that was hard to trudge through (to much information , not enough action) but aside from that it was a really good read. I would probably rank it in my top three favorite science fiction novels.

I should also mention that Wilson, like all sci-fi moguls, manages to address the major issues of life in his imaginary future (love, death, religion, politics etc.)

Spin was highly entertaining, enjoyable and thought provoking. I can't wait to see Wilson at this years Festival of Words and I imagine that I will tackle Axis in the near future.

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

2011-02-28T21:30:00.001-06:00

AUTHOR: Donald Miller

DATE: February 2011

NOTES:

I read this book over the course of a month with my wife, Sarah. I have long been an admirer of Donald Miller. I first read "Blue Like Jazz" as a disillusioned college student and I found hope in it. I even went so far as to email Donald Millers people to ask if I could move in with him. At the time I think I mostly liked that he was a bit shocking and that he seemed to challenge the climate of "staunch morality or else!" that I was finding myself confronted with. At the time Donald Miller understood my feelings of disillusionment and he answered them with hope in a God that is not always angry, that likes art, that cares about the odd people of the world.

As I read this latest offering I felt again like Miller was speaking to my situation. I am older than I was in college, I have a career, I cut my hair and I wear dress pants and button up shirts to my office job every day. I am overweight and that bothers me and I am not totally satisfied with the life I am living. Don't get me wrong, I love my wife and my house and all of that but I deeply want my life to mean something more than average.

"A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" is a story about story. Miller frames his narrative around a movie that is in the works about himself based loosely on "Blue Like Jazz". As Don learns about the elements of a good story he sees that these elements can be applied to life itself. He begins to see that he is not living a good story. He, like me, is overweight and living a boring narrative. He begins to take steps to start living a good story, these steps involve risk and danger which any reader will tell you are essential elements in a good book. He embarks on a long and difficult hike, he joins a gym, starts a foundation, looks for his birth dad and takes a bike ride across America. And as usual Don peppers his narrative with stories about the interesting and inspiring people he has met along the way.

Don's book got me excited about life. I sometimes feel like I live in a sea of complaint and bad news. Many people around me seem unhappy with their jobs, their relationships, they fitness etc etc. The news is always about the latest tragedy, protest, murder or missing person. Millers book said that I could work toward a better story. He said I can look for ways to impact people around me in positive ways, I can get fit, I can use my time more wisely and so on. Don painted a hopeful picture of the future and he encouraged me to be an active force in changing my own stories ark.

The book is not terribly profound in any way. It does not reveal any truth that has not been said before but as usual Donald Miller was able to communicate to me on my level.

P.S. My wife and I visited Portland a year back and I also liked the few times that Miller mentioned places my wife and I had seen face to face.

FAR-SEER

2011-02-12T15:02:00.003-06:00

AUTHOR: Robert J. Sawyer

DATE: February 2011

NOTES:

The "Far-Seer" is wonderful. Robert J. Sawyer is a master at creating a fun science fiction landscape. The reader is transported to an alien world that is populated by intelligent dinosaurs. The dinosaurs call themselves Quintaglio's and they have a society that is developed to the point of steam power, sailing ships, metal working, rudimentary astronomy, the printing press, and complex societal and religious systems. Religion and science play key roles in the story.

Afsan is the main character in the novel. He is a young Quintaglio, a friend of Dybo (the prince of the dinosaurs), and apprentice to Tak-Saleed, the head astronomer in the royal court. The majority of the novel deals with Afsan's coming of age story. The reader discovers that dinosaurs have two major rights of passage in their young lives. The first right is called the first hunt. In this exercise the young join a group hunting expedition to kill a lower dinosaur (quadrupeds). This episode is very important to the story as we see that Afsan is a naturally gifted hunter. I won't share the details because I think the book is worth reading yourself.

The second right of passage is the pilgrimage. In fairly recent dinosaur history a prophet dinosaur emerged named Larsk. Larsk sailed halfway around the world and came upon a large glowing disk in the sky that he took to be the face of God. This signalled the end of one dinosaur religion (the worship of the original hunters) and the beginning of a new chapter in which all dinosaurs are to resist their instincts (sin nature?)Also, all dinosaurs must take at least one boat trip to view the face of God as Larsk did. It is on Afsan's first Pilgrimage that the story begins to take a different direction.

Afsan is given a "Far-Seer"(telescope) on the voyage.

SIDE NOTE: One major issue I had with the book is that I do not think that a Tyrannosaurus would be physically able to lift a telescope to its eye.

With the aide of the telescope Afsan becomes a Galileo figure. His most dangerous discovery involves the true nature of the face of God. As one can imagine Afsan's heretical observations cause a significant stir. The rest of the book deals with the tension between science and religion.

The last five chapters of the novel were the most impressive in my opinion as Sawyer introduces an exciting twist that I did not see coming. Throughout the book the reader is introduced to various elements of Quntaglio culture including tapestries, religious rights, various hand signals and words. At the time these items appear to only serve the purpose of developing the novels landscape. However, by the end of the novel Sawyer will use many of the elements in a plot twist that is so interesting that the reader will be compelled to reader the next book in the trilogy.

All this to say that Robert Sawyer's "Far-Seer" is thought provoking, interesting and of the highest quality Sci-Fi. Sawyer is also a masterful action scene writer. There are enough dinosaur fights in this book to satisfy the most verocious fan.

For those who don't have the time to read here is a taste of dinosaur fight action. (try to imagine the T-rex wearing a red sash and speaking in proper english).

The Beats: A Graphic History.

2011-01-29T20:27:00.005-06:00

AUTHOR: Harvey Pekar, Nancy J. Peters, Penelope Rosemont, Joyce Brabner, Trina Robbins, and Tuli Kupferberg

ARTISTS: Ed Piskor, Jay Kinney, Nick Thorkelson, Summer McClinton, Peter Kuper, Mary Fleener, Jerome Neukirch, Anne Timmons, Gary Dumm, Lance Tooks, and Jeffry Lewis

DATE: January 2011

NOTES:

I used to think that I admired the men of the beat generation. The reason that I thought this was because I did not know much about them. After reading this beautifully illustrated history I have changed my view on the subject. At best I acknowledge their moments of genius and pitty their turmultous personal lives. And at worst I am a little bit disgusted by their leud behaviour, sexism, and overall feelings of entitlement at everyone elses expense.

One of the things that I really love about Harvey Pekar's writing is that he cares about the story behind art. What I mean is that he loves to chronical the people behind great works rather than just focussing on the works themselves which can create an idealised view of the artist's (I have come to realize that most artists are not as brilliant or inspiring as their greatest works of art at all times). "The Beats" is a disturbing read because of the startling honesty with which the beatniks are portrayed. I don't think that the reader is meant to be disgusted. In fact I think that the book is targeting an audience that would revel in the sexual freedom of the beats, the experimentation with drugs, the rebellion against steady jobs, and moral 'rules'. I am not this target audience. I couldnt help but think of all the people that were left dying in the wake of these "visionary's" (sometimes literally).

Although I was mostly distrurbed there were a few people in the book that I will definantly look into as potential future reading. I was really interested in the story of Kenneth Patchen who wrote "picture poems". He seemed to have some really interesting things to say as in: "Every man's at war who's hungry and hunted whether in Omaha or Tokyo". His art is also very interesting. here is an example of one of his picture poems:

I also appreaciated Joyce Brabners (Harvey Pekars widow) candidness in her contribution entitled "Beatnik Chicks" which appears near the end of the novel. One frame in particular hit me like a breath of fresh air after an entire book of idolizing a group of brash ridiculous men. The frame artfully display's two cars driving back and forth, a hand rolling a joint and a womans back who is obviously in a sexual embrace. the text reads as follows:

"At the same time I found Kerouac and his cronies loathsome. Drive across the country. Drive back. roll joints, roll around with women"

Joyce did not say it; but I would have added the line: "or roll around with one another".

Along with Joyce Brabners contribution and the picture poems I also aquired a healthy love for "the fugs". For those of you who have been living in darkness like me, "The Fugs" are a band of "folk musicians" that appear to stand for non-comformity. They took the idea's that Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs applied to poetry and novels and applied them to music. Simply put they wrote a bunch of "stream of conciousness" songs that ended up being really interesting and funny and sometimes thought provoking. They also embraced much of the attitudes that bother me about the beats in regards to sexism, drugs, morality etc etc. which sometimes produces songs that seem to be written with the purpose of shocking all but those who are "beat" enough to be hip to that sort of thing.

This is one of my favorite examples of FUG music:

World War Z

2011-01-15T12:27:00.004-06:00

AUTHOR: Max Brooks

DATE: January 2011

NOTES:

My good friend Wayne gifted me this book for Christmas. It has been my experience that Wayne has excellent taste so I began reading the book as soon as I received it.

The book is presented from the perspective of a reporter who interviews people that lived through WWZ which was a global Zombie War. The Zombie plague originated in China somewhere in the mid to late 1990`s. The book is extremely compelling because it uses actual history and the goings on of the day as a backdrop for the Zombie War. In other words, the world Brooks writes about is in many ways similar to the world we inhabit. I know that Brooks has been criticized for hitting to close to home in some cases, (particularly in the ways he depicts the United States and Israel) but I really think his use of realistic portrayals of the activities of the nations prior to WWZ make for an erie and believable read.

Constructing the book as a series of interviews allows Brooks to speak from a number of perspectives spanning class, profession, nationality, age and religion. Brooks uses these various prospectives to write a story with amazing depth. By the end of the novel the reader feels as though the crisis actually happened because of the amount of detail that is included. I should warn prospective readers that the detail can sometimes be a deterrent as well, especially if you are prone to nightmares or cursed with a weak stomach.

The use of voices from all different areas allows Brooks to discuss a number of controversial and important issues as well. He talks about religion from several prospectives including, the issue of souls, eastern religions, evil and good and religion as an opiate for the masses.

He spends a lot of time criticising governmental response to the plague. During these discourses he points to bureaucracy risking lives, slow response times, classism, and the government ignoring evidence of an impending crisis (global warming).

Brooks deals with individuals as well. Several of his characters criticise citizens for not knowing how to fend for themselves without technology and for lacking basic survival skills (like making a fire, packing proper clothing, picking proper provisions etc.). One really memorable scene has an interviewing pointing out people and personal items frozen in the ice. The people in the ice had brought video game systems and wildly insufficient Disney princess sleeping bags with them when fleeing to the arctic.

Overall I loved the book. It was very entertaining and it allowed me to think about some important issues. It also served to round out my knowledge of Zombie lore. I learned that the military refers to zombies as either ``Zack's`` or ``G`s`` which is a short form for ghouls. I also learned that older weapons proved more effective and cost conscious in killing zombies than large scale attacks. Zombies don`t breath so they can live under water. Quislings are people who go mad and act as though they are zombies (which causes the government to believe that zombies eat other zombies for a time). There is a zombie martial art that is effective in hand to hand zombie confrontation. I learned all of these truths and a lot more. I am very much looking forward to seeing the film.

Robinson Crusoe

2011-01-15T12:08:00.005-06:00

AUTHOR: Daniel Dafoe

DATE: December 2010

NOTES:

This book was a gift from my in laws. My father in law is probably the most experienced woodsman I know. He is the only man that has ever taken me up on a mountain (which he says is the only way to really get to know a man). He can build with anything, he collects old wood, fossils, rocks, and he knows a lot about what it takes to survive in the woods. All that to say that this book reminded me a lot of him.

Most people are familiar with the basic story line of this young adult novel. Robinson Crusoe is a sailor. His ship hits rough seas and gets hung up on rocks near a small island. He is the lone survivor and the book follows his adventures as he makes a home on his deserted island. The ``Making`` portion of the book is the most exciting for the young boy that lives inside of me. Crusoe constructs an entire homestead using material he gathers from the ship (via a raft he builds himself while at sea AWESOME!). He makes friends with animals on the island, constructs tools and cooking devices, he hunts and fishes and makes his own clothing and smokes a pipe. He even defends his land against a tribe of ``cannibal savages`` at one point.

The book is simply written and I could probably go into a long discussion of how it promotes a type of rugged individualism that has been at the center of our culture of privacy and self sufficiency. I am not going to do that though.

All in all the book was short and fun. I read it over the course of two evenings and it reminded me of simpler times when I would sit of the linoleum floor of my parents basement with a pile of GIJOE`S and a box of Lego and imagine myself into worlds and situations that required sharp wits and a creative use of materials to get those ``all American heroes`` through.

Also, Sarah and I are pregnant so it got me excited to share the joys of imagination with my soon to be born child.

Recent Book Deals!

2010-11-18T22:44:00.006-06:00

I have found four interesting books for very cheap lately and I wanted to brag a little bit.

1. Anne Rice - Christ the Lord:the road to Cana

Price 5.00 at Chapters. I love the Bargain section. Its even a hard cover!

2. Aldous Huxley - Island

Price .50 cents at the Salvation ARmy. The spine hasnt even been cracked and I found a pair of bigfoot slippers in the same trip.

3. Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Price .50 cents at the Salvation Army again

4. Al Murray - The Pub Landlord's Book Of British Common Sense.

Price .50 cents at the Salvation Army again. I really believe in bathroom readers and this little book is a gem in that catagory.

Hey Nostradamus!

2010-11-18T21:55:00.003-06:00

AUTHOR: Douglas Coupland

DATE: November 2010

NOTES: This was my first Coupland novel. It was donated to our house book shelf by a good friend and his girl after the last Regina Folk Festival. Both of its original owners are x-Christians. I mention this because it seems to have a bearing on why it was donated to me.

I should begin by saying that I really enjoyed this book. Usually I am a very slow reader but I finished this read in less than a week. Coupland writes in a similar style to my other favorite authors Nick Hornby and Michael Chabon. What I mean is that he writes minimally with a real focus on his characters and their voices. He writes the way his characters would talk (this book was mostly first person accounts). By doing this you feel like you get to know the characters personally.

An interesting feature of this book is that Coupland was able to write around a central event from four very different voices. The event was a Columbine like school shooting in which the first speaker, Cheryl, is a victim. Cheryl ends up recounting her short life story from the after-life. In this first section we find out that Cheryl belonged to a small Christian group at her high school and that she had secretly married her high school sweetheart to bypass the moral barrier of premarital relations. We also learn that she was pregnant and that she did not whole heartily buy into the predominant feelings of the group regarding faith. She gives the impression that she and Jason were somehow above the group. Cheryl becomes an icon in the aftermath of the massacre because she had scrolled, "God is nowhere - God is now here" on her binder, by doing this Cheryl effectively became a martyr, although she herself claims that it was nothing more than an exercise in mindless scribbling.

Jason is Cheryl's secret husband and he gains post massacre fame because he is falsely suspected of being the mastermind behind the shootings. The reason that Jason is suspected is circumstantial and I don't want to give it all away but I will say that Cheryl's murder is thought to be the motive. Although Jason is legally cleared he is still suspected by the public and this fact coupled with the death of his unborn child and wife has an understandably detrimental impact on his life. We meet up with Jason ten years after the shooting as he records his story on pink bank receipts.

The third speaker is connected to the massacre through her relationship to Jason. Heather becomes Jason's partner after a meeting at Toys R Us (Jason is buying toys for his sons which he conceived with his dead brothers wife on the night of his brothers tragic death so that she could claim them as his brothers [the plot thickens]). Heather and Jason create an imaginary world with characters based on toys and animals in which Jason is able to communicate vicariously. Eventually Jason disappears under suspicious circumstances and the Heather spends much of the remainder of her chapter consulting a medium who claims to hear the characters voices. You will have to read the book to see what that bit is all about.

The last character in the book is Jason's Dad, Reg. Reg spends the majority of the book as a strict fundamentalist Christian. He accuses Jason of Murder after the school shooting and he announces that because Jason's "brothers sons" are twins that one of them is more than likely without a soul. Nearing the end of the novel Reg undergoes a pretty significant change and the reader ends up feeling sympathy for him. Again I will let you read the book to discover what I mean.

Like I said, the book was well written and captivating. I think Coupland is sympathetic to his characters and the world he creates feels realistic. I think that one of his motives for writing this book was to communicate a sort of non-faith that is tempting to readers in my age group. Coupland does not say that there is no God but he does create an atmosphere of scepticism in his novel. The reader is lead to ask where God is during tragedy. Each of the characters struggles with faith and it seems that Coupland encourages the questioning as an end. The characters in the novel who have firm beliefs are painted as naive and in some cases dangerous. It is hard to explain but the novel just leaves you feeling sad and a little bit lost. I think that this was what Coupland wanted so I would say that he achieved his goal.

Over all this was a good read and it has sparked some really good conversation with people I know.

The Great Divorce

2010-11-06T11:09:00.004-06:00

AUTHOR: C.S. Lewis

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TIME: October 2010
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NOTES:

I have always been a fan of C.S. Lewis. Unfortunately I was not raised on the Chronicles of Narnia but in my adult years I have had the pleasure of discovering them with my lovely wife Sarah. As a young Christian I was very strongly influenced by Mere Christianity. I have also read The Screwtape Letters, A Grief Observed and the first two installments of the Cosmic Trilogy.

I really enjoyed this little pocket reader and as with all Lewis books it was both entertaining and educational. It was entertaining in that Lewis takes the reader on a bus ride from the grey streets of Hell all the way to the forrests surrounding Heaven. In Heaven the residents appear solid while the vistors are wraith like shadows. The solidness of Heaven is painful to the wisps of Hell. Lewis imaginitive rendering makes for a fun read.

During the journey from Hell to Heaven the reader is privy to several conversations between the ghost like people of Hell and themselves as well as their discourse with the solid people of Heaven. These conversations act in much the same way that Dickens' Christmas ghost's act on Scrooge. The reader is invited to consider where they may fit in the scenes and therby where they may require change.

One of my favorite conversations comes early in the book. I will share a small sample below:

Dick: Do you really think there are no sins of intellect?
Spirit: There are indeed, Dick. There is hide bound predjudice, and intellectual dishonesty, and timidity, and stagnation. But honest opinions fearlessly followed -they are not sins."

As this conversation goes on it becomes clear that the Spirit has been mislead by a type of intellectualism that says that all things are equally true if they are truly believed. Some may call this type of thinking, when applied to spiritual matters, "universalism". The problem for the Spirit is that he is being confronted with an objective truth in the form of the foothills of Heaven and his perfected Heavenly friend but his intellectual pride prevents him from submitting himself to that one truth.

SIDE NOTE: Lewis himself has been accused of universalism because he wrote a "Talmerine" (sp?) into Heaven at the end of the Last Battle. I can now see how Lewis' theology can allow for this type of thing. In the case of the Spirit he is given one last chance to see the truth even though he was mislead all his life. So, it is noble to follow a belief heroically but it is foolish to hold that same belief when confronted blatantly with a truth that makes that belief false. For the Talmerine is submission to Aslan once confronted with him in person acted as his choice between truth and falshood.

The book carries on to show people confronted with their own false humility, lust, pride, malice etc. Each time the Spirits are given a choice. Some choose to walk to the great mountain while many others opt for the grey streets of Hell. This allegorical style is very affective in that it gives the reader several moments in time to reflect on. In a way each segment is, for the reader, an opportunity to choose between Heaven and Hell as they are confronted with their own sins.

The title of the book is significant because Lewis wants to 'draw the line'. Speaking of the "Marriage" of Heaven and Hell lewis writes:

"The attempt is based on the belief that reality never presents us with an absolutely unavoidable 'either-or'; that, granted skill and patience and (above all) time enough, some way of embracing both alternatives can always be found; that mere development or adjustment or refinement will somehow turn evil into good without our being called on for a final and total rejection of anything we should like to retain. This belief I take to be disatrous error."

So, in "The Great Divorce" Lewis paints Hell as a small crack in the floor of Heaven. A person, based on their beliefs, choices, and loyalties must choose to accept their invitation to Heaven or to be finally cast into the crack of Hell. This decision is made on a road filled with grace and mercies up to and including a view of Heaven itself and a personal invitation delivered by a trusted friend but in the end it is a true choice with final concequences.

A QUOTE TO START OFF WITH.

2010-10-24T18:04:00.001-06:00

I was looking for a good Hornby quote for my header and I came accross this gem. It is to good not to post but to long for a subtitle:

"Books are, let's face it, better than everything else. If we played cultural Fantasy Boxing League, and made books go 15 rounds in the ring against the best that any other art form had to offer, then books would win pretty much every time. Go on, try it. “The Magic Flute” v. Middlemarch? Middlemarch in six. “The Last Supper” v. Crime and Punishment? Fyodor on points. See? I mean, I don’t know how scientific this is, but it feels like the novels are walking it. You might get the occasional exception -– “Blonde on Blonde” might mash up The Old Curiosity Shop, say, and I wouldn’t give much for Pale Fire’s chance against Citizen Kane. And every now and again you'd get a shock, because that happens in sport, so Back to the Future III might land a lucky punch on Rabbit, Run; but I'm still backing literature 29 times out of 30."

-Nick Hornby

The Moon Is Down

2009-04-07T12:54:00.003-06:00

AUTHOR: John Steinbeck
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TIME: April 2009
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NOTES:
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This book represents my first venture into official propaganda. It is also the second book I have read in a row that deals with Nazi occupation. During WWII Steinbeck (Of Mice and Men, Wayward Bus etc...) was working for the precursor for the CIA doing intelligence work. The legend is that he found himself disappointed with the existing American propaganda and decided to publish his own booklet. The booklet now exists as a one hundred page novel. Interestingly, Steinbeck, though allowed to publish, was largely criticised for his work. The main flack he caught was that he had made the German's too human. It wasn't until after the war that the true impact of Steinbeck's controversial work was known. Evidently, the novel was published in the underground throughout occupied Europe. It was handed out in the streets and translated into at least six languages. Those under the thumb of Nazi invaders felt that Steinbeck had captured the essence of the way they felt. They were also afforded encouragement and hope from Steinbeck's treatment of the human spirits ability to survive in bleak circumstances.
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"The Moon Is Down" chronicles a fictional town that is betrayed by its own baker. The baker takes advantage of the peoples trust leaving the door open for the invaders to gain control of the town and its abundant coal supply. Although Steinbeck never blatantly identifies the invaders as Nazi's their is significant allusion in the book to draw that conclusion. At first the Nazi's attempt a peaceful occupation. They try to utilize the existing governmental structure in order to keep the people satisfied. This of course does not work as the first execution marks the beginning of strife between the occupied and the invaders.
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Because this book is official propaganda there are obvious polemical aspects. The invaders are often referred to as herd thinkers that blindly follow 'the leader' (Hitler) while the democratic occupants of the Town are applauded for their freedom of thought. Democracy becomes a threat to the Nazi's as they realize that no matter how many town officials they kill there will always rise up a new leader (yeah democracy!). Other polemical cues include the nervous Nazi's vs. the stalwart townies, the ingenuity of the slaves vs. the bumbling of the masters and so on.
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The part of the book that Steinbeck was chastised for turns out to be the most impacting element. The portrayal of the Nazi's as feeling humans with families, hopes, dreams, needs and so on gives the reader hope that they can A.) be defeated and B.) be converted to the right way (democracy in this case). The reader is exposed to Nazi weakness as soldiers are sent home insane, starved for love, longing for their gardens and model trains, and even pleading for relationship with the people they have conquered. The reader is also allowed to see the German soldiers as normal people. The most glaring example of this is one young soldier who begins to question 'the leaders' ideals at first and his sanity later. The reader sees that some of these young men believed that they were fighting on the right side. They were also trained to believe that the people they conquered would eventually thank them for the 'New World Order' which never arrives and leaves many of the Nazi's in Steinbeck's world wishing they were the hostages instead of the guards.
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All in all this was a fun afternoon read. It was informative in its almost poetic portrayal of the occupied peoples suffering. At points I was on the verge of tears as innocent men were killed and families were left undone. It was also interesting to read something so purposely and obviously polemical. So, its not Steinbeck's best work but its worth the few hours it will take you to finish.

Slaughterhouse- Five

2009-04-05T19:41:00.005-06:00

AUTHOR: Kurt Vonnegut
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TIME: April 2009
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NOTES:
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I was going to cheat and do research before writing my notes but I decided that it would be against the spirit of my blog. So instead, I want to begin by confessing that I don't get it. The book was funny but it was also terribly sad. It was written by a man who actually survived the bombing of Dresden in WWII (more deaths than both A-bombs combined). I am used too books that contain a thread of hope but I am having trouble finding the thread in this read. I will offer a brief summary of its contents and I will try to express some of my thoughts but I would love to have comments from others who have read this book... maybe someone out there gleaned better than I did. I feel like a deep and heavy thing is in the book but I don't know what it is.
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The main character's name is Billy Pilgrim and I am certain that his last name is symbolic. Early on we find out that Billy has been dislodged from time. He travels through time involuntarily (Time Travellers wife?) visiting moments in his own life: past, present, and future. We also know that Billy is an optometrist which is another symbolic item as he inadvertently talks about the difference in importance between a frame and lenses. Also, he sees it as his task to 'correct the worlds vision concerning time'.
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While abducted by Aliens he learns of a fourth dimension which we are told is incomprehensible to the human mind. In a four dimensional view all moments are simultaneously viewable and present. So the Aliens see the stars in a series of moments which produces a spaghetti of light as opposed to the dots that we see. They are also fatalists; they believe that all moments are set and unchangeable. This means that they know about every disaster before it happens but they make no effort to avert them. Similarly, Billy's time travelling privileges him with future information but the events always happen just the same anyway. It should be known that Billy does not lead an average life. He was a low ranking American officer in WWII and he was captured and shipped via train to Dresden where he, like his creator, survived the bombing.
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During his POW moments we are privy to gruesome scenes of crowded train cars reeking of human waste, death's by firing squad, the loss of dignity, hatred, brutality and infighting even amongst the POW's. The vision of war we are handed is gross and cruel (especially concerning the American troops... the Russians, Germans, and English are painted slightly brighter). Furthermore, Billy's understanding of time causes him to seem cold and callous as he repeats the phrase, 'so it goes' following every death in the book. He, like the Alien's doesn't see death as such a bad thing because everyone will die and death does not mean the end as the person continues to exist in other moments simultaneously.
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In Billy's other moments we discover that he weds a women that he describes as being overweight and constantly eating. He does not find her attractive but he knows from his time travel that she will be bearable for life. His interactions with women throughout time are colorful as well. He accidentally walks in on a room of teen girls in Dresden while they are showering only to help dig their corpses out of Dresden's rubble following the fire bombing. He also goes to a porn/novelty shop where he notices that everyone has a 'hard on' but he is not interested in the smut, he is interested in science fiction novels by an unsuccessful writer. While in the alien zoo he has a baby with a well known actress who was also abducted, and finally he is shown a photograph of a woman and a horse attempting intercourse by several people during the book. The imagery around sex in the book is similar to the imagery of war. Billy paints a 'so it goes' picture but the reader is often taken aback and even a little disgusted by the treatment of sex a an act devoid of love, peddled in smut shops, and put on display in Alien zoo's.
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After reading the book I am not sure what to think of Billy Pilgrim and his story. I know that he found himself silently sobbing at certain moments and that seems to be the tone of the story. I felt sad after it was all said and done. Billy seems to say that nothing really matters. No matter what we do the end result is the same. Anyway, the last sentence in the book is: "One bird said to Billy Pilgrim, "Poo-tee-weet?" and I ask the same question of the last sentence as I did of the whole book: "what does it mean?"

A Wizard of EarthSea

2009-04-05T18:41:00.004-06:00

AUTHOR: Ursula K. Le Guin
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TIME: April 2009
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NOTES:
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Sarah read this whole trilogy and she has been hounding me to read this first installment. I put the book on my nightstand about a month ago and I read the first three pages about 100 times. Eventually I decided that I would start a regimen in which I would read one book that someone recommended to me and one classic. This is the first book that was recommended. The second one is Slaughter House Five (which I have also finished).
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In the first few chapters I was beginning to question Sarah's judgement. The reader is introduced to a poor boy in a small village who has great natural power in the area of sorcery. He is taken in by a wizard as an apprentice and he eventually gets drafted to a very special school of wizardry on a secluded island. He meets other wizards in training and the adventure begins. (Harry Potter anyone?). I am delighted to say that the story develops deeper layers as it moves along.
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The main character is known by two names. His true name is Ged but his common name is Sparrowhawk. In Le Guin's universe a things true name is extremely important. in the practice of magic, knowing a things name allows one to manipulate it. A certain amount of dominance is gained by knowing a true name. In the same sense knowing your own true name is a milestone in your journey toward Wiz-dom. My wife was very intrigued by this concept and through conversations with her I have gained an appreciation for it as well. In our common lives the practice of naming seems to play a significant role. To name something is to take away mystery by 'knowing' it or making it familiar. Life as a human is riddled with names and definitions for things. We name the trees, rivers, continents, animals etc. By naming them we gain seminance of control in a universe that is largely mysterious. The idea goes deeper but I am ill equipped to explain it. You could email Sarah if you like, she is writing a paper on the subject.
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SPOILER ALERT:
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The idea of 'true names' plays a key role as Ged spends the majority of his journey trying to find the name of a great evil so that he can defeat it. While at the school of magic Ged is driven by pride to summon a dead spirit (a practice that is dangerous even for the most seasoned of wizards). The spirit he summons does appear however the rift between the spirit world and the real world also expels a shadow monster. The monster tears up Ged's face and leaves him embittered (and physically more bad ass: cool scars, menacing eyes, tortured spirit...). The rest of the book has Ged being chased by the evil which is apparently trying to meld with him in kinda a demon possession sort of a way. Eventually Ged's original master tells him to turn the tables and Ged starts chasing the shadow which flees him.
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The end of the book reveals that the shadows name is Ged which means that the evil that sook to devour him was actually in him. I am sure that you can see the significance of this revelation. Ged is the evil. This brings up a variety of interesting issues. Sarah and I have discussed sin nature, the capacity of evil in us all, and the importance of recognizing that we have shadow selves capable of terrible things.
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So, the book is marketed as a children's novel but I think its more LOTR than Narnia. The story is very dark and Le Guin tackles very dark issues. As a fantasy novel I would say that is was exceptional. It has all the stuff that makes my nerd hairs stand on end: dragons, wizards, spells, stormy seas, mysterious evils, and magic. I am taking a Le Guin break for awhile but I think I will grab paperbacks with her name on the spine from now on... in fact I have already bought two.

The Culturally Savvy Christian

2009-03-17T22:55:00.007-06:00

AUTHOR: Dick Staub
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TIME: March 2009
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NOTES:
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I will get my criticism out of the way right off the bat. Dick Staub has a tendency to repeat himself. This repetition includes the use of the same quotations in more than one place. So, reading this book involves hearing the same Jim Morrison lyric many times (which is actually something I enjoy). Secondly, the title and cover of this book stink. I would never in a million years pick this book up based on its exterior. It looks like yet another installment in the "post-modern, 'I have opinions and no research' type books". In truth, the author is very knowledgeable about Christianity and the world of popular culture and has even interviewed a plethora of famous pop-icons himself. The one saving grace of this book's dust jacket is a recommendation by N.T. Wright which reads, "This is an urgent book for our times-and our health". Wright's comment was the sole reason that I grabbed this book of the 'new release' shelf in the library.
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As far as I can tell the thesis of this book is that much of popular culture is a money driven, soulless, non-artistic, empty shell (or something like that) and that mainline evangelicalism has been impacted more than it has made an impact in this environment. As such, we need to regain our "deep well"-ness in order to bring glory to God through excellence in art and culture, and in order to be fully human (which is the ultimate goal). The details of how one digs this well are complex and inspiring. Staub explains that, "the culturally savvy Christian is serious about faith, savvy about faith and culture, and skilled at relating the two." The book consists of a break-down of this statement using biblical evidence and cultural support. The result is a 'putting together' of many scattered popular ideas into a coherent practice (popular ideas: devotion, study, disciplines, the mystics, cultural interpretation, discernment etc etc.). This practice is exemplified in the way that Staub writes using popular culture and and the Bible in a side by side co-operative manner that does not come off as a cheese festival.
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I was most impressed with two sections of the book. The first section was a practical outline of how one might go about implementing the kind of life Staub argues for. I was impressed at the simplicity of his plan, the clearness of its presentation and the overall impression of truth that I got from it. It is refreshing to have someone offer 'practical hope' after a lengthy criticism of the two largest spheres of my life (faith and culture). The second element I liked was his long discussion of discernment. Staub provides the most complete explanation of cultural discernment that I have come across. He explains that discernment is about more than moral content and even argues that the 'bad stuff' in life is often artistically relevant. Furthermore he suggests that discernment is to be preferred over 'the rule' which is popular in many faith circles.
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Staub's book left me damaged but hopeful. I was confronted with my own cultural and religious hollowness but I was provided with eyes to see a way out. I look forward to reading more of Staub's work in the future and I strongly recommend this offering to anyone concerned with culture or faith (in other words: everyone).

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger

2009-02-23T11:53:00.004-06:00

AUTHOR: Stephen King
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TIME: February 2009
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NOTES:

Years ago a friend named Logan was reading this series and he loved it. I had supported his love but secretly scorned his lack of literary prallis (it turns out that Logan is quite brilliant and I am a unfounded snob ie. I often think that I am smarter than I am). The truth is that I have seen many Stephen King films and I have type casted the author as the penmen behind clever thrillers and horrors but not as the writer of legitimate epics. In my mind I had filed this little gem alongside all the other books with dragons on their covers that I have passed by in the used shops. After reading this first installment I am not sure what to think. On the one hand I was captivated by Kings minimalist style and his mastership of the 'cliffhanger'. On the other hand I am not sure what the underlying message is supposed to be and I am still bewildered as to 'the point'.

In this fantasy landscape we are introduced to a Gunslinger named Roland who is on a quest to overtake 'the man in black'. The man the Gunslinger seeks is perceived as a priest and a messenger of God by many of the people he encounters and yet the Gunslinger casts a shadow of evil in his depictions of the man. Another curious aspect of the story is that the reader feels inclined to take Roland's side because we see through his senses but a more objective look shows that the 'man in black' leaves a trail of healing while Roland leaves a trail of sexual misconduct and death. The majority of the book chronicles Roland's journey through a strange dessert and a zombie filled cave with a boy named Jake (whom must eventually die at the Gunslingers hand hint hint: obvious illusions to Abraham and Issac). There are also hints of parallel worlds, post apocalyptic landscapes, purgatory or something like those three as Jake appears to be from what we would call modern New York City.

All in all this book was a fun read but I feel unsatisfied with it's ending. The dust jacket claims that the novel can stand alone but I would suggest that unless your up for a seven part series you should leave this one alone. The story is engaging but simple, the landscape is intriguing and mysterious, the characters are very well developed... but the ending is a huge cliffhanger that leaves one desperately wanting more...

I guess I will have to buy the next one.

Becoming Human

2009-02-23T10:40:00.006-06:00

AUTHOR: Jean Vanier
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TIME:February 2009
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NOTES:.
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I borrowed this book from a good friend because I had heard such great things about it. It was originally a Massey Lecture, so the book was produced by the CBC which increased my intrigue (I am a big supporter of the CBC). The reason I was interested in this book is because I have been working in a group home for intellectually disabled individuals these past months and the book centers around that sort of thing. For those who may not know, Jean Vanier founded L'Arche (the Ark) which is a network of communities around the world in which physically and intellectually disabled people live in community with non-disabled persons. Jean Vanier was a committed Catholic so the communities involve much devotional practice and a focus on human growth intellectually, physically, and spiritually.
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If I had to sum up 'becoming human', I would say that it is part devotional literature, part theological exploration and part sociological text. Vanier uses his background in L'Arche to explore some of Jesus' more difficult teachings. He talks about the weaker brother, the first being last, the marginalized and so on and so forth. In all of this he continually emphasize the value if disabled people to the Kingdom of God. In my line of work the idea that disabled people are valuable and should be fully intigrated citizens is a given but its not often that someone outlines specific examples of this happening. In Vaniers book he does just this. He offers concrete examples of people who don't speak or hear giving love to their care providers in such a deep and profound way that the impact of their ministry lasts well beyond there lifespans (as evidenced by this book). I should note that Vanier is careful not to pity people. The truth is that no one likes to be pitied. In this vein Vanier presents his disabled companions as whole people he does not try to say that they are simply 'cute' or 'always loving' etc. this sort of assessment is simply untrue as all humans have a sin nature.
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The sociological aspect of the book is in Vaniers timeless assessment of our western tendencies toward strength, power, prestige, success and so on. He rightly highlights our over emphasis on these things explaining that we often overlook the power of the weak because it does not present itself in a business suite. Recognizing this tendency can help us to tame it and to have eyes to see the powerful ministry of those who are perceived as weak in our social order. The ministry Vanier discusses is real and significant. He does not need to exercise pity or to give inflated praise to showcase examples of his 'weaker friends' acting as vessels of Christ's love and power.
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I really cannot think of anything negative to say about this book. I came away strengthened and better informed in my opinions. I really feel that it would be valuable for any person in our context to read and consider Vaniers words. The truth is that we as a society are only recently learning to practice what our national documents preach (Human Rights Charter) and we as Christians too often overlook the real life significance of the Jesus' love for the marginalized in our midst.

The napoleon of Notting Hill

2009-01-17T23:29:00.004-06:00

AUTHOR: G.K. Chesterton
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TIME: January 2009
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NOTES:.
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I was lucky enough to take a class in college about the life and works of G.K. Chesterton. The class fostered in me a love for Chesterton that I presume will last for my whole life. It also romanticised the idea of a stout ale, a good cigar, and chivalry around the ladies. Because of my background in Chestertonianism I was very pleased to spot a paperback version of this, his first novel, the Napolean of Notting Hill. Sidenote: I found it in a great little book shop in southern Ontario. The guy working the shop was a retired teacher/librarian with a pronounced british accent that seemed to know a little something about each and every book in the store. The store itself was located in a gutted old motel and the selection was amazing and fairly priced. Sidenote two: I hope to do a post about good book shops I have found every now and then. But that will have to wait.
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Those of you who have read some of Chesterton's writing will know that he is a bit of a 'one trick pony'. I would argue that the trick is nuanced in a new and exciting way in most of his books but it is non-the-less the same trick. If I am correct, the backbone of Chesterton's life project was to defend fairyland against the onslaught of objectivism (this would include things like scientific fact, modernism, the enlightenment etc.). Chesterton wants his readers to consider that Truth with a capital 'T' is not always best sook with rationality. In fact much of the most
important truth in life is a profound farce. Consider the son of God being hung from a tree to die; only to return ushering in life. In Notting hill Chesterton leads his reader on a journey to discover this truth.
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In the TNoNH the reader is confronted with a man who is pronounced King of London seemingly on a whim. This man proceeds to transform london into a ridiculous pagent of color-coded regions each with it's own outlandish dress code. A city code is also drafted that calls for over-the-top pomp and ceremony in everyday governmental affairs. The trick that Chesterton plays on the reader is causing them to judge this new king as a fool only to have them stand whole heartedly behind the values of his farce society in the end. You will have to read the book to see the full mechanics of this shift.
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I have realized that it seems that I never read a book that I don't like so I have decided to include some critique in my 2009 reviews. In this book it is obvious that you are reading an early Chesterton. He drags on at points and much of the novel feels too surreal. I think he has definantly written better stuff. All that said I think this is good book well worth a read. And its short.

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Haroun and the Sea of Stories

2009-01-04T22:37:00.011-06:00

AUTHOR: Salmon Rushdie
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TIME: January 2009
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NOTES:
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This children's novel was lent to me by my wife. She bought it under the recommendation of an interviewing prof. at Briercrest. The author is, of course, familiar and controversial. He is the very same Salmon Rushdie who was placed under a fatwa after producing the 'Satanic Verses'. I have tried to read the controversial title before but its to surreal for my tastes.
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Haroun is the son of the 'shah of blah' who is a famous story teller in a sad town (it is actually home to the factories that produce sadness). His father's wife leaves him in the arms of a man of science and facts. This leaves the shah incapacitated as a story teller and causes significant upheaval as the Shah's main income is derived from speaking at political rallies.
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Amazingly, Haroun witnesses a 'water genie' disconnecting his fathers invisible 'storey tap' and so the adventure begins. I don't want to give too much detail because I think the short story is well worth the time to read. Needless to say that it is a thinly guized defence of freedom of speech and the power/importance of story. Haroun sets sail on an actual sea of story in search of 'the Walrus' and finds himself instead in the midst of a search for the source of contamination that threatens the wellspring of story itself.
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This whimsical tale is reminiscent of Oz, the Never ending Story, the Labyrinth and so many more of the greats. Its a must read for lovers of the Humanities and Children everywhere.

Life Together

2008-12-19T00:24:00.004-06:00

TIME: December 2008
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AUTHOR: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

NOTES:

This isn't really the sort of book that one critiques. A chapter in it was suggested by Prof. Davidson. I have been asking him to explain to me how he lives in Christian community. More specifically, I am trying to live in the Church which I often find frustrating.

Bonhoeffer is a pretty intense read. He was a Christian pastor/theologian etc. in Germany during Hitlers Reign. He chose to go back to Germany and was imprisoned in a Nazi camp. He died in the camp just before the allied forces liberated it. He was executed.

In this book Bonhoeffer offers his thoughts on what Christian community is all about. The stinging part for me was that he saw community as a grace. This means that one should approach the Church with an attitude of thankfulness despite its obvious shortcomings. He doesn't mince words about this idea as he explains that people like me do damage to the Church and basically offend God by our constant complaining, refusal to 'enter in' and so on. He does lighten the blow when he explores what hardens folks like me.

It seems that I am unable to 'enter in' because I am not fully living in forgiveness. It's not that God will not forgive me; Instead, the problem is that I have not humbled myself by confessing to another brother in the Church. Because I haven't faced my sins in any real mortifying way I am more able to judge others for their faults. The act of telling someone else the things you do in your head or in secret that are sinful is an act of killing your pride. The fact is that God will call us to account for our sins in the end so having them out now is a much more desirable option. By recognizing that one is sinful and unworthy the Church is put in focus for that person. In fact, all humans are sinners offered grace by God. As such I am not to pass judgement on my fellow believers. I can still encourage them and even rebuke them (if the rebuke is meant to help them in the end). However, I am totally unworthy and unable to look with disdain at other humans. Note that this is Bonhoeffers advice not my present state.

Bonhoeffer also suggests a lifestyle focused on prayer and structured Bible reading, fellowship, communion, and worship. All of this is good stuff but without the first step its not really that useful. So, I am in the process of figuring out what all this means for me. I am shopping for a confessor and I am trying to be more humble through submission to the Word and to God.

BIG WIN AT PUB TRIVIA

2008-12-19T00:05:00.003-06:00

Big Win At Bobby's Trivia Night This Week!

Every week my friends and I head to the local irish pub, which is called Bobby's Place. We go for a time honoured tradition: Pub Trivia. Each week they also have a side contest in which those who buy imported beers are entered in a draw to win one of six sets of awesome beer glasses. I have long desired this set and this week the owner extended the draw to 12 sets. We won the last set! BEST TRIVIA NIGHT EVER!

Cash: The Autobiography

2008-12-12T21:52:00.011-06:00

AUTHOR: Johnny Cash
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TIME: December 2008

NOTES:

After finishing "The Broom of the System" I was in need of a lighter read and I saw this book on one of my shelves. I think that I bought it at a yard sale in the summer. I also recalled that it got a recommendation in High Fidelity which is a great Hornby book turned film. In the film Cash by Cash is placed in a top ten list of favorite books by the lead character.

Johnny Cash is a surprisingly good writer (although I am sure he had help from Patrick Carr). The books style is great. It has the feel of a campfire story or a fishing lodge tale. The writing is casual and heartfelt. I was especially impressed with the humility and wisdom that Cash displayed when he was talking about his darker days. I was expecting to get gruesome details about trashed hotel rooms, vomit filled nights of lechery and the like. Instead Cash chose to highlight a few of his worst days in order to de-glamorize his rock star lifestyle. He told one story about him accidentally burning down a good portion of a wildlife refuge and trying to pretend that he hadn't noticed by faux fishing at a nearby pond. This story was humiliating and though I did laugh out loud it certainly didn't make me want to copy Cash.

From a music history perspective the book was really interesting. As you know Cash is intertwined with the greats including Elvis, Waylon Jennings and the Carter family. What you may not know is that his first major tour was as an opener for Elvis. It was really interesting to hear all the many many stories of the olden days when you could wait on a record companies front steps with a guitar and get a record deal; or when a friend could cover your show if you were to strung out to play. Cash makes the 'good old days' of music seem incredible. He communicates a camaraderie between artists that is romantic and inspiring. This book is peppered with anticdotes about guitars of note, sound men, producers, epic shows, the road and songwriting. Any audiophile would be foolish to leave this piece of history unread.

As a Christian I was very impacted by the spiritual undertones of the book. Recently I have been getting harder and harder on myself and others about sin. It was interesting to gain Cash's perspective which is influenced much more by grace than my own. One glaring truth of Cash's life is that he made a lot of mistakes. He failed at marriage, endangered a species, struggled with drug and alcohol addiction to the point of near death and so on and so forth. I think that this had a huge impact on his ability to forgive much. I am reading Bonhoeffer right now and he says that our grace and mercy is dependant on the forgiveness offered by Christ. So, as Cash was forgiven much he was also able to forgive much. Maybe this idea isn't revolutionary to everyone but I have not been able to appreciate it until recently and this book was a big part of that.

The Broom of the System

2008-12-03T18:10:00.007-06:00

TIME: December 2008
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AUTHOR: David Foster Wallace

NOTES:

I picked this book up because of David Foster Wallace's recent suicide. I have read a number of Wallace's essays, most notably: Consider the Lobster which is available as a podcast and should be listened to by everyone. I was curious to see what his more fictional work revealed about him. This will sound silly but after reading the book I can sorta see why Wallace might have done what he did. (P.S. I am aware of his medication changes just prior to his death and I understand better than most that mental illness is a real thing that can't be easily beaten, especially when your medication isn't doing its part.) The book did have a thread of sadness, a feeling of insecurity, even searching.

Let me explain the book a little bit. The basic plot surrounds a beautiful but neurotic woman named Lenore Beadsman. Miss Beadsman went to a really small but good college and studied philosophy. She is now working as a switchboard operator at a small publishing company called 'Frequent and Vigorous'. She is also romantically involved with her boss, Rick Vigorous. Rick and Lenore see the same shrink on an almost daily basis. These separate meetings with Dr. J reveal that Lenore is very troubled in a number of ways. They also show that Rick suffers from a painfully small penis. The penis becomes a metaphor for interaction between the self and others. Dr. J and Rick have long dialogues about Ricks inability to penetrate Lenore's membrane.

Lenore comes from a rich and dysfunctional family. Her Father owns and operates a baby food empire that competes with Gerber. There is also a grandmother in the family (Lenore Sr.). Lenore Sr. is housed in a retirement complex that is owned by the Stonecipher company (Lenore's Dad's baby food company). It is interesting to note that Lenore Sr. was a student of Ludwig Wittgenstein and much of the story is spent exploring some of his theories of identity and meaning. Anyway, Lenore Sr. mysteriously disappears from the old folks complex with over a dozen staff and fellow clients. It is hinted that she is somewhere working with Gerber. The idea is that she is revealing a family secret in order to hurt Mr Stonecipher (dysfunctional family right). The story is framed around the missing Grandma and Lenore's search for understanding regarding her disappearance.

The main plot is easy to grasp. The book is written with a series of side stories. We are privy to manuscripts from CEO meetings and psychiatry appointments. There is also a connected narrative concerning a bird that was gifted to Lenore by Rick. The bird is named Vlad the Impaler. Vlad begins speaking english very well after being slipped some of the 'family secret' (the same secret that Lenore Sr. is potentially leaking). The secret is an ingredient that, when added to baby food, causes babies to speak far earlier than is natural. The bird is taught Bible versus by Lenore's roommate who wants the bird to stop repeating details of her sex life. Vlad is then recruited by a televangelist who uses Vlad to make Lenore's landlord a lot of money.
The story is also set in 1990 which is a couple years in the future from the time it was written. As such Wallace is able to take some creative licence. This licence results in Gilligan's Island themed bars in which a Gilligan look-a-like bar tender is paid to hurt himself every hour. There is also the Greater Ohio Dessert (GOD); which is a man made dessert, with jet black sand, designed to offer wilderness and danger to the largely sub-urbanised world. Also, the story is often drawn back to Wallace's own college where we are introduced to Lenore's devilish, drug addicted brother with a wooden leg. This brother is affectionately known as the Antichrist. Another important character is Wang Dang Lang who becomes the antithesis to Rick Vigorous. Lang has a very large penis and becomes Lenore's solution to non-fulfillment.

All in all the book is hilarious, witty, brilliant, confusing, and impossible to put down even in the wee hours of night. One warning I do offer is that the book is very sexual. If that sort of thing is an issue for you your probably not going to enjoy this read... That said, I would encourage any serious reader, especially a college age reader to try this title. It is like an onion with several important layers of meaning. I feel as though I will need to read it several times to really 'get' some of it. I also feel as though I could read it every week forever and I still wouldn't mine all the depths it offers. After finishing I feel more than ever the tragedy that losing Wallace while he still had so much to offer was. May the Lord have mercy on this troubled but gifted soul.

On Stories

2008-12-03T10:53:00.012-06:00

TIME: November 2008
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AUTHOR: Richard Kearney
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NOTES:
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This was a De-Ja-Vu book for me on a couple of fronts. Firstly, many of the Humanities professors at my college read this book years ago and it has influenced what they teach greatly (whether they know it or not). Also, many of my friends have read or partially read the book. Lastly, the idea of narrative or story being an important avenue of truth has always been popular in Christianity to some extent; (beginning with Jesus and his parables) but has become even more popular in recent history with the coming of the 'emergent Church' and a more arty crowd. Like De-Ja-Vu everything seemed familiar in this read but it was much clearer this time around.

Kearney works to outline the importance of narrative in this book by defining five main categories of 'use'. I hesitate to use functional language because I think part of what Kearney is doing is kicking against the enlightenment shrines built around 'absolute truth', function as king, and empirical fact. At any rate, The book covers five main elements of narrative that make it vital to our existence.

One:Plot (MYTHOS)
This element was the hardest to understand for me. Essentially, I think it is dealing with the basic form of human life and the fact that making conscious story of it is very helpful in achieving life abundantly. Kearney points to the fact that all human life is essentially a plot line. We all have a beginning, middle and end. All of our stories are peppered with climax, conflict, emotion, characters and so on. We are all stories waiting to be read and interpreted. By consciously seeing ourselves as such we are able to examine our plot lines, placing ourselves in the greater story and interpreting our lives in light of the history and projection that story offers. I feel sure that my brief explanation has done injustice to Kearney's complex thought but as an amateur reader I am trying to communicate what I gathered rather than what would have been gleaned by my superiors.

As a side, I could not help but think of the implications of this understanding of life for the thoughts of a Christian. It is Evangelical speak to say that we are all written into God's story and that we are all playing our roles as assigned by God... However, I could not help but reflect on the deeper meaning offered by this book. It is true that we all have a plot; so why should the universe not have the same? Also, I can't help but think that as conscious players examining and being enriched by our autobiographical roles we are helping to write the greater script in some small way?

TWO: Re-Creation (MIMESIS)
This element is the one that is always present in fiction. Kearney is careful not to use the word "imitation" because he wants to avoid 'servile connotation'. That is to say he does not want to limit or oppress MIMESIS with the idea that it must be empirical fact. The Re-creation of a story or event into a written, filmed, or told form is an effort to capture its essence in a way. Kearney speaks much of the use of parody of caricature. MIMESIS reveals important truth to us by the telling. It is self reflective like MYTHOS but this is a bit different because it can be any story , not just our own. This is why MIMESIS is sometimes present in the telling of History as well. The historical aspect is touchy though as there is some debate over whether History should be 'just the facts', which is impossible of course but non-the-less valued by some. There is a sizable section in the middle of the book dealing with different Holocaust representations which is helpful in more fully understanding this element.

THREE: RELEASE (CATHARSIS)
In Catharsis we are able to 'live a day in another mans shoes'. Kearney explains that this element involves both sufficient distance from events and persons as well as a type of sympathetic closeness. Most Christians will have experienced something like this in the arena of 'testimony' or perhaps in certain types of meditation involving the imaginative placing of oneself in a character of bystander in biblical stories. This element allows us to empathize with the other. I believe that it can also serve as a therapeutic aide to those actually involved. In story, we are able to live in a situation otherwise foreign to us, we can experience the pain, fear, distress, joy etc. of a character and empathize with them. This is not true with all accounts. Take for example the difference between an autopsy report for a murder victim and a biography about the victim who owned the body before it was dismembered. The one would hold much more empathetic weight than the other... perhaps this is why CSI is so popular?

FOUR:WISDOM (PHRONESIS)
Number four is a bit confusing to me as was number one. To the best of my knowledge Kearney is pointing to a unique function in fiction (although it spills into non-fiction in a complex overlap). This function is its ability to respect individuality in story while still interacting with universality. So, 'wisdom' is imparted through story in a way that is universally applicable to the human condition. A type of truth (wisdom) which is not empirical fact can be communicated through imaginative narrative that in fact, cannot be told through an autopsy report, a list of the dead, or even a purely objective view of an event.

I think this is probably why Jesus used the parable so much.

FIVE: ETHICS (ETHOS)
In this bit Kearney briefly talks about narrative as conversation. He says that in all story there is a teller, a story, a listener, and a real or imaginary world. In the interplay of these elements ETHOS is worked out. By allowing us to traverse in common worlds with one an other we are able to experience the other. This interplay creates and maintains a viable arena for the telling of truth, and empathizing even with our enemy. We find common ground in the story.

The untold life is not worth living
-R. Kearney

My post about Homer seems relevant here

The Alphabet of Grace

2008-11-14T16:40:00.010-06:00

TIME: November 2008
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AUTHOR: Fredrick Buechner
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NOTES:
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I went around asking my friends to recommend books to me and a good friend of mine named Steve offered me this one. I was very happy to receive it as I am a big fan of the author. I just recently read one installment of 'The Book of Bebb' and I loved it. I recommend the book of Bebb as highly as I recommend the present title.
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A book like this defies description. I can tell you that he discusses faith and God in it. He talks about how language is the way we express story (hence the alphabet reference). I can also tell you that it reads like a crisp spring morning filled with good coffee and pleasant smells in comparison to many modern defences of faith. He does not offer empirical data as an explanation of his belief. Instead, he speaks of the little moments in life where it seems like God is gleaming through. These moments can be tree branches clacking on one another or the nights when you reach into the darkness expecting to touch the hand of Jesus (read the book and you'll get it). Beuchner argues for a faith with doubt. He argues for a true human faith in the Divine: one that does not rest on absolute scientific fact but one that rests in a feeling so fleeting yet so real. Though I find myself unable to clearly express what Buechner is up to in this book I can tell you that it tastes of a truth that is lost in books that 'clearly tell it'.

God's Universe

2008-11-08T13:24:00.004-06:00

TIME: September 2008

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AUTHOR: Owen Gingerich

NOTES:

This was a textbook for a class that Sarah took last year with Prof. Gobbet. I was attracted to it because it was short and it reminded me of "A Brief History of Time".

The author discusses the basic tenants and history of the Big Bang Theory and Evolutionary Theory. These two central topics are peppered with various astronomic tid-bits of interest. The book is appealing because the author is a firm believer in both Orthodox Christianity and in the two main topics of the book (interesting, no?). For those not in the loop, this is interesting because much of contemporary pop-debate suggests that the Christian faith and Evolution/Big Bang is incompatible.

Throughout the book the reader is impressed with the idea that these modern theories may actually compliment Christianity. Obviously one is forced to abandon a hyper-literal interpretation of Genesis (which I abandoned long ago anyway) in order to give ear to Gingerich. After hearing about the extreme improbability of sentient life and a habitable planet, the complexity of DNA, and the unfathomable nature of the Big Bang one is left with the impression that an intelligent designer/sustainer is more probable than not.

I am not a scientist so my opinions are largely based in ignorance but I was very impressed with this little book and it caused me to question much of what I believe regarding creation. Without further research I am unable to offer much more than non-scientific kudos to a scientific read.

The Chrysalids

2008-11-08T12:59:00.004-06:00

TIME: February 2008
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AUTHOR: John Wyndham
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NOTES:
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I just finished this book the day a family member ended his life. This context may or my not color my response.

The book itself was very interesting from a Christian (or at least my Christian...) point of view. It used much familiar Christian language including: image of God, Bible, faith, and blasphemy. The unique angle was that the terms were used in a way that I had to disagree with, as in a girl with six toes being a non-human blasphemy. This was obviously disconcerting in its polemical nature against my belief but it was also enlightening in the perspective it allowed me.
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In a way I was able to view my faith from the outside. I was able to here the protests of homosexuals and pro-choicers against my folds often poor language choices. I am not totally sure, but I think the underlying message of this book was the superiority of evolution, progress, and tolerance over what the author portrays as dead tradition which is only holding back the above mentioned goods.
My immediate, knee-jerk reaction to this message is that Christianity is being misrepresented. I would have to agree with Wyndham in that much of fundamentalist faith is indeed an effort to hold lifeless tradition to closely. However, I believe that true Christianity is living, breathing and compatible with a changing world. Not only that, but I would argue that Christ is necessary for a full and proper perception of what it means to be.
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From a literary standpoint the book was beautifully written. The expressions of cruelty and fear impact the reader on a deeply felt level. The Characters were well developed and believable and the setting was especially well done. One of the major feats of this novel was its intriguing future setting. One is able to clearly picture the landscape because it abandons traditional 'sci-fi' leanings in favor of an almost Amish like post apocalyptic world. In this setting the reader accepts common things like plough horses and helicopters as fantastical animals and outrageous machinery.
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The one major downfall of the book , which has been highlighted by many a critic, is what is sometimes called a "god from the machine ending". basically, a helicopter with future weapons sweeps in at the moment of climax and neatly solves all of the seemingly insurmountable difficulties in one fail swoop. I was also left thirsting for an explanation of the cause of the Apocalypse. I wanted a back story so badly and found myself flatly denied.

Slam

2008-11-08T12:43:00.006-06:00

TIME: June 2008
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AUTHOR: Nick Hornby

NOTES:
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This book has a lot of varied significance for me. Firstly, I bought it in Banff on my second year anniversary. Secondly, this is the first book that Sarah and I have read out loud together. Aside from these outside milestones the book itself was also fantastic. At first I was put off because the main Character took advice from his Tony Hawk poster on a regular basis. I did eventually get over this one tacky hurdle because Hornby, in his genius, was able to make this cheesy concept into a believable element of the story.

The basic thrust of the novel was that a fifteen year old son of a single mom gets his girlfriend pregnant. On a side note I spent the thirteenth year of my life agonizing over whether I had impregnated a girl or not (just for the curious, she was not pregnant) and so I could relate to the emotion in this book very well. The boy, Sam, goes through a lot over this situation including a breakup, a runaway and the seeming transportation into the future via Tony Hawk.

I find that the best part of Hornby novels is usually the ending. In "High Fidelity" we learn that love is imperfect and tough. In "About a Boy" we learn that no man is an island and in order to fully live we need to open up to the mess and hurt that comes with interrelation. In "SLAM" we learn that getting a girl pregnant as a fifteen year old boy is complicated. Things don't work out perfectly, you might still lose the girl, plans might have to change etc etc. but in the end life is about living with the mess and seeing the hope in it.

Lucky Man

2008-11-08T12:28:00.004-06:00

TIME: February 2007
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AUTHOR: Michael J. Fox

NOTES:

First of all, I promise to read something 'Classic' soon. Recently I bought the 'Back to the Future' trilogy. After viewing it I was full of nostalgia. I found myself at the Salvation Army during my nostalgic buzz and got some great deals. I ended up with three Blondie albums, one Keith Green record (which I didn't even know existed), and a handful of books. One of the books was a crisp new copy of 'Lucky Man'. I started reading this book on the John thinking that I would put it down afterward; instead I ended up ingesting the whole thing in a matter of days.

One obvious reason that I dug this book so deeply was that is contains a lot of behind the scenes stuff about 'Back to the Future'. However, what kept me reading was Fox's struggle with Parkinson's disease. My family struggles with diseases that impact the brain and I always feel a strong affinity with famous people who have similar struggles (I am thinking also of Daniel Johnson).

I liked the way that Fox tackled his life. He was not self degrading but he was honest. He has that honest edge that is difficult to find. He deals with a lot of stuff including brain surgery, family, bar fights with Woody Harrelson, fund raising and working as a public figure who has a visible health problem. I don't have a lot to say other than that.

The Abraham Connection

2008-11-08T12:12:00.004-06:00

TIME: February 2007
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AUTHOR(S): Gordis, Grose, and Siddiqi

NOTES:

I read this book for a class called 'The History of Christian Muslim Relations'. I chose this title out of a lengthy list because it is written in the form of dialogue and 'Shades' has inspired me to read more of this type of writing. The dialogue consisted of three speakers representing Judaism, Protestantism, and Islam. The discussion was guided around the topics of History, Theology, and Faith.

As a Christian I was pretty disappointed with our man in the discussion. Somehow Grose, who was the Christian, managed to concede even when the others were not pressuring him to. At one point he even said that all three religions could be simultaneously 'valid'(which I suppose is true in the sense that we can mutually respect one another), which was immediately contested by the others as they were not willing to allow a 'lets get along because we are all correct despite glaring contradictions between us' view.

I did learn a lot about Judaism that I did not previously know. For example I was unaware of the "mid rash" which seems to be like an appendix to their main text (OT). This mid rash is where Jewish historians and theologians claim that Muslims borrowed much of the Koran from. Of course Muslim scholars would argue that Muhammad had no knowledge of any other text and that the Koran was authored by Allah.

The book was valuable to me on two fronts, one major and one minor. The minor value was the wealth of first hand knowledge about two other Abrahamic religions. It was wonderful to here intelligent proponents of other faiths explaining stances in a clear and respectful way. However, the major value of the text was as a model for discourse. This text serves as proof that different faiths can engage in dialogue without resorting to the the ugliness we see in the media. In the modern world this kind of example is priceless.

The Odyssey

2008-11-08T11:40:00.005-06:00

TIME: January 2007
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AUTHOR: Homer

NOTES:
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This was an assigned text for my senior Humanities Seminar. I knew that this book was a classic but I had no idea what it was about. It turns out that Homer covers a range of what it means to be human including: sex, love, honor, war, peace, justice, pain, loss, and death. the most interesting element of the story for myself was the theme of 'storytelling'.

The Characters of Odysseus and his son Telemachus often find themselves sharing their stories with strangers. It seems that these stories serve a number of purposes. The most obvious gain is that they establish a relationship between the teller and the hearer. By sharing his story the teller is sharing himself with the recipient. In this way 'troth' is established. Apparently 'troth' is a similar concept to truth or trust or perhaps a combination of the two. Troth represents a commitment between persons based on mutual sharing of themselves. We see this kind of thing worked out in romantic relationships. Myself and my wife spent many hours sharing our life stories with one another in the early part of our journey. this sharing created a bond and it facilitated a vulnerability that I don't share with many people. Perhaps the shocking bit of 'the Odyssey' is that this troth is shared between men and men. In modern society it is not fashionable to be vulnerable with other men and so its strikes the reader as strange to see muscular warriors pouring their hearts out to one another around the dinner table.

This concept of troth is very important, especially as a Christian. I am learning that I must establish troth between myself and God and myself and others. This is done by getting past the superficial to something deeper. This requires a mutual sharing of story. In Gods case the Bible seems like a logical starting point. By reading the old old story I learn why I should trust God, why I should love him, why I should fear him. In Christian fellowship this requires confessing one to another, testifying to truth, and sharing our stories with one another. In everyday life this requires a more open self. This is of course a difficult undertaking in the individualistic space I find myself in . North America is not a friendly place to become vulnerable. Also our culture promotes a 'me' mentalitity, which basically means that people are more interested in hearing themselves speak than others. I also wonder if troth should be sook with everyone or if it is reserved for certain appropriate spaces.

Shades

2008-11-08T11:20:00.004-06:00

TIME: January 2006
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AUTHOR(S): Brad Jersak and Sean Davidson
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NOTES:
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Honestly, the only reason I gave this book a chance was because a Prof. of mine co-authored it. I did, however, really enjoy reading it. The book is formatted as a 'chat-room' discussion (a sort of platonic-new age feel). The Conversation is between Brad and Sean with a few others interjecting once in awhile. For the sake of context you should know that Brad has been frequenting my college campus for years preaching the virtues of 'listening-prayer' (LP). I have been an avid heckler of his efforts on the basis that I do not audibly hear the Lord and I have always felt that the movement is built on fluff. Knowing how I felt prior to the book you will have to agree that the authors achieved their intended purpose. They successfully nuanced the practice for me. I have, indeed, been softened to some of Brad's ideas through the nuance and probing that Sean provided in discourse.

Near the end of the book Sean offers a very helpful word. he basically tells Brad to stop defending his stance as a solely theological one. This really took my guard down as my main complaint against the LP proponent's NEED to PROVE the practice DEFINITIVELY, which I have always taken as a desire to normalize it. What I mean is that I have always felt that the LP supporters try to label LP as the only true way to communicate with God. What Sean was asking Brad to do instead of PROVING was to WITNESS. The idea of witness is a much humbler stance in my opinion. The basic concept, as I understand it, is that a person witnesses by sharing their experience. So instead of PROVING abstract ideas with reference to text one witnesses to the texts by sharing his or her experience.

Housekeeping Vs. The Dirt

2008-11-08T10:55:00.003-06:00

TIME: December 2006
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AUTHOR: Nick Hornby

NOTES:

I read this book at the end of a tough semester. I have been feeling disillusioned with academics (specifically the study of literature and philosophy). I have been upset about the intellectual elitism that permeates the groups that partake in these fields of academia. I have also been feeling 'sucked in' by a click of people that believe that they have 'the answers' about life. these people use big words and discuss concepts that are far removed from 'ordinary life'. These are the circumstances in which I picked up Hornby's book.

Let me start by saying that 'I friggin LOVE Hornby'. This guy manages to be brilliant, sarcastic, and witty while retaining significant meaning. In this book he makes a case for leisure reading. The book chronicles his journey through a whole bunch of great books (which coincidentally is the inspiration for this book journal-turned blog). Hornby's discussions of the works he read defy accepted academic norms in ways that breathe life into this readers dried up college bones. The thing I appreciate the most about 'Housekeeping vs...' was the perspective it gave to academic elitism in literary studies.

Hornby argues for an enjoyment of reading that is frowned upon in my circles. At one point he discusses the popularity of 'The Divinci Code' and concludes that if it gets people reading that's a good thing. He also allows for a type of interchange between the reader and the books being read that I have always longed for but had not felt freedom to do. That is why I began this blog with a summary of my circumstance coming into the reading. I am trying to live in a belief that reading is a discussion in some ways. Often reading is thought of as a one way information exchange from book to reader. I am starting to believe that this is not the case. The situation of the reader has a great impact on the text being read, or at least on the reception and interpretation of said text. In short I, the reader, read through my unique and ever varying eyes).