Synopsis:
Sophie begins receiving enigmatic, anonymous letters addressed to herself, as well as letters directed to Hilde, whom Sophie does not know, from Hilde's father, shortly before her fifteenth birthday. They cause her to start thinking about the "big questions" - who are you, why are you here, etc., and eventually lead her into an unusual relationship with a mysterious older gentleman who becomes something of a mentor.
Comments:
I did learn more from this book about philosophy than I knew before, which was a pitifully negligible amount; perhaps a straightforward philosophy textbook would have suited me better. The "story" vehicle, in my opinion, ranged from stiff, jerky, contrived, and stilted, to downright chaotic and maddening. I kept plugging away at it, hoping to find what had prompted the good reviews I'd seen, but I never did. The most valuable lesson I took away from it was to never again waste time reading a book I can't stand.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Short Story Review: "The Man Born Blind" by C. S. Lewis
Synopsis:
Robin is a man, blind from birth, who has recently had an operation facilitating sight, growing increasingly frustrated with his inability to see Light. On a day when he finds himself free of the company and solicitude of his wife, he spends the morning in the old comfortable habits of blindness, then sets out to find, once and for all, the mysterious thing called Light. His failure to understand that light is what one sees by, rather than a tangible object that one sees, leads to disastrous consequences.
Comments:
Just five pages in length, this story is dense with metaphor and meaning. In his essay “On Stories,” Lewis says, “We do not enjoy a story fully at the first reading. Not till the curiosity, the sheer narrative lust, has been given its sop and laid asleep, are we at leisure to savour the real beauties.” I would modify that a bit and say that “The Man Born Blind” cannot be fully grasped, its depths not fully sounded, at the first reading.
Robin is a man, blind from birth, who has recently had an operation facilitating sight, growing increasingly frustrated with his inability to see Light. On a day when he finds himself free of the company and solicitude of his wife, he spends the morning in the old comfortable habits of blindness, then sets out to find, once and for all, the mysterious thing called Light. His failure to understand that light is what one sees by, rather than a tangible object that one sees, leads to disastrous consequences.
Comments:
Just five pages in length, this story is dense with metaphor and meaning. In his essay “On Stories,” Lewis says, “We do not enjoy a story fully at the first reading. Not till the curiosity, the sheer narrative lust, has been given its sop and laid asleep, are we at leisure to savour the real beauties.” I would modify that a bit and say that “The Man Born Blind” cannot be fully grasped, its depths not fully sounded, at the first reading.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Book Review: Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
Synopsis:
Becca has grown up hearing her grandmother tell the fairy tale of Briar Rose, the Sleeping Beauty, over and over and over. But Gemma’s version varies from the traditional story: in her telling, only the Princess comes awake at the kiss; everyone else remains in death-like sleep.
As she ages, and her mind and body fail, Gemma grows more insistent that she herself is Briar Rose. Most of the family has long since ceased to really listen to the old woman, and only Becca gives her words any weight, promising in her grandmother’s last hours to unravel the mystery. A box of keepsakes discovered in Gemma’s room after her death raises many questions and provides few clues, but Becca’s journalistic instincts and perseverance eventually lead her to the startling truth.
Comments:
Many of the old fairy tales were originally much darker stories than the modern versions with which most of us are familiar. This book harks back to that tradition; much of what Becca discovers is deeply disturbing. Briar Rose strongly demonstrates the power of story to help us survive and overcome horrific evil. I would recommend it only for a quite mature reader.
Becca has grown up hearing her grandmother tell the fairy tale of Briar Rose, the Sleeping Beauty, over and over and over. But Gemma’s version varies from the traditional story: in her telling, only the Princess comes awake at the kiss; everyone else remains in death-like sleep.
As she ages, and her mind and body fail, Gemma grows more insistent that she herself is Briar Rose. Most of the family has long since ceased to really listen to the old woman, and only Becca gives her words any weight, promising in her grandmother’s last hours to unravel the mystery. A box of keepsakes discovered in Gemma’s room after her death raises many questions and provides few clues, but Becca’s journalistic instincts and perseverance eventually lead her to the startling truth.
Comments:
Many of the old fairy tales were originally much darker stories than the modern versions with which most of us are familiar. This book harks back to that tradition; much of what Becca discovers is deeply disturbing. Briar Rose strongly demonstrates the power of story to help us survive and overcome horrific evil. I would recommend it only for a quite mature reader.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Thou Shalt Read
"the literary Christian is uniquely equipped to live out the Christian faith and to draw others to it because of a connection between being a faithful reader and a faithful Christian."
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/books/blog/27262-thou-shalt-read
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/books/blog/27262-thou-shalt-read
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Book Review: The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers
First, the author makes it clear that this book is neither a work of apologetics nor an expression of her personal religious beliefs, but a commentary on particular statements contained in Christian creeds. The specific statements she addresses are those regarding the nature of God, especially in His capacity as Creator. Her intention is to show how these characteristics attributed to God are applicable to the human mind engaged in imaginative creation as well.
Sayers acknowledges that many people find the doctrine of the Trinity difficult to grasp, but explains that Trinitarian structures are, in fact, not foreign to our experience. She cites as examples the trinity of sight: the form seen, the act of vision, and the mental correlation of the two; and the trinity of thought: memory, understanding, and will. The Trinity then becomes the basis for insight into the mind of the maker:
“For every work [or act] of creation is threefold, an earthly trinity to match the heavenly. First…there is the Creative Idea…and this is the image of the Father. Second, there is the Creative Energy…and this is the image of the Word. Third, there is the Creative Power…and this is the image of the indwelling Spirit.
And these three are one, each equally in itself the whole work, whereof none can exist without the other: and this is the image of the Trinity.”
Several chapters are then devoted to further examination of these elements, culminating in an acknowledgement that although the perfect co-equality of the Divine Trinity is represented by an equilateral triangle, the trinity of the human maker is typically scalene, sometimes fantastically irregular. In conclusion, Sayers addresses the question of how man may deal with life creatively, whatever his occupation.
Sayers acknowledges that many people find the doctrine of the Trinity difficult to grasp, but explains that Trinitarian structures are, in fact, not foreign to our experience. She cites as examples the trinity of sight: the form seen, the act of vision, and the mental correlation of the two; and the trinity of thought: memory, understanding, and will. The Trinity then becomes the basis for insight into the mind of the maker:
“For every work [or act] of creation is threefold, an earthly trinity to match the heavenly. First…there is the Creative Idea…and this is the image of the Father. Second, there is the Creative Energy…and this is the image of the Word. Third, there is the Creative Power…and this is the image of the indwelling Spirit.
And these three are one, each equally in itself the whole work, whereof none can exist without the other: and this is the image of the Trinity.”
Several chapters are then devoted to further examination of these elements, culminating in an acknowledgement that although the perfect co-equality of the Divine Trinity is represented by an equilateral triangle, the trinity of the human maker is typically scalene, sometimes fantastically irregular. In conclusion, Sayers addresses the question of how man may deal with life creatively, whatever his occupation.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Book Review: The Company They Keep by Diana Pavlac Glyer
Synopsis:
It has been widely and vehemently put forth that the Inklings, a group comprised mainly of writers (including J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Charles Williams) who met regularly to read their works to each other over the course of more than fifteen years, was simply and solely a social club. Biographers, scholars, and in some cases the Inklings themselves have denied that the members of the group either exerted influence over or were influenced by the others. Ms. Glyer, however, presents a convincing argument that it is a gross error to take such statements at face value.
In The Company They Keep, Ms. Glyer defines and delineates a number of areas in which the various Inklings did indeed have an impact not only on each other’s personal lives as friends, but also on their professional lives and works as colleagues. Exhaustive evidence is provided to support these claims, demonstrating how these men acted and reacted upon each other as resonators, encouragers, sometime opponents, editors, collaborators, and referents.
Comments:
In the course of proving the influence of the Inklings on one another, Ms. Glyer makes a strong case for the importance of community in the life of every writer.
It has been widely and vehemently put forth that the Inklings, a group comprised mainly of writers (including J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Charles Williams) who met regularly to read their works to each other over the course of more than fifteen years, was simply and solely a social club. Biographers, scholars, and in some cases the Inklings themselves have denied that the members of the group either exerted influence over or were influenced by the others. Ms. Glyer, however, presents a convincing argument that it is a gross error to take such statements at face value.
In The Company They Keep, Ms. Glyer defines and delineates a number of areas in which the various Inklings did indeed have an impact not only on each other’s personal lives as friends, but also on their professional lives and works as colleagues. Exhaustive evidence is provided to support these claims, demonstrating how these men acted and reacted upon each other as resonators, encouragers, sometime opponents, editors, collaborators, and referents.
Comments:
In the course of proving the influence of the Inklings on one another, Ms. Glyer makes a strong case for the importance of community in the life of every writer.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Book Review: From Homer to Harry Potter: A Handbook on Myth and Fantasy by Matthew Dickerson and David O'Hara
Synopsis:
Opening with a quotation of Tom Shippey's assertion, "The dominant literary mode of the twentieth century has been the fantastic," Dickerson and O'Hara set out to answer the questions, "How should one read and understand a modern work of fantasy?" and "Can works of fantasy really have anything important to say to us?" They begin by exploring definitions of "myth" and "fairy story" and explaining how the understanding of these terms has changed drastically over the centuries of written literature. Distinctions of myth, faerie, science fiction, beast fables, folk tales, and fantasy are clarified, with some history of each genre and its applications, past and present. The ongoing cultural impact of a number of well-known stories is traced and examined, and finally several modern fantasy works and their attendant worldviews are analyzed.
Comments:
Early on, the authors articulate their belief that the Bible is the Grand Myth, in the sense of J.R.R. Tolkien's statement (in On Fairy Stories) that "The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories...But this story has entered History and the primary world...this story is supreme; and it is true; Art has been verified...Legend and History have met and fused." This understanding runs throughout the book as the foundation of a compelling argument that myth is indeed a vehicle for truth.
Opening with a quotation of Tom Shippey's assertion, "The dominant literary mode of the twentieth century has been the fantastic," Dickerson and O'Hara set out to answer the questions, "How should one read and understand a modern work of fantasy?" and "Can works of fantasy really have anything important to say to us?" They begin by exploring definitions of "myth" and "fairy story" and explaining how the understanding of these terms has changed drastically over the centuries of written literature. Distinctions of myth, faerie, science fiction, beast fables, folk tales, and fantasy are clarified, with some history of each genre and its applications, past and present. The ongoing cultural impact of a number of well-known stories is traced and examined, and finally several modern fantasy works and their attendant worldviews are analyzed.
Comments:
Early on, the authors articulate their belief that the Bible is the Grand Myth, in the sense of J.R.R. Tolkien's statement (in On Fairy Stories) that "The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories...But this story has entered History and the primary world...this story is supreme; and it is true; Art has been verified...Legend and History have met and fused." This understanding runs throughout the book as the foundation of a compelling argument that myth is indeed a vehicle for truth.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Book Review: The Quilt by Gary Paulsen
Synopsis:
This book tells of a time a young boy spends with his grandmother while his father is away fighting in World War II and his mother is working in a munitions factory. The Norwegian farming community in northern Minnesota is far removed in every way from Chicago - life is quieter here, not easier but simpler. It is a world virtually without men, peopled by hardy women more than adequate to the task of keeping the farms running while their husbands and sons are overseas. While there, the boy learns much about birth and death, about life going on, about his own heritage and the traditions that keep memory alive.
Comments:
Paulsen captures the mood of the story well, both in content and style. It's a simple story, simply told yet rich in detail, carrying a flavor of comfortable homeyness while avoiding overly sweet sentimentality.
This book tells of a time a young boy spends with his grandmother while his father is away fighting in World War II and his mother is working in a munitions factory. The Norwegian farming community in northern Minnesota is far removed in every way from Chicago - life is quieter here, not easier but simpler. It is a world virtually without men, peopled by hardy women more than adequate to the task of keeping the farms running while their husbands and sons are overseas. While there, the boy learns much about birth and death, about life going on, about his own heritage and the traditions that keep memory alive.
Comments:
Paulsen captures the mood of the story well, both in content and style. It's a simple story, simply told yet rich in detail, carrying a flavor of comfortable homeyness while avoiding overly sweet sentimentality.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Book Review: Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey
Synopsis:
The premise of this book is that Robert Louis Stevenson's classic, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, was based on a true story, and that the current descendants of Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde are teenagers living in a small Pennsylvania town. Through a series of unusual occurrences, Jill and Tristen are drawn - or thrust - together. The book chronicles their academic but also deeply personal quest to unravel the mysteries of their pasts and attempt to alter the ongoing consequences of their ancestors' choices, as well as their complex feelings toward each other.
Comments:
The plot is intriguing and fits well with the classic story, and the book presents a powerful depiction of the far-reaching effects of one man's actions, even through several generations. There are several elements which, although in my opinion consistent with the mood of the story, will be disturbing to some readers: violence, strong language, commission of crimes of varying degree, and sexual references.
The premise of this book is that Robert Louis Stevenson's classic, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, was based on a true story, and that the current descendants of Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde are teenagers living in a small Pennsylvania town. Through a series of unusual occurrences, Jill and Tristen are drawn - or thrust - together. The book chronicles their academic but also deeply personal quest to unravel the mysteries of their pasts and attempt to alter the ongoing consequences of their ancestors' choices, as well as their complex feelings toward each other.
Comments:
The plot is intriguing and fits well with the classic story, and the book presents a powerful depiction of the far-reaching effects of one man's actions, even through several generations. There are several elements which, although in my opinion consistent with the mood of the story, will be disturbing to some readers: violence, strong language, commission of crimes of varying degree, and sexual references.
Book Review: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Synopsis:
This classic work set in 19th century London centers on Dr. Henry Jekyll, a respected physician who has grown estranged from his friends and colleagues and taken up a somewhat reclusive life, and his inexplicable connection to Edward Hyde, a malformed, violent man seemingly without a conscience, who carries out a number of increasingly hideous crimes.
Intrigued by the mysterious power Hyde holds over Jekyll, and deeply concerned for his friend and client, the lawyer Mr. Utterson begins to scrutinize the activities of both men, enlisting the aid and counsel of mutual friends of the doctor and himself. Only upon the death of both Jekyll and Hyde is the shocking truth of their entanglement fully discovered.
Comments:
Clearly, the primary theme of this tale is the raging conflict between good and evil, not only in the world at large but reaching even into the depths of a man's soul. A secondary, perhaps overlooked element is the fidelity of true friendship.
This classic work set in 19th century London centers on Dr. Henry Jekyll, a respected physician who has grown estranged from his friends and colleagues and taken up a somewhat reclusive life, and his inexplicable connection to Edward Hyde, a malformed, violent man seemingly without a conscience, who carries out a number of increasingly hideous crimes.
Intrigued by the mysterious power Hyde holds over Jekyll, and deeply concerned for his friend and client, the lawyer Mr. Utterson begins to scrutinize the activities of both men, enlisting the aid and counsel of mutual friends of the doctor and himself. Only upon the death of both Jekyll and Hyde is the shocking truth of their entanglement fully discovered.
Comments:
Clearly, the primary theme of this tale is the raging conflict between good and evil, not only in the world at large but reaching even into the depths of a man's soul. A secondary, perhaps overlooked element is the fidelity of true friendship.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Book Review: Reflections on the Psalms by C. S. Lewis
Synopsis:
Lewis opens the introductory chapter of this book with the statement that it is not a work of scholarship; but simply "the thoughts…to which I found myself driven in reading the Psalms." He then gives a brief history and analysis of the Psalms, the main point of which is that they are poems and must be read as such in order to be understood, followed by an explanation of the primary poetic characteristic of the Psalms – parallelism.
The next eight chapters address recurrent ideas or phrases in the Psalms, the original meaning of which may not be readily comprehended by modern English readers – judgment, cursings, "sweeter than honey," praise, and others. Lewis examines the Hebraic thought behind these concepts and leads us to a better understanding of what they must have meant in the minds of the writers and early readers, as well as what application they may have for us today.
In the final three chapters, Lewis takes on what he considers the more difficult task of exploring the second or hidden meanings in the Psalms - those passages which may be interpreted, from the vantage point of many hundred years, as prophetic or allegorical. His position is that these occurrences are neither coincidence nor supernatural prevision; rather in these cases "the later truth (which the speaker did not know) is intimately related to the truth he did know; so that…he was in touch with that very same reality in which the fuller truth is rooted…we are not foisting on [his words] something alien…[but] prolonging his meaning in a direction congenial to it."
Comments:
One of the many things I love about Lewis is that he never claims to be – in fact takes great pains to insist that he is not – a theologian. His approach is that of a fellow-pupil "comparing notes, not presuming to instruct." And while he is widely known today as a great apologist, he points out that this particular book is not an apologetic work: "A man can't be always defending the truth; there must be a time to feed on it."
Lewis opens the introductory chapter of this book with the statement that it is not a work of scholarship; but simply "the thoughts…to which I found myself driven in reading the Psalms." He then gives a brief history and analysis of the Psalms, the main point of which is that they are poems and must be read as such in order to be understood, followed by an explanation of the primary poetic characteristic of the Psalms – parallelism.
The next eight chapters address recurrent ideas or phrases in the Psalms, the original meaning of which may not be readily comprehended by modern English readers – judgment, cursings, "sweeter than honey," praise, and others. Lewis examines the Hebraic thought behind these concepts and leads us to a better understanding of what they must have meant in the minds of the writers and early readers, as well as what application they may have for us today.
In the final three chapters, Lewis takes on what he considers the more difficult task of exploring the second or hidden meanings in the Psalms - those passages which may be interpreted, from the vantage point of many hundred years, as prophetic or allegorical. His position is that these occurrences are neither coincidence nor supernatural prevision; rather in these cases "the later truth (which the speaker did not know) is intimately related to the truth he did know; so that…he was in touch with that very same reality in which the fuller truth is rooted…we are not foisting on [his words] something alien…[but] prolonging his meaning in a direction congenial to it."
Comments:
One of the many things I love about Lewis is that he never claims to be – in fact takes great pains to insist that he is not – a theologian. His approach is that of a fellow-pupil "comparing notes, not presuming to instruct." And while he is widely known today as a great apologist, he points out that this particular book is not an apologetic work: "A man can't be always defending the truth; there must be a time to feed on it."
Monday, January 24, 2011
Book Review: The Depression Helpbook by Wayne Katon, M.D., et al
Synopsis:
This book, written by a team of psychiatrists, psychologists, and primary care physicians, is directed to people with chronic or recurrent depression. It is divided into three sections: the first presents information to foster a better understanding of what depression is, how it may be treated, and what factors may contribute to it; the second offers insights into lifestyle changes and practices that may be helpful for those suffering from depression; and the third provides practical advice and sample plans for managing depression and maintaining a healthy outlook to prevent relapse. The chapters are brief and straightforward without being overly simplistic; the writing style accessible and easily understood without being condescending.
Comments:
As someone for whom recurrent depression is a personal issue, I feel that I can offer a qualified opinion that this book is, indeed, a helpful guide to the self-care that is necessary for emotional well-being, as well as a resource that may help family and friends better understand how best to relate to a loved one suffering a depressive episode.
This book, written by a team of psychiatrists, psychologists, and primary care physicians, is directed to people with chronic or recurrent depression. It is divided into three sections: the first presents information to foster a better understanding of what depression is, how it may be treated, and what factors may contribute to it; the second offers insights into lifestyle changes and practices that may be helpful for those suffering from depression; and the third provides practical advice and sample plans for managing depression and maintaining a healthy outlook to prevent relapse. The chapters are brief and straightforward without being overly simplistic; the writing style accessible and easily understood without being condescending.
Comments:
As someone for whom recurrent depression is a personal issue, I feel that I can offer a qualified opinion that this book is, indeed, a helpful guide to the self-care that is necessary for emotional well-being, as well as a resource that may help family and friends better understand how best to relate to a loved one suffering a depressive episode.
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