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Feb. 1st, 2016
Sarah's January Books
Feb. 1st, 2016 09:59 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
sk8eeyore.livejournal.comUnlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate by Greg Lukianoff
A civil liberties attorney writes about the ways that U.S. colleges are failing to mold citizens by stifling the very debates that expose people to viewpoints they disagree with. People tend to huddle in like-minded subgroups and rarely interact with others, contributing to deeper polarization in society at large.
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs
A re-read started in the fall. 17th century sermons on learning and practicing contentment in everyday life.
The Flower and the Nettle: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1936-1939
My least favorite of the volumes I've read so far -- much more about their European society life and the run-up to WWII, less of the emotional depth of Anne's earlier years. Still many beautiful entries.
Skating on Air: The Broadcast History of an Olympic Marquee Sport by Kelli Lawrence
Tough to find (and pricey), but a must for anyone who grew up watching skating, particularly in its TV glory days. Written by a fan for fans, Lawrence shows how television has been a significant driver of skating's development as a sport, concluding with the 2009-2010 competition season. There are areas where I would have enjoyed more analysis (e.g. the 1994 reinstatement of some pros to the Olympic-eligible ranks), and understandably, she is a bit limited by which interviews she was able to get--but it's well done. The perspectives of seasoned TV producers make a great contribution to the narrative, and even lifelong fans will learn new things.
The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
My first and only fiction of 2016 so far. I think I would've enjoyed this more if I weren't so fresh from reading Anne Lindbergh's actual published diaries -- at moments, I felt as if I were reading an ambitious Lindbergh fanfiction piece. It is cleverly framed and generally well written, however. Also, Charles comes across as an even bigger, um, jerk than the diaries portray -- but diary-Charles only needs a little bit of work to become novel-Charles, sadly.
Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin DeYoung
An excellent, quick read I happily recommend to fellow believers. Basically, DeYoung argues that we over-spiritualize our decision-making processes, tying ourselves in knots seeking "signs," when really, God calls us to pursue biblical wisdom, pray, and act prudently, but does not demand that we discern his specific will for every part of our lives. So, making decisions is both harder (wisdom isn't quickly gained, and acting is scary!) and simpler (there's no secret decoder ring!) than Christians of my generation tend to think.
The Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg by Helen Rappaport
I'd grabbed this book off my friend's shelf and finished it before I remembered that I'd read a more recent Rappaport book (The Romanov Sisters), which is better. This one lacks foot- or endnotes, which bugged me slightly, but I also wasn't looking for a super scholarly read. And I can't resist stuff about the Romanov family, it seems.
A civil liberties attorney writes about the ways that U.S. colleges are failing to mold citizens by stifling the very debates that expose people to viewpoints they disagree with. People tend to huddle in like-minded subgroups and rarely interact with others, contributing to deeper polarization in society at large.
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs
A re-read started in the fall. 17th century sermons on learning and practicing contentment in everyday life.
The Flower and the Nettle: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1936-1939
My least favorite of the volumes I've read so far -- much more about their European society life and the run-up to WWII, less of the emotional depth of Anne's earlier years. Still many beautiful entries.
Skating on Air: The Broadcast History of an Olympic Marquee Sport by Kelli Lawrence
Tough to find (and pricey), but a must for anyone who grew up watching skating, particularly in its TV glory days. Written by a fan for fans, Lawrence shows how television has been a significant driver of skating's development as a sport, concluding with the 2009-2010 competition season. There are areas where I would have enjoyed more analysis (e.g. the 1994 reinstatement of some pros to the Olympic-eligible ranks), and understandably, she is a bit limited by which interviews she was able to get--but it's well done. The perspectives of seasoned TV producers make a great contribution to the narrative, and even lifelong fans will learn new things.
The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
My first and only fiction of 2016 so far. I think I would've enjoyed this more if I weren't so fresh from reading Anne Lindbergh's actual published diaries -- at moments, I felt as if I were reading an ambitious Lindbergh fanfiction piece. It is cleverly framed and generally well written, however. Also, Charles comes across as an even bigger, um, jerk than the diaries portray -- but diary-Charles only needs a little bit of work to become novel-Charles, sadly.
Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin DeYoung
An excellent, quick read I happily recommend to fellow believers. Basically, DeYoung argues that we over-spiritualize our decision-making processes, tying ourselves in knots seeking "signs," when really, God calls us to pursue biblical wisdom, pray, and act prudently, but does not demand that we discern his specific will for every part of our lives. So, making decisions is both harder (wisdom isn't quickly gained, and acting is scary!) and simpler (there's no secret decoder ring!) than Christians of my generation tend to think.
The Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg by Helen Rappaport
I'd grabbed this book off my friend's shelf and finished it before I remembered that I'd read a more recent Rappaport book (The Romanov Sisters), which is better. This one lacks foot- or endnotes, which bugged me slightly, but I also wasn't looking for a super scholarly read. And I can't resist stuff about the Romanov family, it seems.
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