Christian Reader - Book lists, discussion, writing

Father by Elizabeth von Arnim
Since Elizabeth and her German Garden, I've been on a bit of an Elizabeth kick. I wasn't expecting as much from this book, but it was still a pleasant little read for my commute. Jennifer is a "taciturn, undecorative" thirtysomething spinster getting her first taste of freedom from her tyrannical writer father. I found her an endearing protagonist, even though some of the other characters were a bit too flat and the ending too odd for my taste.

One Second After by William R. Forstchen
This is a disaster novel about what happens to a small North Carolina town after the United States is the victim of a terrorist attack using Electro Magnetic Pulse, permanently shutting down the electrical grid. The premise is interesting, but the writing isn't very good; even though I knew he'd exaggerate the community's descent into chaos for maximum terrifying effect, I still found it off-puttingly unrealistic, and none of the characters are lovable enough to redeem it.

Mr. Skeffington by Elizabeth von Arnim
Elizabeth von Arnim certainly knew how to create interesting female characters. Having just turned fifty, Fanny is faced with the realization that she is no longer a beauty with a succession of men at her beck and call. She finds herself crossing paths with several spurned lovers before having an unexpected reunion with the husband she'd tossed aside in her twenties. It's not quite the reunion you expect, and she reevaluates her whole self-perception in the process. The thing I liked is that, by all rights, I felt I should despise Fanny, yet she manages to be sympathetic, even funny. And she does, finally, mature a bit.

Knowing Christ by Mark Jones
If you are familiar with the Christian classic Knowing God by J. I. Packer, this is a similar kind of book, except it focuses on many different attributes of Jesus Christ. It's quite excellent; I recommend it highly. I appreciated that it isn't an overly introspective book that pressures you to have lots of "feels" about Jesus and your personal walk with him. Drawing on Scripture and historical theology, it just keeps directing your gaze back to the beauties of who Christ is. Best read slowly and meditatively.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Another novel I likely wouldn't have read if not for this community. I loved it! After reading my share of so-so fiction this year, it was refreshing to devour a book like this. Moriarty draws characters well, and I liked the way she dealt with serious topics with sensitivity and humor. I also enjoyed reading fiction set in Australia; I'm not sure that I ever had before. If there is more "chick lit" like this, I'd like to know about it!

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
Now, that said... Because I enjoyed Big Little Lies so much, I immediately checked out one of her earlier novels. I didn't enjoy this one as much--I didn't like the what-ifs at the end, and the characters weren't nearly as sympathetic in this book; I really disliked a couple of them. I'm still looking forward to reading more of her books.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
My aunt gave me this book years ago, and I finally got around to reading it. Of course it's really clever and charming, and having been on a WWII kick recently, I enjoyed the setting. I'm also on a roll with bookish thirtysomething protagonists, as noted before. And letters! I like epistolary novels. But...it's a tough thing to pull off well, especially with multiple characters, all of whom are "characters" and soon become tricky to distinguish. It also felt like Juliet was too perfect as a character, in the sense that everyone automatically seems to love her (and if they don't, they're probably a loser character). The resolution was too far-fetched for me, and it's hard to to do justice to some of the wartime horrors in this format. So reading it was a fun experience for the most part, and I can see why it was such a hit, but it didn't totally work for me.

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
A nonfiction book touted by several bloggers I admire. I didn't think it quite lived up to its hype (in fact, I'd love to read a revised and updated version ten or fifteen years from now--the author is younger than I am!), but it's well worth a read. It's a series of memories and reflections about Vance's upbringing among poor Appalachian migrants and the slow self-destruction that such "hillbilly" communities are facing. I'm not a hillbilly, but I grew up in the greater Appalachian region, and some branches of my family aren't so far removed from what Vance describes. Could be eye-opening for readers who aren't familiar with the struggles (such as cycles of poverty, violence, substance abuse, and serial marriages) of some working-class families, and why they don't find much relief in political solutions.

Total for July and August: 8
Total for 2016: 36

Catching up on my book list before I fall further behind...

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Looking back on it, that was a silly amount of dark/heavy reading material, even for me. The order of things this summer is "light fiction"!

Total for April & May: 11
Total for 2016: 27

Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan by Del Quentin Wilber
If you like minute-by-minute journalistic storytelling, this is an excellent read. I guess at the time, only those close to the President realized how close he came to dying that day in 1981. I didn't know much about Reagan before reading this, and his handling of the crisis, particularly his concern for those around him in the midst of his own suffering, heightened my respect for him greatly.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A comfort read.

A Heavenly Conference between Christ and Mary by Richard Sibbes
A series of 17th-century sermons, in slightly modernized English, on Christ's encounter with Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb and what his words tell us about our union with him. Beautiful as Sibbes always is.

The Axe (The Master of Hestviken #1) by Sigrid Undset
Another comfortable re-read, as I had just gotten my own copies of the series for Christmas, but I probably won't read the remaining three books right now. I adore Undset, but there's always a lot of darkness and angst in her characters, and I could use a bit of a break from that...

The Crook in the Lot: Living with that thorn in your side by Thomas Boston
A bit of a departure for me -- instead of reading 17th-century English Puritan sermons, I read...wait for it...18th-century Scottish ones! ;) Again, in a slightly modernized English edition. The odd title basically refers to any kind of suffering or obstacle ("crook") in our lives (our God-appointed "lot"), and Boston talks about how to humble ourselves under these, trusting in God's providence. Comforting and challenging.

Whose Body? (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries #1) by Dorothy Sayers
I'd been meaning for awhile to read more Sayers, but the experience left me slightly disappointed, and I'm still not sure why. I've loved some of her essays, but have struggled to get into her fiction. She's no doubt a wonderfully clever writer. I just had the hardest time getting into the characters or the mystery; I remember having similar feelings about Gaudy Night some years ago. Part of it might be the nature of the crime at the center of the story -- I'm not sure why reading the details of Reagan's shooting didn't disturb me much, yet this did. And I guess it turns out that I'm simply not a great Sayers fan.

Total this month: 6
Total in 2016: 13

Only completed one book during December: A Change of Heart: A Personal and Theological Memoir by Thomas C. Oden.
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A Heavenly Directory: Trinitarian Piety, Public Worship and a Reassessment of John Owen's Theology by Ryan M. McGraw

I can assure you that even I generally don't read dissertations for fun, but when a blogger (who happened to have been McGraw's advisor) mentioned this one, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. Fortunately, I live close to a major Presbyterian seminary, so I didn't even have to ILL it. :) In a nutshell, it is about what happens in church. What Owen (a 17th-century theologian) maintained, and as his theological successors have maintained but sometimes neglected in practice, is that Christians truly enjoy communion with God the Father, through Christ and by the power of the Spirit, when they gather for worship. The way Owen unpacks this according to Scripture is, needless to say, more complex, and I didn't read every section meticulously, but the core truth of it I find mind-blowing. It wasn't a new concept to me, per se, but I can't say it's at the forefront of my mind every time I'm in church, and since I read the book I've tried to be more mindful of the gravity of it, and of God's graciousness in meeting his people in that way. I'd love to write something like this that's geared to a more popular level.

Rejoicing in Lament: Wrestling with Incurable Cancer and Life in Christ by J. Todd Billings
Unlike the previous book, this one isn't aimed at a strictly academic audience, but as you might guess from the title, it's not exactly a light read, either. It's excellent, though, and worth it. Billings is a gifted scholar who has the ability to convey difficult concepts to non-specialist readers. When it comes to how theology connects to everyday life, it's hard to make a stronger case than Billings does in describing his ongoing experience with cancer. Among other topics, he talks about Job, how God relates to tragedy, how to pray for oneself and for others in the face of acute suffering, and what it means to be united to Christ in the midst of everything. It's something I'll want to read again, and I really recommend it, whether or not you're dealing with crisis right now.

I spent a week or two starting Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy earlier, too, and even though she's clearly good at writing historical fiction, I just couldn't get into it. That doesn't necessarily mean much -- I might come back to it later and love it, but now doesn't seem to be the time. It won't stop me from seeking out some of her other novels in the interim.

Total for August: 2

Books read this month: 4

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Books read this month: 4
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A better month than January.

Fiction:

Adam Bede by George Eliot
I'm glad I didn't give up on this.( Read more... )

Total read: 4