In One Eye, Out the Other

More to Review

2009-12-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

Finished:

What Einstein Told His Cook by Robert Wolke -- Kitchen science.

Underway:

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks -- adventures in Neurology.
Silence by Shusaku Endo.

Books to review - Fall 2009

2009-11-22T19:59:00.000-08:00

This is a placeholder for blog entries I need to write on books I've read since August. Hey, I've been busy!

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson -- epic cyberpunk.
The Emperor of Scent by Chandler Burr -- renegade scientist vs. the establishment.
Pizza on the Grill by Elizabeth Karmel -- thanks, Marybeth!
Jack's Life by Douglas Gresham -- insights from C.S. Lewis' stepson.
A Thousand Miles in a Million Years by Donald Miller -- latest book by one of my favorite authors. Important, but uncomfortable.

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana - Anne Rice

2009-08-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

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Category: Historical fiction.

Acquired: SPCC church library.

Read: Summer 2009

Briefly: creative and thought-provoking imaginings on the life of Jesus Christ at the beginning of his public ministry.

Comments: (Full disclosure: I've plagiarized most of the following from a review at Amazon.com).

As the book opens, Yeshua bar Joseph (Jesus of Nazareth) is 30 years old, and a man on the brink of embracing his identity and his purpose. He's God in the flesh, as he himself knows, but he also struggles with the human desires for companionship, family, and acceptance. His relatives and the local villagers sometimes call him Yeshua, the Sinless.

From the opening pages of this book, we see the drama of village life, relational conflicts, and restrained divinity. Rice, through Yeshua's eyes, lets us in for peeks at the heart of God, as it relates to the human struggle. This culminates in Yeshua's face-off with Satan in the wilderness, during forty days of fasting--a masterpiece of textured prose--and in the following incident with Mary of Magdala. From there, Rice shifts her story from conflict into beauty, as Yeshua verbalizes his purpose to his new followers and his family.

(Ken again) I recognize that some folks could be uncomfortable with the idea of an author adding new anecdotes and dialog to the historical record about Jesus. In response, I'd simply point out that other types of artists do essentially the same thing. Painters and songwriters, for example, embellish all the time, but they're not criticized because the extra details aid our understanding of Jesus, and ultimately help us relate to Him better. We filter their embellishments thru scripture, of course, and reject anything that is inconsistent with truth. We should grant an author the same privileges, and hold them to no less rigorous a standard.

The Navigator - Clive Cussler

2009-08-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

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Category: Clive Cussler novel.

Acquired: July 2009

Read: August 2009

Briefly: Heroes fight it out with bad guys, win.

Comments: This was 4-5 hours of enjoyable-enough diversion. Not really worth going into the plot - if you know this author, you know the characters already, and pretty much how the plot is going to play out.

One thing did surprise me a little. As I read, I kept noticing little ripoffs of The Da Vinci Code plot - there were ancient legends (you know... the real facts that the early church didn't want people to hear... ), secret societies sworn to hide the truth at all costs, people murdered when they got too close, etc. I checked the publish date and, sure enough, this book came out roughly a year after Da Vinci, just about the time that Dale Brown was really raking in the dough. I suppose this is par for the course for mass market authors, but it was a little surprising to see someone as well known as Cussler be quite so obvious about it.

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt - Anne Rice

2009-07-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

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Category: Historical fiction.

Acquired: Christmas 2007 or 2008.

Re-read: July 2009 (Alaska cruise!)

Briefly: creative and thought-provoking imaginings on the life of Jesus Christ as an 8-year old, as He first starts to become aware of who He is.

Comments: Like many, I was surprised when this book first appeared a few years ago, written by a well-known author of vampire-oriented horror tales. I was more than a little afraid of what I'd find between the covers. But Anne Rice's spiritual re-awakening is real, and is a story worth reading in its own right. Before returning to the faith of her youth, she questioned it thoroughly and deeply, and with scholarly completeness. In the end, she felt the critics who wanted to paint Jesus as non-divine, and the Gospels as late compilations and forgeries, totally failed to make their cases. She says, in fact, that their bias and even hatred towards Jesus drove them to some of the poorest scholarship she'd ever seen in her years of historical studies.

The story she's written is virtually all extra-biblical, although it is reassuringly accurate in areas where it does overlap with the scriptural or historical record, e.g. the descriptions of Mary and Joseph, the Jewish culture of the time, the actions of Herod and his successors, etc. It starts with the (extended) family returning from Egypt to Palestine, still under Roman occupation and torn by rebellion. Jesus is 8 years old, and is aware that he's different from others, but unsure exactly how, and why. (I find that plausible enough, given that he was fully human). He knows that there are topics that his mother and father won't let him ask about. He knows that there was some sort of excitement when he was born, but not the details. He knows that the local townsfolk of Nazareth talk about his mother behind her back, as if she were in some sort of disgrace.

Over the course of the book, Jesus learns bits and pieces of what happened in Bethlehem, but still hasn't figured out how it all relates to him. He senses that what he really needs is the answer to one key question: Why did Herod have to kill all the Jewish boys aged 2 or less? Then Passover comes, and the family goes to the temple in Jerusalem. Driven to find answers, Jesus goes to the leaders of the temple, becomes separated from his mother and father, and voila - we're back in Luke chapter 2.

I though this was a great book. While not intending to be devotional or inspirational, it may just expand and enrich your mental image of what a fully-human/fully-divine being would be like. We're lucky to have an author of the caliber of Anne Rice writing Christian fiction, and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, Christ the Lord: Road to Cana.

Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood - Oliver Sacks

2009-07-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

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Category: Autobiography.

Acquired: Snoisle Library (looks funny if you don't capitalize the "i").

Read: June 2009

Briefly: memoirs of a young boy growing up in the 1920's and 30's, and learning the wonders of the molecular world around him.

Comments: This book begins "Many of my childhood memories are of metals", which gives you a pretty good clue where it's headed for the next 300-odd pages. Basically, it's a first-person account of a young boy who grew up in a household (and extended family) full of scientists, doctors and engineers. His fascination for metals is fueled by an uncle who happens to run a tungsten fabrication plant in town. The uncle's love for this particular metal is infectious, and he's more than willing to share his knowledge (and personal lab, and shelves of chemicals) with the 10-year old lad. (While the author acknowledges that he was given access to some outrageously dangerous substances - nasty acids, toxic gasses, even radioactive isotopes - he also decries how today's chemistry sets have been completely stripped of anything even remotely interesting). This becomes the launching point for a lifelong interest in materials ranging from inert gases to the rare earth elements.

The story is fascinating because it's not just the boy who is learning. This is roughly the same era when scientists were finally beginning to understand such fundamentals as the nature of the atom, how elements were arranged in the periodic table, how/why certain elements would combine, how to predict what their compounds would be like, etc. Sacks (the author) had studied the various elements enough to have a sense that there were some regularities involved (e.g. elements that were 8 numbers apart tended to have similar properties). So, when the periodic table was finally published in today's form, he describes it as a pivotal moment in his life, as it finally made sense out of so much that he had observed on his own.

So, this is the story of two journeys, both the author's and the science world in general. I enjoyed how Sacks intertwines the narratives so that the reader gets to experience the sense of achievement felt by both him individually and (presumably) those making the actual breakthroughs. And, the many anecdotes about growing up in this era add some human interest as well.

Final note - you'll understand and enjoy the book a lot more if you brush up on your high school chemistry first, reviewing such topics as atomic weight, atomic structure, oxidation/reduction, ionic bonding, classes of elements, etc. You know, just the basics.

Odd Hours - Dean Koontz

2009-07-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

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Category: Time filler.

Acquired: LAX airport.

Read: June 2009.

Briefly: twenty-something drifter has paranormal gifts, including the ability to see and interact with the lingering spirits of the recently-deceased, who seek him out for help in resolving their issues.

Comments: I've never been much of a Dean Koontz fan, but this series is a clever departure from his usual action thrillers. The books all feature a young man named Odd Thomas, who sees dead people. Actually, he only sees those who have unresolved issues making them reluctant to "go over" to the other side. In the first of these books, he helped Elvis Presley; in this one, it's Frank Sinatra.

But those interactions are actually just side plots. The main story always involves some larger mystery or crime to be solved, into which he is pulled via his other 'gifts' -- urges, premonitions, visions, etc. They're never very specific, and he's learned to just go with the flow and let things develop at their own pace. That makes for a very laid-back, thoughtful hero, in contrast with the traditional goal-driven gunslinger.

A great scene in this book is where Odd is being held prisoner and roughly interrogated by the bad guys, while the ghost of Frank Sinatra watches (seen only by him). On an impulse, he begins viciously insulting Sinatra's life, work and reputation, driving the ghost into a rage. As the bad guys watch in horror, things in the room suddenly start flying about, poltergeist-style, causing them to hide under the table and giving Odd the chance to flee.

There are three more books in this series, and I'm looking forward to reading them on future trips.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

2009-06-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

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Category: Sci-Fi Humor

Acquired: Years ago.

Read: About once a year, ever since.

Briefly: after Earth is demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass, the the last remaining earth man hitchhikes his way across the galaxy in his bathrobe, searching for the true meaning of Life, the Universe and Everything.

Comments: This blog entry is for the entire Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy, a set of five books (yes, a five-book trilogy) that I read about once a year. Really, I enjoy them that much - something about Adams' creativity, dry British humor, and skill with words just resonates with me. (As it does with many engineering-types - in my office, I can call out just about any line into thin air, and someone in a nearby cubicle will immediately respond with the appropriate punch line).

I won't go into the actual plot here, for that you'll just need to read the books. Instead, I'm just going to catalog a few of my favorite quotes, in hopes of giving you a taste of Adams' style:

Arthur Dent ("This must be a Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays") earth man who discovers that his best friend is actually from a small planet in the vicinity of Betelgeuse. This pays off when his friend uses his interplanetary hitchhiking skills to get them a lift away from earth shortly before it is demolished by an alien road construction crew.
Ford Prefect is Arthur's best friend from Betelgeuse, and a roving reporter for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. After fifteen years of research on the planet Earth, he updates its entry in the guide from "Harmless" to "Mostly harmless", explaining that there are a lot of planets to cover and only so much room. (Trivia: fifteen years ago there was actually a British car called a Ford Prefect).

Marvin ("Life. Don't talk to me about life.") super-intelligent robot, tragically equipped with a prototype human personality that keeps him perpetually depressed. Holds all humans in utter contempt, and whenever he interfaces with another computer it invariably ends up a suicidal wreck.
Deep Thought is not actually a major character, but is the source of the famous quote ("Forty Two") upon which the entire series is based. It is a massively advanced computer, designed by a super-intelligent race for the specific purpose of finding "the Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything". After 7.5 million years of computation, it comes up with the above answer, explaining somewhat sheepishly that, yes, this is definitely the answer - the tricky part is figuring out what the actual question is. Asked to solve this, Deep Thought designs an even more advanced computer, one "so advanced that organic life forms part of its computational matrix". This huge, round, blue-green computer is built and put into operation, but minutes before it is ready to reveal its results, the road construction crew arrives...

So, if you're ever in a group of people trying to answer some tricky question, and some wit suggests that the answer is "forty two", now you can chuckle knowingly. You and the rest of the engineers.

Sprinklers and Drip Systems - Lisa Kessler (Sunset)

2009-06-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

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Category: Home improvement

Acquired: Christmas 2009

Read: April 2009

Briefly: How to design, build and maintain a drip irrigation system.

Comments: This is one of those 100-page how-to paperbacks that you pick up at the hardware store checkout stand. When I put it on my Christmas list last year, I was thinking about putting in a system to water our chronically-dry front garden, which sits under our eaves. Little did I know that we'd end up remodeling our whole backyard this spring, and that my first efforts at drip irrigation would actually be for the new garden beds, not the poor front garden (which is still dry).

Anyway, thanks to this book (plus a lot of advice from Kari), the system is in and working fine. You just program the timers and walk away, and everything gets its water ration right on schedule. Is this a great country or what?

Let Justice Roll Down - John Perkins

2009-05-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

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Category: Autobiography

Acquired: Seattle Pacific University annual freebie.

Read: April 2009

Briefly: Evangelical civil rights leader talks about his life and experiences.

Comments: This is the book that SPU students and faculty (and friends) were given to read this year, as part of their annual let's-read-it-together program. The setting is the American civil rights movement of the 1960's, and it's in autobiographical form, starting with Perkins' descriptions of his growing-up years in Mississippi. This part is pretty graphic - the abject poverty, the brutal racism, the lack of hope or opportunity, and the constant reminders that you're something less than human. As a friend of mine used to say, it's enough to turn you into a liberal.

As the story goes on, Perkins manages to escape his boyhood environment, and ends up on the West Coast, where he begins to make a life for himself. However, during that time he experiences a growing conviction that this is not where he's supposed to be. Ultimately, he packs up and moves with his family back to Mississippi, where he founds Voice of Calvary ministries to begin fighting the root causes trapping African Americans at the bottom of the social heap: poverty, poor healthcare, lack of education, poor access to jobs, etc.

Perkins was not about politics -- he wasn't a lobbyist, didn't run for office and wasn't looking to the government for solutions. Rather, his organization worked directly with people - providing education, healthcare, job training, leadership development and support for basic needs - the kinds of things that ultimately help people help themselves.

Helping people take responsibility for themselves - he must have been the darling of conservatives, right? Sadly, not at all. A recurring theme in the book is Perkins' puzzlement and hurt over how little support there was from the conservatives during those years - notably the churches. Frankly, I remember that well - not outright racism, just a feeling that things couldn't possibly be as bad as we were reading in the papers. After all, we had the right laws in place to ensure equality, governments who were dedicated to enforcing them fairly, and police who were always on the side of goodness and justice. Didn't we? So why were these guys being such rabble rousers? If they didn't like living in Mississippi, why didn't they just move? After all, this is the land of opportunity. And so on and on.

It would be another 10 years until the American evangelical church would get comfortable speaking out on social issues, and even then it would be limited to issues that could be boiled down to simple black and white. Abortion: bad. Prayer in schools: good. Those we could thump our chests about all day long, and it made us feel like real Christians. But we struggled (and still do) with complex issues such as affirmative action,, busing and equality of opportunity. These were (and are) hard issues without easy answers, and I think we just tended to stay on the sidelines.

Anyway, this is an very good book about an important player in one of the more important eras of our recent history. If you grew up in the 60's, the setting will be very familiar, and will perhaps have you thinking about how far we've come since then, and whether it's far enough yet.

S-Day - James Thayer

2009-04-21T21:42:00.000-07:00

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Category: Novel

Acquired: Christmas 2008, gift from Brenda

Read: April 2009

Briefly: An imaginative look at the German invasion of England during WWII, had things gone just a bit differently.

Comments: This is a different story than the one you learned in school. That much becomes evident quickly, as the plot unfolds in late 1942. The Luftwaffe owns the skies over Britain, having destroyed most of the RAF. The German navy dominates the Atlantic Ocean, sinking the Queen Mary with 10,000 American reinforcements on board. And all of England waits as the German army masses along the French and Belgian coasts for the inevitable invasion. Not so good.

The story follows the general in charge of the American forces in England during the time leading up to the German invasion, and the days immediately following it. The narrative is provided by the general's aide, who is supposedly documenting the story for posterity, drawing from his own notes and his interviews with survivors from both sides. Ultimately, it's a character study of the general, and that's what makes it interesting.

The general's job is more than just to motivate and direct his troops. He also needs to figure out and respond to the German invasion plan, which is artfully hidden behind layers of ruse and deception. And, he must work in constant cooperation with the British military, some of whom still seem cranky about the American revolution.

The only other thing I'll say is that the invasion eventually does come, and the Germans take the beaches quickly and begin advancing towards London. But you're also aware that something's going to change, otherwise the narrator wouldn't be writing as a free man, and from a British/American point of view. Also, why does he keep referring to the general in past tense?

I'm not usually big on war stories, but Thayer is my favorite fiction author, and this well-crafted yarn is a good example of the reason why.

Jayber Crow - Wendell Berry

2009-04-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

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Category: Novel

Acquired: Christmas 2008, gift from Todd and Betsy

Read: February-March 2009

Briefly: Boy lives out his life on the banks of a majestic river, which rolls on unchangeably while his small farming village gradually withers and dies.

Comments: The setting is the small fictional town of Port William, on an unnamed river somewhere in Kentucky. The story begins with the birth of Jonah Crow, soon orphaned, who is raised by an aunt and uncle at their farm along the river. Small town life works its way into his soul, you could say, because after years at boarding school and living in the big city, he is eventually drawn back to the only place that has ever felt like home to him. Upon his return, he finds that many of the names and faces have changed, and in just those few years the town has become a little more modern, while a few of the farms have become vacant.

And so the story goes. It's low key all the way, as Crow becomes established in town, to the point where he earns his own nickname (Jayber is the combination of his first initial and his occupation as the town barber, and Cray turns into Crow because... well, just because). There are dozens of interesting characters, plus many episodes and subplots, but the main plot is about change - Jayber's change from an adolescent to a young adult to middle age and eventually old age, and the town's change from a vibrant farming village to a nothing little town that time forgot and the interstate bypassed.

If you've read Wendell Berry before, you know the plot well. The American shift from a rural, agricultural economy to an urban, industrial economy during the 20th century is the theme that he's spent much of his life writing about. He decries how we've traded something that was fundamentally good for a lifestyle and societal structure that's ultimately doing us great harm (OK, my gross oversimplification). His fictional writings make it all very real - you feel the tide of change, the emotions, the sense of loss.

I agree with a lot of his message, but perhaps not all - my copy of his earlier non-fiction book Life Is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition is full of notes I've added to the margins, arguing points that I wasn't quite ready to take at face value. But even so, his is an important voice that will give you a perspective on 20th century progress that may be new to you. It's well worth reading and pondering.

Amos - Francine Rivers

2009-04-02T20:03:00.001-07:00

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Category: Novella (what's that?)

Acquired: SPCC librarian

Read: March 2009

Briefly: Creative imaginings on the life of the prophet Amos.

Comments: Ever wonder what life might have been like for an Old Testament prophet? How would it feel to have God speak literally and directly to you? What would you think if He gave you a message of judgment to deliver, and you knew it would make you the target of hatred and abuse?

In this book, the author starts with the basic outline of the O.T. book of Amos, adds a historical setting, invents a few additional characters and dialog, and ends up with a pretty creative and readable story. Amos comes across as a rather ordinary shepherd, whom God just happens to select to carry His message. The implication is that he had no special prophetic qualifications (i.e. he wasn't an Elijah or Isaiah), but was simply available. Rivers does, however, describe his shepherding skills in great detail, and that's helpful for understanding the portions of the message that are expressed via shepherding concepts and jargon.

Ultimately, Amos delivers his prophecies of judgment and ruin, with predictable results - he's kicked out of town, alienated from friends and family, and becomes a generally unwelcome person in both Israel and Judah. LIke the O.T. book, this is not a story where the good guys win in the end. You gotta read Isaiah for that part.

An interesting book overall. One thing I did find distracting was the author's tendency to use Bible-sounding phrases when plain English would have done just fine. You know, saying things like "then the scales fell from his eyes...", rather than "then he realized..." Guess I just associate this with people trying too hard to sound spiritual - you know the types.

Rivers has written five short novels around Biblical characters. If you enjoy this one, you might enjoy the others as well.

Deadfall - Generations of Logging in the Pacific NW - James Lemonds

2009-03-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

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Category: Documentary

Acquired: Christmas 2008

Read: February 2009

Briefly: 100 years of dramatic changes in Washington's logging industry - as experienced by four generations of the author's family, just trying to adapt and make a living.

Comments: Logging and the Pacific Northwest have always gone together - it's part of our history, it employs our friends and neighbors. You can't drive more than half an hour without passing either a sawmill or a log truck. However, if you've lived here for more than 10 years, you also know that the industry has shrunken dramatically as an element of our culture and economy. (It used to be only five minutes between log trucks).

That makes the story worth digging into. There are plenty of books and articles around that tell it from the forest's point of view, so to speak, and I've read my share. But this book is different - it's the story of four generations of loggers, relating their experiences and struggles in very human terms, often via first-person quotes.

It begins at the turn of the last century, painting vivid pictures of the difficulties and dangers of 'brute force' logging (my term) - old growth tree harvesting based on raw human and animal strength, augmented with ropes, pulleys and maybe a steam donkey here and there. It follows this thread through a century of improvements in working conditions, power machinery and forest management practices.

But there were other forces at work - competitive pressures to cut costs, insatiable foreign markets for limited old-growth timber, and constant intervention by the federal government, usually well-intentioned but often accomplishing little, at tremendous human cost. And don't forget our little volcanic episode in 1980, which created an urgent need to harvest almost a billion board feet of blown-down timber, causing a huge but very short-lived industry boom.

Against all of these forces, the loggers just try to stay afloat. They move constantly between jobs at major timber companies (OK, the major timber company), or independent logging contractors, or self-employment. Automation reduces the number of jobs available, competition reduces wages and decades of logging reduce the harvest size. By the end of the book, most of the characters are earning less money than 10-20 years ago, and have no idea where they'll be working this time next year. Retirement is a distant dream, and they're pleading with their children to look for other careers.

Along with this poignant history, the book presents a lot of gritty, earthy, interesting detail about life in the woods. The jargon is all there (with a glossary), the logging techniques, the descriptions of camp life, and insights into the kinds of people willing to put up with all the danger and grief.

My thinking is that this is the ideal book to read if you're frustrated about your job and your chances for career advancement. After reading about these folks, you'll thank your lucky stars that you weren't raised in a logging family and logging town, and weren't weaned on expectations that a job in the woods was all you needed for a comfortable, secure life.

Population: 485 - Michael Perry

2009-03-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

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Category: Memoir.

Acquired: Borrowed from Mary Beth, who borrowed it from her sister.

Read: March 2009, while relaxing in Mesa, AZ

Briefly: author/volunteer firefighter describes his adventures and muses about the nature of community in a tiny midwest town.

Comments: Don't you love it when you come across a book completely by accident, and end up really enjoying it? That was the case here, as I saw the book sitting on a friend's countertop, was intrigued enough by the subtitle ("Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time") to leaf through it, and then browse a chapter, and finally sit down on the patio (under the lemon tree) and start reading.

The subtitle sums it up well. Perry has returned to the town of his youth, and decides to join the volunteer fire department as his way of engaging with the local citizenry. He ends up serving alongside his mother and two brothers, plus a host of interesting characters.

On one level, it's a collection of stories and anecdotes. Perry is a keen observer of human nature, and has a clever sense of humor. He writes about Fire Awareness presentations at the local grade school, and says:

Before you go in too deeply for the idea that the world would be a better place if we were all more childlike, try sticking three kids in one room with two toys. You'll witness conflict-resolution techniques combining the very worst of the Marquis de Sade and the World Wrestling Federation. The world is like it is because, on the whole, we tend to act like children.

Interspersed with the anecdotes are his reflections about who he is, where he lives and what he does. He talks about the mystique that develops around emergency workers, and about hero worship. He observes that the act of entering a smoke-filled building isn't enough by itself to make you a hero - it only counts if there happens to be a person inside, something over which you actually have no control, or possibly even foreknowledge. It's all pretty arbitrary.

His observations about community strike home as a personal tragedy affects his life, and he's forced to depend on the care of others. As he later notes, the privilege of community is that, in such times, he can entrust the situation to long-time friends, and not to strangers. That sums it up nicely.

What to Listen for in Music - Aaron Copland

2009-03-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

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Category: Non-fiction.

Acquired: Christmas present

Read: Jan/Feb 2009

Briefly: one of the great American composers describes the elements, structure, texture and fundamental forms of music.

Comments: I have always wanted to take a music appreciation course, having missed it during my school years (it's not part of most engineering curricula). While looking for a self-study book I found this one, which is apparently a classic in the field. It made sense to me that you'd want to learn music appreciation directly from a composer, i.e. to hear him talk about how he goes about creating art from the various elements available to him. So, I put it on my Amazon wish list for Christmas, and there it was.

The book was enjoyable reading, although the jargon got a little technical at times - it's definitely not a beginner's book. But the bigger issue was that you really can't do music appreciation without actually hearing examples of the concepts being explained (doh!). The book has plenty of examples, but they're simply given as musical scores, as if expecting the readers to stop and plunk them out on their pianos. Right.

So, at this point, I'd have to say that I'm no more music-appreciative than I was in the beginning. That means I'm still looking for a book, but this time I'm looking for one that includes an audio CD. Any recomendations?

It Must've Been Something I Ate - Jeffrey Steingarten

2009-03-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

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Category: Non-fiction.

Acquired: Christmas present

Read: Jan/Feb 2009

Briefly: a collection of 38 columns by Vogue food editor and Iron Chef judge Jeffrey Steingarten, on topics ranging from the physics of grilling to the search for the ultimate hot chocolate.

Comments: What to say - this is totally enjoyable reading for anyone interested in food. Just a cookbook, you say? Not at all. Think of it as more like a diary, where Steingarten records his diverse adventures in foodology. He tracks down myths and rumors, experiments with cooking techniques, tries to reproduce dishes he's eaten, and gives the occasional lesson in science, sociology, politics or psychology - all as related to food topics. All are delivered with the dry sense of humor and semi-cynical attitude that Iron Chef viewers have come to expect and appreciate.

Some of my favorite chapters included:

his first Turducken meal, followed by a description of his attempts to assemble his own.
his search for a practical way to duplicate pizzeria baking techniques at home.
the day he spent helping his French friends slaughter a hog and make blood sausage.
his research into MSG - where it comes from, how it affects taste, plus some history behind the long- disproven "MSG headache" myth. (This informative chapter is entitled "How come everyone in China doesn't have a headache?")

This book is of essentially the same style as Steingarten's other title, The Man Who Ate Everything. I can recommend them both.

The Last Juror - John Grisham

2009-02-17T21:37:00.000-08:00

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Category: Fiction.

Acquired: Sky Harbor Airport Gift Shop, Phoenix

Read: Jan/Feb 2009 - the first half during a flight to Seattle, and the second half during about 10 treadmill sessions over the past couple weeks.

Briefly: it's a Grisham novel - what more do you need to know?

Comments: This truly is a classic Grisham read, with all the usual elements. The setting is the deep South, the plot revolves around legal issues, and the characters are quirky and interesting. But probably half of his novels could be described that way, huh?

I enjoyed it, but wouldn't call it my favorite (that's still The Testament). In fact, it took me an entire chapter to realize I had already read it a few years ago. That's no ringing endorsement, is it?

So, I'll leave it at that - but invite you to weigh in on your favorite Grisham novel, and why... leave a comment and cast your vote.

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible - A.J. Jacobs

2009-01-04T21:01:00.000-08:00

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Category: Non-fiction.

Acquired: Christmas present from Brenda

Read: Dec/Jan 2009 (trip to Pasadena)

Briefly: agnostic NYC Jew decides to organize and hopefully enhance his life by following the Bible as literally as possible for one year. Jerry Seinfeld meets In His Steps.

Comments: Any hopes that this might be an inspirational book disappear when you see the photos on the dust jacket, showing a guy standing in downtown Manhattan dressed like a shepherd in a Sunday School Christmas program, complete with flowing robe, long unkempt beard and shepherd's staff. And a sheep. So this is Biblical literalism, hmmm?

So what's it really all about?

The author gives two reasons for the book: on the one hand, he describes himself as genuinely seeking to add a spiritual dimension to his life. Although of Jewish descent, he hasn't practiced his faith for many years, and as a new father he seems to sense something missing, a foundation that he believes would benefit both himself and his family.

Of course, a squishy topic like that isn't going to sell many books, so he acknowledges another agenda as well, specifically: ...the purpose of this experiment was to take legalism to its logical extreme and show that it leads to religious idiocy. What better way to demonstrate the absurdity of Jewish and Christian fundamentalism?

Having thus taken the liberty to draw his conclusions up front, Jacobs launches into his sociological experiment. Naturally, when faced with a choice of interpretations, he tends to favor whichever one leads to more bizarre or outlandish behaviors. To give at least some impression of fairness, Jacobs enlists a panel of rabbis, pastors and other advisers to consult with him on various spiritual issues. He also travels quite a bit, interviewing representatives of sects ranging from Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn to snake-handlers in Tennessee.

In the end, though, it all boils down to the list of 700+ 'commands' that Jacobs has distilled from the Bible, each of which he tries to obey at least once over the course of the year. Therein lies the entertainment, but also the fundamental fallacy. The Bible isn't just a big book of rules to be followed; in truth, it's a love story.

I did enjoy the book though, and for several reasons. First, it was fun - Jacobs is an entertaining writer. Secondly, as a literalist, I found it good mental exercise to track his logic and identify the holes and inconsistencies. You don't need to be a scholar to find them. And, lastly, it was interesting to see the progress that the author makes on his goal of injecting some spirituality (or at least morality) into his New Yorker lifestyle. I sensed some surprise on his part as to just how much personal impact this project had. But the Bible will do that to you.

This would make a great read for a church-oriented book club (such as the one I'm hoping to start this year). If I were leading a group discussion, I'd ask the group to chew on the following questions:

How is it that some people come to salvation simply by reading the Bible on their own, while others can immerse themselves in it for a solid year and yet miss the whole point?
How do you deal with the fact that evangelicals are just one of dozens of irreconcilably different groups who all claim to be interpreting the Bible literally? What gives you confidence that your beliefs are well-founded?

I think there are good answers for all of these, but how would you respond?

Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller

2008-12-23T20:38:00.000-08:00

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Category: Non-fiction.

Acquired: Purchased

Read: December 2008 (for the 2nd time)

Briefly: if being Christian isn't just about being white, middle-class and Republican, then what is it really about?

Comments: This thought-provoking book comes from my favorite Christian author, thinker and knee-jerk liberal (the latter in a refreshingly non-political sense).

In one of the most memorable chapters, Miller and a few of his friends have been looking for a way to "come out" as Christians on their ultra-liberal college campus. So, during the college's spring festival, they build a small wooden booth in the middle of campus, and label it "Confessions Here". The first student sticks his head in and says, 'so, I'm supposed to tell you all the bad things I've done this weekend?' Miller replies, 'No, as a Christian, I'm confessing to you'. He explains:

Jesus said to feed the poor and to heal the sick. I've never done very much about that. Jesus said to love those that persecute me. I tend to lash out when threatened. Jesus did not mix His spirituality with politics. I grew up doing that, and it got in the way of the central message of Christ. I know that was wrong, and I know that a lot of people will not listen to the words of Christ because people like me, who know Him, carry our own agendas into the conversation rather than just relaying the message Christ wanted to get across.

That's a recurring theme in this book - i.e. that we've linked Christianity so tightly to our narrow political and social ideologies that we're driving folks away before they even get a chance to hear His message. The world isn't rejecting Christ any more, they're rejecting our politics and our agenda.

I said earlier that Miller is a refreshingly non-political liberal. What I mean is that he points out the inconsistency between the issues that we conservatives often put our time and energy into, versus those that Christ actually spent his time talking about - poverty, hunger, injustice, etc. However, unlike many "socially conscious" Christians, Miller resists the temptation to suggest that either political party has the answer. Rather, he says, the need is for Christians on all sides of the political spectrum to take Spirit-led action individually, beginning in their own backyards.

How that happens is a lot of what this book is about. But it's not a textbook or a step-by-step guide (another reason I like it). Think of it as a glimpse into a thought process, as Miller describes his disenchantment with the shallow legalism that he grew up with, and his journey toward a deeper, more satisfying understanding of what it truly means to be a Christ-follower.

This was my second time to read the book, which means I was less rushed and more able to stop and think about certain sections. If you've read it before, try doing the same - you 'll pick up a lot you missed the first time.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith

2008-12-12T17:32:00.000-08:00

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Category: Memoir

Acquired: T&B Library.

Read: December 2008

Briefly: Girl grows up in Brooklyn during the 1910's.

Comments: I picked this up because I grew up near NYC, and have always considered it one of the world's most significant and interesting cities. Even more importantly, my dad was born and raised in Brooklyn (about ten years later than the time period covered in this book), so I was interested in a glimpse of what life might have been like in that place and time.

The book paints a detailed picture of daily life in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, at least for the author and her family, who were impoverished, first-generation immigrants. It's hard to wrap one's mind around the struggles they faced - the constant uncertainty over where the next meal is coming from, the search for decent jobs, the prejudices, and the unrelenting class consciousness. But there are joys as well - the occasional few pennies earned selling junk, the family times and holidays, and, for the author, the opportunity to lose herself in her writing.

Ultimately, it's the classic story of the turn-of-the-century American immigrant. A family leaves kith and kin for the chance to start over again in the Land of Opportunity. The first generation struggles to stay afloat, with Mom and Dad sacrificing everything for the chance to give their children any head start they can. Ultimately, with hard work, education, and a bit of luck, they're able to pull ahead and establish a new generation of Americans. Then, in the 1960's, their grandkids go to Berkeley and learn that everything they've achieved came from exploiting the lower classes, so they drop out to become pot farmers.

OK, that last part wasn't in the book. Also missing from the book is how the struggling immigrants of the 1910's raised a generation of kids with strength and character, who grew up to become the Greatest Generation. However, along with that strength came an obsession that their own kids would never have to face the kinds of struggles that they did. And so it went - the next generation grew up protected and indulged, never achieved quite the same level of character, and suddenly we're a nation of people who get our current events from Comedy Central. Thanks for asking.

You may not have the family or geographic reasons I had for reading the book, but you might enjoy it nonetheless, as a peek into a part of history that doesn't seem to be taught much any more.

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

2008-11-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

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Category: Girl meets vampire.

Acquired: Snohomish County Library.

Read: November, 2008

Briefly: Sometimes you just gotta read a book to see what all the buzz is about. This was one of those times.

Prologue: While I was waiting for this book to arrive at our local library branch, I saw a couple episodes of an HBO series based on a similar premise - vampires living among humans, with romantic attachments. The show was nasty and violent, and ultimately pretty frightening - not in an Alfred Hitchcock sense, but more in a Sodom and Gomorrah sense, illustrating just how far the desensitization of Western culture has progressed. All that was in the back of my mind as I approached this book. Was it going to be depressing to think about 20 million teenagers reading this? Was it going to be the final proof that we've totally lost our minds?

Summary: Lo and behold, I found the exact opposite. Not only would I not mind my teenagers reading it, I found reasons why I might even encourage them to do so. Here's a couple:

First of all, the characters are actually virtuous. Bella (love that name) works hard at school, cares about other people, respects her parents and tends to think before she acts. This was all portrayed matter-of-factly, as if it's just how normal kids act. No preaching, just good examples. Even vampire-guy Edward has his head screwed on reasonably right - he understands that evil lives within him, and is decidedly not OK with it. He resists it constantly. He wrestles with his temptations, and celebrates when he's able to conquer them. He grieves over his failures. Why would you not want your kids exposed to that?

Secondly, the boundary between good and evil is crisp and unambiguous. There's plenty of evil around (just as in real life), but the author doesn't candy-coat it. There's no moral relativism - no attempt to excuse the larger vampire community for 'just being themselves'. They eventually earn some praise in the story, but it's by overcoming their natural tendencies and conforming to a higher moral standard. Just like you and I try to do.

I was also half-expecting the story to be, at some level, a sermon about tolerance. You know, about how we just need to look beyond our prejudices and accept that we're all the same (happy sigh). Again I was pleasantly surprised at the author's unwillingness to go there. Yes, Bella exercises some laudable open-mindedness - hormone-assisted, to be sure - in getting to know Edward. But there's never any side-stepping of the fact that he comes with baggage, some of which is personal, some cultural and some, uhh... genetic. Confronting and dealing with that baggage is a big part of their story. Confronting and dealing with baggage ought to be a big part of our own stories as well.

Yeah, I haven't said much about actual plots and themes here, and I don't really plan to. Ask any female over the age of 6. Nor am I planning to see the movie, or read the rest of the trilogy, or buy the T-shirt. It was a fun diversion while it lasted, but now I could really use a dose of Tom Clancy.

My Family and Other Animals - Gerald Durrell

2008-11-21T20:23:00.001-08:00

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Category: Biographical

Acquired: Borrowed from T&B Library

Read: October, 2008

Briefly: Precocious youngster narrates his family's four-year stay amidst the flora and fauna of the Greek Island of Corfu in the mid-1930's.

Summary: This book covers a snippet of the author's early adolescence, at a time when his family simply decided to move to a villa in Greece for a few years. How nice. Not only was it a good adventure for Gerald and his quirky brothers and sisters (and long-suffering mom), it was also the time when his lifelong interest in animals first began to take root. While others were swimming, shopping, boating or following other pursuits, he was climbing trees to find nests, or looking under rocks for spiders and scorpions. A good many of these creatures found their way back to the villa, which enlivens the story from time to time.

Here's what I didn't know. While googling the author's name to find a photo of the book cover, I discovered that the story is substantially true, and that he grew up to become a renowned naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist and TV presenter. Sort of a British Marlin Perkins, for those of you old enough to remember. He even received the Order of the British Empire. For more info on this interesting guy, take a look at his article in Wikipedia.

The Verificationist - David Antrim

2008-11-18T19:36:00.000-08:00

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Category: Strange Fiction

Acquired: Borrowed from T&B Library

Read: November 10, 2008 Alaska Flight #910, SEA->SNA

Briefly: Just your typical story of a psychologist who has an out-of-body experience at a pancake restaurant.

Summary: Seriously, that's the plot line. OK, there's more, but what makes this story fun is that it's written from the point of view of a psychologist who's in the process of cracking up. He clearly has no clue what's going on, even as the truth gradually unfolds for the reader. Despite his downward spiral, his narrative remains dispassionate and professional - full of the kinds of vocabulary and clinical observations you'd expect from a psychologist (at least, a rather pompous and self-absorbed one). His journey into fantasyland is a bit over-the-top, but hey, what's normal anyway?

The Tummy Men - Virginia Voelker

2008-11-16T17:11:00.000-08:00

Category: Fiction. Or is it?

Acquired: Christmas, many years ago.

Read: October 2008, with grandson Saben.

Briefly: how the digestive system really works.

Summary: how many kids get to read a bedtime story that was written, illustrated and published by their great-grandmother? This book is the printed version of the story that my siblings and I grew up with, gradually developing and embellishing it as we dawdled over our dinners.

The gist of the story is that our stomachs are inhabited by Tummy Men, who use the food we send them in various logical and reasonable ways. French fries are skis, peas are baseballs, etc.

After preserving the oral tradition for several decades, Mom put the story into verse in the 1980's. She added hand-drawn illustrations, had it copied and bound, and gave it to us in time to share with our own families.

And now, it becomes part of yet another generation. This blog entry commemorates my first reading of it to Saben who, at the age of 3 1/2 years, laughed all the way through. Annika and Seth, you'll get your turns soon enough.

For those unfamiliar with the story, here's a couple of excerpts:

Now stop and think -- do you suppose it really could be true
That there's a special place down deep inside of you
Where little people live and do their work and play
And wait for us to send them food about three times a day?

They use the food you send them to keep your body strong
And when that job is finished they play the whole night long.
The little girls just love to run and jump spaghetti rope
While boys build sleds of celery for going down the slope.

You won't find it at Amazon, but I might let you see my copy when you come to visit. Unless it's bedtime, when it'll probably be in use.

Thanks, Mom.

In Search of God Knows What - Donald Miller

2008-10-29T21:24:00.000-07:00

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Category: Non-fiction.

Acquired: Not sure

Read: October 2008

Briefly: Christianity is entirely about a relationship. It's not a formula, not a process, and not a series of rules.

Summary: Confession - I haven't updated my blog for two months now. It isn't because I haven't been reading - in fact, I'm currently three books behind. Rather, it's because I'm stuck on how to do justice to this book, one of the best I've read in recent years. At this point, I guess i just need to take my best shot.

Miller starts the journey by describing his visit to a Christian writer's convention, during which he is taught 'the formula' for successful Christian non-fiction. First you identify a need, then convince the reader that it's a vitally important need, and finally present 3-5 steps for solving it (sound familiar?). If that's the case, he reasons, he should be able to find those kinds of formulas in the Bible. So he looks thru the New Testament, and discovers...

"...there was a guy named Stephen who was miserable, and then became a Christian, and then was stoned to death. That formula wasn't good enough. Neither was the one about Paul, who was a murderer and then was blinded while traveling, met Jesus in a burst of light, and then spent various painful years moving from city to city, prison to prison, routinely being beaten and bitten by snakes. No formula there. I moved on to Peter, who was rescued from a successful fishing business only to be crucified, some historical accounts claim, along with his wife. And of course that wouldn't work. So, I decided to ignore the actual characters of scripture and just go with the teachings of Jesus. And that is when things became really difficult. Apparently Jesus had not heard of the wonderful tool of acronym. He mostly told stories, some of which were outlandish. Step one: eat My flesh. Step two: drink My blood. Do you know what having to read that would do to a guy trying to digest dairy products?"

OK, now you know why I like his style. But even more compelling was the point that he was making, which is that Christianity can't be boiled down to a formula, or series of steps. Not salvation, not the Christian lifestyle. Rather, it's all about our relationship with God. (This isn't to say that there are no absolutes, or that salvation isn't a yes/no proposition. It's more about keeping our emphasis and focus on the main goal).

As always, Miller is quick to illustrate his points with anecdotes. He describes being in a classroom at a Christian university, and asking the students to explain the process of falling in love. After allowing them to wrestle unsuccessfully with the question for a few minutes, he asks why, then, do we let ourselves think about our God relationship in those terms? Why do we suggest to ourselves and others that our spiritual health is a function of following steps A, B and C?

As he digs into this concept, Miller draws frequent parallels with human love relationships. Issues of communication, trust, commitment and fidelity are all explored. I really enjoyed the final chapter, where he takes the story of Romeo and Juliette and draws some amazing parallels between one of humankind's most familiar and enduring love stories and the greatest love story of all time.

Anyway, I've barely scratched the surface of this must-read book. It's a surprisingly easy read, and Miller's offbeat sense of humor makes the going fun. But you won't want to read it quickly, and you can't have my copy - because you'll find that it demands some pretty serious underlining along the way.

The World is Flat - Thomas L. Friedman

2008-09-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

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Category: Non-fiction.

Acquired: from Seattle Pacific University (see below)

Read: July - September 2008

Briefly: Subtitled "A Brief History of the 21st Century", discusses the forces that have been flattening our world (i.e. removing political, economic and social barriers) for the past few decades. Explains the dramatic changes that this is bringing about to "life as usual", along with the new skills that will be required for the next generation to thrive, and the challenges they'll have to overcome.

Summary: Each year, Seattle Pacific University selects an influential book and invites the entire college to read it together. Copies are given to all students, and book discussions are added to curricula - not just in literature classes, but in virtually all disciplines. Alumni (and alumni parents) are also offered copies. I've always thought this was a neat program, and have enjoyed the books I've read. And the price is right.

While The World is Flat covers some pretty heavy topics, it's not really that hard to read. Friedman begins by reviewing the key events and developments that have shaped our current world. If you're twenty or older, you'll recognize every one of them, from the fall of the Iron Curtain to the rise of computers, the internet, e-commerce, etc. While 9/11 is mentioned as a pivotal moment, he points out that it is no less pivotal than 11/9 (referring to the falling of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989).

The net result of all these forces is that, with few exceptions, the business world no longer consists of companies in one country competing with companies in another country. Today's playing field is completely international. Instantaneous worldwide communications means that, for a great many jobs, the actual location of the worker no longer matters. Perhaps more importantly, it also means that the foreign worker may be just as well-educated and competent as his or her American counterpart, yet willing to work for an order of magnitude less money. Friedman illustrates his points with a gazillion quotes, anecdotes and examples from businesses large and small.

A quote that really struck me came from Bill Gates. He said (my paraphrase) that when he was growing up, a mediocre student in Poughkeepsie had a better chance of success than an intelligent student in Beijing. But in the 21st century, the intelligent person now has the better chance of succeeding, regardless of where he/she happened to be born. In short, the walls and barriers are gone, deal with it.

Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger. Denying reality isn't going to help, and thinking that your Senator or your favorite presidential can hold back the changing tide is just a dream.

After this brilliant telling of technological history, Friedman then sets about to explaining what to do next. He covers everything from new approaches to education and career-building, to the different kinds of business opportunities becoming available in a globalized world. I can't do justice to this section, you'll have to read it yourself.

Overall, give it a 9 on a scale of 10. The only disappointment was the occasional pot shot at the Republicans or President Bush, blaming one or both for some situation, problem or missed opportunity. Never the Democrats, of course, even though they controlled Congress during much of that time period. I suppose that, with Friedman being a writer for the once-great New York Times, the habit was just too deeply ingrained.

If You Lived Here I'd Know Your Name - Heather Lende

2008-09-14T20:23:00.000-07:00

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Category: News From Small-Town Alaska

Acquired: borrowed from the Todd & Betsy library

Read: September 2008
Briefly: a newspaper columnist's observations and personal musings about life in a Southeast Alaska town of about 2500 people, not including dogs, moose and bears. Not quite Cicely, Alaska, but you can see it from there.

Summary: two things I always look forward to when visiting Todd & Betsy: a) whatever new recipe they're showing off, and b) standing in front of their massive bookshelf and asking "what should I borrow next?". This book came with the comment that it was sort of like Garrison Keillor, which I took to mean the original Keillor, i.e. the funny, thoughtful storyteller from back in the 90's, not the tedious demagogue he's turned into. Based on that assumption, I was looking forward to reading it.

I wasn't disappointed. Lende has a keen eye and a great ability to create word pictures. You can almost see the Alaskan mountains rising out of the water, and feel the snow biting into your face as it blows sideways across the yard. The life she describes is isolated, yet full of intimacy for the local residents - a rare and vanishing commodity in the 21st century. I think I could live there (although I'd be pretty lonely without Brenda).

On the other hand, this is no Prairie Home Companion of Alaska. It doesn't need to be, of course, but it was hard not to compare the styles. Keillor was first and foremost a storyteller. His narratives had detail and continuity, and invited the reader to fill in the blanks from their own imaginations. How did this character feel about that? What made him/her react that way? How did Keillor know that I went through that same experience when I was growing up?

In contrast, Lende doesn't tell stories per se, but rather fills her chapters with anecdotes, loosely tied to a common theme. While the local residents of Haines, Alaska are the backdrop, the book is ultimately about Lende herself, and her transformation from a city-bred easterner to a woman of the wilderness. Being from Venus, she writes about feelings, and relationships, and emotions. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just be prepared to know this woman's mind pretty deeply by the time you've finished this book.

Be prepared for some political correctness as well - you know, the local Native Americans are all noble, and the white folks are all plunderers. There are no conservatives, only "arch-conservatives", and all forms of spiritual enlightenment are fine, except for those wacky evangelicals.

Lende actually writes quite a bit about her own spiritual journey. Being the obituary writer for the local paper, perhaps she has more opportunity than most folks to ponder such topics. She describes herself as a practicing Catholic, and there are many sections that portray her as a genuine seeker, looking for truths that bring meaning and relevance. (I told you that you'd get to know her mind pretty closely). But sadly, she approaches it like looking for a new pair of shoes - it's all about finding something that fits me, and looks good on me, and doesn't cause me too much chafing or binding. It just never seems to dawn on her that spirituality isn't about accessorizing your life, but rather about discovering something that is far bigger than you, and losing yourself totally in it. Tragic.

So, getting to the bottom line: Did I enjoy the book? Definitely. Did I learn anything? Absolutely. My recommendation? Read it instead of Keillor's execrable Homegrown Democrat.

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions - Edwin Abbott

2008-08-08T18:38:00.001-07:00

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Category: Mathematical fiction from the 1880's.

Acquired: borrowed from the Todd & Betsy library

Read: August 2008

Briefly: Glimpses of three imaginary worlds that are limited to one, two and three dimensions, respectively. As they interact, each has great difficulty grasping that there could be more to reality than what they're seeing.

Comments: I had heard of this book eons ago, but never ran across a copy until now (exploring T&B's library is always a highlight of our visits there). The story starts with the main character - a rectangle - explaining the basics of his flat world - a paper-thin world of length and width, but no height. He discusses what the inhabitants are like, how they live, and some of their history. In his world, people are geometric shapes: lower classes are thin triangles, with higher classes adding more and more sides (square, pentagon, hexagon, etc.) right up to the ruling classes, who are nearly circles. Homes are flat, multi-sided shapes with openings in the sides. He spends quite a bit of time explaining how they learn to recognize each other, given that, in a totally flat world, you observe everyone and everything from an edgewise viewpoint only, and thus see only straight lines.

Once you've wrapped your mind around that, the real gymnastics begin. The Flatland narrator encounters folks from Lineland, a one-dimensional world where everything exists along a single straight line. You can almost feel the frustration as the Flatlander tries to explain to the Linelanders that what they're seeing isn't all there is. The conversation is captivating and even amusing, but alas, the differences are too profound, and the Linelanders are never able to comprehend.

Then, in a later chapter, the Flatlander meets someone from Spaceland, a 3-dimensioned world like ours, who likewise tries to explain to him how much he's missing. The conversation goes much the same: "I'm not a circle, I'm a sphere"... "what's a sphere?"... "it's like a circle, but it has length, width and height"... "what is height?"... etc. So, the Flatlander ends up being on both the giving and the receiving end of futile attempts to explain an extra dimension that the other person has never experienced.

So, it's interesting and fun, but is it worthwhile? What struck me while reading is that maybe it's not so far-fetched. Here we are, living in three dimensions - four, if you include time. If there were Someone who lived outside those dimensions, perhaps a Being unconstrained by time, would we be able to really comprehend that? This book suggests that we'd have a hard time; we might accept the truth at face value, but we'd have great difficulty grasping what it really meant. As a result, we'd be puzzled by things like predestination, infant salvation and eternal security - all of which are problematic to our time-constrained way of thinking, but for Someone who resides entirely "outside" of time, they'd be complete non-issues.

Pretty deep stuff from an 80 page, 120-year old book.

The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury

2008-08-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

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Category: Fiction

Acquired: borrowed from the Todd & Betsy library

Read: August 5, 2008 - all in one day.

Briefly: Earthlings colonize Mars in the early 21st century, and demonstrate that their ability to develop new technology far outpaces their ability to use it wisely. By the end of the book, they've basically snuffed out civilization on both planets.

Comments: I'm not really that much of a sci-fi fan. While the genre is good at bringing up interesting and even important questions about the future, the visions they present are so often dark and pessimistic that the stories can be real downers. Ray Bradbury is particularly like that.

So why do I feel that this is one of the best sci-fi books ever written? Maybe it's because I first read it at an impressionable age, somewhere around age 12. Maybe it's because it connected so well with the space-race fever we were all feeling in the 1960's. Maybe it's because the stories are just so darn good. Really - "Usher II" and "There Will Come Soft Rains" are still among my favorite all-time short stories. As I was reading them yesterday for the first time in ten years, I was literally finishing sentences in my head as I turned the pages.

The book was written in 1949, by the way, and Bradbury's idea of the 'far future' is the time span from 2002 to 2005, when most of the action occurs (each chapter begins with a date). His vision of where our technology would be in 50 years is overly-optimistic (often humorously so), while his vision of how badly we'd mess things up is likewise (thankfully) pessimistic. At least, Los Angeles hasn't been incinerated by a nuclear bomb yet, last I heard.

The DMZ - Jeanette Windle

2008-08-04T17:43:00.000-07:00

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Category: Fiction

Acquired: SPCC Church Library

Read: August 2008

Briefly: Jungles, terrorists, kidnapings, escapes, snakes, bugs, bullets.

Comments: This book stands out from the typical Christian novel in a couple of ways. For one, the plot itself isn't totally implausible. OK, maybe it is, but at least it's interesting. Islamic terrorists form an alliance with Columbian guerrillas in order to strike at the US from the same hemisphere, yada yada. Hey, it's a lot more believable than some Romanian guy becoming dictator of the world.

Beyond that, I thought the characters had some decent depth to them. The woman (a journalist) grew up as a missionary kid, and had baggage - deep doubts and bitterness about whether the sacrifice was really worth it. The male protagonist (Army Special Ops) was a ghetto kid whose conversion to Christianity had re-formed his outlook on life. No quick fixes here - the author takes her time (and 500+ pages) gradually breaking down the cultural gulf that separates the characters, and leading them through lengthy conversations that eventually peel back the issues and create some honest confrontations. Part of this comes about as the journalist spends a month in a guerrilla camp, observing people whose commitment to a cause has driven them to even greater sacrifices than the ones she has made. It's well done, actually, and not hokey.

Best of all, the inevitable romance doesn't develop until the final 50 pages, and can be safely ignored because it's not that important to the plot. You can just skip right by it and give all your attention to the cool, shoot-em up finale.

Longitude - Dava Sobel and William Andrewes

2008-07-31T18:37:00.000-07:00

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Category: Biography

Acquired: Borrowed from Dennis O'Brien

Read: July 2008

Briefly: the subtitle says it all: "The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time".

Comments: In the middle of the 18th century, one of the greatest scientific problems facing humankind was navigation - finding your location on the globe. Without an accurate way to determine latitude and longitude, sailing across oceans would continue to be a risky proposition.

Latitude wasn't the problem, because it could be easily calculated from the sun's position. Longitude, on the other hand, perplexed the most brilliant scientific minds. Why? It, too, was calculated from the sun's position, but that had to be done at a precisely-known time. If you were a minute too late, your calculated location would be off by dozens of miles. The problem was that clocks built in the 1700's could gain or lose many seconds per day - completely inadequate, when multiplied by a 40-50 day transoceanic voyage.

So, while longitude was the great problem, the desperately-sought solution was a clock that could stay accurate through the jarring motions and temperature changes of an ocean voyage. The need was so great that, in 1714, the British Parliament offered a 20,000 pound reward for a suitably accurate device.

This book tells the story of John Harrison, who spent most of his life developing a series of five such clocks. It's a story of brilliant engineering (he pioneered techniques still found in clock mechanisms today), of famous people (Isaac Newton and Edmund Halley have roles), and of political intrigue (due to conflicts with the head of the reward committee, it took him over 40 years to receive his money).

It's a good read, with plenty of photos and diagrams, and just enough technical detail. You'll come away appreciating how something we take entirely for granted today - accurate time-keeping - was once a seemingly impossible dream.

Oh, and you'll also learn what the word horology means.

In His Image - Paul Brand (with Philip Yancey)

2008-07-27T21:38:00.001-07:00

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Category: Medical, devotional

Acquired: Smokey Point Comm. Church Library

Read: July 2008

Briefly: Humanitarian doctor shares some of the scriptural truths that have become more real to him over the years as he has observed the workings of the human body.

Comments: Amazing guy, amazing book. Dr. Brand spent most of his life in India as a medical missionary, working almost entirely with lepers - because nobody else would. Working year after year to reconstruct damaged limbs, he's responsible for greatly advancing medical knowledge on the workings of the human hand, and is known for his pioneering techniques in restorative surgery.

This book isn't his biography, though - for that info, you might start with the chapter about him in Yancey's book Soul Survivor. Instead, it's more like a devotional - each chapter begins with a discussion of some aspect of the human body, and then develops that background to illustrate a spiritual theme.

For example, there's a fairly indepth discussion about blood - its composition, its functions, its roles within the body, etc. (One thing I liked about the book is how simply he describes incredibly complex processes - even with no medical background, the concepts are completely understandable). After presenting those topics, he then talks about the message of blood in Christianity.

In particular, he takes issue with those who say that blood is primarily symbolic of the pain and suffering that Christ underwent on our behalf. Wait a minute, he says - blood is a far more positive symbol than that. It's responsible for bringing nourishment to the other cells. It facilitates the healing of sick or damaged parts. It's also the primary mechanism by which the immune system protects the body from attack. Starting to see the point? When Christ's blood becomes a part of us, we are likewise nourished, healed and protected, by virtue of having received a transfusion of His blood. Cool.

For insights like these, and many more, I can heartily recommend this book. Incidentally, it's actually a follow-on to the original Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, which I understand was written along much the same lines. Too many lessons for just one book, I guess. Hopefully my favorite church librarian can scare me up a copy of that one, too.

The Call of the Wild & White Fang - Jack London

2008-07-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

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Category: Books that everybody else read in high school.

Acquired: Half-Price Books, Everett

Read: July 2008

Briefly: Two stories, one about a domesticated dog that returns to his wild roots, and the other about a wild dog that ends up domesticated. Does that mean they cancel each other out?

Comments: I didn't pick this up for any particular reason, except that I've never read anything by London and sort of wondered what the fuss was about. I'm not even a particular fan of animal stories, but do have some interest in the historical setting, namely the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-1904.

Anyway, being the last person on earth to read these books, I don't have much to say about the stories themselves. What I did find interesting about this particular edition was the introduction, written by a professor of American literature at Vassar. She discusses London's (well-known) interest and support for Socialism, and then proceeds to cite passages from the books that (to her way of thinking) illustrate and even validate the Socialist world view. Example: the wolf pack that stalks and eventually overwhelms the two dog sledders at the beginning of White Fang demonstrates that workers who organize (i.e. the wolf pack) will have greater success than those enslaved by the ruling class (i.e. the mushers, who are carrying a cargo for a rich family). What foolishness, as she totally misses the point. She doesn't even see the irony in the Jack London letter she quotes later, where he pitches his idea for White Fang to his publisher, raving about how many copies it's going to sell. Ahhh... Socialists make such good capitalists.

So, check this book off my list of books I should have read long ago. What's next? Who knows, maybe it's time to pick up some of the Shakespeare plays that went straight over my head in high school.

Moneyball - Michael Lewis

2008-07-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

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Category: Sports, non-fiction

Acquired: Suggested/loaned by Ben Z. at work

Read: July 2008

Briefly: Unique ways of judging player talent keep the Oakland Athletics perennial contenders in the AL West, despite having one of the smallest payrolls in the Major Leagues.

Comments: I've always been a little skeptical of baseball statistics, particularly the ones popularly used to compare players, but which clearly don't tell the whole story. For example, a pitcher's W-L ratio can have as much to do with his team's offensive performance as it does his own pitching skill. A player's batting average fails to reward those who get on base in other ways - walks, in particular - which are just as useful as hitting singles.

This book, written by a Bay area author, describes how A's GM Billy Beane developed his own ways of judging talent, ignoring traditional metrics and even setting aside the traditional wisdom of his scouting staff. He shocked the Major Leagues by drafting and trading for players who were unimpressive by conventional standards. As a result, he was able to get maximum mileage from his salary budget, for which the numbers are impressive - typically half that of most teams.

While there's no doubt that the A's have been a team to reckon with for the past 10 years or so, it's a little hard to say that it's been specifically because of this approach. The proof just isn't there. Nonetheless, this book is an interesting read because of the insights it gives into how teams choose players, and how they wheel and deal in their back rooms when it's time to trade. There are also a few nice character studies of players who were chosen against all odds, and who did indeed become the contributors that Beane predicted.

Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky

2008-06-29T17:57:00.001-07:00

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Category: Russian Novel

Acquired: Borrowed from Betsy & Todd

Read: February, March, April, May

Briefly: Russian man commits a nasty crime, and is tortured by guilt for 472 pages.

Comments: So, you ask, "since when did Ken start reading Russian novels?" The answer is twofold: first, since I became impressed by how often Dostoevsky was mentioned by other Christian authors as someone whose writings had a profound impact on their own spiritual journeys. Indeed, I've heard him described as someone whose writings kept the Christian perspective alive during the dark days of Communism. I wanted to understand why this was so. Secondly, it was just one of those curiosity things - my kids had read them (voluntarily), and I wanted to see what the fuss was about.

However, what they neglected to tell me (until too late), was that the best way to go at one of these books is to read a commentary first, find out what to look for, and then go ahead and read it. Maybe if I had done that, more of it would have sunk it. As it was, I pretty much followed the story line OK, but I think I missed the deeper parts. At least, I can't point to any profound effect this had on my spiritual understanding. I suppose it also didn't help that I read this book in 15 minute snippets over a four month period. Maybe that's not ideal?

The Shack - William Young

2008-06-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

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Category: Fiction

Acquired: Borders

Read: United Flights 916 and 950 (Seattle to D.C. to Brussels)

Briefly: An excruciating family tragedy leaves a man angry at God and questioning His goodness, love and justice. After months of brooding, he receives a handwritten note in his mailbox, inviting him back to 'the shack' - a key locale in the tragedy - because "we need to talk". The ensuing weekend is something we've all dreamed about at some point or another - the chance to sit down with the triune God of the universe, letting Him know that things aren't going so swell down here, and getting to hear His response.

Comments: Jumping right to the bottom line - you need to read this book. Not because it's a theological textbook, but because it's a piece of art, where the author paints word pictures to show what it might look like if the three members of the Trinity were to meet with someone in a run-down shack in the woods. He describes their effect on the physical surroundings, their interactions among themselves, and their compassion toward the person -- all with a depth of creativity and beauty that left me smiling and shaking my head in awe (when I wasn't... ummm... wiping some speck out of my eye). The theology is sound (as far as it goes), the topics are deep, and the treatment is immensely satisfying.

Basically, there's no way I can really do justice in reviewing this book, so I'm not going to try. However, here's a link to the best review I've read so far, written by a fairly well-known evangelical theologian. And, just for completeness' sake, here's a link to the most absurd review I've read.

That being said, I will comment on two things that left an impression:

First, I was tickled by the portrayal of God the Father as a matronly, cookie-baking African-American woman. When the man (and probably some of the readers) reacted in surprise, the response was (my paraphrase): "yes, I know you were expecting a caucasian, grandfatherly type with a white beard, and I wanted to show you that all mental images are equally incorrect". (Note to The Matrix fans: there's a striking similarity between this depiction and Gloria Foster's character "Oracle". Anyone care to explain?)

Secondly, there was a phrase that caught my eye as the Godhead were discussing the nature of the love relationship. It was that such relationships should not be built around expectations, but rather around expectancy. That is, you don't approach the other with a list of desires and needs that you want/expect them to satisfy, but rather by granting them freedom to do whatever they think best, simply trusting them to have your best interests at heart. Still pondering that one.

Yes, I know that this book has generated some controversy in the Christian community, but lighten up folks - it's fiction - it's fantasy, not a theology textbook. I've read a few of the negative reviews, and the most common theme seems to be that it portrays God's relationship with mankind as essentially love-based. That is, it doesn't spend a lot of time talking about God's other, equally important attributes - righteousness and justice - which necessitated the ultimate act of love on Christ's part. Fair enough.

However, I'd also point to the picture hanging on the wall of many Sunday School classrooms - the one where Christ is standing in a garden, knocking on a door and hoping to be invited in. But guess what - Jesus didn't look like that, and there is no actual garden, no door, and His knocking is only symbolic. And yet, that piece of artwork, in its own symbolic way, communicates an important truth about one aspect of God's relationship to humankind. It's not the whole Gospel, but just one part, yet presented in a way that's memorable, accessible, and just might impact you in ways that a textbook description never could. If a painting can accomplish that, how much more can a piece of literary art such as this book?

As it happens, my niece Denaye was reading this book around the same time that Brenda & I found it. I thought her comments on it were insightful, you might enjoy them as well.

How Do You Choose Books to Read?

2008-05-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

When your book pile has dwindled to nothingness, how do you choose what to read next? Do you pick at random from bookstores, or haunt certain sections of the library? Do you stick with titles or authors you're familiar with, or take risks? Do you depend on others for recommendations? Do you follow book reviews? Use other resources? Which ones?

Something I've noticed recently is that certain people just seem to have a knack for digging up books that are interesting, informative, entertaining or otherwise worthwhile reading. My kids and their spouses come to mind in particular, along with other family members and acquaintances. For my part, I'm pretty clueless about what's out there, and base my choices almost entirely on what I see others reading. In fact, my standing gift list item is "the best book you've read recently". As much as I've benefited from that, I suspect there are other ways as well, and wonder what they are.

So, this is an invitation/request to add a comment to this posting, and tell me what's working for you when it comes to selecting books that are worth the time and effort.

Invasion - Robin Cook

2008-05-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

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Category: Fluff

Acquired: HPB

Read: May

Briefly: Aliens

Comments: Harmless.

A Case of Need - Michael Crichton

2008-05-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

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Category: "Airplane" book (my term for a harmless, simple-minded book, useful for keeping the gears turning during an airplane trip. Mental chewing-gum).

Acquired: Half-Price Books.

Read: May 2008, sitting on the veranda in San Carlos. Ahhhh...

Briefly: Generic medical mystery. Patient dies under suspicious circumstances, one doc is unjustly accused, another doc unravels the clues. After various plot twists (and more autopsy details than I really needed), justice wins out and everyone lives happily ever after (except the patient).

Comments: What made this book interesting is that it was written 40 years ago, literally when I was in high school. As a result, it provides some interesting reminders about what America was like in the late 60's. For instance, I had to chuckle at the how the local Boston doctors disliked one newcomer simply because he was from California and had really long hair. I totally remember this attitude!

Naturally, this book also pre-dates much of the technology we take for granted today. Thus, there are plot twists that simply wouldn't happen today today, e.g. based on the fact that certain key medical records existed only in handwritten, hard-copy form, and could thus be stolen, hidden, or otherwise made inacessible. In another case, a plot turn occurred because someone couldn't contact someone else, because there was no telephone nearby.

This book also pre-dates Roe vs. Wade by about five years, an important fact, given that the plot revolves around the aftermath of an illegal abortion. Because abortion was not yet a hot social issue, Crichton spends a lot of time having his characters present their views for and against abortion - probably because his readers needed the education. What's interesting is seeing how those arguments have changed over the past 35 years. Take a look through the appendix (where he summarizes the pro's/con's) and compare them to what you hear today.

All in all, a decent book, and just right for reading while sitting in an airplane - or on the beach.

The Samurai - Shusaku Endo

2008-05-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

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Category: Historical fiction, based on persons and events from the 17th century.

Acquired: Found by chance at Half-Price Books last Monday while picking up books to read during Mexico vacation.

Read: May 2008 (267 pages, 3 days - pretty good for me)

Briefly: A Japanese samurai and a Catholic monk travel to Rome during the 17th century, both in submission to their respective lords. Both come away with profound learnings about the nature of trust and loyalty, and where to place it (and not to place it). The samurai learns to see past the affluent, political Christianity that surrounds him, and discovers a Christ who relates to the outcasts of society.

Comments: The two main characters contrast sharply - the monk is an ambitious Spanish missionary, and wants nothing more than to conquer Japan for God (those are his words... remember, this is an era when the line between evangelism and subjugation was often a little fuzzy). He is ambitious to a fault, and yet, as we listen to the arguments playing out in his mind, his motives are generally not the problem. Rather, it's his passion that drives him to overzealous actions, where the ends justify the means. This ultimately results in a scheme to bring a delegation of Japanese envoys to Mexico, Madrid and eventually Rome, in hopes of building trade relationships (which the Japanese want) in exchange for an open door to more missionary work (which he wants - along with an appointment to be Bishop of Japan).

The samurai is head of a poor farming family just trying to survive off their marshland. Being traditional Japanese, he submits without question when his patron orders him to join the monk's trade delegation. As we see into his thoughts, he wonders why a lowly, inarticulate person such as himself would be assigned to such a high-profile task, but naturally such concerns are never voiced. The questions he does ask, though, are about the the emaciated, disfigured man whose figure is constantly on display in the churches and monasteries to which he travels. And why does this man on the cross elicit such reverence from the monks, when everyone knows that honor and worship are due only to the rich and powerful who have earned it?

In the end, both characters are ultimately betrayed and abandoned by their earthly lords, and return to Japan in shame. But as the aftermath unfolds, it begins to click in the samurai's mind that the monk's Lord understands his situation deeply - He understands poverty, humiliation, shame. He knows what it's like to be victimized by a ruling class that cares only for themselves. Perhaps this is why He holds such appeal for the common folk he has met.

What makes this book unique is that the author is both Japanese and Catholic. His writing contains rich detail about both cultures, and a nuanced understanding of what happens when they interact - no doubt shaped by his own experiences growing up. Philip Yancey devotes a chapter to Shusaku Endo in Soul Survivor, and regards him as one of the great Christian authors of all time (I'm very much inclined to agree). Interestingly, Endo is also widely known and well-regarded among the Japanese - who obviously have no concept of "Christian author" - as simply one of their very accomplished writers.

For more about Endo, here's an article worth reading.

Celebration of Discipline - Richard Foster

2008-04-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

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Category: non-fiction

Acquired: Recommended; purchased.

Read: April 2008

Briefly: 1978 classic, describes twelve spiritual disciplines widely considered as essential for spiritual growth. Treatment is both theoretical and yet very practical.

Comments: After reading Ortberg's book on this same topic, I was interested in reading more, perhaps from another perspective. I had heard that this book is considered a classic, and so picked it up when the opportunity arose.

I'm glad I did. As in Ortberg's book, the first chapter had some good things to say about the quest for spiritual discipline, including warnings against allowing it to become a form of legalism by itself. I thought this paragraph provided some good perspective:

"When we despair of gaining inner transformation through human powers of will and determination, we are open to a wonderful new realization: inner righteousness is a gift from God to be graciously received. The needed change within us is God's work, not ours... we cannot attain or earn this righteousness of the kingdom of God; it is a grace that is given."

In a later chapter, Foster talks about not confusing our expression of a discipline with the discipline itself. He references Matt 6:33 -- "Seek first the kingdom of God, and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you", and then asks how we go about seeking God's kingdom. Are we to use our talents and powers to exert influence on others? Are we to give our fortunes to the poor? Are we to proclaim His teachings to the world? Foster's answer: none of the above. Not that they are wrong, but rather that they are not the focus; we are to seek the Kingdom first, and then allow these actions to flow from it. If we make them the center of our efforts, they become idolatry. Strong words, but good inputs for someone who, like me, grew up with a fairly legalistic brand of Christianity.

Speaking of the 1970's (which is when this book was published), if you're from that era, the writing style may take you back a little. Remember when the mark of a true Christian was being able to talk a good line of spiritual-speak? Foster really shines in this respect, pulling off sentences like "worship is our responding to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father. It is kindled within us only when the Spirit of God touches our human spirit." Nice words, whatever they mean. All in all, I guess I prefer substance to poetry.

Still, a good book, worth reading - probably more than once. You can borrow mine if you'll promise to return it.

Indelible Ink - Scott Larsen (ed.)

2008-03-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

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Category: non-fiction

Acquired: recommended by the nice library lady at Smokey Point Community Church.

Read: March 2008

Briefly: Twenty-two Christian speakers, authors and assorted luminaries discuss the books that have had a profound effect on their life and thinking.

Comments: as I was reading Yancey's book about his 13 unlikely mentors, Brenda mentioned that it sounded similar to a book she had just added to the SPCC library. It is, in fact, although the chapters are much shorter, and comprise 22 different writing styles. Those styles range from Ken Taylor's easy-reading (naturally) autobiographical narrative, to J.I. Packer's expository essay on the nuances of Calvinism (whew). But, if you find yourself unable to relate to a chapter, no big deal - you just skip ahead to the next.

You'll recognize many of the contributors - Joni Eareckson Tada, Chuck Colson, Michael Card, Jill Briscoe, Luis Palau, Josh McDowell, etc. - and their chapters will make them seem just a bit more personable than they might come across in their more formal writing and speaking. That's nice. You'll have your favorite chapters, too - mine was Larry Crabb's review (of a book I had never heard of).

Know what I liked best? It was seeing which books and authors kept showing up in list after list (did I mention that this book's final chapter summarizes the lists of another 130 people?) In fact, I even went back to tabulate a few statistics in that regard, just to figure out what I should be adding to my own wish list.

Most-mentioned book - tied between the following, with a dozen mentions apiece:
- Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
- My Utmost for His Highest - J. Oswald Chambers.
Most-referenced author:
-C.S. Lewis (23 times). Next nearest was 10!
Other frequently mentioned authors/books:
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer - The Cost of Discipleship
- J.I. Packer - Knowing God
- A.W. Tozer - The Pursuit of God, Knowledge of the Holy
- Philip Yancey - various, but especially "The Jesus I Never Knew"
- Francis Schaeffer - various
- Fyodor Dostoevsky - Crime and Punishment
- John Calvin - Institutes of the Christian Religion
Book least-expected to be described as having had "a profound influence on my life and thinking": Anne of Green Gables

The Life You've Always Wanted - John Ortberg

2008-03-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

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Category: non-fiction

Acquired: Purchased for Life Group study.

Read: Jan - Feb 2008

Briefly: subtitled "Spiritual disciplines for ordinary people".

Comments: I saw this book a few years back on one of our pastors' bookshelves, browsed it and thought it looked interesting. As a result, I was glad when our weekly Life Group chose to take the six-week series based on it. And take it we did - read the text, watched the DVD, did the workbook, discussed the questions and generally earned our merit badges.

It's a decent book on a topic for which there's generally no shortage of books. It's neither the best nor the worst, and offered some useful insights on the classic spiritual disciplines (prayer, scripture reading, meditation, fasting and so on).

I did appreciate Ortberg's very first chapter, in which he made it clear that the pursuit of discipline is not about earning God's favor, but is in fact very pragmatic - it's a means to an end. At the end of the day, it's not about how many items we've checked off our spiritual "to-do" list, but rather whether we've increased our love of God and those around us. The disciplines have value to the extent that they help us accomplish this.

While you may find the book profitable, you might want to skip the study guide entirely. Not only does it proceed out of sequence with the textbook, it just lacked depth on a lot of key points. It was nice that it led us to look up supporting scriptures, but there were some strange cases where it tried to force-fit a passage to a topic it was simply never meant to address. (I'm sorry, the story of Balaam and his donkey is not about learning to seek God's will).

Study guide aside, give this book a solid B, and read it when you get time. Or better yet, try a classic like Richard Foster's "A Celebration of Discipline".

Soul Survivor - Philip Yancey

2008-02-28T21:35:00.000-08:00

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Category: non-fiction

Acquired: Borrowed from SPCC church library in Nov 2007. Waaaaay overdue.

Read: Dec 2007 - Feb 2008

Briefly: twelve chapter-length tributes to the "unlikely mentors" whom the author claims helped to bring him back from an ultra-legalistic upbringing in a church that just didn't grasp the concept of grace. They include Christian and non-Christian authors, pastors and public figures from the 16th century thru the present.

Comments: Yancey readers are probably familiar with his unfortunate church background, and his journey to find and embrace authentic Christianity - the story is well documented in his other books "The Jesus I Never Knew" and "What's So Amazing About Grace", among others. An autobiographical chapter in this book provides more detail, and helps to explain his search for deeper, more satisfying truths, truths that make a demonstrable difference in peoples lives.

To some extent, I think many of us are on that same odyssey, which makes this book both relevant and useful. Think of it as a primer on "people with whom every Christian should be at least somewhat familiar". For each, you get insights into their background and points of view, a smattering of quotes from their work, comments on why Yancey considers them important, and (best of all) his recommendations for further exploration.

You'll probably put these folks into categories similar to mine:

Well-known people whose impact I generally under-appreciated:
Everett Koop, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Ghandi, Martin Luther King.
Names that sounded a little familiar, but that's all:
GK Chesterton, John Donne, Annie Dillard, Henri Nouwen
Who?
Paul Brand, Robert Coles, Frederick Buechner, Shusaku Endo.

Thus far, I've been able to read more from one of these authors already (thanks, Betsy!), and have another half-dozen I'm eager to try. So, if you're ever looking for gift ideas for me....

Pilgrim At Tinker Creek - Annie Dillard

2008-02-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

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Category: non-fiction

Acquired: Gift from Betsy & Todd, Christmas 2007

Read: Feb 2008

Briefly: Articulate meditation on the author's natural surroundings, which consist of the stream, forests and fields around her home. These are not remarkable in themselves, probably not much different from those where you live. What's remarkable is in the author's ability to help you see the beauty, depth and complexity in a single swampy creek bank, and then engage you in ponderings on the deeper questions - why does nature work this way? What did the creator have in mind? What does it all mean?

Comments: First of all, I don't want to hear about how you polished this book off in a couple of evenings, and resonated with the author on every point. I'm just not sure I'd believe you. There's so much here, and so much to think about between the lines that it simply can't be absorbed very quickly. It's one of those books where you get to the end of the page and realize your eyes have been reading the words, but your brain gave up five minutes ago and has been thinking about how the Mariners could really use a good left-handed relief pitcher this year.

I figure I picked up about 25% of the what the author was trying to say. So sue me, and take away my Mensa membership. But of that 25%, there were some truly memorable moments:

-- Dillard (no stranger to biology and other physical sciences), musing about how a "normal" design approach would have been to make organisms complex on the outside, where the complexity can be seen, appreciated and do some good - and then slack off in detail as you get to the inner layers. In reality, she observes that nature's designs exhibit more and more complexity as you look at them more deeply, with each layer peeled back to reveal astounding complexity at the next - right on down to the cellular layer and ultimately the atomic layer. I think the phrase she uses is the "utter extravagance" of detail in the creator's work. (I appreciated her tendency to give credit where credit is due - I perceived that she long ago passed the crossroads where she had to choose between a created nature whose meaning can be sought and known, versus an accidental nature with essentially no meaning at all).

-- Dillard points out the inherent brutality and deadliness of the animal and plant kingdoms. She notes that most organisms produce many times more offspring than needed for survival, because nature's way is for a huge proportion of them to not survive (e.g. become food for someone else, or simply succumb to a hostile, uncaring environment). She struggles with the waste, and notes the remarkable contrast between her own human viewpoint, which tends to value the individual more than the group, versus the creator's apparent viewpoint, which is to value the group more than the individual. Who is right, and who is out of step?

For what it's worth, Dillard has also written some fiction, including a historical novel set in the Pacific NW. I'm going to quit writing here and go add it to my Amazon wish list.

The Orchard Mason Bee - Brian Griffin

2008-02-21T20:57:00.000-08:00

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Category: non-fiction

Acquired: Gift from Kari & Kyle, Birthday 2007

Read: Jan 2007

Briefly: History, sociology, biology, care and propagation of some very interesting little pollinators.

Comments: This book came as part of a starter kit for raising my own colony of Mason Bees. These guys are my idea of an ideal bee. They stay at home, do their job efficiently, never sting, and live for nine months of the year in little cardboard tubes - half of that time being in your refrigerator. The Bellingham-based author seems to have popularized this species in the Northwest, and now makes a nice retirement out of selling books, supplies and larvae (in little cardboard tubes). It's now late February, so just a few more weeks until I get to take mine out of the refrig and see what happens.

Tales from the Seattle Mariners Dugout - Kirby Arnold

2008-02-21T19:49:00.000-08:00

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Category: non-fiction

Acquired: Gift from Brenda, Christmas 2007

Read: Jan 2007

Briefly: Nicely-done retrospective of the Seattle Mariners, written by an ex-sports reporter from the Everett Herald.

Comments: Starts back in the early years, when it was by no means certain that Seattle even wanted a major league team, and the Mariners struggled in vain to post a break-even season. Plenty of blame to go around, including some nice digs at George Argyros. But, for those of us who lived through the glory years (1995-2001), the book's recounting of that era brings back all the memories and excitement, and makes for a great (if sadly nostalgic) read. Only one criticism, which Mom Elliott first pointed out - for a book titled "Tales from the dugout", one might expect more of the kinds of insider stories and anecdotes that make sports books fun to read. Many good ones are included, to be sure, but maybe not enough to justify the title.

Mountains Beyond Mountains - Tracy Kidder

2008-01-20T17:05:00.000-08:00

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Category: Biography

Acquired: Gift from Betsy/Todd, Christmas 2007

Read: January 2007

Briefly: bio of Paul Farmer (1959- ), physician, anthropologist and epidemiologist, who has spent much of his life bringing healthcare to the poorest of the poor, particularly in Haiti. He fights root causes - not just malaria, but the living conditions that make traditional treatment ineffective... and the poverty that perpetuates the living conditions... and the social and political injustices that perpetuate the poverty... and the evil nations and greedy corporations that are (in his belief system) the root of all injustice.

Comments: What I find impressive about Farmer is: a) the depth of his compassion and commitment to the poor; and b) the way his commitment drives him into practical action. Not just safe actions like writing a check, but extraordinary steps such as leaving the comforts of home to run a clinic in one of the most unpleasant environments in the Western Hemisphere. And not being the rich white doctor behind the locked gate, but serving as the local country doc, working to build personal relationships among the Haitians, walking 4 hours to make a single house call, just because he believes that understanding and addressing the patient's home environment is the best way to ensure treatment success.

I don't know how much I'd actually like Farmer if I met him. As portrayed by the author, he comes across as somewhat arrogant. He rails constantly against the western economic system that traps Haitians in poverty (not that all his points are invalid - far from it), but with no acknowledgement that everything he is and has accomplished has been enabled by that system. And because the system is evil, he seems to feel free to manipulate it any way he chooses in order to accomplish his own goals - including what he gleefully calls the "redistribution of wealth" (i.e. medical equipment and supplies), from an unsuspecting US hospital to his own clinic. I generally like rule-breakers, but there's a thin line between that and becoming a law unto yourself, and it often seemed to me like he was stepping over it.

On the other hand, so what? I'm not commanded to emulate Farmer or anyone else, I'm simply told that "...whatever you did [fed, clothed, housed, etc.] for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me." So even if Farmer will never be my role model, he's still someone whose compassion is an example and challenge for me, and for any Christ-follower.

Isaac's Storm - Eric Hansen

2008-01-20T17:02:00.001-08:00

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Category: non-fiction, history, biography

Acquired: gift from Mom Voelker, Dec. 2007

Read: Dec/Jan 2007

Briefly: when Galveston was surprised and devastated by a hurricane in 1900, the US Weather Bureau came under severe criticism for their failure to forecast it. A lot of the heat fell on their local station manager, Isaac Cline, who had actually done the best he could, despite the Bureau's total lack of knowledge about hurricanes, coupled with a stifling bureaucracy. This book follows Cline through his formative years in the Bureau, portrays the events leading up to the failed forecast, and then provides hour-by-hour detail as the disaster unfolds. It's almost like reading about Pearl Harbor - there were adequate chances to avert disaster, but as you watch the web of human failures grow, you know full well how it's going to turn out.

Comments: I always enjoy books that explore the history of technology, particularly when the human element is involved. The technology here is the science of weather forecasting, and the human element is the fledgling U.S. Weather Bureau, under attack at the turn of the century for being very poor at actual weather forecasting. They've responded to these attacks by drawing inward, creating a paranoid bureaucracy where all forecasts and warnings are issued from Washington, D.C. only, and where individual forecasters have virtually no authority to act on their own. The inevitable results, documented here, remind me why I'm so hesitant to see crucial social functions removed from the private arena and entrusted to the federal government.