Happy Summer Reading

If you know me in the real world, gentle is probably not a word that would immediately leap to mind if you were asked to describe me. Loud, opinionated, prone to sticking my foot in my mouth -- those might pop to mind, but not gentle. It's one of those “fruits of the Spirit” that I am still working on (and will be for a while.). So it is ironic that someone who played “communist” (don't ask, it's a LOOONG story) with neighborhood friends, established indoor beachheads in my mother's living room with G.I. Joes on rainy days and longed for camouflage pants (one of the first things I bought when I went away to college!), loves to read a genre called “gentle reads.” Before you start thinking granny underpants, cardigan sweaters and fuzzy cats, let me explain. (And hey, I have more than one of those items, but I won't show or tell!!)

Gentle reads are defined as “books brimming with a simple, old-fashioned flavor and populated by endearing, intriguing, and very often eccentric characters. They can be charming, touching, poignant, humorous, or spiritually uplifting. They can be highly literate or a hoot-and-a-half. The stories generally contain little graphic violence or sex and provide a pleasurable reading experience” (from “The Reader's Advisory” -- don't worry about it. It's a librarian thingy.) So are you bored yet? Still thinking granny underwear? Well, stick with me here, because I have two series to recommend that will just open up your literary world and make you thankful for that first grade teacher who taught you how to read.

The Penderwicks and The Penderwicks on Gardham Street by Jeanne Birdsall are actually young people's books, but are so phenomenally written, they are worth the read and sure to become classics. The subtitle of the first book is intriguing and enticing: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits and a Very Interesting Boy and that is exactly what Birdsall serves up. She is able to create rich characters and enchanting plots that remind you of everything that is delightful about a carefree, warm July night. These two books, of which I hope there are many more, chronicle the adventures of four sisters and their Latin-quoting, botanist father. As “children's” books, they offer just the right amount of stretching vocabulary while still being approachable and engaging. And while they are filled with the trials and travails of young girls growing up after the death of their mother, they are not filled with some of the oh-so-trendy angst and darkness of some other modern selections. For adults, the stories may end up exactly as you predicted, but this is so satisfying and so hoped-for that you won't mind. In fact, I predict you'll be delighted.

And speaking of delightful, you will not find a more appealing heroine than “traditionally-built” Precious Ramotswe of Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I just finished reading the ninth installment The Miracle at Speedy Motors, and I have never been disappointed by Ma Ramotswe, her sidekick Ma Makutsi or mechanic-extraordinaire JLB Matekoni. Set in spectacular Botswana, Smith has created a series that is charming, eloquent, insightful and life-affirming. They revel in the simple pleasures of life and the details of rain, cattle, desert sounds and acacia trees. They also prove that most of life's problems can be solved with a little time and the perfect cup of tea. Marvelous and big-hearted, Ma Ramotswe and friends dispense wisdom, advice and universal truths as they ponder the mysteries of humanity and solve cases involving cheating spouses, missing family members and dog-eating crocodiles. Absolutely brill!

They can be read in any order, but for maximum enjoyment, start at the beginning. You won't be disappointed.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Tears of the Giraffe
Morality for Beautiful Girls
The Kalahari Typing School for Men

The Full Cupboard of Life
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
Blue Shoes and Happiness
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
The Miracle at Speedy Motors

Happy summer reading!

The Faith

I'll be honest. Even though I am generally in the midst of reading several books at any given time, I rarely read Christian non-fiction and only occasionally read Christian fiction. In the non-fiction department, I enjoy getting teaching through the radio or directly from my own study of the Bible. With fiction, I am often disappointed with the quality of the writing or the level of preachiness that I find cloying, annoying or fake. (There are some exceptions, that I will write about sometime, because there are a couple of current Christian fiction writers who rank up there with some of the greatest authors from any genre.) So it is unusual, but not unheard of, that I am finding one of my current reads so life-altering. I would go so far as to say that wherever you may be on your own spiritual journey whether skeptic, seeker, new believer or longtime Christ follower, you should read The Faith by Charles Colson.

The subtitle of the book pretty much sums it up: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It and Why it Matters. For those unfamiliar with Christianity, Colson presents a succinct overview starting with the basic premise that God Is. He then presents the centuries of thought and evidences through the ages of the existence of God. Each chapter is in a similar format, a tenant of the faith followed by evidence in an engaging and highly readable style.

Unfamiliar with Christianity? How can anyone be unfamiliar with Christianity in America? Well, I would humbly posit that not only are most Americans woefully ignorant of what true biblical Christianity is and is not, but so are many Christians. We see the words “Christian” and worse, “evangelical,” bandied about in the realms of media, politics and academia where their meanings are misappropriated, misused, mischaracterized and ultimately misunderstood by believers and unbelievers alike.

The Faith presents a very clear picture of what Jesus taught and what true belief looks like. I can't think of any better way of describing this book and what its mission is than to quote a story directly from the book jacket (Hey, these people are professionals who write this stuff—how can I hope to improve upon it!?)

“Moments before a tormented man took the lives of five young Amish schoolgirls in Nickel Mines, PA on the morning of October 5, 2006, two of the girls, Marian and Barbie Fisher, asked to be sacrificed so that the others could be saved. The killer did not spare the sisters; instead he attempted to murder Marian, Barbie and all eight of their female classmates. Five survived. And in the days after the tragedy, as the world watched in numbed silence, the parents of those girls and the entire Amish community did something seemingly incomprehensible. They forgave the killer and supported his family with their prayers and their financial resources. While their response shocked many, those parents and that community were actually practicing the love that every Christian ought to practice. They were living what they believe.”

And that's why Christians should also read this book. We need to be living what we believe in such a manner that we are so radically different from the natural order of things that people are shocked. We should be “seemingly incomprehensible” because what our Savior did was so incomprehensible and sacrificial and radical. Let that be said of me.

The Diving Bell & The Butterfly

So maybe thrillers about the imminent demise of the world as we know it are not your "cup of tea." Well, how about a book about someone who can only blink one eye? Actually, a book WRITTEN by someone who can only blink one eye.

However, before we go any further, there is one point that must be clarified. I will continue to count "French bashing" as one of my many hobbies. My positive review of this book changes this fact in no way, no matter how un-Christian it is of me to be Franco-averse. I have been a student of history far too long to let slip my steadfast conviction that "Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without an accordion. All you do is leave behind a lot of noisy baggage." (This quote is attributed to everyone from Schwartzkopf to Churchill, but who cares? It's true!) If you have any doubts as to the veracity of the overall crumminess of France in all areas besides w(h)ine and cheese then Google "French military victories" and hit the "lucky" button. So far, I think the score is France-zero, the world-17, but who's counting. . .

I feel so much better now. I always find it cathartic to write off an entire nation of people in one tiny paragraph, hop onto my high horse and ride into the sunset! (And Mr. Wonderful thinks I'm sarcastic.) So how does one transition gracefully from caustic to charitable? I'll have to ask Ann Coulter, oh wait, she's always just caustic. . . . Ok, Ok I'll stop right now. Period.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby is such a great book , that it deserves a better introduction than the one I gave it. It is truly an inspiring and life affirming memoir. Bauby was the editor-in-chief of the French version of Elle magazine when he suffered a rare and usually deadly stroke in his brain stem. Upon awakening from his coma, he discovered that he had Locked-In Syndrome which is exactly what it sounds like. He was fully cognizant and aware, but completely trapped in his body only able to blink his left eye and turn his head a little. He "dictated" this book by having someone read through the alphabet and then blinking at the letter he wanted transcribed. While this book may not be Les Miserables in length, its strength lies in the simple beauty and buoyant humor of Bauby's prose.

With the sharpened view of his single eye and the forced contemplative nature of his condition, Bauby looks back on his life with a razor focus. He hones in on friends, acquaintances and family and explores the fleeting nature of life. Some have criticized this work for not being a "complete" memoir. The Diving Bell does not start out, "I was born on . . . ," and Bauby does not delve into the fact that he was apparently quite a womanizer and playboy, a domineering figure who ruled his magazine with an iron fist. I don't think this is a fair criticism as this memoir does not purport to explore every facet of the man's life. I would offer that, in fact, when he found himself "locked-in," Bauby was distilled down to his very essence and stripped of the extraneous trappings and labels that others saw. This book is that reflection.

I saw a little of myself in his tale. We are all trapped in a "diving bell," those things that weigh us down, threaten to crush us, defeat us, suck away our lives -- that physical part of us that is consumed with temporal cares, the fleshly side of our natures. Yet, all of us are spiritual beings, that when connected to God, can rise above the circumstances and experiences of life. We can become new creatures and be reborn like the butterfly.

Sadly, I don't believe that Bauby came to true salvation before his death in 1997. His book, however, is a lesson to everyone about the buoyancy of the human spirit, about humor in the face of darkness and about the celebration of the simple pleasures of life. As Bauby says, "If I must drool, I may as well drool on cashmere."

The Last Jihad

Are you as interested in politics and the next election as we are? It is non-stop political coverage around here. We have seen every debate, town hall meeting, speech, sound bite and video clip. We have viewed all the analysis, listened to the banter on talk radio and watched The Soup . . .oh wait, not a political show. . . I mean O'Reilly Factor. This trend is mostly due to my husband's (formerly known as Mr. Wonderful) intense interest which has taken our house by storm. This is a humorous role reversal for us, since now I am the one saying things like, "Not another debate! Can't we just watch The Bachelor-London Calling, pleeeaaase?" (So far, I like Noelle & Amanda!)

All this to say, whether or not you are interested in politics, the election or the fate of the world as we know it, you might enjoy a book series I have been reading. Yes, I am a reader of epic proportions. Wait, that came out wrong. I am not of epic proportions (although I could stand to lose a few pounds!). Ever since I read Frog and Toad Are Friends in first grade, I have been a voracious reader. (I used that line in my essay to get into library grad school!) Now reading is like breathing to me. So there will probably be quite a few "book reviews" on this blog. Here's the first:

Right now I am reading the series by Joel C. Rosenberg that starts with The Last Jihad. These are amazing geopolitical thrillers, that have caused some critics to call Rosenberg a modern-day Nostradamus. In these meaty and fast-paced novels, he has "predicted" the fall of Saddam, airplane attacks on Washington D.C. and the death of Arafat. The way they tie into current events and global politics is eerie as they deal with Biblical End Times prophecies (which does not really become overt until the third book). Rosenberg has given me a very interesting lens through which to view world events as they unfold.

Besides the fact that they are superbly written and have heightened my interest in global crises, the main reason I am compelled to mention these books is that they have changed how I live my life. This afternoon I am digging a bunker in the crawl space and organizing my stockpile of food. Just kidding. But they HAVE changed my life. Maybe we are in the "End Times," maybe not. But either way, I want to live my life with an eternal perspective. I want what I do each day to count for something. Maybe I will "just" wash dishes, do laundry and change diapers today, but if I do those tasks with the attitude that I am building into my family, serving others and being a blessing, then these very acts can take on eternal significance. And beyond my mundane chores, I want to break out of daily routines and stultifying doldrums to view the opportunities around me for reaching out to others. None of us know the number of our days, but I want each one I have to count.


The Last Jihad series in order:
The Last Jihad
The Last Days
The Ezekiel Option
The Copper Scroll
Dead Heat

On April 10, 2008, Joel Rosenberg hosted a conference in Jerusalem celebrating the 60th anniversary of Israel's nationhood called Epicenter 2008 . There were some very interesting speakers, and you can view all of the video from "gavel to gavel" at the Epicenter link above. (His introductory speech is particularly good.)

God bless and happy reading!
BC