The Heritage of Lancaster County series, by Beverly Lewis
These three books (The Shunning, The Confession, and The Reckoning) tell the tale of a young Amish woman who struggles with being Amish. Katie's discovery that she was adopted from an "English" (non-Amish) teenage mother only fuels her desire to leave the Amish world behind. The close-knit quality of the Amish community is a struggle for her to leave, but by the end of the first book, she has left Pennsylvania a shunned woman and is in search of her birth mother. The second book deals with Katie's (now called Katherine) dying birth-mother and the complexities of being thrown suddenly into another culture, one that appears less honest and forgiving than the one she came from. This book also introduces the aspect of star-crossed romance, as a former love long thought to be dead attempts to find "his Katie girl" again. In the third book, Katherine, now a wealthy heiress, returns to Pennsylvania in search of answers to spiritual questions she had had since before Daniel was thought to have died. Her birth mother's testimony and death had fueled those questions, and the third book deals a lot with Katie's spiritual journey more than her physical journey to find her mother.
The author of this book series is a Christian and the book series is published by a Christian publishing company, so do not expect the main character's spiritual journey to end in any way other than with Christian results. That being said, the books weave common questions that many people have into the plot line, and are often answered by wise characters that come in and out of Katie's life. It is quite refreshing to read and experience Christian philosophy in a novel form rather than the sometimes-dry books about Christian theory and apologetics.
One thing that struck me, and perhaps slightly confused me, is that the author's note states that she grew up in Amish country and consulted many Amish for details about Amish life and religious philosophies, and she is indebted to them for their help on the project. Yet from reading the book, I got the impression that she believes, or at least the character of Katie believes, that the Amish are not "saved" Christians. This would imply that while Amish believe non-Amish have no hope of reaching heaven, Christians believe the same about the Amish. If this is the case, it is curious to me that the author's Amish friends would be willing to help her on a book project that seems to derail their religious beliefs. Perhaps I am over-thinking or misinterpreting the book, but that was one of the first points that came to mind when a friend brought up the topic of the Amish.
One other thing I had a minor issue with is that the details that go into inheriting a wealthy estate in upstate New York seem to have been unrealistically glossed over with, "the lawyer is handling everything." But I admit those details were not pertinent to the storyline, and at this point I am just being nit-picky.
Overall, this book is a very good read. Although some men might enjoy it, in a movie format it would probably be considered a chick-flick. I'd recommend it to everyone, but most men probably would not take my suggestion. I'd also recommend this book to anyone interested in Amish culture, particularly the details of Amish shunnings, since this book explores the technical and also emotional aspects of a shunning.
Showing posts with label of. Show all posts
Showing posts with label of. Show all posts
Friday, December 9, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories in the Sketch Book, by Washington Irving
This book is a very difficult read. In fact, I'm going to share with you a little secret. I started it in October and I haven't finished it yet! Gasp!
The problem for me, lies in the fact that the book is an anthology. I loved certain stories. But others were incredibly boring. To me, an anthology is an author's way to get things published that would normally get thrown in the editor's trash bin.
To be fair, there were some stories that were not interesting to me, but which had wonderful insight about life in England in the early 1800s, life in England from an American's perspective, death, immortality through writing, and relationships between men and women. I can understand why they may have been included in the publishing, but they still did not interest me, and slowed the speed of my progress through the book.
In case you don't know anything about the author, he was American-born, but the majority of the things collected in his Sketch Book were written during a time when he lived in England. This book was written at the beginning of the 19th century, using a slightly more formal and outmoded pattern of speech. A reading of this book would be a major accomplishment for a middle-schooler to undertake, because of the amount of vocabulary words and slightly different syntax sometimes used within the book. It may even be on some advanced high school reading lists (depending on your school).
And now for a quick review of some of my favorite stories:
Rip Van Winkle. I'm sure you are familiar with this one already. A man falls asleep for 100 years and wakes up to find everything is changed. It is a great story, and the detail of the descriptions is very vivid and seems to place you right in the scene.
The County Church; The Widow and Her Son. These two are placed right next to each other, and take place in the same church. The first is a visit to the church and observations of the simplicity of faith (vs the big "megachurches" of the city) and the second is a picture of what happens when tragedy hits the church family. I felt I could relate to the stories and observations made about church life.
The Boar's Head Tavern, Eastcheap. This one is a unique writing and really only appreciated if you are familiar with Shakespeare's "Henry" plays. Being a total book nerd, I love Shakespeare. I also love history so the narrator's quest for the history of the Tavern is also interesting to me.
The Specter Bridegroom. This was quite a fascinating piece of fiction (rather than some of the others which seem to be observations about life). I have no idea why the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle became so famous while this one did not. I have a mental image of Peter Jackson and Tim Burton teaming up with Johnny Depp to make this into a movie. I hope it happens, as that would be awesome.
There are plenty more, but I will leave you with those. If you like somewhat antiquated language, want to read a challenging book for school but think Shakespeare is too challenging, or if you like anthologies or reading the classics, this book is for you.
This book is a very difficult read. In fact, I'm going to share with you a little secret. I started it in October and I haven't finished it yet! Gasp!
The problem for me, lies in the fact that the book is an anthology. I loved certain stories. But others were incredibly boring. To me, an anthology is an author's way to get things published that would normally get thrown in the editor's trash bin.
To be fair, there were some stories that were not interesting to me, but which had wonderful insight about life in England in the early 1800s, life in England from an American's perspective, death, immortality through writing, and relationships between men and women. I can understand why they may have been included in the publishing, but they still did not interest me, and slowed the speed of my progress through the book.
In case you don't know anything about the author, he was American-born, but the majority of the things collected in his Sketch Book were written during a time when he lived in England. This book was written at the beginning of the 19th century, using a slightly more formal and outmoded pattern of speech. A reading of this book would be a major accomplishment for a middle-schooler to undertake, because of the amount of vocabulary words and slightly different syntax sometimes used within the book. It may even be on some advanced high school reading lists (depending on your school).
And now for a quick review of some of my favorite stories:
Rip Van Winkle. I'm sure you are familiar with this one already. A man falls asleep for 100 years and wakes up to find everything is changed. It is a great story, and the detail of the descriptions is very vivid and seems to place you right in the scene.
The County Church; The Widow and Her Son. These two are placed right next to each other, and take place in the same church. The first is a visit to the church and observations of the simplicity of faith (vs the big "megachurches" of the city) and the second is a picture of what happens when tragedy hits the church family. I felt I could relate to the stories and observations made about church life.
The Boar's Head Tavern, Eastcheap. This one is a unique writing and really only appreciated if you are familiar with Shakespeare's "Henry" plays. Being a total book nerd, I love Shakespeare. I also love history so the narrator's quest for the history of the Tavern is also interesting to me.
The Specter Bridegroom. This was quite a fascinating piece of fiction (rather than some of the others which seem to be observations about life). I have no idea why the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle became so famous while this one did not. I have a mental image of Peter Jackson and Tim Burton teaming up with Johnny Depp to make this into a movie. I hope it happens, as that would be awesome.
There are plenty more, but I will leave you with those. If you like somewhat antiquated language, want to read a challenging book for school but think Shakespeare is too challenging, or if you like anthologies or reading the classics, this book is for you.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
In the Company of the Courtesan
In the Company of the Courtesan, by Sarah Dunant
As you can tell from the title, this book is about a successful courtesan, Fiammetta, and her loyal dwarf Bucino. The story begins in 1527 with the sack of Rome by Charles III, the Duke of Bourbon, in the name of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Fiammetta and Bucino lived in Rome at the time, and the first several pages depict their efforts to survive the war zone and escape. The events described, although from Bucino's point of view instead of third person, are roughly exactly as described in Wikipedia, with the names of actual historical figures appearing alongside the fictional characters created for the purpose of the book.
Bucino and Fiammetta escape to Venice, where they attempt to begin their lives again. While there, they meet or are influenced by more historical figures, such as the artist Titian, the writer Pietro Aretino, the architect Jacopo Sansovino, Niccolo Machiavelli, and the healer/witch Elena "La Draga" Crusichi. With the exception of the architect and Machiavelli, these characters play large parts in the plot of the story, and in the end, we discover Fiammetta to be the unknown courtesan who posed for Titian's "Venus of Urbino" which depicts nothing from Urbino at all, but the painting eventually was owned by the Duke of Urbino and received its title from him.
Because the story is written from the point of view of Bucino, this book is unique in that a "deformed" character is the hero. In many books and movies, the hero must be perfect in appearance and morals, unless of course he is an anti-hero, in which case he must be perfect in appearance but a complete jerk. Bucino is neither a jerk, nor perfect in appearance. He is business-like, and can be gruff when business demands it, and occasionally makes mistakes like any human, but on the whole I think that he is a great character, loyal to Fiammetta, and kind to everyone he meets until they give him a reason not to be kind.
I would be extremely interested in seeing this book turned into a movie, if only because there are so many great actors out there who are passed up for the main roles because their growth was stunted or they don't look like Hollywood expects people to look. The exception would be Martin Klebba, who became fairly well-known after Pirates of the Caribbean, but who has since starred in a few projects. But lets face it, there are too few movies out there with abnormal-appearing actors in the main character roles.
For a book about a courtesan, this book is surprising in that there are no sex scenes. Sure, there are some pretty specific descriptions of body parts, but after the first few times, the reader begins to realize that these parts are tools of the trade for the characters and to omit those references would be like a book about a construction worker that omitted any reference to a hammer and nails. In fact, one of the things I particularly like was that the author was often able to use crude descriptions and beautiful poetry within the same sentence. Bucino mentions that this is something Fiammetta is able to do, and says that it is in a way a reflection of herself, however I would venture to argue that it is more a description of the cities of Rome and Venice- beautiful sculpture and architecture, holy and pious cities, that are also known for their corruption and prostitution.
The plot of the book was somewhat rambling, but still entertaining, especially in the last half of the book. It is also interesting to note that all the little adventures or episodes that occur become more intertwined in the last third or quarter of the book, and as the plot progresses, you begin to see how everything actually was connected. I enjoy books like that, although I'm sure it never happens in real life (which is probably why I enjoy books like that).
All in all, I would recommend this book to adults who are interested in non-conventional characters, the history of Italy (specifically Venice), or who have an interest in art with a preference for Titian over, say the artists with Ninja Turtle namesakes.
As you can tell from the title, this book is about a successful courtesan, Fiammetta, and her loyal dwarf Bucino. The story begins in 1527 with the sack of Rome by Charles III, the Duke of Bourbon, in the name of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Fiammetta and Bucino lived in Rome at the time, and the first several pages depict their efforts to survive the war zone and escape. The events described, although from Bucino's point of view instead of third person, are roughly exactly as described in Wikipedia, with the names of actual historical figures appearing alongside the fictional characters created for the purpose of the book.
Bucino and Fiammetta escape to Venice, where they attempt to begin their lives again. While there, they meet or are influenced by more historical figures, such as the artist Titian, the writer Pietro Aretino, the architect Jacopo Sansovino, Niccolo Machiavelli, and the healer/witch Elena "La Draga" Crusichi. With the exception of the architect and Machiavelli, these characters play large parts in the plot of the story, and in the end, we discover Fiammetta to be the unknown courtesan who posed for Titian's "Venus of Urbino" which depicts nothing from Urbino at all, but the painting eventually was owned by the Duke of Urbino and received its title from him.
Because the story is written from the point of view of Bucino, this book is unique in that a "deformed" character is the hero. In many books and movies, the hero must be perfect in appearance and morals, unless of course he is an anti-hero, in which case he must be perfect in appearance but a complete jerk. Bucino is neither a jerk, nor perfect in appearance. He is business-like, and can be gruff when business demands it, and occasionally makes mistakes like any human, but on the whole I think that he is a great character, loyal to Fiammetta, and kind to everyone he meets until they give him a reason not to be kind.
I would be extremely interested in seeing this book turned into a movie, if only because there are so many great actors out there who are passed up for the main roles because their growth was stunted or they don't look like Hollywood expects people to look. The exception would be Martin Klebba, who became fairly well-known after Pirates of the Caribbean, but who has since starred in a few projects. But lets face it, there are too few movies out there with abnormal-appearing actors in the main character roles.
For a book about a courtesan, this book is surprising in that there are no sex scenes. Sure, there are some pretty specific descriptions of body parts, but after the first few times, the reader begins to realize that these parts are tools of the trade for the characters and to omit those references would be like a book about a construction worker that omitted any reference to a hammer and nails. In fact, one of the things I particularly like was that the author was often able to use crude descriptions and beautiful poetry within the same sentence. Bucino mentions that this is something Fiammetta is able to do, and says that it is in a way a reflection of herself, however I would venture to argue that it is more a description of the cities of Rome and Venice- beautiful sculpture and architecture, holy and pious cities, that are also known for their corruption and prostitution.
The plot of the book was somewhat rambling, but still entertaining, especially in the last half of the book. It is also interesting to note that all the little adventures or episodes that occur become more intertwined in the last third or quarter of the book, and as the plot progresses, you begin to see how everything actually was connected. I enjoy books like that, although I'm sure it never happens in real life (which is probably why I enjoy books like that).
All in all, I would recommend this book to adults who are interested in non-conventional characters, the history of Italy (specifically Venice), or who have an interest in art with a preference for Titian over, say the artists with Ninja Turtle namesakes.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Faith of My Fathers
Faith of My Fathers, by John McCain (with Mark Salter)
I have not read very many memoirs or biographies of political figures. I have very little experience in the topic, "Life Stories of Politicians." I do not know if this book should rank highest of its kind, or even whether or not there ARE others of its kind. However, I did enjoy the book quite a bit.
This is a book that gives the reader an idea of where John McCain's life stands in relation to the lives of other members on his family tree. The son and grandson of four-star admirals, he has a lot to live up to. He also describes the martial history of many of his ancestors. One of my father's hobbies is genealogy, so I can appreciate the many hours that Senator McCain would have to put into gathering all that information. I know the names of one or two family members older than my grandfathers who served in some war or another but I could not tell you with any certainty what their accomplishments were, or whether they died in service or died long after the war was over. It struck me that the amount of genealogical research involved was almost as impressive as the list of military deeds dating back hundreds of years.
Also interesting to note is the Senator's humility. The book seems to be written from the point of view of an old man who is looking back at his life and reflecting that his actions were stupid, but that long-term regret is a waste of time. Better to regret things just enough that you do something to right the wrong you've done, but not to pine away forever about it. Despite the appearance of looking back on his life, its good to know that he is still alive ten years after writing the book and can now add "running for president" to his list of accomplishments.
During the presidential campaign this year, I noticed that Mr. McCain didn't seem to be phased by all the criticism regarding his choices or his beliefs. Some of the others in the political light tried to defend themselves regarding the question of experience, expertise, or what they believe. McCain seemed unapologetic, and rubbed it in the faces of his detractors by unapologetically picking Sarah Palin for a running mate. After reading the book, I now understand that that is simply his nature. He was not popular at the Naval Academy for refusing to submit to hazing. He tells the story that just before graduating from the Academy he had the opportunity to perform a complicated procedure linking two warships traveling at full speed, and did it without batting an eye. As a POW, he spoke his mind to his captors often during his five year captivity and was punished for it. Some could call it being pigheaded, others might say he was standing up for what he believed, and others might say he was just stupid. But the one thing that came across the strongest to me in his book is that whether his actions led to failure or to success, he did not care what people would say to him or do to him if he did them.
The one exception to that is his regard for his father. There is a story about when the Vietnamese tortured him so much that he broke, and signed a propaganda confession of his war crimes so that everyone would know that the son of an admiral thought America was the bad guy. The primary thing on his mind was not about what the other POWs thought or what the reporters would say, but "Does my father know? Will he ever talk to me again?" I find this interesting because it shows the contrast between the world in which Mr. McCain grew up and the world today. The role of fathers today has been undercut. People now do things regardless of the consequences to their family, to their friends, or even to themselves.
Another indication that the world McCain grew up in has changed is the concept of honor. In the several chapters on his time in Vietnam, we see that he followed the POW honor code (obedience to the highest commanding officer in captivity, refusing release until those captured first are released, refusing actions that will dishonor the US, refusing actions that will bring harm to a fellow POW). This is interesting to me because I know of very few people anymore who will make self-sacrificing decisions. I am not talking about your run-of-the-mill, driving your kids to dance practice and soccer games at the expense of your time. It does not mean taking some time out of your day to listen to the awful day your friend had. I am talking about decisions that will cost you your life or serious bodily harm for someone else's benefit. This kind of thing no longer happens, and to me, it makes the book a tribute to something I may see only very rarely in my lifetime.
One major problem I had with the book is that it was not organized. I love order. When you start telling me a story, you need to start at the beginning. I felt that the events in the book stood alone on little islands and instead of having a plan, I was in a little rowboat passing all the islands one by one, but not in any particular order. In my mind, it resembles the little black dotted path taken by Billy from The Family Circus when he is out playing in the yard.
This book started with the abbreviated life history of John Sidney McCain, Senior. Then it went to the even more brief story of his brother, Bill. We then go back in time to the American Revolution, the Civil War, the union of the McCains with the Youngs in 1877, a brief reference to Queen Mary of Scotland 300 years earlier, and then a gradual progression in time mentioning notable relatives, their accomplishments, and in what capacity and war they fought.
This same time travel issue is also evident in his descriptions of the Vietnam War. Each chapter in the section after his account of being shot down, appears to have a vague topic, rather than describing the events of a particular year in the order they occurred. Thus, the reader can learn something about the order in which McCain recieved news of the outside world chronologically and then in the next chapter we go back in time to learn about the quality of the various camps he was in (chronologically), and later go back in time again and learn that when he was in "the Zoo" something we learned about two chapters ago occurred, and when he was moved to "the Plantation" that other thing happened.
While this makes it more of a challenging read, it also gives the illusion of chatting with Mr. McCain himself and listening to him remember things about his life. People write books in chronological order. They recount their memories almost at random, as their brains bring the story to mind. So in that sense, it is definitely, without a doubt, a memoir.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in Vietnam War history, anyone interested in genealogy, anyone interested in the stories of POWs, anyone who claims they voted FOR McCain and not just AGAINST Obama, and anyone who wants to appreciate their father or forefathers.
I have not read very many memoirs or biographies of political figures. I have very little experience in the topic, "Life Stories of Politicians." I do not know if this book should rank highest of its kind, or even whether or not there ARE others of its kind. However, I did enjoy the book quite a bit.
This is a book that gives the reader an idea of where John McCain's life stands in relation to the lives of other members on his family tree. The son and grandson of four-star admirals, he has a lot to live up to. He also describes the martial history of many of his ancestors. One of my father's hobbies is genealogy, so I can appreciate the many hours that Senator McCain would have to put into gathering all that information. I know the names of one or two family members older than my grandfathers who served in some war or another but I could not tell you with any certainty what their accomplishments were, or whether they died in service or died long after the war was over. It struck me that the amount of genealogical research involved was almost as impressive as the list of military deeds dating back hundreds of years.
Also interesting to note is the Senator's humility. The book seems to be written from the point of view of an old man who is looking back at his life and reflecting that his actions were stupid, but that long-term regret is a waste of time. Better to regret things just enough that you do something to right the wrong you've done, but not to pine away forever about it. Despite the appearance of looking back on his life, its good to know that he is still alive ten years after writing the book and can now add "running for president" to his list of accomplishments.
During the presidential campaign this year, I noticed that Mr. McCain didn't seem to be phased by all the criticism regarding his choices or his beliefs. Some of the others in the political light tried to defend themselves regarding the question of experience, expertise, or what they believe. McCain seemed unapologetic, and rubbed it in the faces of his detractors by unapologetically picking Sarah Palin for a running mate. After reading the book, I now understand that that is simply his nature. He was not popular at the Naval Academy for refusing to submit to hazing. He tells the story that just before graduating from the Academy he had the opportunity to perform a complicated procedure linking two warships traveling at full speed, and did it without batting an eye. As a POW, he spoke his mind to his captors often during his five year captivity and was punished for it. Some could call it being pigheaded, others might say he was standing up for what he believed, and others might say he was just stupid. But the one thing that came across the strongest to me in his book is that whether his actions led to failure or to success, he did not care what people would say to him or do to him if he did them.
The one exception to that is his regard for his father. There is a story about when the Vietnamese tortured him so much that he broke, and signed a propaganda confession of his war crimes so that everyone would know that the son of an admiral thought America was the bad guy. The primary thing on his mind was not about what the other POWs thought or what the reporters would say, but "Does my father know? Will he ever talk to me again?" I find this interesting because it shows the contrast between the world in which Mr. McCain grew up and the world today. The role of fathers today has been undercut. People now do things regardless of the consequences to their family, to their friends, or even to themselves.
Another indication that the world McCain grew up in has changed is the concept of honor. In the several chapters on his time in Vietnam, we see that he followed the POW honor code (obedience to the highest commanding officer in captivity, refusing release until those captured first are released, refusing actions that will dishonor the US, refusing actions that will bring harm to a fellow POW). This is interesting to me because I know of very few people anymore who will make self-sacrificing decisions. I am not talking about your run-of-the-mill, driving your kids to dance practice and soccer games at the expense of your time. It does not mean taking some time out of your day to listen to the awful day your friend had. I am talking about decisions that will cost you your life or serious bodily harm for someone else's benefit. This kind of thing no longer happens, and to me, it makes the book a tribute to something I may see only very rarely in my lifetime.
One major problem I had with the book is that it was not organized. I love order. When you start telling me a story, you need to start at the beginning. I felt that the events in the book stood alone on little islands and instead of having a plan, I was in a little rowboat passing all the islands one by one, but not in any particular order. In my mind, it resembles the little black dotted path taken by Billy from The Family Circus when he is out playing in the yard.
This book started with the abbreviated life history of John Sidney McCain, Senior. Then it went to the even more brief story of his brother, Bill. We then go back in time to the American Revolution, the Civil War, the union of the McCains with the Youngs in 1877, a brief reference to Queen Mary of Scotland 300 years earlier, and then a gradual progression in time mentioning notable relatives, their accomplishments, and in what capacity and war they fought.
This same time travel issue is also evident in his descriptions of the Vietnam War. Each chapter in the section after his account of being shot down, appears to have a vague topic, rather than describing the events of a particular year in the order they occurred. Thus, the reader can learn something about the order in which McCain recieved news of the outside world chronologically and then in the next chapter we go back in time to learn about the quality of the various camps he was in (chronologically), and later go back in time again and learn that when he was in "the Zoo" something we learned about two chapters ago occurred, and when he was moved to "the Plantation" that other thing happened.
While this makes it more of a challenging read, it also gives the illusion of chatting with Mr. McCain himself and listening to him remember things about his life. People write books in chronological order. They recount their memories almost at random, as their brains bring the story to mind. So in that sense, it is definitely, without a doubt, a memoir.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in Vietnam War history, anyone interested in genealogy, anyone interested in the stories of POWs, anyone who claims they voted FOR McCain and not just AGAINST Obama, and anyone who wants to appreciate their father or forefathers.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Shen of the Sea
Shen of the Sea, by Arthur Bowie Chrisman
This book is a compilation of Chinese legends, retold to be suitable for children. The first thing I noticed about this book is that it appears to be written by a white dude. The stories are exciting, and the names are stereotypical (Ching Chang Ling Yung etc). Not a very thought provoking book, but entertaining.
This book is a compilation of Chinese legends, retold to be suitable for children. The first thing I noticed about this book is that it appears to be written by a white dude. The stories are exciting, and the names are stereotypical (Ching Chang Ling Yung etc). Not a very thought provoking book, but entertaining.
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Fisherman's Testament
The Fisherman's Testament, by Cesar Vidal
This was a good read. It was simple and was not a daunting length. Mr. Vidal wrote it in Spanish and it was translated into English quite well. In fact, despite its simplicity, I found several words (in English) whose definitions I did not know. It brought back memories of 4th grade, when every book I read became vocabulary homework. This was one of the several ways in which I found the book edifying.
The basic premise of the book is that the main character, Vitalis, is a Roman soldier at the end of his life, and is telling a story about an event that occurred shortly before his retirement. The event was Emperor Nero's interrogation of a Jew named Simon, with the Greek name Petros and the Jewish nickname Kephas. Anyone know who that is?? Yep, Simon Peter.
The story itself, as a courtroom drama, is engaging and exciting. Because our knowledge of Peter is based on things found in the Bible and other sources, it is often Peter's testimony TO the non-believers, rather than THEIR reactions to what he is saying. I found the book fascinating because I got to understand how a first century Roman would have reacted to the story. Jesus emphasized compassion for the poor, a "strange" fascination for females, and a kingdom in which the rulers are not motivated by greed but by servanthood. It was completely backwards, and furthermore, by being backwards (and not motivated by greed) it did not threaten the Roman empire in the least. (Nero still found it enough of a threat to instigate a wave of persecution against Christians).
Another enlightening aspect of the book is a look into Roman culture. I have already alluded to the treatment of underclass people. The old or sick were left to die, or ostracized to prevent the spread of disease. They were never healed, so Jesus' miraculous healings were that much more amazing to them. The story of Jesus healing Jairus' ten year old daughter was amusing to me, because the Romans could not believe why He would have healed a female child. Women were seen as a burden to society, so a family would never have more than one female child. If another was born, it was left on the roadside, in a ditch, or otherwise disposed of. It was also pointed out that when Jesus alluded to his death, the only follower that "got it" was a woman, the only people that followed Jesus to the cross to see him to the end were women, the only ones to venture out of doors (being unafraid to be recognized in the streets as a follower of Jesus) to go to the tomb were women, and subsequently, they were the first to see evidence of his resurrection. This emphasis on women in and of itself was enough to astonish the Romans listening to the court proceedings.
Overall, I thought it was a nice change of perspective. Instead of seeing the traditional Jewish perspective, or Roman-centurion-serving-in-Judea perspective, we get to see the customs and court proceedings in Rome- the capital of the world in Jesus' day- as well as an internal perspective on how the message of Jesus would have been received. There is even a "surprise revelation" like in all courtroom dramas, which is unusual for me. One would think that having spent the majority of my life studying the Bible and reading Bible studies and commentaries, and spending practically every Sunday listening to a sermon, there would be no more surprises for me. But no, it appears that there is always a new way of seeing every story.
I highly recommend this book, especially for someone who is curious about the person of Jesus (who IS he?) or someone who loves ancient history.
This was a good read. It was simple and was not a daunting length. Mr. Vidal wrote it in Spanish and it was translated into English quite well. In fact, despite its simplicity, I found several words (in English) whose definitions I did not know. It brought back memories of 4th grade, when every book I read became vocabulary homework. This was one of the several ways in which I found the book edifying.
The basic premise of the book is that the main character, Vitalis, is a Roman soldier at the end of his life, and is telling a story about an event that occurred shortly before his retirement. The event was Emperor Nero's interrogation of a Jew named Simon, with the Greek name Petros and the Jewish nickname Kephas. Anyone know who that is?? Yep, Simon Peter.
The story itself, as a courtroom drama, is engaging and exciting. Because our knowledge of Peter is based on things found in the Bible and other sources, it is often Peter's testimony TO the non-believers, rather than THEIR reactions to what he is saying. I found the book fascinating because I got to understand how a first century Roman would have reacted to the story. Jesus emphasized compassion for the poor, a "strange" fascination for females, and a kingdom in which the rulers are not motivated by greed but by servanthood. It was completely backwards, and furthermore, by being backwards (and not motivated by greed) it did not threaten the Roman empire in the least. (Nero still found it enough of a threat to instigate a wave of persecution against Christians).
Another enlightening aspect of the book is a look into Roman culture. I have already alluded to the treatment of underclass people. The old or sick were left to die, or ostracized to prevent the spread of disease. They were never healed, so Jesus' miraculous healings were that much more amazing to them. The story of Jesus healing Jairus' ten year old daughter was amusing to me, because the Romans could not believe why He would have healed a female child. Women were seen as a burden to society, so a family would never have more than one female child. If another was born, it was left on the roadside, in a ditch, or otherwise disposed of. It was also pointed out that when Jesus alluded to his death, the only follower that "got it" was a woman, the only people that followed Jesus to the cross to see him to the end were women, the only ones to venture out of doors (being unafraid to be recognized in the streets as a follower of Jesus) to go to the tomb were women, and subsequently, they were the first to see evidence of his resurrection. This emphasis on women in and of itself was enough to astonish the Romans listening to the court proceedings.
Overall, I thought it was a nice change of perspective. Instead of seeing the traditional Jewish perspective, or Roman-centurion-serving-in-Judea perspective, we get to see the customs and court proceedings in Rome- the capital of the world in Jesus' day- as well as an internal perspective on how the message of Jesus would have been received. There is even a "surprise revelation" like in all courtroom dramas, which is unusual for me. One would think that having spent the majority of my life studying the Bible and reading Bible studies and commentaries, and spending practically every Sunday listening to a sermon, there would be no more surprises for me. But no, it appears that there is always a new way of seeing every story.
I highly recommend this book, especially for someone who is curious about the person of Jesus (who IS he?) or someone who loves ancient history.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Night of the Wind
Night of the Wind, by Dan Cherry
This book is about a life-altering tornado that occurred in southern Michigan on Palm Sunday, 1965. It is a sort of narrative reconstruction based on interviews with the eyewitnesses to the damage, the victims, and their families.
"A tornado?" you might ask. "The United States gets hundreds of them a year. It couldn't have been that bad." Try saying that to someone who was there.
At first glance, this book simply tells a story, in time increments, about a tragedy. But looking back on my reading, I discovered that the author skillfully worked in little memorable details that taught the reader something of the history and culture of the area while telling the story.
For example, instead of stating "In 1965, tornado and storm were monitored by radar storm watchers in Detroit, who then relayed information to the news stations (a long process)," the author worked the details into the story. So at 7:00 PM, which is the first chapter, the author describes the evening activities for many of the characters involved. At 7:03 PM a tornado was reported locally in southern Michigan, but as it moved north, no other counties were alerted. Giving the readers the knowledge of the tornado, while the characters involved had no knowledge of the coming disaster heightens suspense, while also subtly emphasizing in the story that the communication about the weather which is so important today, was almost non-existent back then.
Having read the book, I feel a greater sense of connection with the people in the communities of Manitou Beach, Adrian, Addison, Devil's Lake, Onsted, and others in the Lenawee County area. I feel that if I were to visit the area today, I would feel a sense of familiarity despite the fact that the damage I saw in the pictures no longer is visible today.
The sense of danger the book instilled was also profound. It was not profound in the sense of instilling an unhealthy fear of storms, but it was just enough to make a person take time out of their day to remember the deaths of those involved when the sky takes on a funny color. In fact, I found myself on Palm Sunday of this year, without even realizing it, searching the sky and thinking about the tornado of 43 years ago, despite living in the foothills of the Appalachians, where in my lifetime (24 years), we have had two tornadoes that were barely large enough to take shingles off the roofs. For this reason, I felt that the book was a wonderful tribute to the memory of those who lost their lives on that night.
I would highly recommend this book to history buffs, storm watchers, and those who live in the affected area. However, it has recently gone out of print. HAHA sucks to be you... no seriously, if you want to read it, contact me because I know the author and if I present him with enough names I might be able to petition for it to go back into print. (He's gonna read this and now he's probably rolling his eyes at me...) OK thats all, final verdict: its a great book, a suspenseful read, and how history books OUGHT to be written!
This book is about a life-altering tornado that occurred in southern Michigan on Palm Sunday, 1965. It is a sort of narrative reconstruction based on interviews with the eyewitnesses to the damage, the victims, and their families.
"A tornado?" you might ask. "The United States gets hundreds of them a year. It couldn't have been that bad." Try saying that to someone who was there.
At first glance, this book simply tells a story, in time increments, about a tragedy. But looking back on my reading, I discovered that the author skillfully worked in little memorable details that taught the reader something of the history and culture of the area while telling the story.
For example, instead of stating "In 1965, tornado and storm were monitored by radar storm watchers in Detroit, who then relayed information to the news stations (a long process)," the author worked the details into the story. So at 7:00 PM, which is the first chapter, the author describes the evening activities for many of the characters involved. At 7:03 PM a tornado was reported locally in southern Michigan, but as it moved north, no other counties were alerted. Giving the readers the knowledge of the tornado, while the characters involved had no knowledge of the coming disaster heightens suspense, while also subtly emphasizing in the story that the communication about the weather which is so important today, was almost non-existent back then.
Having read the book, I feel a greater sense of connection with the people in the communities of Manitou Beach, Adrian, Addison, Devil's Lake, Onsted, and others in the Lenawee County area. I feel that if I were to visit the area today, I would feel a sense of familiarity despite the fact that the damage I saw in the pictures no longer is visible today.
The sense of danger the book instilled was also profound. It was not profound in the sense of instilling an unhealthy fear of storms, but it was just enough to make a person take time out of their day to remember the deaths of those involved when the sky takes on a funny color. In fact, I found myself on Palm Sunday of this year, without even realizing it, searching the sky and thinking about the tornado of 43 years ago, despite living in the foothills of the Appalachians, where in my lifetime (24 years), we have had two tornadoes that were barely large enough to take shingles off the roofs. For this reason, I felt that the book was a wonderful tribute to the memory of those who lost their lives on that night.
I would highly recommend this book to history buffs, storm watchers, and those who live in the affected area. However, it has recently gone out of print. HAHA sucks to be you... no seriously, if you want to read it, contact me because I know the author and if I present him with enough names I might be able to petition for it to go back into print. (He's gonna read this and now he's probably rolling his eyes at me...) OK thats all, final verdict: its a great book, a suspenseful read, and how history books OUGHT to be written!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon, by (presumably) Solomon
A conversation this morning caused me to open my Bible and read Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs, as it is sometimes called). I have read this one before, but it is a classic, and always an interesting read. While I have always been fascinated by love stories, I do tend to lean toward the tragic ones that involve pain and suffering. Song of Solomon has none of that, and it is refreshing not to be depressed while reading.
The book is a collection of love notes from the Beloved (the girl) to the Lover (the guy) and vice versa. Interjecting occasionally are the Friends, indicating to me that at least at some points in their relationship, the Beloved and the Lover are guilty of some unashamed PDA. There is good balance though, occasionally they also slip down to their vineyard for some alone time, where they sing the praises of each other's physical characteristics.
While these things are exciting and I someday hope to experience this kind of love with my husband, I think it would take me about 3 weeks to get tired of it. I prefer a deeper, more calm kind of love. I would have liked it very much if Song of Solomon had a sequel. The whole portrayal of being constantly gaga over your lover seems unrealistic after the honeymoon stage wears off. The book in the Bible directly after Song of Solomon should be Song of Solomon, Part 2: The 10-Years-Down-The-Road Love Story. It should depict the Lover and the Beloved when her boobs are sagging and the kids are fighting and they still love each other but their minds have matured so now they are enchanted by a glint in the eye, a tender look, a caring spirit. They can no longer sing the praises of their bodies (her breasts go from "like fawns of gazelles" to "sea cucumbers") but they can sing the praises of the things they have accomplished together and how beautiful their kids are and how good a father or mother they are and how nice it is to sit and chat over a cup of coffee. That's the kind of love I ultimately want.
Still... I'm young. It would be really cool to chase someone through a vineyard and have somebody tell me my eyes are "like doves." At least for the first three weeks after I'm married. After that, VOMIT.
A conversation this morning caused me to open my Bible and read Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs, as it is sometimes called). I have read this one before, but it is a classic, and always an interesting read. While I have always been fascinated by love stories, I do tend to lean toward the tragic ones that involve pain and suffering. Song of Solomon has none of that, and it is refreshing not to be depressed while reading.
The book is a collection of love notes from the Beloved (the girl) to the Lover (the guy) and vice versa. Interjecting occasionally are the Friends, indicating to me that at least at some points in their relationship, the Beloved and the Lover are guilty of some unashamed PDA. There is good balance though, occasionally they also slip down to their vineyard for some alone time, where they sing the praises of each other's physical characteristics.
While these things are exciting and I someday hope to experience this kind of love with my husband, I think it would take me about 3 weeks to get tired of it. I prefer a deeper, more calm kind of love. I would have liked it very much if Song of Solomon had a sequel. The whole portrayal of being constantly gaga over your lover seems unrealistic after the honeymoon stage wears off. The book in the Bible directly after Song of Solomon should be Song of Solomon, Part 2: The 10-Years-Down-The-Road Love Story. It should depict the Lover and the Beloved when her boobs are sagging and the kids are fighting and they still love each other but their minds have matured so now they are enchanted by a glint in the eye, a tender look, a caring spirit. They can no longer sing the praises of their bodies (her breasts go from "like fawns of gazelles" to "sea cucumbers") but they can sing the praises of the things they have accomplished together and how beautiful their kids are and how good a father or mother they are and how nice it is to sit and chat over a cup of coffee. That's the kind of love I ultimately want.
Still... I'm young. It would be really cool to chase someone through a vineyard and have somebody tell me my eyes are "like doves." At least for the first three weeks after I'm married. After that, VOMIT.
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