The End of Our Exploring by Matthew Lee Anderson

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The End of Our Exploring: A Book about Questioning and the Confidence of FaithTakeaway: An attitude of doubt and the ability to ask a good question are two different things.

One of the problems of reading a large number of books on top of one another is that inevitably the books end up in conversation with one another.  I started The End of Our Exploring right as I was finishing up The Art of Letting Go: The Wisdom of St Francis.  Richard Rohr, a Franciscan Priest, is known for his books on spiritual development, especially male rituals of adulthood.  So even though the two books are about totally different issues, both Rohr and Anderson spend time talking about how pain relates to questioning and spiritual growth.

Rohr expressly says that pain is a necessary component to both spiritual and emotional growth.  But Anderson suggests it is a weakness of contemporary Christianity that “we often do not begin to question until the megaphone of suffering has awakened us from our sleep.”  Maybe Anderson needs to allow us as Christians to have more pain.  But I think they are both right, pain and discomfort often present during growth.

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Offsite Review: After You Believe by NT Wright

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After YOu Believe: Why Christian Character Matters by NT WrightI have not read a lot of NT Wright lately, but I have read many of his books.  One of the important parts of reading an author widely is that you can see a broad view of their theology (or whatever they write about.)  But because you always read with your own perspective, you will miss things that others, with a different perspective see in the same text.

As anyone that reads much by me, I am not reformed.  But I do take seriously reformed perspectives.  One of the really well written reformed blogs is Mockingbird.  It is particularly good at reviewing (and thinking theologically) about contemporary film, TV, literature and cultural trends.

Recently Mockingbird posted a review of NT Wright’s After You Believe (which was titled Virtue Reborn in the UK.)  I have started (but not finished) After You Believe twice.  Both times I just got distracted by other books.  And both times I picked it up after I had already read a number of Wright’s books recently.

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Cashelmara by Susan Howatch

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Cashelmara by Susan HowatchSummary: A multi-generational family drama based around the Irish estate Cashelmara.

Cashelmara was originally published in 1974. It is a good example of the importance of the digital book market. Open Road is a publisher that mostly focuses on former bestsellers that are now out of print.

After reading Susan Howatch’s Church of England Series this spring, I have decided to pick up anything written by Susan Howatch when it goes on sale.

I was surprised that Cashelmara was told in a very similar format to the Church of England series (just compressed into one very long book.) Both have six sections, each with a different person narrating the story from their perspective.

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Hourglass by Myra Mcentire

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I am reposting this review because this book, and the following book are on sale for $1.99.

Hourglass

Summary: Emerson discovers that she is not just a messed up kid that people think is crazy.  She is actually a time traveler.

I am not sure why Young Adult literature seems to attract me so often.  Maybe because the themes are often so clear, or that they are often quick reads or that I usually actually like the characters (unlike so many of the adult oriented fiction that I have read recently.)

Regardless, this is the opening of a series that I mostly liked.  Emerson is a 17 year old girl that has spent the last few years trying to escape from two things.  1) Her parents died.  And 2) she can see ghosts.  She has been treated by a variety of mental health professionals and quacks.  Her brother (her guardian) has found yet another person to work with her.  And being that this is a young adult book, he (Michael) is hot, and just a couple years older than her.

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Divergent by Veronica Roth

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Summary: A utopian future that realizes it dystopian potential.

If you are impatiently waiting for the Hunger Games movie, you should pick this up.  It is a trilogy as well, but only this first book is out.  The second book will be released May 1, 2012.

The main character Beatrice, is part of a faction devoted to selflessness.  As she approaches her time of choosing which faction to join (the others are devoted to bravery, knowledge, truth telling and peace) she realizes she is not nearly as selfless as she should be to continue to live with her family’s faction.  The factions were established to keep peace and create the perfect society after the last great war.  However, the tentions between the factions are increasing.

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Tell It Slant: A Conversation on the Language of Jesus in His Stories and Prayers by Eugene H. Peterson

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Cover of "Tell It Slant: A Conversation o...
Cover via Amazon

Takeaway: If theology was taught like this more often, it would not be such a bad word for so much of the church.

I am a fan of Eugene Peterson. I think he is the best living narrative theologian out there. Others write about narrative theology and using story to communicate the gospel. Peterson writes as a pastor and doesn’t just write about theology, but shows us how to read scripture and how to understand the gospel. He does theology.

Tell it Slant is another in Peterson’s recent series of books. I listened to this one on audio as I have the others. Peterson is best, at least for me, on audio. Grover Gardner is a great narrator and give just the right voice to Peterson.

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Peter Pan by James Barrie

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Peter Pan by JM BarrieI have always loved the Peter Pan story.  I didn’t realize how much I loved it until I found myself watching those new Tinker Bell movies on Netflix with my son for the 47th time and not wanting to gouge my eyes out. I began wondering more and more about the mythos behind Tinker Bell and decided that it was time for me to take a look at the original ideas thought up by James Barrie so many years ago.

The book Peter Pan, which interestingly enough was actually first written as a stage play in 1904 and then adapted and expanded into a novel in 1911, was originally given the title Peter and Wendy and over the years became retitled to what it is known as today.  I fell in love with Peter Pan’s story when I first saw as a little girl a VHS recording of the stage musical staring Mary Martin.  I have since then seen Kathy Rigby play Peter Pan and I practically have every minute of the musical memorized.

After reading the book, I have discovered that of all of the adaptations of the book that I have seen that the musical is bar far the closest to the original novel.  There are, however, some aspects to Disney’s 1953 animated movie version of Peter Pan that are not in the musical but are directly from the book and there are some aspects (few though they are) that are apparent in the movie Hook that are found in the novel.  For example, the rescue of Tiger Lilly is more accurately portrayed in the Disney movie than in the musical and complexities of Captain Hook are more clearly witnessed in the movie Hook than in the musical.  Also, it should be noted that Peter has a darker side, which has been portrayed more recently in the television series Once Upon A Time.

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Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

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Eleanor & Park by Rainbow RowellI am pleased to report that Eleanor and Park By Rainbow Rowell is another book that can be included in a list of books that is redeeming the young adult genre. No vampires. No fights to the death. No flying witches. This story is about two individuals who both have home lives that could be better (that is an understatement for one of them) and yet they find friendship, love and an escape with each other.

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