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Post by Josh on Feb 7, 2007 21:29:09 GMT -8
Originally posted 9/20/2006
Awesome! Yep, the formatting makes it a lot more fun!
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aimee
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Posts: 136
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Post by aimee on Apr 17, 2007 21:16:49 GMT -8
So, I am currently, very patiently working my way through 'War and Peace'... my beloved read this work several years back and I have tried reading it in the past, and now have finally brought myself to be commited to finishing it even if it kills me I am really loving Tolstoy's description and well developed characters. There are some very interesting messages and morals woven throughout the book, and some have really meant something to me, namely that there is a futility in searching for happieness through relationships, wealth, food, good works, power, ect... also in family. He doesn't extend his moral further to include that the only true complete fulfillment is through the complete surrender to Christ, but he touches on it in a vague way here and there. I am hoping the moral has some continuance throughout the book, and that he doesn't leave it flat, but we shall see, I'm only half-way now. So far I have only two favorite characters, and they are Princess Marya (Prince Andrey's sister) and Marya Dmitryevna.... oohh, and I can't forget the cannonier Tushin. Others have their moments, but so far it's these three.
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Post by Alex on Apr 17, 2007 22:32:05 GMT -8
I'm afraid I'm not terribly well read, much less than my wife.
"Mere Christianity" - C.S. Lewis Mark Twain "Flowers for Algernon" "War and Peace" "Going after Cacciato" "All Quiet on the Western Front"
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aimee
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Post by aimee on Apr 18, 2007 18:10:41 GMT -8
So, I haven't read either "Flowers for Algenon" or "Going after Cassiado"... What are the plots on these two? I almost have a vague impression of "Flowers for Algenon" being about a mentally disabled/unstable person?
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Post by Alex on Apr 18, 2007 19:20:00 GMT -8
'Flowers for Algernon' was a novelette written in 1959, and made into a move titled 'Charlie' later on, one or both are popular required material in schools, or at least were in my day. I don't know if schools use books anymore. Without spoiling too much it concerns a partially successful experiment to correct a person's intelligence disability, and the experience he goes through. A read I can easily recommend.
'Going after Cacciato' is a fairly complex novel about a foot soldier manning an observation post during the Vietnam War. The story takes place over a couple hours of the soldier's life. It is largely about the psychological experience of the soldier, and shifts between immediate experiences, memories, and daydreaming. Not a simple read but I think was well worth the experience. Heavy.
I realize I need to add:
'To Kill a Mockingbird' - Easy to recommend, great vehicle for discourse 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' - If you feel like a jaunt into some philosophy chit chat
I have to admit a lot of these are based on having been required reading in various schools. Not that I read them in school, just that I felt like a should and went back to them later. I still can't recommend 'A Tale of Two Cities', 'Great Expectations', 'The Great Gatsby', or 'The Outsiders'; they didn't really work for my but your mileage may vary.
'A Brief History of Time' is not a bad read if you want to poke around in some physics
'Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity' - a wonderful presentation of the people involved in developing electricity, seemingly a dry topic but written so well it's truthfully quite engaging. Easy to recommend to a general audience.
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Post by michelle on Apr 18, 2007 19:38:53 GMT -8
"From Sea to Shining Sea" by Alexander Thom - loosely based on George Clark's (of Lewis & Clark) family, including part of the Lewis and Clark expidition.
"The Brethren" by Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong - insight into the Supreme Court during the early Warren Burger days (Watergate, school busing, other decisions from 69-75).
"The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant - loosely based on the story of Jacob, Leah, Rachel, etc.
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aimee
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Post by aimee on May 15, 2007 17:34:52 GMT -8
So, another author, or rather authoress I enjoy, and am currently re-reading is Dorothy L. Sayers. As I think I've mentioned before I enjoy a well-written dectective fiction, and she is (in my opinion) one of the best. I love her 'Lord Peter Wimsey' stories. Dorothy Sayers was one of the first women to recieve a degree at Oxford. And as it turns out she was a good friend to C.S. Lewis. She was also friends with other inklings and her works were read by such personages as J.R. Tolkien (who disliked her later works apparently). She also wrote works on christianity.
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Post by Josh on May 16, 2007 15:46:55 GMT -8
I've wanted to read Sayers for so long now, I just need a nudge. Another one is Flannery O'Connor (I finally read something by her this year after meaning to start for so long). It's so funny how all these authors are tied together (Inklings and beyond)
Another author somewhat tied into this web is Frederick Buechner. Have you ever read anything by him? I've read three or four of his books.
My favorite band (Daniel Amos) has an album dedicated to all these authors. Here's the lyrics to the title song, "Mr. Buechner's Dream", which I'm sure you'd enjoy:
Mr. Buechner's Dream
from the album "Mr Buechner's Dream" Music by Daniel Amos, Words by T. S. Taylor ©2001 Zoom Daddy/BMI
Old Chesterton with his cherubs face Greets Lewis by the fireplace And Miss O'Connor dressed in southern grace Can't keep up with Mr. William's pace
The night concealed But love revealed The players in this scene And Wimsey rides The Wizard's Tide In Mr. Buechner's dream
Eliot in tweed and smoke Laughs at G.K.'s bawdy joke And Carroll in his Oxford's coat Pulls a talking rabbit from his cloak
Arriving late Percy gravitates To miss Sayers and Mr. Greene And Wimsey rides The Wizard's Tide In Mr. Buechner's dream
It just dawned on me who the "Wimsey" is..
"Wizard's Tide" is a book by Buechner.
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aimee
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Posts: 136
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Post by aimee on May 23, 2007 15:10:18 GMT -8
I like the lyrics :)
Do read Sayers! :) I very much like her writing style and am therefore prejudiced towards her, but I think she is definately worth the read. I haven't read any of her works on Christianity, so I can't vouch for them, but her fiction is good.
I haven't read Frederick Buechner or Flannery O'Connor, but I am always on the lookout for a good new author (good being the operative), so I will have to keep them in mind once I get through my Sayers fixation. I am also still plugging away at War and Peace (almost at the end now) so it may be a bit before I pick up a new piece.
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Post by Josh on Aug 29, 2007 18:57:25 GMT -8
Just finished J.R.R. Tolkien's The Children of Hurin, released very posthumously (34 years after Tolkien's death) by his son, Christopher Tolkien.
It's the more fully fleshed out story of Turin, who is a character in the Silmarillion.
It is a woefully tragic, heart-wrenched tale about doom and destiny with a very Norse feel to it. Also, it's insights into the nature of evil are amazing. Sauron is but a pale shadow in comparison to his master Morgoth, the satan-like character in this tale. And Tolkien's very Christian reflections about the nature of evil struck a major chord with me as I was reading.
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aimee
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Post by aimee on Jan 7, 2008 19:57:44 GMT -8
So, since it is post-Christmas and I have a little time now, I am looking around for something to read.... Specifically, something light, possibly science fiction, well written, with interesting plot and character development. Oh, and clean Any suggestions???
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Post by meghan on Jan 9, 2008 10:23:58 GMT -8
wow. looking at this I realize I read close to 0 religious books.
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Post by Josh on Jan 9, 2008 10:57:38 GMT -8
Meghan, Did you get the impression that others on this thread do "tend to read 'christian' books? Or is that just in thinking about your own reading habits? Though I like book with themes that build my faith, I shy away from the term "christian book" because I don't find making distinctions between "christian" and "secular" very helpful. Some of the books I have seriously benefitted from were either a) not written by christians or b) not about christianity in an overt way* Also, there are a lot of "christian books" that make for better paper weights and doorstop than good reading. Still, I suppose a lot of my choices do come off as pretty overtly faith-related. But that's just me. One thing I like about a lot of the authors some have mentioned here (like Sayers, Tolkien, Buechner, and Doestoevsky) is that although they are Christians, you don't usually find their books at Christian Supply. I'm starting to use that as a criterion for how good a book is (just kidding... mostly) I see a lot of history-related books and fiction on here as well. What kinds of things do you read? * in another sense, though, everything that is "praiseworthy, excellent, admiration, true, etc.. is, in effect, about our faith.
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aimee
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Post by aimee on Jan 9, 2008 21:17:57 GMT -8
Lol! I totally relate to the 'Christian books' viewpoint you have taken ... My favorite quotes of your rant are: "better paper weights and doorstops" and "One thing I like about a lot of the authors some have mentioned here (like Sayers, Tolkien, Buechner, and Doestoevsky) is that although they are Christians, you don't usually find their books at Christian Supply. I'm starting to use that as a criterion for how good a book is (just kidding... mostly)" Personally, I avoid christian book supply stores' fiction section (if not the entire store) like I avoid brussel sprouts. Going into it gives me the chills, and finding well-written books there is like finding nice, well-fitting clothes that you won't regret later at Goodwill...... they may exist, but few and far between. ;D
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Post by Douglas on Jan 10, 2008 7:30:19 GMT -8
Most "christian" book stores make me slightly sick to my stomach. I have found 2 through that are not at all the normal fluff. One is Pilgrims books on Stark Street and the other is Windows Book Seller located on the Multnomah Bible College campus. www.multnomah.edu. They are both available online. www.pilgrimdiscount.comwww.windowsbooks.comPilgrims has a huge theology section and they specialize in classic authors. Mostly from the reformed tradition. They also have a lot of greek and hebrew reference tools for anyone interested. Windows Book sellers has really surprised me though. it is rare to find a christian book store that covers more than just their own theological persuasion. Windows has an incredible selection of authors from catholic, protestant, orthodox (greek and eastern) as well as neo-orthodox European authors. If you dont know what any of those categorizes are dont worry. They just have an excellent selection and include authors from an incredible variety of theological and cultural backgrounds. I can honestly say that i have never been in a book store like it. I highly recommend it. They have a couple other location in Oregon (one in eugene i think) but i have only been to the Multnomah location.
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Post by christopher on Jan 10, 2008 9:43:02 GMT -8
Thanks for those links. I like Pilgrims also, but I've never heard of the Multnomah one.
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Post by Josh on Jan 10, 2008 17:05:53 GMT -8
Marcus was just singing the praises of this "multnomah bookstore" (must be the "windows" you speak of) which, he says isn't owned by multnomah but a really cool couple whom he has a lot of respect for.
I used to really like Pilgrim's but that has soured over the years. What bugs (personally) me is how theologically selective they are in what they choose to sell. You'd never find a catholic author there (not even Chesterton). Their apologetics section is increasingly (over the years) decidedly biased toward young-earth creationism. I especially hate that they stock a book attacking an author I respect (Dr. Hugh Ross) and in recent years haven't stocked any of his books in the way of counter-balance.
It's a great place for cheaper books/ used christian books, as well as Puritan writings. But their narrow representation of christian literature and apparent assumption that to sell a book means somehow to endorse it really bothers me- especially when we're talking about excluding authors who all agree on matters of first importance to our faith.
Sorry, a bit of a rant.
There's a shop in Cannon Beach that I really dig (the Potter's Wheel? I think). At first glance it looks typical (with all the knick-knacks and everything) but their book section, though small, is stocking with all the best authors (in my opinion) and with hard to find books. I've talked to the owner before and some workers and we had a good conversation about the difficulties of owning a Christian bookstore and how if you want to stay open, you've got to sell the knick-knacks and popular titles, but that their passion is really for the quality books which, apparently against economic wisdom, they make prominent space for on their shelves. I told them they have my patronage when I visit Cannon Beach because I can always get my Chesterton or MacDonald fix when I head there.
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