100 Book Challenge—Book #12 The Way of Ignorance by Wendell Berry

100 Book Challenge—Book #12 The Way of Ignorance by Wendell Berry

It’s hard to write a review of a compilation of essays, particularly ones as diverse as Berry’s essays. Some are religious, some are purely environmental, but all speak to my soul. Wendell Berry has been a personal favorite since my week at Bethlehem Farm when Jake Olzen introduced him to me. Since then, I’ve been in love.

I think there is much to learn from him, even when I don’t agree. His love and firm belief in the beauty of nature and his wonderful language, so thoughtful and elegant in spite of his country boy tongue, deliver his message well.

I would recommend reading this book or anything else he writes, particularly his poetry. For my friends who are more theological, the reason I bought this particular book was that I wanted to read his essay “The Burden of the Gospels.” His reflection on what it means to live life more abundantly is thought provoking, though no always exactly in agreement with what we might hear in our classes. But Berry is wise, as he should be in his late seventies, and wonderful to listen to. I recommend him.  

100 Book Challenge—Book #9-10 The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

100 Book Challenge—Book #9-11 The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Yes, I finally gave into all the hype (just in time for the movies) and read the trilogy… which I finished in less than three days. I literally stayed up all night reading the last one because I NEEDED to find out how it would all end.

The first book was wonderful, but disappointing in the lack of character development, although looking back I think I was a little too hard on Katniss, who wasn’t exactly given a lot of time for processing all the experiences she was having. The later books are definitely better at this, as she learns to cope and learns more about who she is.

These books are well written, and I think are a good response to the crap that kids have been reading (Twilight, for example). They also have a message that should be listened to about the state of government. Futuristic novels usually do.

The characters are lovable, the world believable (perhaps because like Tolkien, Collins has written of our own world while integrating strange new things that make it seem almost foreign but familiar at the same time). I truly loved these books and continue to think of them and process them. If you haven’t read them, do. They are REALLY good books.

Side note: The movie was also good. I enjoyed it immensely. However, nothing will ever beat a good book, no matter how good the movie (or cute the actor) is.

K 

100 Book Challenge—Book #8: Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

100 Book Challenge—Book #8: Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to write about this book. My list of “to blog” things has gotten so long, I knew I just couldn’t put it off anymore.

I finished this book at the end of February, and now it’s almost a month later. I wish I could say that I took this long because I’ve been thinking it over, but really I have just been avoiding it. In many ways, this book hit me a little too close to home and reminded me of a relationship in my life that has more or less blown up… similar to Orual and Psyche’s, only Orual is actually right in this case.

At any rate, it’s a well written, thought provoking book (could we expect anything else from Jack?).

Another reason that I had difficulty with the novel is that the gods are the bad guys (or so it seems), which is completely against my life! But it’s a great story on sin and forgiveness and the way in which our own egos can cause us to fall. Then again, that’s what Tolkien would say every story is about… but I digress.

I recommend this book highly, and if you do read it and discover a deeper meaning, please send me your thoughts! I think this book would be good for discussion. 

Getting geared up for Lent

Lent…

Looking back on Lents past, I remember so many heartbroken days. I have experienced an awful lot of sadness and loss during Lent.

This year, I hope it’s different.

I’m looking forward to Lent: looking forward to an opportunity to look introspectively into my life and find the places that need to be fixed, need to be healed. Together with Fr. Jeff, I am encouraging our students to give up something other than chocolate. Instead, we are inviting them to look at their lives and see places that the Holy Spirit is working to transform them and to go along with that transformation. I’ve had beautiful conversations with the women in my women’s groups. Some are planning on writing down their prayers, some plan on fasting from judging the other girls in their dormitory when they go out and party. These women are an inspiration to me, and I’m hoping that I can live up to the challenges I have set for them.

For resources, I just have a few suggestions for you, my dear readers. I have recently fallen in love with bustedhalo.com, which features several ideas for Lent. Their video, Ash Wednesday and Lent in Two Minutes (http://bustedhalo.com/video/ash-wednesday-in-two-minutes) is really good to review the meaning of this liturgical season. Then, the articles 25 Things to do for Lent (other than Chocolate) ( http://bustedhalo.com/features/25-great-things-you-can-do-for-lent) and The Practical Guide to Lent (http://bustedhalo.com/features/the-practical-guide-to-lent) are great resources. Finally, I invite you all to join me in participating in the Fast, Pray, Give Lenten Calendar, which will give us a challenge every day for something to fast from, pray for, and give. I think it’s a great idea.

For 2012, I have been making goals at the beginning of each month and at first I was worried I would have a hard time separating my Lenten penance from my monthly goals (one of which, as you all know, is my book challenge). But, I’ve come up with some ideas that I hope I can stick with. I will share them, not because I want to boast, but because I hope that you, my friends, might hold me accountable. The first is to keep up with that calendar I mentioned above (seriously, it’s pretty cool). The second is to fast from music while I’m getting ready in the mornings (something I truly enjoy) with the intent of using that time for reflection and prayer. One of my students talks about praying in the shower, and I think it’s a brilliant idea. I’m also giving up Netflix, except on Sundays (when I really ought to give it up altogether… I watched ten episodes of Buffy last Sunday… think of the books I could have read instead…). That time I will use either to study, read, or (most importantly) spend it with my community doing something other than watching tv (Amy’s giving it up for Lent). I’m also going to join one of my students in writing my prayers down at night, like Aibileen in The Help. I think this will help me focus and add a new dimension to my prayer life as well as going along with my 2012 goal of writing more often.

What are you all doing for Lent?

Please pray for me!

100 Book Challenge—Book #7: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I’ve been hearing a lot about The Help lately. In fact, last semester, Sr. Helen Prejean (yes, the famous author) recommended it to me personally while we were having dinner (sorry for the bragging, I just feel really cool when I say that). I knew I wanted to read it to see what the hype was all about, but I didn’t get a chance until now. Unfortunately, I cheated and watched the movie over Christmas Break. It’s a great movie, first of all. I loved watching it, and watching it with two of my favorite women (Teresa and Hannah Mugel… best friends forever!) made it even better. So, needless to say my expectations for the book were pretty high. I was not disappointed.

Stockett’s use of multiple viewpoints made the story even more enjoyable. I loved hearing what was going on in Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeters’ heads. The switching back and forth wasn’t too confusing, since they say at the top of the chapter who is narrating and I think that the unique viewpoints that you get are worth the trouble.

It was interesting to me that the author took it upon herself to give the viewpoint of an African American maid when she herself is white, but as she says in the afterward, while she will never truly understand what that was like, trying to understand it is vital. I think that trying to understand is important, and it helps us recognize that we’re really all the same, no matter what seems to separate us.

The story itself is beautiful. The world it takes place in is bittersweet—there is the simplicity of an age now gone, but there is the deep poverty in the human conditions caused by living in a world so dominated by hatred, fear, and inequality. It saddens me greatly that these things happened, it gives me a feeling of relief to know that (mostly) those days are past for the African American community.

But, after a long talk with my dear friend, Sarah, I am reminded that things are very much the same now as then, but instead of the African Americans fighting for their civil rights it is now the Mexican immigrants trying to feed their families. I think that Stockett’s book can open our eyes to the way in which we allow a barrier of race (and, sometimes language) to make us forget that we are all made in God’s image and likeness. I hate to think of how often the same attitude of the women in the book is present in women today who treat their Mexican maids the same way that these women treated Aibileen and Minny. Perhaps this is something to think about.

Health Update

 So, I know some of you (Justin mostly) have been a little worried about my health. Here’s the update as of right now:

Back in January, when I had the ultrasound to look at my gallbladder, there was all kinds of yucky sludge just sitting in it. This meant, according to both my Rolla doctor and the Indy doctor, that my gallbladder is not constricting enough, not emptying.

My test last Monday showed that my gallbladder is operating normally. The blood tests and biopsies show nothing. Apparently, I’m in good health. The plan now is to wait and see if I start getting sick again. If I have another attack (extreme, stabbing pain in my upper right abdomen, back pain, yucky all over feelings), I have to call the doc immediately. Otherwise, we’re going to assume that God chose to heal my gallbladder. I’m hoping that’s the case. I don’t feel like being sick.

100 Book Challenge—Book #6: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

100 Book Challenge—Book #6: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

The author of my favorite series, the Percy Jackson series, is back with a new series called The Heroes of Olympus. This new series involves the same characters that I loved in Percy Jackson, plus a new spin on the Grecian world that I love so much: Roma. Even my favorite Roman myth, Lupa (sorry, anyone who lives in Rome long enough falls in love with that statue) shows up.

So, I don’t think I really have to say much about why I love this book. It’s my Greek gods and culture and language with my Roman mythology. I feel like Rick Riordan must love me to write such a book!

Read it. (But read the other series first.)