Earlier today, I finished reading The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy. This is the first novel of his I have read. I didn't know he was such a good writer. I see some Hemingway in there and some Faulkner. I would think McCarthy is in the first rank of American writers. Took me a long time to get through The Crossing, in part because I don't have a lot of time to read each day, in part because a lot of the dialogue is in Spanish. My Spanish is just about good enough to follow what he wrote, but it could be slow going to puzzle it out.
For religious reading, I've been going back to the primary text recently: the Bible. For some reason, it occurred to me that it had been a long time since I had read the "history books" in the Old Testament. So I read the last few chapters of Deuteronomy (last days of Moses), then Joshua and Judges, then Ruth (which was quite a pleasure). Now I'm about 10 chapters into 1st Samuel. Even as literature, they're all pretty good reads (except for the second half of Joshua, which seems to be a register of the apportioning of the Promised Land among the tribes).
As an early Christmas present, I received a biography of Blessed Solanus Casey. That's up next, when I'm ready for a break from the old heroes of Israel and Judah.
What are you reading these days?
Right now, I'm half way through the Audible version of the second book in Tolkien's Ring trilogy. There are battle scenes but not nearly as prominent as in the movies, no surprise there. It's mostly complex dialog and thoughts of the characters. There's an antiwar strain in the book, no doubt growing from the author's experience of the horrible Great War. The movies actually hew rather closely to the plot line of the book but some of the characters come out differently.
ReplyDeleteFor real antiwar sentiment, I recently finished Chris Hedges', "The Greatest Evil is War". Hedges suffers from PTSD due to his many years as a war correspondent. He hated having to write this book but the recent drumbeating for the Ukraine War goaded him into revisiting his own traumatic experience of war and the crippling mental and physical toll it takes on its participants. Bottom line, it's easiest to sell war to those who've never been in one.
Waiting for me is a hardcover of Commonweal contributor Eugene McCarraher"s "The Enchantments of Mammon", how capitalism has become the religion of America.
Glad to see that you are going to tackle "The Enchantments of Mammon." It has been waiting for me for a few years now. Keep us posted on your progress. Maybe that will encourage me to keep up with you.
DeleteStanley, who narrates the Lord of the Rings? I'd think that would be a lot of hours of listening to a person talk!
DeleteMy wife and I tried audio books once when we were on a road trip vacation. It was an Agatha Christie mystery - one of the Hercule Poirot stories. It was narrated by the fellow who played Captain Hastings in the '90s-vintage television series which used to appear on PBS (and still runs on some PBS stations).
What I found is what I find when I listen to a homily: I was able to attend to the narration for a while, but then my mind started to wander. So then I would need to skip back where my mind had left off. (It would be great if one could rewind like that for a homily - I suppose, if one watches mass on television, one can do that.)
So, so far, I've stuck to reading the books. I can't really call that "old-fashioned", because telling stories verbally surely is the true old-fashioned way.
I'd be curious to know how the narrator handles Tolkien's songs, which crop up pretty frequently in the book. Does the narrator read in Elvish?
I read the Trilogy and the Hobbit more than 40 years ago. My sons rented the movies at some point. I got tired of the endless long battle scenes and stopped watching after a while. I only listen to non- fiction audiobooks. I found I didn’t enjoy fiction with only one voice for all the characters. I’ve listened to many of Richard Rohr’s talks though. I listened to his talks for years before they were adapted to books. I also listen to Bart Ehrman’s lectures on the NT, and some of Thich Nhat Hahn’s books also on audio. I have started listening to Christianity - The First Three Thousand Years Since by Diarmaid MacCulloch. I also have the book and think I will have to try listening/ reading together because of the extent of the material.
DeleteSince walking 2-3 miles most days has been my main form of exercise for years I began listening to audio, starting with Rohr. I have often gone back to listen to some of his talks several times - I hear “ new”:things each time. This happens with books also. When I reread them, “ new” insights or ideas just leap out, even though they hadn’t previously made much of an impression. But I seldom re-read fiction - only non-fiction. Usually spiritual non-fiction.
I just finished the Tony Hillerman series that Katherine once mentioned. I have been lucky enough to drive through some of the areas where the series is set on several occasions. The books have given me some understanding of the culture and religion. It’s interesting to note the many similarities with the Hebrew Scriptures in the Navajo Origin stories. I also hear echoes of the gospels in the warnings against greed and wealth, their disdain for excessive material possessions, the goal of achieving harmony with all people AND all creation, and their rejection of vengeance.
Jack, I'll try to keep you posted on "Enchantments". It's an ironic title since McCarraher considers capitalism to be part of the disenchantment of the world along with the Protestant Reformation and the Enlightenment.
DeleteJim, the narrators of the books generally assume different voices and accents. Australian-born actor Rob Inglis narrates the "Ring". I think reading books is his main schtick. Only disappointment is that the dwarf Gimli should have a thick Scottish brogue. The narrator DOES sing the songs. Versus reading print, I find the actors that read the books have a better variance in voice and tone than the one in my head. That's why I prefer my fiction in audio and my non-fiction in print, the opposite of Anne's preference.
That’s interesting that our ready listen preferences are the exact opposite!
DeleteAnne, Tony Hillerman was a favorite of my dad's. If there was a new book out by him, it was a reliable gift choice for Dad. One of his favorite charities was the St. Bonaventure school in Thoreau, NM, featured in several of Hillerman's books.
DeleteI wasn’t sure that the school was real. Good to know. I was also relieved that none of the book plots featured cruelty and abuse of the children. I think that the author wouldn’t have shied away from a plot involving the Catholic schools had it been a problem.
DeleteIt did happen in the US in some Catholic schools for Native American children, but apparently was not too widespread. Unfortunately in Canada the abuse was horrifying in multiple schools run by the Catholic Church, but even a few that were church of Canada. But sadly the Catholic abuse was the most widespread apparently.
So sad about the schools, education would have been a good thing. But the idea of taking children away from their families was so wrong. I have always thought that boarding schools for young children were a bad idea, especially with no accountability or outside supervision. And the disrespect for their culture was so bad.
DeleteIt's been said that British children separated from their parents and moved to the countryside to escape German bombing suffered more lasting psychological scars than those who stayed with their parents and experienced the bombing. I have my doubts about the child protective services, too. Is parents' drug use really worse than putting kids into the foster care program? I think these government functions and protocols need a second look.
DeleteJim, I have never had the courage to tackle the historical books, except indirectly as they come up when I am looking at Greek word usage in the OT.
ReplyDeleteRuth is great; I had a course on it from a Rabbi who regards it as a summary of what the OT is about. Exile and the promised land. Covenant. Care for the alien stranger. Law and grace.
That is really interesting about Ruth.
DeleteIf I were to teach an Old Testament course (which nobody in their right mind ever would ask me to do), I might assign the Book of Judith as the first book, because it also hits on some major OT themes (although different ones than Ruth, I suppose). And also like Ruth, it's a ripping good story.
I love the book of Ruth. But I can never think about the Book of Judith without thinking of the painting of Judith decapitating Holofernes which appears in the large Bible we were given for a wedding present. I just found that book of the Bible fifty shades of grim. You might want to think of a different book to start your OT studies course!
DeleteQuick comment on my Old Testament reading: the Book of Joshua is pretty propagandistic, with Joshua, who I guess is the ideal of a Jewish king, marching to rapid, inexorable and total victory over the Canaanites, Jebusites et al. But then in the Book of Judges, which in a sense is the next chapter in the saga of the 12 Tribes (what they did in the early years in the Promised Land), it quickly becomes apparent that the original pagan occupants of the land weren't thoroughly defeated, much less exterminated: it appears to be more of a stalemate. One of the recurring themes is God's People falling away and worshiping Canaanite gods.
ReplyDeleteJesus is named for Joshua, and the idea of propaganda sort of stuck in my mind. Here is one of the things I struggle with: we believe that Jesus redeemed the world, and broke the chains of death for us. But when we look around the world, the world still is full of evil. (This is particularly easy to believe when one has just finished reading a Cormac McCarthy novel!) It can leave one wondering whether some of these Christian claims have an element of propaganda to them; or, if they are true, in what sense are they true? Evil seems pretty resilient. Sorry to lay such a heavy topic on the group on the verge of Christmas!
Jim, I hear you about the propogandistic stuff. And people keep on abusing their free will. They have to want to be redeemed.
DeleteMakes me think of the Ukrainian situation, where Putin is claiming some kind of mystical manifest destiny as an excuse for barbarous cruelty.
About the Jesus/Joshua name, it appears to have been pretty common at the time the Lord was born. However the name Jesus is not one that is given to children of English-speaking ethnicity. Though Joshua is common. However Jesus is common among Latino people. Also Manuel or Immanuel. There was a kid whose Baptismal name was Inri (as on the inscription on the crucifix) in our parish.
DeleteMy book club just finished "Haunted Ground" by Erin Hart. It is part present day murder mystery and part archaeological mystery. Takes place in Ireland. It starts out by finding someone's head buried in a bog. Turns out that person had been dead 400 years, and we actually did find out who she was and what happened to her.
ReplyDeleteAs far as non fiction I have lately read "The Genesis of Gender, a Christian Theory" by Abigail Favale, and "Building a Bridge" by Fr. James Martin. Both deal with LBTQ± issues. The first is by an academic and goes into the philosophical roots of gender theory. Which is interesting but the author is full of newbie Catholic convert zeal. She's younger than my kids, and waxes a little tiresome at times. The one by Fr. Martin is more about how we treat people. Contrary to what some accuse him of, he supports church teaching and has the support of his religious superiors. Though " how we got there" is interesting and necessary, how we treat people is more important, IMO.
My spiritual reading lately has been the little devotional publication, Magnificat. It has some Scripture in addition to the daily Mass readings. Also some biography and reflection on obscure saints who aren't on the calendar. It has been a good thing to follow during Advent. There are some really lovely Scripture readings, including a Canticle of Sirach, which I hadn't remembered reading before.
Katherine, I read Haunted Ground, although it's been a long time. It was enjoyable. Thanks for reminding me of Erin Hart. I will need to check out some more recent books by her.
DeleteI’m reading weather reports. I’m praying for all of you midwesterners - Jack and Betty, Jim and Teresa, Jean and Raber, and Katherine and Kevin - prayers that your electricity stays on and that you all stay safe and warm this Christmas weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the prayers, we are in a definite polar vortex here. We were supposed to go to Omaha today and have early Christmas with our kids and families. But ended up having to cancel. -20 ° wind chill, 30-40 mph winds, and partially covered roads with blowing snow. Hated to cancel but not smart to set out. Cookies and candy I was taking down will have to keep in the freezer.
DeleteThanks for the prayers. We are now at 5 degrees. The NE Ohio area is under its first blizzard warning since Dec. 26, 2012, according to the National Weather Service.
DeleteWe insulated our garage this fall since we like to work there on plants in the late fall and early spring. Right now, our garage is at 37 degrees whereas our glassed-in porch which has the house on three sides is already down to 19 degrees. The temperatures in both were usually about the same. The garage has the house only on one side.
We hope to keep the garage slightly above 40 degrees. Betty composts outside when the temperature is above 40 degrees. Worms and microorganisms don't function well under 40 degrees. Betty would like to use the garage to extend the composting year around.
Composting has been responsible for record tomato and pepper crops this year.
I’m very happy to know that you are playing it smart!
DeleteYes. Stay warm and safe.
DeleteIt's a nice round zero degrees at the moment, with gusty winds. We actually had some snow yesterday, so I went out to shovel this morning, and make sure the cars would start. Wore many layers. Had a couple of square inches of skin on my face exposed. The surgical masks are effective face coverings in extremely cold weather. Around noon I ventured out to the grocery store; was not the only idiot not staying home.
DeleteTomorrow, Christmas Eve, is only a few degrees warmer. The Chicago Bears are scheduled to play the Buffalo Bill's in Chicago's outdoor football stadium. That means the players and coaches, and any fans foolish enough to stay for the entire game, would be exposed to the elements for several hours.
When the Cleveland Browns kickoff on Saturday the temperature will be around 8 degrees, with 25-30 mph winds, meaning the wind chill will be hovering around -10 to -12.
DeleteAccording to the National Weather Service (NWS) those conditions could mean frostbite on exposed skin could start in as little as 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, some Browns fans are trying to sell their tickets at bargain basement prices. On the resale site VividSeats, there are currently tickets list for $3.
With the bad weather I suspect the parishes will take a hit with the Christmas collection. Being on Sunday they already lose one collection. While the regular church goers are likely to give electronically, I suspect many of the "Santa Clauses" will just skip Mass this year.
Christmas falling on a Sunday is certainly easier for priests, deacons, and musicians. We don't have a midnight Mass any more. We have a 4:00 and a 7:00 Mass on Christmas Eve, and an 8:00 and a 10:00 on Christmas day. I used to like Midnight Mass when I was a kid, not so much as an adult.
Delete