You well know I’m always happy to talk books. I missed August’s What’s on Your Nightstand carnival due to some circumstance (I don’t remember what now, but I’m sure it was important). But not to worry! I’m joining up again.

Without further ado, I present my nightstand (and kitchen table and coffee table):

The Best American Short Stories 2007 (The Best American Series (TM))

These days, I’ve been in love with short stories. Perhaps because in my fragmented life, I can finish a complete story in one sitting. Perhaps in the condensed telling of a short story, you can spend days digging for gold (and the time to reread and reread). There’s only been one story I haven’t liked thus far. And let me clarify: it was beautiful. The author was doing something in there very meaningful, and I appreciate that. But it hasn’t been my favorite ever. My two favorites have been one by Richard Russo (you know that’s on my list–I can’t resist any words written by this man) and one titled "Lucy’s School for Girls Raised by Wolves." How can you not immediately turn to that story? It’s wonderfully written and raises great questions about what it means to be human.

The Beauty of God: Theology and the Arts

It seems to me that I’ve mentioned this book before. It’s a slow read. I have to digest each essay before moving to the next (and, let’s be honest, I tend to get distracted by a good novel). This book is a collection of essays from a conference held at Wheaton about theology and the arts. It addresses beauty in relation to the Triune Creator (and his creation), the Fall, and Redemption. Brilliant writing. Makes you think.

The Road of Lost Innocence: The true story of a Cambodian heroine.

I’ll start off with wow and go from there. Wow.

I don’t often read memoirs. In fact, I read them as often as I have wisdom teeth removed. Typically, I feel memoirs aren’t well told. They bore me with "then this happened, then this, then this, and I felt this way about it." Blah, blah, blah. If you can write a memoir well–actual stories and compelling writing–you have my vote. And I’m not going to lie to you. This memoir does that as well. Very little dialogue. Extremely few actual scenes. However, the story draws me in despite that. It’s convicting really. It’s about a woman who was sold into sexual slavery in Cambodia, escaped, and now rescues other girls. This woman went through some of the worst situations, yet she doesn’t run to safety. She gets back in because she loves these girls.

And I complain when my cable goes out.

She doesn’t describe things graphically, which works on two levels. It doesn’t turn the stomach but presents the hard facts for us to do with them what we will. Also, it doesn’t titillate. In fact, at one point, she talks about disdaining so many journalists because they want the juicy graphics but do nothing important with them.

Which brings me back to the above book (The Beauty of God) because in one essay, Jeremy Begbie addresses sentimentalism as not just that what makes us feel good (i.e. Precious Moments) but indulges in hard scenes and tears without moving us to action.
But I digress.

Relief,Volume 2, Issue 3

As I said, I’m apparently addicted to short stories recently. I haven’t delved into this issue yet, and I haven’t read any Relief since their debut issue, so I don’t have much to say about this. 

Yet.

So there you have it folks. The books keeping me awake (and keeping me away from my work).