5 Minutes for Books has a new monthly carnival--What's on Your Nightstand. You know I can't pass this up. So here goes:
Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler
Actually, I finished this book last night, but it lingers in spirit, mind, and nightstand. Ian told his brother, Danny, that Danny's wife was cheating on him. Danny commits suicide, and not long after Danny's wife also commits suicide, leaving behind three children. Overcome by guilt, Ian leaves college and gives up his life to help raise the kids. It's a book about how people change our lives in unexpected ways and how burdens become blessings. Anne Tyler's one of my favorite authors because of her subtlety.
The Beauty of God: Theology and the Arts
This is a collection of essays from a conference at Wheaton in 2006 of theological scholars and artists. I just began this yesterday, so I don't have much to say about it except that two of the essays are by Jeremy Begbie, who is one of my favorite theologians after hearing him speak at the Transforming Culture back in April. Thus far, my impression is that this group of scholars/artists seek to challenge the Chuch to participate in beauty in a way that is founded on the trinity, creation, and redemption, and is aware of the brokenness of creation. And they seek an art that glorifies God. I look forward to diving in.
Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue (Engaging Culture) by Robert K. Johnston
Yes, I realize I'm coming rather late to this book. It's not so much that I'm learning anything new from reading it as I've been studying this subject for a while, but he does have some good categories to think through things and into which I can fit some of my thinking. Also, it's more than a book on film. It's a book that challenges how we consider theology.
The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out
It seems to me that I've been reading this one for a while. I read it in chunks then let it alone for a bit. Or reread sections. It's a beautiful and refreshing message on grace--recognizing, accepting, extending, and being grace. Some days it's challenging. Other days it's hydrating. It's not a difficult or "scholarly" read but almost devotional.
Finally, A Patchwork Planet (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
Because once I read a little Anne Tyler, I have to keep going for a bit. And at Half Price, I got a book with three of her novels: Saint Maybe, A Patchwork Planet, and Ladder of Years. So far, my favorite of hers is either Digging to America or Back When We Were Grown-ups.
So that's what's on my nightstand. Join the list of readers and tell us what you're reading.
I knew I heard Saint Maybe somewhere. It was just recommended to me (well, Anne Tyler was) and Saint Maybe was down the list a little. I knew I'd heard it somewhere.
I think I have Ragamuffin Gospel... somewhere. Need to track it down and actually read it. Do you think I can read all my unread books before I buy any more??
Read all the unread ones before buying more? Impossible. I tried it. I put a moratorium on book buying.
Then I broke it.
You can try. Perhaps you're a better man than I, Gunga Din.
This Dogwood is Chris Fabry's first adult novel (the author of over 50 children's and young adult novels apparently). The review of the book will be up Monday over on my blog. What a great voice and an interesting presentation of the story.
Oh I miss Half Price Books so much. . .
Knowing you like Anne Tyler, I think you would definitely enjoy that book The Condition that I wrote about.
I think that I need you to guest post--maybe in our Books on Screen feature. Whaddya think? Email me.
Techniques of the Selling Writer-Dwight Swain
The following are books I assigned for my incoming sophomores for summer reading, so I figured I should read them!
Cry, the Beloved Country
Jane Eyre (read this one a lifetime ago; found it free podcast on iTunes. Forgot how depressing the first chapters are.)
Just finished Traveling Light.
Just finished Chris Fabry's Dogwood. Such good writing. Now reading Davis Bunn's All Through the NIght. Have read some very good books in the last few weeks (Perfect by Harry Kraus, MD; Black Sea Affair by Don Brown; Zora and Nicky by Claudia Mair Burney; Try Darkness by James Scott Bell)--really a good summer of reading.
In the queue: Randy Singer's By Reason of Insanity, Robert Whitlow's Deeper Water.
(Should I plead my case for The Famous One, Heather? Getting some good feedback from people I don't know if that helps . . . )
Some good authors up there. Wasn't there a TV series called Dogwood? Is it based on that book? (Clearly, I'm clueless!)
And I do have your book ready to read! I promise I'll get to it!
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