Top Three Third Quater

The Best Reads July through September 2012

This was a slow period for books that really engaged me. There were a number of great books that I have not finished as of yet including, Thomas A. Lindsay History of the Reformation, George Fox's Auto-Biography, and Uncle Silas by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. 

However, there were three that stood out:

1. The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness (Tim Keller) (Religion)
• Keller is the man.  He is such a great pastor, with the power to illuminate all sorts of topics.  My church currently is reading the marriage book by him.
2. The Metaphysical Club (History)
• I hate to list a book as a favorite for one I did not finish.  But this one is too good to pass up.  It tells the history of the period in the development of Pragmatism and the shaping of American Thought.  If you ever wondered why the 19th century is such a pivotal point in the American Experience look no further.  The book even answered why Thoreau's list of seeds was so pertinent for the American Character.  The Metaphysical Club is a great book to savor, and I have checked it out from the Lakeland (Florida) Library numerous times.
  
3.  Some of Your Blood (Horror)

• A tale about Vampires written by Theodore Spurgeon.  One of my first books by this author.  The book follows the psychological recovery of a boy who has an awful secret.  

Read More: The Top  Top 9 Books Read So Far

 

Reviews: Mumma Shana

Mumma Shana is a novel that explores what it is to be trapped by tradition.  Dorie a Jewish woman finds love caught between the cracks of two faiths: Judaism, and Christianity.   She looks for an answer to fill the gaps in her life. At first she thinks this is with guys.  She looks for her knight in shinning armor, only to find men whose shine has lost its luster.  She  finds herself in relationships that abuse her as a woman.  However, she holds onto a hope that she will find the glue to connect the pieces.  The mosaic will make her whole in a shattered world.

I do not believe that reading from the point of view of a female, makes me a better guy.  I find this viewpoint to be a good gateway to understanding my wife and friends. at    Mumma Shana by Dana Wolf is my romance for the year.  The author asked me to read this book, and I was given a review copy. As it was a bit girly the book took a little prodding from the author to finish it. 

I am glad I got prodded.    

I am  in love with the main character Dorrie, I want to save her and build a place for her, that is if I was not married.  The book is a pleasure and shows one woman's thoughts towards the men she loves. I came away with a fuller sense of the magnitude of love in my marriage. A great book for any man that asks, "Why does she feel this way?" Why do women stay with creeps?  Why did my wife stay with me when I was an asshole?  This book is a piece of beauty although tragic.

Mumma Shana has great insight.  I also love the description of her struggles with fitting into a Goy and Jewish world.  This has been a struggle for me and my family for ever.  My mother had an orthodox conversion from Christianity (Lutheranism) to Judaism.  Then I found Christ in my life and could not let go.   The whole emotional playground is profound, and I am thankful that a writer  has attempted to write of the struggle in a way that is real, authentic, and enriching.     *

The over use of colloquial words, drew me away from the narrative.   (eg.  Last Straw used in 83% read))  I already knew that Dorrie was at her last straw with Peter;  because of all of the description used before-hand.  Danna do a great job of developing the plot, she needs to trust her readers ability to understand her words.  This is her first novel, so I believe this will develop more in her writing career. **

* **This note was written to the author on  9.13.2012

Reviews

The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book is short (48 pages) and profoundly challenging. The simplicity of the message will rattle around in the tombs of our soiled memories.
Tim Keller looks at our condition in this inflated/deflated world. The world is flat and black and white; while we perform in our shadowed reality. There is only one way to the truth and the light. We find ourselves off the beaten track and lost. Until, we are picked up for vagrancy.
We are then brought to a trial room with only the smiling mob and the Court Jester. Every day we wake to a trial, much like the trial of the main character in Franz Kafka's The Trial.
We find that all the jurors are pointing at us and laughing at our hopeless condition, because we still think we can save ourselves. We think that there is a way for us to justify our own actions. We cower at our reflected image and our ballooned ego lets out a gasp and we find ourselves thinner than Jack Sprat.
Where is your heart (insert your name here)? is the first question the Supreme Court Jester asks.
We say in response, "I played the game! I played by the rules! How can you accuse me of being a loser on my own?"
The Jester replies, "Who do you want to be son, than be that person."
We wake up and the trial resumes.
Keller shows us how to break out of this fun house and self delusion through the reliance of Christ. For Christ has already won the trial that we continually want to defend our sins by.  Court Jesters have no problem in enabling us to feel that we must wage a defense.  The battle wears us out.   Keller shows us a way out of this soul defeating routine.

Freedom of Self Forgetfulness must be read by anyone who struggles with depression or anxiety in the modern world.

Top Three Reads Second Quarter of 2012

April thru June Reads

 April and June were a very productive reading time for me.  The books that most stood out were (in no particular order):
1.  Vanishing Point by David Markson: Just the facts add up to one interesting read.
2. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides: My mind keeps wanting to go back to these characters and spend time with them.  The book has the best description on manic depression, that I have yet read.
3. Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow: because the verse style was gripping, and it was a book that took a new spin on a tried topic.

Notable books included:
Surfing for God by Michael John Cusik: a book on porn addiction and recovery.  The book is a keeper for all men that suffer with this addiction.