05.18.09
The Big Sort
The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America is Tearing Us Apart by Bill Bishop
Why is there such political and cultural polarization in America today? That is the question Bill Bishop sought to answer in “The Big Sort”. He discovered that while we were once much more mixed in our neighborhoods, cities and counties, we have been moving- often intentionally to be around “people like us”. So how and why did this shift occur? He traces it back to the year 1969- before that people trusted each other more, and trusted the government much more. After events in that year, there has been a steady decline in civic involvement, and increasing distrust among races, religious vs. secular people, liberals vs. conservatives as these groups have had less contact with each other.
There are a lot of statistics and numbers laid out in this book, which I liked being a former political science major. For others it may be more than you want to know. But it’s great to see thorough research backing it up, not just rampant speculation as many other books have done. Also while you are reading this think about how your lifestyle has been “sorted” and what impact that has on your actions and worldview.
03.09.09
Forestwife
The Forestwife by Theresa Tomlinson
Fleeing an unwanted forced marriage, orphan Mary runs away to the woods of England. She is worried about the wild creatures and outlaws that live there, but willing to take her chances. Her nurse Agnes follows her, and proves to be an essential companion and mentor, who is knowledgeable of herbal healing and wilderness survival. They become part of a community of people who live in the forest avoiding the oppression of local lords, including Agnes’ son Robert.
The idea of a Forestwife, a wisewoman healer who lives in the woods is cool, and makes sense- wouldn’t the Merry Men need a healer? And I also like the description of the seasons and what people did in preparation/reaction to them.
The story was well-told, and historical authenticity fleshed out the feel of the setting. The dialogue uses a lot of archaic words, which might be difficult for some, but I found it understandable.
It seemed like Theresa Tomlinson really did her research, and it helps that she grew up in the areas associated with the Robin Hood legends! This is part of a trilogy, the other books are Child of the May, and Path of the She-Wolf, the latter has only been published in the UK unfortunately. However it does look like there are copies available online for decent prices.
Pagan Christianity
Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola and George Barna
Where do church traditions like preaching sermons, the practice of Communion or even having a church building and a paid minister come from?
If you’ve ever wondered about the origins of these things, read this book to find out! Most of these practices are of pagan origin, absorbed from the broader culture or added in intentionally to increase the status of the church. Viola believes these practices should be rejected not only because of the non-Christian origin, but also because they are harmful to building Christian communities. He supports his claims with Biblical citations.
Before you pick up “Pagan Christianity” there are some things to keep in mind- it is focused on Protestant traditions, and aimed at an evangelical Christian audience. Despite this, I think it would be of interest to anyone curious about where various aspects of institutional Christianity come from.
Frank Viola is a prominent organizer in the house church movement, and he is upfront about that. George Barna, founder of the Barna Group,
The book was quite well researched, with plenty of footnotes. It may not go into as much depth on each as an academic work would, but I think it’s great that the authors brought this information to a mass audience.
01.29.09
Snowwalker
Snowwalker by Catherine Fisher
When Jessa & her cousin Thorkil are banished to the north by the sorceress Gudrun who has enchanted their land, they expect death. In a ruined castle they encounter her son, rumored to be a monster but he is more than what he seems. Thus begins an amazing adventure set in medieval Scandinavia (or Iceland) that culminates in a showdown with Gudrun beyond the world’s end.
I found the plot of Snowwalker to be as enthralling as Gudrun’s spells, and the characters had a lot of depth to them. This was actually published as a trilogy in the UK- The Snowwalker’s Son, The Empty Hand and The Soul Thieves. I had not heard of Catherine Fisher or this book before, just stumbled across it in the library and I’m glad I did! I’ll definitely be looking for more of her work.
Inkheart
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
I had planned on reading this book for a while but when I heard a film version was coming out soon, I decided to go ahead and read it.
Wouldn’t it be fun if characters from books could come to life into our world? Sure, but it turns out it’s not all fun and games as the protagonists of Inkheart discover.
Young Meggie enjoys travelling with her father, a bookbinder and listening to the stories he tells her. But her father has a secret, and when a mysterious fellow called Dustfinger appears one day, this begins to be revealed. Inkheart had a charming and whimsical flavor to it. It took a while for things to be set up for the plot to get going, but for those with patience, there are some treats in store. I also liked that there was psychological exploration of the villain, he wasn’t just a stereotypical bad guy.
Twilight
Twilight by Stephenie Meyers (Book 1 of the Twilight Saga)
I hadn’t gotten to reading this before seeing the movie, but after we saw it together, my friend lent me the book.
I liked some aspects of Twilight, like the vivid descriptions that I found quite poetic. I thought how she tied a Native American legend into it was unique and interesting. (I wonder if it is a real legend- I looked it up and did find that it is a real tribe that lives in Washington). I sort of like Bella, as I tend to identify with underdog, nerdy characters but think she needs to be a stronger character. Edward I suppose has a certain appeal, but there’s something about him that’s creepy. He seems to be written to fulfill the fantasy of an old-fashioned chivalrous guy that protects you. Is there is a message being sent about how girls should play a passive role- or are human-vampire romances just inherently unequal? Maybe I’m over-analyzing…I really like Alice and some of the other Cullens and would like to see more of their stories.
I am still going to read the next book in hopes that Bella develops more as a character, and her relationship with Edward matures. Plus I’m just plain curious to see what happens and it will be more fun since I won’t already know the plot from the film.
Being Liberal in an Illiberal Age
Being Liberal in an Illiberal Age: Why I am a Unitarian Universalist by Jack Mendelsohn
There are some books I have a hard time reviewing, because they have so many ideas in them that no one thing sticks out, and I have trouble remembering what struck me, positively or negatively about the book- this is such a book.
Mendelsohn covers a lot- the history of Unitarians & Universalists, their relation to Christianity, the religious education of children, the nature and existence of God, ethics and social justice
His reactions to traditional Christian doctrine in his youth that he recounts was something I really identified with- I had many of the same responses- rejecting original sin, hell, needing someone to “die for our sins”. I questioned the Trinity, parts of the Bible and communion.
Despite the diversity of views in the UUA, I suspect some of his beliefs are pretty typical of many UUs: a belief in a very transcendent, Deist-like God, doubt about the afterlife, an emphasis on living a good life and use of reason in religion as with other areas of life. Reading about his theological views helped me clarify my own beliefs. I don’t really see the point of believing in such a distant God- if that was the only conclusion I could come to I would probably just be an agnostic or atheist. In the end of the book he discusses prayer- why bother praying to a “God” who is more like the force of gravity than a conscious being with willpower?
He gives examples of petitionary prayer that are rather absurd and extreme- but I don’t think asking the Divine for help in some way is necessarily like that
If that is the philosophy that makes sense and works best, more power to him. But I do think the UUs who essentially worship logic are missing out on something.
Transitions
Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes by William Bridges
(Revised 25th Anniversary Edition)
The Career Transitions group at my church was working with this book and I found it very helpful. Bridges distinguishes between changes- a shift in one’s situation- moving, new job, marriage, divorce, death of family member etc. and transition- the psychological reactions one goes through as a result of the change. He studied how various traditional cultures structure rites of passage to help people move through transitions, and notes that they are often much better at dealing with these things than our seemingly advanced modern culture. He explains how we go through a 3 stage of transition process- Ending, Neutral Zone in which you are in neither one stage or another and feeling lost, and Beginning. This book is relevant to people in many different life situations and so you can return to it again when going through another transition for more insight. It really helped me make sense of many of my experiences and feel less lost and confused.
-On a another note, I find it rather apt that the author is named “Bridges”. Coincidence or no?
10.17.08
Refuse to Choose
Refuse to Choose: A Revolutionary Program for Doing Everything That You Love by Barbara Sher
Do you have many interests and can’t decide what to pursue? Never finish a project, because your attention all too quickly drifts to the next idea? Then perhaps you’re a Scanner, suggests author & life-coach Barbara Sher. Throughout much of history, generalists- “Renaissance” people were admired. She traces the fall of generalists and the rise of specialists to the Cold War, in which science and math were emphasized in order to compete with the U.S.S.R. Later in the book Sher divides Scanners up into different types based on their behavior and tendencies. She suggests career strategies for each of them.
I’ve always had many different interests- over the years some fell by the wayside while others remained, and new interests emerged. But unlike some of Sher’s clients, I’ve never felt there was anything wrong with this, or felt pressure to choose one as a career. I don’t know if it’s a generational thing, the way I was raised or what. But I did find the ideas in her book useful in giving me more focus in my various pursuits. One idea she discusses throughout the book is that of a “Scanner Daybook” a journal/sketchbook for jotting down ideas and exploring them. Another idea I found helpful is to try organizing my hobbies into a sort of “class schedule” spending an hour or so on each at different times. Refuse to Choose is an amazing guidebook of tools and strategies for “Scanners” draw upon to use their many skills and interests to their advantage both in their professional and personal lives. I recommend it to anyone who struggles with choosing between different passions.
