Sunday, June 24, 2012

11/22/63

by Stephen King

Another time travel story. In this case, a man uses a portal into the past to go back in time and attempt to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. I didn't like so much how the story ended up, but I did enjoy how the story had a mystical/spiritual dimension to it that you don't often see in time travel tales. Another nice touch was that the traveller didn't have control of the time portal and actually had to kill time in 1960s America waiting for the fateful moment to arrive. All in all, the book was a joy to read. (But at 849 pages, a literal pain to hold at the bus stop.)  

But don't let that stop you from checking it out.
LibraryThing link

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Sunday, June 17, 2012

Love & Responsibility

by Karol Wojtyla

One thing about the current controversy over same-sex marriage, it's certainly made me think more about the institution. I've been married for a number of years now, of course, but I've never thought too deeply about it. Being a spouse is just something I've gone ahead and done. So anyway, whilst listening to the variety of voices out there discussing the current issues, I heard tell of this book, written by Pope John Paul II. (Though this was written before he started poping, so technically it wasn't written by John Paul II, if you know what I mean.) I was impressed by the depth of the book. I think if a book titled Love & Responsibility had been written by a modern day Protestant, it would be a slim little affair with short paragraphs telling you to be faithful to your spouse and such. Father Wojtyla, in contrast, digs deep into the philosophical underpinnings of human relationships. Right up front he spends 12 pages discussing the interpretations of the verb "to use". In all honesty, I didn't give the book all the attention it deserved as I read through it. But his words rang true as he stressed the importance of our existence as persons rather than thinking animals. He builds a sound and challenging foundation for a good marriage. While I didn't quite agree with everything he wrote, it did make me think long and hard about my marriage and the relationships around me.

I'm glad I checked it out.
LibraryThing link

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Thursday, June 07, 2012

The Lives Behind the Lines...

by Lynn Johnston

For the 20th Anniversary of the comic strip For Better or For Worse, Lynn Johnston put together this 213 page book that looks at the world of her strip. Part of it is back story on the characters and the settings, part of it tells of the real life inspirations of the same. All of it is liberally illustrated with strips and artwork from the strip's first 20 years. It's a book only a true fan could appreciate.

 Or you might like it if you're in the waiting room.
 LibraryThing link

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Friday, June 01, 2012

Movements That Change the World

by Steve Addison

Christianity, according to Steve Addison, is a movement. A grouping of people yearning, working, living together for a common cause. Actually it's more like a movement made of mini-movements--periods of change that shake up the status quo and breathe new life into the spread of the Gospel. In Movements That Change the World, he looks at some of those movements and draws from them some lessons for the Church. Or maybe just part of the Church. I was left with some questions after finishing the book, and one of them was how the whole Church--the body of Christ throughout the world--fits into the picture. Mr. Addison makes the point a couple of times about how the great movements in Christianity's past tended to happen on the edges, on the frontiers of the faith rather in the offices of the popes, patriarchs or presidents. It makes one want to be out on those frontiers. But I also had to ask, "What about those in the hierarchy? What about the people mired in the status quo? Aren't they also part of the Church?" I tend to think, perhaps because I'm not on any sort of cutting edge myself, that books like this one tend to miss the depth of Christianity. As wonderful and as far reaching as movements like monasticism, the Reformation, or the Great Awakening have been, the totality of God's work is even more so. While the Holy Spirit is active in a dynamic, growing church, He's also with His people from the comfy middle class to those poor brothers and sisters trying to remain faithful amidst oppression.

That said, go ahead and read the book. Whether Mr. Addison is on the forefront of another great revival, or merely heading up a fad, he does offer some good ideas and a nice reminder of some great times in the Church's past.  

Check it out.
 LibraryThing link

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