Tuesday, December 24, 2019
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Seattle Walk Report
by Susanna Ryan
This one is waiting room material that is worth checking out. It's an "illustrated walking tour through 23 Seattle neighborhoods." Apparently it's a printed sequel to a popular comic on Instagram. In it, our guide, named Seattle Walk Report, presents a walking plan for various neighborhoods and drawings of various things observed on that route--from landmarks to sidewalk trash. The art is cute and amusing. But it also gets repetitive if you try to plow through the whole book in one or two sittings. Instead, I suppose, I should have gone out and taken a walk between chapters.
LibraryThing link
This one is waiting room material that is worth checking out. It's an "illustrated walking tour through 23 Seattle neighborhoods." Apparently it's a printed sequel to a popular comic on Instagram. In it, our guide, named Seattle Walk Report, presents a walking plan for various neighborhoods and drawings of various things observed on that route--from landmarks to sidewalk trash. The art is cute and amusing. But it also gets repetitive if you try to plow through the whole book in one or two sittings. Instead, I suppose, I should have gone out and taken a walk between chapters.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, WaitingRoomMaterial
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Unbelievers
by Alec Ryrie
Western culture has tended to look at history as a linear story, assuming that it has a beginning and an end. So when we look at the state of religion in the West--the decline in church membership and rise of secularism in the public square--folks tend to assume that this is a new development in an ongoing story. (and that's regardless if they think it's a step toward utopia or armageddon) In Unbelievers, Professor Ryrie surveys the history of unbelievers* since the Reformation--where many would put the starting point of secularization--and comes to the conclusion that the decline of religion in the West is not an innovation. Western society has always had those who question and/or reject Christianity, usually fueled by either anger or anxiety. The book presents excerpts from their stories. It's not an exciting read, but it wasn't boring, either. Most refreshingly, it also wasn't a panicked or condescending account, like one might read in some of the articles that are floating around the internet today. Professor Ryrie treats his topic with calm and compassion.
_________
* in the limited sphere of Christianized Western Europe and its colonies
Check it out.
LibraryThing link
Western culture has tended to look at history as a linear story, assuming that it has a beginning and an end. So when we look at the state of religion in the West--the decline in church membership and rise of secularism in the public square--folks tend to assume that this is a new development in an ongoing story. (and that's regardless if they think it's a step toward utopia or armageddon) In Unbelievers, Professor Ryrie surveys the history of unbelievers* since the Reformation--where many would put the starting point of secularization--and comes to the conclusion that the decline of religion in the West is not an innovation. Western society has always had those who question and/or reject Christianity, usually fueled by either anger or anxiety. The book presents excerpts from their stories. It's not an exciting read, but it wasn't boring, either. Most refreshingly, it also wasn't a panicked or condescending account, like one might read in some of the articles that are floating around the internet today. Professor Ryrie treats his topic with calm and compassion.
_________
* in the limited sphere of Christianized Western Europe and its colonies
Check it out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut
Wednesday, December 04, 2019
Strong Towns
by Charles L. Marohn, Jr.
I was trying to think of a metaphor to describe the topic of this book. The one that popped in my head was, "Turn the car around, we're going the wrong way." Which is ironic since Mr. Mahron decries car culture in this book. Strong Towns makes the case that America has screwed up. For thousands of years humanity has worked out systems of living together, putting together functional cities, towns, and villages by trial and error. After World War II, the United States, awash with wealth and technology, tried something new and started growing our communities far and wide. The problem has now arisen, however, that the new and shiny needs some maintenance and the money's not there. The new infrastructure is a poor foundation for creating the income needed to maintain a decent life. The solution, according to Mr. Marohn, is not to find more wealth somehow and throw it into further growth. Rather, the direction we should be heading is back to what has worked: smaller, walkable, and more personal communities. Communities that build slowly and small, communities that require people to invest themselves in it. It's an interesting concept. The road to that goal looks like it won't be fun. But it does sound like it might be worth it.
Check it out.
LibraryThing link
I was trying to think of a metaphor to describe the topic of this book. The one that popped in my head was, "Turn the car around, we're going the wrong way." Which is ironic since Mr. Mahron decries car culture in this book. Strong Towns makes the case that America has screwed up. For thousands of years humanity has worked out systems of living together, putting together functional cities, towns, and villages by trial and error. After World War II, the United States, awash with wealth and technology, tried something new and started growing our communities far and wide. The problem has now arisen, however, that the new and shiny needs some maintenance and the money's not there. The new infrastructure is a poor foundation for creating the income needed to maintain a decent life. The solution, according to Mr. Marohn, is not to find more wealth somehow and throw it into further growth. Rather, the direction we should be heading is back to what has worked: smaller, walkable, and more personal communities. Communities that build slowly and small, communities that require people to invest themselves in it. It's an interesting concept. The road to that goal looks like it won't be fun. But it does sound like it might be worth it.
Check it out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut
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