A Couple of Good Books

PROVEN GUILTY (The Dresden Files, Book 8)
by Jim Butcher
This is the most recent in the series about Harry Dresden, the magic wielding, wise cracking detective who is constantly in trouble up to his neck while having to save the world. This book finds Harry investigating a vague tip about black magic at a horror movies convention. Anyone who is a horror movie fan probably will get more out of the convention and monster scenes than I do as I am not really a fan. That said, I always enjoy the books in this series but this one was better than usual as it moved the series in new directions at the end. Also, although Harry usually describes himself as "theologically neutral" there is an unusual amount of Christian conversation (relatively speaking) since Michael's (the Templar Knight) family is present for a significant part of the book.

I frowned over a thought. "Padre. Tell me something. Why in the world would the Almighty send Michael off on a mission just when his family most needed him to protect them?"

Forthill arched an eyebrow. "My son," he said, "God knows all things at all times. By His very nature, his omniscience enables Him to know what has happened, is happening, and will happen. Thought we might not be able to see His reasons, or to agree with them from our perspectives, they are yet there."

"So what you're saying is that the Almighty knows best, and we just have to trust Him."

Forthill blinked. "Well. Yes."

"Is there any reason that the Almighty couldn't do something blatantly obvious?"

Poor Forthill. He'd been preparing himself for years for a theological duel with the shadowy wizard Dresden, and when the moment came, I wasn't even giving him a real fight. "Well. No. What do you mean?"

MASON-DIXON KNITTING: The Curious Knitters' Guide
by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne
I am not at all sure that these authors' names aren't pseudonyms for the Summa Mamas. The same down-home, hilarious, quirkiness runs throughout this book. The narrative is delightful and the patterns are simple enough that even the most inexperienced knitter (raising my hand) feels confident at substituting their own touches to make it their own. There is everything from washcloths to felted boxes to rugs. Just when I would look at a section and be prepared to skip it ... never having ever been a fan of the log cabin quilt pattern which they adapted for knitting for example ... I would flip a page and be entranced at how it had been tweaked into a modern and new look which made me want to knit it right then! This was a library book but has gone on my Amazon wish list because their ideas are inspired, varied, and flexible enough to last a long time. As I already said, the narrative is both homey and wacky ... but equally inspired. Below are a few selected items from their timeline of knitting history.

1595 B.C.
Woman waiting for Hittite husband to return from sacking of Babylon picks up string and two sticks, begins "Support Our Troops" scarf.

1595 BC (two minutes later)
Woman drops first stitch, utters first curse word related to knitting.

1896 A.D.
Siobahn Ogwnngyfleioghnn knits so poorly that she accidentally discovers the cable stitch.

1924 A.D.
Kleenex invented.

1924 A.D. (one hour later)
Mildred Farnwinkle of Dubuque, Iowa, completes first Kleenex box cozy.

Also, check out their blog.

As a side note, reading this book is when I realized that I do not have the common problem that most knitters do with a yarn "stash." However, I am finding myself collecting patterns like crazy, especially for socks as of late ... mine is a pattern "stash."

Tags: Catholicism, Christianity