Thank you, Nancy!

As my Book Challenge post will tell you on New Year's Day, I anticipate 2016 being my year of Dante's Divine Comedy. With that in mind, I planned to buy Ascent to Love by Peter Leithart as my January book purchase. (It's either limit myself to one book a month or be forced to move to a bigger house. Also, we would have no money.)

However, I was confused when I received an Amazon package this morning and this book was in it. Had I already bought it? I didn't recall doing that. But there was a last minute flurry of spending when I realized just how many people I needed to buy books for before Christmas. Did I do it then?

No. As it turns out, Nancy S. was brimful of the Christmas spirit and gave me precisely the book I wanted. I guess she was full of the actual Spirit also since she picked out precisely the book I wanted.

I lost her email but wanted to be sure I thanked her for the delightful surprise ... and precisely the right book!

Merry Christmas, Nancy, and thank you!

Memorable Books of 2015

My favorites from the many books I read this year.

Art: A New History by Paul Johnson

This took me a couple of years to leisurely work my way through. Now that I'm done I miss Paul Johnson's voice looking at history and art and the fascinating, creative people who are artists.

My only wish is for a companion volume that shows all the images that Johnson mentions. There simply wasn't room in this book for enough of the actual art.

I'll be putting this in my rereading stack. My full review is here.


A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

As with the best books, this surprised me in new ways the second time around. For one thing the ending is so powerful it tended to overshadow my memories of a lot of the plot. Also some characters were so unforgettable, like Madame Defarge, that they overshadowed others which I now appreciated much more, such as Monsieur Manette. And one feels as if the Revolution is taking place all around, which makes the beginning and middle fade when one is simply remembering rather than having read it recently.

I tend to say this about a lot of Dickens' books after I finish them, but this might be my favorite of his works. (My review after reading it for the first time is here.)

The Lord by Romano Guardini

How does one adequately review this magnificent book? I'm not really up to the task, though you may read my review here.

Romano Guardini set out to explore the life and words of Jesus in the gospels. He has a clarity and depth that often turns our view upside down to show the deep meaning of Jesus' words and actions. All with a completely reverent viewpoint that never leaves Catholic teachings but yet shows us something new and startling.


Terence Fisher: Horror, Myth, and Religion by Paul Leggett

"Please - I never made horror films. They're fairy tales for adults." — Terence Fisher, London Daily Telegraph, Nov. 27, 1976

Fisher's spiritual orientation is a mixture of myth, fairy tale and Christian doctrine. ... [he] remains one of the few directors in cinema history with a clear, spiritual outlook.

This book is simply fantastic as well as being extremely easy to read. My review is here.


Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

“Are they really gods?"

"I never worry about theological questions," said Nightingale. "They exist, they have power and they can breach the Queen's peace - that makes them a police matter.”

Better than Harry Dresden. Better than Odd Thomas. Not better than White Cat or Night Watch, but it would take a lot to top those.

This book did what I thought impossible: pulled me back into reading an urban fantasy series.

For a lengthier, good review that is a fair representation of what I thought, see what Lois Bujold said.

I read all the series at a dead heat, one after the other. The audiobooks are very good also.


His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik


The series takes the idea of "what if" there were dragons during the Napoleonic Wars.

I really loved the first five of this series (which I told you all about here, if you missed it the first time around).



The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert B. Parker

"A pig is a pig," she said. "Whether he's public or private, he works for the same people."

"Next time you're in trouble," I said, "call a hippie."

Oh yeah, that's the stuff.

I encountered the Spenser novels in the early 1980s and became enamored. I'd never read anything like them.

Of course, I'd never read Dashiell Hammett or Raymond Chandler. I knew of them from movies but hard-boiled didn't appeal as reading material or even, at the time, as viewing material. It took a smart mouth like Robert B. Parker's detective, Spenser, to delight me and pull me into that world.

Now, decades after I first read this book, I realize the legacy Parker was carrying on. Rereading this book after listening to The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler, I could really appreciate just how well Parker pulled it off.

I felt the same way about the next books in the series, all of which I reread: God Save the Child, Mortal Stakes, and Promised Land.


Heaven and Hell: Visions of the Afterlife in the Western Poetic Tradition by Louis Markos

An excellent overview of the stories that have influenced and shaped our views of Heaven and Hell from ancient times until now. I particularly enjoyed the author's exploration of the chain of influences that have connected all these stories and the way that they've been tweaked to express new ideas in the "journey to the other side" format.  It also made me begin thinking about rereading Dante's Divine Comedy. For my full review, go here.


Mockingbird by Walter Tevis

Only the mockingbird sings at the edge of the woods.

I've been jaded by the plethora of recent apocalyptic novels but this one is different. Perhaps the highest tribute I can give this novel is that when I finished I didn't want to read another book. To do so would sully what I'd just read before I'd finished thinking about it, as well as be unfair to anything that followed because it wouldn't be able to compare.

My full review is here. We also discussed this book in Episode 110 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

101 Famous Poems by Roy J. Cook

One of my 2015 Reading Challenges was to read a poem a day. This is such a great book that I had to buy my own copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and imagine that it speaks equally as well to those who are more acquainted with poetry than I am. I wound up reading through it twice this year.

Memorable Movies - 2015

Not necessarily new in 2015, but they were new to me!

Full reviews, where I did them, are linked to in the movie names.

INTOUCHABLES

Wealthy quadriplegic Philippe needs an assistant to help him with all the functions of daily life. Immigrant, ex-con Driss needs a signature on his application to fulfill unemployment requirements. Philippe hires Driss because the regular applicants are missing one important quality and the lives of both men are changed.

Sounds predictable.

Isn't.

CAESAR MUST DIE

Convicts in an Italian high security prison practice and perform Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In the process, we see how the play holds up as a real life reflection of not only the prisoners' experiences but of life in general.

The prison theater is being redone so practices are held all over the prison which not only gets us out of the "stage performance" aspect but connects the play more fully to the prisoners' reality. Sheer genius.

HER

In the not so distant future, Theodore, a lonely writer purchases a newly developed operating system designed to meet the user's every needs. To Theodore's surprise, a romantic relationship develops between him and his operating system.

This was a fairly astounding movie. It startled, shocked, endeared, and made us think. We're still talking about certain aspects, especially how it looked at men and women (the title is "Her" after all and there is more than one woman in it), while simultaneously thinking about how we interact with technology, AI, and aliens. The more I think about it, the more I admire it.

THE OVERNIGHTERS

This documentary focuses on Pastor Jay Reinke's ministry to homeless men who have flocked to Williston, North Dakota to work in the oil fields.

The congregation eventually becomes overwhelmed when the "Overnighters" program shows no signs of shutting down.

At first this looks like a straight forward case of Christian hypocrisy. However, no story is ever as simple as it appears on the surface. As the documentary continues we are shown further strands of the story which lead into challenging, thought provoking waters.

THE EXTRAORDINARY VOYAGE

What a find! This tells the story of Georges Melies, whose 1902 film Le Voyage Dans la Lune left us with the indelible image of gentlemen in top hats exploring the moon. However, in order to tell Melies' story, the filmmakers wove the story of early cinema itself around the narrative.

It winds up following restoration efforts to the only hand-colored print of the film in existence.

INSIDE OUT

This movie works because we all recognize everything going on in this girl's life and in her head. If Pixar had taken a false step we would have felt it, because we all know the source material so well. They hit every note perfectly to tell a nuanced, complex story that made me laugh and cry (just a little), touched my heart and made me appreciate my emotions just a little more.

MAD MAX

In the first act of Mad Max: Fury Road, Tom Hardy’s Max spends more time than you might expect strapped helplessly to the front of a turbo-charged Chevy coupe, maniacally driven by a fanatic through a hellish landscape, an unwilling witness to the chaos ensuing around him.

Sitting in the theater, I felt about the same way, I think.

Then, as the movie continued, an improbable thing happened. Like Max, I slowly became a willing participant in the madness.

Steven D. Greydanus said it all for me.

I was left bemused by this movie, in large part because of the powerful, almost overwhelming images. A second viewing might change my mind but it was definitely memorable. In a good way.

TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL

Two hillbillies are suspected of being killers by college kids camping in the woods. The twist is that the hillbillies are kind, supportive, nice guys who are continually being misunderstood.

Fun, entertaining, and luckily I know enough to look away at the right time ... and that made all the difference.

What really surprises me is that my husband is a huge fan of this movie and  has brought it up many times. He isn't a horror film fan but this tapped into some entertainment vein that made him recommend it to a lot of people.

CHEF

Carl is celebrity chef whose cooking has become safe and boring. He’s divorced, with a 10-year-old son he never has time for. When an influential critic leads to his public humiliation, Carl reassesses his life. He launches a no-frills food truck and takes to the road. Carl’s path to redemption leads across the country, reconnecting him with his love of food, creativity, and his son.

Chef is an honest little, indie-style movie that gave me a great deal of pleasure. And sometimes that's all a movie needs to do.

In which we drop into the village of Binscombe to find out how they celebrate Christmas Eve.

Hint: we're not talking A Christmas Carol here. Think Twilight Zone. Join me for Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Most Men by John Whitbourn, Episode 295 at Forgotten Classics.

Worth a Thousand Words: Neon

Neon

Selection inspired by 99% Invisible's episode Tube Benders.

Well Said: C.S. Lewis on Writing in Books

To enjoy a book like that thoroughly I find I have to treat it as a sort of hobby and set about it seriously. I begin by making a map on one of the end-leafs: then I put in a genealogical tree or two. Then I put a running headline at the top of each page: finally I index at the end all the passages I have for any reason underlined. I often wonder—considering how people enjoy themselves developing photos or making scrap-books—why so few people make a hobby of their reading in this way. Many an otherwise dull book which I had to read have I enjoyed in this way, with a fine-nibbed pen in my hand: one is making something all the time and a book so read acquires the charm of a toy without losing that of a book.

C.S. Lewis, letter to a friend

Worth a Thousand Words: A Birthday Card for Theodore Roosevelt

Birthday Card, Howard Pyle, 1908
via Howard Pyle blog

It's not Roosevelt's birthday or Pyle's birthday or anyone's birthday who I know (at least as far as I know) ... I just liked the art.  And the friendship.

Well Said: Are you the woodsman or the wolf?

In all our actions we are either the woodsman or the wolf and God help us if we're the wolf, because there are so few woodsmen left.

Rose Davis, Double Exposure

Not that it's all about me, but I'd dearly love this blog to start up again. The reviews are real treasures. (And, yes, I'd say that even if Rose weren't my daughter.)

Well Said: Patron Saint of TV

When I asked my friend’s mother why there was a little statue of The Virgin Mary on top of their Sylvania, she corrected me in a tone which faintly suggested that her family were better Catholics than mine would ever be. “Oh, Honey, that isn’t the Virgin Mary. That’s St. Clare of Assisi– she’s the patron saint of television.”

I approached the plastic idol with what I hoped was a reverential pace to examine her more closely. She held one hand upward in a gesture of blessing and her face looked up to the heavens. Or perhaps she was simply keeping an eye on the antenna which was fastened to the roof directly above. It was impossible to tell. I tried to pick her up, but discovered that she wouldn’t budge from her place.

I’d heard of people having their eyes glued to their television sets, but never their feet. It was a day of firsts.

When I came home, I took my usual place at dinner– the seat farthest from my mom. It was the lowest position in the family pecking order, but it also happened to be the only chair at the table which afforded a clear view of the family room and the television in it, which was always miraculously turned on and which I always (just as miraculously) got away with watching. I could now tune out the conversation of my older siblings and tune in to early evening network programming knowing there was a new saint in my life who was watching over me as I ate in silence, just like (as I would learn many years later) the sisters of the Franciscan Order founded by her, The Poor Clares.

Michael Procopio, Food for the Thoughtless

Scott and I are going to record our Millions episode tomorrow morning. Anyone who's seen the movie will understand why this quote struck me as appropriate.

If you've haven't seen it, you're missing a terrific, little known Christmas movie. Read my review here.

Worth a Thousand Words: Snowfall

Snowfall
taken by Scott Danielson

Not that I'm jealous or anything but we're going through a cold spell of our own here. Should be down to the mid-50s. (aargh!)

Well Said: "Gentlemen, I am a Catholic ..."

Gentlemen, I am a Catholic. As far as possible, I go to Mass every day. This [taking a rosary from his pocket] is a rosary. As far as possible, I kneel down and tell these beads every day. If you reject me on account of my religion, I shall thank God that He has spared me the indignity of being your representative.
Hilaire Belloc, 1906 speech in Salford

This was his response to his Tory opponent's slogan, "Don't vote for a Frenchman and a Catholic".

He was elected.

Worth a Thousand Words: First Snow

First Snow
by Edward B. Gordon

Our first snow, if we get any at all, usually doesn't come until after the New Year. Maybe that makes me enjoy this little gem even more.

Worth a Thousand Words: Merry Christmas, Texas Style

Jason Merlo, photographer
Texas yucca and red oak saplings - Burnet County, Texas

It's how we show our Christmas spirit.

Worth a Thousand Words: Mound of Butter

Antoine Vollon, Mound of Butter, 1875–85

Can you tell I've begun my Christmas cookie baking?

Well Said: Though much is taken, much abides

Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

Alfred Lord Tennyson

You know, it's funny where you find precious things. I'd never have expected to find this gem in a James Bond movie (Skyfall).

Worth a Thousand Words: Catherine Brass Yates

Gilbert Stuart, Catherine Brass Yates, 1793

Well Said: Stories and Faces

The idea that stories slavishly obey deep structural patterns seems at first vaguely depressing. But it shouldn't be. Think of the human face. The fact that all faces are very much alike doesn't make the face boring or mean that particular faces can't startle us with their beauty or distinctiveness. As William James once wrote, "There is very little difference between one man and another; but what little there is, is very important." The same is true of stories.

Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal

I never thought of it that way, of course, so this comparison was eye opening.

Well Said: That feeling of discomfort? It's called a conscience.

This past week, I actually had a student come forward after a university chapel service and complain because he felt “victimized” by a sermon on the topic of 1 Corinthians 13. It appears this young scholar felt offended because a homily on love made him feel bad for not showing love. In his mind, the speaker was wrong for making him, and his peers, feel uncomfortable.

I’m not making this up. Our culture has actually taught our kids to be this self-absorbed and narcissistic. Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims. Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them “feel bad” about themselves, is a “hater,” a “bigot,” an “oppressor,” and a “victimizer.”

I have a message for this young man and all others who care to listen. That feeling of discomfort you have after listening to a sermon is called a conscience. An altar call is supposed to make you feel bad. It is supposed to make you feel guilty. The goal of many a good sermon is to get you to confess your sins—not coddle you in your selfishness. The primary objective of the Church and the Christian faith is your confession, not your self-actualization.

So here’s my advice:

If you want the chaplain to tell you you’re a victim rather than tell you that you need virtue, this may not be the university you’re looking for. If you want to complain about a sermon that makes you feel less than loving for not showing love, this might be the wrong place.

If you’re more interested in playing the “hater” card than you are in confessing your own hate; if you want to arrogantly lecture, rather than humbly learn; if you don’t want to feel guilt in your soul when you are guilty of sin; if you want to be enabled rather than confronted, there are many universities across the land (in Missouri and elsewhere) that will give you exactly what you want, but Oklahoma Wesleyan isn’t one of them.

At OKWU, we teach you to be selfless rather than self-centered. We are more interested in you practicing personal forgiveness than political revenge. We want you to model interpersonal reconciliation rather than foment personal conflict. We believe the content of your character is more important than the color of your skin. We don’t believe that you have been victimized every time you feel guilty and we don’t issue “trigger warnings” before altar calls.

Oklahoma Wesleyan is not a “safe place”, but rather, a place to learn: to learn that life isn’t about you, but about others; that the bad feeling you have while listening to a sermon is called guilt; that the way to address it is to repent of everything that’s wrong with you rather than blame others for everything that’s wrong with them. This is a place where you will quickly learn that you need to grow up.

This is not a day care. This is a university.

Dr. Everett Piper, President, Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Amen. Dr. Piper's letter succinctly sums up what it means to be an adult and where it's very easy in today's culture to go off the tracks.

Sad to say, this message applies to a good portion of our adult population as well as to college students.

(Via The Deacon's Bench)

Worth a Thousand Words: Au Moulin de la Galette

Ramon Casas, Au Moulin de la Galette, 1892

Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz

Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At twenty-two, Bibi Blair’s doctors tell her that she’s dying. Two days later, she’s impossibly cured. Fierce, funny, dauntless, she becomes obsessed with the idea that she was spared because she is meant to save someone else. Someone named Ashley Bell. Searching for Ashley Bell through a southern California landscape, Bibi is plunged into a world of crime and conspiracy, following a trail of mysteries that become more sinister and tangled with every twisting turn.

This book seems like a return to Dean Koontz's old style of fast paced, horror thriller. Bibi is on the run, stalked by a psychopath who plans to kill Ashley Bell, who Bibi must try to save. Using short, compelling chapters, Koontz weaves together three fascinating storylines. I read this at a dead heat, riveted by Bibi's predicament, her mysterious past with the Captain who taught her a trick to forget "bad memories," and by Bibi's fiancé who brings a Navy SEAL op's skills to trying to find and help her on the run.

I'll admit that when I hit the big twist at 3/4 of the way through the book, it threw me off stride as different parts of the story suddenly became more interesting than they had been. However, Koontz pulled it all together by the end for a fascinating and logical ending. I did spend several hours not sure how I felt about the book, mulling over different aspects and thinking over how the story fit together. In the end, though it came down to whether I'd want to reread this book. The answer is a resounding, "Yes."

Koontz's short chapters which yank the reader between stories did occasionally get in the way. I sometimes would skip alternate chapters to read through a longer section of a particular storyline before going back to pick up the other pieces.

My review copy came from NetGalley, which influenced my opinion not a whit.

Worth a Thousand Words: Feeding on Willow Buds

Feeding on Willow Buds
taken by the incomparable Remo Savisaar

Well Said: Two Kinds of Problems

"Listen, there are only two kind of problems in life. [...] The first kind of problems are the ones life sends upon you to test you, to make you humble or make you long suffering, or whatever you may need.

"The second kind you make yourself. Most people, most of their lives, most of their problems, they simply invite into their lives, sweep out a guestroom for each pain, and give it free lodging and board.

"The first kind builds character. You cannot grow without this kind of problem, any more than you can build muscles without exercise.

"The second kind are invited by bad character, and the problems such a person has then cannot be put right until he puts himself right. It is not something a proud man can do, because proud men see no wrongness in themselves. [...]

"We must never fear problems of any kind. The suffering we bring on ourselves, we can ask to be taken away from us once we repent of it. The suffering sent to instruct us, we can ask for the strength to endure, and the humbleness to be instructed. ..."

John C. Wright, Somewhither

Ashley Bell ... come to my Kindle ...

Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz

At twenty-two, Bibi Blair’s doctors tell her that she’s dying. Two days later, she’s impossibly cured. Fierce, funny, dauntless, she becomes obsessed with the idea that she was spared because she is meant to save someone else. Someone named Ashley Bell. This proves to be a dangerous idea. Searching for Ashley Bell, ricocheting through a southern California landscape that proves strange and malevolent in the extreme, Bibi is plunged into a world of crime and conspiracy, following a trail of mysteries that become more sinister and tangled with every twisting turn.

WHAT?

NetGalley gave me permission to download this weeks ago and I just found the email now? (Inexplicably in the trash ... good thing I was looking for my login or I'd never have seen it.)

Cannot wait to begin this book ... I really enjoyed Koontz's last book, The City, and am curious to see if this one follows that style or hearkens back to his older style (which is what the description makes me think).

Worth a Thousand Words: A May Morning in the Park

Thomas Eakins, A May Morning in the Park, 1879-1880

Well Said: There are only two kinds of people in the end

There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.

C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

It is the ultimate tribute to our free will. What greater dignity could we ask for than that?

Arthur Conan Doyle called it "the high-water mark of [Stevenson’s] genius."

We begin a little known Robert Louis Stevenson mystery, The Pavilion on the Links, at Forgotten Classics. Contrary to what you might expect, there is neither golf nor lemonade involved.

Worth a Thousand Words: Portrait of Elizabeth I as a Princess

Formerly attributed to William Scrots (fl. 1537–1554),
Portrait of Elizabeth I as a Princess, circa 1546

Wow. Gorgeous dress, am I right? Take a look at this blown up. Incredible.

Well Said: The storylike character of science

The storylike character of science is most obvious when it deals with origins: of the universe, of life, of storytelling itself. As we move back in time, the links between science's explanatory stories and established facts become fewer and weaker. The scientist's imagination becomes more adventurous and fecund as he or she is forced to infer more and more from less and less.

Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal

I never really thought about storytelling as an influence on science but, once again, Gottschall pointed out a completely different point of view. One which works in more cases than one might think.

Worth a Thousand Words: Blue Pot and Lemon

Henri Matisse, Blue Pot and Lemon, 1897

Ah, Matisse in the early years. The years when I could still really enjoy his paintings.

Well Said: Signposts for the spiritual road

One of my most vivid childhood memories is of seeing, up in the mountains near my home, those signposts they planted alongside the hill paths. I was struck by those tall posts usually painted red. It was explained to me that when the snow fell, covering up everything, paths, seeded fields and pastures, thickets, boulders, and ravines, the poles stood out as sure reference points, so that everyone would always know where the road was.

Something similar happens in the interior life.There are times of spring and summer, but there are alos winters, days without sun and nights bereft of moonlight. We can't afford to let our friendship with Jesus depend on our moods, on our ups and downs. To do so would imply selfishness and laziness, and is certainly incompatible with love.

Therefore, in times of wind and snow, a few solid practices of piety, which are not sentimental but firmly rooted and adjusted to one's special circumstances, will serve as the red posts always marking out the way for us, until the time comes when Our Lord decides to make the sun shine again. Then the snows melt and our hearts beat fast once more, burning with a fire that never really went out. It was merely hidden in the embers, beneath the ashes produced by a time of trial, or by our own poor efforts or lack of sacrifice.

St. Josemaria Escriva, Friends of God

I tend to blame myself when my interior fires aren't burning brightly all the time, forgetting that it would be unnatural (as well as annoying) to always be "on." I love this reminder that the low times are the moments when we can lean on our regular spiritual practices and duties to carry us through to the next patch of sunshine, the next glorious season.

Well Said: Comparison

Comparison is the thief of joy.
Teddy Roosevelt

A good thought as we begin Advent, isn't it? Especially when I think about the realities involved in the Incarnation.

I picked this up from Brandywine Books which has a link to a great article about how we rob ourselves needlessly.

Worth a Thousand Words: Tiger Lily Polka Dot

Tiger Lily Polka Dot
by Belinda Del Pesco

I'm not sure why (not being one of those coves who understands art at all) but this sensual piece puts me forcibly in mind of Georgia O'Keefe's work.

Worth a Thousand Words: Splendor

Splendor
taken by Remo Savisaar

Remo titled this "Gloomy" but to me it is simply glorious and inspiring.

Well Said: The great thing about getting older...

The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been.

Madeleine L'Engle

Well Said: We Tell Ourselves the Best Stories

We tell some of the best stories to ourselves. ... We ask our friend, "What's up?" or "What's new?" and we begin to narrate our lives to one another, trading tales back and forth over cups of coffee or bottles of beer, unconsciously shaping and embellishing to make the tales hum. and every night, we reconvene with our loved ones at the dinner table to share the small comedies and tragedies of our day.

Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal

This was one really eye opening and very compelling in bringing home how story-rooted we are.

Mailbag!

From my inbox.

Sister Moon Graphics

Since 2004 Sister Moon Graphics has provided inspirational and Christian-themed cards to religious bookstores, monastery gift shops, Catholic online retailers and through our own online store. These original designs are inspired by a beloved chapter in the history of Western art--medieval manuscript illustration.

There are some really lovely cards at Sister Moon Graphics. Do go see!

Our Lady of Fatima Novena

This didn't come with a site to link to, but as a grass roots effort.

The attacks on Paris have been a tragic reminder that we are living in a time of war.

The enemy seems to be so powerful right now. We need to be an even stronger force, hearing our call to be warriors in Christ through our Holy Rosary and overcome this battle.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” Matthew 18:20. Imagine how powerful it would be if Catholics all around the world were united through the same novena, during the same nine days, praying for the same cause.
It makes you want to jump for joy!

The Quran mentions Mary over thirty times. It even has a quote from Fatima, Mohammed’s own daughter: “I surpass all women, except Mary.” (onepeterfive.com)
Let’s pray that the Muslim’s devotion to Mary leads them to Her Son, Christ Our Lord.
We will win this battle with love.

Pope Francis has called for a Holy Year of Mercy, which will start on December 8th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This rosary will end on Dec. 7. What a perfect way to prepare for mercy within our hearts.

THE NOVENA WILL BEGIN ON THE FIRST DAY OF ADVENT
Sunday, November 29

Our Lady of Fatima Novena
This is a nine day novena.

Say this prayer at the beginning of the Rosary

Most Holy Virgin, who has deigned to come to Fatima to reveal to the three little shepherds the treasures of graces hidden in the recitation of the Rosary, inspire our hearts with a sincere love of this devotion, so that by meditating on the mysteries of our redemption that are recalled in it, we may gather the fruits and obtain the conversion of sinners, the conversion of Russia, and this favor that I so earnestly seek (the conversion of Muslims) which I ask of you in this novena, for the greater glory of God, for your own honor, and for the good of all people. Amen.

Pray the rosary. By request of Our Lady of Fatima, say the following prayer after each decade.

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls into heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.

*Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel can be said at the end of the rosary.

The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary

From the publisher, this looks interesting. Expensive, but interesting.

... a project 10 years in the making that is not only a much-needed resource for English language Muslims, but also of huge significance for those of other faiths who wish to understand the Quran and Islam more clearly.

In light of the recent horrific attacks by extremist Islamic groups in Paris, Mali, Beirut, Kenya, and elsewhere around the world, it is crucial that we all – no matter what our faith – educate ourselves on what the Quran really has to say about life, faith, war, treatment of women, and more, and do not limit ourselves to only hearing what extremists (who distort meaning to support their own agendas) have to say.

Under the direction of Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr (the Iranian-born, Harvard-educated, world-renowned authority on Islamic thought), four distinguished scholars (Caner Dagli, Maria Massi Dakake, Joseph Lumbard and Mohammed Rustom – all raised in the West with English as their first language, and trained in Western universities with a mastery of Quranic Arabic) have worked to create a translation of the Quran in English that is accurate, accessible, and a reliable rendering of the sacred text.

This article gave additional interesting information about the book.

Worth a Thousand Words: Madonna of the Lilies

Madonna of the Lilies, Alphonse Mucha, 1905

I never realized that Mucha did any religious art. Via Wikipedia comes this fascinating background:

In 1902, Mucha was commissioned to decorate a church in Jerusalem dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Shown here is the final version of 'Madonna of the Lilies', one of the murals for the church. The project was cancelled later for unknown reasons, so all that remains of this commission is this painting and earlier versions of it (Sakai City collection, Japan), as well as a design for a stained-glass window,' Harmony', which is also in the Mucha Trust collection.

According to Mucha's letter to his wife Maruška, he conceived the subject as 'Virgo purissima', thus depicting the heavenly vision of Madonna, surrounded with a mass of lilies, symbol of purity. The seated young girl in Slavic folk costume carries a wreath of ivy leaves, symbol of remembrance. Her serious expression and strong physical presence contrast with the ethereal figure of the Virgin.

Well Said: The reader's creative effort

Reading is often seen as a passive act: we lie back and let writers pipe joy into our brains. But this is wrong. ... When we read stories, this massive creative effort is going on all the time, chugging away beneath our awareness.

Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal

Gottschall is referring to the fact that we fill in so many details ourselves when reading. We know how a character's face should look, the details of their clothing, the surroundings of the action in a way that the writers haven't described.

It is certainly one of the reasons I tend to avoid movies made from books I love. They never get those things right. How could they? They weren't in my head when I learned to love the book.

Well Said: Our great drama — no confidence in God

Our great drama is this: Man does not have confidence in God. Hence he looks in every possible place to extricate himself by his own resources and renders himself terribly unhappy in the process rather than abandon himself into the tender and saving hands of his Father in heaven.

[...]

It is, however, marked with this distrust that we come into this world. This is the original sin. and all our spiritual life consists precisely in a long process of reeducation, with a view to regaining that lost confidence, by the grace of the Holy Spirit who makes us say anew to God: Abba, Father!

Fr. Jacques Phillipe

I love the point that our spiritual life consists of the long process of reeducation. Restoration.

Seasonal Books Just In: Joy to the Worlds, Time to Get Ready

Joy to the Worlds
by M. Chance, J. Southard, R. Oak, G. Clemans

What do you get when you mix mystery and speculative fiction, then toss in the holidays for good measure? A mobster Santa, genetic hanky-panky, Victorian villages, time-travelling detectives, Krampus, eerie bell spirits, and more–this collection of short cross-genre fiction is the perfect counterpoint to traditional holiday reading!

This is a review book for SFFaudio, which is unusual considering it is a print version.

I'm a sucker for Christmas mysteries and when you add scifi and fantasy to the mix, then I'm on board. I haven't heard of any of the four authors who contribute two stories each to this book. I've only read the first two stories but really enjoyed them. One featured a detective in the Wild Hunt and the other teen-age workers in a Victorian tourist village in the dystopian future. Both were imaginative and entertaining.

Time to Get Ready: An Advent, Christmas Reader to Wake Your Soul
by Mark Villano

For many Christians, Advent and Christmas have simply become just another time of year, albeit more frenetic. It is for them that Mark Villano has written Time to Get Ready. He opens up the scriptures, themes, and liturgical traditions of these holy seasons to better appreciate their meaning. He reveals the life-changing mystery of Christ, the invitations of grace all around us. Consider this book a daily retreat, a time to let go of the activity and noise of life and simply listen. It will become a cherished companion for many as they prepare spiritually for Christmas and beyond.

It's been a long time since Advent and Christmas have been just another time of year for me. I cherish Advent's reminder to slow down, be present in the moment and remember the wonder and mystery of the Incarnation of Christ.

This book may be directed at Advent newbies, but it doesn't feel that way to me. It's simple enough to provide my annual reminder about the point of Advent. It's also deep enough that I don't feel as if it is a primer. I especially appreciate the scripture flowing around and through each entry. There's a grounding in daily life but always with the context of Scripture, liturgy and tradition.

I've really enjoyed sampling this book and will be reading it this year for Advent.

Worth a Thousand Words: Painted Sky

Painted Sky
taken by the estimable Remo Savisaar

Lagniappe: Weird Tales and Annual Reports

Sometimes I try to care [about money], I really do. But show me an old copy of Weird Tales and the latest Bank of America Annual Report, and you'll see where my eyes turn. Of course, both publications deal in fiction ...

Michael Dirda, Browsings

Worth a Thousand Words: Flamingo Eye

Flamingo Eye
taken by Wayne Grazio
Creative Commons License

Worth a Thousand Words: Three White Mice and a Feather

Ohara Koson, Three White Mice and a Feather, early 20th century
Via Arts and Everyday Living

Chu-Bu and Sheemish / The Oval Portrait

Lord Dunsany and Edgar Allen Poe, together at Forgotten Classics podcast.

Final Lord of the Rings Discussion at SFFaudo

As we wend out weary way home to the Shire, the SFFaudio fellowship of Jesse, Seth, Maissa and Julie ponder the end of the masterpiece The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

For the People of Paris: O Liberty, can man resign thee once having felt thy generous flame?

Lately Tom has been playing Edith Piaf songs from archive.org. It is also where he put together a terrific playlist of Xavier Cugat tunes for us.

It came in handy last night as we watched with horror the terrible news of the attacks on the free people of Paris.

Last night we played Piaf's rousing rendition of La Marseillaise while we raised a glass of brotherhood. As Tom says, this is the version to be blasted into the streets before you march.


Edith Piaf - La Marseillaise from behlulcandanga on Vimeo.

You can read the lyrics in English here. (That's where the headline came from.)

Right now, other than fellow feeling, we can offer nothing more powerful than prayer. And I do pray for the victims and the French people and those brave souls who wage the fight against terror.

The Champs-Elysées, from Concorde to Grande Arche of La Défense

From The Anchoress comes a beautiful prayer of succor for the people of Paris. Here is part of it...

Notre Dame de Paris, pray for the people of your city! Our Lady of Grace, you who showed yourself to Saint Catherine Laboure and brought miracles, who smiled upon Saint Therese of Lisieux and created a missionary, in your holy Motherhood, please intercede for your fearful and endangered people; bring your consolations to the people of Paris and all of France. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, hear us.

Saint Therese of Lisieux, Patron of France, pray for them
Saint Joan of Arc, Patron of France, pray for them.
Saint Martin of Tours, Patron of France, pray for them
Saint Remigius, Patron of France (pray for them)
Saint John Vianney …
Saint Jeanne Jugan …
Saint St Genevieve…
Saint Denis…
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux …
Saint Germain Cousin …
Saint Peter Julian Eymard …
Saint Louis …
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque …
Saint Peter Fourier …
Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat …
Saints Louis and Zelie Martin …
Saint Jane Frances de Chantal …
Saint Catherine Laboure …
Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne …
Saint John Eudes …
Saint Vincent de Paul …
Saint Hilary of Poitiers …
Saint Isaac Jogues …
Saint Jane de Chantal …
Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle …
Saint Benedict Joseph Labre …

Coptic Martyrs, victims of ISIS, pray for them

All you holy men and women, pray for France, and pray for us.

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Worth a Thousand Words: Odysseus and Polyphemus

Arnold Böcklin, Odysseus and Polyphemus, 1896

This caught my attention because I'd just been listening to The History of Literature's episode about Homer. I love this podcast and will tell you more about it later, but you can't think about Homer without having Odysseus on the brain.

Via Lines and Colors where you'll find some interesting commentary and call out of details.

Well Said: I was not yet in love, yet I loved to love

All men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God,
and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is,
and from studying the works did not discern the artisan;
But either fire, or wind, or the swift air,
or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water,
or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods.
Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods,
let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these;
for the original source of beauty fashioned them.
Or if they were struck by their might and energy,
let them from these things realize how much more powerful is he who made them.
For from the greatness and the beauty of created things
their original author, by analogy, is seen.
But yet, for these the blame is less;
For they indeed have gone astray perhaps,
though they seek God and wish to find him.
For they search busily among his works,
but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair.
But again, not even these are pardonable.
For if they so far succeeded in knowledge
that they could speculate about the world,
how did they not more quickly find its Lord?

Wisdom 13:1-9

I read this in this morning's readings and immediately picked up my study Bible to mark the passage. Too late! I'd already marked it.

It is fittingly paired today with Psalm 19, my favorite.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the firmament proclaims the works of his hands.

Day unto day pours forth speech;
night unto night whispers knowledge.

*There is no speech, no words;
their voice is not heard;

A report goes forth through all the earth,
their messages, to the ends of the world.

All these voices echo and reinforce each other. We are being called, sought, spoken to in every way possible. It is because of our own distractions, preoccupations, noise that we don't hear.

So it seemed predestined when I saw that today's GoodRead's quote was a fitting summary of how we get it wrong, from another favorite of mine, St. Augustine.

I was not yet in love, yet I loved to love...I sought what I might love, in love with loving.

Augustine of Hippo

Prayer Request

Tom's aunt asks our prayers for her son, Tom's cousin:

He has been in the hospital for 8 days. He is not expected to recover. Ask God for a miracle.

This news comes as a shock to us. Please pray.

What We've Been Watching: Justified and Phil Rosenthal

I'll Have What Phil's Having

Phil Rosenthal, creator of Everyone Loves Raymond, takes a culinary of 6 cities around the world. This isn't a new idea. The Food Network thrives on it and Anthony Bourdain met mainstream America with such culinary sightseeing.

The difference here is Phil. He is a total nerd, but in the best, most lovable way. His enthusiasm is genuine and you can see why he has so many friends. When he looks at the camera with that intense, delighted gaze you wind up laughing in sympathy. And wanting to try all those restaurants he just visited.

We only saw the last of the 6-episode series, set in L.A., because I already was recording Castle in this show's time slot. (Off topic, Castle has finally hit their "we're done but don't know it yet" season. We'd kind of realized that but were still watching out of inertia.) Anyway, we kept forgetting to watch this show real time.

But what we saw made us eager to watch the rest of the series which is streaming on PBS.

Justified

Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens is reassigned to Eastern Kentucky after dispensing old style justice too publicly in Miami. The problem is that Raylan winds up in the childhood town he fled, hoping never to return. So in addition to the culture of poor, rural coal-mining towns, you've got some very interesting ghosts in Raylan's life.

We've slowly been sampling recommended shows and finding them lacking (Longmire - too predictable, like a 1970s cop show. Deadwood - so determined to be edgy that edge is all they've got; there's no one to genuinely care about.)

So I came to Justified with a certain amount of cynicism which just increased my delight at the excellent pilot. Smart dialogue, layered stories, multidimensional characters, and prodding the audience to make connections themselves. When I saw it was based on an Elmore Leonard story and that he was Executive Producer I understood why it was so good. That has held up through the first season. Every time we're surprised by the smart/stupid, bad/good characters who seem both cartoonish and realistic, I remind myself, "This is just like watching an Elmore Leonard short story."

It streams free on Amazon Prime.

Worth a Thousand Words: The Red Tree

Avond (Evening): The Red Tree, Piet Mondrian, 1910

Well Said: The Whole World Listened

But when the fairy sang the whole world listened to him. Stephen felt clouds pause in their passing; he felt sleeping hills shift and murmur; he felt cold mists dance. He understood for the first time that the world is not dumb at all, but merely waiting for someone to speak to it in a language it understands. In the fairy’s song the earth recognized the names by which it called itself.

Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

This is so beautifully written and says so much to readers about the nature of fairy magic (as opposed to English magic). But mostly I love it for how it took hold of my imagination.

Worth a Thousand Words: Captain, Hussar Armor

Captain, Andrzej Wiktor –
The characteristic half plate armour of the hussars
is shown on a regimental officer here.
He wears a delia coat and carries a horsemen’s hammer as a mark of office.

This is via Dappled Things, which you should definitely check out. Art, poetry, interesting articles — all Catholic.

Well Said: What Works in Marriages

We can tell what doesn't work in marriages. So often today people ask, "Who will make me happy?" But what we should ask is, "Who will I love so much that I will sacrifice myself to make them happy?"

Father Roch Kereszty

Paraphrased from the incredible homily that Father Roch gave at Hannah and Mark's wedding. It was too good to keep private. This is the sort of revolutionary truth that is easy to forget.

Worth a Thousand Words: Love's Messenger

Love's Messenger, 1885, Marie Spartali Stillman

Via Lines and Colors where you will find a lot of information about the artist, more images, and lots of links to explore.