Lenten Reading: The Big List of Fiction

This is a huge list to be sure. But it has some of the most thought provoking books I know They both entertain and inspire. It ranges from science fiction to mystery to Uncle Tom's Cabin. I've run the list before but have updated it.

Last year I read The Lord of the Rings beginning on Ash Wednesday and finishing on Holy Saturday. It was intense, both in my daily reading requirements and spiritually. It was the perfect accompaniment to Lent.

This year ... I'm still thinking but I am inclined to reread The Feast. My podcasting pal Scott is going to do that and it is really an appealing idea.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

This was so much more than I realized it would be. Within this simply told tale are the stories of four people who go to a special cafe in order to time travel. The rules are strict, the time is very limited, and it seems impossible that they could accomplish much. However, each is surprised by what they find. And therein lies a wonderful, charming tale. 

My full review is here. Scott and I discussed this is episode 331 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast,

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

Four women who need to get away from their regular lives and get their heads together rent an Italian castle with the promise of sunshine and wisteria. They don't realize why they so desperately need a change when they flee gray, raining London for sunny San Salvatore Castello in Italy. However, as they are surrounded by beauty their eyes are gradually opened.

This is one of those books that has a seemingly simple story but presents a lot in the layers of the story. My full review is here. Scott and I discussed this in Episode 350 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

 The Feast by Margaret Kennedy

This book starts out with a clergyman at a loss for how to write a eulogy for seven people who died in a hotel when a cliff fell on it and crushed it. We're then taken back to life in the hotel a week before the disaster. We get to know everyone and watch how their interactions change them (or don't). This book is not just about the mystery of who will live and who will die. It is also about spiritual realities by which these people live their lives.

My full review is here. Scott and I discussed this in episode 321 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

In the late 1800s two French priests are assigned to the New Mexico territory to minister to the neglected Catholic churches there. One is intellectual, the other is the salt of the earth. Both are friends and both are good Catholic priests. This is what one might call an episodic telling, much as are the Gospels. We see the lives of the priests, those they minister to, and the country itself which is as much of a character as any of the people. Cather wasn't Catholic but you'd never know it simply by reading this account which gets everything right — and gives a lot of food for thought along the way. Scott and I discussed this in episode 274 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Black Bottle Man by Craig Russell

Rembrandt, his father, and uncle are trying to undo a deal with the devil made by their loved ones. As they seek a champion, they must cope with a tricky requirement that they not stay in any place longer than 12 days.

Considerations of faith are handled both honestly and delicately in this book. The insights and observations throughout the book underlie the main story in a way that lends itself to considerations of gratitude, mercy, selfishness, sacrifice, and much more — all without being heavy handed.

My full review is here. It is is marketed to teens but I'm not the first reviewer to mention that label is too limiting because it is also a great read for adults.

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. And also on SFFaudio where a lot of interesting fruitful topics came up.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Or, since Lent is only 40 days, at least the first book, The Fellowship of the Ring. I was was blown away by how much the audio experience added to my understanding of the richness and depth of the story. Admittedly, it was also greatly helped by The Tolkien Professor's class sessions on this book. You will be hard put to find a better primer on sacrifice, redemption, and many other key lessons for Christian life. I think this may be the best book ever written. And you could do worse than to read The Hobbit for starters.

Joseph R's review is the best I've read if you'd like a more complete look at the novel.

Scott and I were joined by Seth Wilson in a two-part discussion of this novel at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast: part 1, part 2.

Christy by Catherine Marshall
I read this several times when I was in high school and college but hadn't encountered it for decades. It came to mind again when talking with my mother about books set in hardscrabble backgrounds.

I remembered it being really interesting about people in the Smoky Mountains in 1912 cut off from any outside civilization except for a few people who came in to try to help their poverty stricken situation. Including the 19-year-old young woman, Christy, who comes to teach the children. She is naive and from a well-to-do background so she's completely unprepared for what she finds.

I didn't recall it being so inspirational throughout. I wound up loving it so much that I could hardly bear to put it down. Scott and I discussed this in episode 355 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
A bedraggled, galley ship survivor, despite his best efforts to the contrary, finds himself in the middle of royal intrigue. If that weren't enough, he is also pulled into the the affairs of the divine as a result and this complicates his life as one might imagine. This is a land of various gods and strong, dark magic. It is, however, also a land where free will matters in the outcome of events.

Will Duquette calls this "theological science fiction" and I agree. The way that free will is intertwined with what the gods desire, as well as what is "right," is fascinating and a good way to examine our own motives the next time we turn away from what God may be asking of us. My full review is here. A Good Story discussion is at Episode 198.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry is an incredible Christ-figure as I discovered when I reread the series recently. Of course, this only works for those who have read the series before.

For more depth and as accompanying materials, readers may want to listen to Episode 26 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast where Scott Danielson and I discuss the book and the entire series from a Catholic point of view.

In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden
This extraordinarily sensitive and insightful portrait of religious life centers on Philippa Talbot, a highly successful professional woman who leaves her life among the London elite to join a cloistered Benedictine community. That's the official description but it doesn't begin to cover the richly woven tapestry Godden weaves with nuanced personalities, mysteries to solve so that the order may continue, Philippa's internal struggles, and much more.

Again, Joseph R. has a wonderful review of the book. We also discussed  episode 97 at A Good Story is Hard to Find

Prince of Foxes by Samuel Shellabarger
This beautifully written historical fiction tells of Andrea Orsini, who is one of Cesare Borgia's most trusted political manipulators during the Italian Renaissance. This is a swashbuckler that simultaneously shows Andrea's transition of a human heart from greed to love, selfishness to sacrifice, and power grubbing to nobility.

Discussed in episode 13 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
A real page-turner which many think they know because the cultural references are so embedded in our society. However, if you haven't read this book then you don't know it at all. First and foremost, Uncle Tom actually is a Christ-figure, a living saint. No wonder he is misunderstood by so many.

Stowe does a good job showing many different attitudes toward slavery and how people excused themselves under the flimsiest of excuses. What is unexpected is how well she examines the varying levels of Christianity proclaimed and threaded solidly throughout the story.

Discussed in episode 114 of A Good Story is Hard to Find.

I read this aloud on my Forgotten Classics podcast with commentary. Yes, that's how much I love it.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

We all think of this as a classic horror story but there is much more to it. Look below the surface and you find a classic tale of unselfishness and doing God's will in order to rid the world of a monster who is a perversion of Christ.

Discussed in episode 168 of A Good Story is Hard to Find. Mythgard Institute (founded by Corey Olsen, The Tolkien Professor) has a superb series of classes on Dracula.

The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis
These books seem an interesting blend of fiction and nonfiction to me. Lewis's imagination is vivid and fascinating. His tendency to have characters speechify leans to the nonfiction side. Taken as a meditative read, they would be very good for Lent, I'd think.

Out of the Silent Planet: Dr. Ransom is kidnapped by two men who take him to Mars as a sacrifice to the natives. Lewis was fantastically inventive about what the planet and living beings were like. I didn't know he had it in him.

Perelandra: Very different from Out of the Silent Planet while still showing C.S. Lewis's vivid and inspiring imagination. I am simply blown away by his vision of creation on Venus. Amazing insights as to battling evil, the dance of God's creation and plan, and our part in it.

That Hideous Strength: It is a testament to Lewis's imagination and writing skill as to how different all three of the books are in this trilogy, while simultaneously all carrying out the same basic theme. No wonder J.R.R. Tolkien loved them. This book left me striving to be a better person, to be truer to myself, as did the other two. Not many other books really leave one feeling that way.

Discussed in episodes 202, 204, and 206 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Spectacled Mouse Reading Newspaper

Spectacled Mouse Reading Newspaper (1890). Beatrix Potter.

I could just look at this all day. I'm not kidding. All. Day.

How Harry Cast His Spell by John Granger

How Harry Cast His Spell explains why the books meet our longing to experience the truths of life, love, and death; help us better understand life and our role in the universe; and encourage us to discover and develop our own gifts and abilities.

I recently listened to a podcast specializing in deep meaning in novels do several episodes on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone. It was really interesting and led to me to look for information about the following six novels of the series.

This book fills the bill. Not only does John Granger have chapters about Christian and literary symbolism, names, and themes, but he then goes through each book looking beneath the surface. This led me to reread the series for the first time in years, which I enjoyed immensely. Granger's commentary showed me some new ideas about the books and that made them even more meaningful. I enjoyed this a lot. 

Definitely recommended.

"Are there any good coming of age books?"

My friend Meg asked this question during last week's book club and I could only think of Huckleberry Finn. Which I was loathe to include, as was Meg. Now that's crazy because it is, of course, a coming of age book. But, as it turns out, neither Meg nor I like coming of age stories and we both like Huckleberry Finn.

At the same time another friend, Emily, mentioned Anne of Green Gables, to which I automatically said "No." Now that's even more bonkers because, of course, it also is a coming of age story and a good book. To me, though, it seemed too simple and sweet, without the deep layers of angst that I hate when reading about coming of age.

So I went home thinking about Meg's question and my peremptory exclusions. 

Suddenly I understood why I never liked David Copperfield until the very end where he's wrestling with his marriage ... and is an adult! Right. The whole darned book is coming of age with angst. So much angst. (Not that I don't love Aunt Betsy and Mr. Dick because, you know, Dickens isn't going to let you out of any book without making you love at least some of the people in it.)

Rose and I talked this over and came to the conclusion that  coming of age stories are fairly predictable and boring unless that is just one element of a much more compelling, complex tale. 

Naturally, I made a list. 

I'm including two classic coming of age tales because I encountered them at just the right age to love them always. And they manage to be legitimately good books even without lots of other elements.

• Treasure Island
  Pirates! And ... no, that's it - Pirates!
  
  
• Anne of Green Gables
  Classic
  
  
• Little Women
  Classic
  
  
• Kim
  Adventure, espionage, and exotic India from all walks of society
  
  
• Northanger Abbey
  Deliciously fun satire of Gothic novels. And romance!
  
  
• To Kill a Mockingbird
  Small town life in the South, racial injustice, and the best father in the world
  
  
• Huckleberry Finn
  Road trip, adventures on the Mississippi, and racism
  
  
• Citizen of the Galaxy 
  Slavery, beggars, exotic far-off worlds, spaceships, espionage
  
  
• Dune
  Giant worms, interplanetary intrigue, and trying to spot the coming messiah
  
  
• Harry Potter (books 1-7)
  Super villain, wizards, magic, Muggles —you already know why this is fun and also great
  
  
• The Giver
  Fascinating utopian/dystopian society.
  
  
• The City (Dean Koontz)
  Supernatural horror with plenty of jazz
  
  
• The Jungle Book / The Graveyard Book
  Take your pick since Neil Gaiman wrote Graveyard in homage to Jungle. Raised by animals or ghosts, running from a tiger or a hired killer, encountering mysteries and wonders in a world that isn't human.
  
  
• Jane Eyre
  All things gothic and mysterious. Avoid the attic!
  
  
• Something Wicked This Way Comes
  The creepiest carnival ever. Do not — I repeat "do not" — ride the merry-go-round.
  
  
• Ender's Game
  Giant alien insects want to invade Earth. Who can possibly save us?
  

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

Naomi Novik is adept at weaving completely original and compelling stories from the merest thread of a fairy tale (Uprooted, Spinning Silver). Her Temeraire series is an imaginative telling launching from both the Master and Commander series and the Dragonriders of Pern series.

So when I was reading this book and the word "Scholomance" made me think of Dracula, I went looking for information. In this case, Scholomance originates in real folklore (read more about that here) that was used by Bram Stoker in Dracula. It's just a sentence or two about how Dracula essentially was schooled at, as a friend told me once, "the devil's Hogwarts" So I was thinking of that and ... found this from Dracula.

The Draculas were, says Arminius, a great and noble race, though now and again were scions who were held by their coevals to have had dealings with the Evil One. They learned his secrets in the Scholomance, amongst the mountains over Lake Hermanstadt, where the devil claims the tenth scholar as his due.
...
He dared even to attend the Scholomance, and there was no branch of knowledge of his time that he did not essay.

What Novik has done with these beginnings is to turn the Harry Potter magical boarding school on its head. This is a school where there aren't any teachers, where supernatural monsters roam the halls, and where students form alliances hoping that they will survive graduation. There is a lot more to this magical world and, as always, Novik's world building is wonderful, with all the ramifications followed through to logical conclusions, sometimes in surprising ways. It is told by El who has the power to destroy multitudes but whose New Age mother taught to be respectful of life. Which really puts her in a bind when it comes to exercising enough power to pass her classes.

In many ways, this is a typical school scenario where the heroine is an outcast who has to gather a band of fellow students around her to accomplish their goals. There's a high level of angst which I found somewhat tiresome by the end. However, it is a great adventure told with humor, irony, and a certain innocence that worked for me. And, its heart is in the right place.

I’ve been taught any number of ways to manage anger, and they really work. What [my mother's] never been able to teach me is how to want to manage it. So I go on seething and raging and knowing the whole time that it’s my own fault, because I do know how to stop.

El's mother taught her well and El draws a number of thoughtful conclusions which enrich the story and give it a good anchor. I'm looking forward to the second part of the series.

Good Friday was the perfect day to finish Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

This is my fourth time through the series - there couldn't possibly be a better day to read the end of this book (of the series) than on Good Friday. Everything about Harry as a Christ figure resonates so strongly against the backdrop of Christ's passion which is so present during the Triduum. Really perfect.

What a series. Rowling wrote a master work. No character is left without motivation, no one is all good or all evil (except Voldemort, and even he is pitiable as seen in the way station).

The most exhilarating aspect of the Bible

Very often the Bible compares God to a potter modeling human clay: "As clay in the hand of the potter," says Jeremiah, "so are men in the hand of God." Scripture is thus the story of this progressive refinement, of this patient work by the Creator on His creature to bring him to greater perfection. And just as a potter does not transform the lump of clay that he is modeling into a vase with skillful curves instantaneously, so God reveals Himself at work throughout the Bible and seems to enjoy displaying His alterations, His momentary defeats, His regrets, and His fresh starts.

This is perhaps the most exhilarating aspect of the Bible; it gives a constant sense of progress. "The historian receives an extraordinary impression from the Bible," writes Fr. de Lubac. "The contrast between the humbleness of Israel's beginnings and the power of the — explosives would be a better term — it bears within itself; the concrete and at first somewhat veiled form taken by its highest beliefs; then the majestic progress, the confident if mysterious march toward something vast and unforeseeable; nowhere else do we find anything even remotely resembling all this."

Henri Daniel-Rops, What is the Bible?

Ben-Hur and Me: 1957, 2016, and 1880

One thing I have discovered is that once I've seen one chariot race, I've seen them all. Luckily, there is much more to Ben-Hur than the famous chariot race.

1959 film

This is the one everyone has seen at least once. I've seen it numerous times and so have passed from wowed to blasé to appreciative over the years. Most recently I viewed it for a 2015 discussion at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast with Scott Danielson. That was the viewing where I was suddenly much more appreciative than I've been before. Yes, it's 3-1/2 hours and Charlton Heston can be pretty stiff sometimes, but this is the one you want to watch.

Then I watched the 2016 version with Rose recently. She'd only seen this version once so I simultaneously summarized the differences between the two films while we were watching. (Just for the record, this was at her specific request.) It made me appreciate this version even more and pat myself on the back for how well I recalled the plot.

2016 movie

By itself, without knowing the story in any other way, this 2016 version of Ben-Hur is fairly forgettable. To be fair, this director is known for great action (I loved Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter — as did Roger Ebert, so don't judge me!) and not for drawing great performances from actors. (I've never seen Morgan Freeman so wooden and stilted.) And a director is hampered if the script isn't good to begin with. So Timur Bekmambetov had a lot against him from the beginning on this project.

However, viewed as a companion piece to the classic 1959 movie, this movie lends itself to interesting reflections on the nature of mercy, forgiveness, redemption, etc. Make no mistake, it does reflect modern cultural views in many ways. For example, one must ignore some of the namby pamby New-Agey Jesus statements made early on in the movie. And Messala's angsty attempts of "can't we just all get along?" are completely out of place. But it is worth seeing once for the gorgeous visuals and the way the story treats Ben-Hur and Messala's relationship.

Be warned. Worst sea battle ever. You can't tell what's going on. And Bekmambetov loves shooting night scenes in the actual dark. So at one point we thought we were watching Ben-Hur sneaking around in a garden at night to meet his wife. Turns out it was Judas getting ready to betray Jesus. Talk about confused!

1880 book

After watching one movie while simultaneously summarizing the other, I decided to reread the book because my memory of it is muddled by the various film versions. I'm enjoying it so far and surprised by some of the book facts that the movies changed. Actually, make that a lot of things that both movies changed. 1959 changed a lot of Ben-Hur's motivations and internal thoughts. And then 2016 changed the rest.

I read this story many years ago, long before I was Christian. Certainly it long before I picked up the fact that the author was a Civil War General ... which somehow just makes the book that much more interesting. I also recently was in a conversation in which I learned that Ben-Hur was the Harry Potter of its day. Since people couldn't afford to travel, this was a great way to combine exotic travelogue and an inspiring tale.

I most recently read it in 2015 when we discussed it on A Good Story is Hard to Find and don't remember it much at all. Which says something about how little this hit me at that time. Now, with both movies specifically in mind, I find myself liking it much more.

Lagniappe: A Copper Who Is a Wizard

"You're so boring," she said. "You'd think a copper who was a wizard would be more interesting. Harry Potter wasn't this boring. I bet Gandalf could drink you under the table."

Probably true, but I don't remember the bit where Hermione gets so wickedly drunk that Harry has to pull the broomstick over on Buckingham Palace Road just so she can be sick in the gutter.

Ben Aaronovitch, Whispers Under Ground

It goes on like that for a bit, but you get the point. Makes me laugh and that's it. Nothing deeper here to see. Move along now.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“[...] We keep a record for every member, and for every customer who might yet become a member, in order to track their work." He paused, then added, "Some of them are working very hard indeed."

"What are they doing?"

"My boy," he said, eyebrows raised. As if nothing could be more obvious: "They are reading.”

Clay Jannon was lucky to find a job at Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. Times are hard and jobs are scarce. However, the bookstore sells very few books and the few regular patrons seem to have a strange mission that no one will talk about. Then there's the fact that most of the books can't be found in any index of published books. Naturally Clay begins investigating and winds up on a fascinating quest that includes secret societies, museums, ancient artifacts ... and e-books, virtual reality, and Google.

This book feels like a nerd's dream come true. Not only is there the high tech point of view but also the typographer's inside details. Ok, key figure Griffo Gerritszoon is made up, but Francesco Griffo was actually Aldus Manutius' employee. Who was Aldus Minutius? Every time you read something in italics, you can thank him for inventing them.

There is an interesting tension between the old ways and the new: old knowledge in books versus Google, bookstores versus e-books, tradition and innovation. These are things that all of us cope with in our own ways but it's kind of fun to see it all linked together and hanging off of bits of real history, a la DaVinci Code, but with less of a mean spirit than in Dan Brown's book.

If you ever played Zork or Baldur's Gate, if you ever thrilled to a quest in a fantasy book, if you ever played a scavenger hunt or lost hours to solving mysteries, then this book is going to push your buttons. Mix that in with the idea of a "fellowship" and you've got a sense of where this book excels.

It doesn't have deep character development, but that's not the point of this book. It is skimming the surface of some themes but it still manages to present them and give you food for thought while having a good time. In that it is very much like The Haunted Bookshop or Agent to the Stars or The Rosie Project, just to mention a few light books that I love.

It's a light, fun read with a sense of being an adult Harry Potter-ish book. Perfect summer reading.

Well Said: Catholic Readers

From my quote journal.

Catholic readers are forever being scandalized by novels that they don't have the fundamental equipment to read in the first place, and often these are worlds that are permeated with a Christian spirit. It is when an individual's faith is weak, not when it is strong, that he will be afraid of an honest fictional representation of life.
Flannery O'Connor

Needless to say, I completely agree. Not that I myself am always strong enough or fully equipped to understand the sorts of novels of which she speaks. Heck, they don't even have to be that hard for some people to quail. Look at the fuss over the Harry Potter series. But I try. Not being afraid is the key. And that's a start.

Don't Blink -- Beware of Weeping Angels

Holy ... uh ... moly.

Watching Dr. Who, season 3, and finally got to the famous "Blink" episode. I now understand why friends and well-wishers always inquired whether we'd seen it yet.

I actually was shouting at the tv at one point, I was so unnerved ... and Sally Sparrow was so slooooow!

I will just say that I woke up several times last night and each time what leapt to mind were stone angels looming over me. Not weeping ones, folks. I only wish they had been ...

(I'd elaborate but I know Rose hasn't seen this yet and I'm trying to be spoiler-free.)

On another note, I did like what the writer of that episode said about Dr. Who. As a relatively new series viewer, I like the distinction Moffat makes between childish and childlike. Of course, what he says about monsters is true no matter what.

You have to remember that being scared of the dark and being scared of monsters is basically a childish impulse. There's always something of the nursery about horror....Adults never quite grow out of their childhood fears. They just belong in a different part of our heads. Doctor Who isn't a childish programme, but it is childlike: it's a programme for children. And many, many adults who watch and love it watch it as that: as something like Harry Potter.

Steven Moffat on writing horror fiction for Doctor Who

Well Said: Friendship Plays the Potter

From my quote journal.

So there they go, Jim running slower to stay with Will, Will running faster to stay with Jim, Jim breaking two windows in a haunted house because Will's along, Will breaking one window instead of none because Jim's watching. God, how we get our fingers in each other's clay. That's friendship, each playing the potter to see what shapes we can make of the other.

Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes

Lenten Reading Ideas - Updated

WHAT I'M READING
I am already reading two books that are really hitting me where I live. How handy! I can just keep going with them through Lent.

Night of the Confessor by Tomas Halik
Night of the Confessor is rich and deep, with somehow simple ideas. Just when the author says something that I have a knee-jerk reaction of "that's not how faith works" he goes further and deeper so that I understand the reasons behind the surface statement ... and usually agree. This is thoughtful and thought provoking writing which I am letting sink in. And it is enriching my internal life. A fuller review is here with a lengthy excerpt.

Gospel of Mark, The (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by Mary Healy
This is a really great commentary. Healy combines a lot of the information that I have in a variety of other commentaries (both Catholic and Protestant), but then pulls it all together with additional observations that make it very accessible while still being scholarly. She follows up many sections with items for reflection.

Sometimes I am enlightened by the factual information which gives me new insights into the text. Sometimes it is from the material for reflection. However, it is a rare day that I fail coming away with an insight that I ponder the rest of the day. Highest recommendation and I will be getting another in the series after I am done with this book.

OTHER GREAT BOOKS
Here are some other books that I either have read for Lent or would gladly read. Some may be familiar because I just can't stop pushing them (or rereading them).

To Know Christ Jesus by Frank Sheed
Sheed looks at Jesus' life by weaving together all four Gospels. He also takes into consideration the times in which Jesus lived, how the people then would have interpreted Christ's teachings and witness, links to the Old Testament, teachings of the Chruch Fathers, archaeology, and more. The goal of all this is to give us a richer, deeper understanding of Jesus since to know the Father you must know the Son ... and there is nowhere better to meet him than through the Gospels.

The School of Prayer: An Introduction to the Divine Office for All Christians by John Brook
Interestingly Brook partially presents this introduction to promote ecumenism for he points out that praying from the Psalms makes Protestants feel right at home in the practice. This book not only tells about the divine office, but has an explication of the psalms commonly prayed so that we more easily find Christ in them.

Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom
This book is written with complete simplicity but yet somehow contains depths that one thinks of for some time afterward. Let's just begin with this ... "If you look at the relationship (us and God) in terms of mutual relationship, you would see that God could complain about us a great deal more than we about Him. We complain that He does make Himself present to us for a few minutes we reserve for Him, but what about the twenty-three and half hours during which God may be knocking at our door and we answer 'I am busy..."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry is an incredible Christ-figure as I discovered when I reread the series recently. Of course, this only works for those who have read the series before. For more depth and as accompanying materials, readers may want to listen to Episode 26 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast where Scott Danielson and I discuss the book and the entire series from a Catholic point of view.

Contemplating the Trinity: The Path to Abundant Christian Life by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa
He was the preacher to the papal household for Pope John Paul II and continued in that capacity for Pope Benedict XVI, at least for a while. I always have found his writing and homilies to be both easy to understand and inspirational. This book to be the same sort as The Interior Castle in that reading a few paragraphs a day lets the message sink in each day. I read this during Lent a few years ago and it was wonderful.

In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden
This extraordinarily sensitive and insightful portrait of religious life centers on Philippa Talbot, a highly successful professional woman who leaves her life among the London elite to join a cloistered Benedictine community. That's the official description but it doesn't begin to cover the richly woven tapestry Godden weaves with nuanced personalities, mysteries to solve so that the order may continue, Philippa's internal struggles, and much more.

Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy by Rumer Godden
Another Godden book about a completely different order of nuns. This is an inspiring tale of conversion and redemption told in flashback sequence. We meet Lise when she is being released from prison where she has served her term for murder. She is going to join an order that ministers to those on the fringes of society. Through Lise's thoughts, we watch her go from being a young WWII staffer in Paris, become seduced by a man who has a brothel and eventually turns her into a prostitute where later on she becomes the manager. The reasons behind the murder become clear as the threads come together again in the people around Lise in current time. My full review is here.

Paul Among the People by Sarah Ruden
Sarah Ruden goes to great pains to put St. Paul's writings in the context of Paul's "modern times" of Greek and Roman culture so we can see just what cultural forces he was referring to when he wrote his letters. By juxtaposing her knowledge of those cultures (which were considerably cruder and more hostile to Christian religious concepts than we would think) and writings of the people (not high-brow philosophers) with Paul's writings and concepts, a new picture emerges of just what was being battled and why Christian concepts would be so welcome and revolutionary. My full review is here.

The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell
Of course, I'm still pushing this book. It is rare, to find a book about the zombie apocalypse that addresses the larger themes that one finds in science fiction apocalyptic literature. The Reapers Are the Angels is just such a rarity. Author Alden Bell looks beyond the popular appeal of zombies to the depths of the human soul. The column I wrote for last Lent about this book is at Patheos.

IF THOSE DON'T HIT THE SPOT
Here are last year's recommendations, both nonfiction and fiction.

UPDATE
I have been reminded that there are two other books that make excellent Lenten reading:

Happy Catholic - my book! In either softcover or Kindle / Nook format.

Lord, Open My Heart (this is properly a booklet, but is I wrote it specifically for Lenten meditation)

Julie marvels at the end of the series, and Scott can't believe he didn't mention Luna Lovegood.

It's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (plus the whole series) under discussion as Scott Danielson and I begin Season 2 at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Best Books of 2011

Best to me, of course, not definitively "best," which is impossible to say.

This was the year I was not going to do a "best of" list.

Not. going. to.

Done and done.

And then The Anchoress challenged me and put her own book list up. Plus she put Brandon Vogt's 2011 book list link ... which further challenged me.

Darn it.

In general I tend to be puzzled by many Catholic's book lists. So many religious books, so few zombie books. Although, I note with approval that Brandon read the Harry Potter series last year. There is hope.

So here we go, top 10 books with descriptions in 10 words or less. Plus a few bonus items at the end.

1. Mystery of Grace by Charles DeLint
   Urban fantasy about Grace (the person) and grace (of God). (discussion/review at A Good Story is Hard to Find)
   
   
2. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
   Genesis, Cain, and Abel ... in California. (review at A Free Mind; discussion/review at A Good Story is Hard to Find)
   
   
3. Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux
   Little things can make you a saint. (review at A Free Mind)
   
   
4. Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry
   Red, white, blue, and zombies. (review at SFFaudio)
   
   
5. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
   Concentration camps and God from an unlikely storyteller. (review at A Free Mind)
   
   
6. White Cat / Red Glove (The Curse Workers series) by Holly Black
   When a touch can curse, gloves alone can't protect you (SFFaudio reviews: White Cat / Red Glove)
   
   
7. Declare by Tim Powers
   WWII, Cold War spies, and the supernatural with Catholic details. (discussion/review at A Good Story is Hard to Find)
   
   
8. The Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre
   What the title says. (review at Happy Catholic)
   
   
9. Desert of Souls by Howard Andrew Jones
   Rattling good adventure in ancient Arabia with djinn and improbable heroes (review at Happy Catholic)

BONUS

AUTHOR DISCOVERIES

• Diana Wynne Jones - I never knew how fabulous her books were or how inventive or how different they were from each other. Thank heavens my pal D.J. took it upon herself to lend me carefully selected stories each month. YA fantasy that is a treat for any age to read.
  
  
• Norbert Davis - who wrote the short but memorable series featuring Doan and Carstairs. Doan is a short, chubby man in rumpled clothes who, despite appearances, is "the most dangerous little devil I've ever seen, and he's all the worse because of that half-witted manner of his. You never suspect what he's up to until it's too late." At least that what his boss says. Carstairs is his Great Dane who is one of the most intelligent characters ever included in mysteries. Together they are a duo to reckon with. And the stories are not only interesting but are tinged with humor throughout.
  
  
• Louis L'Amour - I grew up scorning Western stories, even though I did occasionally dip into Zane Grey along the way. I'm not sure what made me sample a few of Louis L'Amour's short story collections on my Kindle. I was surprised to find his stories compelling and so picked up this collection via Paperback Swap. He has a talent for making you speed to the end of the story even when you're fairly sure you know what will happen ... because you're only fairly sure and often he flips the story just a bit on you.

SERIES REREADING

Two words.

Harry Potter.

When the last movie came out, it made me suddenly realize that the Potter books probably were available in audiobook format. Sure enough they were and Jim Dale's narration was nothing short of inspired. I began at book one and "reread" them all. Surprisingly, I remembered only a few key elements of the last three books and so was able to experience them once again with breathless anticipation.

A truly wonderful experience.

When the Fine Art of Storytelling Goes to the Dogs: Reviewing "Hounded"

Hounded by Kevin Hearne

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This is my review from SFFaudio.

Hounded is the first of a hugely popular YA series, highly recommended by a friend and, luckily for me, available as a review book from SFFaudio.

Here’s the brief summary for those who, like me, hadn’t heard of this book:

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old — when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer. Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down…

Hounded begins with verve as Atticus is a charming narrator who introduces us to his friends, who are mainly from the supernatural world. We meet Druid gods, local werewolves, a Viking vampire, the local coven of witches, and Atticus’s Irish wolfhound, Oberon, with whom Atticus can carry on mental conversations. There are few genuine humans in Atticus’s life and none are developed beyond a paltry few amusing characteristics, such as the Irish widow who likes to get drunk before going to Mass and forgives murder on her lawn if she is told the victims were British. The most likable character in the group is the dog Oberon who is charmingly focused on doggish things and has just enough understanding of Atticus’s world to offer his own solutions from time to time.

My initial attraction to the story soon ground to a halt. The problem with this book, and it is a large problem, is that Atticus is a perpetual Peter Pan character. His emotional development seems to be frozen at several years younger than his outward 21 years since a heaving bosom is all it takes to permanently distract him from whatever he’s doing. Pity. One would have hoped that 2,100 years of living would result in a certain amount of experience leading to wisdom. Instead, Atticus spends more time in a practical joke on an ambulance attendant than in thinking through how much he should have healed himself from a bullet wound to make it seem convincing to local law enforcement. That’s ok though because Atticus has friends and allies who unfailingly show up to give an easy solution without readers ever feeling that Atticus himself is too worried about the outcome. This leads to a permanent lack of dramatic tension.

It’s a pity there isn’t a “Wendy” to accompany Atticus’s “Peter Pan.” That would give Hounded the necessary depth and contrast. Now we can see how wise J.M. Barrie was in the construction of his tale. Without a truly human element who lacks control of the situation, all the adventures are one boring episode after another with nary a worry about how Atticus will escape.

The one good thing about this book is the narrator, Luke Daniels. I haven’t come across him before but will keep an eye out for him in the future. His talents kept me listening long past the point where I would have given up. His voicing of Oberon has found its way into my head whenever we “speak” for the dogs in our household.

Sadly, Daniels’ talents aren’t enough to make this shallow story worth your time. There are many wonderful YA stories out there that are worth reading and rereading: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman, White Cat by Holly Black, and Assam and Darjeeling by T.M. Camp are just a few.

For that matter, try Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. You’ll see what Hounded could have been with proper attention given to the storytelling.

Un Lun Dun by China Mieville ... progress report

Un Lun Dun by China Miéville

I was looking around for a China Mieville book to try and discovered for every enthusiastic review I'd see another saying the exact opposite. This was the only exception, which is his only book for younger readers. I dipped into it this weekend and found it almost impossible to put down.

UPDATE
Thus far I am really enjoying this book. Although any modern book with "another London" inevitably calls Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman to mind (whom Mieville tips his hat to at the beginning), this feels original and is definitely inventive. For example, Curdle is an adorable character and I wouldn't have credited the concept alone with making for a loving relationship as is obviously developing in the book.

2nd UPDATE
About halfway through and am finding it still interesting but strangely slow at the same time. Not sure if this is an editing problem or just how the author writes but he seems to go on and on when we've gotten the point and are ready to move on. Also, major plot points are telegraphed ahead of time so the "twists" aren't really "twisty" at all.

I would say that last problem is possibly because I'm an older reader than the intended audience but, upon reflection, this isn't a problem I have had with the Harry Potter books, The Graveyard Game by Neil Gaiman, or Assam & Darjeeling by T.M. Camp ... all of which feature children in fantastical settings, to greater or lesser degrees of simplicity.

I will continue reading but feel this could have used another time or two through a big trimming machine.

World's Longest Book Meme? 31-40

It still has my interest ... and hopefully y'all's too. Part 4 picks up where we left off yesterday:

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I don't mind it at all. Although if it is a review book I tend to just not mention the book at all, especially if I requested it.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Chinese. Once upon a time, long ago, I could read a bit, but never enough to read novels.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Dante's Divine Comedy.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
Nervous? Hmmm ... can't think of any.

35. Favorite Poet?
Shel Silverstein, which tells you a lot about my love of clever word use and lack of appreciation for most other sorts of poetry.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Four or five.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Plenty, because if they don't pass my 50-100 page samples then I have no qualms about not reading them. Though lately I try the Kindle samples instead of bothering the library for their books ... that way I am more likely to want to read the book when I get it.

38. Favorite fictional character?
Again, this is like trying to pick my favorite child. Lately though ... Doan and Carstairs (Norbert Davis, author) have won my heart. Doan the mild-mannered, toughest private detective ever. And Carstairs, his Great Dane who is more than a mere dog but not at all like Scooby Doo.

39. Favorite fictional villain?
I'm fond of Professor Snape in the Harry Potter books. He is so unwavering in his disdain.

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Fiction, probably science fiction ... and lots of it.

It's Funny What You Learn About Yourself from Memes ...

4. Bad book habit?
Reading so quickly that I don't pick up on the details others do, and then I don't remember much later. 

Jenny from Reading Envy (who I met through SFFaudio ... all the best people read science fiction, right?) picked up the world's longest book meme. I was excited to see we have two favorite childhood books in common.

But I also saw that interpretation is a funny thing. What Jenny sees as a bad reading habit is one that I suppose I would also call a bad habit. Except that very habit is what allows me to reread books and enjoy them all over again as I discover "new" details that I didn't catch the first time around.

Of course, sometimes, as in my rereading (via audiobook) of the last Harry Potter books I discover, as Jenny points out, that I don't remember much. But that is generally not the case for me. I usually remember the big pieces and when the excitement of the initial story is out of the way, then I can settle in to reread for those lovely details.

Anyway, all that aside, if you haven't looked around Reading Envy, you definitely should stop by. For one thing Jenny is an adventurous reader (by my standards) and not only glances over things like the 2011 Scotia Bank Giller Prize Shortlist but actually gets all the books and reads them to see which she likes best!

I know, right?

No wonder I stand in some awe of her.