What Tom Learned on Our Summer Vacation

Part 2 of the Summer Vacation series.

I was pretty excited about the chance to listen to audiobooks with Tom. It turned out that Tom, never having listened to an audiobook, was nervous I'd commit us to a 26-hour whale like Middlemarch.

Never fear!

We went with a light mix of nonfiction and classic crime fiction. He loved all of them.


Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It might seem odd to choose this book for a cross-country drive with one's husband. But we both really like The Mindy Project so we were prepped for her style. It was like listening to a memoir / stand-up routine / Hollywood behind-the-scenes tale.

It was a tad girly, even for me. But that's Mindy. I came away impressed with her solid common sense, her family, and her humor.

I'd like to buy every young woman I know a copy.

And I'd love to sit on an airplane next to Mindy sometime.


Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a huge hit with Tom. It might be called the perfect intro audiobook for someone who doesn't ever read fiction. It was full of ideas that we would we stop the book to discuss. Sometimes we said, "oversimplification!" And then we discussed. The driving time flew by.

My main takeaway was incentive. I have seen so many ways to apply that overall concept even while on vacation and having various conversations.


Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


We both loved this book. William Dufris' narration was simply stellar. It was like listening to an all star cast.

This book's classic status is well deserved. We were so interested in the fact that John Huston both wrote and directed the movie that we wanted to see how he handled translating the book to film. No wonder we recognized so many lines from the book. Huston went with the best whenever possible. It still isn't a favorite movie of mine, but it was fascinating to watch with the book so fresh on our minds.

And, again, I must mention that William Dufris' narration makes it. His "fat man" has to be heard to be appreciated.

What I Learned On My Summer Vacation - Part 1

We went to a niece's wedding in Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains at Wintergreen Resort. Tom and I then took advantage of being "back East" to go to Pittsburgh and meet some online friends in person.

A few discoveries, in no particular order.

• When you go to a wedding on a mountaintop and the first thing you see next to the outdoor seating is a can of Deep Woods Off ... use it. Don't think the stiff breeze will keep the insects away. Just use it.
  
  
• When you attend a wedding on a mountaintop, it may be punctuated by bird song or raptor cries. This adds a note of romance. The cat yowling at a nearby house (albeit one hidden by dense forest) does not. Especially when everyone is wondering whether that is a baby or a cat.
  
  
• You can completely plan a destination wedding by email, as my brother and sister-in-law in Germany discovered. A lot of it will go just as you hoped. However, much of it may lead to a series of miscommunications, especially if the destination resort doesn't really take the wedding planning in hand the way it might (yes, Wintergreen Resort, I'm looking at you).
  
  However, the great thing about having a series of miscommunications during a wedding is that you soon discover everything works out ok anyway and that the important things are what matter ... such as the wedding itself. So in a way that is a great way to have your married life begin. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!) Plus, that wedding cake was one of the most delicious I've ever had. I'm just sayin' ... sometimes things go better than you could have expected.
  
  
• When you stay at the Holiday Inn Express in a nearby town, rather than at the mountaintop resort, you soon discover that repeated forays up very steep, crooked inclines may put a strain on your car's 8-year-old transmission.
  
  This adds a note of anticipation and adventure to every subsequent foray up and down. It also adds a note of nostalgia for one's childhood when cars were not so reliable. It also increases one's prayer life, sense of trust in God, and adds a lot of variety to routes taken as one continually strives for the level, gradual paths. So ... that's all to the good! (Again, my story and I'm stickin' with it.)
  
  
• As is often the case at these things, I didn't get to talk to my family members nearly as much as I wanted. However, I did get to have very enjoyable conversations with many other guests, including a young couple who are making a go of it as vegetable farmers supplying restaurants with fresh produce, a young Combat Medic off to her first posting in Germany, and part of my sister-in-law's family who I'd never have met otherwise. I love the random nature of these encounters and how interesting everyone was.

Part 2 is here.

Worth a Thousand Words: Heinz Memorial Chapel

73-foot tall North Transept windows of Heinz Memorial Chapel
on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.
photo by Laurie Stepanek/Mike White
via Wikipedia

Nativity scene. Heinz Chapel detail.
via Wikipedia

On our recent visit to Pittsburgh, one of the sights that elicited awe was the Heinz Memorial Chapel. Tom has some photos which I hope to share soon, but in the meantime do take advantage of the links to  enjoy a virtual tour of the chapel. Wikipedia seems to have more complete information than the chapel's website, but there are some glorious images at both sites.

We knew nothing about the chapel but were wandering around the university area and were drawn to the fine architecture. Entering was a complete surprise, as you can imagine.

Each of these tall windows has a unique theme which is illustrated with a range of religious and secular figures. It was a distinct pleasure to see the range of people used to remind us that Courage or Tolerance come in many forms.

Heinz Memorial Chapel at the University of Pittsburgh,
photo by Michael G. White
via Wikipedia

Catholic Basic Resources List

I'm stepping away from the blog for almost a couple of weeks while I go trekking about to the Blue Ridge Mountains for a niece's wedding and then on to Pittsburgh where I will finally meet a couple of friends face-to-face! Online friends, it is needless to say.

I'm greatly looking forward to all of this, not least of all the long car trip with Tom. We always find our conversations turning in ways we never could expect, sometimes prompted by our podcast or music listening, sometimes by the landscape around us, sometimes simply by our proximity and wandering thoughts. He drives and I knit. Or I drive and he often has to check email. But it is a closeness that is achieved no other way I know of today.

I'm also looking forward to unplugging as much as it is possible to do these days.

However, I'll leave you with something that will provide good reading for several days, at least.

I did a Catholic Basics list as part of our RCIA group's mystagogy  resources. Mystagogy is when you actually begin to learn how to live as a Catholic. The list has books, websites, comments on Bible translations, and that sort of thing.

I've been meaning to share it here section by section but never found the time.

Therefore, I have uploaded the pdf, which has live links if you're into that sort of thing, and you may download it to peruse at your leisure.

Obviously it is far from complete and someday I may have that chance to post expanded sections here. However, in the meantime, better this than nothing at all.

I hope you enjoy it!

P.S. I'm going to close comments while I'm gone just to avoid spamming problems.

Fantastic Advice for When We Are Blue-Deviled ... and a Great Book on Saints

... as Georgette Heyer would put it. Dash it against the cross of Christ sez The Anchoress who has been fighting those feelings all week.

Actually, “doing battle” sounds romantic and pro-active. It would be more accurate to say I have been whining and unable to work and whining about being unable to work, and wandering around the house ineffectually, and walking the park feeding ducks, and missing my dog, and cooking supper and sitting before my oratory with nothing but a keening emptiness in my heart and mind and soul.

It is terrible to realize that you’re a walking, aching void. Acedia is like a dark echo-chamber of “me” bouncing off walls and resounding until nothing can get through the thickness of the self.

Definitely go read this because it is the story of how personal struggle pulls us deeper into our appreciation and friendship with the saints who have been there before us.
-----------
Speaking of saints, I had occasion to email The Anchoress on an entirely different subject. She then took a book I mentioned and which I am always kicking myself for not having reviewed ... Bert Ghezzi's Voices of the Saints. I have it on my Kindle (and although I wish the indexing were better ... or even existant ... in that version) but today I pulled it off my bookshelf in real, solid form. There is nothing like an actual book. I can sink into the stories of the saints so much better that way.

Anyway, the review I kick myself for never writing has been written ... by The Anchoress. Go read. And then get yourself a copy!

Always Mean What You Say ... And Follow Through

ALWAYS MEAN WHAT YOU SAY.

Period. That's the whole method. But it wouldn't make for a very long blog post. I want you to get your money's worth. So let me flesh it out a bit for you.

My husband and I are often told how lucky we are to have such great kids (true) or complimented on our parenting skills (which worked out ok too evidently).

I don't have to write them down now because Kendra already did. Go read it at Catholic All Year.

If you read just the bold parts, then you'll get my verbal version given in response to the above-mentioned comments from friends.

The one thing our girls always add when this comes up is, "You treated us like people, not children."

That's nice to know because it is how we thought of them. Because ultimately it is about respecting each person and making sure they respect you and the family as a whole. It's not always easy. But it is that simple.

Of Encyclicals, Formatting, and Kerfluffles

A few days ago I heard that Brandon Vogt got hit with the ol' Vatican/USCCB cease-and-desist for trying to make Pope Francis's Lumen Fidei encyclical more accessible to a larger audience. (If you want details, the last place I read about it was Simcha Fisher's column.)

That sort of silliness is old news to anyone who ever helped with the Verbum Domini podcast where many years ago the founder had the temerity to read aloud the daily Mass readings using the New American Bible (USCCB owns the rights and defends them aggressively). Some nerve, right? He had to cease-and-desist and now everyone who reads for him has to go through the extra steps of finding the RSV version for the day.

I mentioned Simcha Fisher's piece because I actually glanced over the comments there, something I rarely do when there are so many comments. I was surprised to see some of the reasons that people were defending the Vatican and USCCB. (The one that made me laugh hardest was someone taking Vogt to task for critiquing the Vatican's pdf format. Folks, I've gotta say, anyone still formatting with tables is surely moving with that glacial slowness the Vatican is famous for. They've got no defense on that one at all.)

Fixing dinner and then washing up later, I pondered the arguments on both side. I thought surely there must be a precedent for such a thing. Weren't the disciples (that's us) told to spread the Good News? For goodness sakes, Jesus didn't even write down anything he said.

I hate to pull in that old cliche, but what would Jesus do?

Then it hit me. Of course, there is a precedent. One of the things I really love is the way that Christ's own life provides us with so many examples to live by in every circumstance.

We see it in both Mark and in Luke.

Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.”

Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Luke 9:49-50

----
John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”

Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.

For whoever is not against us is for us.

Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

Mark 9:39-41

I'm going to get back to reading Lumen Fidei now. It is rich and I am moving through it slowly. I cut and pasted it into a document to bring home and enjoy at my leisure. I admit it, I didn't like the formatting on the Vatican's pdf. Too many pages to print out and gigantic type. So sue me.

A Must for My Reading: Book Darts

The comments about writing in books made me realize that I have not shared one of the best inventions known to those who don't want writing in their books.

I use Book Darts as bookmarks for one thing. They can't slide to the floor from between the pages.

Of course, I also use them as intended by marking passages with them. In fact, when I begin any book, I always slip a few extras onto the last page so I can grab one whenever something strikes me.

These are invaluable for my book club and podcast reading, where I want to be sure I can easily make notes of pages for later conversation. Or for marking those spots which will be going into a quote journal.

Highly recommended.

Write in Your Books

Long ago I got over the idea that I shouldn't write in my books. I'll admit that I only apply this to nonfiction. My fiction remains strictly unmarked.

However, my nonfiction often winds up with a checkmark or star next to significant passages. I don't underline or highlight since that interferes with rereading, as I found to my sorrow soon after I began the practice.

Joel J. Miller encourages even more than my simple system as you may read for yourself. Via Phil at Brandywine Books whose system seems like mine.

In which Doan and Carstairs solve not just one mystery, but all of them.

The finale of The Mouse in the Mountain by Norbert Davis ... it's ready now at Forgotten Classics.

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

Worth a Thousand Words: Long-eared Owl

Long-eared Owl
taken by Remo Savisaar

Definitely click through on the link to see the photo larger in its full glory.

Last night when we were getting out of the car to huddle with the other masses invading the neighborhood near the country club ... superb fireworks by the way ... we heard a screech owl protesting from the tree we parked under. It did not approve of all these people, all this movement and noise, all these lights. Did we not know we were scaring away the best large insects? What about consideration for those living there?

Luckily, a short hour later we were departing, leaving that little owl with the melodic call to its pursuit of dinner.

This photo obviously is not a screech owl. But it resonated this morning after our experience last night.

Busy Pope Francis: Vatican Consecration, New Encyclical, and Canonization Approval

Many joyful tidings are coming from Rome today as Pope Francis joined forces with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI to give us plenty of reason for joy and hope.

1.

Vatican Consecrated to Protection of St. Michael the Archangel

To the joy of Vatican City State workers, Friday morning Pope Francis was joined by Pope emeritus Benedict XVI in the gardens for a ceremony during which the Holy Father blessed a statue of St Michael Archangel, at the same time consecrating the Vatican to the Archangel’s protection.

Following a brief ceremony, Pope Francis addressed those present noting how St. Michael defends the People of God from its enemy par excellence, the devil. He said even if the devil attempts to disfigure the face of the Archangel and thus the face of humanity, St Michael wins, because God acts in him and is stronger.

Read it all here.

2.

Pope Francis' Encyclical to Be Released Today

Faith is the source of light, of guidance for the Christian life. “We walk by faith, not by sight,” wrote St Paul. In his highly anticipated first encyclical, The Light of Faith (Lumen Fidei), Pope Francis reflects on the meaning of faith, the beginning of God’s gracious salvation and the means by which man encounters the living God through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.

In The Light of Faith, Francis draws on key themes of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who wrote encyclicals on charity and hope. He intended to complete the set with a reflection on faith, which would also have underscored the Year of Faith that he launched. Benedict’s history-making retirement meant he was unable to finish his encyclical. Francis took up the task, adding his own insights, themes and emphases to the work begun by Benedict XVI.

According to Francis, The Light of Faith is a “four-hand document.” Pope Benedict, Francis notes, “handed it to me, it is a strong document. He did the great amount of work.” Thus, although officially The Light of Faith (Lumen Fidei) is an encyclical of Francis’ and reflects his teaching ministry, it is also reflects the work of Pope Emeritus Benedict. It’s not only Francis’ first encyclical; it is also among the few encyclicals openly acknowledged to have been written by two successors of St. Peter.

Find the encyclical here.  I'm especially excited that Pope Benedict worked on this also ... I've got a soft spot for his writing.

I see that Ignatius Press will be releasing it in book form. I usually read new encyclicals in any way I can get them when they first come out. However, I have found that later readings are best for me in book form. So much better than those hastily printed out pages from the internet that I lose or forget about later.

3.

John Paul II and John XXIII to Be Canonized

No date announced yet, but this is exciting!

Friday morning, Pope Francis approved the promulgation of the decree and also convoked a special Consistory of the College of Cardinals to discuss the canonization of the Polish pope in depth.

Furthermore, he approved the favorable votes of the Ordinary Session of the Congregations Cardinals and Bishops regarding the raising to the altars of sainthood of Blessed John XXII.

This slightly unusual gesture was explained by Fr. Lombardi who told journalists that despite the absence of a second miracle it was the Pope’s will that the Sainthood of the great Pope of the Second Vatican Council be recognized.

Well Said

Going into my quote journal.

Favoring man-woman marriage no more "demeans" and "humiliates" other sexual relationships than favoring our Constitution demeans and humiliates the governmental systems of other countries.

Supreme Court Justice Scalia

Very true.

What demeans or humiliates other sexual relationships, it seems to me (and I'm no expert), is the "business" associated with marriage. If one lets the insured choose whoever they like for their beneficiary, if one lets the dying leave their worldly goods to whoever they like, and so forth, then much of the feeling of being a second class citizen would dissipate. That would leave a clearer view of what true marriage is and might make it able to simplify any remaining debate. To put it on a very simplistic level, obviously.

Caravans by James A. Michener

Caravans by James A. Michener

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I read one Michener book, The Source, long ago ... in fact, long before I became Christian ... just as a compelling way to travel through the history and people of a region. I still recall much of it vividly.

Michener was brought to my attention recently when I was looking through Kindle samples and reviews of more recent versions of geographical/gigantic historical fiction. As I discarded author after author, I found myself captivated by the couple of Michener samples I'd downloaded (specifically Caravans and The Source). I also realized I'd forgotten his shorter fiction such as Sayonara and The Bridges at Toko-Ri.

This book reminded me most of an H.V. Morton travel guide, but with a fictional veneer. Michener takes the reader through myriad facets of 1946 Afghanistan ranging from city life to nomad caravans. He simultaneously ponders civilization, faith, and man's essential nature. Written in 1966, this book also considers those who adhere to traditional thinking versus those who feel that progress means breaking away from civilization. Altogether a fascinating combination.

Bye bye Google. Hello Bloglovin.

Not sure yet, but I might like this better than Google Reader. At any rate, Bloglovin is where I wound up for now.

How Fortunate the Meek ...

A friend noticed my mention of meekness in my review of The Quiet Light last week. The thoughts on meekness came from Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word and it deserves to be more than a brief mention on my part. Here is a longer excerpt.

Matthew 5:5

how fortunate the meek,
for they shall inherit the [promised] land.

The meek, the gentle, the kind: far from implying any attitude of contented passivity, much less the tameness of a cowering dog living in fear of the next beating, the virtue called [Greek word] connotes an ever-vigilant openness, a disposition of goodwill that is always ready to encounter a situation with a view to building it up and re-creating it. It is the same word Matthew will use in 11:29, putting it again in the Lord's mouth: "Bend your necks to my yoke, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble-hearted; and your souls will find relief." ...

Jesus praises an active meekness that does not return evil for evil but that always returns something positive--good for good or, more typically, good for evil. It is not content with a static indifference "in the name of God." The meek imitate Jesus' spiritual activity; they become vessels that transmit the goodness, mercy, and power of God, which Elijah found, not in the storm, but in the barely perceptible breeze. Such Christian meekness rests, not upon constraint and resignation, but upon the freedom of the person who knows he is always and everywhere loved by God. This knowledge liberates from the compulsion and the convention of using the violent means of the world for self-defence and aggression, the despairing struggle to maintain one's "place in the sun." The meek person has found his place in the Heart of God and has no time or interest for any other activity but that of reflecting the sovereign peace of God's nature.

... Jesus shows that the virtue of "meekness" in a special way reflects the nature of God by saying of himself: "I am meek and humble of heart," which is to say, "I have my effect by bestowing the goodness of my Father on the world. I do not fight with the world's weapons, because they are ineffective for the task I must accomplish."

It is no surprise to anyone who knows me that I continually need to ponder the true meaning of meekness. I am not too bad at having goodwill toward others, except when I suddenly feel that I am not being properly appreciated or understood. You get the picture.

Intertwined as it is with being "humble-hearted," true meekness is something I strive for and fail to achieve a lot of the time. It is a balance that I now think of St. Thomas Aquinas when I look for a model to imitate.

Yet Another Con: Black Heart by Holly Black

Black Heart: The Curse Workers, Book Three by Holly Black

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Girls like her, my grandfather once warned me, girls like her turn into women with eyes like bullet holes and mouths made of knives. They are always restless. They are always hungry. They are bad news. They will drink you down like a shot of whisky. Falling in love with them is like falling down a flight of stairs. What no one told me, with all those warnings, is that even after you’ve fallen, even after you know how painful it is, you’d still get in line to do it again.

That's Cassel Sharpe for you. He's stuck on Lila Zacharov and stuck good. It's a real shame that he's under duress to work undercover for the FBI and she's enthusiastically training to take a place in her father's crime family. If only that were his only problem.

As in the previous two books of the Curse Workers trilogy (White Cat, Red Glove), where certain individuals are born with the ability to curse others with the touch of a finger, we're working up to a big con job that will save the day. Meanwhile Cassel is continually attempting to become a better person, a good person, while navigating a gritty maze of gray moral choices.

He's given plenty of opportunities because his special curse working skill means that everyone wants to use him. Sorting through lures, threats, and blackmail from family, the mob, and the government becomes a way of life and gives author Holly Black plenty of room to weave plots.

Cassel's mother is held hostage, a long-ago diamond heist must be solved, a fellow student needs help against a blackmailer, the government needs him for a special mission that could end bigotry against curse workers, and his roommate has girl friend problems. And let's not forget the main attraction, Cassel's tumultuous relationship with Lila, who now hates him. Yep. It's all in a day's work for Cassel Sharpe.

As always, it comes down to an elaborate con which pulls everything together and wraps things up, while managing to stay plausible. Black has the courage to bring her trilogy to a definite end and I applaud her for doing so. The ending is not tidy, but I liked it that way. It managed to be satisfying while simultaneously reflecting the uncertainty of Cassel's life. And that is quite a feat.

Interestingly, this last book of the trilogy contained a spot where author Holly Black suddenly took a misstep in writing from a male perspective. In a love scene a guy would not be talking about his flat stomach and corded muscles ... that's a girl's turn on. He'd be talking about her ... ahem ... various attributes. Black did such a good job the rest to of the time that this rang particularly false and it isn't a big deal. Just ... interesting.

Audio Notes: As with the preceding Curse Worker books, Jesse Eisenberg's narration is perfect for conveying Cassel's awkwardness. I particularly enjoy the moments when he portrays other characters through slight alterations which manage to communicate a surprising amount about the people he is voicing. His narration is a big part of my enjoyment of the series. Would I read other Curse Worker books instead of listening to the audio? Probably not. Eisenberg is Cassel and I like it that way.

This review originally ran at SFFaudio who provided the review copy.

The Con is On ... Again: Red Glove by Holly Black

This review originally ran at SFFaudio, who provided the review book. 

Red Glove is the second book in Holly Black’s Curse Workers series, the first of which was White Cat.

As the book begins, we get more of a feel for the insecure world in which Cassel grew up. It is the end of summer vacation and he’s living with his mother in Atlantic City, drifting from hotel to hotel, helping her con a series of wealthy gentleman friends for support. It is an anxiety-filled existence, with the potential for exploding violence at any moment.

When his senior year at boarding school begins, Cassel is glad to reenter the familiar environment. That is derailed when Lila, the girl he loves but must avoid, begins school there as well. Inevitably, it seems, she becomes one of his circle of friends and the angst of seeing the girl he cannot have is constantly on his mind.

Just a few days into the school year, Cassel’s oldest brother is murdered and the Feds try to recruit him to help solve that case and investigate a possibly related string of unsolved murders. The only clue is video footage of a woman wearing red gloves but whose face cannot be seen. They also want Cassel to become an informant on the Zacharov crime family, with which his own family has long been aligned. Complicating matters, the Zacharov’s also want to recruit Cassel to use his transformation powers on their behalf. As if that weren’t pressure enough, the state government is heightening efforts to test everyone to identify curse workers.

As Cassel attempts to untangle the web of lies in which he finds himself, he must resort to a big con to both discover the truth and solve his problems about who he will work with. Naturally this is great fun and there are many plot twists and cliff-hangers along the way in the story which make it somewhat addictive listening. Only the final twist of the book was fairly predictable. However, it is fairly unimportant to the book overall as it serves to act as the bridge to carry the reader forward into the next book of the series.

Red Glove conveys more of the feel of Cassel’s age since much of the action takes place around classes or with school pals. However, as in White Cat, the key issues are still those of trust, betrayal, friendship, identity, truth, and true love, all on a higher level than the ordinary book set among this age group.
As in the first book, Cassel walks a tightrope between right and wrong in his world of gray ethics. The fact that he now has some close friends allows us to see him opening up to others and extending himself in their time of need. He will use his con skills when needed but is taking increasing chances by telling the truth to those around him. This allows for personal growth that makes his choices harder much of the time, but which we can see slowly building to a way out of the crime-filled, worker world he has always inhabited.

Black does us the great favor of not worrying much about back story or lengthy flashbacks. She will add a sentence or two when the stories overlap to be sure the reader is oriented and then moves on. This kept the story moving at a fairly brisk pace, although it did bog down a bit in the middle when Cassel goes hunting for who set up a particular murder victim.

As before, Jesse Eisenberg narrated the book with great skill, conveying Cassel’s emotions as the awkward high school senior longing for normalcy. Usually he would simply alter his voice a bit to portray other characters but occasionally would use accents to great effect, as in his portrayal of the head of the Zacharov family.

Red Glove is not as fresh and sparkling as White Cat, but it is a worthy successor. I definitely enjoyed it and am considering getting the print version for rereading. Recommended.

Worth a Thousand Words: Sommer

Sommer
by Edward B. Gordon

The Quiet Light by Louis De Wohl

The Quiet Light by Louis De Wohl

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Having finished G.K. Chesterton's The Dumb Ox for my book club, I thought it would be good supplementary material to read a more straight forward biography of this saint. Chesterton is amusing and clever and did a fine job of making me appreciate Aquinas, but he obviously was counting on the reader to already know the basics. As I know only a smattering of legends, I needed more! Based on reading de Wohl's The Restless Flame about Augustine, I thought he'd be a good source for Aquinas's life story.

I chose wisely, because I thoroughly enjoyed The Quiet Light, which spent as much time on the Aquino family and their Holy Roman Emperor problems as it did on youngest, determined son Thomas. My admiration for De Wohl only increased as I saw how he used both storylines to paint a full picture of the times. Thomas in Paris proved, as his teacher Albert the Great predicted, that "this dumb ox" had a roar that would be heard throughout the world, while English knight Piers headed off to (St.) King Louis's court in Paris. Simultaneously St. Bonaventure was being called upon to defend the Franciscans. I had no idea that all these saints were contemporaneous. I especially appreciated the rare mentions of Aquinas and Bonaventure's mutual respect and friendship, always coupled with how very different both were from each other.

On a personal level, I was inspired by Thomas's ability to let insults slide off, simply ignoring them. This goes hand-in-hand with reading Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word about the beatitude discussing meekness. It said that meekness is not being a doormat but is the ability to always be open to the opportunity to do good, to turn evil into a work for God. Methinks there is a very powerful message for me in all this.

I am not sure when De Wohl wrote this in relation to his book about St. Augustine, but this one showed considerably more expertise in conveying information while keeping the reader engaged. Although St. Thomas is seen relatively rarely in the overall story, it has the effect of making the impact much greater. I may never forget the vivid description of him dismantling the opposition's faulty treatise in front of the board of cardinals. I read it three times for the beauty and clarity of the passages.

Highly recommended.

Catholic Writers' Guild LIVE!

From my inbox comes good news for Catholic writers.

2013 Catholic Writers Conference--LIVE
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 (17:49:10)

Registration is now open for the 2013 Catholic Writers Conference LIVE!

We're heading back East. This year, we return to the place of our first conference, Somerset, New Jersey, and back to a familiar time--the first week of August.

Mark your calendars! The conference runs August 7-9, in conjunction with the Catholic Marketing Network International Trade Show. As before, membership in CWCL provides you with entry to the trade show; however, there are special events that require tickets. We should have full pricing on those special items soon.

This year we are hosting:
•workshops on marketing and writing
•presentations on marketing and selling your work
•in-person pitch sessions
•group critique sessions
•national CWG Members meeting (guests welcome, of course)

We're still firming up our speaker list - so stay tuned!

Go here for more information or to sign up.

The Apathy of Leisure

Roy H. Williams hits the nail on the head. Again. Here's a bit, then read (or listen) to his Monday Morning Memo.

A person capable of creating is happiest when they are creating.

Artists create visual and auditory artifacts that affect our thoughts, moods and attitudes. Riddle-solvers perform feats of engineering and invention. Teachers create new understanding in the minds of their students. Entrepreneurs create businesses that offer us new and different experiences. Communicators create stories and speeches and ads.

Made in the image of God, humans are creators by nature. All humans.

Yes, that includes you.

What do you create? What do you change? What effect do you have on the world around you?

The Success Myth of our culture is an evil one. We are told that "the freedom to do nothing" is the reward provided by great wealth. Have you spent much time among the idle rich? Sadly, I have, and on many occasions.

Heads Up: $1.99 Kindle Daily Deal Today - 4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie

I love this book which in America was titled "What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw."

When I began browsing Agatha Christie's other Kindle titles, I saw that "They Came to Baghdad," another favorite of mine, is also $1.99. It may or may not go away after today since it isn't listed under the daily deals.

Creatures of the Abyss by Murray Leinster

Creatures of the Abyss by Murray Leinster

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I listened to the LibriVox free audio version, narrated by the wonderful Mark Douglas Nelson.

Radar expert and electronic engineer Terry Holt has been recruited by a scientific expedition in the Phillipines to make underwater listening devices. They won't tell him what his inventions are meant to investigate. And that makes him mad.

He has some ideas though. Orejas de ellos, the things who listen, have been the explanation by fishermen about strange catches of fish. Are they real or just superstition? What are the mysterious shooting stars that seem to fall with such frequency into the Luzon Deep? Why do mysterious swarms of fish gather in one specific area of the ocean?

Had Leinster been reading Jules Verne? Had he been reading H.G. Wells? Or is this a completely new creation? Those are the questions I repeatedly asked as I vacillated between three different theories about the mysterious "fish herding" and who is doing it. As Leinster always does, I was glued to this adventure story investigating what comes from the abyss, which may be deadly, especially to those who are set on discovering the truth. I will disclose only this ... I was very surprised by the end of the story. Bravo, Murray Leinster.

Reading Updates ...

From my Goodreads updates because, let's face it, I'm kind of addicted to Goodreads.

Just a couple of weeks until Google Reader shuts down ...

... and I still have no idea what I'm going to do. Curl up in a fetal position?

Actually I have updated my sidebar and will use that, at least for a while.

Tom told me that Digg is working on a reader (and if you want to know down to the second when the Google Reader shuts down, it's a handy link).

In which there is murder, mayhem, and a missing person in the night ... and a mysterious umbrella.

The latest chapter of Doan and Carstair's adventures in Mexico, The Mouse in the Mountain, is ready for your listening pleasure at Forgotten Classics.

ANGELA - Updated - You won 21 Ways to Worship by Vinny Flynn

Congratulations!

All I need is your contact info and I'll get your copy of 21 Ways to Worship in the mail!

You can email me: julie [at] glyphnet [dot] com

-----------

UPDATE
This notice has been posted for a week but I haven't heard from Angela. This is the last notice to claim the book.

If I haven't heard from Angela by next week, I'll do another drawing.

Quick Flicks ... and Some Dalek Trash Talk

Attack the Block

★★★-1/2

This one's been on my list for a couple of years and it was an unexpected delight in the same way that Pitch Black was. A good, solid monster movie with a basic puzzle to solve in order to rid oneself of the monsters. In this case, the twist is that the monsters are faced by a gang of young thugs in a council block (that translates to "the projects" in the U.S.). Thoroughly enjoyable if one doesn't expect too much from it and watching the young actors is a delight, many of whom were recruited from local acting schools.

I especially enjoyed the fact that you can tell the aliens are not CG. The young actors said that they were actually frightened during action sequences because they were acting with real, unpredictable "creatures" ... it both shows and enhances the film.

The director went to a lot of trouble to get the place right. He interviewed council block kids to find out what weapons they'd grab if aliens landed. They use real slang and at times I felt as if I were watching a foreign language film with the captions off. However, there was always enough understandable dialogue for context.

Cars 2

★★★

This was the only Pixar movie we hadn't seen so I finally bit the bullet and rented it. It wasn't bad, especially considering their true demographic is children and not me.

The animation especially was a delight, as always. We really enjoyed picking out how they had "auto-ized" famous landmarks in the cities around the world.

The plot was basic as was the dialogue, which was a disappointment considering the high standard Pixar has set for itself in those departments. However, for what it is, a movie for children, it is perfectly adequate.

Dr. Who - Doomsday (Season 2 finale)

We're gradually working our way through these and I was quite ready for Rose to be trapped in a parallel universe. She was fine, but I did get a bit tired of her. So it was all quite sad and so forth as she and the Doctor were parted.

But the real joy was watching the Cybermen face the Daleks. Hannah is far ahead of us in the show and had mentioned that the Daleks have some of the worst trash talk ever. Indeed. Here's a sample and I both loved it and cracked up simultaneously. Of course reading it just can't do the exchange justice since the Daleks continually scream their dialogue (in a robotic sort of way) and the cybermen have toneless robotic voices.

Cyber Leader: Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen.
Dalek Sec: This is not war. This is pest control!
Cyber Leader: We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?
Dalek Sec: Four.
Cyber Leader: You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?
Dalek Sec: We would destroy the Cybermen with one Dalek! You are superior in only one respect.
Cyber Leader: What is that?
Dalek Sec: You are superior at dying!

Worth a Thousand Words: Monk Parakeet

Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) in the Ibera Marshes, Argentina on 2 April 2006
via Wikipedia

Just a little something to continue yesterday's theme of our new neighbors.

What's Goin' On ...

A few little things that I wanted to share ... and they just might add up to a blog post.

Two Great Podcasts - Myths of Ancient Greece and Legends of King Arthur
Paul Vincent began retelling the Greek myths to his children and then, luckily for us, he began recording them for a podcast, Myths and History of Ancient Greece. Now that he's finished the myths and begun on Greek history, he has begun a new podcast about Legends of King Arthur and His Knights. When those are done he'll follow them up with the corresponding British history.

These are great not only for the entire family but for adults as well. Paul Vincent's storytelling style brings a smile to my face because he manages to communicate so much, so simply but so well. If you have any interest in either subject, give these a try. Get them through iTunes or the links above.

Vocation is a Lack of Obstacles
Scott mentioned this to me once and I think it is a valid criteria. Certainly, we were all wondering what the deciding element would be to whether Rose stays in L.A. for a while. Until a couple of days ago, we were planning to drive out and help her move when her lease was up in August. That was all any of us had to go on in the fluctuating world of free lance work, apartment leases, and week-to-week uncertainty.

Then, suddenly, within a few days everything began to fall into place. Free lance work lined up for several months, a friend in need of living quarters replaced a departing roommate ... and so forth and so on. Ok, that's not vocation. But it certainly was an answer to prayer about "a sign, Lord, any sign..." and so we will not be driving across Death Valley in August (which I take to be another very good sign).

The Stars My Destination and Alfred Bester
I was telling my mother that Scott and I recorded our Demolished Man podcast this morning and we began talking about Alfred Bester's novels. As I've mentioned on the podcast, I read them because my parents had them sitting around the house when I was a kid. Which always seems to surprise people. Hey, my parents were sf fans from waaay back...

My mother told me that she keeps a copy of The Stars My Destination in her purse. Whenever she's stuck in a line she pulls it out to read. And when she gets to the end, she begins it again. She said that there's so much in there, you always see something new each time around.

Love it! I want to be like my mom when I'm her age.

My New Favorite Pen
I was picking up some yarn at a craft store and happened across the sketching section. I'm always looking in vain for a decent pen and suddenly realized that if there would be one anywhere, it should be here. I found Paper Mate InkJoy pens and I must say they are a smooth, satisfying writing experience.

Juvenile Grackles
Morning walks are extra fun these days because there are lots of juveniles out and about. Slender, skittering robins, mockingbirds, squirrels, and more can be seen everywhere. A special favorite of mine are the young grackles who are seen squawking, fluttering wings, and opening mouths wide to their mothers ... who are unconcernedly grabbing food and using it to entice the babies to feed themselves. After an attempt has been made, mom stuffs something into the wide open mouth, flutters somewhere nearby, and the whole routine begins again. It makes me smile every time.

Speaking of Squawking - Monk Parakeets / Quaker Parrots
I have mentioned before that we have wild parrots living near the neighborhood, thanks to nearby White Rock Lake. We were charmed this weekend that some were spending time in the neighbor's tree. I wondered if perhaps there were a nest and hatchlings. A few days later and we are considerably less charmed with the continual squawking. Flying, roosting, eating, or whatever ... all seem to require a lot of conversation. Tom feels as if our outdoors has turned into a large pet shop since the noise is reminiscent of one. However, I still enjoy trying to see if there's a nest up in that live oak tree. I can't think of any other reason that some of them would suddenly settle down there.

Lord Hear Our Prayer

This week's prayer requests are originally posting on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus so it is appropriate we consider her headlong obedience to God as we pray.

Stained glass depiction of Jesus and His Most Sacred Heart, in Germany.
via Wikipedia

Almighty and everlasting God, look upon the Heart of your well-beloved Son and upon the acts of praise and satisfaction which He renders unto you in the name of sinners. In your great goodness, grant pardon to those who seek your mercy, in the name of the same your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, world without end.

Thanks and gratitude for:

• A husband who plans dates and who shows me in many ways that he loves me as I am.
• The love shown through careful selection of gifts for my birthday ... it really is the thought that counts.

Lord, hear our prayers for:

• My mother in law, who is patiently suffering the ravages of old age and ill health
• Newborn baby Lazarus, suffering from dire health problems
• Pat the Protestant's friend, whose surgery for lung cancer has not improved the situation.
• Pat's friend's mom who is going into palliative care.
• Pat's friend with two elderly female wolves, one of whom is in her last days. "My friend loves both the old girls very much. Please pray for both wolves, the sick one and the one about to lose her sister who has been her lifelong companion, and my friend."

Continual prayer intentions ...

• For our government officials to have a change of heart and uphold our right to religious liberty
• An end to abortion and a reverence for life in all stages of age and health.
• Our priests and for vocations
• Abortion providers, Lord open their eyes and hearts
• Strength, joy and peace for oppressed Christians in China, Asia, and the Middle East. Also that their oppressors may have their eyes opened to the truth. And for all those oppressed, actually.

Something I'm Reading: America , The Last Best Hope (Vol. I) by William J. Bennett

America: The Last Best Hope, Volume 1: From the Age of Discovery to a World at War by William J. Bennett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is just what I wanted. An American history that is even-handed and thorough, yet doesn't bog me down so I can never get the overall gist (such as telling all the details of every campaign that was fought during the French-Indian wars).

Also it is so clearly written and engaging that it is my breakfast reading and I often have to hurry through my remaining routine because I was too caught up in the book to keep track of time.

A few things I have learned about American history:

• I already knew that John Paul Jones "had not yet begun to fight." What I didn't realize was that the scrappy Scotsman took the naval fight to the British during the Revolution. Yes, believe it or not, he was attacking British towns! Now that is spunk!

• An incident and quote I'd never heard: When Benjamin Franklin witnessed a hot air balloon ascension in Paris, one of the witnesses asked him what practical use it was. "The most practical man on earth answered simply: "What is the use of a new-born baby?"

• I never realized that slavery was a big issue from the founding of our country onward. I mean to say, I knew it was a big issue coming up to the Civil War, but somehow when they're teaching kids about their country's history they don't start out talking about how the Founding Fathers had to make concessions right from the start so the states would all band together into a country. Fascinating and it makes a sad underlying theme to our country's first 100 (almost) years.

• Andrew Jackson was already on my black books for his treatment of the Cherokee Nation and rejection of the Supreme Court when they tried to enforce fair treatment as per their judgment. (Didn't he coin the phrase, "You and what army?" Followed by, "Oh, right. I have the army.") Then I read how he sent the country into the Panic of 1837 because of his unreasoning hatred of the Bank of the United States, followed by his destruction of same. He had to go through two secretaries of the Treasury before appointing Roger B. Taney ... who we will hear from later for further infamy. Then Jackson left Martin Van Buren holding the bag. I now only have one good thing to say about Jackson which was that the "shoot" in his eyes allowed for no breaking up of the Union, even though he was sympathetic to the slave holders.

• Frederick Douglass -- who knew this guy was such a fire eater? Wow! I knew of his famous book which is one I mean to read someday. But he's in there mixing it up, refusing to back down, even teaching President Lincoln that although a black colony in South America sounds like a progressive, good idea, it is actually just as bad as slavery since these black men are Americans and have the right to live in their homeland. He was such a brilliant logician that he'd leave no one with a leg to stand on.

• I already admired Abraham Lincoln as a hero. I now can admire his powerful intellect, diplomacy, and good heart even more. I am struck more and more by the similarities between the fight against slavery and the current day fight against abortion. I especially liked this argument from his debates with Stephen Douglas:

  "Although volume upon volume has been written to prove slavery a very good thing, we never hear of the man who wishes to take the good of it by being a slave himself."

• Raised a Kansan, it was a shock to move to Texas and hear the Confederacy justified by the argument of "states' rights." This was a new idea and one I didn't cotton to, though I grew resigned to hearing about it. Now having raised a generation of Texans, this argument still comes up (yes folks the Civil War can still start arguments between family members). So this was fascinating and also made me laugh.

  The most important aspects of the Confederate constitution were, however, less obvious. For a movement that claimed states' rights, their constitution allowed no state the right to emancipate slaves. No state could even be admitted to the Confederacy from the old Union unless it agreed to maintain slavery always. And, a stunning development: the drafters of this constitution debated and emphatically rejected a passage that would have recognized a right of a state to secede from this Confederacy.

-- I'm about 2/3 of the way through so will probably have more revelations as I go --

Worth a Thousand Words: Straight on to Altair, Fellas.

Straight on to Altair, fellas. Make it so.

Rose has a fondness for only showing half her face on Facebook. When taxed with this (by many more people than just me), she obliged with this gem.

Question

I've been asked if I know of any Scripture where two tribes each go up to the top of two different mountains and pray/lament in a sort of call-and-response method.

I have no clue and quick searches aren't turning anything up.

In case any of our learned group knows, I'm passing the question on!

In which Doan and Carstairs rejoin the tourists ... and the plot thickens.

Chapter 9 of The Mouse in the Mountain by Norbert Davis is ready for your listening pleasure at Forgotten Classics.

The Restless Flame by Louis de Wohl

The Restless Flame by Louis De Wohl

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Having dropped The Brothers Karamazov and realizing I will have to resort to Cliff Notes before my book club meets in August (there's a first time for everything), I am moving on to the next BIG BOOK they chose. The Confessions by St. Augustine.

Now I love St. Augustine. He is my first "saint pal" so to speak. However, I've tried several times to read The Confessions and always gotten bogged down in the early pages. (I must add this was not due to the book itself but to the fact that I got tired of Augustine going on and on about his tutor beating him when he was young.) As I was girding my mental loins for the prospect of throwing myself into the fray again, a Goodreads' friend recommended one of Louis de Wohl's Christian historical fictions.

I tried de Wohl some time ago and found it very simple. Certainly nothing to match my beloved Samuel Shellabarger or Kenneth Roberts. Not even on the par of such Christian historical fiction as The Robe, Ben Hur, or Quo Vadis. (I now believe that perhaps I read one of his books written for younger readers.)

However, I checked out the beginning pages of the recommended book on my Kindle and found that it was more complex and interesting than my long ago sample about Helen and the cross, if I recall correctly. At any rate, in an attempt to get in the mood for The Confessions, I got The Restless Flame from the library and have been enjoying the way de Wohl brings Augustine, Monica, and others to life. This was enhanced by the fact that, having read Saints Behaving Badly I know that Augustine's steadfast friend, Alypius, was a real person who had to fight a serious addiction to blood sports. And so this makes it ring even more true.

The middle of the book was rather slow as it centered around Augustine's philosophy, teaching, and rhetoric of Manichaeism. But such was Augustine's life so I can't really complain about that. It was rather inspiring to see how seriously these young men took the search for Truth and philosophy. I really looked forward to the part where Augustine and Ambrose met. The author surprised me on that bit but seeing how Ambrose stood his ground against the emperor's mother was a treat. This book was thought provoking, stretched me mentally as I jumped with Alcypius behind Augustine from one philosophical concept to the next, and inspired me in its depiction of Monica and Augustine overall.

I've seen many people saying that de Wohl's books are really just for young adults. I'm not sure that is the case. True, this one isn't 600 pages with exhaustive details of Roman, Carthaginian, Milanese, and African living at the time. But that isn't always needed to get a good feel for a person. This one gave this fully adult reader just what was needed.

Blogging Around: The "You Don't Know What You Think You Know" Edition

THE MISUNDERSTOOD POSSUM

For years, I’ve thought that opossums — or possums, as most people call them — receive a bad rap because they’re not as cute and cuddly as, say squirrels or raccoons. I’ve known of people killing them just because they don’t like possums.

The Imperfect Gardener has a good piece about how possums rid your property of pests and other facts you might not know about them. I never minded them but once I discovered that they enjoy eating cockroaches, I gave them carte blanche to help themselves! (Via Hannah on Facebook)

THE CONTRADICTIONS THAT MAKE UP OUR LIVES

I’m confronted by a great deal of grand and worthy ambition from this student body. You want to be a politician, a social worker. You want to be an artist. Your body’s ambition: Mulch. Your body wants to make some babies and then go in the ground and fertilize things. That’s it. And that seems like a bit of a contradiction. It doesn’t seem fair. For one thing, we’re telling you, “Go out into the world!” exactly when your body is saying, “Hey, let’s bring it down a notch. Let’s take it down.”

And it is a contradiction. And that’s actually what I’d like to talk to you about. The contradiction between your body and your mind, between your mind and itself. I believe these contradictions and these tensions are the greatest gift that we have, and hopefully, I can explain that.

[...]


I talk about this contradiction, and this tension, there’s two things I want to say about it. One, it never goes away. And if you think that achieving something, if you think that solving something, if you think a career or a relationship will quiet that voice, it will not. If you think that happiness means total peace, you will never be happy. Peace comes from the acceptance of the part of you that can never be at peace. It will always be in conflict. If you accept that, everything gets a lot better.

A fascinating commencement address from Joss Whedon. I believe it says much about why he is a good storyteller. (Via Scott Danielson.)

SHUNNING CULTURAL CATHOLICS ... AND ... TWO ATHEISTS WHO CHANGED THEIR MINDS

I have a friend who left the Church because once a priest told her in an unfriendly way that she could not be Catholic and pro-choice. Not, mind you, that she couldn’t receive communion, but that she wasn’t Catholic. This is the problem. The message my friend received wasn’t, hey you know the Church’s teaching on life is beautiful, you should come and learn more about why she teaches this. It was, get out, you aren’t welcome. Now I wasn’t there and I didn’t hear the exact words the priest used, but whatever was said, the effect wasn’t one of evangelization, you know?

Melanie Bettinelli at The Wine Dark Sea has an interesting post considering the way some Catholics can look down their noses at others. She links this with a couple of recent testimonials from atheists who were surprised to find themselves engaged in civil, thoughtful conversation with Catholics.

When I came to this subreddit to post the question, I expected some insightful answers but also some nasty comments. What I got instead was insightful and patient answers to my questions as well as an outpouring of a highly intelligent, well thought-out theological discussion/debate amongst Catholics whom I was surprised to find out did not share a monolithic view of Catholicism. It was so much more than I had hoped.

My overall comment is this: it comes down to good manners.

If we are able to keep candid comments to ourselves and politely try to address things we don't agree with, the world becomes a better place. Certainly our efforts are be better received than if we lash out.

What is the point of winning if others are left with such bad feelings that they will never listen again? The truth is, then we have actually lost.

I often think of my grandparents as I try to moderate my own ill-mannered ways. They were always polite, always cheerful, and if they disagreed with something they just went ahead and addressed it in a practical fashion as best they could. All without causing a lifetime of hurt feelings. No wonder everyone loved them.

They are my role models.

I was already coming to this conclusion and then I read How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice by Austen Ivereigh.

I'll review this next week.

Here's the short version.

Every Catholic should read this book. Period.

And if we did what this book says, there would be fewer surprised atheists and more Catholics who've been attracted to live their faith in a deeper, more meaningful way.

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

This Solemnity goes back to the thirteenth century. It was first established in the diocese of Liége, and Pope Urban IV instituted it in 1264 for the whole Church. The meaning of this feast is the consideration of and devotion to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The center of the feast was to be, as Pope Urban IV described it, a popular devotion reflected in hymns and joy. In the same year Saint Thomas Aquinas, at the Pope's request, composed for this day two Offices which have nourished the piety of many Christians throughout the centuries. In many different places the procession with the Monstrance through specially bedecked streets gives testimony of the Christian people's faith and love for Christ, who once again passes through our cities and towns. The procession began in the same way as the feast itself.

In places where the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood is not observed as a holy day of obligation, it is kept on the Sunday after the Most Holy Trinity as its proper day.

For many years God fed manna to the people of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. This was an image and symbol of the pilgrim church and of each individual who journeys towards his or her definitive homeland -- Heaven. That food given in the desert of Sinai is a figure of the true food, the Holy Eucharist. This is the sacrament of the human pilgrimage ... Precisely because of this, the annual feast of the Eucharist that the Church celebrates today contains within its liturgy so many references to the pilgrimage of the people of the Covenant in their wanderings through the wilderness (John Paul II)....

Today is a day of thanksgiving and of joy because God has wanted to remain with us in order to feed us and to strengthen us, so that we many never feel alone. The Holy Eucharist is the viaticum, the food for the long journey of our days on Earth towards the goal of true Life. Jesus accompanies us and strengthens us here in this world, where our life is like a shadow compared to the reality that awaits us. Earthly food is a pale image of the food we receive in Holy Communion. The Holy Eucharist opens up our hearts to a completely new reality.

In Conversation With God Vol 6
Daily Meditations, Special Feasts: January - June

Some excellent historical information can be found at The Way of the Father about this feast and about the reality for the Church from the beginning.

Deathworld by Harry Harrison

You know those pulp sf stories you discovered when young?

And then got your kids to read because you knew they'd just love them?

And then were surprised by their comments about the plotting, motivation, and thinness of some of the characters? Which were right on target?

Yeah ... that's what we've got here with Rose's review of Deathworld. Which made me laugh several times.

Still, what is character development in the face of carnivorous plants, poisonous animals, murderous bacteria, and the perpetual threat of volcanic eruptions? I’m not going to read a book called Deathworld for characters talking about their feelings.

Countdown City by Ben H. Winters

Countdown City by Ben H. Winters

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What does it say that my first act upon opening this book was to look for what month is it? How close is the asteroid? Obviously, I've opted into Ben H. Winters' trilogy which began with The Last Policeman.

The Concord police department has been shut down by the federal Justice Department so Hank Palace is out of a job. Until, that is, an old friend asks him to help find her husband. In a world where going "Bucket List" is common there are very few ways to track someone down. There are no phones, no internet, and society is hanging on by a thread. Naturally, Hank can't turn down this plea and so he sets off to see what favors he can trade for information and access to some very dangerous areas.

Holy mackerel, what a fantastic second book! I don't usually get to say that so it is a particular pleasure to have loved this book so much.

It grabbed my attention in the beginning with a highly atypical sort of detail that communicated a lot to me, as a Catholic, about the wife.

Hung above the dresser is a small tasteful painting of Christ crucified. On the wall of the bathroom, next to the mirror, is a slogan in neat block all-capital letters: If you are what you should be, you will set the world ablaze!

"Saint Catherine," says Martha, appearing beside me in the mirror, tracing the words with her forefinger. "Isn't it beautiful?"

[...]

"This may seem like an obvious question," I say, when I'm done writing down her answers. "But what do you think he might be doing?"

Martha worries at the nail of her pinky. "I've thought about it so much, believe me. I mean, it sounds silly, but something good. He wouldn't be off bungee jumping or shooting heroin or whatever."...

"He'd be doing something, like, noble," Martha concludes. "Something he thought was noble"

I smooth the edges of my mustache. Something noble. A powerful thing to think about one's husband, especially one who's just disappeared without explanation.

It not only tells us about Martha and her trust in her husband, it sets us up to fear that he won't live up to that perfect faith. All done in less than a page. Nicely done.

Also, the author wasn't condescending about it. That is refreshing.

Ben Winters did a masterful job of making me intensely interested in the mystery. Simultaneously he showed some of the odd ways American society has mutated because of the impending asteroid strike. His single-minded hero forges ahead despite all obstacles because that's the only way he knows to tackle his problems.

I really enjoyed the fact that the characters seem very real. I was intensely anxious, for example, about Hank's dog, Houdini, when he took him along to infiltrate a college campus that has become an anarchist encampment. When Houdini is held hostage unless Hank returns within a specific time period, Hank (and I) became obsessed with getting back on time. And the result? Completely unexpected by Hank (or me). But absolutely typical and perfect. It was at this point that I tipped my hat to Mr. Winters.

This trilogy is shaping up to be a real classic for both the science fiction and mystery genres. I am looking forward with great anticipation to the end of the world, as seen by Detective Palace. The Last Detective and Countdown City are both going on my Best of 2013 list.

An Amazon Vine book, review copy.

Worth a Thousand Words:

Jules Bastien-Lepage,Les Enfants pêcheurs, 1878
via Wikipedia

21 Ways to Worship by Vinny Flynn

21 Ways to Worship: A Guide to Eucharistic Adoration by Vinny Flynn

How do I pray using the photos? I just look at them. "Prayer," wrote St. Therese, "is a surge of the heart." I just look at the pictures, one by one, and let my heart surge to God for each person. A photo captures much of the essence of a person. As I gaze at each photo, the person it represents becomes present to me, complete with personality traits, strengths, weaknesses, memories, conversations, needs, etc.

Sometimes actual words of prayer come to mind and are offered; sometimes there are no words. Essentially, I am simply lifting each person up to God in whatever way and for whatever period of time seems called for. It varies from day to day.

"21 Ways to Worship" is chock-full of practical ways like this to lift your heart to God. The 21 ways each have their own short chapter where Flynn explains an approach, sometimes including his personal experiences, sometimes including a prayer he has written, and often including scripture or a quote from a spiritual master.

Although the book is written to help direct an hour of Eucharistic adoration (prayer in front of the Eucharist), you can use these ideas and techniques any time to help your prayer life. In fact, I often forgot that the direction of the book was toward adoration. I'd come away from a chapter thinking about my experience with a particular approach in prayer. That is not to say that Flynn is not focused on Adoration. It is just a wonderful reminder that prayer is always conversation with God. Adoration is conversation with God right at His feet in the Eucharist.

I particularly enjoyed the art that headed each chapter. I only wish that they would have been made larger so that I could have made out the details more easily on some of the complex pieces. They provided yet another way to lift our hearts and minds to God in worship.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy Flynn's corny headlines quite as much. I realize they are included to pull the reader in and make them more comfortable. I think my tolerance decreased as the book went on because each chapter was so short that the next chapter head was continually popping up. Your milage may vary. They didn't detract enough to keep me from reading the book and the rest of each chapter was not corny, thankfully, but well written.

BOOK GIVEAWAY
This review is part of a blog tour. Check the link to see what other bloggers have said about "21 Ways to Worship."

The publisher has very generously provided a free copy of "21 Ways to Worship." It will be given away on June 6, 2013.

Just make a comment to be entered in the drawing!

Star Trek Into Darkness

We enjoyed it a lot although I wished it were smarter and my world was not rocked by some things which I don't want to spoil for anyone.

Plus, I see that Amy H. Sturgis's world was rocked by some of those things, sooooo ... I won't say either of us is wrong, but that we have different taste in our Star Trek reboots. And I'm ok with that. Totally.

I'd been saving Amy's post until I'd seen the movie and it is well worth reading. For one thing her footnotes (yes, she has footnotes and I loved them) are worth the price of admission for those of us who love the Sherlock Holmes reboot featuring Benedict Cumberbatch.

Most of all I love this from her post (which doesn't ruin anything):

I'd watch the spin-off series of Captain Sulu, Intergalactic Badass.

Amen.

Also, Karl Urban - we want more, we want more! What the heck J.J. Abrams?!

No matter what, this movie is great fun and I endorse it wholeheartedly.

Ladies, you may be interested to know: the first moment when we see Benedict Cumberbatch in his bad-ass black duster ... swoon-worthy. I'm just sayin'...