Saturday Joke: The Arcane Society of Western Pennsylvania

Via Dr. Boli's Celebrated Magazine.

J.R.R. Tolkien Book Giveaway

Brandon Vogt's giving away two books I'd dearly love to have (yes, I know it's a random selection of winners, but I'm just sayin'):

• The Lord of the Rings ... the one-volume version that I've been eying at Amazon over and over (but resolutely NOT buying)
• Tolkien: A Celebration - edited by Joseph Pearce ... which is the Pearce book that really caught my eye of the several Brandon listed yesterday.

Go here to sign up.

Books on J.R.R Tolkien's Catholicism

Brandon's giveaway ties in with his interesting list yesterday, passed along from Joseph Pearce's blog. Brandon thoughtfully included covers and descriptions to make it easy for us. Definitely worth perusing if you are at all interested in the subject.

I read the list with interest, since I have been making a list of my own of similar books, thanks to the insights I've been gleaning from The Tolkien Professor, whose podcast I recommend highly. (Either click on the course name or go to iTunes to get episodes.) I've mentioned this before but Professor Olsen's comments have really helped open up what Tolkien meant when he said that The Lord of the Rings had a Catholic moral worldview.

Here are a few from my list that weren't on Brandon's (or should we say on Joseph Pearce's). They're not specifically about Tolkien's Catholicism, but they are about looking below the surface, which in many ways is the same thing.

I'm in a huge hurry so won't be as thoughtful as Brandon, but there are links that will take you to descriptions.

• The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien - after getting to know Flannery O'Connor via The Habit of Being I am now a true believer in reading letters.
• Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" by Corey Olsen - yes, the Tolkien Professor wrote a book.
• On the Shoulders of Hobbits: On the Road to Virtue with Tolkien and Lewis by Louis Markos - forward is by Peter Kreeft, so I trust the book.
• Tree of Tales: Tolkien, Literature and Theology by Trevor Hart
• J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Behind the Hobbits
• Mere Humanity: G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, and J. R. R. Tolkien on the Human Condition - Donald T. Williams
• "A Better Country": The Worlds of Religious Fantasy and Science Fiction by Martha Sammons
  
• A Hobbit Journey: Discovering the Enchantment of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth - Matthew Dickerson
  

Compendium: Catechism of the Catholic Church

Compendium: Catechism of the Catholic Church by USCCB Publishing

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I got this when it came out, flipped through it, and then put it on the shelf, where the poor thing was never moved until I gave an explanatory talk last night to the RCIA class about how to navigate your way around the Catechism (and other related topics such as Imprimatur stamps, etc.)

When I was looking through it this morning to attempt to answer a question (this group is sharp and curious, although I TOLD them I wasn't an expert on the Catechism, but was good at navigating the numbering system) ... anyway, so I was looking for specific info and realized I'd never given this a proper read.

The Q & A structure originally put me off, although now that I read the introduction I see it is meant to reflect an ancient style, to "reflect an imaginary dialogue between master and disciple ... that invite the reader to go deeper in discovering ever new aspects of his faith." And now that I've had more experience with having to answer the unpredictable questions that RCIA attendees ask, I can appreciate the format more. Also, it is intentionally kept brief, intending to spark interest in digging deeper in the actual Catechism.

Digging deeper I saw there are some very good features I never noticed. For example, although it has some absolutely gorgeous art, I never noticed that each illustration is accompanied by a thorough explanation, whether it be of the symbolism, related commentary, Church Fathers' meditations, prayers, or a combination thereof. Not only do these invite further reflection, they serve as examples of how to "read" devotional art.

Also, there's a nice appendix of common prayers.

I believe I'll be reading this along with my daily Catechism pages.

Forming Intentional Disciples

It’s easy to shrug off the call for evangelization and discipleship by saying, “Oh, we already do that.” We have a men’s club. We have religious ed. Everybody’s happy, all are welcome, Jesus shows up for every Mass – but sure, I’ve heard other parishes are in trouble. Mine’s fine.

Maybe so. But Weddell opens the book with extensive and detailed evidence that no, things are not fine. She defines the scope of the problem both statistically – how many Catholics in the pews don’t even believe in a personal God? – and qualitatively.

I've seen this book mentioned in a lot of places ... and although my "to read" stack is alarmingly high, I'm beginning to believe this is required reading. Jen Fitz's review at confirms that.

What the Church Teaches About End-of-Life Issues

What I learned is that the Church teaches, "God loves you, God loves you, God loves you." Always and forever, in the darkness of doubt, and in the light of the truth.

I did skip ahead a bit, but I just can't read that enough. It makes me smile. It makes me tear up a bit. And it makes me love God more.

Don't stop there, though. Go read all of Simcha Fisher's terrific piece.

The Julianne

A new cocktail creation ... at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko - UPDATED

Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sergei Lukyanenko is a science-fiction and fantasy author, writing in Russian, and is arguably the most popular contemporary Russian sci-fi writer. His works often feature intense action-packed plots, interwoven with the moral dilemma of keeping one's humanity while being strong.

In The Night Watch, set in modern Moscow, the "Others" live among us, an ancient race of humans with supernatural powers who swear allegiance to either the Dark or the Light. A thousand-year treaty has maintained the balance of power, and the two sides coexist in an uneasy truce. But an ancient prophecy decrees that one supreme "Other" will rise up and tip the balance, plunging the world into a catastrophic war between the Dark and the Light. When a young boy with extraordinary powers emerges, fulfilling the first half of the prophecy, will the forces of the Light be able to keep the Dark from corrupting the boy and destroying the world?

This book was recommended by both daughters and Jeff Miller. Plus I liked the movie, though I realize the book is different in many ways. And now I can say I'm reading Russian novels. No need to say which Russian novels since people assume the big classics ... right?

The book is three novellas, linked by their setting and the fact that each is told by Anton, a Light Other who is now getting field experience after being a file clerk for several years. As he gets more experience, the reader learns more about the subtleties and intricacies of the world between Light and Dark. Each of the stories is thoroughly engrossing and although they build upon each other, the first two stand alone fairly well. The third conclusion brings the book's overall story arc to a conclusion.

The first page of the book has two messages, which are puzzling and amusing as an introduction. However when I had finished the book I realized they also served to sum up how the author uses the different stories and characters:

This text has been approved for distribution as conducive to the cause of Light.

The Night Watch

This text has been approved for distribution as conducive to the cause of Dark.

The Day Watch

Final result: simply fantastic. The way the three stories all look at Light and Dark, treaties and compromises, and even what it means to be unyielding on one side or the other ... not only provides a gripping adventure, but food for thought about our own lives.

UPDATE

Audio notes:

I was delighted to find the audio CD available for only $10 and promptly began listening in preparation for discussion at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast. Narrator Paul Michael has a low key style in reading this book. His dialogue reading features what sound like authentic Russian accents which enhance the book greatly since Anton's thoughts are read in a regular American accent. Initially I found this refreshing since I'd just been listening to one Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series, which has a trademark intense, hard-hitting narrative style.

However, I soon noticed that whenever a character spoke there was very little emotion portrayed, no matter how stressful the moment. There are plenty of stressful, action-filled moments and to have them all conveyed in such a subdued fashion drained the color and excitement of the story for me. Eventually, the entire book seemed so colorless that I stopped listening and picked up the print copy to read the third novella.

My husband regularly has conference calls with Russians and says that he has noticed that monotonous quality when they are speaking English. He attributes it to the difficulty in speaking a foreign language and conducting business simultaneously. We both know from seeing the Night Watch movie that Russians are perfectly capable of verbally conveying a wide range of emotions.

Whatever the reason, I cannot recommend the audio if you want to experience the full flavor of the book.

Forgive me, Oprah, for I have sinned ...

I was shocked when Lance Armstrong was proven to have cheated and lied about his competitions.

However, I was unsurprised when Lance Armstrong admitted it to Oprah. Why else would he bother to appear? What is wrong with things when winning a sporting event is worth all that lying, cheating and trouble?

I know, I know, it's the way things are. Of course, that's part of our larger problem when we accept that such is the way of the world.

I was reading this morning in the WSJ how Armstrong's private defense until this point was roughly, "Every other pro sports discipline cheats."

I hadn't really thought about him until then but that was when I realized how immature Armstrong was, without a real moral compass, or possibly so confused by the unreal world he's inhabited for so long that he doesn't know which side is up any more? (And then I think of poor Tony Scott with all that the world counts precious who killed himself last year ... there are a lot of people who've been lied to about fame and fortune.)

It's been put into context because I've been listening to The Two Towers, the middle book of The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien.

I am just at the part where Gandalf talks to Saruman after the Ents destroyed Isengard. Their exchange makes me think of this whole situation, especially since I just heard the part where Tolkien remarks that Saruman's voice was so beautiful that people would be charmed. Then when they repeated his words later they would realize that they were very ordinary. It was his voice that was so compelling.

Suddenly another voice spoke, low and melodious, its very sound an enchantment. Those who listened unwearily to that voice could seldom report the words that they had heard; and if they did, they wondered, for little power remained in them. Mostly they remembered only that it was a delight to hear the voice speaking, all that it said seemed wise and reasonable, and desire awoke in them by swift agreement to see wise themselves. When others spoke, they seemed harsh and uncouth by contrast; and if they gainsaid the voice, anger was kindled in the hearts of those under the spell.

There is an awful lot in The Lord of the Rings about deceit and it's subtle ways that I find myself applying to my own life. Where do I rationalize and listen to the compelling argument because it is what I want to hear rather than what is actually true? We all do it. That's how we recognize it in the book and understand Saruman's power so well.

I feel sorry for Lance Armstrong. I pity him, rather like Gollum, addicted to his fame (his precious). How will he live without it? By crawling after it if he must ... poor fellow. Let's keep him in our prayers.

In which Virgilia sees big trouble ahead and Nan is left in the dark.

Chapter 8 of The Unforeseen is ready for your listening pleasure at Forgotten Classics!

The Partially Examined Life: Gorgias by Plato [AUDIO DRAMA]

The Partially Examined Life podcast is doing something different with their latest podcast, an amateur full cast production of Gorgias by Plato (sort of). Gorgias is a Socratic dialogue, basically a script in which characters discussing philosophy. It was probably written around 380 BC.

The subject of Gorgias is rhetoric, the art of persuasion, and is highly relevant to thinking about politic speech, advertizing, and personal charisma.

Interesting, isn't it? Get the link to the podcast at SFFaudio which is where I read about it.

Of Withered Apples ...

This is a Philip K. Dick story that is in the public domain. It's a fascinating riff on classic fairy tales, done the way that only Dick can do it. For example, darned if I know what fairy tale it is, but he invests it with "classic" all the way.

I read it for SFFaudio and also participated in the conversation about it afterward. Get it here.

A Smart Idea

Now here's a smart idea ... the Stainless Steel Grocery Bag Garbage Can, which I found via Orson Scott Card.

I don't have one yet. But I do need to replace a trash can or two around the house and this may be the perfect option. Just thought I'd share ...

Best Actress Nominee Quvenzhané Wallis

For a change I've seen several of the nominated movies for the 2013 Oscars. I don't think Beasts of the Southern Wild (my review here) deserves a Best Picture award, though I think that director will earn them in the future.

However, there is no doubt in my mind that pint-sized Quvenzhané Wallis, from that film, does. She was formidable.

Cafe Maria Theresia

Coffee, orange liqueur, and whipped cream. What's not to love? Get it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Review: Catholicism Pure and Simple by Fr. Dwight Longenecker

If a good person decides to fight against evil he will always be at a disadvantage. ...

The evil person will naturally use every devious and nasty trick he can think of. That's why he's bad: he is a liar, a cheat, a murderer and a thoroughgoing scoundrel.

However, the good person cannot use the same evil tricks. So the evil one will lie and scheme. He will punch below the belt and throw salt in the good guy's eyes. But the really good person is not allowed to lower himself to dirty tricks. Jesus taught us this principle. When our enemy slaps us we are told to turn the other cheek. When our enemy takes our coat we are to offer him our shirt as well.

This disadvantage that the good person suffers is the key that unlocks the whole mystery. You see, evil gets worse and worse in the world when we do not fight with goodness. We usually respond to suffering by causing more suffering. We seek revenge and return evil for evil.

When we do this evil breeds in the world and will never be defeated. This is why Jesus teaches us to return good for evil, to forgive our enemies, and pray for those who hurt us. Jesus is trying to get across to us that the only way for evil to be defeated is to smother it with goodness as water puts out a fire.

I've been a fan of Dwight Longencker's writing for a long time, definitely since before he became a Catholic priest. Catholicism Pure and Simple may prove to be my favorite of his books. For one thing, it is chock-full of passages like the one above, which helped me for the first time in my life really get a grasp of why Christ insists on the necessity of returning good for evil.

Overall Catholicism Pure and Simple is a basic explanation of the Catholic faith. It would be a great refresher for someone who wants to know their faith better, a good text for RCIA classes, or an introduction for those curious about what Catholicism teaches (rather than what "everyone" says it teaches). Following the general topic guidelines that the Catechism itself follows, Longenecker takes readers from why we believe God exists, through who Jesus Christ is, how the Catholic Church came to be, what it means to be Catholic and how to live the faith.

Although the explanations are basic, they are well developed and thought provoking. Catholicism Pure and Simple is a riveting read, written in straight forward terms, designed to take each person to an understanding Catholicism. I myself particularly liked the way Longenecker takes longstanding modern beliefs and stands them on their heads, encouraging us to look at what "everyone knows" with new eyes.

For example, what "everyone knows" is that religion evolved because cave men, afraid or impressed with thunder and lightning, concluded that a being lived in the clouds who needed to be appeased. From these beginnings came the development of religious worship. At least, that's the story that I always believed before becoming Catholic. Look at a bit of how Longenecker discusses it.

Did you notice how this argument makes certain assumptions about cave men? It treats the cave man as a noble savage. Because he feels a sense of wonder at the natural world he is portrayed as a ignorant, but touchingly sensitive brute; but have you seen the trick? Because he is a cave man we assume that he must be inferior to us; therefore his conclusion that there is a big person beyond the clouds who caused the thunder must also be primitive, and wrong.

Although cave men may not have been as educated as we are or have such whiz-bang technology, were they really so much stupider? ... We don't have evidence for that. Instead, when their graves are opened we find beautiful works of art and craftsmanship, and when we go into the cave itself we find mysterious and beautiful wall paintings. The evidence we have tells us that whoever painted those graceful bison and deer were not primitive brutes, but sensitive artists. ...

The caveman is being quite sensible, in his own way, to observe nature and see the signs of an unseen intelligence. Like most easy theories, this theory of where our religious instinct comes from is both right and wrong. It is right because it tells us that even primitive people can see the power of nature and conclude that there is a mind behind it all.

However, the theory is wrong in what it assumes. It assumes that because modern humans understand the physics of thunder, and have telescopes to study the stars, that they no longer have a need for God. ...

Catholicism Pure and Simple both delighted me with examples and inspired me overall by the pure and simple truth contained therein. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

History of Philosophy talks about Church Fathers

Peter Adamson, Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at King's College London, takes listeners through the history of philosophy, "without any gaps." Beginning with the earliest ancient thinkers, the series looks at the ideas and lives of the major philosophers (eventually covering in detail such giants as Plato, Aristotle, Avicenna, Aquinas, Descartes, and Kant) as well as the lesser-known figures of the tradition.

I've enjoyed this podcast in the past but had dropped it due to time constraints. Hey, you aren't gonna get through the Lord of the Rings in audio without a few sacrifices.

Imagine my surprise when I checked recently and found that Peter Adamson had made it to the ancient Church Fathers. Origen, Maximus the Confessor, the Greeks, the Latins ... and Augustine's confessions are among the episodes. Looks like it's time to begin fitting some History of Philosophy into my earbuds.

Get it on iTunes. Or get it from their website.

Review: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Radio Announcer: The final mission to save mankind has failed...the 70 mile wide asteroid known as 'Matilda' is set to collide with Earth in exactly three weeks time, and we'll be bringing you our countdown to the end of days, along with all your classic rock favorites.

The world is going to be destroyed by a huge meteor. In the month that's left, what would you do with the rest of your life? Steve Carrell decides to find his high school sweetheart. Tagging along is his neighbor who's trying to get to her family. Yep. It's a road trip at the end of the world.

Finally. A Steve Carrell movie that I can recommend without saying, "Except for these stupid scenes." And one that made me interested in Keira Knightly in her recent roles since it seems as if she's matured some as an actress as well as in her appearance since the early Pirates and soccer movies I saw her in.

It's a gutsy and interesting movie that dares to take the above premise and make a romantic comedy. It mostly works except for a few plot holes which we were willing to overlook.

I enjoyed this all the way through. Tom felt the middle sagged but they grabbed him again in the last third. I would say the difference between our attitudes may lie in the fact that once I grasped this as an apocalyptic tale, I settled in for the standard formula of having the middle of the story being travel that exposes us to different ways of coping with the disaster. Tom didn't have that formula to fall back on. That said, this could have been a trimmer and nimbler film at 90 minutes.

More than anything, this affected me profoundly with the idea of everything being over. Done. Kaput. Finis. The End.

You'd think that, as a Catholic, I'd be used to the reality that life can end at any moment. Like many things, intellectual understanding is different than having a concrete example right in front of you. I like to think that I'd be ready to meet my Maker if I was hit by a truck today, but am I really? So this led me to some consideration of Final Things (death, judgment, heaven, hell) which was doubtless good for me. Certainly, it provided additional depth and direction to my spiritual meditations over the next few days.

Best Movies of 2012

Top movies I saw in 2012 with descriptions in 10 words or less. In no particular order. (My top books list is here.)

1. Red River (1948) directed by Howard Hawks, stars John Wayne, Montgomery Clift
   Possibly the perfect Western. (my review here)
   
   
2. Skyfall (2012) directed by Sam Mendes, stars Daniel Craig, Judi Dench
   An exhilarating combination of new and old which remakes the Bond franchise. (my review here)
   
   
3. Life of Pi (2012) directed by Ang Lee, stars Suraj Sharma
   One castaway boy, one raft, one Bengal tiger ... and God. (my review here)
   
   
4. Les Miserables (2012) directed by Tom Hooper, stars Hugh Jackman, et al.
   Mercy, courage, and God's saving grace. With some fantastic singing. (my review here)
   
   
5. The Avengers (2012) directed by Joss Whedon, stars Robert Downey Jr, et al.
   Supervillains from space threaten Earth. Superheroes save it. Spectacularly.
   
   
6. John Carter of Mars (2012) directed by Andrew Stanton, stars Taylor Kitsch
   Derring do, a maiden to rescue, a battered but worthy hero ... on Mars. (My review here)
   
   
7. Brave (2012) directed by Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman
   Pixar's "girl" movie. A delightful fable with strong, likable women.
   
   
8. The Mill and the Cross (2011) directed by Lech Majewski, stars Rutger Hauer, Michael York
   Luminous masterpiece based on Pieter Bruegel's The Way to Calvary. (my review here)
   
   
9. Love in the Afternoon (1957) directed by Billy Wilder, stars Audrey Hepburn, Gary Cooper
   Frothy fun. Detective's daughter is fascinated by a playboy.
   
   
10. Margin Call (2011) directed by J. C. Chandor, stars Kevin Spacey, et al.
    24-hours of decisions in a financial crisis. It works.
    
    
11. Moneyball (2011) directed by Bennett Miller, stars Brad Pitt
    Building better baseball with computer analysis. Sounds terrible. It isn't.
    
    
12. Bill Cunningham, New York (2011) directed by Richard Press
    Documentary about a man obsessed with fashion. Unlikely but terrific.
    
    
13. The Mark of Zorro (1940) directed by Rouban Mamoulian, stars Tyrone Power
    Power is a subtler, funnier, better swashbuckler than Errol Flynn. Watch this.
    
    
14. The Body Snatcher (1945) directed by Robert Wise, stars Boris Karloff, et al.
    Grave robbing and worse in 1831 Edinburgh. Karloff's a stand out.

What Went Wrong With the Hobbit and How to Discuss It With Smart Kids

An excellent commentary from a smart movie watcher. (Check out her blog, Catholic All Year. We can all thank the mean Church Lady who prompted Kendra Tierney to begin blogging.)

The Crimes of Galahad by H. Albertus Boli, LL.D.

The Crimes of Galahad by H. Albertus Boli Ll.D.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've long been a fan of Dr. Boli's Celebrated Magazine. I was mildly interested when The Crimes of Galahad was published and then read a review from two reviewers I trust who both enjoyed it and also declined to describe much of it. This piqued my interest. The good Dr. Boli's secretary has provided me with a review copy, which I very much appreciate, especially since the inscription was beautifully written in calligraphy, although the paper was not Bousted's Number 8 or even Number 6.

I am moved to say that upon opening the book, I was captivated by the perfection of the layout and typesetting as a 19th century novel (especially of the title page). Many know I am a type and layout crank ... so this was a very pleasant surprise.

"But what of the story?" you very reasonably ask.

Galahad Newman Bousted (pronounced Boasted) is the son of a simple stationer in the 1800s. In the depths of despair over his lack of prospects, he comes across a review of a French book, The Pursuit of Evil. It argues that the superior man chooses evil in accordance with the dictates of nature. It is impossible to get a copy of the book, but the logic strikes Galahad so forcefully that he immediately determines to give himself to evil, by which he means to make all decisions based on self-interest. He sets forth to seek his fortune and woo the woman of his dreams. Can Galahad achieve a life of pure evil?

I would tell you more but that would both prematurely unfold the the tale, skillfully written by Dr. Boli, and spoil the point. The book not only entertained me considerably but also made me mull over the conclusion ever since I've finished it. There is a deep grounding in truth versus appearance, intention versus actions, and many other puzzles of human nature. It also made me look up Francois Boucher's paintings on Wikipedia. Ooo-la-la!

All in all, The Crimes of Galahad is a book I highly recommend and one that I suspect I must discuss to mine it's full value.