Worth a Thousand Words: Whale & Mermaid

Whale & Mermaid
by Belinda Del Pesco

I feel as if Belinda should be illustrating children's books. I'd buy them just for the art. Yes, I am that sort of book buyer. I'd do it. She's also got a lot of good info about her process, as always.

Book Talk: Jane Austen and Me

NORTHANGER ABBEY.
It began with Northanger Abbey. I'm considering reading this on my podcast so I reread it after having done so many years ago.

(And then Jesse from SFFaudio asked if I wanted to discuss it in November. Hey, I can tell when a book is haunting me.)

I know this was an early work and also that it is not as polished or accomplished as Austen's later books. That being said, I am still very fond of this parody of Gothic literature which reminds us that novels are no substitute for experiencing life itself. And it consistently cracks me up. I'm also very fond of P.G. Wodehouse and this book almost falls into that category for me. It doesn't have to be deep to be enjoyable.

And, let's face it. I always go for funny and light when I'm given a choice. Thus are my foibles and sins easily revealed.


SENSE AND SENSIBILITY.
I realized that I'd only read Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey.

And none of her other books. No, I have no pride at all as a reader. In case you needed more than this as proof.

Plus, didn't you know Jane Austen is kind of boring and that if you've read Pride and Prejudice that you've skimmed the cream of the crop?

Well, maybe not. So I took steps to correct that oversight, beginning with this book.

It took me a while to pick up on what she was doing but I thoroughly enjoyed all the examples of "sense" and "sensibility" that Jane Austen thrusts at us from every direction. It made me appreciate the author's sly wit all the more as I took them in.

Also, I defy anyone reading this book to think that Jane Austen didn't understand the realities of life and only wrote milk-and-water novels. The string of ill-used women whose stories we are told by Col. Braden is realistic in the extreme, to say nothing of the revelations about Mr. Willoughby. The fact that Elinor took it all in stride also informs us about "what everybody knew" back in those days.

I myself was riveted by the romantic stories as well. Would love prevail in the way that seems most likely? Or would there be yet another plot twist to throw us into confusion? I finished this at breakneck speed.

There was a bit of "a shot rang out and everyone fell dead" in the sudden settling of everyone's situations, but all in all, a very satisfactory book which I know I will reread with much pleasure in the years to come.

A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz

Whoops! Where did this come from?

I was noodling around in the Kindle "recommended for you" section when I was partly through with Sense and Sensibility.

I like the way it is his memoir of learning how to grow up, with Austen as his guide, and also of how to read novels other than his favorite modernist authors. His self discovery is a nice way to let us in on the larger themes that can be easy to miss in Austen's mannerly comedies.

Also, his comments about Northanger Abbey made me stop apologizing for liking it so much. Turns out it isn't quite as lightweight as everyone likes to say it is.

I'm having to read it in fits and starts because the author can't really discuss the books the way he'd like to with having a few plot spoilers (though he does a pretty good job of it, I think).

I read the Emma chapter as a sample and decided these books have been out for hundreds of years so full speed ahead. That said, however, I had enjoyed watching Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion unfold so I decided to just read this as I went through the Austen books.

It also decided the order in which I'll finish reading the Austen books. Except for Pride and Prejudice which I've read more than once. I'll read that one last.


PERSUASION.

Having read Northanger Abbey and Sense and Sensibility I suddenly became addicted to Jane Austen. Persuasion was like crack. The best of Georgette Heyer style storyline combined with Jane Austen's delightfully rapier wit. I stayed up late and grabbed it every time I had a spare five minutes.

Anne's long ago spurned suitor has returned, thinking her to be heartless while she moons over him from as far away as she can get. It's a story line I knew well, as do we all by now, but it also had me on tenterhooks.

I really can't believe how invested I was in this romance. If I sped through Sense and Sensibility, I rocketed through this book. It is practically perfect in every way. What a great novel!

MANSFIELD PARK.
I approached this with trepidation, having heard through the grapevine that the heroine is timid, dull, and not at all like the other Austen protagonists. Luckily that made me dip into the beginning of the Mansfield Park chapter in "A Jane Austen Education" which put the heart back in me and left me open to admiring Fanny for who she is. As well as seeing that she is there to make obvious the problems with the other players, much like Catherine in Northanger Abbey.

I'd really stalled out on this. Too much Austen in a row, methinks. And then, my much loved library branch got in Juliet Stevenson's narration of the book. I can't express strongly enough what a wonderful narrator Stevenson is. She brings out the humor, the incongruities that are hidden in a few words.

I had some basic layout work come up which left me with time to listen to the book, even though I was less than enthusiastic. Contrary to my expectations, it was a real treat to have this to listen to. And I am back on the Jane-train.

And I've got Stevenson's other Austen narrations on request for further listening. Next up will be Emma.

Worth a Thousand Words: Tomato Sauce

Tomato Sauce
by the talented Edward B. Gordon

You'd never know this was by a German painter. Except for the title, of course. That's not tomato sauce. Tomato sauce is something completely different. In the U.S. anyway.

Not sure how to spell it, but I do know what it is. And that just makes me think of The Simpsons.

Mr. Burns (at the grocery store): Ketchup. Catsup. Ketchup. Catsup. Mmmm... I'm in way over my head.

Well Said: Criticizing my taste

I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas. When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room.

Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing

I've gotten better at leaving the room instead of arguing to the death. That doesn't mean I don't still argue, but I try to stop when we're all still alive.

Blogging Around

Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now by Walter Brueggemann

It’s a weekly retirement from your career. You can find out who you are without your job getting in the way, without your purchasing and competing distracting you from who you are rather than what you’ve won.

It’s a different kind of economy he’s talking about. Six days, we labor and buy and compete, which keeps the market economy moving forward. But then, for a day, we take part in an “economy of neighborliness.” We rediscover who we are.

Orson Scott Card discusses both keeping the Sabbath and Brueggemann's book. As someone who long ago gave in to obeying the 3rd commandment I can tell you that I'd deeply resent going back to treating Sunday like any other day. I'd feel cheated. Card's commentary is part of his Uncle Orson Reviews Everything column so you'll need to scroll down a bit.

SFFaudio's Spin-Offs and Origins

Later episodes take more inspiration from a show called Forgotten Classics.

And, subsequently, The SFFaudio Podcast has spun off, one with Julie Davis of Forgotten Classics, a couple of other podcasts (taking with them SFFaudio.com’s co-founder Scott D. Danielson):

Reading Envy with Jenny Colvin and Scott D. Danielson
A Good Story Is Hard To Find with Julie Davis and Scott D. Danielson

SFFaudio's got me coming and going. I recall when they were not podcasting but simply blogging about science fiction and fantasy audiobooks. They were one of my "must reads" every day and I was surprised and excited when they noticed Forgotten Classics. I'd never have foreseen at the time that I would become good friends with Jesse and Scott and others who have come on board since then.

So naturally I'm proud that my Forgotten Classics was a bit influential and just as proud to tip my hat to SFFaudio for providing some of the impetus to begin A Good Story is Hard to Find.

The Christus Experiment

Melanie Bettinelli at The Wine Dark Sea has a good review of The Christus Experiment, which I recall liking very well. If time travelers kidnapped Jesus for research what would happen? Not blasphemous at all, which is the first nice surprise. Read Melanie's review.

Eat Man Food and Lose Weight

The Art of Manliness repeats it yet again. Forget the fad diets. More calories in than calories used equals overweight. No matter what those calories came from. Twinkies. Pizza. Kale. Your choice. You've just got to keep track. And they've got guidelines for helping do just that.

Touching Story of a Once-Doomed Girl's New Life

In these 244 words, we have the basic elements of the story: Haleigh, whose life once hung in the balance, is alive today. Her adoptive parents are churchgoing evangelical Protestants who, in their faith-infused life, provide her with "a family and community" that bring her joy.

GetReligion points out all the good things about a story full of Christians who "walk the walk" in this story about a girl whose supporters fought to keep her on life support. It's inspirational.

James Foley and Shifting Thoughts on Martyrdom

As a theologian, I see the discussion of martyrdom advancing out of necessity. There are an increasing number of people dying for or because of their faith, including non Christians. What does their witness tell us about them and the type of people they were? Were they people who clung to the truth, insofar as they knew it, to the point of death? I think the conversation began with St. John Paul II. Pope Francis seems to be continuing it. Time will tell.

Pia de Solenni is someone who I've come to rely on for thoughtful consideration of the intersection of current news and faithful Catholicism. If you haven't come across her before this piece is a good place to begin. As well as providing some good context for the question at hand of martyrdom and James Foley.

In which Olfan is noble, Otter is clever, and Nam is treacherous. ...

... As usual. While on the lam. Will our adventurers escape? Chapters 36-37 are ready for your listening pleasure at Forgotten Classics podcast.

Lagniappe: Washington

From my quote journal.

I love to go to Washington--if only to be near my money.

Bob Hope

It's funny because it's true.

Julie and Scott have an unnecessary fist fight on the ark ...

... over what Julie thought was a cheeseburger but was actually a previously unknown variety of armadillo. They talk about the guy that built the boat: Noah, directed by Darren Aronofsky.

All at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Bellwether by Connie Willis

Bellwether by Connie Willis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sandra Foster studies fads and their meanings for the HiTek corporation. Bennet O'Reilly works with monkey group behavior and chaos theory for the same company. When the two are thrust together due to a misdelivered package and a run of bad luck, they find a joint project in a flock of sheep. But series of setbacks and disappointments arise before they are able to find answers to their questions.

This is my favorite Connie Willis book, hands down. She blends pop culture, scientific discovery, chaos theory, Robert Browning, fads and an infuriating office assistant to produce a book where thinking for oneself gets you blank looks of incomprehension. Willis's books come in two flavors, either funny or grim (as she herself describes her serious works). This is definitely one of the funny ones.

This was written in 1996 so it is interesting to see that certain fads have evolved and that some have floated away. (It's been a long time since I thought about Pet Rocks or mood rings, for example.) Listening to the audiobook, courtesy of SFFaudio, I realized that it gave me a real sense of perspective on a lot of things that drive me crazy by reminding me that these are simply the most current fads (Paleo / gluten-free diets, smart phones, SnapChat, etc.).  These too shall pass although the chaos will probably remain. And I'm actually ok with that.

Kate Reading's narration really brought the book alive. I especially enjoyed her characterizations of Flip, Management, and Shirl, all of which added extra fillips of humor to the story. Having read the book several times before listening, I was impressed how well she captured the main character that I "heard" mentally. I will definitely be listening to this the next time I need a dose of anti-fad sensibility.

This is a light, fun book which nonetheless has a core of common sense and deeper meaning.

Why do only the awful things become fads? I thought. Eye-rolling and Barbie and bread pudding. Why never chocolate cheesecake or thinking for yourself?

Well Said: Roger Ebert on Chocolat

"Chocolat" is about a war between the forces of paganism and Christianity, and because the pagan heroine has chocolate on her side, she wins. Her victory is delayed only because, during Lent, a lot of the locals aren't eating chocolate. [...]

I enjoyed the movie on its own sweet level, while musing idly on the box-office prospects of a film in which the glowing, life-affirming local Christians prevailed over glowering, prejudiced, puritan and bitter Druid worshippers. That'll be--as John Wayne once said--the day.

Roger Ebert's review of Chocolat

I miss that man so much. His clear vision, calling it like it is, and the grace with which he expressed himself. Yes, I miss him.

Well Said: I feel His pleasure

I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.

Eric Liddell, Chariots of Fire movie dialogue

Saw this over the weekend in prep for my movie discussion group. The look on Liddell's face as he ran was almost ecstatic at times.

It made me think of my own life. What is a God-given ability that makes me come alive? That makes me "feel His pleasure?"

And what is it for you? It doesn't have to be something we use to make a living. Liddell was a missionary, after all. I have a friend who loves gardening. Hannah loves animals and nature, especially trees. Rose loves story, however it is told.

Worth a Thousand Words: Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper
taken by Remo Savisaar

We don't often get the chance to see an inquisitive little fellow like this eye-to-eye as we do in this photograph. I feel incomparably fortunate to have discovered Remo Savisaar's photography and that he allows me to share it. He takes me into nature in a special way.

Well Said: Authors' personal opinions and their writing

Readers, never tell yourselves you can determine an author’s personal opinions from his writing, unless he is, like C.S. Lewis or his warped antimatter image Phillip Pullman, someone who declares his partisan loyalty from the outset.

I wrote stories with nakedly religious endings of pure hope when I was an atheist because the story logic required such an ending. Likewise, I wrote stories with a nakedly atheist ending of pure despair when I was a Christian because the story logic required such an ending.

John C. Wright, On Faith and Works in a Science Fictional World

This makes me think of our priest who once said, "I never judge a book by an author's personal life."

I've got to honor an author who is able to serve the story honestly instead of letting it become their bully pulpit while pretending to be completely neutral. A favorite author of mine who does this is Ted Chiang who is an atheist but whose stories often look at faith and humanity in extremely thought provoking and original ways which are always true to the needs the story dictates. Sometimes religion wins, sometimes it doesn't but both believers and atheists are given excellent food for thought.

If you go and read John C. Wright's original article, his example of reactions to what he wrote when an atheist versus what he wrote as a Christian, both in the same book, is both amusing and instructive.

Blogging Around: More Randomness

Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison

My review is at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

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"When the Game Stands Tall" is Not About the Game

Pia de Solenni agrees with me that When the Game Stands Tall is an unusual football movie and one that you need to see in the theater. Unlike me, she isn't a football fan so now you know it's got something special going on.

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All the Mass Readings for 2015 in One Book

Jennifer Fitz at Sticking the Corners has a great group of resources ranging from free to pricey, and takes you through them so you know what you're getting.

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We Are Living in Historical Times

I've been reading Catholic history books lately. We're going to discuss one at A Good Story is Hard to Find in November as our book selection. I wanted a one-volume history so we're reading The Catholic Church Through The Ages: A History by John Vidmar, OP. I've just begun but thus far it is an excellent overview.

As I go, I've been dipping into other Catholic histories I happen to have at hand. Reading through the tempestuous time of the Church Fathers, the Council of Nicea, the attack of the barbarians on civilization, and the many heresies reminds me that the Church was born into a world of chaos from which She has never escaped. She has always needed defending, explaining, and God's grace given to those who take Her into the world.

There never really were any of those "good old days" in the way our memory likes to paint with a golden glow, blue sky, and sweet background music. It was always like it is now: chaotic, confusing, tempestuous, and unsure. Some were luckier and more secure than others, to be sure. Just as we are now as we watch with agonized impotence while the innocent are herded and slaughtered like sheep because they are different. Because they are Christian.

I've already talked about what we can do in these terrible times. Here are some good pieces by others who are pondering the same question:

• What are we willing to die for? Pope Francis asked that question at the beatification of Paul Yun Ji--Chung and 123 martyr companions in Korea. It's a question I've been asking myself, to be honest. His homily is here and it's a good one to ponder.


• The use of force can be justified to stop "unjust aggressors" such as Islamic State militants in northeastern Iraq. Pope Francis again on his way back from Seoul as he answered reporters' questions. Again, as I read that St. Augustine developed his just war theory when the barbarians were literally at the gates, leaving no one living in their wake, I understood it better than ever as I saw photos of people slaughtered by ISIS for being the wrong religion. By the way some publication jumped on the chance for a catchy headline about the Pope calling for a new Crusade. Aaargh. Just go read the story and see what he actually said.
  


• "Prayer is the glue that enabled my freedom, my inner freedom first ..." These are the words of James Foley, the American journalist who was beheaded by barbarians. He'd been captured in the line of duty before and his testimony to the power of prayer is one that The Anchoress has been pondering. Like me, she is being turned back to the essentials. I like her comment about praying The Apostle's Creed line by line. I have written about praying St. Patrick's Breastplate and St. John XXIII's Daily Decalogue daily. It is the same effect that she describes. I am taken into the prayer and come out the other side changed somehow.


• Who will stand up for Christians? The head of the World Jewish Congress asked this in an op-ed piece at The New York Times. And I appreciate it. It didn't escape our household that Christians were being slaughtered with very few comments from our government or media but when Yazidis came under attack then the bombs started falling. There's a subtle attitude toward Christians from a lot of public quarters that this exemplifies. So it comes as a welcome relief to have someone from the "outside" pointing it out. I picked this story up via The Deacon's Bench.

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Just to Remind Us That the Media are People Too

Check out this 1 minute video at The Deacon's Bench. Shocking? Maybe. Heart warming? Definitely.

New Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

New Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Scored a copy from Amazon Prime! Huzzah!

I've been waiting for this for a long time. And now here we are:

This is a dubious text for the cause of Light. - The Night Watch

This is a dubious text for the cause of Darkness. - The Day Watch

After Last Watch, which was the 4th book in the Night Watch series, I didn't know what else Sergei Lukyanenko had to tell us.

Oh wait, what about an element of this world that is so pervasive and so unusual while remaining completely unknown?

The Twilight.

This book begins with Anton walking into an airport and hearing a 10 year old boy predict that a plane will crash. That sets a train of actions into motion which lead us to London, Taiwan, and to Baba Yaga's hut. We also ponder the nature of prophecy, humanity versus Others, and what we will do for love.

The book itself was not the strongest of the series but was satisfying and it was a really superb concept ending.

What an accomplishment. A series of 5 books, all of which make good reading and all of which have deeper underlying thoughts about human nature for us to ponder. Highly recommended.

NOTE
Scott Danielson and I discussed Night Watch on A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Other books in the series: Night Watch, Day Watch, Twilight Watch, Last Watch

Search Marketing Explained: Reviewing "Marketing in the Age of Google"

Getting ahead in search marketing requires many people to reverse their thinking at levels they have never considered. This book is particularly good at helping you understand that.

Tom's review is at General Glyphic's blog. Tom's fascinated by marketing via search engines and knows whereof he speaks when he praises this book. So much so that he's been able to help two small customers move up in rank without charging the tens of thousands that the big companies tell you is absolutely necessary.

Well Said: Nothing is really work ...

Nothing is really work unless you'd rather be doing something else.

James Barrie, Peter Pan

Profoundly simple, when you think about it.

Worth a Thousand Words: Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror

Parmigianino, Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror, 1524

Via Arts Everyday Living where there are many other self portraits in mirrors to enjoy. I especially enjoyed this one as I thought about the challenge to the artist's skill and creativity in making that image come out correctly, posing himself, etc. So clever!

Movie Review: When the Game Stands Tall

Coach Bob Ladouceur: Winning a lot of football games is doable. Teaching kids there’s more to life? That’s hard.

Most sports movies show us the underdog team fighting their way to the top by the end.

When the Game Stands Tall, however, begins with an unusual premise.

It poses the question of what happens to the team who breaks their school's incredible 151-game winning streak. How do they cope with failing the community, not to mention their teammates and themselves? And how do they view not only themselves but the game of football afterward?

Coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) built the winning De La Salle Catholic high school football team by emphasizing personal excellence and team brotherhood. That worldview informs all aspects of this film.

Ladouceur's personal journey winds through the story as he faces the challenge of being a father, husband, and coach. Bookending his story are those of two football players, one poor, one wealthy, one with no father, one with a father he can never please, one who feels cursed, one who seems to have everything. Taken together, all three stories weave a much more layered tale than I have come to expect from sports movies in the past.

When the Game Stands Tall has its fair share of cliches, as do most football movies, but it also has some welcome surprises. We know most coaches have to teach classes but I was surprised at Coach Ladouceur's area of expertise. We know there will be a big game, a "Super Bowl moment" if you will, against the powerful nemesis but I didn't expect what came afterward. We know there will be a special training moment that helps bond the team into brothers but I definitely did not expect the unconventional method we saw. We know there are often boys without fathers or those whose fathers fail them but I didn't expect to have the Book of Job repeatedly come to mind with modern resonance.

I also liked the fact that this movie doesn't hit you over the head with a hammer most of the time. It is not afraid to leave some questions unanswered so that viewers may mull them over. It is not afraid to show characters who are lost and then not give an easy fix for their problem.

This movie is about brotherhood, fatherhood, and finding our way in a difficult world. It is about forming our souls through decisions made in times of trouble and hardship. It is about the intentions behind our actions and living for others more than we live for ourselves.

It is about football but it is for everyone.

For me it was head and shoulders above The Blind Side or Remember the Titans. It even gives Friday Night Lights a run for its money. Not in technical know how, though the movie is well enough made, but in heart. Extraordinarily, this movie is based on a real story and many of the coach's lines in the movie come from real life. That just gives it more emotional heft.

Go see it.

Blogging Around: The Random Edition

Why the Public Library Beats Amazon — For Now

A growing stack of companies would like you to pay a monthly fee to read e-books, just like you subscribe to Netflix NFLX +1.46% to binge on movies and TV shows.

Don't bother. Go sign up for a public library card instead.

Really, the public library? Amazon.com AMZN +2.69% recently launched Kindle Unlimited, a $10-per-month service offering loans of 600,000 e-books. Startups called Oyster and Scribd offer something similar. It isn't very often that a musty old institution can hold its own against tech disrupters.

But it turns out librarians haven't just been sitting around shushing people while the Internet drove them into irrelevance. More than 90% of American public libraries have amassed e-book collections you can read on your iPad, and often even on a Kindle. You don't have to walk into a branch or risk an overdue fine. And they're totally free.

When I saw the Kindle Unlimited plan, I instantly thought of the young ladies in Georgette Heyer's Regency novels. The bookish ones were often lucky enough to have a relative paying for a library subscription. Amazon's plan simultaneously turned the clock back and forward. A neat trick. And one that could cost a lot of money every year.

So naturally I enjoyed reading this Wall Street Journal story pointing out that many libraries offer free access to e-books, many of which aren't available free on subscription services.

I'll go him one better though. Take some time to look at all the books being offered, not just e-books. I've been really happy to find audiobooks widely available also. And, then, there are the plain old vanilla print books. (My favorite actually.) They've got lots of them too.

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Sean Bean Death Scene
If you love Sean Bean the way we do in our family, you'll appreciate this Funny or Die bit which riffs off of how many times Bean's characters are killed off in movies.

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Ratting Out Landmines
From DarwinCatholic comes this story of African Giant Pouch Rats trained to find land mines with their exceptional sense of smell. And, bonus, they're light enough that they don't set off the mines when they step on them.

If this doesn't put a smile on your face, nothing will!

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Praying for Your Conversion

I’ve seen this attitude before. If I say, “I wish you were a Christian,” a certain type of mind hears, “I want to force you to be a Christian. I want to take over the government, and use the coercive power of the state to make you act the way I think you should.” But I’m not saying that. I’m simply saying, “I want you to be a Christian.”

And I do want that. I want you to be a Christian.

Let me lay it out for you.

• I believe that eternal life with Jesus Christ is the ultimate good for any human being.
• I believe the alternative is considerably less pleasant.
• I am commanded, as a Christian, to love those around me.
• If I love someone, I seek their good.
• Their ultimate good is eternal life with Jesus Christ.
• Therefore I seek that.

I know someone out there is sputtering, “How dare you! Who are you to decide what my ultimate good is?”

Somehow I feel as if most of us have been on one side or other of this issue in one way or the other. Go read all of Will Duquette's logical and moving piece.

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Who Among Us is Thirsty?

Last night, as I drove home from work, I listened to the NPR tribute to Robin William’s legacy, and there were tears on my face. They were genuine tears. I love what Williams gave the world.

When I arrived at home, I sat on the couch and shared the news with Anne, who was shocked and saddened like most of us.

And in those moments of sorrow, there was a knock at our front door.

[...]

I am not making any of this up. And what’s more — at the time, I was completely blind to the stark contrast between my distress over Robin Williams’ loneliness and despair and my attitude toward the man who had knocked on my door.

Now, it seems like the farthest thing from coincidental timing.

Jeffrey Overstreet's moving reflection on real life, faith, and the loss of Robin Williams.