Well Done Basics: Tweeting With God by Michel Remery

Rose is teaching 5th grade Religious Education (Sunday School) which has led to a lot of conversation about how to answer questions about basics/hot button topics. That sent us to this book. It is great for getting a handle on simple, logical explanations that will resonate with secular folks (or can inform someone answering 5th graders' questions). I myself used it when heading a small group for RCIA.

I reviewed this in 2015 here it is again in case you missed it.

Tweeting with God: # Big Bang, Prayer, Bible, Sex, Crusades, Sin, Career . . . 

by Michel Remery

I'm a sucker for books about the basics. Even if I know a lot about something, there's always some new detail to learn. I also often find food for thought when something is expressed in a new, imaginative way. Best of all, it can give me simple ways to explain something I might know so much about that it's hard to remember what it felt like to just need the basic scoop.

That's why I like Tweeting with God.

It has simple explanations to questions young people have asked about the Catholic faith but includes enough detail to show that these aren't just knee-jerk answers. The part I like best is that all questions are welcome and no topic is taboo. I can't stress enough how important that has been to my own faith as well as in answering others' questions.

There are almost 200 questions, grouped into four sections ranging from God to the Church to personal (prayer, etc.) to ethics. It's got a vibrant, inviting design and each spread usually has a box with examples or additional information on a topic.

The book acknowledges that these aren't intended to be absolutely complete answers. They are intended to answer young people's questions. With that in mind, each question has references for further, deeper reading in the Catechism or YouCat.

I was happy to see that every touchy topic I read about was presented charitably, with understanding of outsiders' possible misconceptions, and fully in line with Church teachings. It has an imprimatur so I suppose I didn't need to worry but it never hurts to check up for yourself.

Here are a couple of pdfs you can check out. It should open up so you can look at the spread first but be sure to zoom in to read the pages and get a real feel for the writing.

• 1.3 Evolution or creation?
• 4.23 If the Church wants to protect life, why is it against condoms in Africa?

I picked a couple of controversial questions for samples. Rest assured, there are plenty of basic questions also. Just the other day we grabbed this book to look into exactly who the apostles are.

This is the perfect gift for those with questions, new Catholics, or people like me ... who spend a lot of time answering questions about the faith. In short, just about everyone!

UPDATE
The Curt Jester has a review up which covers some things that I didn't include since my post was getting so long. Check it out also.

Hang up if you hear “Hello. This is St. Mary’s Prayer Center Ministry calling today to see if you need urgent prayer"

“Hello. This is St. Mary’s Prayer Center Ministry calling today to see if you need urgent prayer. If you would like to have someone from our center pray for you, please press 1. If you would no longer like to hear from us, please press 3.”

This is a pay-to-pray scam that has been around for a few years. My husband got a couple of these messages recently and then I saw The Curt Jester mention it on Facebook. So I thought I'd put a brief warning up here. Here's an article about how the scam works.

Harvest Festival "Grass"

Harvest Festival "Grass," Calligraphy in Japan.

"Grass" meaning "rice" in Japan in this context. There are several lovely photographs in the linked post so do go enjoy them at Calligraphy in Japan.

Lady Jim of Curzon Street by Fergus Hume

Lady Jim of Curzon Street 
by Fergus Hume

Lady Jim and her husband are a reprehensible pair. Their extravagance led to continual, mounting debt which turned them into aristocratic swindlers. Lady Jim is intelligent, beautiful, selfish, vain, and greedy. She's practically the perfect antihero except for occasional flashes of conscience, which usually are smothered by her baser instincts. After reading The Moonstone, Lady Jim comes up with a plot to fake her husband's death and claim his life insurance money. As her husband points out, the flaw in her plan is that the Moonstone's author can plan details just how he likes while they are left to the vagaries of real life. The plot soon gets very complicated and the reader is left in awe of the author's ability to twist and twist and twist the story as Lady Jim continually manipulates everyone around her.

I enjoy this sort of old story anyway but this one reached unexpected depths because of the occasional attempts of a minister to get Lady Jim to see spiritual reality. I took this as just part of the social setting and story until the end of the book where the plot takes really surprising turns and this element suddenly became very important.

Lootera

In a village, a young archaeologist falls in love with a landlord’s daughter. Their union seems doomed. But destiny brings them together a year later. Will they live happily ever after?

Loosely based on an O'Henry short story, The Last Leaf, so it is no surprise that this story is full of twists, turns, and reversals. With redemption in the end. I am loathe to say too much lest I reveal the surprises which caught all of us off-guard and filled us with suspense in the last third of the film.

The directing was highly confident and in a more Western style than you usually expect from Bollywood. There were silences creating space for us to think and wonder. Character development was subtle, mature, and believable. And the cinematography was simply beautiful, reinforcing the themes of each act.

Highly recommended and we're going to look for more from this director.

Rating — Introduction to Bollywood (come on in, the water's fine!)

Bajrangi Bhaijaan — a good starting place for trying Bollywood movies

A mute 6-year-old girl from a Pakistani village gets accidentally separated from her mother on their return from a trip to India. Stranded in India, she meets Pawan - an ardent devotee of Lord Hanuman - who tries to discover the girl's parents. The obstacles are seemingly insurmountable, beginning with the fact that they are a long way from Pakistan and so no one would ever guess she isn't Indian. However, Pawan is what the girl's parents, unable to get into India to search for her, have prayed for — a "god-sent man" who will protect their daughter. Pawan is simple, innocent, and determined to do the right thing. And therein hangs the tale, including a heckuva road trip.

This was a complete and wonderful surprise. Told with a light touch, this is a heart-warming story that really captivated me. I was especially intrigued by the main puzzle. How does a young child who can't write or talk communicate enough clues to show where she belongs? And, if they can manage to get her back to Pakistan, how do they find her home in a remote mountain village? Each step of the way we were invested in these questions.

We chose it because it was supposed to be Salman Khan's best film and we'd been underwhelmed by his "James Bond" turn in Ek Tha Tiger. In that film he reminded me of a wooden Sylvester Stallone. In this one, he was truly engaging as the honest and direct man who wants to do the task God has given him in helping this child. It could have been a preachy, schmaltzy story but it avoided that route, in part because the whole thing is leavened by solid humor and also the story is more complex than you might expect. My favorite storyline is of a Pakistani freelance reporter who can't get no respect.

In many ways this struck me as a perfect starting point for those who want to try a Bollywood film. Many of the things we have learned from watching a lot of Bollywood movies are touched on briefly here in a way that is easy for newcomers to understand.

• Good song and dance numbers. (Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor dancing like chickens is a memory I will treasure.) 
• Arranged marriage
• Caste
• Common contrasts and conflicts between India's many religions
• Pakistan and India's high level of hostility toward each other
• Unrealistic parental expectations
• India's surprising police approach to interrogations (at least as shown in Indian movies)
• The dark fate of orphans/lost children in India

However, as I mentioned, this is all done with a light touch because they are simply elements of the big story about reuniting a little girl with her family.

It made me happy when I watched it. And again the next day when I was thinking about it.

Rating — Introduction to Bollywood (come on in, the water's fine!)

Scott and I discussed this on Episode 201 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.
Hannah and Rose discussed it on An American's Guide to Bollywood.

Droplets

Droplets, Remo Savisaar

Autumn Maples with Poem Slips

Autumn Maples with Poem Slips, c. 1675, Tosa Mitsuoki
via Chicago Art Institute

Japanese aristocrats engaged in the elegant custom of recollecting classical poetry while viewing spring and autumn foliage. In these delicate screens, premier court painter Tosa Mitsuoki meditated on the inevitable passage of beauty by depicting the melancholy hours after the departure of reveling courtiers. A cherry tree bursts into bloom on the right screen (seen here at top), while its mate displays the brilliant red and gold foliage of maples in autumn. Slips of poetry, called tanzaku, waft from the blossoming limbs, the lingering signs of a human presence.

Click through on the link above to see the screens large enough to appreciate their full beauty.

Om Shanti Om

An aspiring actor from the 1970s is murdered, but is immediately reincarnated into the present day. He attempts to discover the mystery of his demise and find Shanti, the love of his previous life.

As you can tell from the poster, Om Shanti Om is supremely entertaining. Everyone seems to be having a great time, giving it their all, the songs and dances are huge productions, and the director obviously loves movies because it is both an homage and a spoof in many ways.

This is a movie we didn't know enough to fully appreciate when we first saw it. Our first exposure to film star Shah Rukh Khan and director Farah Khan (no relation), we laughed, caught some of the secondary jokes, and enjoyed the singing and dancing. After seeing many more Bollywood movies we realized what a treasure Om Shanti Om really was.

Watching it for a second time with family members who are just joining us in our Bollywood exploration we could appreciate the skill and love that went into this piece of sheer entertainment. It also made me realized how much I love Farah Khan, not only for her choreography but for her sense of humor and the way she moves the story.

Rating — Introduction to Bollywood (come on in, the water's fine!)

An American's Guide to Bollywood podcast discusses it here.

God made two great lights ... He made the stars also. (Genesis 1:16)

The Veil nebula (NGC 6992) in Cygnus, Thierry Legault

You can see this image much better at Thierry Legault's site. I really appreciate his allowing me to share his wonderful images.

This makes me think of something I heard recently (can't recall where) which pointed out that God's overflowing creativity and generosity goes far beyond our ability to imagine. Because, the speaker said, think of the unbounded universe with all the stars and wonders we are just discovering. Just out there for its own sake, not for anything that we need.

Blew my mind.

There is Nothing Like a Dame: Fun mysteries featuring women

From my recent reading — these books are all about female crime solvers or, in some cases, criminals!


The Big Book of Female Detectives
edited by Otto Penzler

Otto Penzler gathers the most iconic women of the detective canon over the past 150 years, captivating and surprising readers in equal measure. The 74 handpicked stories in this collection introduce us to the most determined of gumshoe gals, from debutant detectives to spinster sleuths to groundbreaking female cops and contemporary crime-fighting P.I.s

This is a first class collection of short stories (mostly) ranging from Victorian times to the present. I liked all the time periods pretty well except, to my surprise, the pulp era stories. However, that is clearly a matter of personal taste. Otto Penzler serves up a wonderful selection and I discovered several new authors to investigate further. There are all sorts of detectives from the young and beautiful to the old and canny. Some have sidekicks (usually male), some have a gang of admirers/assistants, and some work completely alone. There is also a final section of stories featuring female villains which was a lot of fun also.

Highly recommended for anyone who likes this sort of thing as much as I do.


The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings 
by L.T. Meade and Robert Eustace

I was led to this via the collection above.

Madame Koluchy is beautiful, charismatic, and able to miraculously heal. Too bad that she is a diabolical master villainess. Only two men know the secret and are trying, behind the scenes, to expose her fiendish plots and bring her to justice. Meanwhile, she is plotting to destroy them.

Interestingly, L.T. Meade was a woman who wrote a ton of books and had several male co-authors who she worked with regularly.

Written in 1899, these are enjoyable, clever stories which take the reader on exciting adventures to try to foil evil. One of my favorite Librivox readers has a good audio version.

The Sorceress of the Strand
by L.T. Meade and Robert Eustace

From the moment Madame Sara arrived on the scene, she has taken London society by storm. Madame is both beautiful and mysterious, but it soon becomes clear to both Dixon Druce and his friend, police surgeon Eric Vandeleur, that there is something sinister about the woman and the goings on at her shop on the Strand. They soon become obsessed with proving her guilty of the many crimes that follow in her wake!

Obviously this is similar to the tales of the villainess from The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings by the same authors. It was also quite enjoyable though I liked the other book better as Madame Sara's plans were not quite as involved or diabolical as Madame Koluchy's. Still a lot of fun though! I also listened to these via Librivox.


Constance Dunlap 
by Arthur B. Reeve

I really enjoyed this book about a clever woman who turns forger to help her husband.

This is told as a series of short stories and after the first few Constance is not an anti-hero any more. She uses her skills and interest in new-fangled inventions like fingerprints, blood pressure machines, and audio recorders to help those who have inadvertently wound up on the wrong side of the law. Although the stories are short, each case is interesting and I was drawn into them eagerly to see what Constance would discover. I especially enjoyed seeing her outsmart the corrupt hired detective Drummond with whom she crosses paths repeatedly. Via Librivox.


That Affair at Portstead Manor 
by Gladys Edson Locke

An English country home during a house party becomes the scene of a double mystery. One of the three detectives employed on the case is a woman whose common sense, calm, and plain logic are skillfully employed in straightening the tangle.

Not the greatest from a mysterious point of view but worth reading (or listening to) for watching Mr. Clavering in his humorous detective attempts while Mary Gray is the obviously talented detective. I enjoyed their dynamic in this otherwise rather ordinary manor house murder mystery. Via Librivox.

Like all your birthdays came at once

She turned to face Lamb. "I'm wet," she said.

"Nice to see you too," said Lamb. "But let's not get carried away." He eyed her critically. "You look like all your birthdays came at once."

"I look happy to you?"

"No, old. Am I the only one round here speaks English?"

Mick Herron, London Rules

"My desire to keep adding books I can’t possibly all read, can only be satisfied if my soul is immortal."

On Owning More Books Than You Can Read is a piece that I'm grateful Jeff Miller wrote. So I don't have to.

Because I agree straight down the line. Except for the part about being a completionist. I have run into too many series that have lost their savor partway through.

On the other hand, the part about social media being wonderful for introducing me to new authors and books is especially true. Some of the best have been due to Jeff's reviews. And I tend not to have big stacks of books I haven't read. I guess that is my completionist element. If I own something I want to use it ... or read it, as the case may be.

What the weather should be ...

From my friend and podcast buddy Scott Danielson who lives in Utah. I love these!

Meanwhile here in Dallas it was 78° yesterday and we were digging out our short sleeved shirts. No worries though. I hear it will be in the 40s in a week or so.

The Anchoress: Amidst Our Apocalypse, Advent Asks Us to Stay

The Anchoress (Elizabeth Scalia) at Word on Fire blog makes a heartfelt plea to those who are heartsick, leaving the Church, "taking a break" from Catholicism. What is below is just a bit. Do go read it all.

And so this is what I want to say to my friends who have left, or who are struggling; those who are halfway out the doors, or think they soon will be:

My dear sisters and brothers, Hold on! Hold fast, and don’t run at the revelation!

Don't try to run through the fearsome darkness!

Stay for Advent and stand the watch with me, with your family, with all of us, including the saints.

Be willing, for now, to keep company with Christ, so deeply wounded by his own Bride.

Consent, for now, to share in the hard times before us (they will yet get harder, the darkness will grow deeper, still) and help us to hold, to hold fast!

Because the light is coming; the darkness will never overcome it.

Remember that Isra-el means “struggle with God.” We are all little Isra-els right now, wrestling, wrestling within his house and seeking our Jerusalem, our Abode of Peace.

Hold on! Hold fast!

Because an Advent promise has been made to us, and God is ever-faithful, so we may trust in it: Your light will come Jerusalem; the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty.

This is for all of us. It is for you, and for me. It's for every little Isra-el struggling.

Your light will come. Just hold fast.

And, maybe, based on a conversation that my daughter Rose and I had yesterday, we need to read Hosea. It is short but shocking as Hosea grapples with a wife who is a prostitute and children who I always wondered if they were his own. God does not forget Israel even they seem to embrace self-destruction, and teaches us that love is the strongest force of all, even when the sin seems unforgivable.

The Political Lady

The Political Lady, James Tissot

A better title translation might be The Ambitious Lady. Google Arts & Culture comments:

The political arena inhabited by this painting’s subject is a social one. The visual narrative Tissot unfolds throughout the composition implies that this young woman aims to improve her own position by making herself a stylish and vital guest in the ballrooms and salons frequented by the French upper class. As described in an exhibition catalogue published by the Arthur Tooth Gallery in London, where this work was shown in 1886, the central figure’s pink dress, “ . . . is a marvel of the dressmaker’s art, with its multitude of tiny flounces, its black girdle, its pink sash, and the color of her pink ostrich feather fan has been carefully studied and matched.”

And, of course, the dress is what caught my eye. It is a marvelous, frothy bit of fashion.

Flower Store and Dairy Store

Childe Hassam, La Bouquetiere et La Laitiere, c. 1888

I like the contrast of the obvious boredom (or is it complacency?) of the dairy clerk versus the earnest concentration of the kneeling florist. There is something about the way Childe Hassam portrays the scene that makes me feel the cobblestones beneath my feet and the slightly chilly, humid air.

It was great fun writing a book...

It was great fun writing a book. One lived with it. It became a companion. It built an impalpable crystal sphere around one of interests and ideas. In a sense one felt like a goldfish in a bowl; but in this case the goldfish made his own bowl. This came along everywhere with me. It never got knocked about in travelling, and there was never a moment when agreeable occupation was lacking. Either the glass had to be polished, or the structure extended or contracted, or the walls required strengthening. I have noticed in my life deep resemblances between many different kinds of things. Writing a book is not unlike building a house or planning a battle or painting a picture. The technique is different, the materials are different, but the principle is the same. The foundations have to be laid, the data assembled, and the premises must bear the weight of their conclusions. Ornaments or refinements may then be added. The whole when finished is only the successful presentation of a theme.

Winston Churchill, via The Art of Manliness

I love his description of writing the book. And also that he is using the skills which he uses for every thing else ... just differently. That is how life works but we don't often pull back from the details often enough to notice.

Young men are adventurous. It is extraordinary what they will rush upon sometimes.

"Come, come," said Nicholas, "I am all impatience to begin."

Tim Linkinwater shook his head with an air of mild reproof. Mr. Nickleby wass not sufficiently impressed with the deep and awful nature of his undertaking. Suppose there should be any mistake—any scratching out——

Young men are adventurous. It is extraordinary what they will rush upon sometimes. Without even taking the precaution of sitting himself down upon his stool, but standing leisurely at the desk, and with a smile upon his face—actually a smile; (there was no mistake about it; Mr. Linkinwater often mentioned it afterwards;) Nicholas dipped his pen into the inkstand before him, and plunged into the books of Cheeryble Brothers!

Tim Linkinwater turned pale, and tilting up his stool on the two legs nearest Nicholas, looked over his shoulder in breathless anxiety. Brother Charles and brother Ned entered the counting-house together; but Tim Linkinwater, without looking round, impatiently waved his hand as a caution that profound silence must be observed, and followed the nib of the inexperienced pen with strained and eager eyes.

The brothers looked on with smiling faces, but Tim Linkinwater smiled not, nor moved for some minutes. At length he drew a long slow breath, and still maintaining his position on the tilted stool, glanced at brother Charles, secretly pointed with the feather of his pen towards Nicholas, and nodded his head in a grave and resolute manner, plainly signifying "He'll do."

Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby

Somehow this paints such a great scene of tension, despite the relatively low stakes of making entries into an accounting book. And, yet, it also shows how much Tim Linkinwater cares about his life's work. Very sweet.

Shiva as Lord of the Dance

Shiva as Lord of the Dance (Nataraja)

You can't watch as many Bollywood movies as we do and not get used to hearing about Shiva ... which just makes me more amused that he is also Lord of the Dance. Perfect for Bollywood!