7 Quick Takes Friday – What I’m Reading Edition

For more quick takes, head over to Jen’s blog at Conversion Diary!

There isn’t a whole lot going on this week, so I thought I’d post about some of the books I’ve been reading lately.

*** 1 ***

Catholic Matters: Confusion, Controversy, and the Splendor of Truth by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus (the founder of First Things magazine).

Fr. Neuhaus writes so beautifully about his experience of growing up Lutheran, and of his eventual journey to the Church. I’ve read about half of the book. His writing is narrative, interesting, but also presents Church teaching on a variety of issues in a way that is woven quite well into the rest of the book.

One quote in particular from his chapter on his childhood and having a Catholic friend whom he spent a lot of time with, is very beautiful:

“On the few occasions I ventured to peek into the cathedral, however, I saw there were statues of saints, and flickering votive lights, and most impressively, in the Real Presence of Jesus in the tabernacle above the high altar… The cathedral was Sacred Space. Its doors were always open, and scattered about in what seemed to me the vast and darkened space, there were a few people praying and saying the rosary. They and what they were doing did not make the space sacred. They were drawn to a space made sacred by an other, by Another. There one was encountered by a Presence not of our pious creation. It was objective, it was given, it was real. It did not need or require anybody’s agreement in order to be.”

*** 2 ***

The Baby Book by William and Martha Sears.

This book is enormous. I’ve only read the chapters on baby-care and breastfeeding so far, but I’m sure it will be a valuable resource for the shelf as time goes by. I love the Sears! Did anyone see the article in Family Foundations (the Couple to Couple League magazine) about them? Most people who read them know they have 7 (or is it 8?) children. But what I didn’t know is that they converted to Catholicism a few years ago! If you get a chance to see the article, it’s very good.

*** 3 ***

The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila

I’ve been reading this for my Catholic women’s book club, which has its first meeting next Thursday evening!

Only the first two “mansions” have been explored by this soul so far, but I am enjoying the book very much. There’s a lot of good advice, but I love this:

“True perfection consists in the love of God and our neighbor, and more nearly perfect is our observance of these two commandments, the nearer to perfection we shall be. Our entire Rule is nothing but a means which enables us to do this more perfectly. Let us refrain from indiscreet zeal, which may do us great harm: let each one of you look to herself.”

Preach it sister!

*** 4 ***

The Nursing Mother’s Companion by Kathleen Huggins, RN

I had an older version of this from my library, but when I saw a new edition of it out at Borders, I sprang for it. It’s got a lot of great advice and I’ve been trying to read as much about breastfeeding as possible. I know it’s going to most likely be difficult at first, but I really am committed to it for at least the first six months.

This books seems to have a ton of practical suggestions for how to deal with difficulties or issues, and also telling you what you really need.

*** 5 ***

Women, Sex, and the Church: A Case for Catholic Teaching edited by Erika Bachiochi

I’m reading this book as a reviewer for The Catholic Company. So I don’t want to say too much, since I’ll be doing an actual review of the whole book when I finish it. I’m about halfway through right now.

It’s good. 🙂

*** 6 ***

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Atticus and I aren’t in dire straits or anything, but I’ve heard so many good things about Ramsey’s approach to finances (recommended by people from radio stations to my parish priest!) that I was interested and figured, there’s always room for improvement!

Atticus’ mom knows we are presenting the chapter on finances and tithing for our parish’s Marriage Prep program One in Christ, tomorrow. So last week when we saw them, she left the book for us. I’m enjoying perusing it.

I don’t know if I agree with everything that he says (like for instance that you shouldn’t ever take students loans — I mean, would 85% of the population who goes to college be able to without them? That doesn’t seem like the most realistic advice for people). But his stuff on credit, leasing, and those sorts of things are spot on and very good advice.

*** 7 ***

Mercy by Jodi Picoult

I’m a fan of Jodi Picoult. I first read “My Sister’s Keeper” a few years ago, and I loved it! She is a very compelling author; her character development is usually very interesting. I’ve read all but two or three of her books, and I liked most of them.

Mercy is the story of two couples, really. One is the Police Chief of a town and his wife, the other is a distant cousin of the Chief and his wife. Jamie, the cousin of the Chief, smothers his wife with a pillow because she is in the final stages of cancer which spread to her brain. She begged him to kill her, so he did. He comes to the chief and confesses. He is clearly tortured by what he has done.

Meanwhile, the Chief, who has a doting, very devoted wife, begins having an affair with his wife’s assistant.

I have to be honest; I disliked the character of the chief so much that I almost stopped reading the book. He is whiny and self-centered. He complains because he had to abandon his life of travel in order to take over for his father in the town. He complains because his wife does things for him like make him coffee and take his dry cleaning in. He’s an @&&. When his wife finds out he cheated, she goes and cheats on him. Very classy.

I couldn’t help but feel the most sympathy for Jamie, the man who killed his suffering wife. Mind you, I’m not saying what he did was right, but I am saying that he comes across as the most sympathetic character in this book. His wife, she ticked me off too. I mean, what kind of person asks their spouse to kill them, knowing full well they’ll be arrested and probably put in prison? What kind of person asks the person they supposedly love to commit murder? Ms. Picoult comes up with an interesting answer: the one who loves the least. I couldn’t help but agree with that.

I’m glad I stuck with it, because the ending is better than I thought it would be, but it wasn’t one of my favorites of hers.

Anyway, that’s the book round up from here. What have you been reading lately?