Normally all I do is read the internet, but for some perverse reason, I found myself sitting with an actual book in my hand a couple of times this week. So no good interweb links today, but here are some books I’ve enjoyed/been enjoying.
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis. Heh heh heh. So funny. If you like funny books, which, I think, not enough people do, but you also like to be depressed, this is the perfect book. I particularly like it because I was able to pick it up and read a paragraph, be interrupted, come back a month later, and resume reading as if no interruption had occurred. This isn’t PG Wodehouse funny, more like Evelyn Waugh funny, mixed with the gentle perfect writing of, hmmm, trying to think of who this reminds me of. The ridiculous musical embarrassments make me think of Rebecca West. But the ridiculousness of academia recall David Lodge. I don’t know. I guess I could let him be his own person.
God in the Sink by Margie Haack. I’m only about half way through but I’m finding it charming. Her writing is deceptively precise. You go along reading in an ordinary way, and then just one turn of phrase or description will build a sudden sense of tension and anxiety, which she then disarmingly resolves. I felt myself caught in against my will–in a good way!
Reformation Anglicanism: Biblical-Generous-Beautiful by Chuck Collins. I finished this a few weeks ago and meant to commend it to the wide world. This is a lovely introduction to the Gospel in the flavor of Aglincaism. Why do actual Christians continue to worship together in the Anglican way, and continue to affirm the 39 Articles while the larger church structures flail and sin? If you, as a reasonable Christian of some other flavor, have ever found yourself talking to an Anglican and wondered why they were doing what they were doing, or acting the way they were acting, this book will be a help to you. I keep telling Matt we should get a stack and pass them out to people when they first come to Good Shepherd, just to quickly cut through all the horror and confusion.
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell. Know I mentioned this already before, but the kids and I finished it this week so I thought I’d put it here again. So Funny! But also, it’s just a well crafted, beautiful book. The pacing and balance between the screamingly funny family bits and the beautiful descriptions of the island and its animals is just lovely.
Well, that’s all I’ve got. Have a lovely Saturday if you are so inclined.
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