Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Books Roundup

This year I reread two past favorites: A Man In Full by Tom Wolfe and The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III. I was struck by how R-rated, but still worthwhile, the latter is and am looking forward to Wolfe's new novel slated for release in 2012.

I read several books that were spiritually nourishing this year and one of them is Sinclair Ferguson's By Grace Alone: How God's Grace Amazes Me. It is a fine volume and in it he answers why we need another book on grace: "Being amazed by God's grace is a sign of spiritual vitality...yet we frequently take the grace of God for granted." So true. Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert's What Is The Mission Of The Church? (review) is worthwhile when considering the debate on what the church ought to be. Charles Spurgeon's All of Grace is a fine explanation of the doctrines of grace and one I will probably return to for its clarity of thought.

Reading Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains Of The Day (review) made me realize that I would like to read more of his work. It is subtle and beautiful and poignant. And, lastly, In The Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson (review) is what we've come to expect from him: engaging historical accounts, this time covering Hitler's rise to power through the eyes of an American diplomat.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Remains Of The Day: A Review


Stevens, the narrator, is an aging butler writing to an unknown audience in the mid ‘50s in England. He is a man who only possesses his work and doesn’t consider a life outside of being a butler and thoughts of improvement in his vocation are constantly on his mind. The occasion for his writing is the potential return of Miss Kenton, who he worked with some several decades previous.

Instead of having an emotional core (a core that is built around emotions, that is) this is a book that is built on the emotional continence of its narrator. In the honesty of Stevens’s narration Ishiguro allows us to see Stevens better than he sees himself. We see him when he’s guarded and feel the subtle communication in movements and looks that he misses in his reminiscence. He admires understatement and though taken with Miss Kenton he is too guarded to dignify the thought.

A key aspect of the book is a discussion of dignity; what it is and how it is applied to the work of a butler. And here we find, in the final analysis, that Stevens believes that showing emotions is undignified. Composure is used as a barrier by him to avoid messy things like emotions, and once all the planning and running of a world-class household is through there is little room for joy.

In this milieu the novel unfolds slowly and contains many small but surprising revelations: about Stevens, his employers, Miss Kenton, the life of professional servitude, and the desire for human warmth. A joy to read and highly recommended.

Monday, September 26, 2011

What Is The Mission Of The Church?: A Review

Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert's new book sets out the case that mission creep has invaded the church and they provide a corrective via this back-to-basics primer. Their discussions of two kingdoms, social justice, and ecclesiology are as forthright in their own views as they are fair with opposing voices. They engage with recent books on mission (by Reggie McNeal, Christopher Wright, et al.) in a charitable way and I especially appreciate the sections that contain word studies.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

In The Garden Of Beasts: A Review

This is the wonderfully told story of a little known scholar cum diplomat named William Dodd and his assignment to Berlin in 1933. His family arrives less than six months into Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor, and as time goes on he, as well as many others, believe that Hitler’s regime is too brutal and irrational to last.

Told mostly through the writings of Dodd and his slatternly daughter Martha, Larson brings you right into the heart of the intrigue, the scandal, and the zeitgeist. Highly recommended.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Tim Lincecum

Slow motion video of ace Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum shows the torque he generates with his unorthodox delivery: