Monday, January 5, 2009

Bookmobile

So what are you reading? As usual, I am reading several books at once. Peggy lent me The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright, and I have read the first couple of chapters. It is about a series of letters written over a forty year period between a husband and wife. Not all schmaltz, because, of course, there is "a shattering family secret." I'll let you read it to find out. PS -- You may discover you are not quite done when you think you are.

I am most of the way through Thomas Cahill's How the Irish Saved Civilization, one of the books Lucy gave me. It is a fascinating look at what amounted to a Catholic faith that took shape outside Roman culture and therefore looked rather different. A good read. I also read his book, The Gifts of the Jews, some time ago. They are volumes I and II in a seven-volume series, The Hinges of History. I will have to find the others.

Lucy also gave me Baltasar Gracian's A Pocket Mirror for Heroes, a seventeenth-century Jesuit's response to Machiavelli's The Prince, presenting a different image of what makes a person a success. A good book for meditation.

Turning to a vastly different world, I just got My Lucky Star, a send-up of Hollywood and such things by one of the writers from Frasier. The reviews I saw were mixed, but everyone seems to think it is funny, which is reason enough to read some books.

I also have a collection of mystery stories inspired by the Bible, Thou Shalt Not Kill, edited by Anne Perry. And E. Randall Floyd's The World's 100 Greatest Mysteries, which is more along the line of "what happened to Judge Crater?" Definitely bedtime stuff.

And you?

1 comment:

Vincent said...

Hi Michael

Kristin got me the book "Marly and Me" I have had an issue starting the book, because it has to do with losing a pet. Yes, still having issues with that!! But I cant wait to get into the book, I am sure it will help with any lasting issues.

Have a great day
Vincent