In the US, this was the week that kicked off the political convention season. It is an especially fraught year. One party’s candidate just survived an assassination attempt. Meanwhile, the other’s candidate has COVID and faces questions about his fitness to serve another term, just weeks before his party’s nominating convention. And ours isn’t the only country facing such challenges
I’ve reflected on how books help me live with purpose and peace amid these times. For one thing, they give me fresh perspective, as did Shirley A. Mullins Claiming the Courageous Middle which I reviewed this week. She helped me see the possibilities for those of us in the middle, neither drawn to the positions or the polarization of our political parties.
Sometimes books remind me of perennial issues. I’ve been reading James by Percival Everett, reminding me in narrative form of the humanity of Black slaves and the terrible world of whippings and lynchings and family separation they face. James reminds me that any politics that dehumanizes any group is dangerous.
And then there are times when I just need diversion. I read my first Abe Lieberman story by Stuart Kaminsky. I enjoyed getting to know this street-savvy Jewish cop who prays even though how much he believes is up for grabs, struggles with his cholesterol, a troubled daughter, and paying for his grandson;s Bar Mitzvah. A quick and delightful read.
Five Articles Worth Reading
The New York Times stirred up all kind of conversation in the book world over the books not on its list of “100 Best Books of the 21st Century.” Mostly, people protested all the great books they missed. The folks at Lit Hub came up with its own list in “What the New York Times Missed: 71 More of the Best Books of the 21st Century.”
Not to be outdone, The new York Times gave readers the chance to nominate their top one hundred (not paywalled). The result was 61 books not one the Times list. The chose works I liked by Anthony Doerr, Amor Towles, and Haruki Murakami left off the Times list. The upshot of all this are some great reading lists. I still would have liked to see more non-fiction.
Some of us read at night when we can’t sleep. The Atlantic posted “Seven Bedside-Table Books for When You Can’t Sleep” (not paywalled for 14 days) this week. I’m just curious as to whether these will keep the reader awake or put them to sleep!
Then there are the times when we need adventure. Remember “Choose Your Own Adventure” stories? Open Culture posted a retrospective, “How Choose Your Own Adventure Books Became Beloved Among Generations of Readers,” complete with three videos. This will bring back memories for some of you!
On a more serious note, reading is often promoted as being morally formative. Certainly our choice of books plays a part. But in “Reading as Moral Formation,” Derek King draws upon C.S. Lewis and Iris Murdoch to advance the crucial importance of “attentional humility” in our reading rather than “using” books.
Quote of the Week
Speaking of Iris Murdoch, her birthday was July 15. She was born in 1919. She made this trenchant observation:
“Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.”
Sadly, I think there are some who never make that “difficult realization.”
Miscellaneous Musings
Trips to the bookstore are often an experience of serendipity. This week’s visit to our local Half Price Books was one of the more delightful ones. We sold four boxes of books and a few videos and were offered $87. In turn, my wife found an art book. And I found books by Jon Meacham and Candice Millard, two of my favorite authors, as well as a book about my hometown of Youngstown, filled with pictures I’d never seen before. Since it was a Golden Buckeye discount day, we walked out $68 to the good.
It seems this is the summer a number of friends have written books that looked review worthy. One is Stan Wallace’s Have We Lost Our Minds?, arguing biblically and philosophically for the existence of the soul against physicalist neuroscience that reduces us to brains. A second is David J. Claassen’s Growing Old Gracefully. Forty-six years ago, Dave was our pastor and gave us wise marriage counsel as we prepared for our wedding. Now, I am continuing to learn from his wisdom. What a gift to have friends who write such great books! And these are just two of several I’ve received.
I was saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Newhart. From audio comedy routines on albums that won Grammys to two long-running sitcoms, his smart, deadpan, and clean humor made us laugh at ourselves. He married in 1963 and was only parted from his wife when she died in 2023. Rest in peace, Bob Newhart. And thank you for helping us laugh at ourselves and all of life’s incongruities.
Well, that’s The Weekly Wrap for this week!
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