The Weekly Wrap: June 8-14

Patience and Reading

One of the things that strikes me about our public discourse is how poorly formed are many of the things people say. People often speak in slogans or memes rather than making real arguments I wonder if we are becoming an increasingly impatient people. Real discussion and deliberation about the common good takes time. That is because good solutions are rarely simple. It takes a lot of work and thought and back and forth to put good ones together.

The act of reading is an act of patience. For example, I am reading William Kent Krueger’s Trickster’s Point, one of his Cork O’Connor novels. There are times I’m tempted to jump ahead to find out the resolution, usually exposing a killer. But one of the rewards of patience is to savor Krueger’s writing, how he develops a worldview at the intersection of indigenous and Catholic heritage, h9ow he develops character and unfolds plot.

Long books particularly require patience. They also develop the capacity to hold the thread of a narrative or an argument. Recently, I finished Richard Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. It is a nearly 700 page defense of the idea that our canonical gospels are either based on or are eyewitness accounts. The writer marshals ancient sources and the use of names, and other internal evidence to make an impressive case and respond to possible critiques. I think it will be a landmark book and it certainly made a compelling case

The internet and phone scrolling has arguably diminished our capacities for patience and attention. It makes good sense, it seems to me, to exclude phones during school days. (I also wonder whether excluding the use of AI when we want students to think, create, and critique might be good.) Some teachers are incorporating time for long form reading into classes. I wonder if something like this might be a good idea for our public officials as well. Of course it means a public more interested in solutions than slogans. One can hope…

Five Articles Worth Reading

Oprah Winfrey likes novelist Wally Lamb, having recently chosen his latest book for her book club, the third time she has selected one of his books. In “Wally Lamb’s Guilty Pleasure Is a History of Mad Magazine,” the latest “By the Book” interview in The New York Times, we learn he follow’s Oprah’s picks as well.

There is a small., but growing abstinence movement among singles. Melissa Febos chronicles her abstinence journey in her new book, The Dry Season. Actually, she notes her surprise at how enjoyable abstinence was for her. She recommends six other helpful books in “What to Read When You’re Ready to Say No.”

On the other hand, we are facing declining birthrates around the world. Why people aren’t having children is being widely discussed. In a newsletter from Comment, a Canadian magazine, I saw this article, “Why Have Children,” a thoughtful conversation on this topic with Anastasia berg, Brian Dijkema, and Rachel Wiseman.

At my house, we had children’s editions of some classic works including those of Jules Verne, which I ate up as a child. But “9 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Jules Verne’s ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas’ ” was all new to me!

Finally, Elena Gosalvez Blanco recounts what it was like to work for “The Talented Ms. Highsmith.” She worked for Patricia Highsmith, the writer of psychological thrillers during the final months of her life. Her interview for the job consisted of one question: “Do you like Hemingway?” Ms. Blanco answered “no” and discovered Highsmith hated Hemingway. She got the job!

Quote of the Week

Dorothy L. Sayers, the playwright, novelist, and Christian essayist was born June 13, 1893. This quote seems even more true in our “post-truth” era than it was in her day:

“The great advantage about telling the truth is that nobody ever believes it.”

Miscellaneous Musings

I love hearing from people who read my blogs or follow me on social media. A delightful 89 year old gentleman contacted me today with a question about a recent review. If nothing else, it’s good to know that people do read what I write.

This gentleman also admitted that he hasn’t read many of the books I reviewed–the review told him enough. I joked that “I read so you don’t have to!” Actually, reviewers often serve that function. There are books I am glad to know about that I won’t have time to read, or sufficient interest. So don’t feel guilty about not reading everything I review!

I received a book this week titled “Mid-Faith Crisis,” by Catherine McNeil and Jason Hague. I learned recently that many who go through such crises often are not young, as it is thought, but in their fifties. My own conclusion is that we are meant to grow in our faith journey, and what we learned and believed in our twenties may not always work so well later in life. I’m curious to see what these writers say.

Next Week’s Reviews

Monday: Justin Evans, The Little Book of Data

Tuesday: Roger Lundin, Emily Dickinson and the Art of Belief

Wednesday: Emily Hunter McGowin, Households of Faith

Thursday: J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fall of Numenor

Friday: Rowan Williams, Passions of the Soul

So, that’s The Weekly Wrap for June 8-14!

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