The Weekly Wrap: June 29-July 5

Vigilant Reading

Many would agree with me that these are stressful times. And for many of us, we turn to books to escape the stress. And there are times when we need that. But even the escape into fantasy like Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings may awaken us to virtues of courage and perseverance and the seductions of power.

I believe that our times also call us to vigilant reading. It is the reading that helps us discern the deeper realities of what we face amid the blitzkrieg of news. And it may help us to discern how we may act.

During the time Winston Churchill was out of power in the 1930’s, he observed the rise of Adolph Hitler in Germany. During this time, he read Mein Kampf, and from that reading understood the unspeakable evil Hitler would wreak upon Europe, and that he could not be appeased, but must be resisted.

It is my reading of people like Churchill, William Shirer, and Hannah Arendt that has always made me skeptical of people in my own country who have said “it could never happen here.” Germany was highly educated, with liberal, democratic institutions. But a charismatic figure who appealed to longings for national greatness, and fears and resentments against those who were different, such as the Jews aroused a following. Then he subdued legislative and judicial checks to power and used fear and threat to bring other institutions to heel. And he created special police organizations, the Brown Shirts and the Gestapo to “disappear” the opposition and execute the Holocaust.

It’s my reading that arouses a vigilance that believes such things can (and are) happening in my own country. In this brief space, I’m not going to try to lay all that out. Essentially, in social media acronyms, IYKYK.

The question then is how shall we live? I cut my teeth on a “we can change the world” philosophy.” In a sense we did, but I’m not sure it was for the better. My reading of scripture, and other books, particularly from the Anabaptist Christian perspective, is challenging me to not think in terms of making the world different but rather what is means to be different people in the world. The former leads, I’ve concluded, to culture war. The latter reflects Jesus idea of being salt and light (in the Sermon on the Mount).

There’s a lot more I could unpack about this. But my point here is that my reading helps me to be vigilant, watchful to understand the times we are living in and how one lives in such times. Reading is far more, and far better than a great escape!

Five Articles Worth Reading

I’m writing on America’s Independence Day. Lincoln Caplan, in “America the Beautiful” tells the story of the composer of this wonderful anthem, and the troubled times in which it was written.

I mentioned Germany’s universities above. I’m kind of a university history geek, having worked in collegiate ministry. Clara Collier’s “The Origin of the Research University” is an account of the decisive transformation of higher education that took place in nineteenth century Germany.

The physical object of the book is a wonderful thing. “In This Parisian Atelier, Bookbinding Is a Family Art,” James Hill, in a photographic essay takes us into the high-end world of bookbinding.

Much of the emphasis of diet and fitness for women in the West is to make them a physically smaller version of themselves. This has sometimes resulted in untold physical and emotional harm. Julie Beck reviews Casey Johnston’s new book, A Physical Education, which considers weight-lifting as an alternative to the diet and exercise culture. The review appears in The Atlantic under the title “The Feminine Pursuit of Swoleness.”

Finally, Helen Cooper contends “Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles Is an Unexpected Masterclass in Suspense.” Cooper, a suspense writer, takes the reader through the suspense devices Hardy uses.

Quote of the Week

Nathaniel Hawthorne, born July 4, 1804, defies our cheery humanistic optimism when he observes:

“What other dungeon is so dark as one’s own heart! What jailer so inexorable as one’s self!”

I’m reminded of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, referring not to the heart of Africa, but rather, the human heart and its capacity for evil.

Miscellaneous Musings

I’ve read a number of histories of both the American Revolution and the Civil War. Thirty years ago, Ken Burns riveted my attention with his epic PBS series on the Civil War. He’ll be visiting our screens again this fall with The American Revolution. This is one of the best arguments I can make for supporting PBS!

I always love learning about Ohio authors. Our local PBS station recently ran an old interview with Ann Hagedorn about her book, Beyond the River on Ohio’s underground railroad history, particularly around Ripley, Ohio. Hagedorn is an accomplished journalist and author who was born in Dayton. I picked up a couple of her books on Thriftbooks, so you may be hearing more about her.

I had a rare thing happen this week. We stopped by our local Half Price Books store, and I didn’t buy a single thing. However, my wife bought three art books. Perhaps it was thoughts of the unread books I had at home. But nothing struck my fancy.

Next Week’s Reviews

Monday: Willard Sterne Randall, John Hancock

Tuesday: C. P. Snow, Corridors of Power

Wednesday: Sheila Wray Gregoire and Dr. Keith Gregoire, The Marriage You Want

Thursday: Lawrence S. Ritter, The Glory of Their Times

Friday: Mark A. Yarhouse and Erica S. Tan, Sexuality and Sex Therapy

So, that’s The Weekly Wrap for June 29-July 5!

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