Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, a Review

Perhaps the reason I've an affinity for dark & twisted art lies with a trio of books I read as a child.  Alvin Schwartz is most known for his collection of folktales marketed towards children.  His most famous books--Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones--were some of my most favorite reads as a lad, and when I recently happened upon my personal copy of SS3, I couldn't help but dive in.  I went to the library and checked out the first two volumes (not sure why I only have the third?), then promptly drove home and leafed through the pages.

It's impossible to continue without acknowledging Stephen Gammell's defining artwork.  In fact, I'm going out on a limb and saying that it's Gammell's work that makes this collection so cherished (and challenged*, for that matter).  I love the loose, spindly, flowy lines that add an ethereal feel to each work.  Everything has the tone of something horrific waiting to be loosed upon your mind.  I would love to see Gammell do some Lovecraftian illustrations.  Yes, it is Gammell's work that shines in these books, and they've no doubt affected my subconscious.  

Allow me to wax on here.  The illustrations are grotesque.  Magnetic, whereby they repulse the reader, but attract as well.  I feel as if Gammell has somehow captured the essence of a nightmare (or some hell) and then rendered it on us, and, in particular, young minds.  Frankly I'm surprised these books are read by kids, as I can easily see them getting utterly creeped out and running for Mommy in the dead hours after midnight.  Moreover, as I was rocking Avonlea to sleep the other night, I was reading the books and left them beside her crib after she went to sleep.  Keisha brought them to me later as I was brushing my teeth and said, "You can't leave those in there. If I look over there and see 'em in the middle of the night I'd be freaked out."

I guess I would, too.  I have this fleeting fear whenever I wake up during the night.  With the thick shadows and eerie softglow lights, coupled with the fact that I'm not wearing my spectacles, everything is blurred and skewed.  My mind deceives me.  My eyes tell untruths and distortions.  I see monsters and things unknown in the darkness, sinister and evil, things that would fit perfectly alongside these horrors Gammell's illustrated.

Still, there is more to these books than just the art.  Schwartz writes in an easy to understand form, especially for children.  To my understanding, the intention is for these things to be read aloud, and working with that assumption, these stories all do well.  However, if one looks too closely as the sentences, well, one gets disappointed in the simplicity.  It's anticlimactic at times, coming across as uninspired and flat out boring.  This is not prevalent, nor is it epidemic, but the way these stories are told is very weak when compared with other folktales.  (This seems fickle, as I'm comparing a children's book to adult, scholarly things, but what can I say?)  Nevertheless, I did feel like Schwartz dropped the ball several times throughout these three books, but if you're reading them aloud, it's not too bad.

If we look at the folktales and urban legends themselves, then these three books are a treasure chest of them.  Each tale spans from 1-3 pages (most falling at just over a page) in length, and because of that, there are a multitude of stories.  Many are familiar things, things we all know, things our grandparents swear are true.  But there are more than enough unfamiliar ones, too.  And to me, digesting a "new" folktale, especially one that's been around for years, is like cream cheese icing on a carrot cake.  Delicious.

I appreciate Schwartz listing a bibliography at the end of each book, as it's nice to be able to dig deeper (or see different tellings) for a story.  When things are from oral tradition, Schwartz lists people involved, too, or areas he collected from.  I also like how there are "alternate endings" or miscellany for the stories listed.

These three books are delightful little reads.  There's no doubt that they're heavily responsible for my taking to folktales, as I read these books for the first time in elementary school, but they're also probably responsible for my weakness for dark art.  I'm glad to have stumbled on my copy of SS3 the other day, and even more glad to find the library's copies were in the stacks and not checked out.  Halloween is the perfect time to read these books, and the RIP challenge just makes it more pleasant.  If you've never read the stories Schwartz tells, then you're missing out.  But even more, if you've not had your heart stopped by Stephen Gammell's horrid illustrations, you're really missing out.  I strongly recommend remedying this as soon as humanly possible.

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*Not only was this series the most challenged during the 1990s, it was also the 7th most challenged between 2000-2009.  I'm assuming 

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door, a Review

Josh McDowell, like C.S. Lewis and Lee Strobel, had a problem with Christianity. As an agnostic, he set out writing a paper to disprove the Christian faith, which ultimately led to his inability to do so and his surrender to Christ. A renown apologist, McDowell, along with Bob Hostetler, produced a simple book of common questions for young Christians, a book titled Don't Check Your Brains at the Door. Originally released in 1992, I recently received an updated edition for a more modernized society.

Don't Check Your Brains is targeted for teens and young adults. The book is conversational and the tone is light and humorous, but it never loses its focus. Divided into six sections, the book covers myths about God, Jesus, the Bible, the Resurrection, Religion and Christianity, and Life & Happiness. There are forty-two 3-4 page chapters, and each chapter ends with a "Brain Food" application. The "Brain Food" stuff includes readings from the Bible and insights for practical living.

As an older Christian, and having read some more theological denser material (like Strobel's A Case for Christ), I wasn't blown away by anything I read. This, however, was not my intention in reading the book. I volunteer with the youth at church and I wanted to read it to see how I thought it would help high schoolers and middle schoolers. To this age group, as well as fledgling Christians, I think Don't Check Your Brains is a fantastic resource. It answers tough questions with Scripture, as well as establishes a seed to grow deeper in understanding God's Word.

I think this book is a great starting point for those that are clueless about their faith and why we believe things we believe. Many great questions/myths are addressed, such as New Age Thoughts, Wimpy Jesus, and God Grades on a Curve. These are but a few examples, and I think many of these myths will be encountered by the upcoming generations. In the end, Don't Check Your Brains at the Door is a simple and engaging book that should hold the attention of a younger audience, but also impart truth and evidence for common questions they may face. The book would fit perfectly with young and curious minds, and may just spark some thought in older ones as well.

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*FTC Thingy: This book was provided for free as an ebook download from Thomas Nelson Publishers and Booksneeze.com.

House of Leaves, a Review (Spoiler-Free)

Little solace comes

to those who grieve

when thoughts keep drifting

as walls keep shifting

and this great blue world of ours

seems a house of leaves

moments before the wind. (p.563)"

Defining Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves is like asking a five year old to describe the Riemann Hypothesis.  House of Leaves is, on its fringes, a story about the Reader.  In the Introduction by Johnny Truant, we're flat out told that what we're reading is a product from a manuscript he found in the room of a dead man named Zampanò.  The manuscript, as it turns out, is a scholarly work based on a documentary Zampanò has become obsessed with: The Navidson Record.  And if House of Leaves is about anything at all--its heart, its cornerstone, its foundation--then it's about The Navidson Record.

Will Navidson is a critically acclaimed photojournalist.  Years of life spent away from his long-time partner Karen Green, a former cover model, and his two children, Chad and Daisy, has the Navidson family barreling towards non-existence.  Will and Karen decide to purchase a quaint Virginia house and settle down and work on their family.  Will seeks to finish his career with a simple documentary on their new lives in their new home.  He installs video cameras throughout the house, motion sensors to pick up when activity is going on, and settles in for a calm retirement.

But everything does not go as planned.  The house seems odd, and one day, for no apparent reason, Will and Karen discover a new closet situated outside their bedroom door.  Baffled, Will gets the floor plans and begins going through measurements, confused.  And when he discovers that the house measures larger on the inside than it does on the outside, the groundwork is laid for the rest of the "movie."

The Navidson Record is as tantalizing as it is terrifying.  The house on Ash Tree Lane is creepy and dark.  Navidson, an explorer at heart, sets out to understand the house and its unnerving black (and apparently unending) labyrinth of hallways that appears in its center.

Zampanò's manuscript exhaustively covers the film, from its subtle and serene beginnings to its haunting and stunning conclusion.  His work is littered with footnotes, and as Truant tells us at the onset, many of these footnotes' references simply do not exist in real life.  Keeping this in mind, the remainder of the manuscript makes for a fascinating exploration of the film, sometimes mind-numbingly so.

"As I discovered, there were reams and reams of it. Endless snarls of words, sometimes twisting into meaning, sometimes into nothing at all, frequently breaking apart, always branching off into other pieces I'd come across later--on old napkins, the tattered edges of an envelope, once even on the back of a postage stamp; everything and anything but empty; each fragment completely covered with the creep of years and years of ink pronouncements; layered, crossed out, amended; handwritten, typed; legible, illegible; impenetrable, lucid; torn, stained, scotch taped; some bits crisp and clean, others faded, burnt or folded and refolded so many times the creases have obliterated whole passages of god knows what--sense? truth? deceit? a legacy of prophecy or lunacy or nothing of the kind?, and in the end achieving, designating, describing, recreating--find your own words; I have no more; or plenty more but why? and all to tell--what?" (p.xvii)

But still yet, in an even further removed frame, the Reader understands (again, at the beginning of the novel, so as to keep SPOILER-FREE) that we're also reading Johnny Truant's annotations of Zampanò's manuscript.  Truant's story begins in the Introduction, and as it unfolds throughout the footnotes, we discover how the manuscript affects him.  Truant is a mesmerizing POV, as one of the first things he tells us is that he's unreliable.  And as we read, both the manuscript and the footnotes, we're constantly left puzzling over what's been altered, if anything.  This, as the Reader will undoubtedly understand, is disorienting and intentional.  And as we come to understand Truant's background, especially concerning the Whalestoe Letters, what's real and what's not comes under even more scrutiny.

To me, the most interesting part of the book deals with the darkness inside the house.  Danielewski a la Truant a la Zampanò paint a vivid picture of the blackness, the absence of light within the house.  

"The walls are endlessly bare. Nothing hangs on them, nothing defines them. They are without texture. Even to the keenest eye or most sentient fingertip, they remain unreadable. You will never find a mark there. No trace survives. The walls obliterate everything. They are permanently absolved of all record. Oblique, forever obscure and unwritten. Behold the perfect pantheon of absence." (p.423)

I know what dark is.  I live in the state with the largest cave system in the world.  I've been to the depths of the earth and had the lights extinguished, propelled into absolute darkness, a blackness so thick that one can't help but despair.  And yet, the darkness within the house seems darker.  This has definitely played upon my mind at night as I've roamed the halls of my own house, and I confess to a quickened pulse a time or two.

Another part that must be addressed is the bizarre formats used.  This was the primary reason I wanted to read the book, and after finishing, I enjoyed the way the book was presented.  The Reader has to flip the book, turn it sideways, and go through mental hoops to read certain passages, but it definitely adds to the story.  I read the full color edition, which is the author's preferred edition, as it includes over two-hundred pages of appendices, filled with more fascinating puzzle pieces (and if you read the book, I recommend following the instructions to see the Appendix before continuing on with the novel) and I can't imagine reading this book any other way.

So what is House of Leaves?  It's a book containing four stories, one woven story, some spelled out more than others, some flat out ignored.  It's meta.  It's contained.  It's puzzling.  It's erudite, so keep a dictionary very close.  It's compelling.  It's tedious.  It induces smiles and wicked grins, but groans and sighs.  It's beautiful.  It's art.  It's a love story.  It's disgusting and leaves one needing a bath.  It's definitely not for the faint of heart or those offended by crude sex.  It is a remarkable read, leaving the Reader satisfied and immediately ready to dive back in again to see what's missed, but at the same time worn down and betrayed.  If Danielewski intended this, then he succeeded.  I enjoyed House of Leaves immensely and would love to discuss it with someone (thankfully there are forums devoted to it).  It's easy to recommend.

Disciple, a Review

I selected Bill Clem's Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus because I thought the book was about discipleship groups, mentors/mentees, etc. and practical applications for modern life. Instead, I found myself reading a book about what it means to be a Christian for the first 3/4 of the book. I almost get the feeling that Clem would prefer to use the word Disciple instead of Christian, though that is pure speculation. Nevertheless, Disciple proved to be a mostly interesting and thought provoking book. 

Divided into 12 chapters, the book alternates between the biblical ideal of the chapter's topic (such as Community), followed by a chapter with how we've distorted it. I really enjoyed the layout like this, and as I progressed through the book it was obvious how much latter chapters built off the previous ones. I also liked that each chapter ended with a "homework assignment." Clem gives the reader Scripture to read and ponder over, and often challenges us to act on these verses. 

As for the last chapters, this is really where practical thoughts on discipleship came up. I suppose a foundation must first be established before application can be described, and Clem definitely built off his groundwork. 

The art of discipleship and mentoring is neglected by many today. Too often we distort the very definition of "disciple," thinking that it's a stagnant "relationship." We replace Jesus' Great Commission in Matthew 28, "Go and make disciples" with "Go and make converts." It's obvious Clem has a heart for loving on people and investing in them, and he backs this imperative with plenty of Scripture. He wants the reader to make disciples (as well as be discipled), not coverts. 

All in all, I enjoyed a lot of what Bill Clem was saying in Disciple, and I think it would be especially helpful for young Christians. The first majority of the book reads as a sort of "Christian Essentials" text. I was more interested in the latter half, and indeed Clem has some worthwhile things to say there, though I wish this part were longer.

The Way of Kings, a Review

Beginning a ten book series can be daunting.  It takes a kind of commitment that many of us just don't have the time for.  It takes effort to stick with a single story for a decade, gobbling up installments every year or so.  We're an impatient people, by and large, and waiting is something we loathe.  Just look at the vitriol surrounding GRRM's prolonged release of A Dance with Dragons.

Nevertheless, Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings, Book One of The Stormlight Archive, delivers such an impressive story that it's impossible to resist.  The hardcover spans over one thousand pages, but it's populated with beautiful internal artwork that goes right along with the story, not to mention the mesmerizing cover art.  

TWoK is difficult to summarize succinctly.  Roshar is a land wracked and ravaged by storms.  These storms are ferocious and lethal, with winds and rain strong enough that to be caught out in them is to die.  In part, these storms have shaped the geography, ecology, and sociology of the ten countries that make up Roshar.  Some animals have developed rock-shells for protection.  In some lands, the grass even recedes.  The creatures and places of Roshar are as much a story as the main characters.  It's obvious Sanderson has labored and put thought into his grand epic, and the thrill of experiencing these unusual settings is absolutely delightful.

But more than this, tWoK is a tight focused tale centering on a trio of characters.  Kaladin, this novel's major POV character, has wanted to fight in the war on the Shattered Plains for years, and he's finally found himself there, though as a branded member of a bridge crew.  Bridgemen are lower than slaves, especially the bridgemen of Sadeas' warcamp.  To be a bridgeman is to have a death sentence.  Dalinar Kholin, brother to the murdered king that started the war and uncle to the reigning king, is a man of honor and does thing the Old Ways.  He will not let himself get entangled in the squabble of politics and quests for power, much to the chagrin of the other generals, and insists on doing things Right.  But when Dalinar begins having vicious dreams during the highstorms, rumors circulate the warcamps that the Blackthorn is  losing his mind.  And Dalinar can't help but wonder the same.  The third major player is Shallan, a girl who's family is plunged into impossible debt after the patriarch dies.  Shallan decides to seek out Jasnah, the king's heretic sister, and steal her Soulcaster.  She'll use the money to free her family, and possibly survive the quarreling houses.  But the more Shallan learns about Jasnah, the more she begins to question her motives.

These three characters are the major players of tWoK, but they are by far not the only ones.  Sanderson has crafted a dramatis personae filled with memorable characters, from the enigmatic Szeth-son-son-Vallano, a Truthless Shin and an angst-driven assassin, to the equally enigmatic Wit, who I'll keep silent about, to Adolin, Dalinar's up-and-coming heir apparent and established warrior on the Plains.  Each person has a wealth of information and life in them, and I eagerly look forward to seeing them all develop over the course of the series.

Brandon Sanderson is widely known for his unique magic systems, and tWoK does not fail here.  In fact, if you've read any other Sanderson, you'll certainly notice some similarities between the magic systems, but also some very original concepts, too.  As this is Book One, there was a lot introduced, but also a lot of mystery left behind the magics waiting to be revealed.

I could go on and on about this book, and I really haven't scratched the surface.  The Way of Kings is a solid first novel for a series.  It wraps up a lot of things, not leaving too many cliff hangers, but not enough to lull the excitement, either.  The stories about these characters--all of them, not just the three primaries--are amazing.  Sanderson knows how to turn a phrase, as well as keep the reader turning pages, and the plot never dies down during this massive read.  If you want a completely different epic fantasy, one that leaves you eager for the next volume and filled with a sense of wonder and awe, then I heartily recommend The Way of Kings.  I'm invested for the duration of the series, and I cannot wait to see where Sanderson takes us.

Bloodlines, a Review

Racism is not dead. Despite what you may think about the issue--from those that see our modern day America as a glorious fondue of ethnic delights to those that see through the smokescreen a bit too readily--racism is certainly not dead. For many of us, though, it is. We live in our content bubbles, satisfied with the status of ethnic diversity in America. Look at how far we've come, we say. Slavery abolished. Equal rights for all. Amen, and I'm thankful to God that we've come at least that far. But the question I raise, and one that John Piper points to in his latest book Bloodlines, is look how far we've still got to go.

Bloodlines is an engaging and provocative book. Piper, respected globally as a passionate man of God, sets out to show how racial harmony and embracing ethnic diversity are Biblically sound doctrines and ultimately glorifying to God. He takes on several of the modern controversies surrounding race and addresses everything with the Bible. Indeed, he steps up and writes with blunt passion, even when it's difficult to do so. But as he says,

This deeply felt sense of race as a continuing, painful, and pervasive issue in America means that talking about race continues to be difficult. The feelings run very deep and very high. If your skin is thin...hold your tongue. But holding our tongues does not usually advance understanding, deepen respect, warm the affections, or motivate action.

Yes, if we want change, if we want a greater respect of our fellow man, then we cannot hold our tongues, and thankfully Piper doesn't.

I think Bloodlines is an easy read, in that Piper is honest in his desire. He writes of growing up in South Carolina and of the racial sins he had to overcome, and only so by the blood of Jesus. And when he went into ministry he intentionally chose a region (Twin Cities area in Minnesota) that is one of the most ethnically diverse in the nation. He has lived there for over thirty years, passionate about diversity and harmony and exalting God. These things give credence to the points Piper raises, and hopefully many see his words as truth.

The book begins with Piper telling why he's wrote Bloodlines, and then he follows with several statistics and the current shape of racism in America. One of the most staggering statistics:

• Homicide is the number one cause of death for black men between fifteen and twenty-nine years of age and has been for decades.

After the statistical dump, Piper then dives into many of the current theories and resources surrounding racism. I was ignorant of many of these names and sources, but Piper definitely was not. I found this bit fascinating, reading what many leading minds think about the "Whys" and "Hows" of racism.

The remainder of the book focuses on why a united people celebrating diversity and living peaceably is glorifying to God. Most of us are ignorant of our racism, and I suspect many of us would be appalled at ourselves if our secret thoughts were revealed. The blame is ours, but it's also the many generations before us. America has a dark history, one that misused Scripture to propel a false agenda that led to many sins, and we've still not recovered from this.

It's important to note that throughout everything, Piper never strays from the gospel of Jesus Christ. With a multitude of verses to back up his thesis, it's eye opening to see how uninvolved so many of us are. Racial harmony is not the most important issue for a person, but it is an issue that should be pursued by some. Piper feels this way, as do many members and staff at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Just read this article (How and Why Bethlehem Pursues Ethnic Diversity) to understand that.

Bloodlines is a thought-stirring book that brings up many strong arguments for why the fight against racism should be faced.  While most of us don't feel like race is an issue to concern ourselves with, consider the following.

Since majority people don't think of themselves in terms of race, none of our dysfunctions is viewed as a racial dysfunction. When you are the majority ethnicity, nothing you do is ethnic. It's just the way it's done. When you are a minority, everything you do has color.

The words are true, and the implications staggering.  We are all creatures of race.  Whether majority or minority, we all share a common earthly bloodline, and that makes us all brothers and sisters.  Praise God that we can all share a common heavenly bloodline, too, that of Jesus Christ, and it's only through His blood can we hope to have unity.

My First Hands-On Bible, a Review

I reviewed the original Hands-On Bible a while back.  In it, I concluded with this:

Overall, I really liked the Hands-On Bible.  It's sleek design is attractive and fun looking, perfect for kids.  The text is varying, using bold fonts and illustrations/side-boxes, which helps break up the monotonous look most bibles have (i.e. long blocks of unbroken text).  While this bible is not a beginner's bible, it's clearly the next step after, and I think most young readers would enjoy reading through God's Word in this way.  I also think the activities are a great asset to anyone working with kids, and I easily recommend this bible to anyone interested. [*Emphasis added and underlined.]

Basically, My First Hands-On Bible takes everything I loved in the original Hands-On Bible and changes it to the understanding of a preschooler.  Instead of using paraphrasing for stories, actual scripture is used, taken from the NLT.  In essence, this is a heavily abridged bible for preschoolers.

The illustrations are excellent and colorful, sure to attract young eyes looking for vibrant pictures.  The activities throughout the stories are fun and easy, and most of them involve the use of basic items laying around the house.  It's the combination of these two things that I like about My First Hands-On Bible.  I think the idea is right, that actively engaging children in bible stories will help build an early foundation for life.

I also like how at the end of each story there are discussion questions, a prayer guide, an activity, and a Jesus Connection.  The Jesus Connection relates how each story points to Christ, and this is another excellent thing for young minds to learn.

Overall, I'm just as impressed by My First Hands-On Bible as I was with the original.  While my daughter is too young to participate in any of the activities (or really even understand any of the words I'm saying), she's nevertheless looking at captivating pictures and listening to God's Word.  And when she's old enough to understand, I'm sure I'll still be using this very same bible.

 

FTC Thingy:  Tyndale House Publishers gave me this book for free on account of me writing an honest review.  Therefore, this review is honest.  (Why would anyone publish anything but an honest review?)  I received no monetary donations from this review, nor any other goods, like warm, gooey, home-baked cookies.  Now if I were offered these things, I would not hesitate to say sure, go on and send 'em my way.  Would that affect my review of the book?  Nope.   And that's honesty.

J.R.R. Tolkien Christian Encounters, a Review

The Christian Encounter series is a biographical series from Thomas Nelson Publishing House.  The purpose of this series is to highlight the faith of each person presented.  I am not a fan of biographies, having only read one my entire life (Bob Dylan) and not planning to read another.  But then came along the chance to review the Christian Encounter book on J.R.R. Tolkien.  Since the book was small and about someone I had more than a passing interest in, I decided to give it a go.

Mark Horne does an admiral job of highlighting Tolkien's life in just over 120 pages.  The focus of the biography is to present readers with insight into Tolkien's life and the eventual development of his seminal works in the fantasy genre.  Horne is quick to remind us that Tolkien was a believer in the Faith, but he never ventures more than that.  Personally, I thought I would get to see more of Tolkien's faith in action, or at least some idea of how he believed.  Instead, I'm reminded (more than once) that Tolkien was a "sincere" Roman Catholic, that he forced his wife to convert from Protestantism to Roman Catholicism, and that he raised his children in the Catholic church.  One is left wondering what type of faith Tolkien really had.  No doubt he believed, and Horne includes how Tolkien shared his faith with C.S. Lewis in hopes of convincing Lewis to abandon skepticism, but this about as much of the action as we get to see.

Instead, this brief biography spends a handful of pages for each era of Tolkien's life and reads like a Wikipedia article.  We learn of his upbringing and his orphaning at an early age.  We then follow Tolkien's examination process to gain entrance to school, and then further studies to become a professor at Oxford.  We read about the Great War and its affects on Tolkien, and then suddenly we're diving through publishing and finishing his works.  All in all, if one is not looking for depth (and truly, I can't say that I was), then this little book is great for a casual Sunday afternoon read.  Its brevity is testament to that.  But if one is looking for a more thorough examination of Tolkien's life, there are definitely more available biographies of the man out there.  (Horne cites these quite often, and lists the books in the back of his work for further reading.)

All in all, it was an interesting experience to read about J.R.R. Tolkien.  I'm still not much of a fan of biographies, but I didn't expect to be won over by this, either.  If you're looking for some lite-Tolkien bio, Mark Horne's J.R.R. Tolkien in the Christian Encounter series is it.  Otherwise, look for something deeper.

*FTC Thingy: This book was provided free of charge.  Yep, I didn't have to pay for it.  All I had to do was read it and write an honest review.  I'm required by law to post this FTC Review Thingy for tax purposes or something.  So I like to change it up every time I tack it onto the books I receive.  I also like requesting baked goods, but as of yet, no one's obliged.

Desiring God, a Review

John Piper's Desiring God is one of the most influential books in Christian non-fiction.  First released in 1986, Piper burst into the scene with his radical idea of Christian Hedonism, a term specifically chosen.  Now, twenty-five years later, Piper's fourth edition of Desiring God has found its way into my hands for review.  I already owned the 3rd edition, though I had not progressed past Chapter One of the book.  This time around, I made my way through Piper's elegant writing and beautiful theology.

Desiring God is a collection of ten essays, dealing with a different element in Christian lifestyle.  Piper devotes a chapter each to happiness, conversion, worship, love, scripture, prayer, money, marriage, missions, and suffering.  He also includes a thorough appendix and study guide in the back of the book to assist the reader.

As Piper says in the Introduction, the purpose of Desiring God is to help the reader understand how Christian Hedonism should not only be pursued, but that its pursuit is biblical and ultimately satisfying to God.  Piper turns the Westminster Shorter Catechism on its head by substituting the word by in place of and, yielding the thesis for Desiring God:

The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.

Much of Desiring God deconstructs modern thinking with clear biblical examples.  Truly, Piper's desire to share his joy is not exhaustive, though it is rather thorough.  There were times when I was scratching my head after re-reading a paragraph three times and still confused.  Other times I was shaking my head and silently amen-ing.  And more, the evidence as proposed by Piper does in fact seem biblical and liberating. 

This book has not redefined my views as much as Kevin DeYoung's powerful Just Do Something did, but still, there is wisdom to be found in the pages.  I can imagine a world filled with Christian Hedonists, running around and acting like Christians ought.  I daresay that if more Christians acted like they ought--like the bible prescribes--and if more Christians had joy in their lives then we would have more people coming to God.  To that end, Desiring God teaches a vital message.

A time or two it felt like Piper's firm belief in TULIP* (and his being a 5-point Calvinist, as much as I hate to use labels) was shining through his writing.  It wasn't a pounding over the head as some are wont to do, and I do not fault Piper for letting his belief's influence his writing, though some surely do.  As such, I care not one jot for Calvinism and Arminianism and I find this endless debate tiring and detrimental to the gospel Jesus preached.  Thankfully this has very little to do with Piper's book.

In the end, Desiring God is an excellent book that has affected many, myself included.  It would be a great book for a Sunday School class to discuss, or a discipleship group to meditate on.  It's not an easy read, and it definitely requires a critical mind (and possibly a dictionary), but its teachings are worth the effort.  Anything that pursues glorifying God is worth the effort, and if you're looking for some savvy non-fiction Christian thought, this book is perfect for you.  Or, conversely, if you're curious about Christian Hedonism and its tenets, I can easily recommend John Piper's Desiring God.

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Piper explains at the end of the book how he receives no royalties from Desiring God and that any money made from it goes to a fund to further the gospel by providing various resources for free.  A number is listed to contact Desiring God Ministries for free resources, including this book, as well as many others.  Also, Desiring God can be read for free on the DGM website, or also downloaded as a pdf and/or ebook.  Finally, as with other great books, if anyone would like my copy of Desiring God, shoot me an email or leave me a comment and I'll get the book to you.

Like Piper, anything I can do to help spread the good news of Jesus (and further glorify the Father) I will do, and I would love to give you this book to that end.

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*If you are not aware of this centuries old debate, then I don't recommend you educate yourself about it.  It's ultimately disheartening and has caused way too much conflict within the world of Christianity.

FTC Thingy:  The 25th Anniversary Edition of Desiring God was provided to me for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I am not required to endorse the book, and my doing so was of my own volition.  There was no hypnosis.

The Heroes, a Review

What is a hero? This is the central question driving Joe Abercrombie's latest novel, The Heroes, and coming from such a dark & gritty writer, where convolution and betrayal are paramount, it's a darned good question. The North, "united" under Black Dow's banner, and the Union forces, under the direction of Marshall Kroy, have convened on a small plot of land to wage war. The focus point is a large hill spotted with ancient stones appropriately called The Heroes, named after long dead legends of the North. War is the opportune time to discover heroics, but the question is from whom will they come?

The Heroes is filled with various POV characters. We have Crunden Craw, an aged Named Man who's spent his life as a straight-edge and is known for doing the "right" thing, whatever that's supposed to mean. Prince Calder, the youngest son of the recently murdered King of the North, is a notorious coward and an even more notorious schemer, and it's only a matter of time before he tries to take Skarling's Chair from Black Dow. There's also Beck, a young lad just old enough to take a weapon and enlist, with visions of glory and earning a name for himself. As for the Union soldiers, we have the disgraced Bremer dan Gorst, dispatched to observe the war for the King, though the brute of a man wants nothing more than to earn back his former rank and glory. There's Corporal Tunny, famed for his lackluster life as a soldier and his uncanny ability to turn profit, and who has little desire to rise above his self-interests. Finally there's Finree dan Brock, the only female POV, and the daughter of Marshall Kroy. Finree is manipulative and ambitious, but her marriage to a treacherous noble's son currently stands in her way.

Abercrombie is known for presenting flawed characters with a few good traits in them, and he keeps this up with The Heroes. I personally found the Northmen much more interesting, especially Craw and Calder. It's as hard for the reader to pick a side as it is for those involved in the affair, and I'm not sure which side I wanted to win the battle. This, again, is a very Abercrombian thing to do. Present the sides and muddy them all grey. Ambiguity runs amok here.

The Heroes is Abercrombie's fifth novel, and while it's not necessary to have read the previous works, I think you'd be missing out on some behind-the-scenes things that are likely important to the world of The First Law. Still yet, one could easily enjoy this book for what it is, and that's a fierce battle waged over the course of three days. This condensed timeline works great for Abercrombie, I think, because the sprawling tale that was Best Served Cold seemed to struggle under too much time.

This book was hilarious and dark, violent and oddly beautiful, thought-provoking and entertaining. It's Abercrombie at his finest, and yet I didn't enjoy it as much as The First Law. Part of the problem was that I just didn't care that much about the Union troops. Gorst was annoying, Finree disappointing, and Tunny just didn't have enough time for him. On the other hand, I really enjoyed the North parts, especially whenever the Bloody Nine's name popped up. Even Shivers, who I grew to dislike over the course of Best Served Cold, was fascinating here. Really the only time I enjoyed the Union pieces were when Bayaz was involved, and this only because it left me wanting to know more about what was going on between the First of the Magi and Ishri.

Abercrombie is at the top of his game with The Heroes. The book is fluid and well written. The action scenes are exciting. The implications of the book's thesis question are questionable throughout. It's a standalone novel that leaves me curious to see what's going to happen in Abercrombie's next book. (I believe he mentioned something with a "Western" flair on his blog. Interesting.) If you've never read Joe Abercrombie, I'd recommend starting with The Blade Itself, but you could just as easily pick this one up. It's a bloody book, but you wouldn't read a book about war and not expect otherwise. Especially not from someone as twisted and dark as Abercrombie. Highly enjoyable.

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Supplemental Thoughts (CONTAINS SPOILERS)
1.  I genuinely wonder if Logen Ninefingers is still alive.  It's been 8 years since The First Law.  Part of me thinks the man has just settled down in some remote location in the North and has been living a life of ease ever since.  Or maybe he's chasing Ferro, though I'd find that hard to imagine.  Still, I suspect he's living.
2.  What is going on between Bayaz and the Gurkish?  Will we ever get to see this conflict played out?  I do not trust Bayaz, but I also don't trust the Gurkish, either.  Is there a good side here?  Considering Abercrombie, I'd say "it's complicated," or, possibly just "no."
3.  Shivers' killing blow to Dow in the circle was unexpected.  I expected Calder to win, but not like that.
4.  Wonder what the Snake of the Talins has been up to, and what's gonna happen in Styria come next book?  Recalling Bayaz' "cannon" thing, I expect we may see firearms/artillery, though not many.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, a Review

Flavia de Luce is a complex little girl. Uncannily bright for an eleven year old, I daresay to the point where one must suspend disbelief, even, Flavia spends her days "playing" in her laboratory, creating terrible concoctions for her terrorizing older sisters, Ophelia and Daphne. The young chemist has a particular fondness for poisons, and when a dead body turns up in the cucumber patch of Buckshaw, Flavia decides to get to the bottom of the mystery.

What follows is a delightful adventure with a protagonist that's hard to forget. Flavia is both endearing for her strong will and pitiable for her too-advanced mind. She's sweet (usually when it's to her advantage), witty, well-read, far too clever, and hilarious. Her environs--1950s England--are masterfully detailed and the reader cannot help but feel whisked away.

Alan Bradley's Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is well outside my normal genres. A mystery novel with various mysteries throughout, I heartily enjoyed puzzling through the book with Flavia. The tale wasn't too complex, and everything clearly made sense by the end. There were twists and turns a-plenty, and I can imagine nearly every reader would enjoy the plot & pacing.

A large part of the joy from this read is the fact that Bradley's prose is beautiful. The voice of the narrator is spot-on (as much as I can imagine the mind of an eleven year old girl), and from the start I easily slipped inside Flavia's head. Bradley's cast of characters is well suited to the story (if not a touch cliched), and I really enjoyed Flavia's sisters. Their antagonism of poor Flavia (and vice versa) was a highlight of the read.

I listened to the audio version of this book, as read by Jayne Entwistle, and this was possibly one of the best audio books I've ever read. The voice acting was vastly superior to many audio books, and Entwistle sounds exactly like a bratty little 11 year old would. Of course, the British-ness also makes this a fun listen-to, but it's definitely the narrator that shines. In fact, I enjoyed her reading so much that I played a bit of it for my wife, just so she could hear how great it was.

Two final notes, just in case you're not convinced of reading the book yet. One, it's quite funny. Flavia has a way with words that had me cracking up regularly. Two, Carl's review at Stainless Steel Droppings' and L's at Omphaloskepsis paint a much better review than I do, and just read their praise to see what I'm talking about.

If you're looking for a good mystery (I say good, but alas, with little experience with the genre I guess), Alan Bradley's Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie will definitely satisfy your appetite. It's one of those books that puts a smile on your face and keeps it there after you're finished. I easily recommend to anyone, but especially people with a fondness for old Britain, young & clever heroines, stamp collectors, and mystery enthusiasts.

Fragile Things, a Review

Fragile Things is an entertaining collection of stories & thoughts from master story teller Neil Gaiman. There are a few pieces that fell flat for me, a few I just didn't get, but the majority were well worth the read.  I've created mini/micro-reviews of each piece of this collection.  For the most part, I listened to the audio book, which was narrated by Gaiman himself, making it an altogether pleasing experience.  I read a few (from the book that sits on my shelf), but I found I preferred hearing the author's voice.  I've boldfaced the stories that were my favorites from this collection.  I've also included links for many of these that are available to read legally (mostly) for free online.  If you've never read any Gaiman, this is a great collection to pick up and get an idea for the man's wonderful way with words.

Introduction: Very interesting and informative just seeing how many of these stories have won awards.

A Study in Emerald: This is a story of Sherlock Holmes meets something from Lovecraftian mythology. It was remarkably well done and fun to read a Gaiman take at this.  (Read the story stylized as a newspaper piece from Gaiman's website here [PDF warning].)

The Fairy Reel:  A poem that has to be read aloud and more than once. It flows so beautifully. I particularly love the lines "She'd pluck wild eagles from the air/ and nail me to a lightning tree." This poem is great when read by Gaiman himself, too.  (Read here.)

October in the Chair: A frame story, beginning with the months of the year sitting around a campfire and telling stories to each other. The main event, being told by October, is a tale of a young boy named the Runt and his running away from home. It's quite bittersweet. Melancholic, I'd say. The ending leaves plenty of room for thinking.

Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire: Beautifully written, but somewhat confusing. Great story.

Flints of Memory Lane: Odd. Is it a true memory of Gaiman, or a made-up memoir? Regardless, it's nice to read.

Closing Time: Another odd memory of Gaiman about a pub he used to frequent and an aspiring, alcoholic playwright that happened to own the pub. There are some collections of urban legends and folktales told between some of the characters. A "true" ghost story is finally told, of childhood, adolescence, and a haunted house. Very interesting.

Going wodwo: Very short. Some beautiful lines, but otherwise not memorable.

Bitter Grounds: A fascinating journey of a man who one day up and leaves his normal life and travels to New Orleans, on the way encountering some odd and interesting characters. I really enjoyed this story. Slightly confusing, slightly vulgar, but a very catchy story.  (Available from Tor.com here.)

Other People: This is the second tale I read from this book, and it sucked me in. I thoroughly enjoyed this short, dark piece.  Somewhat freaky, but a great tale.  (Read here.)

Keepsakes and Treasures: A man's disturbing tale of revenge, or a coming-of-age story of a killer. Very dark, very well written and a great grasp of character. "Takes all sorts to make a world, [as] I say." This piece had some heavy vulgarity and some rather nasty bits, but a quite interesting premise that kept me curious throughout it all. Feels quite noir styled. It's also probably related to American Gods and the novella included at the end of Fragile Things, "Monarch of the Glen."

Good Boys Deserve Favors: Boring. Not memorable.  Something about a musical instrument...

The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch: A bizarre story about a group of friends that go to a circus and odd things happen.  Seems very Bradbury-esque.

The Problem of Susan:  Fascinating, eloquent, and great for fans of Narnia and fairy & folk tales. Certainly provocative and one rather disturbing part (ie, sex scene between Aslan & the White Queen).  Definitely not for children.

Instructions: An interesting set of instructions that lead to some fantastical place, possibly to a young girl embarking on a Alice-like journey. It's a fairy tale, though it's mode of presentation is unique. If a reader were trapped within the pages of a fairy tale, this piece would come in handy.  (Available to read here.)

How Do You Think It Feels?: An illicit affair story between the narrator and a woman named Becky. Quite, um, graphic toward the end. Definitely graphic and very adult. The end is very bleak and dark.

My Life: This is a hilarious poem about a man who's telling stories from his life. They're absurd, bizarre, ridiculous. Hysterical stuff, and very short. I highly recommend this read, if only for the humor of Gaiman's crazy story.

Fifteen Painted Cards from a Vampire Tarot: A collection of quasi-related flash pieces of fiction, all dealing with vampires and how people see them. This was an interesting little story that makes you think about vampires, and quite good.

Feeders and Eaters: This is a true story... pretty much. A man has fallen on hard times and tells his story at a bar, recalling an unsettling account involving an eerie old lady. It leaves you thinking when it's over something akin to Oh My.... "It's astonishing the things that people don't eat. All the things around them that people could eat, if only they knew it." This tale reminds me somewhat of Robby Boyle's horrifying opener "Blood" to the Stories anthology (my review), which happens to be edited by Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio.  This story originated from a nightmare Gaiman had in his twenties.

Diseasemaker's Croup: A description of what the disease is, Diseasemaker's Croup. I can just picture an old poisoner rambling this off.

In the End: A somewhat retelling of the Fall of Man (Genesis 4). It reads almost as if it were from the bible.  Almost...

Goliath: A story set within the universe of The Matrix. It's about a very tall man and his encounter with the Matrix, primarily dealing with deja vu and other things that fit nicely in the Wachowski's universe. If one had no knowledge of the Matrix, this story could lose some of its meaning and instead might read like a drugged-out science fiction piece.

Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between ulsa, Oklahoma, and Louisville, Kentucky: A "love" story/journal thing. Meh.

How to Talk to Girls at Parties: The story of Enn & Vic and their adventure to a party, where Enn struggles to talk to the opposite sex. As it turns out, girls are rather hard to talk to, especially when they learn that the girls are foreign. This piece was funny, quirky, and quite enjoyable.  (Available as both audio and text here.)

The Day the Saucers Came: A humorous tale of Armageddon, mixing many end-of-the-world scenarios. Extremely short, and very funny.  (Highly recommend to read this very short poem.  It's reprinted here, though probably without permission.  Still, check it, and chuckle as I did.  Or, listen to Neil read it here.)

Sunbird: Reminds me slightly of Gaiman's Graveyard Book (my review) and the ghouls of the grave how they describe food. A story of Epicureans and their quest for the legendary Suntown Sunbird. Just a taste is what they're after. This story was rather delightful and oddly captivating. I was very curious as to how this would end, and what a great ending it was.

Inventing Aladdin: A story of Scheherazade telling the tale of Aladdin, and other tales from 1001 Nights. It's an origin story of the classic Arabian Nights and how they came to be.

The Monarch of the Glen: A novella of Gaiman's highly enjoyable and lauded American Gods, this story continues Shadow's journey. He's in Scotland, where he gets a job to work as security for a party at a very old estate. It fits nicely in the mythos of American Gods, and reads like a (lengthy) deleted scene. Enjoyable, true, but a bit anticlimactic in one sense, albeit beautifully so.

The Contract with God Trilogy, a Review

Will Eisner is a rather significant individual in the history of the graphic novel, as well as the comic world at large.  He is, after all, sometimes referred to as the Father of the Graphic Novel.  In fact, the Eisner Awards (the comics' equivalent to the Oscars) are named after him.  Of course, any serious fan of graphic novels has read some Will Eisner.  Well, color me red and call me a strawberry, I can finally say I have.

The Contract with God trilogy is one large collection of three individual graphic novels: A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories, A Life Force, and Dropsie Avenue.  Each volume tells a complete story, though the three are interwoven and related.  The stories largely deal with racism, religious bigotry, and hard life through the Great Depression.  The colors are all muted sepia toned, seemingly from pencil.  This medium choice adds a bleakness throughout the book, certainly fitting to the setting.  Eisner's lines are sometimes rushed and simple, befitting of a comic creator of Old, but I think anything fancier (i.e., more Realistic) would detract from the story.

A Contract with God is composed of four smaller stories: "A Contract With God", "The Super", "The Street Singer", and "Cookalein".  In it we read the tale of a Jewish Russian man who comes to America and settles down on Dropsie Avenue, taking up residence in a Bronx tenement.  Life is hard and goes awry, and the story is grim and tragic.

A Life Force pretty much deals with man's goals in life, to love and be happy, and compares them to a cockroach.  This one at least has more characterization, and was easier to relate to than the first.  It also seemed to have more of a plot, one that was more than halfway interesting.  Still, the story was bleak.

Dropsie Avenue was probably my favorite of the three.  Its main character is Dropsie Avenue itself.  This story begins in the late 1800s and chronicles the development of the land and its Dutch settlers to where it is now.  We see the land change, moving from farms to tenements and factories.  We see the people change, phasing through Dutch, Irish, Jewish, Russian, Puerto Rican, African American, and many other races.  We see how the society changes and how it affects Dropsie Avenue.  I enjoyed this story quite a bit.

This review doesn't paint a pleasant picture of Eisner's acclaimed work, and that's probably because the story was so danged depressing.  Eisner was born in 1917, so he lived through the Great Depression and through the changes he's created.  In fact, he drew from his own experiences for many of these tales, and I suppose they're probably more autobiographical than we know.  Reading tragedy is hard for me to "like," per se.  

However, I can't really say that I enjoyed the read and thoroughly recommend you to all read it immediately, either.  I can understand and appreciate the history of this book, how it is largely responsible for the creation of the graphic novel industry today, and I'm thankful for this.  Still, the story is very complex and meticulous, weaving many threads through many characters and locations, and the book never rose above its potential.  

So do I recommend Will Eisner's Contract with God trilogy?  Yes, and no.  Yes if you're a graphic novel fan and are interested in reading something by a legend.  Yes if you enjoy stories told with a Great Depression setting, especially dealing with race, nationality, and religion.  No if you're new to graphic novels and are curious about them (for that I'd recommend Craig Thompson's Blankets for something Real, or Alan Moore's Watchmen if you like super-heroes in your graphic novels).  No if you're wanting something with color and something less depressing.  In the end, I'm glad I've read it, but I don't plan to read any more by the man, either.