I am a little bit ADD when it comes to reading, so I mean 'novel' in both senses of the word.
Lately I've been having trouble focusing on my theology textbooks and have been drifting more and more to novels that, for one reason or another, have caught my eye. Today I read 'Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka, which I am sure I read in high school but was as weird as ever. Yesterday I read 'The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency' at Sharon's recommendation and loved it. The day before that Sharon and I started re-reading 'A Wrinkle in Time' out loud and the day before that I read 'The DaVinci Code' just to see what all the fuss was about.
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It has been a long time since I've had the time (or made the time) to read so many books that actually have plots. Usually I find myself slogging through theology books that use words like 'axiomatic' or 'hermeneutical' or 'historiography.' I do like this kind of reading, but it starts to wear me down after a while. Books like this tend to make the world feel like it's made of cold stone and illuminated by flourescent lightbulbs- too much time in them and I feel like I'm staring up at the dentist. Novels bring the warmth of the sun back and remind me that the imagination is a good, God thing. Not that theology books are bad, but strangely they seem to be written in such unimaginative ways that they almost make God seem boring (and that's quite a feat!).
With that said, I should mention that I am reading two theology books that are very good and more imaginative than most. The first is 'The Everlasting Man' by G.K. Chesterton and the second is 'The Moral Vision of the New Testament' by Richard Hays. The second is the more textbook-like of the two, but it is a textbook with a heartbeat and doesn't steal my warmth when I read it. Chesterton is not a theologian, but he is a trip- very entertaining if you can keep up with him.
I've got endless books I could choose to read next with the entire St Andrews library at my disposal, but I would love to hear recommendations if anyone has one. So, has anybody read a good book lately?
Im reading a fiction novel by George MacDonald right now and it's been a fun read so you also may enjoy it. It's called "At the Back of the North Wind."
I've heard that MacDonald was an inspiration for Lewis and from this book and i see a little of where Lewis got his idea for Narnia...
We miss you still but i can tell you're having a great time!
Grace to you,
Sarah M
Thanks for your suggestion, Sarah. I actually have a book by MacDonald checked out of the library called 'Phantastes' but I haven't read it yet. Sharon likes MacDonald and I have read a few of his children's books ('The Princess and the Goblin' and 'The Princess and Curdie') which were both good. I'll have to check into the one you mentioned as well. I'm glad to hear that you are doing well...only a few more days left for you seniors!
If you're in the mood for a cracking tale out of Scottish history by Henty ("The Boy's Own Historian"), try Bonnie Prince Charlie or In Freedom's Cause [Wallace & Bruce] - both are at the Project Gutenberg website.
Bill S.
Thanks, Bill! 'Freedom's Cause' sounds especially good.
Mr. Estes,
I like the Princess and The Goblin too and i also read the Light Princess by MacDonald. Phantastes was next on my list because my boyfriend just finished reading it too and he said that it was amazing so i plan on checking that out some time soon. I'm sure you'll enjoy it based on what he had said of it. I'm excited to see what kinds of books i'll be reading next year because i'm in the John Wesley Honors College at IWU and they said to expect lots of reading, so it's a good thing i enjoy it!
Sarah M
Mr. Estes, what was the seminar below about?
Biblical Theology Seminar: Money Matters- Economic Relations and the Transformation of Value in Early Christianity- 5/7/08 (Dr Stephen Barton- Durham University)
The seminar was about how the many passages in scripture about money can be understood both literally and metaphorically as a symbol of of the exchange of lifestyle, morality, and future that we experience when we come to faith in Christ. It was pretty interesting.
The best seminar I've attended yet, though, was with C. Stephen Evans last night. The discussion was fascinating and lasted for almost three hours!
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