Category: Non-Fiction Page 34 of 62

A Dream About
Lightning Bugs:
A Life of Music
and Cheap Lessons

Trade Paperback, 311 pg.
Ballantine Books, 2019

Read: December 17-27, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

So what about the middle-aged making pop music? Sure, it’s allowed. But let’s be honest about what pop, or popular, music is. It’s music for the mating age. It’s a soundtrack for that yearning, that youthful anger, those ideals and inside jokes of the teenagers and young adults as they experience the rough ride together. It fills an an important need. It help us get through to adulthood. Pop music can be a life jacket, a sexy security blanket, a hipster Hallmark card. And it communicates very real things. It also requires serious craft and is a competitive business, worthy of great respect. Pop music saved my ass as a kid, paid the bills in my earlier career. And I love to make fun of it.

What’s A Dream About Lightning Bugs About?

Well, it’s a memoir by Ben Folds, covering childhood through the present (give or take a few years). He talks about the teachers that helped him along the way, his struggles in various schools, his early music career (including being a one-man polka band), how horrible he is at marriage, the formation of Ben Folds Five, the dissolution of it, his solo career, parenting and how (and why) his career is shifting, his thoughts on writing, music, comedy and all sorts of other things.

Basically, a little about everything.

Highlights

I don’t have time—and you don’t have the attention span—to write about all the things that are worth saying about this book. So, here’s a quick list of some of the highlights of the book:
bullet He has a section about humor records that he listened to as a kid, and muses on comedy in general. It was the first time in the book that things really clicked for me.
bullet There’s a section about life in the suburbs, the angry music associated with it in the 90s (and beyond) and I thought was really insightful.
bullet The story about the release day for his album Rockin’ the Suburbs and being live on the radio to promote it when the attacks for 9/11 happened. That chapter was just great.
bullet It’s hard to beat a section on writer’s block by someone who’s worked through it.
bullet I’m a big fan of the (little known) band Fleming and John—him talking about them for a paragraph or two made me really happy. Also, the part of the book about William Shatner? There’s nothing like a good Shatner story.
bullet Folds has done some truly horrible things on tour—throwing piano stools on a regular basis with the band (and breaking other things with those stools), lying like crazy about his personal life on tour with John Mayer and the fallout from it. It ain’t pretty, but it’s good to see him talking about it.

The Spotify Playlist

Random House has a Spotify playlist for the book, which is just a great idea. It’s a great soundtrack for the book or just fun to listen to on its own. There are many songs by Folds that he talks about or makes a passing reference to in the book. There are also many songs that he didn’t write/record but that he talks about. If you like Folds/the music that inspired him—you’re going to dig this.

So, what did I think about A Dream About Lightning Bugs?

I enjoyed getting to know Folds a bit better—warts and all. It took a long time for me to really get into it, though. Yes, the parts about his early life were interesting—and I enjoyed it, but it was really easy to put the book down.

But once we got to Ben Folds Five? I was hooked and I flew through the rest of the book. Maybe it’s because I was getting background information on the band and music I knew so well. But I think it’s because Folds shows a different kind of passion for things once his career started to take off and that passion translated into being more interesting reading. It’s likely a little of both and a few other things, too.

Some of the book that’s less about him and his career and more about his thoughts about creating, performing, music, etc.—that’s inspirational, motivational—and the kind of thing I’ll come back to re-read from time to time.

This probably isn’t a book for people who aren’t at least a casual fan of Folds as a solo artist or his band. But for those who are? It’s a lot of fun, and worth the time.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

My Favorite Theology/Christian Living Books of 2021

By HCNewton

On January 9, 2022

In News/Misc., Theology/Christian Living

Unlike 2020, when I posted about almost nothing I read in this category, I was much stricter with myself and posted about everything. I don’t know if anyone else appreciated or benefited from it, but I sure did. It also made this post a lot easier 🙂

As always, re-reads don’t count for these lists. It’s a self-imposed rule, so I don’t feel too bad about playing fast and loose with the rule for a couple of these entries.

(in alphabetical order by author)

The Wonderful Works of God

by Herman Bavinck

My original post
Bavinck boiled down the material covered in his four-volume Reformed Dogmatics into this “simple explanation of the Christian faith in a book of modest scope.” It’s a pastoral work, a compassionate work, and one that will repeatedly point to the Gospel as well as the Majesty of the Triune God.

5 Stars

Faith in the Time of Plague

Edited by Stephen M. Coleman and Todd M.Rester

My original post
This is an anthology of “plague writings” from (primarily) Reformation and post-Reformation era pastors and theologians, to show how leaders in the past dealt with times of widespread communicable disease. Those looking for easy answers to “how would the early Church or Reformers” deal with COVID-19 (or the like)”, will be disappointed. There are no quick and easy answers here. But this can remind readers that the Church has been through similar—and worse—times before. She likely will again. There have been careful, pastoral responses to it in the past, and that can be true again. We don’t have to have a snappy, one-size-fits-all approach at the first sign of trouble, but we are called to gracious, Christ-honoring, people-serving responses.

4 Stars

On God and Christ, The Five Theological Orations and Two Letters to Cledonius

by Gregory of Nazianzus, Translators: Frederick Williams & Lionel Wickham

My original post
These sermons were pivotal in the development of the position behind the modification to the Nicene Creed at the Council of Constantinople. It’s full of technical Trinitarian language, so it’s not the easiest thing to read. But with a lot of care, it’s rewarding. These sermons have lasted since the Fourth Century because they’re useful, educational, approachable, and understandable. The translator calls them “as much high art as high theology” in his introduction. This is a man who cares about what he’s talking about—this is important to him, important to his opponents, important to his audience, and therefore it must be dealt with carefully, with precision, and clearly. All of which translates well to us today.

5 Stars

Finding Hope in Hard Things: A Positive Take on Suffering

by Pierce Taylor Hibbs

My original post
The central thesis of the book is: hard things are going to shape us in ways easy things can’t. He develops this thesis through a collection of essays about the death of his father, his anxiety disorder, and his struggles with self-doubt. These case studies are just that, things that his readers can relate to, sympathize with, and find similarities in their lives. After that, Hibbs points to finding Christ and His purposes in the hard things, and that’s where we find hope. This isn’t a book that comes to say “here’s a bunch of things you need to know to deal with suffering,” instead it’s “here’s what I’ve learned while through these trials, maybe you can learn from what I’ve been through, too.”

3.5 Stars

What Happens When We Worship

by Jonathan Landry Cruse

My original post
This is not a manual for the “how-to” aspects of worship, nor does it wade into the “style” debates and conflicts, he doesn’t look into the “why” we do certain things in worship (although he brushes against the idea). This is about the supernatural aspect to the ordinary, weekly event. It’s about what God does to and for His people in worship, what’s happening as we worship. Edifying, educational, orthodox, and even devotional—this book will introduce you to the vital topic or will gently remind you of the things you’ve been taken for granted.

5 Stars

Things Unseen: A Systematic Introduction to the Christian Faith and Reformed Theology

by J. Gresham Machen

My original post
These are transcripts of weekly radio addresses Machen made presenting a systematic approach to Christian teaching. Flying in the face of the mode of the day, Machen gives a strong presentation of Reformed distinctives, as well as a whole-hearted belief in a supernatural Christianity. He’s succinct, pastoral, accessible, and even witty. These are not talks for scholars, or dumbed-down–they’re straightforward presentations of the topics for everyone. This is one of the most rewarding books I’ve read in a few years. Even when Machen is merely restating what generations before him taught, there’s a freshness to his presentations that really are appealing.

(I’m thumbing my nose at my “only new to me” rule here–I’ve read these talks in other collections several years ago–but not organized like this in one volume)

5 Stars

The Trinity: An Introduction

by Scott R. Swain

My original post
This is an introduction to the classical Christian doctrine of The Trinity. He’s not trying to re-invent the wheel, he’s definitely not trying to innovate, but to provide a concise jumping-off point into deeper studies by providing a solid foundation. While Swain never seems to be leaving out details or avoiding the complicated ideas (although he obviously has to), he keeps things short and sweet.

This is one of those books where my notes keep saying “Chapter X is likely the highlight of the book,” “the section on X is likely the most valuable in the book.” It appears 60-70% of the book is a highlight—and I may not have written all of those parts down. Which is to say, there’s a lot of gold here. Helpful, insightful, and useful—it also achieves its end for leading on to further study for me. It’s accessible, but not easy, reading. At the same time, it’s a challenging, but not difficult, text.

5 Stars

The Trinity and the Bible: On Theological Interpretation

by Scott R. Swain

My original post
Rather than one overarching topic, this is a collection of previously published papers that seek to show both how the Bible reveals the Trinity and how the Trinity shapes our reading of the Bible. This is not an easy read, but it was worth the effort, every bit of it. Like a lot of the more scholarly theological books I read, I was reminded frequently while reading that I’m not an academic and this is above my weight class. But it wasn’t inaccessible, just difficult and required a little commitment. Like all good academic theology, there were moments of the most doxological writing—or doxology-inspiring writing (or a mix). There are paragraphs and paragraphs that I wish I could commit to memory, so I could use them at the drop of my hat in conversation and in prayer.

5 Stars

Foundations of Covenant Theology: A Biblical-Theological Study of Genesis 1–3

by Lane G. Tipton

My original post
I’ve read several introductions to Covenant Theology in the last couple of decades. This is a different way of covering these concepts and it’s a very effective one. It’s also a different way of looking at Genesis 1-3. Almost every time I’ve seen these chapters explained and exegeted, it had to do with the doctrine of Creation, the Fall and the Promise of the Seed in Genesis 3, and so on. But Tipton’s approach—while addressing all that—focuses on the Big Picture, looking at the purposes behind Creation, the protoevangelium, the Covenants of Work and Grace, and how those are worked out in history (particularly in the last two chapters about Christ as the Promised Seed and the Second Adam).

It’s a self-described “brief and non-technical” book, building on the work of Geerhardus Vos and Meredith G. Kline. Maybe a bit too brief, a little more expansion would be beneficial, but a fascinating and helpful read.

4 Stars

Grace and Glory

by Geerhardus Vos

My original post
Another version of this book made this list a couple of years ago, but this version has more sermons. It’s easily the best collection of sermons I’ve ever read. Yes, there’s rich theology behind these sermons, but they’re primarily expositions and applications of the texts for the hearers. And, yes, the audiences of these sermons were students at Princeton Theological Seminary (before the downgrade that led to the creation of Westminster Theological Seminary), but these were not airy, academic addresses. Sure, as the initial hearers were largely future ministers, there are portions that are more applicable to preachers than to laity. But there’s not a lot of that, and even in the midst of one of those sections, there’s still a lot of gold to be mined.

5 Stars

My Favorite Non-Fiction Books of 2021

By HCNewton

On January 5, 2022

In (Auto)Biography, History, Humor, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs

Favorite Non-Fiction 2021
My 2021 Wrap up continues and now we’re on to the Non-Fiction list. While I liked a number of works that didn’t make this list, I felt strange calling them a “favorite.” So, we have 6 instead of the nigh-obligatory 10 (Hartford had two books on the list, but I wouldn’t let someone else do that on another list, so I trimmed one from this). Like last year, I was surprised that I’d given so many of these 3 or 3 1/2 stars. But these are the ones that stuck with me through the year; the ones I cited in conversation; that I thought about when reading something else or watching something on TV. Really, that’s what’s important, right?

As always, I only put books that I’ve read for the first time on this list. I don’t return to NF books (outside of looking up things for one or three points), but occasionally I do—for example, The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs would get a permanent spot on this list, were it not for this rule.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Blood and Treasure: Daniel Boone and the Fight for America’s First Frontier

by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

My original post
This book de-mythologized—and then re-mythologized (to a point) Daniel Boone, who ended up being more interesting (and more human) than I anticipated. Some of the writing was fantastic and you could forget you were reading history (there were other parts that were so dry it could be nothing else). The book looks at both Boone and the Fight for the Frontier—against Indians, French, and the English. It’s the kind of history book that convinces me that I should read more history—not to better myself, just because it’s worthwhile.

3.5 Stars

A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons

by Ben Folds

I haven’t written a post about this book yet, so it’s hard for me to try to give a thumbnail here. I enjoyed getting to know Folds a bit better—warts and all (and he’s not afraid to bring up some of the warts). Where this book really impressed me was when he talked about music—performing, creating, listening, what it means to a listener/performer. I’ve already returned to some of that material to reread—I’m not a musician, but I appreciate someone that thoughtful about it. It’s inspirational.

Also, his stuff about Shatner is just great.

3.5 Stars

The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics

by Tim Harford

My original post
This is one of those books I should go back and re-read, taking copious notes to help me internalize the points. We’re subject to people at work, on the news, online, and from the government throwing numbers, statistics, and “studies show” so often that it can be overwhelming. So much so that many people blindly accept everything they’re told from that formula, or doubt it all. Hartford’s point is that we should be skeptical, but to use that skepticism to dig out the real meaning behind the study/statistic and then use it for our advantage as a voter, citizen, employee, or person (or all of the above). Crystal clear writing, easily applicable, and more useful than most books on related subjects.

Actually, I think I just convinced myself to re-read it soon.

3 Stars

Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever

by John McWhorter

My original post
I’m a sucker for an entertaining look at language, and that’s what McWhorter delivered here. While I try to eschew the use of profanity, we’re surrounded by it so much more than we likely realize, so I might as well learn more about it, right? This was a solid look at the background and development of these “Big 9” words—in particular, I enjoyed McWhorter’s demonstration of how the words function as various parts of speech, as well as the varying nuances of meaning.

3 Stars

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism

by Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar

My original post
I talked about this in my favorite audiobook post, too, never fear—this’ll be the last time I bring it up this week.

Early on, Ruffin writes:

Twice a week, I get a text from my sister that says, “Can you talk?” It’s my favorite because I know I’m about to be transported to a place that exists in real life and fantasy: the place where coworkers will put their whole hand in your hair, talking ’bout “It’s fluffy like a dog.” I realize this sounds terrible, but it’s like watching Dateline. You can’t believe it was the GIRLFRIEND who killed the HUSBAND! It’s the edge of reality. Technically, it happens, but it is barely plausible. Excited, I steal away to the elevator banks at work and listen to Lacey tell me a new horror story. It’s fantastic. As I stand there, mouth agape, listening to some new fresh hell, I am always struck by the fact that these stories will only exist in this phone call. Some will go on to become stories once the topic turns to “racist people at work” one night when Lacey is hanging out with her friends, but she’ll forget most of them because of the sheer volume. The. Sheer. Volume.

That’s what this book is, a distillation of that volume. A compilation of the best/worst of those stories. They are tragic. They are sobering. They are frequently pretty funny. But only in the way they’re told. Lamar and Ruffin share these stories with an air of “you have to laugh or you’ll cry.” The kind of resigned laughter when you realize that your situation isn’t going to get better any time soon, so you might as well find the pleasure in it. A lot of this is hard to listen to/read—but it’s usually worth it. There’s also a decent level of “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” running throughout this.

4 Stars

Moonlighting: An Oral History

by Scott Ryan

My original post
It’s probably the most fun I’ve had with a book this year. Somehow, Ryan’s able to capture a little bit of the flavor of the show while getting into the history. Moonlighting was a revolutionary show, and he is able to talk to just about every significant figure involved in the creation and production of it for this history. He chronicles the ups, downs, and all-around zaniness. There are deep-dives on important episodes and or tricky scenes, as well as broader looks at themes, storylines, characters, etc. It’s easy to forget just how magical this show was, but spending some time with Ryan will remind viewers of a certain age of just what a ground-breaking, oft-controversial, and entertaining series it was.

5 Stars

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2021

By HCNewton

On January 4, 2022

In Audiobook, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Humor, Kevin Hearne, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs, Rick Riordan, Science Fiction, Seanan McGuire, Toby Daye, Tufa, Urban Fantasy

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2021
Last year I kicked off my Year-End Retrospective with a look at my favorite audiobooks, I might as well repeat that this year. How do I keep this from being just a rehash of my other year-end lists? By focusing on the audiobook experience over the content. What was it like to listen to it? How engaging was it, how did the narrator do? Was it a good match in terms of tone, content, and performance? All of these books are/were good—but the audiobooks are a bit better because of the narrator and the rest of the people involved in the production.

(in alphabetical order by author)

The Hum and the Shiver

by Alex Bledsoe, Emily Janice Card(Narrator), Stefan Rudnicki (Narrator)

This was my third or fourth trip through this book (maybe, fifth, but I don’t think so). I’m not sure if that means it was easy for me to be impressed—or maybe it was really hard because I had high expectations. Regardless, Rudnicki and Card took me to Cloud County and the land of the Tufa. I could believe that these people lived, breathed, and walked around in this world—and yet were otherworldly, as they ought to be. I knew Rudnicki could make me believe in a Fantasy world—it turns out that he can make me believe in this one, too. Card was right there with him.

4 Stars

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

by Elle Cosimano, Angela Dawe (Narration)

My original post
This is on the list because of Dawe’s narration. The text was entertaining enough, sure, but her narration is what made sure I remembered the book during the list-making time. The novel was a tricky balancing act between the various tones and characters, and Dawe makes you believe it. She captured the comedic sense of the novel along with the tension and emotional moments. There were a few accents involved and she did a believable job with them, too.

3.5 Stars

A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry

by Charles Dickens, Tim Curry (Narrator)

My original post
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: all you need to know about this is: Tim Curry. This wasn’t the performance I expected—I figured I was in for something near to over-the-top, with Curry going to town with the text. Instead, we’re treated to a respectful, restrained performance giving Dickens’ classic just the right emotional weight, sentimentality, personality, and life.

5 Stars

In This Bright Future

by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

My original post
Grainger and Jackson together have made this one of my Top 3 audiobook series, period. So my only question was how many of the books would end up on this list. I ended up limiting myself to one, and therefore it had to be this one—we get so little of our typical characters and settings, but Jackson is able to make Belfast as warm and homey as King’s Lake. There are elevated dangers and emotions in this book that we don’t typically get with D.C. Smith, but Jackson doesn’t miss a beat. Grainger puts D.C. through his paces, too. Both are at the top of their game—making D.C. at the top of his, too.

4 Stars

Ink & Sigil

by Kevin Hearne, Luke Daniels (Narrator)

Even though a pro like Luke Daniels is constantly doing voices/accents for his characters and the narration is almost never his “natural” voice (assuming he even has one anymore), I have to think that maintaining a Glaswegian accent for as long as he did for this book (ten hours and change, I think) has to be an added level of difficulty. Not that you can tell from listening to this. I thought the novel was a rollicking good time and just the way you should introduce a new series. The audiobook version just cemented that.

4 1/2 Stars

The Unkindest Tide

by Seanan McGuire, Mary Robinette Kowal (Narrator)

This novel was the payoff (as far as we know so far, I wouldn’t put it past McGuire to turn it upside down later) to a storyline that had been lingering and building for years, I remember being stunned when reading it—just that aspect of The Unkindest Tide brought a great combination of anticipation, grief, suspense, and surprise. The story of the novel—the trip to the Duchy of Ships, the intrigue around Dianda, etc. was as solid as it gets, too. I remembered all this going in, so it was all teed up for Kowal—and she nailed it, it almost felt like I hadn’t read the book before and was discovering it fresh. A narrator who can do that is tops in my book.

4 1/2 Stars

We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans and Comedy

by Kliph Nesteroff

My original post
As I was trimming down the list of audiobooks I listened to last year for this list, I didn’t expect that this would stay on the list. A history of Native Americans in Comedy, really? But I kept not deleting it…so I started thinking of it—there’s a social history, an entertainment history, with individual profiles mixed it—it has it all. What’s more, despite a pretty dry (but never boring) narration, and not using clips of original performances, the comedy of these individuals comes through. In the midst of hardship, suffering, prejudice, and hard breaks, there are some solid laughs. It’s hard not to keep thinking about that.

4 Stars

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods

by Rick Riordan, Jesse Bernstein (Narrator)

I started working on a post last year about contemporary myth retellings (and I intend on finishing it before my unconceived grandkids are ready to read it), and listened to this as part of that. In many ways, the book and the information didn’t fare well compared to things like Gaiman and Fry have recently produced. But this is here and they’re not—because as an audiobook this is a great experience. Bernstein is Percy Jackson here, and it felt like something ol’ Percy was sitting down and relating to future Camp Halfblood residents. It inspired me to listen to the original Percy Jackson series again just so I can listen to Bernstein perform this character.

3 Stars

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism

by Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar

My original post
I’m still telling people about this audiobook/book nine months later. I can’t think of a book that made me angrier, sadder, or made me laugh as much in 2021 (or a few years before it, either). This did all three. Ruffin’s narration, Lamar’s stories, their hurt, and their optimism make this a must-listen.

4 1/2 Stars

The Salvage Crew

by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, Nathan Fillion (Narrator)

My original post
This is a very strange SF story about a sentient AI (based on the memories and personality of an engineer). I think I’d have enjoyed the story had I read the novel, but it’s Nathan Fillion that brought it to life. That same charm that makes you like Caleb, Mal, Castle, and Nolan shines forth and makes you believe in this malfunctioning (at least eccentrically-functioning) AI and get invested in the AI’s survival and that of his ragtag crew.

4 Stars

Things Unseen: A Systematic Introduction to the Christian Faith and Reformed Theology by J. Gresham Machen: Concise Looks at Fundamental Doctrines

By HCNewton

On January 2, 2022

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Things Unseen:
A Systematic Introduction
to the Christian Faith
and Reformed Theology

by J. Gresham Machen

Hardcover, 426 pg.
Westminster Seminary Press, 2020

Read: January 3-December 26, 2021/td>

What’s Things Unseen About?

Starting in 1934 and continuing until his death in 1937 (although he had plans to keep it going for at least another two years), J. Gresham Machen delivered a series of radio addresses on WIP in Philadelphia. The addresses focused on the Christian doctrine of the Bible and what the Bible tells us about God, the Christian view of Man, and then doctrines of salvation (this was cut off before he completed it).

While not technically a Systematic Theology, the outline matches how many/most Systematics cover the topics.

These addresses had been collected and published in collections in previous decades, but now, they’re published in one attractive (and seemingly durable) volume.

So, what did I think about Things Unseen?

With a couple of weekends off for travel or sickness, I read a chapter a week this last year, and it was a great practice. The addresses took thirty minutes or so a week when delivered, so they take only a few minutes to read. But minutes that serve as a wonderful reminder of the basics of Christian Doctrine.

In the 1930s, the vogue was to downplay Reformed distinctives, as well as a whole-hearted belief in a supernatural Christianity. Machen flies in the face of that and was bold in his teaching on both fronts. He’s succinct, pastoral, accessible, and even witty. These are not talks for scholars, or dumbed-down–they’re straightforward presentations of the topics for everyone.

Were this a smaller collection, I might be able to get deeper about some of the topics–but there’s just too much to try to talk about. But it’s all great–this has been one of the most rewarding books I’ve read in a few years. Even when Machen is merely restating what generations before him taught, there’s a freshness to his presentations that really are appealing.

I can’t recommend this enough.

5 Stars

Catch-Up Quick Takes: A Few 2021 Books I Can’t do a Full Post About

By HCNewton

On December 30, 2021

In Audiobook, C. J. Box, Fiction, Joe Pickett, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy

The point of these quick takes posts is to catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

Super Powereds: Year 1

by Drew Hayes, Kyle McCarley (Narrator)
Series: Super Powereds, #1
Unabridged Audiobooks, 26 hrs., 11 min.
Tantor Audio, 2016
Read: November 19-25, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
Lander University has a program that most universities don’t. They offer a Hero Certification Program—a way for super-powered students to become qualified to be a super-hero. This book focuses on five particular students—they’re not just super-powered, they’ve got a secret, too.

As the title suggests, this book follows them over the first year—as they grow, increase in power and ability, develop bonds, and so on. The book is a nice mashup of superhero training and dumb college kids being dumb college kids.

I went into this expecting something that felt a lot like Fred, the Vampire Accountant. This was less like it than I thought possible—it’s much longer, it doesn’t feel like a collection of interconnected short stories, it’s a novel.

I was impressed at how different it is, sure. But I liked the story, world, and characters. I’m not sure I’m up for four more in this series, but I have a feeling that Hayes will change my mind.

3.5 Stars

Master of Formalities

by Scott Meyer, Luke Daniels (Narrator)
Unabridged Audiobook, 14 hrs., 58 min.
Brilliance Audio, 2015
Read: November 12-17, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
Thousands of years in the future, elaborate rules of honor, etiquette, and form have been imposed on the planetary governments to preserve order—even in the midst of war. We’re talking rules that Downton Abbey’s Carson would find overly elaborate and restrictive.

Two planets have been at war for decades—but things have come to a tipping point. It’s up to the two arbiters of these rules on these planets to keep things under control.

This book did something I didn’t expect—I would have admitted it was possible, but wouldn’t have expected that Scott Meyers and Luke Daniels produced something that left me frequently bored and that I had a hard time connecting with at all. It was clever, but that cleverness strayed into convolutedness in the plot. Good enough to listen to, but by a hair.

3 Stars

See Her Die

by Melinda Leigh
Series: Bree Taggert, #2
Kindle Edition, 315 pg.
Montlake, 2020
Read: September 30-October 2, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
I don’t have much to say about this book, which is why it’s here, but I wish I did. There’s just something nice about this series, and I’d like to talk about it more.

This is really a follow-up to the first in the series—okay, so Bree got herself the job, what’s she going to do with it? How are the vets in the department and the community as a whole going to handle her coming in? How is she going to do with the whole parental figure for her niece and nephew? Etc. We don’t get definitive answers, but we get some good ideas.

But more importantly, there’s a creepy killer on the loose. In the end, that story is both too outlandish to buy, and I can actually imagine reading about this happening.

I’m coming back for more.

3 Stars

Cold Wind

by C. J. Box, David Chandler (Narrator)
Series: Joe Pickett, #11
Unabridged Audiobook, 11 hrs., 13 min.
Recorded Books, 2011
Read: August 23-24, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
Wow. There’s a lot going on in this one. The events of the Nate story were horrible, but Box pulled it off in a way that will be good for the character/series long-term.

Killing Missy’s husband Earl on the other hand…well, like Joe himself, I’m not crazy about any time we spend with Missy, so making her a focal point of a novel isn’t going to make me thrilled with it. But, I ended up really liking this one, too.

These books don’t inspire a lot of thought or writing from me—and maybe they should—but I do consistently enjoy them. Chandler’s narration is solid as ever. At this point, I don’t think I can switch to the print version of the series—I need his voice for Joe and the gang.

4 Stars

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses

by Kristen O’Neal
Hardcover, 379 pg.
Quirk Publishing, 2021
Read: June 2, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
It’s really bothering me that I haven’t gotten a full post out of this yet—and it’s been long enough (and I lost my notes) that anything I end up saying will be super vague and would be too much work to get a longer post.

In a Discord support for chronic illnesses, a group of people from around the world from a variety of age groups, come together to share struggles common to people with a variety of ailments and disorders. A couple of them realize they live nearby and strike up a friendship. Eventually, one of them disappears from contact for too long, so the other takes it upon herself to go try to find her friend IRL.

It turns out that this friend’s chronic illness is a case of lycanthrophy—things get strange and heartwarming from there.

A lot of this is told in modern-epistolary: texts, emails, Discord chats, tumblr posts, etc., etc. I loved the jumble of methods used to tell the story. It really captures the feel for these characters and their lives.

If you look at places like Goodreads, you’ll see a lot of controversy about elements of this book. I didn’t know about any of it until I’d read the book. 96% of what I saw doesn’t reflect the book, and seems to stem from one or two people who hadn’t read the book. Ignore it all.

This was a fun, earnest story that addresses serious things like living with chronic disease and finding your place in the world along with silly things like Lycanthropy and excessive binge-watching with friends. A nice break from reality that maybe helps you think about some things.

3 Stars

Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives

by Tim Hartford, Nicholas Guy Smith (Narrator)
Unabridged Audiobook, 9 hrs., 45 min.
Penguin Audio, 2016
Read: December 16-17, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
I think I’m going to have to make a point to listen to more Hartford books—between the time I put this on my TBR list and picking it up, I’d forgotten it was by the man behind The Data Detective.

The basic premise is this—people who are messy (not those full of utter chaos in habits or possessions), function better than those who are ruled by rigid standards—either metaphorically or literally. When rules (primarily at work) are too inflexible it hurts productivity and satisfaction in the work.

So let people organize their work and workplaces as they will, don’t impose a filing system on people who don’t want it, etc. Sure, keep things tidy, but beyond that…let the individual reign. That’s a horrible oversimplification, but to do it justice would take…well, most of this book. Just go with that as a thumbnail and read/listen to it. It’s entertaining, thought-provoking, and empowering.

I think this went on a bit too long—perhaps if the last couple of chapters had been excised, it would’ve been better. But I might change my mind on a re-read/re-listen.

3.5 Stars

Stuff You Should Know:
An Incomplete Compendium
of Mostly Interesting Things

by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant
Unabridged Audiobook, 9 hrs.
Macmillan Audio, 2020
Read: December 27-28, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
Very little (if any) of this fits into things I should know, and I’m glad the subtitle talks about “Mostly Interesting” things. It’s a strange hodgepodge of in-depth look at topics like…the history of facial hair, Murphy beds, Mezcal, and child prodigies.

It was fine, but nothing special. Before I started it, I figured this would end up turning me into a subscriber to the podcast. It didn’t, but I can see why people would listen to it—the narrators/hosts are pretty engaging and had an interesting approach to their explanations. Maybe it was these topics, the randomness of the topics, or…I don’t know. I just didn’t see the point. It made for a good soundtrack to my workday, but within two days, I’ve pretty much forgotten everything I heard.

2 1/2 Stars

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Faith in the Time of Plague Edited by Stephen M. Coleman and Todd M. Rester: Reformation and Post-Reformation Voices Speak to Our Moment

By HCNewton

On December 26, 2021

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Faith in the Time of Plague

Edited by Stephen M. Coleman and Todd M.Rester

Hardcover, 309 pg.
Westminster Seminary Press, 2021

Read: November 7-December 12, 2021

The main point? Two rocks must be steered clear of: stupid boldness and exceedingly vicious fear. On the first, one does those things that while we fear nothing—would often lose ourselves and others. On the second it happens that as we would look to our own life, we would desert the work of Christ. Therefore, let us fear what can happen if we fail to avoid those evils. But let us be confident in the Lord and let us remain as steadfast as possible—even to the point of death—in our calling and in the work of Christ.

What’s Faith in the Time of Plague About?

The Editors describe the book like this:

The body of extant plague writings is vast and much of it remains unavailable in English. The selections in this book were determined to a great extent by the treasures that came to light in translating the 1655 pamphlet Variorum tractatus theologici de peste, which makes up Part I of the book. This collection of tracts is an unparalleled Post-Reformation treatment of the plague, from pastoral and scholarly points of view. Part II consists of those Reformation and Post-Reformation works that Beza, Rivet, Voetius, and Hoornbeeck [the authors in Part I] engaged with frequently (Zanchi, Abbot, and Ursinus). Alongside those pieces are additional contemporary works that we felt would be especially useful for pastors, scholars, and interested readers to have available in book form (Zwingli, Luther, Lavater, and Rawlet), and which give the reader a more complete picture of the Reformed tradition’s branch of plague writings. Each of these eleven authors addresses the unique questions posited by the plague in distinct ways, yet each does so by definitively Reformed methods—grounded in Scripture, historically informed, and always with the issue of faith in Christ at the forefront.

There are also two appendices, On Mortality by Cyprian of Carthage—a work that multiple authors in the main texts refer to (and likely shape even those who don’t) and the section Prayer and Thanksgiving from the Book of Common Prayer—an application of all the theology of the main texts.

Part 1: Variorum tractatus theologici de peste

The various works in part one are careful, methodical, Scriptural, and thorough—they cover all the bases. The treatise by Beza seems to both reflect the thinking of the rest of the Reformation as much as it shapes everything that comes after (or at least everything in the book).

Some parts of this took some work to get through, but it was worth it.

Part II: Reformation and Post-Reformation Plague Writings

Others sin on the right hand. They are much too rash and reckless, tempting God and disregarding everything which might counteract death and the plague. They disdain the use of medicines; they do not avoid places and persons infected by the plague, but lightheartedly make sport of it and wish to prove how independent they are. They say that it is God’s punishment; if he wants to protect them he can do so without medicines or our carefulness. This is not trusting God but tempting him. God has created medicines and provided us with intelligence to guard and take good care of the body so that we can live in good health.

For me, this part of the book (roughly a third) was the most rewarding. Luther’s Whether One May Flee from a Deadly Plague covered most/all of the points in Part I, but in a pithier and more digestible fashion. Which is what you expect from Luther, right?

Zwingli’s Plauge Hymn is great. I really don’t know what else to say.

The most moving, the most personal entry in the volume is John Rawlet’s A Letter to my Mother is clearly part of that preparation for death mentioned in the post last week. In this printing, it’s an eleven-page letter* written by an Anglican minister in London sure he was soon to contract the plague and die. He was wrong about contracting the plague and never sent the letter—but he was ready for it.

* Hard to fathom in the age of texts, tweets, and email.

An Unimportant Observation

I’m pretty sure I’ve never run into the word “licit” as often as I have in this work. Like most people (especially those who read a lot of Crime Fiction), I run across “illicit” all the time. But “licit”? Almost never.

Maybe it’s a quirk of the translators, but I doubt it. It’s just refreshing to see the word—and it’s one I’m going to try to use more often.

So, what did I think about Faith in the Time of Plague?

One thing that struck me was how often these Reformation authors appealed to earlier theologians (like Cyprian). But largely not about plagues or other diseases. Instead, it was how they approached the response to persecution—could believers flee from it, or do they have to run toward it or simply wait for it? Both persecution and disease come from the Lord—as both trial and result of sin.

I have to say, I’m not sure I’d have approached it that way before.

Those looking for easy answers to “how would the early Church or Reformers” deal with COVID-19 (or the like)”, will be disappointed. There are no quick and easy answers here. But this can remind readers that the Church has been through similar—and worse—times before. She likely will again. There have been careful, pastoral responses to it in the past, and that can be true again. We don’t have to have a snappy, one-size-fits-all approach at the first sign of trouble, but we are called to gracious, Christ-honoring, people-serving responses.

These are some excellent examples of how to do it. This isn’t the easiest, breeziest thing I’ve read this year—it might even be the furthest from it. But it’s an invaluable resource and I’m glad Westminster Seminary Press brought it to us.

A Sheep Remembers by David B. Calhoun: Remembering Psalm 23

By HCNewton

On December 19, 2021

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

A Sheep Remembers

by David B. Calhoun

Paperback, 137 pg.
Banner of Truth Trust, 2021

Read: December 12, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

All the circumstances of the pilgrimage—want, weariness, journeyings, wanderings, perplexities, the shadowed mysteries of the valleys, the thronging enemies, and the infinite beyond—are present; and the singer knows them. They are, however, only mentioned to sing of their negation by the graciousness of the Shepherd. Want is cancelled. For weariness he has green pastures of rest. On journeys he leads by pleasant ways. From wanderings he restores. Through perplexities he guides, and that by right ways. In the valleys of death’s shadow his presence cancels fear. In the presence of enemies he makes a feast, and he is a host royal in bounty.

What’s A Sheep Remembers About?

RIght out of the gate, Calhoun cites Spurgeon: “I cannot say anything new on this text…But I can remind you of old and precious truths,” and that’s pretty much Calhoun’s mission statement, reminding readers about Psalm 23. He’s not trying to shake things up with a new understanding, he’s not going for bold scholarship, or something along those lines. It’s simply an exercise in taking a slow look at what we already know, to remember the old and precious truths.

Each chapter takes a verse (or less) and reflects on it—the chapter starts with a version of the Psalm or a hymn based on it, then there’s a commentary on the phrase(s) examined, something written by a shepherd to help the reader understand (literal) sheep and their ways, illustrations from others to help understand the theme of the chapter and then a part of his own life story. The commentary sections are largely strings of quotations from other writers of various theological persuasions and varying degrees of orthodoxy, with a little addition from Calhoun–mostly to tie them together.

Preparing to Die

Calhoun talks about this in the book a bit—the Puritans had a practice to prepare for death, when terminally ill (or at least when they would suppose they were), they’d meditate on death, and the state of their soul as they neared it. In many ways, that’s what this book was for him.

Calhoun had been battling cancer for years, and he knew his death was imminent—he actually died shortly after delivering the final version of the manuscript to the publishers. You can tell from the latter chapters that he was very aware of the shortness of his time. Which adds some poignancy to this work—particularly the chapters concerning “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” and “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Supplementary Material

I don’t typically talk about this kind of thing—because, why would I? But these merit a mention.

Calhoun includes an Addendum of Additional Versions of Psalm 23—the versions included in the text were good, but I guess that there just weren’t enough chapters for everything he wanted to use. I haven’t seen most of these before and I’m glad I was exposed to them.

The Bibliography is your standard bibliography, but Calhoun includes some personal notes describing the works—that’s a nice touch, and I wish more people would do that.

So, what did I think about A Sheep Remembers?

How could I be joyful when my body was slowly, perhaps not so slowly, dying? I have lost sight in one eye and the other eye is failing, as is my hearing. I have been hospitalized seven or eight times in the last three years with pneumonia. I can no longer swallow food or talk very well. And, most disturbing, my mind is letting me down. How could I be joyful when all this was happening to me? In the valley I learned that joy comes, not from my feelings, nor from my daily experiences, but from the inner conviction that my life is going according to God’s plan. Joy is a gift of God. David wrote, ‘You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound’ (Psa. 4:7).

This book isn’t just about Psalm 23 in the abstract, it’s about Calhoun’s Shepherd guiding him through his cancer. The latter is what made this book worth reading.

Like the other book I’ve read by Calhoun, In Their Own Words, the bulk of the text seems to be tiny quotations—that quotation I open this post with isn’t Calhoun, it’s G. Campbell Morgan—and it’s one of the longest quotations Calhoun uses, many are a single sentence long. It takes a certain genius to have these various sources on hand and be able to cite them together in such a way to present an argument. But really, Calhoun seems to use these to frame his argument, rather than to support it.

I appreciated the work, I profited from it—but I think it could’ve been stronger. If there was more of Calhoun, and less a medley of other writers—I think it would’ve been.

Still, it’s hard to walk away from time in this Psalm and not be refreshed. And the quotations, sayings, metrical versions, and paraphrases assembled here all help that endeavor. It’s hard to say anything bad about that.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

We Had a Little Real Estate Problem (Audiobook) by Kliph Nesteroff: One of Those Books You Didn’t Know was Needed Until You Read It

By HCNewton

On December 16, 2021

In Audiobook, Humor, Non-Fiction

We Had a Little Real Estate Problem:
The Unheralded Story of
Native Americans and Comedy

by Kliph Nesteroff

Unabridged Audiobook, 9 hrs., 34 min.
Simon & Schuster Audio, 2021

Read: December 8-9, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s We Had a Little Real Estate Problem About?

This book sketches a broad history—roughly from the end of the 19th Century to the present—of Native Americans in comedy. He starts with things like wild west shows and circuses—where people like P. T. Barnum presented “authentic Indian” practices, but would define what was authentic for the people who’d do the performing, and would punish them if they did anything actually authentic. So right away, you know this is going to be a feel-good story.

In the early days of Movies and TV, it’s not much better for most—Indians were stereotyped and usually played by Whites. Sure, you’d get occasional people like Will Rogers as the exception. Nesteroff chronicles the struggles for representation from then up to “Iron Eyes” Cody (and beyond, I’m sure).

Then he sketches out the bright spots for Native Americans in the contemporary comedy scene, from stand-up to theater to TV writing. Nesteroff spent a lot of time on Charlie Hill’s life, career, and legacy—who made a lot of the contemporary advances possible. Frankly, he could’ve spent more time on it and kept me interested (although what he gave was sufficient). His interactions with Richard Pryor was fascinating.

Interspersed with the history are brief profiles of individual comedians/teams and their careers. So it’s not just a history of the industry, but we get spotlights on individuals, too. They were definitely the highlights of the book for me.

How Funny Was It?

Nesteroff kept the narration restrained—he’s a stand-up, so I’m sure his instincts were to perform (at least) a bit more than he did. But he read it the same way you’d read a book about productivity. I’d think that would be particularly difficult when he read a transcript or script from a comedy piece/interview. But even then—the material shone through and I found myself audibly chuckling frequently. Funny stuff is funny (would’ve been funnier in the original, I’m sure, but getting permissions necessary to do that would’ve made this audiobook too expensive to produce)

So, what did I think about We Had a Little Real Estate Problem?

I heard Marc Maron talk about this book a little on his podcast (but I haven’t gotten around to any of the episodes with the author), and it seemed like it’d be up my alley. I love hearing about the business of comedy and the people that are behind it. Focusing on this one story? Sounded like a great idea. And I think Nesteroff pulled it off.

I guess I would think as a history, it’s probably incomplete—but I’m not sure how you can do a comprehensive history of something like this.

I think the central premise of this—media depictions of Native Americans makes them conform too much to a stolid, serious, stoic type—or a tragic one. It’s hard to believe that encompasses any culture—much less the great number of Native American cultures in North America. To promote understanding between cultures in the US and Canada, we ought to see all aspects of them.

The profiles—either brief or extended (like Charlie Hill and Will Rogers)—were interesting enough to make me go check out samples (and sometimes more) of the work. The overall narrative was interesting and optimistic.

I think the book worked—if you’re at all interested in the behind-the-scenes of comedy, about those who make the movies/shows/stand-up you enjoy, you’ll probably think so, too.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Who Is Jesus? Knowing Christ through His “I Am” Sayings by J. V. Fesko

By HCNewton

On December 12, 2021

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Who Is Jesus?:
Knowing Christ through
His “I Am” Sayings

by J. V. Fesko

Paperback, 93 pg.
Reformation Heritage Books, 2016

Read: December 5, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Who is Jesus? About?

This book does three things—at the same time—first and foremost, it looks at all fourteen times that Jesus uses the phrase “I am,” in the Gospel of John, and discusses the context and meaning of it. Fesko doesn’t just look at Christ’s meaning of “the door,” “the bread of life,” and so on, but the significance of the use of “I am” (ἐγώ εἰμι, ego eimi).

Secondly, it looks at the “seven signs of divinity” presented in John—and how they’re intertwined in the “I am” sayings. But Fesko doesn’t let the focus linger on these signs.

Lastly, and this is the unique part of this study, is to look at the Old Testament allusions and roots of the fourteen “I am”s. Seeing how Christ was self-consciously pointing to the Scriptures to show how he fulfills them is a real treasure.

Fesko concludes each chapter with a few paragraphs of application to the reader and some questions for further study.

So, what did I think about Who is Jesus??

This might not be the best comparison, but it’s the one that I kept thinking of as I read this, so…if you don’t like this, I’ll give you a full refund for the cost of your subscription.

In The West Wing, there were repeated worries about the President’s approach to things—the way he interacts with people, there’s “The President at his Best”/”The Professor” or “Uncle Fluffy.” Fesko’s books feel like they’re written the same way. For example, Death in Adam, Life in Christ: The Doctrine of Imputation or Word, Water, and Spirit: A Reformed Perspective on Baptism are products of “The Professor.” Who is Jesus? is pure Uncle Fluffy.

This is not a complaint. This is an observation. Well, okay, maybe a little of a complaint. I’m glad this was the Uncle Fluffy Fesko—I appreciated that this was an accessible, short read—but I think it could’ve used a little more of The Professor. Just a little more depth would’ve been great. But it’s good as it is, just could’ve been a bit better.

At the same time—you give me a version of this book by The Professor? I’m there in a heartbeat.

Who is Jesus? is a quick read (it’s very easy to be too quick about it, I had to tap my breaks a few times), but it’s a good read. There’s a richness to the study of the “I Am” sayings and a real reward to looking at their Old Testament roots. This is well-worth your time, it’d be good for Bible Studies, Sunday Schools—even Family Worship aids.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.