the joy of reading 3: anybody out there

After my disappointment with Lipstick Jungle, I looked through my library for the books I still hadn’t read and saw the Marian Keyes I had recently bought calling out to me. I thought, ’she’s a light read, funny and usually a good story teller’ so I took the title ‘Anybody Out There’ to bed with me a couple of nights.

Good story, good plot. ‘Anybody Out There’ takes you in and you think that you may be able to predict what will happen then halfway through it you get  surprised by a twist in the plot that’s highly unlikely.

The book reminds me of a warm, slice of life, independent film production that keeps it real while at the same time telling a story with a lesson to learn. Life does go on. No matter how down you get, our souls have the ability to restore, to heal and smile once again. And the best thing about a relationship is the memories that you create together – that can never be taken away from you.

A lovely book with moments of laughter as expected of Marian Keyes and some moments of pure sadness. If I were the crying type, I probably would have drenched my pillow.

Praise for Evermore by Alyson Noel, Blue Moon sequel releases July 7

 

Praise for Evermore by Alyson Noel:  Pre-Order from Amazon

“Evermore is addictive.  When I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about how I could sneak away to read some more.  I couldn’t put it down.  I dreamt abuot this book.  And when I was finished, I couldn’t get it out of my head.  This book was simply breathtaking.” –Teens Read Too

“Teen angst and the paranormal make a combustible mix as Noel utilizes typical themes and gives them a dangerous and eerie twist. Getting hooked on this new series, The Immortals, is guaranteed.”–4 stars!  Romantic Times Magazine

“Readers who enjoy the works of PC Cast and Stephenie Meyer will love this outstanding paranormal teen-lit thriller.” –Midwest Book Review

“Get ready for a wild ride that is filled with twisting paths and mystery, love and fantasy. . . The writing style, story, and characters are a bit like Meyer and Marr’s popular books, but written with a new twist and voice. And after reading the book, you too will probably want your own Damen, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.”  –5/5 stars! The Book Queen

“I found myself unwilling to put the book down, even though I had to at some points, because I wanted to know what was going to happen…Ever was so real and her emotions were so believable that it was a little creepy. It’s like Alyson Noël is actually a grieving, lovestruck teenager. She got Ever completely perfect. And by perfect, I mean delightfully flawed and deep.” –The Frenetic Reader

“Evermore is a wonderful book that I believe would be a lovely addition to any library . . .Definitely a book that fans of Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr should add to their collections. Definitely engaging and will catch your attention the minute you open to the first page!” - Mind of a Bibliophile

“Alyson Noel creates a great picture of each and every character in the book. I am a fan of the Twlight series and I recommend this book to those who like the series as well. It is a very quick read, with all the interesting twist and turns.” –Flamingnet Book Reviews

“I loved this book. It really keeps your attention though out the story, because the puzzle gets pieced together bit by bit, but you don’t know exactly what happened until the end. The only thing that disappoints me is that the second book won’t be published for a while. I would definitely recommend this to my friends.” –Portsmouth Teen Book Review

“This is the first installment of The Immortals series. Ms. Noël pens a well-detailed story that makes it easy for the reader to visualize both the characters and the world around them. Evermore has a familiar theme that attracts readers, but inside this book you’ll find that the author has added some unique details that sets it apart.” –Darque Reviews

“Evermore’s suspense, eerie mystery, and strange magic were interestingly entertaining…I found Ever to be a character I could really respect…Recommended.” –The Bookworm

“Beautiful main characters, tense budding romance, a dark secret, mysterious immortals—what more could you ask from this modern gothic romance?” –Justine Magazine

“Evermore was a great way to lighten my reading load this winter and provided me with a creative, magical story that I really enjoyed. This is the first in a series for Noel and I think she may have a hit on her hands . . . Evermore has good and evil, likable characters, vivid descriptions and a good story.”- Planet Books

“I fell into it easily, and loved the world Noel created . . . The fact that Ever had psychic powers was truly interesting. They flowed neatly through the book and I felt Ever’s pain . .trust me, this book was really good. I couldn’t put it down. Alyson Noel created an amazing new world, and after this book I am so curious to see where it heads because honestly, I have no idea.” – Reading Keeps You Sane

“Ever is an easy character to like. I really felt for her because of all she lost and what she struggled with daily…Evermore was a really fast, engaging read with some great characters. It is the first in a series, so I’m eager to see if we will learn more about Ever, Damen and friends in the next one…it’s sure to be a great read.”- Ninja reviews“The writing here is clear, the story well-defined and narrator Ever has an engaging voice that teens should enjoy.”- January Magazine

“Alyson Noël created a well-detailed story that makes it easy for the reader to visualize both the characters and the world around them. Evermore has a familiar theme that attracts readers, but inside this book you’ll find that the author has added some unique details that sets it apart and will surprise you.”- The Ravenous Reader

Product Description

     Eager to learn everything she can about her new abilities as an Immortal, Ever turns to her beloved Damen to show her the way. But just as her powers are increasing, Damen’s are waning.

     In an attempt to save him, Ever travels to the magical dimension of Summerland, where she learns the secrets of Damen’s tortured past; a past which he has always kept hidden from her. But in her quest to cure Damen, Ever discovers an ancient text that details the workings of time. Now Ever must chose between turning back the past and saving her family from the accident that claimed their lives—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows sicker every day…

Book Review: The Yorkshire Pudding Club by Milly Johnson

The Yorkshire Pudding Club is the debut novel by Milly Johnson, and what a stonker of a debut it is too. Elizabeth, Helen and Janey are all in their late thirties, and happily settled in their careers and in their relationships.

However, their lives are thrown into madness when after a visit to an ancient fertility symbol, all 3 women find themselves ‘with child’!

Helen is thrilled to be pregnant after trying for a while, Janey is in shock as the baby will reck all plans of furthering her career, and Elizabeth is completely thrown, scared she won’t love her baby and scared of being alone.

What I enjoyed most abut the novel was the easy way in which the author has weaved the stories of the three women with that of the other women. It reads so easily and wonderfully, you just can just lose yourself in the story, it is so absorbing and a simple joy to read! Throughout the book, the story switches regularly from focussing on one of the women then to another, and often with chapters containing them all together. This is a great technique in the book and makes it veryenjoyable for the reader.

Each of the characters are well written and you feel as if you know all of the women. You are given a history on all of them, and we fully go into their lives and feelings about being pregnant, from discovering they are expecting right up to the birth of one of the children. Helen’s character started as being the one I disliked the most, but by the end I had the most respect for her and was willing it all to work out for her! Elizabeth was a very hard character to like, a woman who didn’t like anyone getting close to her, and this is how the author has written her as well. And finally Janey is the comic relief throughout the book, and probably my favourite character. Each of the women are very different, yet all are fundamentally the same, experiencing everything together, and have a wonderful friendship which is lovely to read.

I also liked the human aspect of the story, watching each woman cope with the pregnancy and reading about how their feelings changed towards the baby by the end of the book. As well as the main 3 characters, there are several supporting characters too. John is the one Elizabeth let go, but he’s moved back to town and befriends her once more. George is Janey’s husband, a man so desperate to be a father he’d do anything to have a baby with his wife. Simon is Helen’s slime-ball of a husband, and someone I absolutely detested. I found the scenes between these 2 particularly hard to read. There were also the work colleagues of the characters but they don’t really need a mention! The male characters in the book were also well written and their feelings weren’t left out which is a sign of a great writer.

For a debut novel, I think this one is amazing. I was hooked right from the start and just couldn’t put it down. The story is a wonderful one to read and just reads so incredibly well. You are taken right into the lives of these women and so many emotions and secrets are revealed throughout the book, you are left guessing about certain things right up until the end. The author has a wonderful writing style which makes for easy and simple reading, yet managing to keep you hooked as well. The book is written in the third person which allows for easy switching between the characters. Simply superb, I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone. A pure joy to read.

Rating: 5/5

Read an exclusive interview with the author Milly Johnson here.

Europe: A Force for the New Century or Decaying Superpower?

One of the favourite hobbies of modern political scientists  is predicting the future of the world balance of power.  Often, they focus on the United States-China competition that is beginning to come into view.  What, however, do political scientists predict for Europe?  In the two recent books, The Last Days of Europe: Epitaph for an Old Continent, by Walter Laqueur and Why Europe Will Run the 21st Century, by Mark Leonard, two starkly contrasting predictions of the future of Europe are portrayed.

There is little disagreement that Europe is no longer the economic or political force that it once was, in the period of colonial empires that spanned whole continents.  With the end of the Second World War, and the subsequent Cold War, Europe has entered into a period of relative calm, a so-called “Pax Europaea”.  The countries of Europe are co-operating on a level never before seen in history.  Rather than engaging in bloody skirmishes against each other, they are blazing a new trail of close integration.  Their co-operative monetary policy through the European Central Bank, shared agricultural policy, new shared military initiatives (such as EUFOR) are all examples of a dissolution of traditional continental conflicts.  However, the future of the European Community is a hotly debated topic.  In these two previously mentioned books, authors debate the domestic and international pressures that will dictate the future of the continent.

In Laqueur’s book, he makes very bleak predictions for Europe.  He argues that a combination of factors relating to demographics will permanently alter the face of Western Europe.  Through lax immigration policies, and the relatively low birth rate of ethnic Europeans, Laqueur argues, the racial background of the continent will change.  According to Laqueur, recent immigrants to Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are not assimilating into society, which leads to clashes between the ethnic groups.  He points to the murder of Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands, a controversial filmmaker and critic of Islam.  Van Gogh’s gruesome murder sent shock waves through the Netherlands, inciting an increase in anti-Islamic violence.  This sort of conflict and tension, he believes, will significantly weaken Europe, in part due to the accepting nature of European society.  It is evident, Laqueur believes, that the politics of Europe, both domestically and internationally, will change with the shift in demographics.

On the other hand, Mark Leonard’s book is more focused on the foreign policy of the EU and member states, and the nature of European “soft power”.  Leonard primarily addresses the belief that unilateralist American foreign policy will continue to dominate the world stage.  On the contrary, he argues; the multilateralist nature of the governance of the European Union will serve as an example for future international co-operation.  Due to the confrontational nature of American foreign policy, under the previous administration, the United States’ image abroad has become tarnished, and is not capable of executing complex diplomatic maneuvers that may be required of it.  With the Obama administration, this is changing, though it can be argued that U.S. policy is, in fact, taking some cues from Europe.  With President Obama saying that he is willing to meet with leaders of states that were considered opponents of the United States, it is clear that a new page is being turned at the State Department.

Whether either of these predictions will be true is unknown at the current stage.  One is particularly pessimistic, and the other very optimistic.  For certain, however, is that the world’s largest economy and second largest military spender, the European Union, will continue to be a force in global politics for decades to come.  No matter the change in balance of power between the United States and China, it is unlikely that the most dire predictions of Laqueur’s creation will ring true.  Neither will the old continent be able to overcome the demographic, environmental, and economic issues that face it in the future.  All will rely upon the ability of the European multilateral approach to succeed, and upon the fragile system of governance that resides in Brussels.

Inventing new References for Values

“Instantaneous Expediencies” (April 30, 2009)

 

            We are experiencing a form of policies in the developed nations that is emulating the urges of its citizens for Instantaneous Expediencies related to desires, wishes, demands, acquisition, communication, gathering of intelligence, information, orders, and delivery around the world.  Our current development is characterized by accelerated paces in sciences, technologies, and communication, and delivery of our wishes either through the net, the phone, or airplanes within days if not seconds. If we understand that human history progressed in major three phases of change and dissemination of intelligence of the changes in science, technologies, social and political organization, traditions, and cultures then we might grasp our current problems and how to find common denominators for resolutions.

 

            There was a time when dissemination of information among the tribes was very slow and the changes taking place among tribes were even slower so that the world was at peace of rivalries and greed.  The next phase of settled communities in urban and agricultural regions experienced accelerated changes in many ways of progress but the dissemination of this intelligence was very slow and the identities of each region developed through traditions, customs, and myths.  By the 16th century and as the Portuguese and Spanish circumnavigated the oceans and discovered many maritime routes for trade and exploitation and met with various ethic groups then the third phase of human development occurred.  This third phase was characterized by the dissemination of ideas, sciences, and know-how progressed at a higher pace than the actual social and political changes in the European nations and thus, the world communities exhibited some kind of generalized uniformity in dwelling designs and forms of political and social organizations and structure.

 

            The world is faced with a bunch of catastrophic problems from financial and economical difficulties, to environmental disasters that will not spare the next generation, to the emergence of potential superpowers with larger middle classes that can afford and demand all the consumer goods that the west has enjoyed for over a century, and to extremism in religions and nationalism to name just a few.  All these cataclysmic problems require global resolutions but solutions and decisions are done on national basis as Amine Maluf stated in “A World Adrift”

 

            After the disintegration of the communist Soviet Union in 1989 Europe and particularly the US realized that they could dominate the World economically and militarily.  By 2001, the US Bush Junior administration of neo-conservatives could no longer resist to test the notion of Instantaneous Expediencies.  The US administration had the urge to put in practice its power of perceived world police force.  In no times, the administration delivered its summons to the European Union and the UN to adhere to the US plans of invading Iraq.  The material potentials were there but the moral value and culture of the US administration were fidgeted in another era of staunch nationalism and religious zealotry.

 

William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) wrote “Man has survived because he was too ignorant to know how to realize his wishes (desires).  Now that he can realize his wishes, then he must either change them or perish”.

Book Review: The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster

“I was looking for a quiet place to die.”

So starts Paul Auster’s latest commentary on our ironic lives. The Brooklyn Follies follows the unlikely protagonist Nathan Glass, an undistinguished man of 59 years who has recently separated from his wife and wants nothing more than to return to his place of birth to fade into the vast canvas of a complex city. This dream is short lived, as he soon becomes involved in the tragically misguided lives around him, including his resigned nephew Tom, a desperate book dealing art forger, Harry, and a stubbornly silent little girl with a strange and mysterious past, Lucy.

These odd characters commence to bring color, light, and life to Nathan’s previously dreary existence. In turn, they also flood his simple life with their problems. Unifying (and titling) the book is the main character’s latest endeavor, a project to document every peculiarity, idiocy, and anecdote that he encounters in his genuinely unique life. The novel dances effortlessly from one tale to another, less concerned with a central point than with maintaining the clever and humorous tone of a middle aged fool.

While the novel is sometimes lacking in direction, it still plows forwards, savoring the inspiring moments and escaping the painfully awkward. Most importantly, its never a difficult read, as it retains its humorous narration. The false authenticity of the stories that Nathan/Auster chooses to share with his audience are clear evidence of his earlier work on the NPR story corps project; he’s read enough stories from real people to effectively fake them.

Ultimately, it’s an excellent read. The novel is poignant; hilarious at times and painfully honest at others, and never fails to remind the reader of the rare curiosity that is their own life.

• Read (some of) it at Google Books.
• Borrow it from Montgomery County Public Libraries.
• Buy it on Amazon.

Read it.  It’ll make you laugh.

David A. DeSilva: An Introduction to the New Testament

David A. DeSilva

An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods, & Ministry Formation.  Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2004.  975 pgs. 

Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to read a great deal of David DeSilva’s introduction to the New Testament.  In this book DeSilva seeks to equip Christian leaders to

(1) more fully engage the critical and prayerful study of the New Testament, and (2) more reliably discern the direction the Spirit would give through these texts for nurturing disciples and building communities of faith that reflect the heart and character of their Lord [20].

DeSilva seeks to achieve these two goals through by (1) taking a text-centered approach (as opposed to primarily pursuing early church history and Christian origins), (2) presenting numerous interpretative strategies that cut across ideological boundaries, and (3) by reflecting on the spiritual and pastoral implications of each book of the New Testament [20-21].

Each chapter begins with the standard questions of New Testament scholarship, attending to matters of authorship, date, genre and the like.  DeSilva usually does an admirable  job of  giving the reader an ample survey of the salient points without getting bogged down in the finer minutiae that consumes the professional scholar.  Further, the language of this section is understandable for the beginner. 

Following this, DeSilva begins to expound the message and theology of the NT book in question.  What makes this section invaluable is that you can never quite “label” or pin him down: as soon as you think he is simply a theological conservative, he will write something that would make many conservatives bristle, and visa-versa.  At times DeSilva’s most impassioned arguments will be for a view he rejects.  Sometimes you end a chapter not completely sure what he thinks about certain features of a NT book.  Much like his subject matter, DeSilva’s views cannot be fit into one mold, and that makes for more engaging reading.

As DeSilva builds his case for his interpretation, there are occasional inserts that allow eager readers to receive fuller treatments of certain themes or issues surrounding the NT [eg "The New Perspective on Paul and Early Judaism (500-1)," "Wisdom Christology in Colossians 1:15-20 (695)," and "Sources and Stages in the Composition of Revelation (892)," to name a few].  These sidebars, while giving more detail, do not depart from the overall readability of the volume for the novice.

Usually near the end of the chapter, DeSilva includes at least one section focused on exegetical techniques [20].  This “Exegetical Skill” section introduces the reader to a wide array of exegetical techniques, and like the sidebars mentioned above contains its own bibliography.  These sections are usually between 5-10 pages, include practical exercises to begin applying the technique, and are usually placed within a study of a book where the technique is especially relevant (ex: Feminist Criticism in the chapter on the Pastoral Epistles).  These techniques span across the theological and idealogical spectrum, and there will be likely a section or two in DeSilva’s work that will make the reader uneasy, to his/her benefit [767].  While it is clear that DeSilva favors some techniques over others (Rhetorical Criticism receives treatment at least four separate times), each technique is explicated with charity, extolling the value of it for if nothing else the questions it raises (see 757-70).

At the conclusion of each chapter is a “Ministry Formation” section, similar in length and format to the “Exegetical Skill” section.  Here DeSilva attempts to tie the exegetical work done in the chapter to the life of ministry.  At times i was convicted reading this section, as it challenged me to wrestle with all the information i had just gathered in relationship to my concrete life as a minister. 

In this ambitious introduction DeSilva has attempted combine the disciplines of hermeneutics, exegesis, and spiritual and ministry formation.  It is little wonder that at nearly 1000 pages DeSilva readily admits that “the study of the New Testament is a broad field with many questions” and that he ”does not pretend to write as an expert on every topic [21].”   Nevertheless, each chapter in essence is a “mini-commentary,” a great place to begin one’s research of a given book and text.  In my humble opinion, DeSilva has, as much as it is possible in one book, achieved his goal of providing an invaluable resource for thoughtful and prayerful study of the NT with the furtherance of the Gospel firmly in view.