Book Review: Christ the Lord, Out of Egypt

I borrowed this book from a friend because I was curious. I'd read "Interview with a Vampire" ages ago and was not overly impressed, but then I read Anne Rice's 'reconversion' story in I think Newsweek, and was fascinated.

I really liked the book. From a religious viewpoint, it's quite an interesting question the book dives into - what was it like for the child Jesus to grow up, being fully God, but yet fully a child that had to go through all the mess of childhood?

Being a science fiction and fantasy reader, I also saw a quite a few parallels with your typical fantasy hero, who grows up in a fairly low position in society, has something 'special' about him that he can't quite figure out, until he discovers his magic, power, talent, etc, and adventures ensue. In some of the early chapters, Jesus brings a dead child back to life, after accidently killing him, brings clay sparrows to life, and discovers that when he tells the rain to stop, it stops.

At the same time I was reading this, I was also reading a fantasy series exactly like that, where the hero discovers in the second book that as well as human he is part of another race entirely, and as such has all these talents and powers that need to be awakened, so he can then save the world. The character even undergoes a baptism of sorts, when he is immersed in a pool for several days to cleanse himself of a serious addiction.

The parallels between the two books remind me of what Tim Keller said in a sermon about why we like fantasy. (Those of us that do like fantasy, that is, I suppose. Which would be me.) We're looking for that hero, the knight in shining armor that will come and save the world and defeat the forces of evil. Who is, of course, Jesus.

I liked the characterization of Mary as well, but had a bit of issue with the Roman Catholic theology inserted that she remained a virgin always and never had any children with Joseph. Rice makes James the older son of Joseph from a previous marriage, which I assume is also taught, but bugged me since there is no mention of another child in the Christmas story. The details are so carefully recorded, and if Joseph had to drag his nine months pregnant wife down to Bethlehem to be counted, surely he would have had to take his son as well? But there's no mention of anyone else being with them.

Those details don't ruin the fantasy of the story, however, and I've placed the next book, as well as Anne Rice's biography on my wish list.

Vacation!

I am officially on vacation! And it is snowing. My car is all snug in the garage, and as long as the runways at JFK are clear by Monday evening, it can storm its little heart out.

I'm getting my stuff together for a trip to Wales and England starting the aforementioned Monday evening, and right now am doing one of the most fun tasks - deciding which books to bring. I am allowed only one fiction and one non-fiction because there is a serious raid on bookstores in Cardiff and London being planned.

I think i have settled on "When True Night Falls" by CS Friedman for the fiction, being the second in a series I started in Hungary. But I also have the second Otherland book by Tad Williams. The Friedman is thicker than the Williams - Imagine anything being thicker than a Tad Williams?? - and I read the first one earlier so really should stay in order.

Right, on to non-fic, I am settling I think on a book on Frances of Assisi in a spiritual classics series, but I also have two others in the same series that look good. Might have to just close my eyes and point.

My goal is to pack everything into two small bags rather than the big one, as will be easier for getting on and off trains and such, and plus I am trying to learn to pack light. The next debate will be on which sweaters to bring as I am only allowing myself two, but I won't bore you with that one!

Off to play do laundry in the snow, and then a fun time of dancing and music in the city is being planned, Lord and LIRR willing.

What to read, what to read...

One of the most fun parts of getting ready for a trip is deciding which books to pack.

I've already decided what fiction book I'm taking to England - "To Green Angel Tower, Part 2", as I should have finished part 1 by Sunday. That's the only fiction book I'll take, because aside from the epic length of the book which should hold me, I have some fiction book shopping plans, namely the rest of the Stephen Booth series.

So, for nonfic I have three choices, freshly arrived from Amazon yesterday.
They are:

"A Community Called Atonement" by Scot McKnight
"Interior Castle" by St Teresa of Avila
and
"Flirting With Monasticism" by Karen Sloane

What to take, what to take...

Books books books

Tpday's non-writing brought to you by:

GoodReads.

Thanks to pokings from evil friends, I have registered. I will never have the energy to list all the books on my shelves again, but I like the "currently reading" and "to read" shelves, those I may possibly keep updating. Tho now it looks like I have read two books and need to read ten - lol.

Feel free to head on over and friend me there.

re-reading

After all the singing, shouting, dancing, drinking songs (ahem), and general mayhem of the last three days, I spent a quiet couple of hours reading this am. (Very quiet, as neither my friend or myself have any voice left after the Gaelic Storm performance last nite!).

Read the first couple chapters of Michael Casey's "Sacred Reading: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina."

This quote jumped out at me:

Repetition is the soul of genuine lectio. It is a right brain activity; we do not grasp the entire content immediately but in a circular manner. We read and advance, then we go back and read again.

Of course, Casey is talking about scripture, but it spoke to me also in a general sense. I'll give a very bad *g* example. In preparation for book seven of Harry Potter, I started re-reading the entire series from book one. By the time I got to the last book, all the backstory and continuity were firm in my mind, and it totally enhanced the experience and satisfaction of the ending

I have so many good books, and not just fiction, on my shelves that I've read only once. Authors like CS Lewis (is it possibly to read CS Lewis too much? I think not.), Thomas Merton, Kathleen Norris, Lauren Winner, and several others.

So I think for Advent and Lent I will read no new books, but re-read books that I already have. And possibly dust my bookshelves...

Books, books, books

Since my last post I did a wee bit of shopping on Amazon. LOVE Amazon. I bought "A Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster, which I've read once but my mom's copy and I want my own, esp considering my focus on disciplines this summer, "Real Sex" by Lauren Winner, and the pocket/travel edition of "The Divine Hours" by Phyllis Tickle.

Lest those reading this who don't know me well think me too serious, be advised I am halfway through "Song of the Beast", a lovely fantasy by Carol Berg (I am a total sucker for dragons), and have on my to read pile two fantasy novels by Tad Williams (yes *finally* getting around to that series that I've been looking at and thinking "I should read that someday..." for about 10 years.), and "Blood on the Tongue" by Stephen Booth, which I actually am dying to start given my current bent toward British and Canadian mystery series. Someone really needs to take BBC America away from me. And my Tivo. How am I supposed to catch up on all these DVDs waiting for me when I keep finding and grabbing new shows?

Am also currently reading "Mysteries of the Middle Ages" by Thomas Cahill, a loner from Mom. I love his subtly Christian slant, but that he is matter of fact, not in your face about it, and gives a thoroughly intellectual and also at times quite cynical overview of history. I just finished the chapter on Eleanor of Aquitaine and Francis of Assisi - talk about an interesting combo. Working tomorrow but don't need to start too early, so plan to have some reading time with this book over coffee before I have to go. Of course I am typing this Friday nite on my laptop, and by the time I export it to my desktop and post it will probably be Sunday, and my plans will have come and gone. The novelty of typing on my new lappy, Chuck, has not worn off, and I doubt it ever will, esp once I get my router. :)

As regards silence, managed ten minutes this morning, and what popped into my head halfway through was "Christmas Canon" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I have NO idea why. It's not even come up on shuffle in months. My friend Pia (who really needs to get a blog ;)) and I have been having a running debate on the merits vs harmful effects of practicing silence. I might post some of it here at a later time with her permission. I will say that since I've started my attempts my language behind the wheel seems to have improved somewhat, but that could just be b/c I've not driven into Manhattan this week.

ETA: The books came today! Amazon is fast. Now I have to decide what to read first, even tho I am supposed to be writing.

ETA2: It is ridiculously easy to add links here on Blogger.

ETA3: Amazon should give me commission.