Sunday, June 26

And the livin' is easy

Ah! summer reading. It really is the ideal hot weather pastime; all the activity is in our minds and imaginations, leaving us free to wander without breaking a sweat. Here are some of the books I’ve finished recently:

Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot
by Elisabeth Elliot
I must confess that I’ve struggled with the story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot since reading Passion and Purity for the first time when I was a teenager. I think I’m beginning to come around, but it’s been slow going; I’m still convinced we should view their story as the exception, rather than the rule, of how to go about a romantic relationship.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by J.K. Rowling
Or Harry Potter and the Overemotional Trauma. Harry pitches temper tantrums and acts like the teenager he is. It’s understandable, but I hope he grows out of it in The Half Blood Prince.

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
by Donald Miller
This is certainly not a perfect book, but I enjoyed it immensely. Donald Miller writes in a conversational style that some find annoying (I did, at times), but by the end we feel as if we are friends. There’s good stuff here.

The Grim Grotto
by Lemony Snicket
Mr. Snicket’s dry humor is so refreshing. I laugh and gasp with horror all through these books.

The Making of Pride and Prejudice
by Sue Birtwistle and Susie Conklin
Chapter 9 is entirely devoted to an interview with Colin Firth.

Pigs Have Wings
by P.G. Wodehouse
“It’s pig-stealing time in Shropshire,” and Wodehouse makes the idle rich of England amusing as usual.

In progress:
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
by Lynne Truss
Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road
by Tim Keller

What have you been reading?

Thursday, June 23

The ants are welcome company

Derek Webb played at First Pres Friday night, and I infiltrated the youth group to attend. It was exciting to hear two new songs: "Mockingbird" and "Rich Young Ruler." Someone uploaded recent bootlegs of these from a show in Decatur, AL. You can hear them here. It was a very small show, and the audience was polite and attentive, if rather quiet. I wanted to hoop and holler more, especially when Derek plugged The Normals - Cason Cooley was his backup man - but mine is not a voice well-equipped for instigating crowd enthusiasm, and I wimped out.

I did, however, kill a roach afterwards. It was careening around the aisle beneath out feet, and I thought, "This won't do." So I took off my flip-flop and smacked it. Roaches are not welcome company.

Thursday, June 9

Not handsome enough to tempt me

Or “How To Get Boys to Watch Pride and Prejudice.” The studio executives probably think it a brilliant idea to cast Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet. And although it may prove financially beneficial, many fans are viewing this new trailer for the September release with some apprehension. Can Miss Knightley be Miss Bennet?