July Books
This month, I decided to add a new feature to my book reviews. If I collected any quotes that I particularly like from a work, I plan to leave one in the review. Not every book reviewed will have a quote, but I like the idea of doing something with the quotes I find striking.
I also realized that I have not developed a system for designating books that I know I would like to read again some time in the future, including a work from this month, "Apologetics and the Christian Imagination." Perhaps I'll need to look over the monthly reviews at the end of the year and pick out the works that I know I want to read again.
Lepanto, by G. K. Chesterton; Explanatory Notes and Commentary Edited by Dale Ahlquist
This book contains the 140-some line titular poem by Chesterton and several essays explaining the history and significance of the naval Battle of Lepanto.
Why I picked it up: I wanted to check another item off my to-read list and this was available at the library.
My impressions: I think the poem is well written and has some fantastic imagery, but I don't have the whole-hearted approval of it that Ahlquist and other contributing essayists do. I find Chesterton's descriptions of Muslims and Muhammad...troublesome. I am glad that Christianity was preserved from a dark fate by the victory at Lepanto, but a poem that glorifies a battle between religious forces and depicts one major world religion as in league with demons is, not surprisingly, going to make sensitive me a little uncomfortable. I have some more reflecting I need to do. The essays included as commentary that were contributed by contemporary writers had what felt like a single perspective and I found myself wondering what a modern Islamic author might have to say about the poem or about the Battle of Lepanto itself. I thought that a balance of views was lacking in this collection. I found the explanatory notes immediately after the poem text were helpful in making obscure references in the poem meaningful. The two essays by Chesterton that were included in this collection nicely rounded out the information shared in the essays. Regarding the poem itself, I loved Chesterton's mastery over language that he shares in this work. He ties together different scenes with different players in this major historical event in a way that is just fascinating and artistically delightful. The rhythm of the poem pounds like war drums and the alliteration - oh, the alliteration! - contribute to make for a very exciting read. I would recommend this book to those who already want to read the poem "Lepanto" so that they really get the meaning of it, but with the note that the perspective is fairly one-sided. I think this would be a great little poem/book study to do with friends.
Catherine of Siena, by Sigrid Undset
Nobel-prize-for-literature-winning author Undset gives a biography of one of the female Doctors of the Catholic Church, St. Catherine of Siena.
Why I picked it up: I don't know if I'll ever be ready to pick up Undset's Kristin Lavransdatter, but I knew I wanted to try this "saint book" by the author the moment it was recommended several years ago, probably on my favorite book-recommending Facebook group page. It was available for checkout at my alma mater, making me grateful, once again, to have a community library card for that establishment.
Favorite quote: "A soul cannot live without loving. It must have something to love, for it was created of love."
My impressions: This was the first time, I think, that I read about the life of a saint and felt bad about myself in comparison with their holiness. I had heard of this happening to other people before, but it has now happened to me. I think it arises from the fact that St. Catherine was so holy that it throws all my faults and attachments into sharp contrast. However, the discomfort faded after the first third of the book, at which point Undset moved her focus from Catherine's sanctity to her sanctity in the context of the politics of her time. This woman truly was incredible, working miracles, living on an hour of sleep each day, receiving visions, calling out leaders of her time, brokering peace between warring factions, and telling popes to move away from Avignon back to Rome. The Lord truly worked marvels through her in her life, but she always felt her sinfulness and maintained humility. The book wasn't slow, but it wasn't fast-paced, either. I liked the feeling that I got a sense of what life was like back then, at least politically, which indicates that Undset did her research. The first chapter was not particularly memorable and actually did not treat on St. Catherine directly - it was more an exploration of women, weakness and power, and the Church, and therefore, more of an introduction. Otherwise, I thought the book was excellent and I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about this saint (with the understanding that this might not be for everyone and/or may make some readers uncomfortable).
Talking to Dragons, Patricia Wrede
This fourth book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles concludes the series and the problems begun in the previous book, following the adventures of Daystar as he tries to figure out what he's supposed to do with a magic sword, makes friends, and dodges wily wizards in the Enchanted Forest.
Why I picked it up: I wanted to finish the series and actually really needed to so I could return the book to its owner, who I had noticed was working her way through the series herself.
My impressions: This was a fine ending to the series. I enjoyed the irony knowing more about the situation than the narrator, Daystar, as he goes on his own sort of coming-of-age quest. I encountered familiar characters and enjoyed meeting new ones, although some seemed to have personalities that felt a little...recycled. All the same, it was a fun adventure and, as with the preceding books, would recommend this to anyone already reading the series so long as they are aware of the magic elements/spells that are part of the story.
Tremendous Trifles, by G. K. Chesterton
This is a collection of 39 essays that originally appeared in his journalistic column; they concern random thoughts and encounters GKC had around the year 1909.
Why I picked it up: I'd heard the title referenced before, it was at the library, and it was a thin book.
Favorite quote: “I suppose every one must have reflected how primeval and
how poetical are the things that one carries in one’s pocket; the pocket-knife,
for instance, the type of all human tools, the infant of the sword. Once I
planned to write a book of poems entirely about the things in my pockets. But I
found it would be too long; and the age of the great epics is past.”
My impressions: GKC's whimsy comes very much to the fore in this series of essays. I found the first ten or so the most delightful, but then I was ready to finish up the book and move on to something else. I found several well-known GKC quotes are included in the essays in this collection, including the one about not growing a beard in a moment of passion and the oft-misquoted line about fairy tales not introducing bogeys, but introducing the idea that bogeys can be defeated. Chesterton's personality shines brilliantly throughout the essays and I revel in his one-liners and unique way of viewing ordinary things. He does not disappoint and not unfrequently comes to a very profound point after what seems to be frivolous wandering. My favorite essay was the second one, "A Piece of Chalk." I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants some exposure to Chesterton, but is not in the mood for Father Brown mysteries or for his heavier works.
Apologetics and the Christian Imagination: An Integrated Approach to Defending the Faith, by Holly Ordway
Holly Ordway, an academic and professor in all cool things (literature, especially Tolkien's, and its intersection with theology or faith), describes a different angle to approaching apologetics.
Why I picked it up: In spite of the ridiculous number of books to be read that line my shelves, I knew I needed to borrow this one from my sister's shelf for a little while.
Favorite quote: "Literature offers a mode of apologetics in whic hwe can guide the natural human emotional response toward its right end, by presenting truth in such a way that we are moved on the level of our emotions as well as convinced on the level of our intellect. When emotion and intellect are in line, rather than at odds, with each other and both are oriented toward the good, then it becomes easier for the will to direct action toward the good." -pg. 102
My impressions: I need to read this book again. It was a little slow getting into it, but by the third or fourth chapter, I was thinking, "Oh yeah, this is good." It's a book that needs full attention, and there were times when I was not completely focused on it, to my own loss. I've always been intimidated by the idea of sharing my faith with others, but Ordway's focus on incorporating the imagination into the apologetic experience gave me great encouragement. This seems like something I could start with. I like that she didn't say this was the silver bullet of apologetics; rather, it's an aspect that's always been part of the apologetic process, but has perhaps been neglected, and can be of great use in our time. The work gives me the impression that the author has not only done her research, but just sat and thought about big ideas and specific applications and how things played out in her own experiences or in those of others. The one shortcoming I associate with myself (rather than the book) after reading is that I don't have any clear ideas of how to apply all this information, which indicates that a closer reading and/or more reflection is warranted. I highly recommend this book to any Catholic who wants to share their faith, but most especially to those who have a vibrant intellectual life or imagination. I DEFINITELY hope that I'll have time to read this again - and hopefully discuss it with a friend.
The Wife of Pilate and Other Stories, by Gertrude von le Fort*
These three historical fiction novellas by the author of "The Song at the Scaffold" consider three experiences: Pilate's wife and their life in Rome after his fateful condemnation of Jesus in Jerusalem; an orphaned handmaiden learning about love of God and lesser loves in the Holy Roman Empire; and a tale of Galileo's trial and its relation to war-ravaged Italians in World War II.
Why I picked it up: I didn't have the book I was originally reading with me and this one was already downloaded and available on my Kindle thanks to the Formed.org app.
My impressions: Gertrude von le Fort seems to have a formula that she sticks to, but that doesn't mean she's not a good writer. She seems to have a penchant for tales told in a letter formant or via "discovered document," which I suppose allows her greater freedom for including individual reflections on characters and foreshadowing elements. However, the formula doesn't diminish her ability to share keen insights into the human person and the Catholic faith. I found it interesting that a romantic relationship was a big part of all three of these stories, but even that seems to have significance. I most enjoyed the first tale, about Pilate's wife; the second story was not at all what I was expecting, but still good; the third story felt muddled, but that is perhaps because it's hard for me to remember what exactly happened in the Galileo trial, where he went wrong, and where members of the ecclesiastical hierarchy went wrong. I believe that if I had had the facts fresh in my mind when reading that novella, then I would have understood it better. Even if that difficulty had been resolved, however, I think I still would have struggled to discern the main question(s) considered in that story. Overall, I think adult Catholic readers would appreciate these stories, especially if they found "The Song at the Scaffold" is their cup of tea. It is good writing, but von le Fort's points were obvious enough that I felt like I was getting them.
Bracket Play
GKC's poem fell in Round 1 to Undset's saint biography because, while the latter was hard to read at times due to my own shortcomings, I learned much about a Doctor of the Church and was inspired with awe at what God does through the cooperation of His creatures. I also learned about history from "Lepanto", but it was a mishmash of poem and essays and an overall less-impressive work. The Catholic short stories beat "Talking to Dragons" because it was a collection of stories of substance, as opposed to a fun, but fluffy, fantasy. "Catherine of Siena" won in the faceoff against "The Wife of Pilate" because it was a well-written and incredible true-life account of an amazing saint; it did not need to be fiction to explore history or big questions.
Holly Ordway's book, a long reflection on apologetics and human imagination, beat Chesterton's shorter fun reflections on various topics. Although several of his essays were quite excellent, I ended Ordway's book with the feeling that I wanted to revisit this book in the future, a feeling which GKC's work did not create for me. Ordway's book was the winner this month because of its applicability to my own life, the subject matter, and its thorough, wide-ranging treatment of that subject matter.
Books Attempted and Put Down
A Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold
An environmentalist describes life on his Wisconsin farm across the twelve months and discusses ecological issues.
Why I picked it up: A friend recommended this book and it sounded like a good nature-themed book to try during summer.
Why I put it down: The book, although good in the first part which I had read, moved too slowly and I realized that there were an awful lot of other books I wanted to be reading instead. I may come back to this someday, but it wasn't the book for me right now.
