August and September Book Brackets
Life got ridiculously busy in the last month of summer and the first of fall. I suspected something like this might happen if and when I started dating someone, and it looks like my suspicions were accurate. There is hardly any time to read, which is somewhat sad, but it means I've filled my time with other wonderful things that I believe God wants me to be doing. So, I've combined these two months so I have something to show for an actual bracket. I wasn't terribly impressed by the books I've read over these two months besides "Searching for and Maintaining Peace", but I left it out of bracket play because I don't think it would be fair for it to win a second time this year.
Richard III, by William Shakespeare
This history play by the Bard recounts the rise of King Richard III and the demise of many, many people.
Why I picked it up: There was a movie night coming up featuring the stellar talents of Ian McKellan, Maggie Smith, Robert Downey, Jr., and others, and I'd never read the play before. I like to read Shakespeare's plays before I watch them so I kind of know what is coming.
My impressions: I've never loved Shakespeare's history plays. I don't want to give too many spoilers, but there seemed to be an awful lot of murdering and cursing in this one. Like, a lot. Political intrigue can sometimes be interesting, but it's not the thing that I really look forward to in my stories. There were some oft-quoted lines (A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!"), the ever-delightful iambic pentameter, and cool moments, like the scene where the spirits of the dead visit the leaders of two warring armies the night before war. However, I was extremely confused by the interconnectedness of all the characters, many of whom shared the same names. I think there were at least three Edwards, two queens, and lots of relatives and in-laws, and I did not succeed well in keeping them straight. I hope that watching the performance will help clear up some of the confusion. If I were to recommend a Shakespeare play, this wouldn't be it. However, it's not the worst of his that I've read (maybe "Titus Andronicus"?).
Searching for and Maintaining Peace, by Fr. Jacques Philippe
A priest discusses peace of heart and why it is so important to the spiritual life.
Why I picked it up: I was wound up about something; looked for a book on my shelf; couldn't find the book I was looking for, but providentially came across this one, and knew it was the book I needed to read at that moment.
My impressions: I read this book earlier in the year, in January, and it was an excellent reread. Please see the January blog for more details. I will end with this: this book is going onto my nightstand so that it is in plain sight. If ever I lose my peace, it will be visible to me as a reminder that I may be in need of a reread.
From Christendom to Apostolic Mission: Pastoral Strategies for an Apostolic Age
This essay discusses two modes of Christianity mixing with cultures, the pros and cons of each mode, and strategies to use in the current mode.
Why I picked it up: This book was recommended by one friend, but a few small reading group picks prompted me to actually purchase and read the book.
My impressions: This book is succinct (90 pages) and covers the ground it needs to, establishing where the Catholic Church in the West - specifically, in America - is now. Included are discussions of what the faulty perceptions are surrounding it in both Catholic circles (i.e., groups still operating in a Christendom mode) and in the cultural air around it (i.e., the flaws of the modern zeitgeist which create the current Apostolic evangelistic reality). I found the work to be well thought-out and a reflection of the rumblings that I hear in the Catholic world - perhaps mostly in podcasts. But, as Bishop Robert Barron likes to say, for every one person that enters the faith, six leave; clearly, something is wrong here, and I think this essay makes a pretty good case for what the problem is. I would have liked some elaboration of what a Christendom model vs. an Apostolic model might look like, but I appreciated the theoretical or philosophical base that underpinned the work. It dovetailed nicely with Holly Ordway's book on imaginative apologetics. Unfortunately, I read this essay in bits, here and there, and I believe I (and probably lots of readers) would benefit from reading it at least once more. I think this work furthers an important discussion that seems to be taking place in many dioceses in the nation. It would be a great book for discussion and I'd recommend it to any Catholic who takes their faith seriously.
Robin Hood, by Henry Gilbert
This older (1912) series of stories introduces readers to Robin Hood and explains his decision to live in the greenwood, his death, and the many adventures that befall him in between.
Why I picked it up: I saw this version advertised by Cluny Media and received an older edition of it from friends as a gift. It had been a while since I had revisited the stories, so it seemed like a good time to try a different take on the classic tales.
My impressions: Books that don't have a single overarching plot tend to rank lower on my list of favorites, but this series of stories fares better in my opinion than Howard Pyle's take on the classic. Many of the tales focus on Robin taking down a group of baddies that operate out of a certain castle. Throughout the course of the book, they are almost all killed in retribution for their cruelties and injustices. Certainly, there are questionable aspects of vigilante justice. However, I appreciate that Robin never wavers from his standards and is always kind to women. There are negative portrayals of rich religious, certainly, but Friar Tuck is portrayed very positively. There is great sadness in the final few tales, which (spoiler alert) chronicle the deaths of both Marian and Robin Hood. I would not recommend the book necessarily as something to read just for fun - it doesn't have the connected plot that I find enjoyable - but, if someone is going to read about Robin Hood, this is the better of the two works I've read so far - I would recommend it over Howard Pyle's version.
The Lantern Bearers, by Rosemary Sutcliff
This third book in the "Roman Britain" trilogy, started with "The Eagle of the Ninth", follows the young Roman soldier Aquila across 20 years, through desertion, the death of his father, slavery, reunion with and separation from his sister, and his decisions to serve Ambrosius and marry after the Roman Empire leaves Britain to fend for itself against hostile Saxon forces.
Why I picked it up: I can't remember the exact reason why, but I wanted to finish this trilogy.
My impressions: This book differs from the previous two in that it spans such a long period of time in the life of one character. There were pros and cons to this approach, with the cons being that the story skipped years that were inconvenient to the action and there being some "telling" of what filled the time between. The pros were that I was able to follow the depth of development in Aquila's character over the course of time, and that development felt natural to the story because it was slow. There are good scenes of action and battle and only a hint of the spying or intrigue that was such a big part of the second book in this series. I think I would have appreciated the story even more if I'd grown up with a deep knowledge of British history and lands, but it was a solid reading experience even for this American reader. As with the other two books in the trilogy, this work stands alone just fine. This book would probably be enjoyed by readers who like action and adventure, perhaps of the middle school and/or high school age. Concerned parents might want to know that there were a few somewhat uncomfortable marriages that were more or less forced, and one comment that a character was stripped of his clothes before being sentenced to death.
Bracket Play
As I said before, the only really incredible book I read was one I'd read earlier in the year, "Searching for and Maintaining Peace". I removed it from the runnings because I wanted to give the other books a chance, but there wasn't a clear winner. If anything, I'd say the only real quasi-loser was Richard III - it just wasn't enjoyable. Robin Hood wasn't fantastic, but it had some good qualities and I thought it was better than Pyle's version. These both lost out to somewhat stronger contenders, but one wasn't really better than the other if genre is taken into account - apples to oranges sort of comparison. I went with "The Lantern Bearers" because I think it is more memorable to me as a reader. I want to revisit "Christendom to Apostolic Mission", but in spite of its extremely relevant and important subject matter, I wouldn't say it was as compelling as the solidly decent adventure story.
