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Goodreads
Jul
30
Saving Erasmus by Steven Cleaver
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As long time readers of this site know, I am a sucker for short, quirky books about faith. So when I stumbled upon Saving Erasmus it seemed right up my alley. Slim volume, with intriguing cover, interesting story hook, quality publisher - what’s not too like?
Publishers Weekly captured the flavor of this book perfectly:
Cross the prophet Job with It’s a Wonderful Life and you get this award-winning poet’s first-person debut novel, rife with strangeness and humor. When the angel of death climbs out of a broken washing machine and announces that the town of Erasmus is about to be destroyed, Andrew Benoit, a pastor fresh out of seminary, only has a week to save it. Erasmus turns out to be a “Potterville” where a Mrs. Primrose Davenport owns almost everything and money is God. A small band of mystics named for movie stars gather at the mystical hot spot The Instant Coffee Cup (run by the wryly named John Luther Zwingli) and hold out hope. But, as Cleaver puns, Erasmus is interested in “profit,” not a “prophet.” What follows is a down-the-rabbit-hole mishmash of images; the Velveteen Rabbit, Homer Simpson, Mae West, and a Knight Templar all contribute their own bits of wisdom for Andrew. There are plenty of nods to Christian history, both overt and subtle, including a scene with several saints who urge Benoit to find “the truth within” and give it a voice. But is it the town that really needs saving? Or is it something-or someone-else? This bizarre, whimsical novel will charm and delight some readers and perplex others.
That last sentence is quite accurate I think. Saving Erasmus is full of quirky allusions and puns and a dry sense of humor. It also has a surreal feel to it. You are not quite sure what is real and what is in Andrew’s mind. If you are looking for traditional spiritual humor or storytelling you are likely to be disappointed. The storyline has a bizarre almost stream of consciousness quality to it that can be perplexing and off-putting.
I found that the whimsy and charm noted by PW, however, makes the slim light novel worth reading. It has the feel of a short story. Andrew’s rather difficult, and yet in many ways touching, childhood is probably the strongest story thread. But the quirky humor keeps the mood light and plot moving.
Saving Erasmus is Cleaver’s first novel and in some ways it shows. The change of heart experienced by Benoit’s main antagonist, Mrs. Davenport, seem almost an afterthought and too often the quirky style undermines the story’s rhythm. But Cleaver also shows some promise with an interesting style and a light touch when tackling serious issues. And at 182 pages, it can be read it one sitting. It will be interesting to see if Cleaver further hones his craft while retaining his unique perspective.
So if you are looking for a quirky modern take on Jonah, check out Saving Erasmus.
Jul
26
Thursday Links
Filed Under Books: News | Leave a Comment
Here are some links for your browsing perusal:
- Interesting Christianity Today article by Ted Olsen: (A Bit Less) Positive About Potter:
“Harry Potter books and films have been attacked in the past by evangelicals for allegedly glamorizing the occult,” say the papers. But Christians “are now eschewing condemnation for praise, embracing Ms. Rowling’s tales as powerful religious fables for our time.”
It’s a narrative as fictional as the Potter books themselves. In late 1999, I noted that, contrary to media reports, no major Christian leader had spoken against the Harry Potter series, and several had actually supported the books. Some readers were upset with my summary, but the most prominent critic they could come up with at that time was Texas pastor John Hagee. Four books and five films later, it’s time for an update to that piece.
- As part of a new marketing strategy author Brad Thor will be using BlogTalkRadio for a book tour:
Breaking the paradigm for the traditional, in-store author book tour, on July 26, 9:00 pm EST, Brad will log onto BlogTalkRadio, and open the phone lines for discussion of The First Commandment. Fans around the world can listen online via Brad’s page or on their phones by calling: (646) 478-5945. Fans can also interact with Brad by using BTR’s, “click to talk” feature online or using the same phone line they’re using to tune in. The entire program is live via Internet stream and will be archived on BlogTalkRadio and made available as a subscribable podcast. As a special bonus for BlogTalkRadio listeners, Brad will also be signing books for a select group of fans who tune in to be distributed after the show.
- Bold Type has a new issue out:
This month we go a little bit country with a bevy of books that will transport you far from the concrete jungle. There’s a surprisingly gripping account of the world’s biggest trees and the people who love them, as well as a new history tome that exhumes a neglected chapter of the Civil Rights movement, and a memoir by a pair of Canadian writers who decided to mini-size their diet by only eating locally. In the fiction department, Sherman Alexie charts cycles of violence in his new novel, while Norwegian writer Per Petterson plumbs the dark echoes of a pastoral past, and novelist Matthew Sharpe won’t let history be, imagining a post-apocalyptic Jamestown. Equally marvelous is a monograph of stunning landscapes and interiors by Swedish painter Mamma Andersson. We conclude with an interview with Shannon Ravenel of Algonquin Books, who edited and published the last, unfinished novel by the late Southern fiction titan Larry Brown.
- If you are part of a Book Club or want to join one, check out Simon and Schuster’s Book Club Resources. They have launched on online book club themselves. The pick for July was The Last Days of Dogtown By Anita Diamant. Visit the Book Club Reader Discussion Board to post your opinion of the book, hear what others think, and converse with author, Anita Diamant herself. The August pick is America’s Report Card By John McNally
Jul
26
As the Harry Potter media frenzy begins to fade I want to focus on another great series that is coming to a close this year. Olen Steinhauer’s Eastern European Series will soon be complete with the release of Victory Square in August.
Given my fascination with the Cold War, my love of espionage fiction, and my enjoyment of what might be called literary thrillers, it is no surprise that Olen is one of my favorite writers. I have to admit that the expectations are high for this one as his last book, Liberation Movements, was one of, if not THE, book of the year for me last year. But so far, Olen has never let me down.
When I got the Victory Square ARC recently I was inspired to treat this series the same as the Potter series and re-read the previous books in anticipation of the final book. Luckily, Steinhauer writes crisp tight prose and none of the books run to 800 pages! So I am diving back into the world of post-war Communist Eastern Europe and looking forward to the climatic conclusion of this great series.
If you want to join me in this quest click over to your preferred online book seller or run to the local library and get started. If you want to see what the fuss is all about here are my reviews of the series so far:
- Bridge of Sighs
- The Confession
- 36 Yalta Boulevard
- Liberation Movements
Jul
25
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
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It is hard to believe all of the ink spilled over the release of the final installment of Harry Potter. Allow me to spill a few pixels too. While I was reading the penultimate book and watching the British Open millions of fans were lining up to get the book, furiously reading it to find out what happened, and then discussing it with family and friends. I, however, was studiously avoiding anything that might give away the ending or key events.
Monday night I was able to complete the final chapter in the saga and yesterday and today I read quite a bit of commentary online. Yesterday, I jotted down some thoughts on the series as a whole. Today, I offer my thoughts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The big question has to be: was it worth the wait? I have to say yes. It was a thrilling and moving conclusion to a wonderful series. Was it perfect? Not surprisingly, no. I am sure almost every fan had something they wish was different or some aspect of the book they didn’t understand. Critics can go on at some length about nits they would like to pick, etc. See the Slate book club or Ross Douthat for an example. As with all of the last four books I think it could have been edited in such a way that the writing was tighter and the plot smoother, but obviously the publisher was not interested in this strategy. I found it suspenseful and enjoyable. A few complaints, however, along with what I liked are listed below.
Jul
24
Thoughts on Harry Potter
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So. I have finally finished book seven: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In fact, over the last couple of weeks I re-read the first six books in the series in order to have everything fresh in my mind for the conclusion in book seven. Below I offer some thoughts about the series as a whole before tackling a review of Deathly Hallows in a separate post.
I consider myself in a sort of middle position on the whole Pottermania phenomenon. Despite having taken the time to read, and re-read, the entire series, I haven’t been a particularly zealous Potter fan. As the series has played out I haven’t scourged the internet seeking clues to hidden meanings or key plot developments of soon to be released books (or joined chat rooms connecting with other fans to engage in such speculation). I haven’t developed complex theories about the stories or characters; or attempted to make predictions about what would happen to them in the final book. The seventh book was the only book I purchased on the day it was released.
But neither have I joined in the frequent sneering criticism of the book’s style, or quality of writing, nor have I rejected the books as theologically dangerous, or tempting, for children. The first can often contain valid criticisms but are really beside the point and the second is preposterous over-reaction revealing a lack of subtlety and common sense.
As a fan of children’s and young adult fantasy literature I simply enjoyed reading the books. (Well, not all of them. I didn’t enjoy The Order of the Phoenix very much the first time around. I still think it is the weakest book of the series, but it makes up for it somewhat with a strong conclusion.) I am not particularly obsessive about it, I just find this sort of thing interesting and wanted to find out what the whole hoopla was about.
And I think anyone who tries to deny Rowling’s amazing accomplishment is being snobby, petty, or both. She has created an alternate universe that readers love to lose themselves in. This universe is complex and interesting and full of characters readers care about. To pull off a seven book series of this nature - particular under the pressure and microscope of the worldwide phenomenon - is an amazing feat. I am confident that people will be reading Harry Potter for years to come.
Jul
23
Busy Reading, Back later
Filed Under All about me, Books and Culture | Leave a Comment
I finally managed to read the first six books of Harry Potter so I could dive into the final book. Millions of people already know what happened but I am furiously trying to finish. When that is done I will come up for air and post on the whole HP saga, the wonderful British Open, and whatever else comes to mind.
See ya soon, and no spoilers!
Jul
20
Books and Social Networking
Filed Under Books and Culture, Books: News, The Blogosphere | Leave a Comment
I will confess to not being involved in the whole online social networking thing. I don’t have a MySpace page, or twitter, or anything else.
But today I did stumble upon a couple of book orientated social networking sites and decided to try them out.
The first, is Shelfari:
Based in Seattle, Shelfari introduces readers to our global community of book lovers and encourages them to share their literary inclinations and passions with peers, friends, and total strangers (for now). Shelfari was the first social media site focused on books, and will continue to innovate as it brings together the world’s readers. Our mission is the enhance the experience of reading by connecting readers in meaningful conversations about the published word.
Harry Potter fans please note that Shelfari is having a Seven Days of Harry Potter contest:
If you’re like us, you love the Harry Potter books and you’re gonna buy the book right away. If you post a review of Harry Potter 7 on Shelfari.com within a week of its release, you will be entered to win one of the prizes, including a signed copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
If that strikes you as simply more crass commercial marketing, then skip that part and just track your books and compare notes with friends.
- The other site I joined is Good Reads. Here is what the founder has to say about the site:
When I was in second grade, I discovered the Hardy Boys series. Ever since, I’ve loved to read — both for fun and to improve my mind. And I’m always looking for the next great book. Reviews on Amazon and other sites are helpful, but I thought there might be a better way.
One afternoon while I was scanning a friend’s bookshelf for my next great read, it struck me. When I want to know what books to read, I’d rather turn to a friend than any random person, bestseller list or algorithm. So I thought I’d build a website — a website where I could see my friends’ bookshelves and learn about what they thought of all their books.
Goodreads is that site. It is a place where you can see what your friends are reading and vice versa. You can create “bookshelves” to organize what you’ve read (or want to read). You can comment on each other’s reviews. And on this journey with your friends you can explore new territory, gather information, and expand your mind.
I have to say after just a few moments of noodling around, I like the way this site works. I may just use this to track the books I read.
So if you enjoy this sort of networking sign up and connect with other avid readers.
Jul
19
Clearing out the inbox
Filed Under Books: News | Leave a Comment
Trying desperately to finish the first six Harry Potter books before Saturday I have neglected posting some interesting links and information. Since it appears I will fail to finish the books anyway, I might as well clear out my email and share these links.
- Writers will want to be sure to check out the The Warren Adler Short Story Contest . The 2007 Contest Theme is New York City
Born-and-bred, out-of-towner, tourist for a day, or just longing and dreaming to visit, you’ve got a story about New York, some moment or snapshot you feel evokes this mad, exciting city and the fascinating people at its core.
Maybe you’ve already written it and have it buried deep in your desk drawer or in the bowels of your hard drive. Or maybe it’s still bouncing around your head, waiting for that chance bolt to strike you.
Try telling it in no more than 2,500 words and you might share it with the world.
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In conjunction with the release of (Not that You Asked): Rants, Exploits, and Obsessions Steve Almond is also having a contest:
In Steve Almond’s latest book, (Not that You Asked), Almond shares his rants, exploits, and obsessions about everything from why he hates Oprah’s Book Club to why he loves Vonnegut to what he thinks about being a first-time dad (whether you asked for it or not). Now, we are asking you for your own rants, exploits, and obsessions!
For more info on the contest see the unofficial rules for instructions and the official rules for the technicalities.
Here is how Steve describes how the book came together:
Seeing as how the format of Not That You Asked is somewhat unique in structure, how did the book itself and the content within evolve?
SA: By “unique in structure” I take it you mean “complete mess.” The book began life as a proposed biography of Kurt Vonnegut, whom I’d worshipped during high school and college. It was my Corporate Masters at Random House who suggested a book of essays. I was immediately suspicious, fearful that I’d be sent off to Toledo and told to write about the Amazing Bearded Fat Lady at the State Fair. (I have enough Bearded Fat Ladies in my life as it is.) So I told these Corporate Masters, I says to them: “Listen, I’m not really an essayist. I’m more a writer of depressing, pornographic short stories. Are you sure you want to me do this?” And they said, “Yes.” And I said, “I only write essays about the stuff that obsesses me.” And they said, “Fine.” And I said, “Okay, look. I want to believe you. But I’m a pathetic, anxiety ridden wretch. Meaning, I don’t really believe you, because you’re a bunch of Corporate Masters and it’s pretty much your job to hornswoggle pathetic, anxiety-ridden writers. So what I’m going to do is send you some of my essays and you can tell me if this is what you had in mind.” So that’s what I did. And their response was, “Looks dandy.” So I finally got it through my thick skull that they actually weren’t pulling an elaborate April Fools gag and signed on the dotted line. The manuscript I turned in had about twenty essays, many of them shorter pieces. My editor, Julia “Please Stop Being a Pathetic Wretch” Cheiffitz, suggested I cut some of these, and write a few more long pieces, which I did, after the standard period of aggrieved grumbling. This is a very long answer that I hope makes perfectly clear why the book is a complete mess. I deserve all the blame. Then again, I’m not sure readers care so much about organization. In the end, they just want good stories, a laugh, something to remind them how deeply embarrassed we all are, all the time.
Jul
18
In the Mail
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Here are some book that will be hitting bookstores later this summer and fall that have found their way to me:
- Scots on the Rocks: A Bed-and-Breakfast Mystery by Mary Daheim
Publishers Weekly:
Daheim’s enjoyable 23rd B&B mystery (after 2006’s Saks and Violins) takes Judith McMonigle Flynn, her cousin Serena Renie Jones and their husbands to a remote town in Scotland. The idea is to get away from the stresses of running an inn, and from Judith’s pesky habit of stumbling over corpses and solving murders, but when a new Scottish acquaintance mysteriously dies, Judith can’t help poking around. Why would anyone kill Harry Gibbs? Perhaps his wife, now twice widowed, had developed a romantic relationship with someone else, or perhaps a complex business deal lies behind Harry’s demise. The tight-knit locals aren’t always willing to open up to Judith, and soon more people die. The many eccentric Scottish characters aren’t especially well developed, but the local color—fine wool, romantic castles, freely flowing whiskey and tea—is charming. This cozy makes a good vacation read, whether or not your destination is Scotland.
Synopsis
An ancient race of lycanthropes survives in modern LA and its numbers are growing as packs convert the city’s downtrodden into their fold. Stuck in the middle are a local dogcatcher and the woman he loves, whose secret past haunts her as she fights a bloody one-woman battle to save their relationship. Meanwhile, dog packs fight and scheme all around the them, hiding out in old warehouses, city kennel cages, or the plush comfort of suburban homes. Paying no heed to the moon, these packs change from human to wolf at will, squaring off against one another as they seek dominance at any cost. “Sharp Teeth” is a novel-in-verse that blends epic themes with dark humour, dogs playing cards, crystal meth labs, and acts of heartache and betrayal in Southern California.
- Winged Wonders: A Celebration of Birds in Human History by Peter Watkins and Jonathan Stockland
Book Description
Celebrating the powerful role of birds in human customs and traditions from around the world and throughout history, this sourcebook explores the delightful stories surrounding some of the world’s best-known birds—including the eagle, owl, pelican, falcon, dove, swan, and raven. With topics including folklore, literature, music, dance, and spirituality, this eclectic and enchanting encyclopedia of avian–human relations is an ideal companion for any bird-lover. Brilliantly illustrated and filled with intriguing research, it illuminates many astonishing aspects of bird life, including their dazzling colors, intricate nest-building habits, finely structured feathers, amazing feats of migration, and breathtakingly beautiful song and movement.
Jul
17
Kirk and Hobbes on Order
Filed Under Books and Culture, Politics, The Blogosphere | Leave a Comment
In reading various accounts and response to the contretemps surrounding Alan Wolfe’s essay on Russell Kirk, I recently came across an intelligent and thought provoking response by R.R. Reno at First Things. I found Reno’s discussion of ordered liberty and his comparing and contrasting the views of Hobbes and Kirk insightful:
Leaving aside the snide tone, Wolfe is correct to note that “everything Kirk says about religion and the social order is breathtakingly unoriginal.” Like so many before him, Kirk thought religion a crucial pillar of a healthy society. But Wolfe is quite wrong when his ends his observation by saying that Kirk is conventional, “except for the remark that without religion we would be in a constant state of war. Given the fact that so many wars have been fought over religion, there is no disputing the creativity of that observation.” Wolfe needs to be careful with his clever, superior lines. Was Hobbes an obvious idiot for saying that without the absolute power of the sovereign we would experience the war of all against all? But wait—don’t sovereigns launch most wars?
I don’t think you need to be a terribly subtle thinker to see that neither Hobbes nor Kirk is a fool. In fact, there is an important similarity between the two that Wolfe’s dismissive review fails to recognize and explore. Both Hobbes and Kirk view the power that imposes order as necessary to control base human impulses and to minimize their destructiveness. But there is also a very important difference. Hobbes saw human beings as pleasure-seeking and pain-avoiding machines; as a consequence, order could only be imposed externally and harshly by the Leviathan. In contrast, Kirk viewed us as complicated spiritual, social, and physical beings. We can fear God and develop self-disciplining inhibitions that allow us to bring order to our lives, and, as a consequence, we can become free, cooperative agents in a democratic process that shapes society into a moral order capable of perpetuating self-disciplined, free social actors. This is the deep anthropological insight of the conservative ideal of ordered liberty.
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