Reading Log - Playing Catchup, 2022 Edition
Part one in a possible series. This is another batch of books that have been on my "already read" shelf for a long time. Once again, I don't remember much about most of them, which itself may say something. I'm doing a major purge / reorganization and need to free up the shelf space, so off we go.
Top 10 of Everything 2013 - one of those books of lists and brief articles that I used to like propping open on the table to read while I ate. Nowadays I almost never even eat at the kitchen table, much less read while doing so. The year in this book's title, along with the tag in it indicating I received it as a Christmas present in 2012, are probably good indicators of how long it's been on that shelf.
UnPHILtered by Phil Robertson with Mark Schlabach. I don't remember anything specific about this book, but I still miss seeing the Robertsons regularly on TV.
I discovered Duck Dynasty largely by accident. I'd heard the name, but thought it was just another reality show about vapid rich people. Then I happened across an interview with a guy in waders and camo overalls standing in a fountain on what looked like a university campus, talking about Jesus. It was terrific, and I soon learned his name: Jase Robertson. I decided to give his show a chance, and was pleased to find out it was about a likeable family who have values and actually love and respect one another. I became a regular viewer. I also liked the spinoffs - even Going Si-Ral.
My copy of this book also contained a makeshift bookmark that's a hint as to how long it's been on the shelf: a parking receipt from 2015.
The War Against Boys by Christina Hoff Sommers. The attempt to define traditional masculinity as pathology is a particularly destructive and pernicious aspect of the postmodern ethos. That particular crusade seems to have become more subtle, shifting from an attack on masculinity to denial of the very concept of gender. Watching various lunatics try to avoid using terms like "man" and "woman" in favour of nonsense like "penis owner" and "person who menstruates" would be amusing if there weren't people out there deranged enough to take it all seriously. "Terf" is now one of the harshest insults that can be hurled; as far as I can tell, it means, "person who understands that there are actual biological differences between men and women." Or, put more succinctly, "sane person."
This book was an excellent overview of late-twentieth-century progressive attempts to damage boys and turn them into ineffectual men. Sadly, that effort bore some fruit, largely in the form of the aforementioned deranged "woke." The warning that Sommers sounded probably prevented some further damage.
When my son entered elementary school, I took a tour of his classroom. I noticed that the books in the classroom didn't fit the postmodern, gender-erasing model, many of them being obviously designed to appeal to either boys or girls. I remarked on that fact (in approving, less inflammatory terms) to the teacher. She said that the experiment with "gender-neutral" books had run its course, because children weren't interested in them and gravitated naturally to books "for their sex." It was nice to see a public school do something right. That was a long time ago, though, and by now that teacher has probably either radicalized or been driven out.
I recently learned that Sommers has publicly stated that she's pro-choice. That seems incongruous, given how sensible she is otherwise. A quick search makes it look like she's not militant on this issue, though, so I'm hopeful that she simply hasn't applied her logical rigour to it - or even that she simply doesn't want to bother arguing about it with morally bankrupt, scientifically illiterate zealots, so she proffers a weak pro-choice position to move on from the topic.
Never Trust a Liberal Over 3 - Especially a Republican by Ann Coulter. I agree with Ann Coulter probably 90% of the time and usually find her edifying and entertaining, even if I sometimes find she crosses the line into cheap shots. But I no longer feel any great need to read all of her weekly columns, or even her more recent books. Maybe it's because I've heard it all, maybe it's part of a general "letting go of stuff" feeling I've had lately.
With Coulter, though, at least some of it has to do with an area where I'm not quite on the same page as her: illegal immigration. I'm floating in the noncommittal middle on this subject. As much as I appreciate the benefits and blessings of my country, I'm not much of a patriot or nationalist. The Bible clearly teaches to treat the alien / foreigner among us kindly (Leviticus 19:34, among others), and I don't see any qualifiers about their legal status. But it also teaches that the rule of civic law is to be respected (Romans 13). At the same time, completely open borders are simply not feasible or sustainable. So I'm left grateful that there's no real need for me to take a firm position.
Coulter definitely has a firm position. That's fine; even if I rejected a writer for disagreeing with me about something, I couldn't argue against her any more than I can argue for her. However, I found her weekly columns, when I last read them regularly, getting awfully repetitive. Too many installments seemed to be essentially listing crimes committed by illegal immigrants. It got boring fast. I still check in sometimes, but only sporadically.
The Atheist Syndrome by John P. Koster - Koster describes atheism as a religion unto itself, with dogma and prophets. He examines prominent atheists (Darwin, Freud, Huxley, and Neitzsche) to reveal their similar histories (overbearing fathers leading to resentment toward and rejection of God as a paternal figure), then their legacies of death and destruction. Whenever man decides there is no God, he effectively decides that he himself is God, and chaos follows as everyone does what is right in their own eyes. Koster's book is illuminating.
Genesis by Janis Schacht - a 1984 book about one of my favourite bands. It follows the standard template for books that just use an artist's name as the title. A history of the group, album writeups, member profiles, etc., with no noteworthy revelations or controversial statements. A fine read if you aren't already familiar with the broad strokes of the band's history, and nothing you haven't heard before if you are. Worth picking up if it's cheap, but very much supplanted by Collins and Rutherford's own far more recent memoirs.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Reading this book (and East of Eden) left me wondering how such a great book had never been brought to my attention before. I had the same reaction the first time I saw the movie Network: "How come nobody told me about this?!?"
I narrowly missed out on reading The Grapes of Wrath in university. I was a Religious Studies major, and the school I attended had three tracks in its RS department: Biblical studies, theology, and world religions. If memory serves, I took almost every course in the theology track, none in the world religions track, and every course but one in the Biblical studies track. I regretted missing out on the one Biblical course I didn't take; the lead Biblical professor was an excellent scholar and teacher, and it was a privilege to learn from him. I had a schedule conflict with the only time that last course was offered, though. That one course was The Bible in Literature, in which Biblical references, allusions, and influences in the canon of literature were studied. The course's major project was a deep dive into The Grapes of Wrath.
As for why I didn't take any world religions courses - I was already a Christian, although an embarrassingly immature one, by the time I entered university. I had no interest in studying other religions in any depth. There's a reason why Treasury agents learn to detect counterfeit currency by studying authentic bills until they know them intimately and can spot any deviation. Yes, knowing the telltale signs of common counterfeits is useful (and it's why I've since looked into the main teachings of cults and non-Christian religions), but the best defense against counterfeits is deep knowledge of the authentic.
The Grapes of Wrath is a masterwork. And I say this despite disagreeing rather strongly with some of Steinbeck's obvious political leanings and sympathies (In Dubious Battle is far more hamfisted). Steinbeck's writing is simply beautiful. Almost every page contains at least one sentence that stands as a near-poetic work of art in its own right. The plot is compelling, the characters are sympathetic and strongly drawn, and Steinbeck made some very brave choices. The book was condemned as obscene in some quarters, partly due to its communistic themes but largely for the ending, and I have to admit I didn't quite get what happened on the last page until I reread it a couple of times. I wouldn't expect most writers even today to get away with the ending, and virtually none could carry it off as skillfully.
Based on a True Story: A Memoir by Norm MacDonald. Norm MacDonald's recent death was a massive loss to comedy. Bob Newhart now reigns unrivalled as the funniest man alive. But sadly, even he won't be with us forever, and there's no obvious successor. Norm was the only other candidate. Their collaborations were far too rare, but their combined talents gave us a great slow-burn sketch that Norm wrote, with Bob trying to redirect a disgruntled postal worker's potential violence.
As for this book - it's brilliant, and hilarious. I would have expected nothing less from Norm. I can't say more without spoiling it.
I recently saw The World's End, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Major spoilers for it ahead. What I'm about to say will also indirectly spoil Norm's book a little.
I knew nothing about The World's End going in except those two stars. I loved Shaun of the Dead, and consciously decided to go into this movie (and Hot Fuzz, which I watched around the same time and also rate very highly) with no advance knowledge. For the first while, The The World's End is a poignant and funny story about a group of reunited friends, with a dark undercurrent of one of the group feeling like he peaked during their younger years and has nothing to look forward to. That was a perfectly good story, and was being told entertainingly.
Then something happens that completely changes not only what the movie's about, but even what type / genre of movie we're watching. It veers into completely unhinted territory, but continues to be entertaining and compelling (and to hold onto the themes of friendship and failure). It's great.
Norm's book does something similar. At the beginning I thought he had just written a straightforward funny memoir, like many of his fellow Saturday Night Live alumni have done. Then, out of nowhere, along comes a turn. At first I thought he was doing a very Norm MacDonald-esque bit, and we would return to the narrative shortly. Nope. Norm straps the entire book to a booster rocket and blasts off for parts unknown. Genius.
I miss Norm, and I'm far from alone. At least we still have I'm Not Norm , a YouTube channel dedicated to his work.
Real Marriage by Mark and Grace Driscoll. Setting aside the later controversies around Mark Driscoll's ministry (allegations of bullying and abuse of authority, sadly all too common in the megachurch culture), I vaguely remember this book as being fine for what it is. The only part I remember specifically is an entire section of "Are we allowed to do <various acts>?" sex questions from married couples. The Driscolls consistently answer, that as long as your intimacy is shared only between you and your spouse (i.e., no adultery or third parties involved), everything's fully consensual, and no one is being hurt, then that's entirely up to you. Not only do I agree, I can't understand why a Christian couple would even ask the question.
The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus by John R. Cross - a terrific explanation of Christian beliefs, suitable for the questioning, those young in the faith, and the more mature as a refresher and teaching tool. Highly recommended.
The Enemy Within: Terror, Lies, and the Whitewashing of Omar Khadr by Ezra Levant. My interest in Levant, like Coulter above, has become less active over the years. Once again, I still generally agree with him, but there's only so long one can listen to even arguments for their own positions. When Sun News first started, I was a daily viewer of Levant's show. I gradually drifted away, simply because it became repetitive. I'm not a big fan of Rebel Media, mainly because they need to fundraise and pander so much to niche elements to survive. If the CTRC had treated Sun News remotely fairly, they'd still be on the air and that wouldn't be an issue.
As for this book, I don't remember much specific. I still think Omar Khadr was old enough to know what he was doing, and that he is culpable for the death of Christopher Speer. I'm not sure he should have spent the rest of his life in prison, but very sure that he didn't deserve a payout from the Canadian government. I'm dubious that he was tortured in custody by any reasonable definition of the word, although he was certainly manipulated during his questioning, like any suspect of a serious crime. He seems to have kept his nose clean since his release, and I hope he continues to do so. But he's still a young man, and only the future will tell.
Peace Kills by P.J. O'Rourke - I still like P.J. O'Rourke, and made lots of notes (none of which I'm taking time to transcribe here) while reading this book. My drifting from reading his work, unlike Levant and Coulter, stemmed partly from him having become less prolific in later years. It's not (entirely) me, it's him. And I just found out he died., which will probably slow his output even more.
The World Treasury of Modern Religious Thought, edited by Jeroslav Pelikan. This exemplifies that counterfeit study I mentioned earlier. Lots of highlighting in my copy.
Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking, Sixth Edition by Browne and Keeley. I'm not going too deeply into my personal info, but I have some formal training as an analyst. I've read lots of books and taken several academic courses on critical thinking and bias detection, much of which focusses on trying to identify and reduce the effect of your own personal biases, which everyone has. This book was fairly useful, as far as I remember. It's disheartening to see the level of discourse on social media these days, when too many on any side of any issue are mashing their keyboards to post variants on "Everybody who doesn't agree with me is DUM HURR DURR DURR."
The Everyday Guide to the Bible by Carol Smith (who is oddly uncredited on the cover). A dollar store find. Perfectly good for what it is, with brief summaries of each book and thematic overviews.
The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton. Personal finance has been an interest of mine over the years, but it took me a long time to get around to actually reading this book. I think at this point Chilton's observations and advice are so well-known and established that they seem to have passed into common knowledge, making the book seem simplistic. It isn't; when it was first published, it was innovative and is actually foundational to current financial wisdom.
Revelation Unveiled by Tim LaHaye - very interesting and informative. I'm not sure I fully concur with LaHaye's thesis that each of the seven churches correspond to a historical age, but it's certainly food for thought.
The Complete Gospels, edited by Robert J,. Miller. I've seen fellow Christians write that they need a stamp for some of the books in their library: "Heretical garbage, for research purposes only." One of these days, I should have one made.
This book is a a product of the Jesus Seminar, a collection of "scholars" who presume to decide on Biblical authority by vote. They are not to be taken seriously. I have it because it's a competent compilation, for reference purposes, of the known apocryphal "Gospels." A quick read of most of them demonstrates why they were rejected by the Church. They contain a great deal of obvious nonsense, sometimes reaching the level of blasphemy. In the fourth chapter of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Jesus, still a child, loses his temper and strikes another boy dead for having bumped into him. IN the following chapter, he makes the parents of those boys blind as punishment for having objected. These are not tales of the Jesus that Christians worship (hence the lack of capitalized pronouns in those last few sentences).
The Seminar also have the nerve to present their versions of the four Biblical Gospels, going to great pains to undermine traditional Biblical authority and the Divinity of Jesus. For example, these quotations from the introduction to their version of the Gospel of John [sic throughout]:
"Jesus speaks not like the first-century itinerant teacher that he in fact was but as if he were from heaven..."
"There is in this gospel very little of the historical Jesus' actual teaching .. and it is not altogether certain that this Beloved Disciple, as he has usually been known, was in fact a real person."
The footnotes are full of similar pernicious implications. This book is useful as reference, but in the same manner that a laboratory might keep samples of poisons on hand to study and synthesize antidotes. Heretical garbage, for research purposes only.
The Art of Cross-Examination, by Francis L. Wellman. I used to work for an organization that conducted fact-finding investigations with fairly high stakes if shenanigans on the part of our "clients" were uncovered. I was an office drone, far below the level of the employees who got to have all the investigative fun.
One day an opportunity was extended to a selected bunch of us drones: we could begin participating directly in investigations, by conducting preliminary telephone interviews. No extra pay, and if we found anything it got sent off to a real employee to follow up, but we'd be in the game. Training was promised. I signed up.
This book comes in because I read it while working at that organization, in hopes of one day participating in these sort of interviews. By the time a client was talking to one of our people, they generally already knew they were under the microscope, and their attitudes ranged from evasive to hostile. I figured the more I knew about detecting deception and getting the truth out of reluctant subjects, the better.
When the training began, we were handed scripts with laughably useless questions (Think, "Have you committed any felonies you'd like to tell us about?") and told we'd only be talking to people who had reached out to us - i.e., nobody who had any reason to think they were under investigation, almost always because they weren't. We were forbidden to deviate from the exact wording of the scripts. I immediately got that this project wasn't being done to enhance the organization's legitimate operations, it was being done so the suits above me could tell the suits above them that they'd increased our investigative capacity without actually making any effort or spending any money. I bailed out literally within minutes of beginning "training."
I don't remember anything specific about the book. This was all a very long time ago.
Stopping here for this one. Still lots and lots of books left on the shelf
Enough rambling. Here's a picture of the current sociopolitical climate in the U.S. (and, to some degree, Canada).
