May Reads
Categories: reading, spiritual-writings
Date: 31 May 2009 08:17:17
Three new books, one re-read and one book finished after many, many months. With winter only a few hours away [though wintry weather Sydney-style [grey clouds; rain; cool nights] has been with us for a few days], thoughts are now turning to reading in bed with a nice cup of hot Milo.
Soul Music - Terry Pratchett: with masterful puns, entertaining characters, a family business, wizards, guilds, music and Death -- it'd have to be Pratchett: who else is capable of weaving such a seemingly disparate collection into any one book? Though I will say I found this a hard slog at times, several sections not really grabbing me, all-in-all it was great fun -- and I loved the exploration of Death and the "business of Death". Death truly is one of my favourite characters in the Discworld -- odd as that may sound. And it was great to get to know him, and his family and assistant, a bit better.
The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work - Alain de Botton: I did not enjoy this as much as his other books I have read [all except "The Architecture of Happiness" which I need to get asap], but this is still an immensely enjoyable and thought-provoking book. Alain de Botton has travelled the world in examining various occupations first-hand, and the result is an intriguing and fascinating look at not only the jobs people do [increasingly becoming specialised as we divide labour] and the effect this may have on not only one's view and value of their work, but also the creation and setup of the environments they work in. It may need another re-read for me to gain, and perhaps appreciate, more; but given I read and re-read Alain de Botton's books regularly, a re-read is a given anyway.
Ali and Nino - Kurban Said: from the moment I started reading this book I was entranced and captivated: this story of two people in love from childhood, despite their different backgrounds, religions and yearnings for life and for the future, is so wonderfully written [all praise to the translator too: Jenia Gramna], with characters so real [i.e. imperfect], and vivid descriptions of Azerbaijan that take you there, that I could not help be drawn into their lives and carried along through the joys, struggles and pains they suffered. It was recommended to me by the tour director of the Georgian tour I am going on, together with a history book I am currently reading and greatly enjoying, Charles Kings' The Ghost of Freedom: A History of the Caucasus, and I am so glad I was made aware of its existence. A simply beautiful book that could speak of any two people from different backgrounds who love one another and must struggle and fight for this love: and one which I am thankful and blessed to have read.
The Life of Moses - St Gregory of Nyssa: I read this book a year or so back and was challenged, though I found it very difficult in places -- in such cases I simply move on and take what I can. I re-read it over the past 5 weeks as the text in the Reading the Classics short course I did at the Catholic Institute of Sydney, and was challenged, encouraged and moved beyond all expectation. I have blogged about this book over the past few weeks, and will continue to do so in some more posts soon. It was still a challenging read, in that it expresses concepts I was not, and perhaps many Christians in the 21st century may not be, familiar with in terms of God being found in darkness and the call to perfection, but it is well worth the effort: and thanks be to God we in the course had a wonderful guide in the presenter Daniel Ang.
St Paul's Epistle to the Romans: A Pastoral Commentary - Archbishop Dmitri Royster: one of the best commentaries I have had the pleasure, and I do not use that word lightly, of reading: not only intelligent and 'theoretical' commentary, but extremely practical and pastoral applications as well. I read this commentary on-and-off for quite a while, I cannot even remember when I started, and it was always a blessing to come back to after a break when a thorough continual look at Romans became a bit too much [I have a short attention span!]. Archbishop Dmitri uses his own learned knowledge with that of a number of Saints in their Commentaries and writings together with the Orthodox Church's liturgy and hymnography to explain the meaning and context of St Paul's Letter to the Romans. Having read His Eminence's books on the Miracles and Parables and being edified, encouraged and educated, and now this one, I shall be looking for more Commentaries and writings from him.