“I believe that many who find that 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand.”
C.S. Lewis - Introduction to "On the Incarnation" by St. Athanasius
05.18.09
Posted in Literature at 10:41 am by Adam B.
Les Misérables
Les Misérables is a story written by the French novelist Victor Hugo in 1862. It is set in the years following the French Revolution, and details the story of a released convict from the day of his release until his death. It is a tale of redemption, justice, politics, history, and love. The reason I note in the title that I read the “Unabridged” version is not to tout my sense of accomplishment at completing such a massive work (though there may be a little of that,) but so that those who have read the shorter version or seen the play will not wonder why I touch on themes and ideas they don’t remember from their interaction with the story.
The story begins with a lengthy section about a devout priest who practiced in a remote village in France. Hugo goes through great lengths to explore his piety and humility so when the main character comes on the scene we are not surprised by his radical personal change. This portion of the book, completely though necessarily ignored in the abridged versions, was perhaps the most touching and devastating of the entire work. Touching because Hugo captured in this priest the life and love of a man imitating Christ with all his being. It was devastating for the same reason. He exposes both the fragility and incomprehensible power of a virtuous life in this lovely character; a character responsible for all the joy and heartache that takes place in the story once he is off the scene, though he participates in none of it. All of the change and constancy that takes place in every character can be traced back to this single man and the life he lived, though he is barely fit for mention in the versions most read today.
All the same, I do not think I would recommend the unabridged version to anyone, unless they had a special interest in either French history, or the history of the sewage system in Paris: he writes voluminously about each. About every three or four sections (out of 48) the reader finds a lengthy hiatus in the story exploring a particular battle, the language of street urchins, or the peculiar way an isolated group of royalists choose to speak about the latest revolutions going around. I went into this work looking for understanding about the French Revolution; I got that and a whole lot more. If the reader does not bear a similar interest I recommend the abridged version.
Enough people are familiar with the story that I will not detail it here. I will just offer a simple reaction: this book may have ruined reading for me forever, it’s that good. Where can I go to read something of this quality again? Hugo wrote at a peculiar time in history when political and social philosophy was at a zenith and yet Christianity, while heavily critiqued and criticized, was still seen to have inestimable value. There is no dark underbelly to this story castigating religion in its entirety placing it upon the same dunghill as alchemy and superstition; there are no subtle (and ignorant) jabs suggesting that one day science and reason will lead us to the perfect society. Hugo inspects both the good and the bad of the Christian faith and finds much more gold than dross.
Two chapters, the two longest chapters in the book, I believe, were devoted to introspection by two of the chief characters when they had to make a life changing decision. In these chapters the characters find their systems challenged to the utmost, and each is tempted to abandon his course. In the first instance the Christian virtue of self-sacrifice is put to the test. Never before have I read such a penetrating and revealing account of the inner workings of a human soul when temptation is at its worst. Hugo demonstrates with elegance the axiom that only the virtuous truly understand the nature of evil, for in resisting they must face all its wiles, trickery, and cunning. The man who gives in knows not the strength of his opponent as the one who fights to the death. In the second instance a loyal ward of the state discovers that human law is unfit to answer all the questions of justice. In this the reader perceives the beauty of the law of Christ and the inadequacy of the laws of men as the first man overcomes his temptation and the second gives in. The story alone is enough to make the heart sing, but these two chapters challenged my mind and imagination to see anew the glory of faithfulness and humility, of true Christian love, compared to all human virtue.
Volumes more could be written about this work but I will refrain. This story has deeply affected me. I would love to hear how it has affected you.
Permalink
03.16.09
Posted in Life at 2:31 pm by Adam B.
The only reason I’m in Denver is to get to Chicago. I was on the plane to O’hare, the luggage was getting packed onto the plane, when a disconcerting beep begins to play over the loudspeaker. The captain comes on to reassure us. “A sensor is down, things don’t look good. They said they’re going to try to fix it by 2:00… that’s not going to happen. Don’t rush off the plane yet. I’ll tell you when it’s official.”Just what I wanted to hear from my captain.
The amazing thing, no moaning. I expected a sudden outcry complete with gnashing teeth. I expected an enraged public to massacre the flight crew and storm the luggage bins. In fact, everyone stayed calm. I think the quiet acceptance had something to do with the solidarity of the moment. There was no unfairness here. We all have places to be, and right now. A lowsy situation stuck us all; there’s no need to make it worse my moaning. It’s almost enough to make you feel okay being human.
So now I’ve got three hours to spend in an airport. Luckily, it’s a nice airport. I have a quiet location, more or less, to plug in my laptop and sit on a chair and compose. When I’m hungry, I have a bounty of adequate and nearly-adequate food choices. I’m on a business trip which means expenses are paid. Within reason. Using my ipod, complete with all the books I could ever want, I can send text messages and emails so the important parties are informed of my whereabouts. Who needs a cell phone. Bah!
Airports are funny because they are like a giant mall with one exception, no one wants to be here. Everyone here is just waiting to be somewhere else. There are plenty of fine stores, resturants, and wild people to watch, and yet, it just doesn’t have that jazzy mall feel. It’s like they have invented a way to make us shop while we wait in line. Yes, it’s just like that. Airports are those isles of useless goods in the checkout line at the grocery store trying to seduce the kid in you (or your actual kid) to reach out and buy some gum you didn’t intend to purchase. And a candybar. And, oooh, I didn’t know Brangelina met up with Jennifer A. this week, I’ll have to check up on that. While I’m at it I might as well catch up on my biblical prophesy. The only real difference is that rad voice reminding you to watch your step before the moving floor comes to a sudden stop. I’m still waiting to see someone fall flat on their face.
Permalink
03.05.09
Posted in Language at 10:32 am by Adam B.
Eats, Shoots and Leaves
I love British writing. While I can’t say the same for music, their authors are top notch. Perhaps it’s only because we get the best of their work sent over here, but I think it’s more than that. Even the British classics from the past 200 years are better than our American classics. I love how they flaunt it in this book, “The #1 British Bestseller”. Who cares if it hit #1 on the New York Times? This book sold to the people who know what reading and writing is all about.
Eats, Shoots and Leaves is a satire about grammar. By the time you’re finished you either want to become a grammar Nazi yourself, or at least ensure that they never break down the door of your house or store to correct a poorly punctuated sign. The author suggests a violent revolution is the only way to fix our grammar impaired culture, and she’s quite convincing. It may be the first cause I’ve ever believed in strong enough to actually consider taking up arms.
In this book Lynne Truss offers a brief history of each punctuation mark and a few examples of improper and proper usage. The humor is of that distinctly British flavor that no American has yet to master. You can almost hear the derisive accent through the pages, and you love every minute of it.
Only a master of punctuation can write with genuine humor. Humor in writing takes profound subtlety, and punctuation is the key. Truss elaborates on the subtle differences between words that are placed “in quotes” and words that are italicized, and even shows why the semicolon shouldn’t go out of style. By mastering the nuances of every form of print and punctuation a good writer can play a finely tuned piece able to take a reader anywhere thought and expression can go. This book was not only humorous but inspirational. Highly recommended.
Permalink
01.31.09
Posted in Literature at 1:22 pm by Adam B.
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
Ivanhoe was written by Sir Walter Scott in 1819. It is set in 12th century England when king Richard was returning from the crusades and prince John was attempting to usurp his throne. Ivanhoe is perhaps the best knight that served under Richard in their attempts to win back the Promised Land.
I almost didn’t make it through this one. Scott opens every scene with a superfluity of detail near excessive enough to thwart even my most valiant attempts to endure this work. Couple that with his propensity towards arduous language (words like superfluity) and the fight was near to great for this brave knight. But hail, the foe is vanquished. If in patience you attend to my discourse I will distribute the spoils forthwith.
Ivanhoe is historical fiction. Scott shows his mastery of the time through his knowledge of people, places, customs, prejudices, clothes and even language. If his descriptive language was not difficult enough, all the dialog in the book is written in old English, complete with thees, thous, and thuss, that took quite an adjustment on my part.
By chapter 4 I nearly gave up. Until this point the story was boring, I had no sense where it was headed, and the title character had yet to be introduced. Today they tell you stories should start off with a bang. A conversation between a swine herder and a jester with no context besides the excessive detail about their clothes and personal affects was hardly the bang I was looking for. I don’t say this to dissuade you from this book, but to prepare the reader for a difficult beginning.
By the time I came to terms with his writing and dialog the story picked up. Ivanhoe is story about knights and damsels in distress, concealed identities, battles, and a nation ill at ease with its own identity. It has the tenor of a fantasy novel without all the magic and dwarfs and hobbits. Notwithstanding, its characters are exceptional; from the bowman Locksley who can hit a switch from 100 paces to the mysterious Black Knight whose power in battle is beyond renown. Scott’s interweaving of history with the legends of the time is masterful and well worth it.
Occasionally a book has a scene that fully exploits and demonstrates the power of the written word over other media. I recall one such scene in Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities where a fight broke out between two woman that was so masterfully portrayed it could not be done justice in film. This book, too, had one such moment; in this case between a Jewish girl and a Templar knight. In his attempt to rape her she threatens to cast herself from the castle wall. She then expounds on the true meaning of virtue. The knight cannot help but change in her presence. To say more would spoil the work, but rarely is virtue so eloquently described while showing its insurmountable power against those who are without. There is mighty strength in purity and honest virtue, strength we often forget in our attempts to justify ourselves against a licentious world. Scott understood this power well and nobly embodied it in the form of the weak Jewish beauty who conquered the passions of the Templar knight.
Highly recommended for the stout of heart.
Permalink
01.22.09
Posted in Code at 1:05 pm by Adam B.
Freshly Brewed Web Design
After long deliberation I have decided to start a web design business. I have been making websites for pay since this summer and the experience has been positive for me and my customers, so I have decided to expand. You can check out my main site for this venture at http://fbwebd.com. The site is only recently completed so I am open to suggestions for improvement. I will be using this page as a hub for the business as well as a place to catalog my web development ideas. I currently have but one post that is about getting a coverflow plugin working as a portfolio. Techincal, boring stuff, but helpful for people building sites like I am (and helpful for reminding me how I got certain things working).
If you know of anyone who needs a new site or who has a site that needs a face lift feel free to send them my way.
Permalink
01.13.09
Posted in Literature at 12:13 pm by Adam B.
The Darksword Trilogy: Volume 1
I recently decided that my reading was a bit haphazard. After completing a list of must-read of books I was left to my own devices trying to discover profitable reading material from the vast storehouse of literature. That was frustrating, to say the least. Too much to read, no context to appreciate what I was reading. After a few attempts I decided to limit myself to a particular era and supplement my reading with history, philosophy and poetry from the same era. After contemplating this for all of two minutes I settled on the French Revolution. History has always been a murky subject for me, but this was the fog among the murkiness; I couldn’t make heads or tails of this event. Couple that with its enormous influence on the rest of European history, my ignorance of this era left me feeling historically inadequate; a feeling, I’m sure you agree, that is quite despicable and disheartening.
Sadly, there is no standard list of “books you must read to understand the French Revolution.” Consequently, for now, I have limited myself to books written between 1770 and 1820. Happily, I have found this era full of great works that are not too ancient to be difficult to read or understand. On the side, I began reading a book on European history to give me a context for this literature. Most of this historical material I have read before for my coursework, but it is much more engaging when I don’t have to read 100 pages a day for an assignment.
To the book at hand: Clearly The Darksword Trilogy is not from the 18th century. For some time now I have considered writing a fantasy novel. I have a robust pre-history that is ever expanding, a wonderful set of characters (in my opinion) and a basic plot for at least one book. One problem. I almost never read fantasy. I love Lewis and Tolkien but I have yet to enjoy other fantasy authors, not that I have tried all that hard. Discerning this weakness my friend Steve Fitz. has taken it upon himself to recommend fantasy novels for me to read for my education in the subject. He has gone through great travail, at my behest, procuring a wide range of authors and styles for me to read to give me an understanding of the genre and its readers. As I did not want to be overcome by this pursuit, I have committed to read 1 fantasy book for every 3 literary novels I consume. (Steve, for his part, has allowed me to recommend 1 piece of literature for every 3 of his books he reads. Lord of the Flies is the first for him.) Forging the Darksword was my first in this pact.
As I doubt many of my readers will be interested in this particular work I will make my comments brief. The writing was mediocre. The author’s use of metaphors reminded me of Max Payne. Remember those great one-liners? “The night was cold, cold like a gun.” In this book every breeze, bush, and bucket of water was personified, which became very grating over time. All the dialogue was broken up with enumerable details of body position, facial contortions, lip licking, breathing style and sweat rate. Come on! Just let the people talk for once! That being said, the story was decent, and the characters, while not believable in the least, were fun. I did learn a lot about conduits, life magic, and the differences between warlocks, mages, druids, and sorcerers. All important information.
The true frusteration of this book was that the author resolved almost nothing in the end. The climax was the death of a relatively minor villan with no change in situation for any of the major characters. If I enjoyed the book this would entice me to read on, but as it stands I doubt I will pick up any more of this author’s books anytime soon, if ever.
Permalink
01.09.09
Posted in Literature at 10:34 am by Adam B.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
We have this story all wrong. Frankenstein is the creator, not the monster. He is a college student, not a mad scientist. There is no hunchback named Igor. There is no lightning. Whatever we think we know about Frankenstein, we have it wrong.
Despite its awful adaptations in movies, cartoons and parodies, this is a fantastic story. It is gripping from start to finish (especially if you are a bit nerdy), it explores the glories and the dangers of putting our hopes in science and society, and, perhaps best of all, it is not too long. I have also been able to strike up conversations about this work in multiple venues, something I have yet to accomplish with any other piece of literature. I couldn’t be happier with it.
Frankenstein, as a young man, represents the best society has to offer. He is brilliant, a family man, and in love. He goes to school and immediately finds he has a knack for the natural sciences.He excels in his studies and, after great labor, he discovers the secret to life. Instead of creating something small he decides to create something grand, something like a man but better: bigger, stronger, smarter. Yes smarter. The monster actually becomes quite articulate. Our good friend Frankenstein made but one teensy mistake, he made him hideously ugly. Not on purpose, he intended him to be superior in every way. Unfortunately for the monster (perhaps he would have a name if he were not so ugly) his hideousness was his undoing. Not even the good Christians in the book could accept him. Then again, they were French.
All of this is only the beginning to a marvelous tale. If your burned out on Twilight and Harry Potter and can’t find anything else to suite your fancy, give Frankenstein a try.
Permalink
12.28.08
Posted in Literature at 9:42 pm by Adam B.
Early Fantasy Book
George MacDonald is probably best known today for his influence on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. For that reason I decided to give this work a shot. Phantastes is a about a man who enters into fairy land (yes, with actual fairies that live in flowers and such) and the things that happened to him there. I was disappointed, but not entirely.
Right from the start I was reminded of Carrol’s “Alice in Wonderland” because the plot was practically non-existent and dreamlike. Luckily, by the end of the book, most of the random elements found their place in the stories resolution. That helped, but, like Carrol, he seemed to exult in the inexplicable and random to the frustration of the reader. This might be partially explained away as an attempt at allegory, but the allegory was all too hidden for the casual reader like myself (and everyone else I found online who read the book) to explain what was happening. Where the allegory was clear the story shined, but this was all too infrequent.
MacDonad’s style itself was a bit distressing at first because his sentences could easily go on for half a page. Early on I found myself often reading and rereading single sentences to remind myself of the subject. By about a third of the way through this was no longer necessary as I had happily adapted. I say happily because these elaborate sentences were full of description and beauty that greatly aided this tale. It was not difficult to be swept away by his imagery even when it was difficult to know what was happening or where the story was going.
The most impressive part of the book took place in a library where the hero was reading several books. In this portion of the book the hero retold stories he had just read, stories that only barely touched on the rest of the book as it progressed, if at all. (Random!!!) Nevertheless, the second story, which made up the longest chapter in the book, was perhaps the best short story I have ever read. It showed me that the author was well aware of elements like plot, characterization, subtlety, tension and resolution, even if he chose not to use them in the larger story. In some ways this mini-story foreshadowed the hero’s journey to come, but it stood well on its own and could be removed from this book with no damage done.
This book was MacDonald’s first attempt at fantasy writing, and I have been told that his book Lilith, written many years later, was the fruit to this seed. Perhaps I will give it a try before too long as I would sincerely like to appreciate this author who inspired so many I love.
I read this book on my ipod as well, and continue to love the experience.
Permalink
12.26.08
Posted in Marriage at 12:11 pm by Adam B.
Whenever Chrissy is off work she makes me a nice breakfast of eggs and toast from our homemade bread and we sit down and chat as the morning passes slowly away. We speak of friends and family, of our dreams of scholarship and chickens, of books and bees, and our inmost hopes that drive us. There is plenty of time for silent looks and quiet chewing as we enjoy the peaceful stillness of the break of day. Chrissy with her weak coffee weighed down with cream and me with my tea sip the morning away enthralled with the joy of spending life together.
A breeze passes by our window and I ask about today’s plans. She tells me of her desire to knit and read and take a walk after lunch. She asks me the same and I reply in kind, minus the knitting. The smell of coffee and toast is mingled with wax as a tiny flame digs deeper and deeper into the heart of the candle on our table. I wish to remain as we are until its light is extinguished, but the day begins to beckon me away from this simple happiness. There are books that need reading and Greek that requires learning, and I cannot put them off forever. I smile and sigh toward my kitty-corner companion and in my heart I thank God for these lovely mornings.
Permalink
12.23.08
Posted in Literature at 6:21 pm by Adam B.
Emma by Jane Austin in ebook
Emma is the third Jane Austen book I’ve read. I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, loved Mansfield Park, and Emma was a joy from start to finish. I can see why this is one of her most recommended works.
To begin with, the characters were fantastic. Emma is beautiful and precocious; and she knows it. In a word, the perfect heroine. There’s the narcissistic but loving father (if you can fit those together in your mind), the suave but eminently perplexing suitor, the wise brother-in-law, the naive younger friend, and on it goes. For those who know the genre these characters alone offer significant opportunity for misunderstanding, anxiety, and ultimate happiness. What more could one want from a romance?
Austin’s writing is some of the best I’ve seen. As I have developed a taste for literature my senses are continually awakened to new forms of beauty in writing and story. What I love about Austen is that the more I bring to the table the more she has to offers me as a reader. Every time I read one of her books I feel it is her best. I now believe that this has more to do with me than the works themselves. Her writing is like fine chocolate. Any fool can enjoy it but only one with refined taste can appreciate its purity, subtlety and the care that produced it. I look forward to improving my skills as a reader so I can enjoy her next work even more.
On another note, Emma is my first attempt at reading an ebook. A few months back I got an ipod touch with my laptop, replacing one that had been stolen. The device is ridiculously useful and I keep it on my person the way most people do there cell phones. I have long known that I could read ebooks on the ipod touch, but I was so convinced that I would loath the experience I never took it up. I was happily mistaken. While you lose the effect of paper and ink you also lose the weight. Apple’s commitment to a slim and light device is much appreciated. Now I can read anywhere without remembering to grab my current book or get a light when things get dark. If I finish a book while I am out I have a few more already downloaded I can dive right into. The reading does not get tedious like I expected and even has some advantages. You can manipulate the font, color and brightness of the screen to perfectly suite your tastes. I am currently reading my books on a light blue screen with black, bolded letters, dimly lit (the screen, not me). Gone are the days of sitting in my uncomfortable couch instead of my comfy chair to get better lighting. Gone are the days of keeping a dictionary or computer close by so I can look up words I want to learn. Now I can just switch to the built in dictionary, look up the word, and switch back. Brilliant.
And, best of all, since most of the books I read are past the copyright date, everything I have wanted to read on it is free. This may be better than when McDonald’s introduced the dollar menu.
Permalink
« Previous entries Next Page » Next Page »