Another book down, loads to go

This week I have to thank my gal pals for introducing me to Madeleine l’Engle and A Wind in the Door.  Not sure which gal pal recommended Madeleine l’Engle which put her on my wish list but I’m assuming it was one of my American sisters as the author is indeed from the new world. Actually the book I had on my wish list was A Wrinkle in Time which is the first book in the Time Quintet but another gal pal sent me A Wind in the Door which is the second.

These are children’s books but immensely enjoyable and intelligent. There are cherubims masquerading as dragons, journeys to defeat the Echthroi (those who hate) and a mission to restore brilliant harmony and joy to the rhythm of creation, the song of the universe. This is a book to read and re-read to find those big themes of sacrifice and redemption. I’m not sure what age of children may enjoy this as it is quite dark and the language fairly adult. A good book to read aloud, I reckon.

Reading, Watching, Listening

Reading:

Two charity shop finds have entertained me this week. The first was my lover’s lover by Maggie O’Farrell.  We did The Vanishing Act of Esmee Lennox at the book group and enjoyed it so was happy to pick up another of hers. I actually loved the premise of this story – a woman seeing the ghost of her lover’s former lover all over the place. It was a book about emotions and jealousy and insecurity and half-truths with some exceptional writing.  The one thing that spoiled it for me was the ending so am reluctant to recommend it. No, that’s not fair – the rest of it is really good so go for it if you can bear a poor ending. Just make up your own like I did.

The second book was The Miracles of Santo Fico by D L Smith. This is a book about love and miracles and forgiveness set in a forgotten village in Tuscany.  Father Elio is having a spiritual crisis and Leo orchestrates a miracle to set things right. There is humour and a light touch to what would be great holiday reading.

Watching:

This week I have watched the first series of Black Books, the comedy series with Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey and Tamsin Greig co-written with Graham Linehan (Father Ted). I had forgotten quite how funny this is so there has been much clutching of stitches. (And it was only £9.88 for the boxed set of 3 series so not to be missed.)

My sister loaned me a boxed set of The Lakes which was a series on BBC1 in the late 90s by Jimmy McGovern. I couldn’t understand why I had never even heard of this until I remembered that I didn’t watch TV from 1996-2000 which were my University years. Us oldies needed to study, study, study into the wee small hours. The series was set in the Lake District so beautiful views and back-drops but was very dark.  Murder, mayhem, sex and more sex, rape – it was all there by the bucketload. Good though.

Son #1 persuaded me to get The World’s Fastest Indian and we watched that one night. It stars Anthony Hopkins as a New Zealander (bad accent Anthony) who wants to enter the world speed record on a motorcycle – the Indian of the title. This is such a feel-good movie and really heartwarming. (Film group will see it soon!)

Also have watched the 1st series of Life on Mars which also passed me by. I was more than a little disappointed to find that I now have to watch the second series to find out if he gets back or not.  However, it was mildly amusing and passed an hour or so.

Listening:

Oh such joy since I discovered Spotify.  I’m sure it was one of the young people in the SEC who mentioned it in a blog or on Facebook and I’m so glad they did. Now I get to listen to all my favourite music on my computer without changing cds etc.  Found lots of my old vinyl on it which is probably unplayable now, having moved house a dozen times and they are still living in the garage. The ads are short and fairly unobtrusive too so bearable. Download it now! You won’t regret it.

And who have I been listening to?  Well since you ask… Bach, Dr Hook, Nick Drake, Faure, Barbra Streisand and Craig Armstrong.

 

What have I been reading?

Why, thanks for asking.

I probably have the biggest Amazon wish list in the world. I am always reading book reviews or hearing people wax lyrically about a certain book and before I forget its name, I pop it on my wish list. From time to time people give them to me as gifts, and sometimes they turn up in charity shops. The two books I’ve read this week have fitted those categories.

The first was The Tenor Wore Tapshoes by Mark Schweizer. I think it was RevGalPals who recommended one of the books in this series but as they are rather expensive over here a lovely friend got me one when in the USA.  It is classed as a Liturgical Mystery which was a new one for me, being a huge fan of the Ecclesiastical Whodunnit.  The blurb says:

Hayden Konig leads a charmed life. He’s rich, he loves his full time job as police chief in the little mountain town of St Germaine, North Carolina, and he still enjoys his part-time employments as the organist and choirmaster at St Barnabas Episcopal Church. He’s also working on his third detective story and is convinced that purchasing Raymond Chandler’s typewriter and using it to compose his opus will impart some magic to his demented prose. He couldn’t be more mistaken.

It was a light read and quite amusing. A body is found in the altar and the Immaculate Confection (a cinnamon bun that looks like the Virgin Mary) is stolen. Hayden and his friend are coerced into attending the Iron Mike Men’s Retreat and the revival evangelist is helped by Binny Hen the Scripture Chicken. If you’re ever in the States, do pick me up another in the series.

The second book I read in one sitting yesterday and loved it. This one was found in a local charity shop and I picked it up thinking it might have some resources for Advent. In fact, it was a story not a resource book, although I suspect I will go back to it again and again.

The Advent Calendar by Steven Croft tells the story of Alice’s adventures in an Advent Calendar which is short on chocolate but big on surprises. There are codes and secrets all inviting us to explore the deeper meanings of Christmas.  Children would enjoy it too.  The imagery of the calendar is still going round my head and I’m almost tempted to read it each day in Advent at Morning Prayer. It certainly will be our next Book Group book.

Steven Croft is/was Archbishop’s Missioner. This book was published in 2006.

Half price sale on bibles and stuff

AnglicanShop.com is closing down and there is a half price sale on everything. I’ve got my order in. There are some really good offers there.  Lots of Christmas books for children, if you’re interested.

A lesson in humility

Sunday morning brought my sister and her boys over to do my housework and change my bed.  They also taught me Harvest Moon for my DS Lite in case I’m interested in getting it.  (Not sure that I am!)

Son #2 came to visit and eat bacon rolls.

A & K from church came to visit with a purple cushion with ‘Queen’ on it and some books.

D & M came with communion which was a surprise and lovely. That’s the second time this week I’ve been ministered to and it was really rather special.

Finished My Name Was Judas by CK Stead which is our book group book this month. Well, this will be an interesting discussion methinks.  We have to assume that Judas did not commit suicide or die but lived on in Greece and is now telling his version of a shared childhood with Jesus and what it was like being one of the 12. There were quite a few ‘oh that could be right’ moments and lots to ponder. Interesting version of the naked young man who was seen running away when Jesus was captured. Loved that bit! Worth a read.

What have I been reading?

Well, not the books I was meant to be reviewing unfortunately, but I digress.

The first one was Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout and I can’t for the life of me remember who mentioned it first but I had it on my wish list and then spotted it in a charity shop.  It tells the story of Tyler the minister whose wife has died and he is bringing up one daughter, Katherine, who was struck dumb with grief. He is struggling to be a leader and preacher when he himself is lost. Basically it is about ‘who cares for the carer’?  Good novel about family secrets, about grief, and about congregations and small towns.

The second one was The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger which I reckon I am the last person in the world to read.  I enjoyed about three quarters of it butwas disappointed with the ending. Good idea for a book but could have been a lot more exciting.  Do I need to explain it if you’ve all read it?  Man can travel backwards and forwards in time, always arriving naked.  I mean, there are so many funny scenarios you could have with that one – and so many scary ones too.  I think that was a missed opportunity. Falls in love and marries and wife knows so there’s a lot of ‘I know what’s going to happen next year but I can’t tell you’ sort of thing.  That’s about it really.

And in case you are interested, our next Bookmark book is My Name Was Judas by CK Stead meeting on 9 November.

Bookmark’s next books

Good meeting last night to discuss The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. Positive comments from everyone there which is rare.

Our next book will be Good to be God by Tibor Fischer meeting on Monday 28 September at 7.30pm.

Then the following one will be My Name Was Judas by CK Stead. Date to be announced.

Good as New

I quite often hear folk say, usually within my hearing, “Oh I really must read the bible one of these days.”  And I usually reply, “Don’t,” because you know they’re going to start at the beginning and lose interest by chapter 3 of Genesis. However I have now found a book which I would gladly give to all and sundry with confidence and elan, no less.  It is called Good as New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures by John Henson and is a joy. Firstly the language is inclusive so that’s got to be good. Secondly, the language is simple and straightforward – the language of ordinary people, as it was written and avoiding complicated sounding ‘foreign’ names which nobody will read out loud in church  (eg Baptise = dip; dove = pigeon; Bethany = Dategrove). It is not a verse by verse translation but all the more enjoyable for it. It is just wonderful and I love it. Thanks Fr JW for pointing me in its direction. And I just know I’m going to be sharing more of it from the rooftops as I get in to it.

The Wedding Party

Read in the Church Times an interview with author Sophie King and how she had done her research for one of the characters in her latest book The Wedding Party.  Now I have a penchant for fiction which features priests who happen to be women so I ordered it from Amazon tout suite.  Just finished it and it was lovely and light and perfect summer reading. And the priest who happened to be a woman was just right.

For those who also like ‘woman priest fiction’, can I recommend Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins series, Anne Borrowdale’s books, Kate Charles‘ later ones (well all of them really but for a woman priest you need the later ones), Michelle Blake’s Lily Connor series, and a few others which I can’t lay my hands on right now.

Amazon Wish List

Amazon.co.uk Widgets

Footering around with Amazon today and wondering if this works.