Wednesday, January 16, 2013

3 Done, Only 1 Counts

Happy Birthday!

I started to type "Happy New Year" at the top of this, my first, post of this year. But as soon as I did I remembered Frosty the Snowman and decided to type what he always said when he first put on his hat.

Yes, I'm still the weird, strange, doesn't-make-any-sense person I was last year.

Having been gone for two weeks after Christmas I've plenty to share.  Christmas pictures, family pictures, camp pictures, but not today.  Instead what brings me out of blog hibernation is that I've finished my third book since the beginning of 2013.

I read "The Man Who Loved Books to Much" by Allison Hoover Bartlett. I liked it.  More than my husband who read it last week.  I found it interesting to learn about rare books, the dealers, the shows, and about this man who had no qualms about stealing books.  I do understand David's point that the author seems to be a bit like this man in her own view of herself and that it does appear she is aiding a criminal.  But I found it fascinating to read about her trying to understand the why behind this man's desire to get books illegaly.

I then read "Broken" by Jonathan Fisk.  I liked it too.  I made connections that I hadn't before.  One was that Adam and Eve were good because they were pronounced good by God.  He created them good.  All the good things they would do, taking care of the garden, each other, caring for children, wouldn't make them good.  Those were fruits of their already pronounced goodness.  Much of what Pr. Fisk says I've heard before. However, it is so good to read it again in just a little different language and to learn once again what I had forgotten.

The third book was "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I'm glad my daughter Ellie asked me to read it.  It took some getting used to reading Russian names.  But the story and the characters were compelling.  There were Christian themes,  repentance, forgiveness, and new life, for example. Dostoevsky paints a good picture of what misery, anguish, and sorrow a murderer bears.

Three books in 16 days.  Not such a shabby start to the year.  But only one of them counts for my reading challenge.

 

But that's okay.  I had to start somewhere.  Now on to another book, one David read on vacation last week in three days while sitting by a fire.  Ever since he finished he has wanted me to begin so he can talk about it with me.   Now I will. "Term Limits," by Vince Flynn here I come.