This week, I'll be focusing my posts on author Frederick Buechner.
I have a few guest posts, and will round up links to reviews and other essays about his work and influence. If you post a review of a Buechner book this week, or would like to post thoughts on his work, please feel free to email with your link.
Frederick Buechner is a writer and theologian. While I am still relatively new to his work, this week is an effort to increase recognition of his work and influence. He has over thirty published books, and his book Godric, a past Faith and Fiction Round Table selection, was nominated for the Pulitizer Prize. His work is noted for its observation of grace in everyday life.
I look forward to sharing this week with you, and sincerely hope the result is that you pick up some of his work and read it for yourself.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Frederick Buechner Week
Saturday, February 26, 2011
CFBA Book Spotlight: Operation Bonnet by Kimberly Stuart
So Nellie straps on her bonnet and goes undercover to get the dish. But though she’s brainy, Nellie is clueless when it comes to real life and real relationships. Soon she’s alienated her best friend, angered her college professor, and botched her case.
Operation Bonnet is a comedy of errors, a surprising take on love, and a story of grace.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Faith and Fiction Round Table Discussion: Certain Women: The Women in David's Life
Our first choice for the Faith and Fiction Round Table this year was Certain Women by Madeleine L'Engle. This was an interesting choice for me, because I have never read any of L'Engle's popular children/YA books or her nonfiction. So this was my introduction to her work. The book was a struggle in many ways, but it certainly created a lot of discussion for our group. Links to all of the bloggers can be found at the end of this post, so you can go and read their thoughts.
Certain Women is a retelling of the Biblical story of David in modern times. I call it a retelling, but is quite different from one in many ways. Instead of simply telling the story, L'Engle chooses to tell a story of a man who had multiple wives and lots of children like David and consistently draws parallels between his life and the life of David. Our entry into this story is through Emma who would be the equivalent of Tamar in the Biblical story.
I believe one of L'Engle's goals in Certain Women is to reframe the story of David from the female perspective, particularly Tamar's. She was very successful in nudging me to think about what the Biblical narrative remains silent about. Sometimes when I read a book like that, it feels like my mind is actually being expanded. It's embarrassing, but because I am so familiar with the Bible from the time I was young, I read the Biblical stories in an almost detached way. They are very familiar and they are also very short on details. So when an author chooses to create a whole world around what's actually provided, when they fill in some of the emotional details, it's actually very helpful to me. It's important, when approaching a book like this, to be okay with the fact that it's drawing from the Biblical story and maybe in some way, almost critiquing the way it's told. I'm okay with that, but I know some people are uncomfortable with that idea.
If you are unfamiliar with the story of King David, the part L'Engle really focuses in on his many wives and children. Emma as Tamar plays out quite literally. Despite the fact that this did challenge me in the believability department, it really made me think about how this story is told in the Bible. It's certainly not told for the sake of Tamar, but rather as incidental to the story of David. (this is why people call the Bible sexist!) But Emma's story was very complete in demonstrating how this horrific event and its horrific aftermath, her father's almost indifference to it, and the way it went on to influence and impact her life and relationships.
Another book that was successful in doing this for me, was The Red Tent.
What do you think about the story of David, the way the story of Tamar is shared, and books that envision a more complete world around these well known characters?
For more posts on Certain Women, please visit:
Book Addiction, Book Hooked Blog, Books and Movies, Crazy for Books, Ignorant Historian, Linus's Blanket, My Random Thoughts, One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, Roving Reads, Semicolon, The 3R's Blog, Tinasbookreviews, Victorious Cafe, Word Lily
Christian Fiction Book Spotlight: A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
Thomas Nelson; Original edition (February 1, 2011)
Kristin Billerbeck was born in California to an Italian father and a strong Norwegian/German mother. Her mother tried to teach her to do things right, how to cook, clean, sew, and budget accordingly—all the things a proper girl should know in order to be a contributing member of society. Yet Billerbeck said she “failed miserably,” although her grandmother must still hold some hope since she gave her a cookie gun for her 40th birthday.Billerbeck has authored more than 30 novels, including the Ashley Stockingdale series and the Spa Girls series. She is a leader in the Chick Lit movement, a Christy Award finalist, and a two-time winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award. She has appeared on The Today Show and has been featured in the New York Times. She lives with her family in northern California.
Visit the author's website.
There are a billion reasons Kate should marry her current boyfriend.
Will she trade them all to be madly in love?
Katie McKenna leads a perfect life. Or so she thinks. She has a fulfilling job, a cute apartment, and a wedding to plan with her soon-to-be fiance, Dexter.
She can think of a billion reasons why she should marry Dexter…but nowhere on that list is love.
And then in walks Luc DeForges, her bold, breathtaking ex-boyfriend. Only now he's a millionaire. And he wants her to go home to New Orleans to sing for her childhood friend's wedding. As his date.
But Katie made up her mind about Luc eight years ago, when she fled their hometown after a very public breakup. Yet there's a magnetism between them she can't deny.
Katie thought her predictable relationship with Dexter would be the bedrock of a lasting, Christian marriage. But what if there's more? What if God's desire for her is a heart full of life? And what if that's what Luc has offered all along?
Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Original edition (February 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595547916
ISBN-13: 978-1595547910
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Katie McKenna had dreamed of this moment at least a thousand times. Luc would walk back into her life filled with remorse. He’d be wearing jeans, a worn T-shirt, and humility. He’d be dripping with humility.
That should have been her first clue that such a scenario had no bearing on reality.
“Katie,” a voice said.
The sound sent a surge of adrenaline through her frame. She’d forgotten the power and the warmth of his baritone. A quick glance around her classroom assured her that she must be imagining things. Everything was in order: the posters of colorful curriculum, the daily schedule of activities printed on the whiteboard, and, of course, the children. All six of them were mentally disabled, most of them on the severe side of the autism spectrum, but three had added handicaps that required sturdy, head-stabilizing wheelchairs. The bulk of the chairs overwhelmed the room and blocked much of the happy yellow walls and part of the large rainbow mural the kids had helped to paint. The room, with its cluttered order, comforted her and reminded her of all she’d accomplished. There was no need to think about the past. That was a waste of time and energy.
Her eyes stopped on her aides, Carrie and Selena. The two women, so boisterous in personality, were usually animated. But at the moment they stood huddled in the corner behind Austin’s wheelchair.
Carrie, the heavyset one in the Ed Hardy T-shirt, motioned at her.
“What?” Katie pulled at her white shirt with the delicate pink flowers embroidered along the hem and surveyed the stains. “I know, I’m a mess. But did you see how wonderfully the kids did on their art projects? It was worth it. Never thought of the oil on the dough staining. Next time I’ll wear an apron.”
Selena and Carrie looked as though there was something more they wanted.
“Maddie, you’re a born artist.” Katie smiled at the little girl sitting behind a mound of colorful clay. Then to the aides: “What is the matter with you two?”
Selena, a slight Latina woman, shook her head and pointed toward the door.
Katie rotated toward the front of the classroom and caught her breath. Luc, so tall and gorgeous, completely out of place in his fine European suit and a wristwatch probably worth more than her annual salary, stood in the doorway. He wore a fedora, his trademark since college, but hardly one he needed to stand out in a crowd.
As she stared across the space between them, suddenly the classroom she took such pride in appeared shabby and soiled. When she inhaled, it reeked of sour milk and baby food. Her muddled brain searched for words.
“Luc?” She blinked several times, as if his film-star good looks might evaporate into the annals of her mind. “What are you doing here?”
“Didn’t you get my brother’s wedding invitation?” he asked coolly, as if they’d only seen each other yesterday.
“I did. I sent my regrets.”
“That’s what I’m doing here. You can’t miss Ryan’s wedding. I thought the problem might be money.”
She watched as his blue eyes came to rest on her stained shirt. Instinctively she crossed her arms in front of her.
“I came to invite you to go back with me next week, on my plane.”
“Ah.” She nodded and waited for something intelligible to come out of her mouth. “It’s not money.”
“Come home with me, Katie.” He reached out his arms, and she moved to the countertop and shuffled some papers together.
If he touches me, I don’t stand a chance. She knew Luc well enough to know if he’d made the trip to her classroom, he didn’t intend to leave without what he came for. “I’m afraid that’s not possible.” She stacked the same papers again.
“Give me one reason.”
She faced him. “I could give you a billion reasons.”
Luc’s chiseled features didn’t wear humility well. The cross-shaped scar beneath his cheekbone added to his severity. If he weren’t so dreaded handsome, he’d make a good spy in a Bond movie. His looks belied his soft Uptown New Orleans upbringing, the kind filled with celebrations and warm family events with backyard tennis and long days in the swimming pool.
He pushed through the swiveled half door that separated them and strode toward her.
“That gate is there for a reason. The classroom is for teachers and students only.”
Luc opened his hand and beckoned to her, and despite herself, she took it. Her heart pounded in her throat, and its roar was so thunderous it blocked her thoughts. He pulled her into a clutch, then pushed her away with all the grace of Astaire. “Will you dance with me?” he asked.
He began to hum a Cole Porter tune clumsily in her ear, and instinctively she followed his lead until everything around them disappeared and they were alone in their personal ballroom. For a moment she dropped her head back and giggled from her stomach; a laugh so genuine and pure, it seemed completely foreign—as if it came from a place within that was no longer a part of her. Then the dance halted suddenly, and his cheek was against hers. She took in the roughness of his face, and the thought flitted through her mind that she could die a happy woman in those arms.
The sound of applause woke her from her reverie.
“You two are amazing!” Carrie said.
The children all murmured their approval, some with screams of delight and others with loud banging.
Luc’s hand clutched her own in the small space between them, and she laughed again.
“Not me,” Luc said. “I have the grace of a bull. It’s Katie. She’s like Ginger Rogers. She makes anybody she dances with look good.” He appealed to the two aides. “Which is why I’m here. She must go to my brother’s wedding with me.”
“I didn’t even know you danced, Katie,” Selena said. “Why don’t you ever come dancing with us on Friday nights?”
“What? Katie dances like a dream. She and my brother were partners onstage in college. They were like a mist, the way they moved together. It’s like her feet don’t touch the ground.”
“That was a long time ago.” She pulled away from him and showed him her shirt. “I’m a mess. I hope I didn’t ruin your suit.”
“It would be worth it,” Luc growled.
“Katie, where’d you learn to dance like that?” Carrie asked.
“Too many old movies, I suppose.” She shrugged.
“You could be on Dancing with the Stars with moves like that.”
“Except I’m not a star or a dancer, but other than that, I guess—” She giggled again. It kept bubbling out of her, and for one blissful moment she remembered what it felt like to be the old Katie McKenna. Not the current version, staid schoolmarm and church soloist in Northern California, but the Katie people in New Orleans knew, the one who danced and sang.
Luc interrupted her thoughts. “She’s being modest. She learned those moves from Ginger and Fred themselves, just by watching them over and over again. This was before YouTube, so she was dedicated.”
Katie shrugged. “I was a weird kid. Only child, you know?” But inside she swelled with pride that Luc remembered her devotion to a craft so woefully out-of-date and useless. “Anyway, I don’t have much use for swing dancing or forties torch songs now. Luc, meet Carrie and Selena. Carrie and Selena, Luc.”
“I don’t have any ‘use’ for salsa dancing,” Selena said. “I do it because it’s part of who I am.”
“Tell her she has to come with me, ladies. My brother is having a 1940s-themed wedding in New Orleans. He’d be crushed if Katie didn’t come, and I’ll look like a hopeless clod without her to dance with.”
Katie watched the two aides. She saw the way Luc’s powerful presence intoxicated them. Were they really naive enough to believe that Luc DeForges could ever appear like a clod, in any circumstance or setting? Luc, with his skilled charm and roguish good looks, made one believe whatever he wanted one to believe. The two women were putty in his hands.
“Katie, you have to go to this wedding!” Selena stepped toward her. “I can’t believe you can dance like that and never told us. You’d let this opportunity slip by? For what?” She looked around the room and frowned. “This place?”
The cacophony of pounding and low groans rose audibly, as if in agreement.
“This may be just a classroom to you, but to me, it’s the hope and future of these kids. I used to dance. I used to sing. It paid my way through college. Now I’m a teacher.”
“You can’t be a teacher and a dancer?” Selena pressed. “It’s like walking and chewing gum. You can do both. The question is, why don’t you?”
“Maybe I should bring more music and dancing into the classroom. Look how the kids are joining in the noise of our voices, not bothered by it. I have to think about ways we could make the most of this.”
But she hadn’t succeeded in changing the subject; everyone’s attention stayed focused on her.
“You should dance for the kids, Katie. You possess all the grace of an artist’s muse. Who knows how you might encourage them?”
Katie laughed. “That’s laying it on a bit thick, Luc, even for you. I do believe if there was a snake in that basket over there, it would be rising to the charmer’s voice at this very minute.”
Luc’s very presence brought her into another time. Maybe it was the fedora or the classic cut of his suit, but it ran deeper than how he looked. He possessed a sense of virility and take-no-prisoners attitude that couldn’t be further from his blue-blood upbringing. He made her, in a word, feel safe . . . but there was nothing safe about Luc and there never had been. She straightened and walked over to her open folder to check her schedule for the day.
Tapping a pencil on the binder, she focused on getting the day back on track. The students were involved in free playtime at the moment. While they were all situated in a circle, they played individually, their own favorite tasks in front of them.
“Carrie, would you get Austin and Maddie ready for lunch?”
“I’ll do it,” Selena said. “And, Katie . . . you really should go to the wedding.”
“I can’t go to the wedding because it’s right in the middle of summer school.”
“You could get a substitute,” Carrie said. “What would you be gone for, a week at most? Jenna could probably fill in. She took the summer off this year.”
“Thanks for the suggestions, ladies,” Katie said through clenched teeth. “But I’ve already told the groom I can’t attend the wedding for professional reasons.”
The women laughed. “I’m sorry, what reasons?” Carrie asked, raising a bedpan to imply that anyone could do Katie’s job.
It was no use. The two women were thoroughly under Luc’s spell, and who could blame them?
“Maybe we should talk privately,” Luc said. He clasped her wrist and led her to the glass doors at the front of the classroom. “It’s beautiful out here. The way you’re nestled in the hills, you’d never know there’s a city nearby.”
She nodded. “That’s Crystal Springs Reservoir on the other side of the freeway. It’s protected property, the drinking water for this entire area, so it’s stayed pristine.”
“I’m not going back to New Orleans without you,” he said.
Apparently the small talk had ended.
“My mother would have a fit if I brought one of the women I’d take to a Hollywood event to a family wedding.”
Katie felt a twinge of jealousy, then a stab of anger for her own weakness. Of course he dated beautiful women. He was a billionaire. A billionaire who looked like Luc DeForges! Granted, he was actually a multimillionaire, but it had been a long-standing joke between the two of them. Did it matter, once you made your first ten million, how much came after that? He may as well be called a gazillionaire. His finances were too foreign for her to contemplate.
“And who you date is my problem, how?”
“If my date tries to swing dance and kicks one of my mother’s friends in the teeth, I’ll be disinherited.”
“So what, would that make you the fifth richest man in the United States, instead of the fourth?”
“Katie, how many times do I have to explain to you I’m nowhere near those kinds of numbers?” He grinned. “Yet.” He touched his finger to her nose lightly. “My fate is much worse than losing status if you don’t come. My mother might set me up to ensure I have a proper date. A chorus line of Southern belles. And I guarantee you at least one will have the proverbial glass slipper and think her idea is so utterly unique, I’ll succumb to the fantasy.”
“Wow! What a terrible life you must lead.” She pulled a Keds slide from her foot and emptied sand out of her shoe. A few grains landed on Luc’s shiny black loafer. “To think, with courtship skills like that, that any woman wouldn’t be swept off her feet—it’s unfathomable.” She patted his arm. “I wish you luck, Luc. I’m sure your mother will have some very nice choices for you, so go enjoy yourself. Perk up, there’re billions
more to be made when you get back.”
“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, Katie.”
e was right, but she didn’t trust herself around him. She’d taken leave of her senses too many times in that weakened state. Since moving to California, she’d made it her goal to live life logically and for the Lord. She hadn’t fallen victim to her emotions since leaving New Orleans, and she’d invested too much to give into them now.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I only meant that I’m sure there are other nice girls willing to go home and pretend for your mother. I’ve already done that, only you forgot to tell me we were pretending. Remember?”
He flinched. “Below the belt.”
A pencil fell from behind her ear, and she stooped to pick it up, careful not to meet his glance as she rose. “I’m sorry, but I’m busy here. Maybe we could catch up another time? I’d like that and won’t be so sidetracked.” She looked across the room toward Austin, an angelic but severely autistic child in a wheelchair. He pounded against his tray. “The kids are getting hungry. It’s lunchtime.” She pointed to the schedule.
Luc scooped a hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. “Where else am I going to find a gorgeous redhead who knows who Glenn Miller is?”
“Don’t, Luc. Don’t charm me. It’s beneath you. Buy one of your bubble-headed blondes a box of dye and send her to iTunes to do research. Problem solved.”
He didn’t let go. “Ryan wants you to sing at the wedding, Katie. He sent me personally to make sure you’d be there and sing ‘Someone to Watch Over Me.’ I’m not a man who quits because something’s difficult.”
“Anyone worth her salt on Bourbon Street can sing that. Excuse me—”
“Katie-bug.”
“Luc, I asked you kindly. Don’t. I’m not one of your sophisticated girls who knows how to play games. I’m not going to the wedding. That part of my life is over.”
“That part of your life? What about that part of you? Where is she?”
She ignored his question. “I cannot be the only woman you know capable of being your date. You’re not familiar with anyone else who isn’t an actress-slash-waitress?” She cupped his hand in her own and allowed herself to experience the surge of energy. “I have to go.” She dropped his hands and pushed back through the half door. “I’m sure you have a meeting to get to. Am I right?”
“It’s true,” he admitted. “I had business in San Francisco today, a merger. We bought a small chain of health food stores to expand the brand. But I was planning the trip to see you anyway and ask you personally.”
“Uh-huh.”
“We’ll be doing specialty outlets in smaller locations where real estate prices are too high for a full grocery outlet. Having the natural concept already in these locations makes my job that much easier.”
“To take over the free world with organics, you mean?”
That made him smile, and she warmed at the sparkle in his eye. When Luc was in his element, there was nothing like it. His excitement was contagious and spread like a classroom virus, infecting those around him with a false sense of security. She inhaled deeply and reminded herself that the man sold inspiration by the pound. His power over her was universal. It did not make her special.
“Name your price,” he said. “I’m here to end this rift between us, whatever it is, and I’ll do the time. Tell me what it is you want.”
“There is no price, Luc. I don’t want anything from you. I’m not going to Ryan’s wedding. My life is here.”
“Day and night . . . night and day,” he crooned and then his voice was beside her ear. “One last swing dance at my brother’s wedding. One last song and I’ll leave you alone. I promise.”
She crossed the room to the sink against the far wall, but she felt him follow. She hated how he could make every nerve in her body come to life, while he seemingly felt nothing in return. She closed her eyes and searched for inner strength. He didn’t want me. Not in a way that mattered. He wanted her when it suited him to have her at his side.
“Even if I were able to get the time off work, Luc, it wouldn’t be right to go to your brother’s wedding as your date. I’m about to get engaged.”
“Engaged?” He stepped away.
She squeezed hand sanitizer onto her hands and rubbed thoroughly.
“I’ll give a call to your fiancé and let him know the benefits.” He pulled a small leather pad of paper from his coat pocket. “I’ll arrange everything. You get a free trip home, I get a Christian date my mother is proud to know, and then your life goes back to normal. Everyone’s happy.” He took off his fedora as though to plead his case in true gentlemanly fashion. “My mother is still very proud to have led you from
your . . .” He choked back a word. “From your previous life and to Jesus.”
The announcement of her engagement seemed to have had little effect on Luc, and Katie felt as if her heart shattered all over again. “My previous life was you. She was proud to lead me away from her son’s life.” She leaned on the countertop, trying to remember why she’d come to the kitchen area.
“You know what I meant.”
“I wasn’t exactly a streetwalker, Luc. I was a late-night bar singer in the Central District, and the only one who ever led my reputation into question was you. So I’m failing to see the mutual benefit here. Your mother. Your date. And I get a free trip to a place I worked my tail off to get out of.”
She struggled with a giant jar of applesauce, which Luc took from her and opened easily. He passed the jar back to her and let his fingers brush hers.
“My mother would be out of her head to see you. And the entire town could see what they lost when they let their prettiest belle go. Come help me remind them. Don’t you want to show them that you’re thriving? That you didn’t curl up and die after that awful night?”
“I really don’t need to prove anything, Luc.” She pulled her apron, with its child-size handprints in primary colors, over her head. “I’m not your fallback, and I really don’t care if people continue to see me that way. They don’t know me.”
“Which you? The one who lives a colorless existence and calls it holy? Or the one who danced on air and inspired an entire theater troupe to rediscover swing and raise money for a new stage?” Luc bent down, took her out at the knees, and hoisted her up over his shoulder.
“What are you doing? Do you think you’re Tarzan? Put me down.” She pounded on his back, and she could hear the chaos he’d created in the classroom. “These kids need structure. What do you think you’re doing? I demand you put me down!”
The Vampire Diaries 2.16: The House Guest (or the truth hurts)
Something crazy happened with my clock and I missed the first few minutes of the show, which made it hard for me to get into it for some reason. Even so, I thought this was a pretty interesting episode on a thematic level since so many of the story lines intersected and dealt with that burning issue we've all been wondering about for months--just how long can the vamps/witches/wolves be kept a secret? And is it more loving to keep a secret in the name of protection or does love mean sharing all information? Admittedly, this has got to be one of challenging life questions and even if the exploration was somewhat superficial, at least it was addressed!
So my girl Katherine is back! Yay! I just love her. I don't even care if the only person she thinks about is herself. She's clever and fierce. Sure she's cruel, but she's a VAMPIRE. She claims she's there to help, but naturally everyone's a bit wary. Apparently she's all about saving the Stefan. This is the truth that Katherine reveals at the expense of Damon's feelings. Was it best to tell the truth in this situation? Oh Damon's pained eyes. I have to say, the constant rejection of Damon baffles me. I understand why they are doing it from a writing standpoint, but on screen it just doesn't work. Ian is about a million times more beautiful and charismatic than Paul so it just seems unreal that all women would fall at Stefan's feet. I also resent the way they've been written in a way. I need more than this rejection story line to understand Damon. And I need more than what I got last week to understand why Stefan reformed. I also probably need to rewatch season one if we're being honest.
And yay for Caroline! Amazing how she just makes every episode BETTER. And also every character. And how sweet was her singing to Matt? When Jenna first talked with such resentment about Alaric not being honest with her (and thank GOD they finally remembered Jenna exists and has real human emotions about the events around her) and Caroline defended the choice not to tell, my first thought was that she was thinking of Tyler! I totally forgot about Matt. But yes, Caroline lied twice to two men who cared about her and both times it was for their alleged protection. And when they found out, they were upset. Matt's first reaction to her confession was to think of Vickie (who well, I forgot about) are we about to see frail mortal Matt try to wage war on the vamps? Or will Caroline compel him again? This is a really difficult situation, I think. Alas, I can't help but hope Caroline and Matt are over so that when Tyler comes back, there's room for them to work on their relationship. I so adore them.
Elena...um, yawn? She didn't have much of a story of her own, apart from being threatened by Jonas. She was on the receiving end of a confession though--Bonnie's confession about Jeremy. I loved her reaction. So supportive and sweet!
So yeah, the witches. They didn't trust the Salvatore's and decided to try to revive Elijah. How tragic for them, since it resulted in their deaths. I was admittedly sorry for Luka, but surprised Jonas died as well. I thought we might lose Katherine as well during that whole fight. I would have been so upset! But ugh that fire..what a terrible way to die. I have serious questions about the use of witchcraft on this show...it always seems to result in terrible things.(and fingers crossed The Secret Circle gets picked up so we can REALLY explore these ideas)
So Jonas is enraged when Luka dies and he tells Stefan that he will take away the only one he loves as well! Oh the drama. This results in the big destruction of the Mystic Grill when Jonas walks in and sets everything on fire and then seals his own fate when he essentially murders mortal Matt. Caroline is there however, and she gives him some of her blood which revives him and leads to the "I'm a vampire." confession.
Alaric chooses NOT to tell the truth and I really appreciated the way he framed things. "These things are not mine to tell." While it's a burden for Elena, I so respect that he gives her the choice, and clearly lays out what it will mean for the other people in her life. This makes it possible for Elena to make an informed decision. And his I love you was so sweet! Jenna wasn't buying it, but that's understandable. It's all so complicated now anyway, because Isobel is back! Oh joy.
And lastly, Bonnie is given her powers back when Jonas kicks it. What a relief. He has also, apparently, tasked her with killing Klaus. I think Bonnie and Jeremy are cute together, but I'm still really pulling for a Damon and Bonnie hook-up. But I'm fine with some character work being done in order to facilitate that.
Also I think there was something about finding a witches graveyard to draw on their power. Yes this is definitely going to fall on Bonnie to do a lot of the fighting. Should be interesting.
Alas, no more Vampire Diaries until April 7th!
Going back to the dilemma of "do you tell the truth when the info you have will hurt someone?" Well, I guess it remains to be seen!
Did you like this episode? Are you looking forward to an epic battle at the end of the season? Do you wish they'd let Damon have some love already?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Review: Save the Date by Jenny B Jones
Alex is running for congress and when a photo of them together leaks to the press, his public perception raises. Alex offers to save her home if she agrees to be his fake fiance for the rest of his campaign. Even though she hates herself for it a little, Lucy agrees and ends up getting much more than she bargained for. (HINT: This is a romance!)
I enjoyed Save the Date. I really liked the dynamic between the couple...Lucy isn't a girl easily swayed by Alex's charms so she ends up being a challenge for him. They banter quite a bit and that's always fun, there is some clever dialogue. They are able to help each other grow in certain ways and face their fears and inadequacies.
I had some trouble with the premise. Perhaps I missed it, but if there was any sort of legal work done for this deal, it seems like this would be something that would be really easy to uncover by the paparazzi. But hey I just ignored this and went with it since it is a pretty fun way to tell a love story. It should also be noted that this is definitely for Christians. The characters offer "to drop everything and pray" for each other and there are a couple of significant scenes in churches. While this is not my favorite way to advance a spiritual plot thread, it is common in Christian fiction.
All of that aside, the most important thing is that this love story was believable for me. It's a rags to riches story, but in an unconventional way and the romance truly melted my heart. I liked both Alex and Lucy and I wanted their romance to succeed.
Rating: 4/5
Things You Might Want to Know: Christian Fiction
Source of Book: Received from publisher for review
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Monday, February 21, 2011
Review: Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr
I remember when I first read Wicked Lovely. I was so skeptical--a book about fey? A YA book? I thought neither of those things would be appealing to me. But I let the positive blurbs convince me. Oh how I loved it!
I've been a huge fan since then and I can't overstate what these books did for my reading life. They threw open the door to all of the YA I would grow to love. The best part, though, is that there were FOUR more books to come! I've loved them all, all of them. I adore the world of Huntsdale and it's fey, love the characters, love the themes. So it was not without a little sadness that I approached Darkest Mercy. First, can we all agree that the cover is stunning? It really gave me high hopes that the series would end well. And those hopes were well founded, the series ended brilliantly.
THE REST ASSUMES YOU HAVE READ THE FIRST FOUR BOOKS
By this point, four books, two short stories, and two manga in we have a really well developed world and many characters. A lot has happened and I've always been impressed with the way Marr tells a single story while pushing forward the overarching tale. There's a lot of tension and drama that has built up and a lot of characters that need some sense of resolution to their stories. So Darkest Mercy really had a tall order to fill.
Thankfully we get to see most of the characters we've grown to love to some degree in Darkest Mercy. I would say that this book focuses primarily on Seth and Aislinn and Keenan and Donia, bringing us full circle which is incredibly appropriate for the way the series has been structured. There is, luckily for me, a fair bit of time spent in the Dark Court, as well, with Niall.
Things ended dramatically in Radiant Shadows as you may recall, with the formation of the Shadow Court and the closing of Faerie from the mortal world. Banananch attacked and Irial is in dire shape. Niall is overwhelmed with grief. Things are out of balance, Banananch is gaining power, and no one's happy in their love life!
The events unfold with a sense of dread..a new guy is in town and his name is Death. And that's all I'll say about that, but the lingering presence of doom, the gathering threat of war, gives the narrative a stronger sense of urgency than ever before. The same conflicts that have always existed are becoming so important as to force our characters into decision points that have permanent consequences. And yes, sacrifices will be made.
This is the kind of book you race through because you must know what will happen, and yet, when I finished I wished I could discover the series all over again for the first time. I love this world and always wish I could get more of it, which is the very best compliment I know to give a series of books. It sets my imagination on fire and I love the characters. And yes of course there's romance, the same strong romantic tension and conflict and angst that is part of the reason I adore these books so.
I loved Darkest Mercy, was sorry to see it end, but I'm so thankful it ended well. I have every one of these books in hardcover in my permanent collection. It was a smart investment--they are beautiful books and now I can revisit them whenever I want.
Rating: 5/5
Things You Might Want to Know: profanity, and a fair bit of sexual behavior though nothing explicit
Source of Book: Received ARC from publisher but also pre-ordered hardcover
Publisher: Harper
My reviews of Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, Stopping Time and Old Habits, Radiant Shadows, and the first manga, Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales.
Please note I'm an Amazon affiliate. If you click on a link and make a purchase at Amazon, I may receive a small commission.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
What Makes a Book a Favorite?
When you love books, as so many of us do, conversation inevitably comes around to the question of "what are your favorite books?" This is such an interesting question because it is revealing...we seek to know and understand each other better by knowing what books we value. It's a tiny glimpse into what makes a person tick and what their values are when we know what books they love above all others. Or so we think.
I was considering this, because when the question comes around to me, I have a few standard answers. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, because I loved it so fiercely when I read it--it was a huge epic story to me. Silence by Shusaku Endo because it is beautifully and heartbreakingly constructed, it grapples with the essential questions of faith to me, and it altered forever the way I think about persecution. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, for it's amazing characterization, epic love story, and the way it made history spring to life on it's pages with unexpected timelessness. These are all really safe choices. Hundreds of other people would probably say the same thing, they are tested by time--classics.
There are some other safe choices of modern times. The Harry Potter series--a series my conservative Christian friends warned me against when it first came out, I will never forget borrowing it from a co-worker so I could know for myself and falling in absolute irreversible love. (and thus beginning many years of frustration with people claiming the books were "satanic") Harry Potter reminded me what it was like to love reading, to escape into another world and fully believe it was real. And The Hunger Games trilogy, a series jetting it's way to favorite status once the series was complete and I could see how masterfully it was constructed and how complex the story it had to tell really was. I don't often obsess over books, but I sure obsessed over Mockingjay for days. (It also helps that it has one of my favorite literary couples! :)
But what about the books that maybe aren't classics or global best-sellers? What about books that are slapped with genre labels and considered quite forgettable by many? Books that won't be shortlisted for literary awards anytime soon. What about the books we love for the way they take our minds off our troubles or in a single phrase speak into our loneliness and remind us we aren't alone?
I was thinking about that this week, when the movie trailer for Something Borrowed came out. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin is a book that I consider a favorite. I probably wouldn't list it when asked, but it's a book I'll never get rid of, it's a book that I have very strong and distinct memories of reading, because it gave an expression to something I had experienced in life that I hadn't encountered in a book before. While my situation wasn't identical to the one in the book, the authenticity with which Giffin writes about relationships is undeniable. The way she depicts human interaction feels so real. I'm glad to say that I've felt this with every single one of her books I've read, I believe this is her gift. But Something Borrowed gets dismissed as chick lit, probably as a fun summer beach read. Sure it was definitely a best-seller, but would a serious reader really think it's a favorite? Well if not, I guess I'm not a serious reader.
Another book that falls in this category? Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. I can remember just tearing through the book the first time I read it, laughing and even um, crying a little. I just loved it so much because it was one of those reading experiences that was pure pleasure.
I think this is the reason I have issues when people feel the need to go at length about books they feel are inferior. It's why I just can't jump on any particular bandwagon about true literature and all of that. There's a special chemistry between book and reader and we can never predict what will make a book stand out for us. Classics are, in many ways, I think books that just resonated with more people. Books are many things. They are works of art that preserve a sense of our time, they are conversations passed down through the generations, and they are also intensely personal experiences when we open our minds and hearts to the ideas and stories of others. If a book has reached into the our isolation, helped us know in some way that life as we know it is known by another, if it brings us joy, if it stirs our heart to kindness, if it is solace in the storms of our lives..its value is immense.
So what makes a book a favorite for you? Are there any books you consider to be a favorite that you think others would look down on you for liking? Do your favorite books constantly change or do the memories associated with reading them play a part?
And for fun....here's the trailer for Something Borrowed.
Review: Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes
Tabitha Eckles is a unique midwife for her time (early 1800's). She is unmarried and without children and that's a bit of a no-no for the culture she lives in--she gets away with it, because the area simply doesn't have anyone else to turn to for medical help. Since she needs to know the secrets of the patients she treats, she seems to be a constant threat to them.
Another threat looms for the area, though. Tensions are thick between Britain and the United States and Britain, being a much more powerful country is constantly pressing men into service. It would seem most of these men have some ties to Britain, but they are disappearing and being kidnapped off their shores.
Tabitha is very concerned about this and can't help but suspect Dominick Cherrett of being involved when she meets him--he's paying off a debt as a household slave, but she often sees him out of the house when he shouldn't be. Her feelings are complicated, though, because she develops quite an attraction to him. To make things even more confusing for Tabitha personally, her ex-fiance comes back after being away for two years fighting for the British in the war. Raleigh hopes to win her back, but Tabitha is keeping her heart in check--even though his appearance is vastly improved.
I enjoyed Lady in the Mist, but I have to admit it's not what I was expecting. The book is part of a series of books on midwives and so I expected more of the drama to come from the birthing of babies. But it seemed in many ways incidental to the plot. It was interesting, because it gave Tabitha a non-traditional source of income as a woman and there were some interesting parts of the book when this really became a problem. I couldn't help but feel enraged when the men hold a meeting to determine whether or not she should be allowed to continue with her duties, despite the fact that she was the only skilled for it and that such personal issues as whether or not she was married and how she conducted herself had any bearing on things whatsoever.
I did enjoy the plot around the men being pressed into naval service, since it's something I never thought about before. So this was an interesting storyline to explore.
I have to say that while the writing was fine for the most part, there were a few over the top metaphors. Another thing that bothered me was that several chapters ended in a sort of cliff-hanger and the story picked up significantly later. This really weakened the tension in the story, because so many scenes that should have been rich with drama and conflict took place off page.
Even so, this was a nice easy read, and enjoyable in many ways. It's definitely old-school Christian fiction in that there's a clear literal arc of returning to God for the characters. I do have to say that when Raleigh thinks his returning will help Tabitha see God is still at work in her life, I had to laugh at the arrogance, and also the sad fact that many people do actually think of themselves in this way.
Rating: 3.75/5
Things You might Want to Know: Christian fiction
Source of Book: Review copy received from publisher
Publisher: Revell a division of Baker Books
Friday, February 18, 2011
Faith and Fiction Saturday: Diversity in Christian Fiction
Welcome to Faith and Fiction Saturday, a weekly discussion of the intersection of faith and fiction. I invite you to write a post on your blog about the topic or participate in comments. Check the schedule for future topics so can prepare in advance!
Diversity in publishing seems to be a problem overall, so it stands to reason that it trickles down to Christian fiction in a special way. This isn't a new topic for Faith and Fiction Saturday, but it's one that we should revisit regularly. Is there enough diversity in Christian fiction? Are the covers reflecting it? What areas could improve? Why is it important?
Let's start with the last question first..why is diversity important?
It's important because we read not only to learn, but to know ourselves. We read to find our life experiences in books and so if all the books reflect only one way of life, one race, one sexual orientation, one theological viewpoint, then several people are being shut out.
But we also read to learn about others, we read to know that even though someone is from a different cultural background or has a different shade of skin--that they may see the world differently, but deep down they are just the same as we are--human.
So to meet these two goals--reflection of self and learning about others, diversity is important.
Is there diversity in Christian fiction? Yes I believe there is some. I do not think there is enough. Whenever I bring up this topic, people always list some books they think meet the criteria. And yes of course, there are some and that's fantastic. But if you can count on one hand all the books that feature authentic representations of Asian Americans or gay characters there's a problem. It's made even more problematic by how quickly Christian fiction goes out of print.
Do I think by posting this that I'm going to change anything? No. But I make my voice known because maybe one day there will be enough of us with our collective voices to make a difference.
What are some areas where you'd like to see more diversity in Christian fiction?
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Robopocalypse
Over at Intimate Strangers, I share a few thoughts about the unsettling nature of computers that play Jeopardy, and a TV show you can watch to further explore these ideas.
But the reader in me thought about books on a similar subject. One book I'm really looking forward to is Robopocalypse by Daniel Wilson that's coming this June from Doubleday. I have to admit, I love that title a ridiculous amount. Sometimes I just randomly insert it into conversation for fun. The film has already been optioned for film to be directed by Steven Spielberg. And I pretty much love the cover, too. 
They are in your house. They are in your car. They are in the skies…Now they’re coming for you.
In the near future, at a moment no one will notice, all the dazzling technology that runs our world will unite and turn against us. Taking on the persona of a shy human boy, a childlike but massively powerful artificial intelligence known as Archos comes online and assumes control over the global network of machines that regulate everything from transportation to utilities, defense and communication. In the months leading up to this, sporadic glitches are noticed by a handful of unconnected humans – a single mother disconcerted by her daughter’s menacing “smart” toys, a lonely Japanese bachelor who is victimized by his domestic robot companion, an isolated U.S. soldier who witnesses a ‘pacification unit’ go haywire – but most are unaware of the growing rebellion until it is too late.
When the Robot War ignites -- at a moment known later as Zero Hour -- humankind will be both decimated and, possibly, for the first time in history, united. Robopocalypse is a brilliantly conceived action-filled epic, a terrifying story with heart-stopping implications for the real technology all around us…and an entertaining and engaging thriller unlike anything else written in years.
Sounds awesome.
But if June is too long a wait for you, you can check out Genesis by Bernard Beckett which is a slender book heavy on philosophical ideas. Unfortunately, I never reviewed it, but I did enjoy it. It's at a bargain price at Amazon right now, or you can ask your local bookseller if they carry it.
I know there are some other classic authors I've never read like Issac Asimov I've never read. (though I did see, I, Robot the movie. Also love Wall-E!)
What other good books about robot/computer uprisings have you read? Any others coming out I should look forward to?
Interview with Jacqueline Woodson
Jacqueline Woodson is a multi-award winning author of such prestigious awards as the Coretta Scott King Award, the Newbery, the Caldecott, and a finalist for the National Book Award among others. While these awards can communicate to you that her writing is well respected, what I can tell you is that she's a master of words, and a creator of stories that burrow into your heart and live there. She captures the human experience with heartrending precision, and depth of compassion.
I am beyond honored to share this interview with you, in hopes that if you haven't already, you'll soon discover her writing for yourself.
Amy: You've written books for many different ages, picture books, middle grade, and young adult. Do you a favorite age group to write for? Have you ever considered writing an adult novel?
Jacqueline Woodson: In the 90s I wrote an adult novel, Autobiography of A Family Photo. It was VERY different from my other works but often got confused as a young people’s novel because there was a young girl on the cover. Eeeep!! I’ve written many adult short stories and another novel – that I am finally finishing. I think my heart is in young people’s fiction which makes me a much slower writer of adult fiction. But I do it all.
Amy: I must now read that! Many of your books deal with very serious themes and topics. What draws you to tell these kinds of stories?
Jacqueline Woodson: I write about what’s important to me. I can’t imagine writing about anything else.
Amy: Is there anything about the writing life that you think is misunderstood by the public?
Jacqueline Woodson: I don’t know what the public knows about me…? Can you give me a clue… Should I be nervous?
Amy: If someone was brand new to your work, what would be a good book for them to start with?
Jacqueline Woodson: Hush or If You Come Softly, I think. I’d have to know what the last book they read was.
Amy: If You Come Softly was the first book I read by you! Do you enjoy reading? If so, who are some of your favorite authors or what recent books have impacted you?
Jacqueline Woodson: I love reading and I’m a slow reader. The last book that blew me away was Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat. Couldn’t read anything for weeks after that book.
Amy: You have had the opportunity to travel a lot and meet with different readers. Do any particular experiences stick out as special to you?
Jacqueline Woodson: I think I get something out of each place I visit – Not always good but always a learning experience. The kids are always amazing and so alive and thoughtful, the teachers are often passionate… I love that part of writing – getting to meet people who I touched through my writing and then who touch me through their passions. I can go back over the years and get teary over some of the interactions I’ve had. I sometimes have to pinch myself with this gift I’ve been given – to be able to do the work I love and be loved for it!
Amy: What do you think are some of the challenges facing young people today? How can fiction help them deal with them?
Jacqueline Woodson: I don’t know – I’m no longer a young person. I think fiction help us all in its ability to allow to look outside our own worlds into the worlds of people we might not otherwise meet.
Amy: Crossing my fingers...what are you working on now? Will we see anything new from you?
Jacqueline Woodson: You’ll see a few new books soon – In the YA realm, my latest is Beneath A Meth Moon which is still in the making and the story of a young girl struggling with Meth addiction. I feel like I learn something from every book I write and from this, I’ve definitely learned that I’ll never ever do Meth. I mean, not like I was thinking of doing it but talk about a sucky drug!! Wow. I’m so glad to be able to not have to be in the world of Meth everyday. Each Kindness is my newest picture book --- It’ll follow BAMM. Then another YA….
Amy: Many many thanks for taking the time to answer the questions!
Jacqueline Woodson: Great questions. Thanks!
Courtesy of Penguin, I have two copies of the bind-up of If You Come Softly and it's sequel Behind You to give away to residents of the United States. To enter, just fill out this form. But don't forget to leave a comment as well! :) I will leave this open until February 23rd at 11:59 PM PST. I will notify the winners by email.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
FIRST: Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
Doubleday Religion (February 15, 2011)
BRANT PITRE, professor of sacred scripture at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana, received his Ph.D. in New Testament and ancient Judaism from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. He is the author of Jesus, the Tribulation, and the End of the Exile (Baker Academic, 2005).
Visit the author's website.
In Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, Bible scholar Brant Pitre explores the ancient Hebrew traditions that influenced and defined the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist. Here the author will explore "Communion as the New Passover," the "New Manna from Heaven," and the mysterious "Bread of the Presence" illuminating the heart of Catholicism in bold new ways. If you are looking to deepen your faith in, and understanding of, the inexhaustible treasure that is the Eucharist, then this book is for you.
Product Details:
List Price: $21.99
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Doubleday Religion (February 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385531842
ISBN-13: 978-0385531849
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
last supper
Jesus and Judaism
Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew. He was born of a Jewish mother, received the Jewish sign of circumcision, and grew up in a Jewish town in Galilee. As a young man, he studied the Jewish Torah, celebrated Jewish feasts and holy days, and went on pilgrimages to the Jewish Temple. And, when he was thirty years old, he began to preach in the Jewish synagogues about the fulfillment of the Jewish Scriptures, proclaiming the kingdom of God to the Jewish people. At the very end of his life, he celebrated the Jewish Passover, was tried by the Jewish council of priests and elders known as the Sanhedrin, and was crucified outside the great Jewish city of Jerusalem. Above his head hung a placard that read in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” ( John 19:19).
As this list demonstrates, the Jewishness of Jesus is a historical fact. But is it important? If Jesus was a real person who really lived in history, then the answer must be “Yes.” To be sure, over the centuries, Christian theologians have written books about Jesus that don’t spend much time studying his Jewish context. Much of the effort has gone into exploring the question of his divine identity. However, for anyone interested in exploring the humanity of Jesus— especially the original meaning of his words and actions— a focus on his Jewish identity is absolutely necessary. Jesus was a historical figure, living in a particular time and place. Therefore, any attempt to understand his words and deeds must reckon with the fact that Jesus lived in an ancient Jewish context. Although on a few occasions Jesus welcomed non- Jews (Gentiles) who accepted him as Messiah, he himself declared that he had been sent first and foremost “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5). This means that virtually all of his teachings were directed to a Jewish audience in a Jewish setting.
For instance, during his first sermon in his hometown synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus began to reveal his messianic identity in a very Jewish way. He did not shout aloud in the streets or cry out from the rooftops, “I am the Messiah.” Instead, he took up the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and found the place that spoke of the coming of an “anointed” deliverer (see Isaiah 61:1–4). After reading Isaiah’s prophecy, Jesus closed the scroll and said to his audience, “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). With these words, he proclaimed to his fellow Jews that their long- held hope for the coming of the Messiah, the “anointed one” (Hebrew mashiah), had at last been fulfilled— in him. As we will see over the course of this book, this was the first of many instances in which Jesus would utilize the Jewish Scriptures to reveal himself to a Jewish audience as the long- awaited Jewish Messiah.
You Shall Not Drink the Blood
However, if Jesus did in fact see himself as the Jewish Messiah, then we are faced with a historical puzzle— a mystery of sorts. On the one hand, Jesus drew directly on the Jewish Scriptures as the inspiration for many of his most famous teachings. (Think once again of his sermon in the synagogue at Nazareth.) On the other hand, he said things that appeared to go directly against the Jewish Scriptures. Perhaps the most shocking of these are his teachings about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. According to the Gospel of John, in another Jewish synagogue on another Sabbath day, Jesus said the following words:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of
the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life
in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last
day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is
drink indeed . . .” This he said in the synagogue,
as he taught at Capernaum. (John 6:53–54, 59)
And then again, at the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed:
Now, as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and
blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples
and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a
cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to
them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood
of the covenant, which is poured out for many for
the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26–28)
What is the meaning of these strange words? What did Jesus mean when he told his Jewish listeners in the synagogue that they had to eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to have eternal life? And what did he mean when he told his Jewish disciples that the bread of the Last Supper was his “body” and the wine was his “blood”? Why did he command them to eat and drink it?
We’ll explore these questions and many others throughout this book. For now, I simply want to point out that the history of Christianity reveals dozens of different responses. Over the centuries, most Christians have taken Jesus at his word, believing that the bread and wine of the Eucharist really do become the body and blood of Christ. Others, however, especially since the time of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s, think that Jesus was speaking only symbolically. Still others, such as certain modern historians, deny that Jesus could have said such things, even though they are recorded in all four Gospels and in the writings of Saint Paul (see Matthew 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:14–30; John 6:53–58; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26).
The reasons for disagreement are several. First of all is the shocking nature of Jesus’ words. How could anyone, even the Messiah, command his followers to eat his flesh and drink his blood? As the Gospel of John records, when Jesus’ disciples first heard his teaching, they said, “This is a hard saying, who can listen to it?” (John 6:60). Jesus’ words were so offensive to their ears that they could barely listen to him. And indeed, many of them left him, and “no longer walked with him” (John 6:66). And he let them go. From the very beginning, people found Jesus’ command to eat his body and drink his blood extremely offensive.
Another reason for disagreement is somewhat more subtle. Even if Jesus was speaking literally about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, what could such a command even mean? Was he talking about cannibalism— eating the flesh of a human corpse? While there is no explicit commandment against cannibalism in the Jewish Bible, it was certainly considered taboo. Again, the Gospels bear witness to this reaction. “The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’” (John 6:52). This is a good question, and it deserves a good answer.
Perhaps the strongest objection to Jesus’ words comes from Jewish Scripture itself. As any ancient Jew would have known, the Bible absolutely forbids a Jewish person to drink the blood of an animal. Although many Gentile religions considered drinking blood to be a perfectly acceptable part of pagan worship, the Law of Moses specifically prohibited it. God had made this very clear on several different occasions. Take, for example, the following Scriptures:
Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. . . .
Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. (Genesis 9:3–4)
If any man of the house of Israel or of the strangers
that sojourns among them eats any blood, I will set
my face against that person who eats blood, and
will cut him off from among his people. For the life
of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for you
upon the altar to make atonement for your souls;
for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason
of its life. Therefore I have said to the people of
Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither
shall any stranger who sojourns among you
eat blood. (Leviticus 17:10–12)
You may slaughter and eat flesh within any of your
towns, as much as you desire. . . . Only you shall not
eat the blood; you shall pour it out upon the earth
like water. (Deuteronomy 12:16)
Clearly, the commandment against drinking animal blood was serious. To break it would mean being “cut off” from God and from his people. Notice also that it was a universal law. God expected not only the chosen people of Israel to keep it, but any Gentile “strangers” living among them. Finally, note the reason for the prohibition. People were not to consume blood because “the life” or “the soul” (Hebrew nephesh) of the animal is in the blood. As Leviticus states, “It is the blood that makes atonement, by the power of its life.” While scholars continue to debate exactly what this means, one thing is clear: in the ancient world, the Jewish people were known for their refusal to consume blood. Jesus’ words at the Last Supper become even more mysterious with this biblical background in mind. As a Jew, how could he ever have commanded his disciples to eat his flesh and drink his blood? Wouldn’t this mean explicitly breaking the biblical law against consuming blood? Indeed, even if Jesus meant his words only symbolically, how could he say such things? Wouldn’t his command mean transgressing the spirit of the Law, if not the letter? As the Jewish scholar Geza Vermes points out,
[T]he imagery of eating a man’s body and especially
drinking his blood . . . , even after allowance
is made for metaphorical language, strikes a totally
foreign note in a Palestinian Jewish cultural setting
(cf. John 6.52). With their profoundly rooted
blood taboo, Jesus’ listeners would have been overcome
with nausea at hearing such words.
So, what should we make of these words of Jesus?
Through Ancient Jewish Eyes
In this book, I will try to show that Jesus should be taken at his word. Along with the majority of Christians throughout history, I believe that Jesus himself taught that he was really and truly present in the Eucharist. In doing so, I will follow the Apostle Paul, a first- century Pharisee and an expert in the Jewish Law, when he said,
I speak as to sensible men, judge for
yourselves what I say.
The cup of blessing which we bless,
is it not a communion in the blood of Christ?
The bread which we break,
is it not a communion in the body of Christ?
(1 Corinthians 10:16)
My goal is to explain how a first- century Jew like Jesus, Paul, or any of the apostles, could go from believing that drinking any blood— much less human blood— was an abomination before God, to believing that drinking the blood of Jesus was actually necessary for Christians: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” ( John 6:53).
In order to achieve this goal, we will have to go back in time to the first- century a.d., in order to understand what Jesus was doing and saying in his original context. To a certain extent, this will mean taking off our modern “eyeglasses” and trying to see things as the first Jewish Christians saw them. When we look at the mystery of the Last Supper through ancient Jewish eyes, in the light of Jewish worship, beliefs, and hopes for the future, we will discover something remarkable. We will discover that there is much more in common between ancient Judaism and early Christianity than we might at first have expected. In fact, we will find that it was precisely the Jewish faith of the first Christians that enabled them to believe that the bread and wine of the Eucharist were really the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, as soon as we try to do this, we are faced with a problem. In order for us to hear Jesus in the way his first disciples would have heard him, we need to be familiar with two key sources of information: (1) the Jewish Scriptures, commonly known as the Old Testament, and (2) ancient Jewish tradition, enshrined in writings not contained in the Jewish Bible.
Now, if my experience with students is any indicator, many modern readers— especially Christians— find the Jewish Scriptures to be challenging and unfamiliar territory. This is especially true of those passages in the Old Testament that describe ancient Jewish rituals, sacrifice, and worship— passages that will be very important for us as we explore Jesus’ last meal with his friends before his crucifixion. As for ancient Jewish writings outside the Bible— such as the Mishnah and the Talmud— although many people have heard of them, they are often not widely read by non- Jewish readers aside from specialists in biblical studies.
For this reason, before beginning, it will be helpful to briefly identify the Jewish writings that I will be drawing on over the course of this book. (The reader may want to mark this page for future reference as we move along.) I want to stress here that I am not suggesting that Jesus himself would have read any of these, some of which were written down long after his death. What I am arguing is that many of them bear witness to ancient Jewish traditions that may have circulated at the time of Jesus and which demonstrate remarkable power to explain passages in the New Testament that reflect Jewish practices and beliefs.
With that in mind, after the Old Testament itself, some of the most important Jewish sources I will draw on are as follows:
The Dead Sea Scrolls: an ancient collection of Jewish manuscripts copied sometime between the second century b.c. and 70 a.d. This collection contains numerous writings from the Second Temple period, during which Jesus lived.
The Works of Josephus: a Jewish historian and Pharisee who lived in the first century a.d. Josephus’ works are extremely important witnesses to Jewish history and culture at the time of Jesus and the early Church.
The Mishnah: an extensive collection of the oral traditions of Jewish rabbis who lived from about 50 b.c. to 200 a.d. Most of these traditions are focused on legal and liturgical matters. For rabbinic Judaism, the Mishnah remains the most authoritative witness to Jewish tradition outside of the Bible itself.
The Targums: ancient Jewish translations and paraphrases of the Bible from Hebrew into Aramaic. These emerged sometime after the Babylonian exile (587 b.c.), when many Jews began speaking Aramaic rather than Hebrew. Scholars disagree about their exact dates.
The Babylonian Talmud: a vast compilation— more than thirty volumes— of the traditions of Jewish Rabbis who lived from around 220 to 500 a.d. The Talmud consists of both legal opinions and biblical interpretations, in the form of a massive commentary on the Mishnah.
The Midrashim: ancient Jewish commentaries on various books of the Bible. Although parts of these are later than the Talmud, they contain many interpretations of Scripture attributed to Rabbis who lived during the times of the Mishnah and the Talmud.
These are by no means all of the ancient Jewish writings that are relevant for understanding the New Testament, but they are the ones I will be looking at most frequently in this book.
In particular, I want to highlight the importance of the rabbinic literature: the Mishnah, the Talmud, and the Midrashim. Although many of these writings were edited after the time of Jesus himself, both rabbinic experts and New Testament scholars agree that, if used with caution, they are still very important for us to study. For one thing, the rabbis often claim to be preserving traditions that go back to a time when the Temple still existed (before 70 a.d.). In many cases, there are good reasons to take seriously these claims. Moreover, unlike the Dead Sea Scrolls or the writings of Josephus, the rabbinic literature continues to play an important role in the life of Jewish communities to this day. For this reason, I will pay particular attention to the Mishnah and the Talmud, which are still considered by many Jews to be the most authoritative witnesses to ancient Jewish tradition.
With all of this background in mind, we can now focus our attention on those ancient Jewish beliefs about the coming of the Messiah that may shed light on the Eucharistic words of Jesus. Unfortunately, many modern readers are only vaguely familiar with Jewish beliefs regarding the coming of the Messiah. In fact, a good deal of what most Christian readers have learned about Jewish messianic ideas is often oversimplified, riddled with exaggerations, or even downright false.
Therefore, in order for us to situate Jesus’ teachings in their historical context, we need to back up a bit and answer a few broader questions: What were first- century Jews actually waiting for God to do? We know that many were expecting him to send the Messiah, but what did they think the Messiah would be like? What did they believe would happen when he finally came?
Monday, February 14, 2011
Review: The Tudor Secret by C.W. Gortner
C.W. Gortner is one of my go-to authors when it comes to historical fiction. He has a knack for bringing the setting to life and creating characters that feel real and pop off the page. This is, in my opinion, no easy task because the periods of history he covers have quite complicated political issues. So bringing that to a level the casual history fan can enjoy while also telling a great story takes real skill.
I knew The Tudor Secret was different from his other books I've read, it's narrated by a fictional character and while the events that take place are based in reality much is fabricated--this is a spy novel! That didn't stop me from completely enjoying it, though.
Brendan Prescott is a foundling, an orphan, raised in the Dudley household. When brought to court, he quickly finds favor with many people for his honesty and trustworthiness, which lands him a position as a spy. Fortunately, this works out for him as he is also enamored of Elizabeth the First and wants to help protect her from those scheming against her. As he works to protect her and fulfill his mission, he soon discovers his own life is in danger for reasons he never suspected. All is not what it seems.
I completely enjoyed The Tudor Secret. Once again, I fully bought into the time period and world Gortner created, I enjoyed the character of Brendan and I really enjoyed all of the relationships that formed between the characters. The plot moves speedily along and I was surprised by how quickly the book passed by. While I knew the basic history involved, the story is still fresh in its telling and imagining. There's even a bit of a love story!
One of the things I think is interesting about novels like this is the different ways royalty is presented. Sometimes the royalty is seen by the characters as being wonderful...they would gladly give their lives in service, while at other times the demands on their personal lives are so great, they truly resent them. Since I'd read a book that depicted Elizabeth as quite cruel, it was interesting to read this take of her as charming in her own way. Her strength obviously drew certain people to her. Even so, it's amazing with their complicated family histories that they weren't even more messed up!
I recommend The Tudor Secret to historical fiction fans, but also fans of fast paced interesting mysteries set in a different time and place.
Rating: 4.5/5
Things You Might Want to Know: A wee bit of profanity and sex
Source of Book: Sent from the author for review
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Interview with Karen Watson, Associate Publisher for Tyndale House Publishers
In order to help readers and potential readers of Christian fiction understand and get to know the different publishing houses of Christian fiction and their purpose and mission, I have requested interviews with the editors and publishers of fiction at many different houses. I am so excited to share these interviews with all of you and I think it will increase our understanding and make our conversations more productive. I hope you find it a valuable resource!
Karen offered these thoughts as a preface to her responses:
“This discussion is about issues that publishers wrestle with on a daily basis. A publisher’s challenge, and this discussion, will be best informed by coming to understand that it sits at the tension between a philosophical scenario and the practical realities of business and the marketplace. A good part of publishing is about releasing books that we believe should be published because they reach out to new readers, tackle new subjects, or break new ground. The other side of that coin is that publishing is an enterprise that by and large is funded by less than 20% of all releases.”
What genres do you publish?
Our current list includes:
• contemporary women’s fiction;
• romance—both contemporary and historical;
• general contemporary fiction, including a wide range of suspense and
thrillers, legal dramas, political and military thrillers, and supernatural
suspense; and
• historicals, including biblical fiction.
I believe that Tyndale publishes to the widest range of genres in the industry.
However, we don’t publish to all genres, nor are we always looking for books in every genre at all times. In general, we don’t publish into the fantasy genre. And we don’t publish in the chick lit genre. It isn’t that we are opposed to either; we just haven’t done as well with them in the past. No publisher does all things well, and we look to publish genres where we believe we can successfully engage our readership.
Our ongoing challenge is to provide high-quality, engaging novels to meet an existing consumer appetite in established genres. Our ongoing goal is to find great books with great writing and engaging concepts that can stretch the boundaries of the existing appetites toward new and developing genres.
Does your publishing company have a mission statement?
Our corporate mission is to minister to the spiritual needs of people, primarily through literature consistent with biblical principles.
The dual purpose of Tyndale fiction is to entertain readers and to encourage them in their faith journey.
Do your books have a strong faith message?
Tyndale authors are, at their core, in sync with our corporate mission. We trust them to use their God-given creativity to engage readers through story about the life of faith. How strong that message is perceived varies from reader to reader and book to book. Certainly there is a part of our readership that may expect more (or less) overt Christian content. That’s why over time readers gravitate more toward some authors than others. We publish along a spectrum of acceptability in the amount and style of faith content delivered. But our first goal is always to publish a compelling story that engages the reader. Tyndale author Randy Singer captures our philosophy perfectly. He says: “A powerful story without a biblical worldview is a great escape to nowhere. A spiritual message without an entertaining story is a sermon, not a novel.”
Is profanity ever acceptable in your fiction?
As a general rule, no.
Do you publish books that are considered by the market to be edgy?
It depends on who you ask.
To be perfectly honest, I find this question frustrating because there really is no acceptable answer. It’s something akin to asking, “Do you still beat your wife?” If I say no, then we are criticized for failing to authentically embrace the pain of life and perpetuating a phony Pollyanna Christian worldview. If I say we tackle difficult subjects in a realistic way, there is another portion of the reading (and blogging) public that criticizes what is perceived as graphic, unholy, or oppressive content from a Christian publisher that holds the danger of leading people to sin. Edgy means different things for different readers. Some folks won’t tolerate violence. Others run from the suggestion of sexuality of any kind. Interestingly, there is also a portion of the reading public who considers faith-based novels of any kind equally repugnant. Just read some of the one-star reader reviews of the free Kindle downloads. You’d think they’ve had acid splashed in their eyes! Many of them have asked to be protected from our content.
So, do we intentionally try to offend or shock with the content we publish? No. Do we seek out topics or hot button cultural issues to tackle in our fiction? No. We don’t go out of our way to publish “issue novels.” Frankly, they don’t sell. Do we publish stories that embrace the heartache and pain of life? Absolutely. I’d be glad to give you a long list of our titles that dealt with these issues unflinchingly. Do we allow our authors to honestly wrestle with failure and sin in their writing? We try our best. Real life is full of edgy moments that reflect life in a broken world. Our goal is to publish authentic stories that are told without always forcing readers into a front-row seat for every event in the storyline.
What is your approach to literary fiction?
You may be frustrated by my response. This is, in my opinion, a question about a category with no discernable definition.
Who determines if a novel is literary fiction? Is it a function of style? Language? Subject matter? Does accessibility and popularity exclude the possibility of being deemed literate? Does a positive review from certain quarters mean that it is worthy of an intelligent person’s time and financial investment? Does that mean the book is literary?
My responsibility is to acquire and publish well-crafted, engaging fiction for a wide range of readers. There is a spectrum of style and tone that, in my experience, appeals to readers. For instance, I am currently re-reading Jane Eyre. Is that considered literary fiction? Someone will have to tell me. What I do know is that the generally accepted style for most novels is quite different than that today. I don’t work for a university press or a literary criticism journal so I don’t spend a lot of time in angst on this issue. I often read works of fiction that Tyndale wouldn’t publish. I try to read winners or nominees of the National Book Award and find that many of them have spiritual themes. It would be incredible for a Tyndale fiction title to be nominated for an award like that. But, for a whole host of reasons that go beyond the scope of this discussion, I think it is unlikely. I take encouragement in the fact that the best predictor of longevity and impact of a novel is not whether it is embraced or panned by literary critics. Ultimately, literary impact is about how a reader responds to the reading experience.
I am honored to work for a publishing house whose calling is to reach the widest readership possible with the gift of the life-changing truth of the gospel. Publishing Christian fiction is uniquely challenging because it is held to additional standards of acceptability beyond the issue of craft alone.
Who do you see as your primary audience?
Our primary audience is changing.
Fifteen years ago, we were serving mostly evangelical Christian women in the 35-55 age bracket. The fiction industry is still generally supported by the female reader in both the general and Christian markets. However, we are serving more audience/genre segments than we were fifteen years ago. For instance, the e-reader is reaching a new audience of male readers for the suspense/thrillers we publish.
What are some of the books you have published that epitomize your mission?
Publishers tend to be defined by their biggest successes. For many years we were the publisher of Left Behind. That series certainly challenged readers to consider spiritual issues. More recently, in a similar genre, Joel Rosenberg writes about current political themes through the lens of biblical prophecy.
Additional recent titles include:
Francine Rivers’ two-book saga, Her Mother’s Hope and Her Daugher’s
Dream, which both explored themes of failed family relationships and how God continually pursues our redemption and reconciliation. Her work has impacted readers for years and she is known as an author who tackles gritty life challenges and authentically points readers to Christ.
Randy Singer’s legal thrillers take on issues at the forefront of current public discourse. His latest release, Fatal Convictions, challenges readers to think about their own prejudices against people of the Muslim faith. His books continue to be well received and compared to some of today’s best-known general market legal thrillers.
Chris Fabry’s contemporary fiction (Dogwood, June Bug, and Almost Heaven) skillfully deals with honest pain and life failure—edgy topics—while winsomely reflecting the hope of the gospel. And, he does all of this with engaging plots that keep readers turning pages.
We also publish at least one debut novel each year. Christian Writers Guild winners like Tom Pawlik (Vanish), Henry McLaughlin (Journey to Riverbend), and Jennifer Valent (Fireflies in December), represent great new voices. Gina Holmes’ Crossing Oceans has been a debut success story for us in the contemporary women’s fiction category.
Do you welcome feedback from readers and if so what is the best method forreaders to give your their feedback?
My team spends a lot of time reading reader reviews online (CBD, B&N,
Amazon, etc.) and via blog reviews. In addition, readers may engage with us
through Tyndale’s Facebook page or by writing to us at:
Tyndale House Publishers
c/o Fiction Feedback
351 Executive Drive
Carol Stream, IL 60188
I just want to give a HUGE thank you to Karen for really engaging with the questions and giving us such in-depth responses. You can find out more about Tyndale's books at their website and follow them on Twitter.
You can read also read my interview with Julie Gwinn of B&H and Charlene Patterson of Bethany House.
If you are the editor or a Christian publisher and have not received my interview questions, please email me at mypalamy@gmail.com
