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May 10
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Kevin
marked as to-read:
Obama: From Promise to Power (Hardcover)
by David Mendell
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Kevin
marked as to-read:
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Hardcover)
by Barack Obama
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Kevin
is currently reading:
A Bound Man: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can't Win (Hardcover)
by Shelby Steele
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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May 08
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Kevin
gave
to:
The Sisters Grimm Book 6: Tales From the Hood (Hardcover)
by Michael Buckley
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in May, 2008
Kevin said:
"Tales From the Hood is another entertaining volume in this great series. Its playful tweaking of folklore and fairy tales contains a nice mix of humor and suspense, adventure and wit, all the while exploring family dynamics and the perils of growing ...more
Tales From the Hood is another entertaining volume in this great series. Its playful tweaking of folklore and fairy tales contains a nice mix of humor and suspense, adventure and wit, all the while exploring family dynamics and the perils of growing up. It is one of those series that the whole family can enjoy together.
The only drawback is that you are always left waiting around for the next book . . .
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May 10
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Kevin
is currently reading:
She Was: A Novel (Hardcover)
by Janis Hallowell
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
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May 05
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Kevin
gave
to:
Neverwhere: A Novel (Paperback)
by Neil Gaiman
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in March, 2008
Kevin said:
"Like all of Gaiman's work, Neverwhere is an imaginative and creative story and it posits an alternative world in which his lead character must complete a quest. But for some reason this book didn't really grab me in the same way the others did. This ...more
Like all of Gaiman's work, Neverwhere is an imaginative and creative story and it posits an alternative world in which his lead character must complete a quest. But for some reason this book didn't really grab me in the same way the others did. This one seemed to mirror my reaction to American Gods: interesting but a little messy and not quite as captivating.
I will admit that it could have been that I was distracted, but something I wrote about American Gods applies: "It was as if the journey was interesting but I am not sure I would want to take the same trip again." The story itself was interesting and their were twists and turns to keep up the suspense. There were lots of interesting characters and some of them particularly well done (the Marquis for example or the heavies Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar). But all of the ingredients didn't come together in as satisfying way for me. With Stardust I was always want to block out some time so I could read it. With Neverwhere it wasn't like I struggled to keep reading but it wasn't something that was always on my mind; it wasn't one of those books that I always wanted to be reading it.
As this was his first novel, it seems likely that he honed his craft and that his later books benefited from that. On the other hand, maybe this one just didn't strike a nerve with me. But even so, Neverwhere is an entertaining read. Just for the imagination and creativity involved. Gaiman is certainly an author whose latest work I will always want to check out. And for that reason alone, I am glad I read Neverwhere so I can better appreciate the arc of his overall career.
Obviously, Gaiman fans will have read Neverwhere long before I stumbled upon it. If you haven't yet read any of his work you might choose to read chronologically. Or you could just dip in randomly like I did. Either way, I am glad I decided to read more of this by now world famous author. He is one of those few hugely popular figures whose popularity seems deserved.
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Kevin
is currently reading:
Wide Awake: Start Dreaming with Your Eyes Open (Hardcover)
by Erwin Raphael McManus
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
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Kevin
is currently reading:
Come Thirsty: No Heart Too Dry for His Touch (Paperback)
by Max Lucado
bookshelves:
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my rating:
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May 08
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Kevin
gave
to:
Flying High (Hardcover)
by William Buckley
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in May, 2008
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May 05
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Kevin
gave
to:
How Big Is Your God?: The Freedom to Experience the Divine (Hardcover)
by Paul Coutinho
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in February, 2008
Kevin said:
"How Big Is Your God? walks a fine line between new age psychobabble and useful exploration of spirituality. Written by a Jesuit priest who raised in India, it is a mix of Eastern Religious experiences, Ignatian spirituality, and psychology. Coutinh...more
How Big Is Your God? walks a fine line between new age psychobabble and useful exploration of spirituality. Written by a Jesuit priest who raised in India, it is a mix of Eastern Religious experiences, Ignatian spirituality, and psychology. Coutinho also brings an interest in Christian mysticism to the mix.
As a rather orthodox Protestant Christian I have to say I found the exercise somewhat problematic. I certainly wouldn't give this book to a new Christian or someone not grounded in the faith. But it does offer some useful and thought provoking ways of thinking about faith and a relationship with God.
Coutinho is very much in the "religion often gets in the way of a relationship with God" camp. Most of the first half of the book is about how ritual and tradition can't be a substitute for a deep seeking after God. He outlines various approaches to religion that can become calcified and prevent us from being open to an experience with the divine; to a real encounter with God. Is is worth acknowledging that God is bigger than our attempts to conceptualize Him.
Even if you don't agree with his approach or his answers it is useful to think about your faith in this way. We all bring our cultural and personal baggage to our faith. How we were raised, the liturgy and symbolism of our particular denomination and church, etc. It is useful to think about how these factors impact and even warp our understanding and relationship with God.
Coutinho also usefully explores ideas like love, freedom, and suffering through the lens of faith and the divine. He brings a stoical but compassionate tone to these subjects. He gently outlines how modern notions of freedom and happiness lead us away from a relationship with God.
If there is a weakness to his approach it is that all of this can seem a little ephemeral at times. It is one thing to think about these mystical, spiritual, and psychological subjects it is quite another to connect them to your daily life. Coutinho's short chapters and anecdotal style often leave you in the clouds without a more practical grounding.
The fact that the book is made up of nearly fifty very small chapters (the book is only 150 pages) adds to this. It ends up being a collection of mini-essays and thus lacks the coherence that a more structured book might bring.
The other aspect that could be worrying, depending on your perspective, is the lack of clear orthodoxy. Coutinho is clearly devoted to his church and his faith, but at times it is unclear that he expects this from others. Taken too far this mystical approach to God leaves you with a vague spirituality that allows each person to create their own faith. As long as you are seeking to experience the divine - however defined or constructed - you are on the right spiritual path. Obviously, Christians who believe doctrine and theology matter will be concerned about this danger.
If you are interested in different approaches to faith and spirituality, however, I am sure you would find How Big Is Your God? interesting. The book certainly offers a challenge to think about your approach to God and to not be tied down by an over-dependence on tradition or liturgical practices or faulty assumptions about faith. But those struggling to live out their faith in daily life may be frustrated with the lack of more practical applications and those concerned about orthodoxy may be troubled by its almost new age perspective.
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