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Words and the Word: Notes on Our Catholic Vocabulary
Book by Derrick, Christopher
134 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1987
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July 13, 2018
I’m rounding up from 2.5 stars because I have no complaint with the actual orthodoxy of the book. And because I’m nice.
This book focuses on about 30 or so Catholic words, with each word getting no more than 3 pages of definition, discussion, and meditation.
The book should check all my boxes, but it was actually somewhat disappointing. I don’t think the author is ever wrong, and I happen to agree with everything he says. The problems are with the book’s tone and the audience.
The tone somehow manages to be simultaneously too academic and too avuncular, and it is at turns unpleasant or frustrating. Most chapters end with a line that I think is supposed to be significant/shocking. Sometimes it was, but usually it fell flat for me - because I already agree with him.
The ideal audience is “Catholics who already agree with the author and have had the exact same experiences,” which is fine, but the book is consequently of very limited usefulness. There’s not much of an attempt to convince or persuade, even though the tone may suggest that.
Positive notes: The brevity of each chapter speaks well of the author’s self discipline, and points the reader in the direction of more good things to read. The author also has some laugh-out-loud one liners.
This book focuses on about 30 or so Catholic words, with each word getting no more than 3 pages of definition, discussion, and meditation.
The book should check all my boxes, but it was actually somewhat disappointing. I don’t think the author is ever wrong, and I happen to agree with everything he says. The problems are with the book’s tone and the audience.
The tone somehow manages to be simultaneously too academic and too avuncular, and it is at turns unpleasant or frustrating. Most chapters end with a line that I think is supposed to be significant/shocking. Sometimes it was, but usually it fell flat for me - because I already agree with him.
The ideal audience is “Catholics who already agree with the author and have had the exact same experiences,” which is fine, but the book is consequently of very limited usefulness. There’s not much of an attempt to convince or persuade, even though the tone may suggest that.
Positive notes: The brevity of each chapter speaks well of the author’s self discipline, and points the reader in the direction of more good things to read. The author also has some laugh-out-loud one liners.
Displaying 1 of 1 review