Summer Reading II

Inspired by Albert Mohler's non-fiction summer reading list, I thought I would share some that I would recommend. When I was teaching I read very little during the school year apart from preparation for work, and the pile of books would assume major proportions by this time of year. As a retiree, I can read just about whenever I wish. My list includes both fiction and non-fiction, some that I have already read, some that I have begun, and others that are still on the pile:

1. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I'm about 150 pages into this one, finding it an easy and enjoyable read. It is a group biography of the leading candidates for the Republican nomination in 1860. After his victory, Lincoln asked all of them to join his cabinet - resulting in a cabinet filled with individuals each of whom considered himself more qualified to be President than Lincoln. Apparently each of them came to accept his ability. I have thought myself well-informed about the Civil War era, but I have already learned new things about Lincoln, his personality, political career, marriage, as well as much new about the others. Seward, especially, was an admirable individual, thoroughly convinced of the evil of slavery, and one of its most relentless opponents. Although the book is long [almost a thousand pages in paperback], this is going to be a quick read.


2. The Children of Hurin, by J.R.R. Tolkien. Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R.'s son, has edited material left by his father into an additional novel about Middle Earth, this one set thousands of years before the events recounted in Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's first version dates back to shortly after World War I, and, like much of the mythology of Middle Earth, he apparently returned to it many times. Christopher Tolkien says he only edited the materials, supplying some necessary connecting narrative. Morgoth, for whom Sauron was a mere servant, was the Dark Lord of this era. Glaurung, a dragon, is another of Morgoth's lieutenants. I haven't been a fan of the appendicies and other reference works created by Tolkien, his son, and others. I'm told that if I were, I would already know this story. I've begun it and I'm finding in it some the same pleasure I received from LOTR.


3. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony, by Richard Bauckham. In an earlier post I quoted the Amazon description of this book:

   This new book argues that the four Gospels are closely based on eyewitness testimony of those who knew Jesus. Noted New Testament scholar Richard Bauckham challenges the prevailing assumption that the accounts of Jesus circulated as "anonymous community traditions," asserting instead that they were transmitted in the name of the original eyewitnesses. To drive home this controversial point, Bauckham draws on internal literary evidence, study of personal names in the first century, and recent developments in the understanding of oral traditions. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses also taps into the rich resources of modern study of memory and cognitive psychology, refuting the conclusions of the form critics and calling New Testament scholarship to make a clean break with this long-dominant tradition. Finally, Bauckham challenges readers to end the classic division between the "historical Jesus" and the "Christ of faith," proposing instead the "Jesus of testimony."



4. The Canon of Scripture, by F.F. Bruce. First published in 1988, it remains a very readable historical account of the decisions leading to the settled content of the Scriptures. The longest part of the book is about the New Testament, and one of the conclusions I've drawn from it is that when the canonical books were listed by individuals or decisions were made by councils, they were simply ratifying what had already become common practice in the churches. Most of the decisions about books which were excluded were pretty easy, based on the absurdity of their contents. Bruce is one of those scholars who seems to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the relevant materials [I say "seems" only because I have no expertise], but his writing is very accessible. Bruce has been a strong defender of the historicity of the New Testament documents and I anticipate that Jesus and the Eyewitnesses will reinforce that argument.


5. Invisible Prey, by John Sandford. Sandford lives in Minnesota and his books are set there and the upper Midwest. Wisconsin plays an important role in several of them. All of the books featuring detective Lucas Davenport, originally of the Minneapolis police department, include "Prey" in the title. His character is developed through the series, which makes the idea of reading the books in order attractive. Sandford's villains are usually serial killers and always multiple murderers, always well realized. It sometimes bothers me that I can empathize with them, although I seldom sympathize. The evildoers in this book are Carleton College graduates - like one of my best friends [although that is all they have in common]. Those who enjoy thrillers will enjoy these. Invisible Prey is the most recent in the series [the 18th, if my count is correct]. I just finished it and it is a good addition. My only complaint was that it only took me about a day to read.


6. Flashman on the March (Flashman Papers), by George MacDonald Fraser. This is the most recent volume recounting the adventures of Sir Harry Flashman. The character was actually created by a 19th century writer Thomas Hughes in Tom Brown's Schooldays. He was the villainous, bullying, upperclassman in that story, eventually expelled from Rugby. Fraser's conceit was to pick up Flashman's career at that point in the original book of the series, Flashman. Harry joins the British Army, and thereafter finds himself in just about every trouble spot in the world. In that and subsequent books he is the sole survivor of the British retreat from Kabul, a participant in the charge of the Light Brigade, a captive in the Sioux camp at Little Big Horn, a member of John Brown's conspiracy to attack Harper's Ferry, and so on. In this volume, he is sent into Abbysinia. He is a thoroughly despicable character, and a pleasure to read about. The books are surely the easiest and most pleasurable way to learn a great deal of 19th century history.


7. The Dangerous Book for Boys, by Conn and Hal Iggulden. If I had a nephew of middle-school age, or perhaps a bit younger, I would buy this book for him. It is intended for that age group, but adult males [and probably women, too] will also find it a joy. In the earlier post I made about it I quoted Albert Mohler:

   .... A boy armed with this book will have a very fun summer indeed.
   
   The book instantly recalls the great Victorian era of books for boys - books about boy heroes, adventurers, soldiers, and naturalists. Those books, often recognizable in their ornate cloth covers, were read and read again by boys as they grew older.
   
   The Dangerous Book for Boys is a worthy successor to that tradition.
   
   This book will tell a boy how to read cloud formations, make a battery, make a periscope, and construct "the greatest paper airplane in the world." Boys are told of the essential gear of boyhood - including Band-aids. Young adventurers will also learn of famous battles, the history of artillery, and how to understand girls.

Enjoy!