What's On My Nightstand: April

Or, in my case, my headboard, the floor around my bed, the kitchen table, the bed in my office, and the coffee tables.

It's time for April's What's On My Nightstand sponsored by 5 Minutes for Books.

1. Looking for Anne of Green Gables: The Story of L. M. Montgomery and Her Literary Classic by Irene Gammel: At first, I resisted liking this book, which was odd because I looked forward to reading it (can we say, "moody"?). But when I began, I realized that I didn't like L.M. (called Maud) Montgomery. She and I would not be kindred spirits. Part of this is because we're too much alike. Part of this is because the woman rarely sympathized with people in real life. She saved it all for her books. But then I found it fascinating, all the cultures and peoples and stories that went into creating Anne. It didn't do what I feared (make Anne less real to me). If anything it made her more real. Side note: I never liked the movies (yes, gasp), in part because Anne never looked how I pictured her. Ironically, the picture that inspired Anne looks exactly how I always pictured Anne.

2. Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and Culture by Makoto Fujimura: This is a collection of essays by artist Makoto Fujimura (if you don't know his work, visit his website now--I'll wait). They reflect on art and the artist in post-9/11 America. They offer hope and beauty through the suffering. His essays are like hot water beating on sore muscles. More on this later when I finish.

3. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak: As you know from past editions, I've been listening to this on audio book for a while. (When I listen on audio, I only have so many opportunities to do so, mainly when working out.) I finished it yesterday at the gym. I don't recommend this first, because lifting waits when your body trembles in grief is difficult, and second, because sobbing at the gymn with all those body builders looking on is embarrassing. When I began the book a month or so ago, I didn't get what the big deal was. Why was everyone raving? Oh, it was enjoyable, to be sure, but life-changing? Yes, life-changing. I understand now. It's told from two points of view: a little girl in Germany during WWII who writes her story and Death who has read her story and now retells it. Haunting. Captures beautifully the balance of sinful, corrupt man and yet the ever-present Imago Dei. It also reflects on the beauty and salvation of the written word (more on this below).

4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows: I began this two nights ago and am almost finished. I adore this book! Guernsey Island in the English Channel was under German occupation in WWII (this seems to be WWII month for me). A group of people accidentally form this literary society--accidentally because they were out after curfew and one of the members said they were caught up in their literary society. So the literary society was formed. The story unfolds through a series of letters between the society members and Juliet, an author looking for an idea for her next book. It also tells of the power of the written word. I needed this, or these, I should say, encouragements about the written word. Maybe what I do isn't so wasted after all. Also, it shows the bonds that can form by post, and isn't that what we bloggers have?

5. Rethinking Worldview by J. Mark Bertrand: This is my current Solomon Summaries read. I was hesitant picking this up. Another book on worldviews (most of which, to be honest, are poorly written, pompous, and simplistic). But I like the care Bertrand gives to this work. He acknowledges the limits of human knowledge but doesn't take that to the extreme of having no certainty in knowledge: a good balance, in other words. He's prescience in predicting my questions. No sooner have I written, "But what about this?" then I turn the page to find his answer. Also, he takes worldview directly into wisdom and witness. It is not enough to know correctly. We must also act correctly. I still have one big question, and we'll see if he addresses it.

Psst--If you find this post interesting and think others might as well, would you mind taking a minute to stumble it? It would mean a lot to me.