I'm reading some really good books that I hope to post about in the coming week or two, but I thought the official beginning of summer (well, okay, that was a couple of weeks ago...) seemed like a good time to post another reading round-up.
So here's what I've read in the past few months. I'll try to categorize like I did last time. Any links are to my reviews at Epinions.
Church "History"
Anglican Communion in Crisis: How Episcopal Dissidents and Their African Allies are Reshaping Anglicanism, by Miranda K. Hassett
This excellent book will need to be revised and expanded soon, given the current state of flux and all the changes happening in the Communion. As one of the so-called "Episcopal Dissidents" she names in the title, I was very interested to read this book. Ms. Hassett is an anthropologist, and though theologically a self-confessed liberal-leaning Episcopalian, her book is a remarkably evenhanded look at the past decade as Anglicanism has begun to consciously identify itself as a global movement. So much I could say about this book: I especially found her reflections on globalization insightful (she very helpfully differentiates between the two global visions of conservative and progressive Anglicans: accountability globalism and diversity globalism). How have global relationships changed the way we look at one another, and how do those relationships continue to play out and challenge us on all sorts of levels? The only really major missing "chunk" for me in this otherwise terrific book was a deeper level of theological reflection. It's hard to see how one can discuss complex relationships within the church and across cultural divides and not spend time reflecting on the Biblical vision of unity and the church as "one body with many members."
Memoir
A Walk With Jane Austen: A Journey Into Adventure, Love and Faith, by Lori Smith
I think my expectations for this book were just too high. It didn't engage me on the heart level I thought it would. Nonetheless, worth reading if you're a Christian woman who loves Austen's work.
Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, by Julie Andrews
I don't often read "celebrity" biography, but this autobiography of one of my favorite actress/singers caught my eye at the library. I checked it out thinking I'd enjoy the pictures if nothing else, then started reading and could hardly put it down. Andrews writes the way she speaks: elegantly, intelligently, and with a gentle sense of humor. Especially interesting for the picture she paints about her war-time childhood, though her anecdotes about working with Rex Harrison are also great!
Fiction
Old Friends and New Fancies: An Imaginary Sequel to the Novels of Jane Austen, by Sybil G. Brinton
The grandmother of all Austen sequels! Published in 1913, a mere one hundred years after Austen published Pride and Prejudice, it's also the only book that author Sybil Brinton apparently ever wrote (or at least saw published). She was clearly way ahead of the trend on this one. And it was surprisingly good read: she "got Austen" far better than most of the current-day sequel-izers.
The Joys of Love, by Madeleine L'Engle
What a joy to hold a "new" L'Engle novel in my hand. She actually wrote it early in her career but it was never published. Not terrifically strong on its own, but a delight for long-time fans and an interesting addition to the canon of her early work. Especially poignant to read it in light of her recent passing; it drew so deeply on her youth in the 1940s theater.
Carrot Cake Murder, by Joanne Fluke
10th in the series. This is the kind of fluff that makes me long for the beach even more than I already am. Fluke is completely a formula writer, but what a fun formula! And I think I gained weight just reading the recipes.
Children's Classics
By "classics" here I really mean "old" (though some will have achieved classic status, or at least beloved author status). I'm attempting to catch up on some children's books I've been meaning to read for a while.
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
The Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (The sweet girl and I did this one together as a read-aloud...I think I read it years ago, but had forgotten much of it. Liked it better than we expected!)
Mid-Grade/Young Adult Fiction
I seem to have "sequelitis" at present...
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, by Jeanne Birdsall
What fun to visit the Penderwicks again. I hope Birdsall plans many more books about this delightful family!
The Calder Game, by Blue Balliett
Balliett's quirky juvenile mystery series continues...always fascinating to see how she approaches the interplay of language, life and art.
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