I have to give the Bronte sisters a round of applause for having much more substance, mystery, and strange twists to their stories than Jane Austen. If Austen’s books are “Days of Our Lives,” then Wuthering Heights is “Jerry Springer.” It is dysfunction to an unbelievable degree. It’s filled with abuse (physical and verbal), revenge, family infighting, broken marriages, unrequited love, and more. I had to plow through 90% of this book before the dreariness and churning hatred began to lighten up.

The story is told from the point of view of the head maid, Mrs. Ellen Dean. She recounts the story of the inhabitants at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange for the new tenant of her master, Mr. Heathcliff. There are so many characters and names that overlap, that it would be confusing for me to comment on too many aside from Mr. Heathcliff. They all, however, seem unfortunately drawn and bound to him like mice to a trap.

Heathcliff is rescued as a boy on the streets of Liverpool by Mr. Earnshaw, the patriarch of Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff is brought home, taught English, and enjoys a childhood equal to the Earnshaw children. He is especially close with Catherine, whom he loves, but is considered unworthy to marry because of the mystery behind his extended family and his darker features (his country of origin is never mentioned, but Mrs. Dean suspects he may be Spanish). All spirals out of control within the family once Mr. Earnshaw dies and his eldest son turns on Heathcliff.

If there’s one word I had to choose to describe the majority of the characters, it is venomous. The Earnshaws are infamous for their raging tempers, complete lack of manners, and insolence. It broke my heart to see characters with so much potential for goodness sucked into the swirling vortex of animosity. In spite of his love for Catherine, Heathcliff’s final plot is to break the spirit of her daughter. In doing so, he is able to exact revenge on a number of parties and secure for himself the wealth of two separate families. He is a man of deep anguish until the end, when it is suggested that he is visited by the ghost of the love from his youth. His death is unremarkable, but marks a sigh of deef relief for the handful of characters that survived his tyrannical rule.

It’s an intense, but riveting read. I highly recommend it!

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Even though this book was on my soon-to-read list, Mark beat me to it and reviewed it already. I’m glad that he did, as he has been propagating the memory palace idea in our discussions lately, and it spurred me on to read it sooner than I would have. Drew also reviewed it. I’m last on this.

The book is more of an overview of memory history rather than specific techniques to help readers improve our own memorizing. Although through the narrative of having Foer report on memory and eventually winning the U.S. Memory Championship, he discusses many little tricks along the way. These were helpful in my own thinking about memory. I also found some of the case studies of memory prodigies and memory-deficit people particularly fascinating.

Foer is overly critical and insulting about Tony Buzan, the granddaddy of memory techniques, an aspect about the book that I found to be mean and ungracious, as Buzan seemed kind enough to grant him an interview. I also am hesitant about how ingrained Foer is within his own story here. Unlike another similar journalist-becomes-subject account Born to Run, Foer borders on self-serving.

While it starts to feel too long toward the end, I really did enjoyed reading this. It helped me to think more about memory and how I can memorize more Scripture and poetry. Maybe even a deck of cards or two.

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This book is not very good.  In fact, it is just plain awful.   It pains me to say that since Michael Crichton is one of my favorite fiction writers to read.  Part of this book (Crichton’s last), was found unfinished on his personal computer after his death a few years ago.   Therefore, it is co-written by some guy named Richard Preston (?).  I’m wondering if all they found on this book was a title and introduction, and then said, “go with it, we’re sure to make money.”  - It should be noted, Crichton’s book Pirates: Latitudes was also discovered posthumously, and it was a great book!

At any rate, here’s the plot in a nutshell.  Some evil corporate types/scientists have discovered a technology that can shrink objects and people… blah… blah… blah… mix Honey I Shrunk the Kids with Jurassic Park and you get Micro.

The thing that has always made Michael Crichton’s science fiction enjoyable was his in-depth scientific research, compelling thriller narrative, and just barely beyond believable plot… The things that makes Micro awful are the shear unbelievability of the story, the poor character development, and disjointed storyline…

bottom line: don’t waste your time.

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There are some alarming trends in western culture that led author and journalist Mark Steyn to issue a wakeup call to America.  Whether you agree or disagree, Steyn’s points should not be ignored.

Put briefly, Steyn believes that the western world in particular, and the world as a whole is at risk of being dominated by islamic culture, religion, and politics within just a few generations.  His reasoning springs from an analysis of the demographic data, naive multiculturalism, and political correctness trends within western liberal democratic nations – particularly Europe.

• Demographics –  The birth rates of Western European countries have fallen well below the sustainable society rate of 2.1 births per woman.  Some of these countries like France, Italy, Germany, and Spain range from a rate of 1.1 -1.3 births.  So what does this mean?  It means that these big government socialist countries will not be able to sustain their welfare state in the near future, since no one will be around to pay for these luxuries.  Enter into this equation their need for immigrants, mostly from muslim background, their very high birth rates, and their hatred for all infidels, Europe will soon be known as Eurabia.
• Naive Multiculturalism – It’s ironic that those most committed to multiculturalism will be some of the first infidels to have their religious and individual liberties stripped away from them once Islamic Sharia law takes hold in a democratic majority.  Those quickest to speak of Islam as “a beautiful religion of peace” will be perplexed by the brutality of such a government.  Once there is an Islamic majority, how do you think feminists, gays and lesbians, and others of an alternative lifestyle will be treated? Islam will play the victim card whenever possible in the West, while at the same time spouting a blatantly racist and exclusivist agenda against infidels.
• Political Correctness – The spirit of our age is one of unprecedented political correctness – and it will be the death of us if we don’t respond with a logical force of thought and public engagement.

The only hope for Western civilization, as Steyn sees it (a Canadian by the way), is for America to respond and return to the ideology and fortitude that first made America a super power.   But even here, the trending signs are not encouraging… take for example Barrack Obama’s ‘Apology to the World’ tour.  This does not make Islamist view the infidels of America in a more favorable light.  Rather, in the Islamic mind, actions like these shout weakness and opportunities for more victories by terrorists.

Wake up America.

“Far from being tortured, the prisoners [at Guantanamo] are being handled literally with kid gloves (or simulated kid-effect gloves). The U.S. military hands each jihadist his complimentary copy of the Koran as delicately as white-gloved butlers bringing His Lordship the Times of London. It’s not just unbecoming to buy in to Muslim psychoses; in the end, it’s self-defeating. And our self-defeat is their surest shot at victory…Even a loser can win when he’s up against a defeatist. A big chunk of Western Civilization, consciously or otherwise, has given the impression that it’s dying to surrender to somebody, anybody. Reasonably enough, the jihadists figure: hey, why not us?”

“A big chunk of Western civilization, consciously or otherwise, has given the impression that it’s dying to surrender to somebody, anybody. Reasonably enough, Islam figures: Hey, why not us?”

“The state has gradually annexed all the responsibilities of adulthood – health care, child care, care of the elderly – to the point where it’s effectively severed its citizens from humanity’s primal instincts, not the least the survival instinct…They corrode the citizen’s sense of self-reliance to a potentially fatal degree.”

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I taught this for the second time this year, and I loved this book even more than when I read it last year. It is an incredible story of love, sacrifice, and unbridled violence. Sydney Carton is raising on the list of my favorite literary characters. To see his transformation from an idle, drunken loser to a redeemed man with purpose and life is excited and inspiring.

While I did not see this as clearly last year, A Tale of Two Cities is one of the most Christian novels I’ve read. The concept of sin and evil, along with grace and atonement are clearer on these pages than they are in many other books I’ve read.

Even without the powerful message, the writing in this book is so engaging and enjoyable. I suggest making this a selection in one of your next book group. You will not be disappointed. After reading, you will be “recalled to life.”

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This is the second book I’ve read about how fathers can raise boys into godly men. After watching Courageous, I had a new resolve to be a father who loves, guides, and leads my son into manhood. This book helped me think about how this looks.

Too often, fathers are the buffoons of the family. At best, indifferent; at worst, abusive. Our culture seems to broadcast the message that men are not important, and that manliness is synonymous with arrogance, homophobia, and chauvinism.  We are afraid to say these five little, reveling words: Men and women are different. Children need both parents to develop fully to their potential. More specifically for this book review, boys need a father to have a healthy concept of manhood.

A real man is one who: • rejects passivity • accepts responsibility • leads courageously • expects the greater reward … God’s reward.

Sadly, many of our youth know little or nothing about any cause other than themselves. Parents have failed—and are failing—to impart a vision that is truly heroic, timeless, and supremely meaningful. The consequences of this omission cannot be understated.

Dad, if you are going to raise a Modern-Day Knight, there is no substitute for your personal character and integrity! By it your son becomes advantaged, empowered, and inspired.

I want to raise our son to be a strong, godly man, and I know that how I model that will influence him in his growth. This does not mean he can only play with trucks and play rugged sports. It does mean that he is a man who rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, and leads courageously. I want my boy to grow into a man who embraces this for the glory of God.

I’m not sure what this looks like in all situations, but books like Raising a Modern-Day Knight help me to think more about the issues. The book is not perfect; in fact, I found much of the story annoying. I do not want to have coats of arms or swords or manhood ceremonies (they seems to have one for each minor event). However, I do like that we must train our boys to be men, and that does not merely occur with puberty or high school graduation. I see many young men in the halls of high school who display their fathers indifference in raising them. They are not young men; they are boys in men’s bodies.

May God grant me the conviction and confidence to raise my son differently than the world tells me to. May I be a better model for manhood than our culture is.

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Before Frodo, their was Bilbo Baggins; A home loving hobbit from Bag end.

For the past couple of weeks I read this book to my daughters before bedtime. They loved it, and I did too.  Each chapter of this epic fantasy novel is an episodic story within the grand adventure.

This is the second time I’ve read The Hobbit, and once again I realized why I like the story so much more than the Lord of The Rings trilogy.  The story is fun, engaging, fast-paced,  with many twists and turns in the plot.

The characters too are fun and engaging.  In Bilbo, you have an unassuming little hobbit who always manages to do something unexpected and just right to save the day for himself, his fellowship of dwarves, or even for all the men of Dale and elves of Mirkwood.  By the end of the adventure, Bilbo has been deeply changed.  Other hobbits do not think too highly of him and his adventures, but it doesn’t matter to Bilbo, he’s a legend among elves and dwarves.

The themes of courage, self-sacrifice, and heroism are clear, and provided a context to discuss such things with my daughters.  Also, the themes of sovereignty and predestination are present as well.  Throughout the story, many characters sing songs of old which are prophecies of what is to come.  In Bilbo and his adventure with Gandalf and the dwarves, these prophecies come true.

At the end, Gandalf addresses this issue of prophecy and sovereignty in speaking with Bilbo,

“Surely you don’t disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don’t really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? …you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!”

If you’re a fan of The Lord of the Rings movies, and you plan on seeing The Hobbit when it comes out later this year, do yourself a favor and read the book first, you won’t be disappointed.

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OK. I don’t know what I can say about a trilogy without ruining the first book.

A few days ago my friend mentioned the the hunger games were the top three selling books on Amazon. I checked today and saw that they are still the top three selling books. While going with the crowd is not usually a path for success in life I think it might be when looking for a good book.

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The Hunger Games is compelling like water is wet. Suzanne Collins reaches out from her book in the first few pages and grabs your attention and doesn’t let go of your collar until a couple of hours later you find yourself on page 374 looking for book 2 of the trilogy.

Yesterday I was mentioning the book to a friend and a lady ahead of me turned around and said, “Isn’t the hunger games awesome.” Yes, stranger on the street, it is.

While boy meets girls is always a good start to a book, there are so many ways this storyline aligns with the current world situation. Evil government versus good citizens. (It’s very real in my neighboring Burma and Syria is killing it’s citizens as I type this) Entertainment versus serving the needs of the world around us. (This one is very real in my own heart and life) and Self Preservation versus dying to yourself and/or giving your life for the sake of others.

The Hunger Games takes place in the future in the land that was once America where the government forces each of the 12 districts to send in two kids each year in a fight to the death leaving only one victor. This is to remind the districts that the central government holds the power and each of the districts exists to serve them. Originally the story line sounded a little to gruesome and while it is definitely PG 13 it has caused me to think about how sin has impacted our world.

I encourage you to read the series with a couple of friends and talk about it.

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