I feel like I haven’t written about books forever, and it appears that, in fact, I haven’t. And I’m not really in the mood to do so now, so we’ll just see how this goes.

Exterminate all the Brutes by Sven Lindqvist  : I think I may have written about this before, but I can’t remember. It was Excellent. And I do mean Excellent with a capital e.  Lindqvist traces the roots of the Jewish Holocaust back through the history of European colonization (specifically in Africa) and sheds light on a long, bloody tradition of genocide. Reading it, you can see the environment that made such a ghastly idea (the Holocaust) make sense- not just to a warped mind like Hitler’s, but to a country full of people. They were “just” doing the same thing that had been done many times before, and it was “acceptable” all the other times; it just hadn’t been smack dab in the middle of Europe before…. It was fascinating to think about how we classify some events as horrific and others as just parts of history, depending on where they took place and to whom. This would have been a great book to have discussed in college, but back then I hated colonization theory, and probably wouldn’t have paid attention.

Horns by Joe Hill : This is the 3rd book by Hill and it exceeds his previous work by about a mile and a half. His previous work showed a lot of promise- this gets really close to fulfilling that promise.  It’s the story of a man who wakes up one morning, after visiting the site of his girlfriend’s gruesome murder (a crime which everyone assumes he committed, but he didn’t), with horns growing out of his head and the ability to make people speak the truth. He decides to use that ability to solve the mystery of her death, and learns all kinds of things he didn’t want to know in the process.

Hill is the son of Stephen King, and I can’t help but wonder if his writing is reflective of what his father’s would have been without the copious drugs and alcohol. The horror elements, the sense of the fantastic is there, just as in King’s books, but there’s a measure of control that King’s earlier books lack. As such, King’s books have an edge, a feeling of being just …this close… from careening out of control, which lends an excitement to the reading.  But Hill’s craft is dead on, and if his horror scenes are missing a touch of the “icky icky icky, but the book down now!!” (yes, that’s a technical term), he more than makes up for it in his depictions of interpersonal relationships. I kept having flashes of Jamie S. Rich’s books as I read Horns – the young romance, the relationship between brothers – to a degree, this book is Have You Seen the Horizon Lately gone horribly, horribly awry. (And that’s a huge compliment- Rich sets the benchmark for believably written romance as far as I’m concerned.)

Overall, I highly enjoyed it. I’d recommend it very conditionally to some- lots of language and the gruesomeness you’d expect in a horror novel about a man with horns growing out of his head.

The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis : I read this for book club, and goodness, why hadn’t I read this before? It’s seriously so good. I marked up a good 95% of the book; honestly, it would have been easier to just mark the things that didn’t stand out.

Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues: This is also excellent. It’s basically a writing course in a book – about writing about motherhood. Full of really insightful ideas and prompts, it makes me want to get out a notebook and start writing every day. Not that I’ve done that, but it’s coming.

We Never Talk about My Brother by Peter S. Beagle: This is a collection of really solid short stories. The first, Uncle Chaim and Aunt Rifke and the Angel is absolutely breathtaking. It’s the story of an artist who is visited by an angel, sent to be his muse, as told by the artist’s young nephew. It is such a gorgeous story of forgiveness and forgiving oneself. Without giving things away, I’ll just say that the following quote comes after one of the characters says that the cold someone felt after touching them is the result of the (literal) hell they have been inhabiting.

“I touched you. I touched your shame and your grief- as raw today, I know, as on the day your love died. But the cold..the cold is yours. The loneliness, the endless guilt over what you should have done, the endless turning to and fro in empty darkness… none of that comes from God. You must believe me, my friend.”

Goodness, I love it. The rest of the stories are excellent as well.

The Remarkable Soul of Women by Dieter Uchtdorf : This is really just a printed version of Pres. Uchtdorf’s awesome conference talk about creation and compassion, and as such it’s only about 45 pages, but it’s awesome. The book design is lovely, and it’s one of my favorite talks ever.

Calm and Compassionate Children by Susan Usha Dermond : I love this book passionately. Really, I do. It’s full of great ideas about how to help kids learn to be calm and relaxed (even in the midst of strenuous activity) and how to teach them compassion. It’s so much more than just a parenting philosophy book – inspiring but ultimately hard to put into practice- Dermond provides concrete, practical steps to incorporating these concepts into every day life. We’ve already tried some of them, and at least today, saw a drastic change (in whininess levels, fit throwing, overall negative attitude) . I can’t help but think that will continue.  I HIGHLY recommend this one.

I keep thinking I’ve missed a book, but I can’t figure out what it could be. I think it’s because I’m STILL reading Positive Discipline, I may be reading it until I die. Anyway, this brings me up to 17 books this year, which is further ahead than I need to be on my way to my 50 books goal. I have at least 5 anxiously awaiting my attention, as well as a book club book, so I need to get reading!

Tell me, what are you reading?

I got to have lunch with my very loved friend Hilary today, and she brought my attention to a great blog called Diapers and Divinity. What I’ve read of it so far is great, but the part I really liked, and which I am absconding with for my own purposes (well, I guess it’s not really absconding as I’m not really taking it- she still has it- I’m just using the idea, I just like the word absconding) is the idea of a General Conference talk book club. She posts a talk each week and then people read the talk and comment on it. So I’m totally using that idea. I suppose I could just post comments on her blog instead, but I’m going to go in my own order, so I’ll just do my own over here.

So if you want to play along, this week I’m reading/ studying/ pondering Elder Bednar’s talk, More Diligent and Concerned at Home, one of my absolute favorite talks from this conference. Go to that link, read it, and post thoughts, comments, favorite quotes, whatever in your comments.  I’ll be back later to amend this post with my own comments (I haven’t read it yet today) so stay tuned. Or don’t. Whatever.

OK, back now.

I LOVE the structure of this talk. I love the repetition, the subtle variations within the repetition, it just worked so well. Really brilliantly structured.

I love this statement: “As disciples of the Savior, we are not merely striving to know more; rather we need to consistently do more of what we know is right and become better.”  YES! And I love that he gives us such straightforward ways to do that.

I really like the counsel that “our love for spouse, parents, and children is reflected most powerfully in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds”  – do my words and deeds, or rather, the tone of my voice, reflect my love?

I love the counsel to bear testimony in our homes. Brandy posed the question the other day of how we can make our homes a place God’s spirit can be, and I think this is a big answer. “The power of pure testimony… is the result of revelation conveyed by the third member of the Godhead, even the Holy Ghost.”  As we bear testimony (even in short, small ways), of the things we know to be true, the Spirit will bear witness of the truthfulness of what we’re saying.  The Spirit will be present in our homes, and is there a better way for our families to learn to recognize that presence?

I also love his direction to be consistent. One of the things that Hilary and I talked about today was that our intent and our efforts matter more to Heavenly Father than the outcomes of those efforts. If all He was concerned about was outcome, then His judgment of us would be based on the actions and agency of other people, and that’s hardly fair.  So as long as we’re making an effort at family prayer, family scripture study, etc, He will bless us for those efforts. And thank goodness for that.

And finally, “As we seek the Lord’s help, and in His strength, we can gradually reduce the disparity between what we say and what we do.”  Goodness knows I need all the help I can get with that.

What stood out to you?

Aaaaaaaand we’re done. I can’t believe I’m actually finished, it kind of seemed like an insurmountable task.

Speaking of which, all I really have to say about this chapter is that this really hit me hard:
” ‘Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet’. Then shall the Lord Jesus ‘deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father spotless, saying- I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. Then shall he be crowned with the crown of his glory, to sit on the throne of his power to reign for ever and ever.”

Compare that to Satan’s goal, which was to stand before God, presenting Him the spotless kingdom; spotless because no one was allowed to make a mistake, and everyone is still babies as far as eternal progression goes. How hollow, how undeserving of eternal power and glory.

I hadn’t really thought about it before, and so it struck me that Jesus’ work is not done, and won’t be for a long while. The work of the atonement was the fulcrum on which everything else turns, but He’s been busy for a long time and will continue to be for quite some time. That must be why the Father only introduces Him and commands He be listened to (see the previous-ish post)- because in turning the work of the Atonement over to Christ, He also turned over …. how do I say it? managerial responsibility to reign? This is something I really need to think about.

Anyway, I’m grateful for the chance to read this book, and grateful for everyone putting up with me posting about it all the time- it was the posting that made me keep up the reading, so thanks. And thanks to those who commented and read along, your insights were indispensable. I really have learned a ton, and I’m excited to read more.

I find it interesting that during the times that God the Father speaks to man, it is soley to beat witness of Christ’s identity and command that he be obeyed. I wonder why that is, specifically? ( I mean, wonder why it’s limited to that.)

I love the description of the voice of Christ as “the sound of the rushing of great waters”. So evocative.

Reading about the temple and Christ’s promise to speak to those there, I’m reminded of something my mom mentioned to me recently. She was at a public relations meeting with the Oakland Temple Hill representatives (including temple presidents, etc.) , and she said that a theme that kept reoccurring was that Christ does walk the halls of the temple, and that explains the special feeling that is felt there. Wow.

I really don’t have a lot to say about this chapter. Apostacy= bad. Inquisition=bad. Knowledge=good. Reformationists= good. That’s all I’ve got.

You?

I don’t have much to say about this chapter, and what I do have to say is kind of tangled around in my mind, so bear with me.

I’m struck by the people who were not killed during the upheavals after Christ’s death. Those who had stoned the prophets and otherwise been incredibly wicked were killed by fire, and others were killed by flood and earth falling on them. But the people that were left were not just the incredibly righteous- we’re told the people wailed in the darkness and bemoaned the fact that they had not repented before that day. This brings to mind two thoughts- first, that the Lord is always more lenient than I expect when it comes to “being good” or “being worthy”. Like Brandy has said on a couple of occasions, I realize more and more that God gives us every possible opportunity to do what’s right. Therefore, I have to think that many more than just those who already believed in Christ were spared. The other thought is that we’re all sinners. There’s no separation in the text between those who believed and were spared and those who didn’t and were spared- it’s entirely possible, and probable, that those who did believe were wailing right there along with those who didn’t. We’re all in a constant state of needing to repent, and something huge like 3 nights of darkness and the impending threat of death would probably really bring that home.

That’s all. Your thoughts?

Not a ton to comment on today, but here are some thoughts:

I love the phrase “little sisterhood of faithful women”. It reminds me of someone’s talk- was it Sister Beck?- where it was said that like the rest of the organization of the church, Relief Society was also something that was restored in the latter days. I like thinking of these faithful sisters are having their own Relief Society.

It’s interesting to me what a change the companionship of the Holy Ghost made in the lives of the Twelve. Does it make that big of a difference in mine?

“Zealous in service, aggressive in doctrine”- I need to study Stephen and see what that exactly consists of. It sounds like something to strive for.

Is it wrong of me to find great delight in the fact that not only did the angel roll away the stone from the sepulchre but then went on to sit on it?

Interesting that the words spoken to the women by the angel were joyful, yet in their distracted grief they only heard the pieces that made sense to them- “He is not here”. Does this happen to us? Do we miss the real message in the answers to our prayers because we only hear what makes sense to us?

I find it really interesting that in two different cases, incredibly devoted disciples of Christ talked with His resurrected self (and some even walked with Him for a long time) and didn’t recognize Him. Was it just that it made no logical sense for it to be Him? Did He look different?

I don’t really know why we single Thomas out as doubting, when it seems like all of the other disciples had a hard time wrapping their head around ( as Ben Linus put it) the resurrection as well.

Peter cracks me up- jumping into the sea to get to land quicker than the boat would get him there to see Christ. But I have to admire the devotion.

Your thoughts?

Sorry I’m so behind, I’m not quite sure where I’ve been.

This was a nice chapter, coming after the trauma that was the last couple chapters. The doctrine of salvation for the dead is one that I’ve always known, and it’s so fundamental to my belief system that I can’t really fathom not knowing it. So I’m very grateful for it. One thing that did stand out, which I hadn’t quite realized before, is that the separating line between paradise and spirit prison is not baptism or even belief, but righteous action. So someone who just never really thought about Christ or religion but was a good person would be in paradise (a place of comfort and peace), and would have the option of accepting the gospel there. In the context of recent passings, this is really comforting.

That’s all I’ve got- thougts?

I thought that I’d already posted on chapter 34, but apparently I didn’t. So I’ll just put these two chapters together, because I don’t really have a lot to say. I just find this whole part of Christ’s life so incredibly sad. There are great lessons about meekness and grace and restraint, but all of the indignities He had to suffer just make me sad. I’m glad that He had friends there to support Him (however meagerly) in His trials- that must have at least helped a little bit. And how difficult that must have been, for the Twelve, for his devoted women disciples- to see the person you hail as the Messiah and Savior of mankind, going through such horrors. And I can’t even start to think about the footnote that suggests that the physical cause of Jesus’ death was a broken heart- that’s just too much for me.