So many books, so
little time! Such is the cry of readers everywhere, especially
readers with a to-be-read pile a mile high. But I can't resist. I
have to share a few of the wonderful books I've been reading over the
past month.
The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at
the Turn of the First Millennium: An Englishman's World
By Robert Lacy and Danny Danziger
This month-by-month account of the year
1000 does not focus on world events or wars or politics but rather on
the daily life of ordinary people, those who worked the land, prayed
in the monasteries, and sold their goods in the towns. The authors
organize their discussions around the Julius Work Calendar (c.1020)
and its fascinating drawings (check them out here.)
With a Calendar drawing for each month as a starting point, the
authors describe everything from the sign language of monks (who were
supposed to maintain strict silence but had to communicate somehow)
to the July hunger gap (before the August harvest when grain bins
were running out and the remaining grain was growing all kinds of
mind-bending mold).
The authors delve into the era's system
of servitude, in which needy people placed their heads in the laps of
their lords and ladies and essentially sold themselves and their
families just to get enough food. On the lighter side, though, the
discussion of remedies and charms is entertaining and fun (watch out
for elves!). Topics like the life of women, religious practices,
agricultural habits, money-making (literally), and criminal justice
round out the book, which is well-researched and overall an
entertaining read.
Island of the Mad
By Laurie R. King
I was looking forward to this book
since I finished reading the last Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
mystery in 2016. It was well worth the wait. While searching for a
friend's missing aunt, Russell actually infiltrates Bethlem Royal
Hospital, asylum for the insane (better known as Bedlam), and she
does crazy quite well. Holmes joins her later in a mad dash through
the world of the rich and famous in Venice as they dodge Mussolini's
Black Shirts, end up in outrageous costumes, and generally do what
Holmes and Russell do best...solve mysteries.
If you haven't read Laurie R. King's
Russell and Holmes series, you're missing out on a real treat. The
books are extremely well written, with highly developed plots,
characters, and settings. King clearly does her historical homework
as she takes her readers back into the 1910s and 1920s with vivid
descriptions and fascinating details. Start with The Beekeeper's
Apprentice, and read your way
through the whole series. You won't regret it.
Jane Eyre
By Charlotte Brontë
Here's
a classic that's worth re-reading. Even
though this book is filled with messages of strong morality, courage,
and perseverance, it never becomes preachy. Jane Eyre is a character
to admire and love as we
watch her struggle against and
conquer adversities
and temptations. I've read
this book before, but I enjoyed it even more a second time.
Dracula
By Bram Stoker
Even though this book would have been
much scarier to its original audience (who didn't have more than a
hundred years of vampire cliches to contend with), it's still a fun
read. I enjoyed the novel's epistolary style; the story is told
through the diaries, letters, and papers of the main characters. The
plot is suspenseful enough to keep readers interested, and the
characters are highly developed. The book's religious content also
creates food for thought as God plays a central role in combating the
vampire.
Peter: Keys to Following Jesus
By Tim Gray
I've read many, many theology books,
but this one is near the top of my list of all-time favorites. Yes,
it's that good. If you want to know more about Peter and his
relationship with Jesus in the context of first-century Israel, this
is the book to read. Dr. Gray also applies the lessons Peter learned
to our own lives so that we can follow Jesus more closely. I'm
especially impressed by Dr. Gray's exploration of typology, the Old
Testament's foreshadowing of the New Testament, and his attention to
historical detail. He discusses, for example, the symbolic name of
Capernaum, the meaning of Peter's keys and the office of steward that
they represent, and the significance of the rock.
Don't be put off by the idea that this
book might be too complex or difficult to understand. It isn't. Dr.
Gray writes in an accessible style and punctuates his discussion with
points of review to help readers remember what has come before and
tie it to what comes after. This delightful book should be at the
top of every Catholic's (indeed every Christian's) to-be-read pile.
