Reading Update

(12) The Forever War - Dexter Filkins

This was a difficult read for me.  Not because the book is bad or poorly written, but just because the subject matter and vivid nature of the writing is troubling.  It is a book about Muslim extremism and the wars that have been and are being fought by its adherents.  The main thrust of the book takes the reader through America's conflicts with the extremists in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Filkins is a foreign correspondent with the New York Times and was embedded with units in both conflicts.  The author's take on the situations is complex and yet very simple at the same time.  He sees the all the nuances of the region's politics and religion, yet also sees that this war has really been being fought for ages and that manipulation and betrayal is the key to survival for many of the extremists.  It is weird to see him describe a man who is one day a Taliban fighter, the next day a friend of the Afghan Coalition, and the next day a Taliban fighter again.  I recommend the book for its honest description of the brutality of war and its perspective on the minds and actions of those Muslims who have been waging this war for ages.    

Reading Update

(11) The Missing - Tim Gautreaux

This book tells the story of Sam, a war veteran whose past is filled with loss and pain.  Upon returning from the war, he takes a job as head of security for a department store.  When a young girl goes missing on his watch, he loses his job and is compelled by a mix of events and emotions to go looking for her.  His search takes him from riverboats to rough Bayou terrain on horseback.  The book's theme is redemption and Gautreaux weaves the tail together wonderfully.  I recommend it for its great storytelling.

Reading Update

(10) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien

If you're not familiar with Tolkien's famous trilogy, you have literally been living under a rock.  If you are only familiar with the trilogy as depicted in Peter Jackson's films, you should pick up the books and expand your understanding of the series.  As with all films that are based on books, the LOTR films had to cut quite a bit of the book out in order to keep each film under thirty-six hours.  And if you've never met old Tom Bombadil, then you don't know the whole tale of the ring!  Happy reading!

Reading Update

(9) The Hobbit - J.R.R Tolkien

Oh Bilbo Baggins! What is not to like about this tale of an peculiarly adventurous Hobbit's trip into peril, riches, and friendship?  I hadn't been through this book since my dad read it to my brother and me when we were just wee little lads and I'm quite glad that I decided to revisit it.  If you haven't had the pleasure of reading this one, grab it and dive into the world of Middle Earth with our hero Bilbo and his dwarf companions as they embark on one fantastic adventure!

Reading Update

(8) The Thirteen American Arguments: Enduring Debates that Define and Inspire Our Country - Howard Fineman

This is one that I have some difficulty in reviewing.  The book takes the reader through thirteen issues that are debated heavily in our country.  Things like presidential powers, who is a person, war, etc.  The author tries to show both sides of each issue and why the debate is important.  He does this quite well I think.  The problem with the book is in some of the examples the author gives of each debate.  Throughout the book, he takes a person from one side of the issue and tells a story of how that person fits into the debate and I see that the journalistic ideal (he is a journalist by trade) of pure fact is set aside as he tries to get behind the man.  He speculates too much about peoples' motives for being involved in the debate, often with little evidence to back his claims.  I think the book is helpful in the identification of the issues we face, but I would only recommend it to those with a serious interest in these things who can discern when the author is presenting fact and when he is presenting opinion. 

Reading Update

(7) Night - Elie Wiesel

In this autobiography, Weisel tells the story of his deportation as a teenager from his home in Transylvania and his subsequent imprisonment at Auschwitz during WWII. The book is fairly slim, coming in at only 115 pages, but those pages are packed with powerful, tragic memories. As I read this book, I had to frequently pause to ponder the things I was reading, otherwise I would not grasp that the things actually happened to this boy. It is easier to just drift into that place where you believe it is only fiction that you are reading. That is certainly our tendency, to push the vile things, the instances of pure evil to the periphery, or to chalk them up as nothing more than fairy tales. This book brings them back into focus, and forces us to think about bigger things: God, injustice, suffering, human nature, evil. I highly recommend it.

Reading Update

(6) A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

I really think it would be pointless to review this one.  I'll just say if you haven't read it, read it and if you have read it, read it again.