Andy Wolverton

Best Books of 2009: Christianity and Culture

2009-12-20T08:30:00.009-05:00

The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment (2007) - Tim Challies

Tim Challies takes the reader on a full-scale, yet highly readable journey through all aspects of biblical spiritual discernment: its definition, uses, practices, and yes, even its dangers. Each well-constructed chapter builds on a solid foundation of Scripture. I’ve encountered very few books this concise and yet this thorough. Challies is an excellent writer who has given Christians a book we really can’t afford not to read.

Why We’re Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be (2008) - Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck

Maybe you haven’t heard the term “emergent,” but you’ve probably heard of some of its people. Names like Rob Bell (author of Velvet Elvis), Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz), Brian McLaren (The Secret Message of Jesus) and others crop up in discussions of emergent leaders. Authors Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck are not emergent and although they see much good in the movement, they also see much danger. For anyone who wants to know what the emergent church is all about, or for anyone who wants to engage the culture in a biblical manner, Why We’re Not Emergent is an excellent book.

The Sacredness of Questioning Everything (2009) - David Dark

Nobody writes on Christianity and culture quite like David Dark. According to Dark, when religion refuses to tolerate questions, “it obstructs our ability to think, empathize, and live lives of authenticity and genuine engagement.” Dark’s works are always challenging, yet always rewarding.

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God (2008) - Francis Chan

“Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.” Christianity isn’t about a list of do’s and don’ts. It’s about a passionate relationship with God. If you sometimes feel that you’ve lost that relationship or that it’s not what it used to be, Crazy Love is for you. It’s a book you’ll want to read again and again.

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters (2009) - Timothy Keller

God has given us so many good things. The problem comes when we turn those good things into idols. Keller takes a biblical look at our culture’s idols and why they are so destructive to our walk with God.

The Fine Line: Re-envisioning the Gap between Christ and Culture (2008) - Kary Oberbrunner

We often see two extremes in the church: Christians who withdraw completely from the culture around them and Christians who embrace every aspect of the culture with no discernment whatsoever. Oberbrunner calls Christians to be relevant to the culture by walking the fine line between the two extremes.

unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity...and Why It Matters (2007) - David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons

Christianity has an image problem. A study of sixteen to twenty-nine-year-old nonbelievers (or unChristians) reveals that most feel Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind. “Find out why these negative perceptions exist, learn how to reverse them in a Christlike manner, and discover practical examples of how Christians can positively contribute to culture.”

Next time, it'll be one of these:

Collection
YA/J-Fic
Mystery
General and Speculative Fiction

Best Books of 2009: Non-Fiction

2009-12-18T12:32:00.010-05:00

I love making lists and always look forward to listing what I thought were the best books of the past year. These are the best I read in 2009, although they don't necessarily have to have a 2009 publication date. Today I cover the best Non-Fiction of the year. Here they are:

Outliers: The Story of Success (2008) - Malcolm Gladwell

What is it that makes some people succeed? Is it talent alone? Gladwell doesn't think so. Outliers takes a fun, somewhat scattershot approach to what makes people successful, but much of the material consists of information you may have read in other places. Even so, Gladwell is always a fun, thoughtful read.

Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose (1968) - Flannery O'Connor

If you become a fan of Flannery O'Connor, you'll want to read everything she ever wrote, both fiction and non-fiction. Her thoughts on writing, the South, and Christianity contain gems that I already look forward to revisiting.

Making Movies (1985) - Sidney Lumet

Lumet is one of my favorite film directors, so it's no surprise I devoured this memoir of films and how they are made.

Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference (2009) - Warren St. John

I first heard of this book on a podcast and was intrigued enough to seek it out. I'm glad I did. I have little interest in soccer, but great interest in how people from other cultures behave in unfamiliar environments. Further thoughts here.

Strange Telescopes: Following the Apocalypse from Moscow to Siberia (2009) - Daniel Kalder

This was one wild ride! Initially I thought this was a work of science fiction, but it's got more imagination and strangeness than most sf stories I've run across. More here.

The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership (2009) - Bill Walsh, Steve Jamison, Craig Walsh

Being a Cowboys fan, I never rooted for the 49ers, but after reading this memoir/leadership book, I have a whole new respect for Walsh and his philosophy. More here.

Columbine (2009) - Dave Cullen

Thoughts here.

That's it for general non-fiction. Next: the Best Books on Christianity and Culture

Books Read November

2009-12-11T06:22:00.010-05:00

The Space Between: A Parent’s Guide to Teenage Development (NF 2009) - Walt Mueller

I read this book in preparation for a Sunday School class I’m co-teaching soon. Mueller is one of the leading guys on youth culture and this slim book serves as a good introduction to what’s going on in the life of teenagers.

Audrey’s Door (2009) - Sarah Langan

I started my 2009 “Halloween Read” a little too late to finish it before the end of October, so it eased into early November. Langan’s a talented writer and Audrey’s Door contains several wonderfully creepy scenes, but overall there were too many elements and concepts at work. Overall quite good, but just a bit disappointing.

As I Lay Dying (1930) - William Faulkner

“My mother is a fish.” Oh boy. Faulkner loves multiple points of view, stream of consciousness and dark, dark humor. He also loves strange and does it well. I haven’t read tons of Faulkner (at least not yet), but As I Lay Dying seems to me one of his more approachable novels. One by one, we meet the family of Addie Bundren as they seek to honor her wish to be buried in a nearby town. As with much of Faulkner’s work, the novel is set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi.

Await Your Reply (2009) - Dan Chaon

An amazing novel. Read about it here.

This is For the Mara Salvatrucha: Inside the MS-13, America’s Most Violent Gang (NF 2009) - Samuel Logan

A mostly disappointing look at the gang in question. Here’s why.

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters (NF 2009) - Timothy Keller

Like Dylan once said, you’ve gotta serve somebody, or in this case, you’ve gotta live for something. Is it money? Sex? Power? Whatever it is, ask yourself if it satisfies you on a consistent basis. Does it let you down? It’s probably a counterfeit god or, to use a more biblical term, an idol.

Odd and the Frost Giants (J-Fic 2009) - Neil Gaiman

If Gaiman had published this relatively quiet, short tale before the enormously popular novel The Graveyard Book, it might have slipped under the radar. Based on Norse mythology, this little tale is full of wonder, humor and adventure. In short, pure Gaiman.

Stormbreaker (YA 2001) - Anthony Horowitz

How I describe this book to kids at the library: “Fast-paced. Lots of spy stuff. Action. Danger. Way cool.”
How I describe this book to parents at the library: “James Bond for kids without the sex and martinis.”

Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye (J-Fic 2004) - Geronimo Stilton

Lots of silly fun, filled with puns, wordplay and goofy characters. The book contains lots of color, cool fonts, and wacky images. The audiobook is filled with great voices and an entire plethora of sound effects. Lots of fun for kids, but not something I’d want to read in mass quantities.

The Film Club (NF 2008) - David Gilmour

A father makes a deal with his teenage son: You can drop out of school as long as you watch three movies a week with me. Maybe not the best parenting advice in the world, but Gilmour does describe some good movie moments and a glimpse at a touching father/son relationship.

Good People (2008) - Marcus Sakey

A couple rents out part of their house and one day finds a dead tenant and $400,000 in cash. From that moment, the accelerator is pushed to the floor as Tom and Anna Reid try to evade a drug dealer and a robber, both of whom have their eyes on the money.

Pobby and Dingan (2000) - Ben Rice

Delightful, funny, sad and celebratory short novel about Kellyanne, a young girl who loses her imaginary friends Pobby and Dingan. The story is narrated by Kellyanne’s brother Ashmol, who believes in none of the products of Kellyanne’s imagination. But he does care about her. Seek this short book (only 94 pages) out. You won’t be sorry.

Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity (NF 2006) - David Lynch

As I suspected, I learned almost nothing of any consequence about Lynch’s films, many of which I’ve admired. I learned more about Lynch himself and his philosophy, most of which can be linked to transcendental meditation, the chief focus of this short book. I don’t know much about transcendental meditation, but I think I practice some of the same concepts through prayer. All in all, this was a mixed bag. Just know that if you’re looking for insight into Lynch’s films, you won’t find it here.

That's it for November. Get out there and read something!

Huge Book Sale for a Good Cause

2009-12-09T20:15:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite writers, Kelly Link, gave birth to a beautiful girl named Ursula on February 23, 2009. Ursula, who was due on June 16, weighed 1 lb. 9 oz. Ursula has been greatly helped by the staff at Boston's Franciscan Children's Hospital. (You can read about the ordeal that Ursula and her parents Kelly Link and Gavin Grant have been through here.)

There are a few things you should know about Kelly and Gavin:

1) They're great people. (Kelly was one of my instructors at Clarion 2004. Gavin was there, too.)

2) They run Small Beer Press, a press that has published some great books by authors such as Elizabeth Hand, Ellen Kushner, John Crowley, John Kessel, Geoff Ryman and many others, including, of course, Kelly Link.

3) They're having a huge sale over at Small Beer Press. Read about it here. Proceeds go to the Franciscan Children's Hospital. Please consider donating!

Books Bought November

2009-12-01T19:28:00.006-05:00

Things were fairly sedate until Cindy and I went to the Green Valley Book Fair last weekend. Even then, I believe I practiced remarkable restraint. You be the judge. Here are the books I bought in November with the reasons why.

NOVEMBER BOOKS BOUGHT

Encyclopedia of Fantasy And Horror Fiction (NF 2006) - Don D'Ammassa

Normally $22, this one was on sale at Amazon a few weeks ago. Since it's fairly current (2006), I thought this would be a good reference book for my desk at work.

Trade Paperback; Price = $9.68

The Fine Line: Re-envisioning the Gap between Christ and Culture (NF 2008) - Kary Oberbrunner

This book examines two types of Christians: those who isolate themselves from culture and those who embrace all aspects of culture with little or no discernment whatsoever. A fascinating concept; I couldn't say no, especially not at this price.

Trade Paperback; Price = $3.99

Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue (NF 2006, 2nd edition) - Robert Johnston

Awhile back I read a book called Eyes Wide Open about Christianity and the arts. I've been looking for books specifically on Christianity and film and this one seemed to be on everyone's must-read list. And the price was right.

Trade Paperback; Price = $10.43

Holy Superheroes! Revised and Expanded Edition: Exploring the Sacred in Comics, Graphic Novels, and Film (NF 2008) - Greg Garrett

I'm doing some preliminary research on an upcoming project and hope this book will be helpful.

Trade Paperback; Price = $8.86

The Engine's Child (2008) - Holly Phillips

I absolutely love Holly Phillips's beautifully stylized short fiction and although this novel has gotten generally poor reviews, I'm a big enough fan to give it a try, especially at this price.

Trade Paperback; Price = $4.00

Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity (NF 2006) - David Lynch

I remember this book coming out about the same time that Lynch's most recent film INLAND EMPIRE was released. I wanted to buy the book then, but didn't want to spend $20 on it. Plus it's pretty slim; I read nearly the whole thing in Borders one day. I figured it wouldn't give a whole lot of insight into Lynch's films, but thought it might reveal a little about what makes this weird dude tick.

Hardcover; Price = $5.00

Writing and Selling the YA Novel (NF 2008) - K. L. Going

There are some good Writers Digest books out there, especially Nancy Kress's Beginnings, Middles & Ends. I don't know if this is necessarily one of them, but since it does deal with YA novels and I have written (but not yet published) one, I thought, what the heck?

Trade Paperback; Price = $4.00

The 3 A.M. Epiphany (NF 2005) - Brian Kiteley

Another Writers Digest book that I'd heard about a few years ago. And here it is, falling right into my lap. How opportunistic!

Trade Paperback; Price = $4.50

Things That Fall from the Sky: Stories (2002) - Kevin Brockmeier

Brockmeier has successfully combined weird and literary over the course of his career. I've loved several of his stories and loved his novel The Truth about Celia even more, so I'm really looking forward to this collection.

Trade Paperback; Price = $3.50

The Real Festivus (NF 2005) - Daniel O'Keefe

Our staff this year is having something of a Festivus-themed celebration, so I thought this book might give me a few ideas on some hijinks to conjure up in the coming weeks. Gather 'round for the Feats of Strength!

Trade Paperback; Price = $3.00

Zahrah the Windseeker (YA 2005) - Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

Okorafor's The Shadow Speaker was one of the most delightful YA books I've read over the past few years. I've been looking for Zahrah for awhile and was delighted to find it just as I was making one last sweep of the YA novels at the Green Valley Book Fair.

Trade Paperback; Price = $2.75

Total Expenditures for November = $59.71

That's it for November. Now get out there and read something.

Wintergreen Virginia

2009-11-30T06:55:00.009-05:00

Just a few photos from our weekend trip to the Wintergreen Resort. Text to follow soon.

Playing Favorites, Installment #8

2009-11-24T06:55:00.005-05:00

(It's been awhile since I've contributed anything to "Playing Favorites," my discussion of what are not necessarily the greatest songs, but, as the name says, my personal favorites.)

Installment #8 - "Life in a Glasshouse" (Radiohead) - Radiohead (2001)

“Life in a Glasshouse” opens with some weird, atmospheric shimmering sounds that could be interpreted as church bells tolling. I offer up that interpretation only because what follows is a slow dirge in A minor featuring trumpet, trombone and clarinet, instruments often found in New Orleans-style jazz, but in this case they carry a funereal flavor.

Once again, I'm in trouble with my only friend
She is papering the window panes
She is putting on a smile
Living in a glass house

You could say this is mourning, pure and simple. Pure and simple, maybe, but its effects are deep and far-reaching. It’s more than just the loss of innocence that’s being mourned, it’s the loss of something you can’t return to or improve upon; but it is something that can get worse. Celebrities pay a high price for their status. I’m sure they often read the papers and tabloids (and watch the cable and web equivalents) thinking, “Isn’t there something more important to cover than us? We’re at war; people are starving!” And I’m sure there comes a point when the famous actually want to share something of substance with the world, in fact they’re probably dying to share. But they can’t. "We are hungry for a lynching," after all.

At the end of the second chorus, “ Well of course I'd like to sit around and chat,” is followed by a string of the word “only” repeated over and over with white-hot intensity while the clarinet wails, a soul overwhelmed with indescribable loss, a great mass of pain looking for just a drop of comfort. It’s almost a dwelling, or rather a lamenting on the fact that the singer can’t share this with you, but only if he could, it might just benefit us all. But it’s never going to happen. The last line “There’s someone listening in” is delivered in an exhausted resignation, devoid of hope. The horns end on a C - F# interval, one that longs for a release that never arrives.

“Life in a Glasshouse” is far from a great Radiohead song, but it is one I will always remember because of my friend David. We were driving to a leadership retreat a couple of years ago, talking about music. David had Amnesiac with him and slipped it into my car CD player. “Listen to this, listen to this,” he would say about every thirty seconds, turning up the volume and pointing out some musical or lyrical particular. I think we only made it through two or three songs, since the other people riding in the back seat were getting tired of the Radiohead seminar. But David told me to hang onto the disc for awhile. I listened to it, thinking it was great, but the last song baffled me for awhile.

When David passed away a few months later, I always associated that album with him. His brother Brian insisted that I keep the CD, that David would have wanted me to have it. Although we never got the chance to discuss “Life in a Glasshouse,” I always think of David when I hear it. David's life, attitude and outlook were as far from "Life in a Glasshouse" as you can get. He was hopeful, with a bright and joyous outlook, full of wonder. I often dwell on Radiohead's music and this song in particular, wondering what thoughts David would have had on a particular lyric or musical choice. I can almost hear him in the car now, turning up the volume to drown out the naysayers in the back seat.

Twilight Zone, Episode 5: “Walking Distance”

2009-11-23T08:55:00.004-05:00

"Walking Distance" (aired October 30, 1959)

New York advertising executive Martin Sloan pulls his sports car into a lonely gas station on the outskirts of a small town called Homewood. It happens to be Sloan’s hometown, a place he hasn’t visited in years. Needing a break from the fast-paced advertising world, he decides to take a walk into town while his car is being serviced. When he arrives, the phrase “Things haven’t changed much” takes on a whole new meaning.

“Walking Distance” is one of the handful of Twilight Zone stories that has stood the test of time for several reasons: Serling’s touching (but not sappy) script, Bernard Herrmann’s outstanding musical score, experiments in camera work and lighting, and a superb performance by Young.

Serling’s writing sometimes seemed a bit heavy-handed, sometimes a bit pedantic, but with “Walking Distance” he simply stood back and told a great story. You can’t go home again and even if you could, it wouldn’t work. It’s almost as if Serling is telling us there’s an order to the universe and you can’t tamper with it. It’s often sad, often regretful, but there it is; you can dwell on it or you can move forward.

This is the first episode where I actually noticed many of the weird tilted camera angles that would help define the series. In “Walking Distance” this technique (as well as the symbolic lighting) works perfectly, showing us a world that’s somehow out of kilter, one that needs restoration. Yet the technique is not overused.

There’s a scene of Gig Young in a drugstore having a soda that’s just about as good as TV got in the 1950s. He’s reflecting on his life, his youth, where he’s been and where he is now. He’s driven himself too hard in the advertising world and you can see it in his walk, his stature. But when the camera comes in for a close-up, you can see the lines on Young’s face, lines the character Martin Sloan shouldn’t have at age 36, but they’re there. (Young was actually near 46 at the time.) You can also see it in Young’s tired eyes. The drugstore soda fountain stood could almost be a barstool, a place where the weary pour out what’s left of their souls to anyone willing to listen.

Sadly, Young’s offscreen life was an extremely dark one. Although he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, alcoholism destroyed his later acting career. (Young took both his wife's and his own life in 1978.) I can never watch “Walking Distance” without wondering what Young’s life might have been if he could have really experienced what Martin Sloan experienced.

Turning 50 in 2010

2009-11-22T07:46:00.017-05:00

No, I'm not, let's get that straight right now! But here are just a few things and people who will be turning 50 in 2010. (Doesn't hurt to look ahead, right?)

Books

Music

Film

People

Bono
Kenneth Branagh
Adam Clayton
David Duchovny
Neil Gaiman
Daryl Hannah
Mike Lookinland
Aimee Mann
Julianne Moore
Cal Ripken

God Grew Tired of Us (2006)

2009-11-15T19:32:00.004-05:00

A few months back I was talking to a guy from my church about films, documentaries in particular. He recommended that I see a documentary called God Grew Tired of Us. I thought that, if nothing else, it was an interesting title.

The film (directed by Christopher Quinn and narrated by Nicole Kidman) tells the larger story of southern Sudanese Christians who were driven out of their country by northern Sudan's Muslim Arabs during the second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005). Thousands of refugees walked over 1,000 miles to northern Kenya for sanctuary, where their hollow, emaciated bodies sought food and shelter. (I warn you: the footage in this section is graphic.) Relief does come to many; several of these "Lost Boys" are given an opportunity to go to America where they might work to rescue those of their families who remain behind.

Yet the smaller story of three of these boys (men by this time) is the main focus of the film. Daniel Abol Pach and Panther Bior get placed in Pittsburgh, John Bul Dau in Syracuse, NY. While in America, they will have to earn enough money to first pay for their airfare to America before they can help support their families.

From this point, God Grew Tired of Us becomes a multifaceted film that touches on themes of joy, cultural confusion, adjustment, loneliness, striving, unrest and hope. These men have no idea how to react to American culture. Some of them have never even experienced electricity. Without realizing it, the men point out some of the less attractive aspects of American culture. After one year in America, Panther comments, "In the United States, people are not friendly. You can find someone that's walking in the street by himself, you know, don't even talk, you know. You cannot go to the house of somebody you don't know, though you are all Americans. They call the police and say, 'why did this guy come to my house? I don't know him." In one of the film's most telling scenes, John looks in wonder at all the Christmas lights, Christmas trees, all the signs of commercialism and says (paraphrase), "There are so many ways to celebrate Christmas here... All our people have is Jesus Christ."

The camera follows these men for three years during which time they work two or three jobs so they can send money home. It doesn't take long for them to understand that people working minimum wage jobs can't get very far. In one scene, John sits down, tired from all his work, and reflects on what life was like during the genocide in Sudan. He's clearly thankful for his new life in America, but longs to see his family again. He realizes that because of the genocide (which at this point is still going on), this may never happen. When he was a boy of thirteen in Sudan, one of his jobs was burying the bodies of the slaughtered. "I began to think," John reflects, "that God had given up on us."

God Grew Tired of Us shows us all the things we take for granted as Americans. It shows us what it's really like to be a stranger in a strange land. And it shows us the lengths that some people will go to in order to provide for the ones they love. I don't want to tell you too much more; I'd rather you see the film for yourself. Be prepared for an incredible experience.

Await Your Reply (2009) - Dan Chaon

2009-11-13T06:18:00.003-05:00

In the first chapter of Await Your Reply, we see Ryan Schuyler, a college dropout, racing down the highway with his severed hand in an ice chest. In the next, it's Lucy Lattimore, recent a high school graduate running away with her history teacher. Then we have Miles Chesire, searching for his twin brother who vanished 10 years ago. From there, it's a wild ride.

Wild, but not chaotic. I could tell you more about these characters, but I won't. (And I'd advise you not to read too many reviews that might reveal more than you want to know.) Dan Chaon masterfully unwinds these parallel stories that seem to have no connecting elements other than identity.

Await Your Reply is all about identity and the possibility of starting over, a concept attractive to many people in these unstable times. But the novel is also about family, relationships, trust and fear. Alternating chapters told across various timelines add an almost insurmountable tension, keeping the pages turning at a brisk pace. Yet read too quickly and you'll miss some wonderfully resonant writing that requires patience.

As soon as I finished the novel, I wanted to start it again just to see if I could find the clues that I'd missed the first time. You may have the same reaction. Don't be surprised. And don't plan to get much sleep once you've started this one.

Twilight Zone, Episode 4: “The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine”

2009-11-12T07:58:00.003-05:00

“The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine” (aired October 23, 1959)

In an episode very reminiscent of Billy Wilder’s 1950 film Sunset Boulevard, aging screen actress Barbara Jean Trenton (Ida Lupino) can’t bring herself to realize that time has moved on, that her onscreen glory days have vanished. Day after day she sits in her private screening room, absorbed in the roles of her past. Her agent Danny Weiss (Martin Balsam) finds her a part in an upcoming film, but Barbara Jean refuses to play (gasp!) a mother. Instead she retreats further and further into her previous films, until... Well, you’ve seen this plot enough times to know what comes next.

“The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine” is nostalgic without becoming hokey, largely due to strong, yet restrained performances by Lupino and Balsam, probably one of the stronger duos to appear in the show's first season (if not the entire series). Yet time has not been particularly kind to this episode. Again, we’ve seen this theme of the aging star trying to capture her former glory many, many times. For 1950s television, it was quite effective. Now? Not so much. Still a good episode, but not one of my favorites.

Interestingly, Lupino became one of America’s first female film directors, directing nine films and fifty television episodes. Just a few months after “The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine” aired, Balsam appeared in one of his most famous roles, Detective Milton Arbogast in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

This is For the Mara Salvatrucha (NF 2009) - Samuel Logan

2009-11-11T06:54:00.003-05:00

This is For the Mara Salvatrucha: Inside the MS-13, America’s Most Violent Gang - Samuel Logan

I put this book on my “To Read” list after reading about it in Publishers Weekly, hoping to gain some insight into how gangs work, especially the MS-13. The book does give some insight into the gang, most of it from the point of view of Brenda Paz, a former teen gang member who turned police informant. Rather than a full focus on the gang itself, the book is mostly Paz's story, one that is both gripping and horrifying.*

Paz desperately sought acceptance and friendship. We all do, only most of us have friends and family who provide those needs. When those needs are absent, young people are going to find someone to meet fill the void. Paz discovered that MS-13 did provide acceptance and friendship, but also introduced her to a world of crime and violence.

The story of how Paz turned into a police informant and became the youngest person ever admitted into the Witness Protection Program is the strength of the book. It is a narrative both amazing and sad. I was engaged by Paz’s struggle to find love and acceptance in an atmosphere of violence and death. I was not engaged by the author’s points of view. Logan often recounts events, thoughts, feelings, emotions from the point of view of a character who is about to be murdered. Sorry, you can't do that. It may make your story more exciting, but it's a lie, a falsehood; cheating. This speculative form of writing (omniscient point of view) is fine in fiction; in non-fiction it destroys credibility. Even worse, the book includes no notes or citations, so the reader can never be sure of the accuracy of any of the information presented.

While This is For the Mara Salvatrucha is an often gripping, disturbing look (maybe “glimpse” would be a better word) into gang activity, it’s not a book I can recommend.

*For a more credible (although far less graphic) account of gangs, gang structure and how they work on a day-to-day basis, read Gang Leader for a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh.

The Great Short-Story Collection Purge, Parts 14 & 15

2009-11-09T07:48:00.004-05:00

The Great Short-Story Collection Purge has been on hiatus for quite a few months, but with all my recent book purchases, I believe its return is inevitable. For those of you new to The Purge, I'm reading at least one story from every unread short story collection (but not anthologies) I own. After reading a story or two, I'll decide whether to keep it or purge it. So here we go with Parts 14 & 15:

The Avram Davidson Treasury: A Tribute Collection (1998) - Avram Davidson

I picked up this collection and the one below at a library sale a few years ago, both library discards. I had only heard of Davidson, but what I'd heard was stellar: smart, humorous, literate, wildly creative, cranky, imaginative... the list continues. I read the first two stories from this collection, "My Boy Friend's Name is Jello" and "The Golem," both of which confirm all of the above attributes. The stories contain excellent writing, a sharp wit and a bit of a sting (in a good way). The volume also features introductions and afterwords by some pretty heavy-hitters in speculative fiction, among them Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Robert Silverberg, Poul Anderson, John Clute, Peter S. Beagle, Ursula K. Le Guin, Michael Swanwick, Lucius Shepard and many more.

The Verdict = Keep it.

The Other Nineteenth Century (2001) - Avram Davidson

Focusing on historical tales of the fantastic, The Other Nineteenth Century contains stories from the 1970s and 80s, several of which appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine or Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, although many appeared in F&SF and Asimov's. So far I've only read one story from this collection, "The Singular Incident of the Dog on the Beach," which was, as I expected, well-crafted, clever and enjoyable. I'll read at least one more before making a final decision, but I'll probably stick with The Avram Davidson Treasury and see how it strikes me first. If I like it, I'll seek out The Other Nineteenth Century.

The Verdict = Purge it.

Books Read October (Yes! With Comments!)

2009-11-06T08:05:00.012-05:00

Confessions - St. Augustine (trans. Henry Chadwick)

An amazing, transparent account of Augustine's conversion to Christianity. Augustine's thoughts are so rich, you could dwell on them for years. Many people do. I hope to read this again in a couple of years, sometime after I tackle Augustine's City of God, which will no doubt be a real workout.

Wise Blood (1952) - Flannery O’Connor

One of only two novels O’Connor published (the other being The Violent Bear It Away), Wise Blood is strange, bizarre, wonderful. Coming home from the Army, Hazel Motes believes the only way to escape sin is to not have a soul. After witnessing life in "the city," Motes begins to introduce "The Church of Christ Without Christ." Wonderfully bizarre, often grotesque, people have debated both the novel's philosophy and theology for years. Read it for yourself. (And check out the movie too, which is quite faithful to the novel.)

Marked (YA 2007) - P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast (BFTB)

The kids seem to like this one, but it wasn't for me. I enjoyed protagonist Zoey Redbird's relationship with her grandmother and the idea of being "marked" a vampire, but thought most of the novel predictable with shallow, stereotypical characters. Even so, it’s twice as good as Twilight.

Graceling (YA 2008) - Kristin Cashore (BFTB)

This is more like it. Some thoughts on Graceling here.

The Concrete Blonde (1994) - Michael Connelly

As the novel opens, Detective Harry Bosch has just shot and killed the psychopathic serial killer known as The Dollmaker. The only problem is that Bosch is on trial for using excessive force and "going cowboy" on The Dollmaker. Plus, it seems the Dollmaker killings have not stopped.... Did Bosch kill the wrong man? Hard, hard-hitting Connelly with several disturbing scenes. Not for the squeamish.

The Restless Dead: Ten Original Stories of the Supernatural (YA 2007) - Deborah Noyes, ed. (BFTB)

Standout stories by Kelly Link, M.T. Anderson, Nancy Etchemendy and Chris Wooding make this collection worth a look. I wish all ten had been as good.

Isis (2006) - Douglas Clegg

If you could bring a loved one back from the dead, would you do it? A creepy little Gothic tale with some wonderful illustrations.

Columbine (NF 2009) - Dave Cullen

Previous thoughts on Columbine here.

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God (NF 2008) - Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski

Chan challenges Christians to take a closer look at the Bible, not so much to follow a list of rules and regulations, but to fall in love with a God who inspires wonder, awe and devotion. A book I plan to read again very soon. (Check out the video "The Awe Factor of God.")

Her Fearful Symmetry (2009) - Audrey Niffenegger

The main story (there are several smaller ones) concerns 20-year-old American twins Julia and Valentina Poole, who have inherited a London apartment from their recently deceased aunt, whom they have never met. But there are two important conditions: the twins must live in the apartment for a full year before they can sell it and the girls' parents must never enter it. I guess if I had to pin this novel down, it's a ghost story, but it's so much more. The writing is wonderful, the atmosphere both humorous and creepy. Her Fearful Symmetry is one of those novels that doesn't quite work (especially as the ending approaches), but I found myself liking it anyway.

That's it for October. Get out there and read something.

Ford Rules

2009-11-03T06:21:00.003-05:00

A big congratulations goes out to my 2004 Clarion instructor Jeffrey Ford for winning two World Fantasy Awards over the weekend. Ford was the co-winner (along with Margo Lanagan for Tender Morsels) of the Best Novel award for The Shadow Year and also won Best Collection for The Drowned Life. Way to go, Jeff!

Full World Fantasy Award results can be found here.

Lancaster, PA or Food, Drink & Art

2009-11-02T08:05:00.020-05:00

On our mini-getaway, Cindy and I stopped first in Lititz, PA where we found the delightful Cafe Chocolate where I had

a chocolate/peanut butter/banana panini. Plus a drink called a Turbo (chocolate and espresso). Good stuff!

Although much of it appears in galleries, many of the shops in and around Lititz and Lancaster feature some outstanding works of art. Unfortunately most of the galleries would not allow photography, but did provide literature with links to art on their websites. As far as art goes, all the locals told us to come back on any first Friday, when Lancaster is packed with art, artists and art lovers.

Here's an art lover right here.

All along the neighborhoods we encountered some interesting and/or spooky local art---

This is my personal favorite.

Cindy and I even got to make our own pretzels at the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery. Mine turned out pretty good, don't you think?

And what trip would be complete without a stop at a couple of local independent bookstores?

Cindy and I highly recommend a stay at the Lancaster Arts Hotel, which features some amazing paintings, sculpture, carvings and more (all of which you can purchase).

This beer sampler didn't last long...

Neither did these donuts from The Fractured Prune...

With all this eating, drinking and art, sometimes your best option is just to sit down and take it all in.

Books Bought October

2009-10-30T05:24:00.007-05:00

It's always dangerous posting the books you purchased in a certain month when there's two days left in that month and opportunities abound. But what the heck... Here are the books I've bought (so far) in October:

Audrey's Door (2009) - Sarah Langan

My Halloween read (or one of them) for this year. I enjoyed Langan's The Keeper a couple of years ago and thought it was time to read her latest. I've heard some good things about the book from several people, but what really sold me was the book trailer. Whew!

Mass Market Paperback; Price = $4.79

A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger Than You (NF 2007) by Paul David Tripp

My men’s group from church is reading this one. We meet every other Friday morning. At 6:15AM. (There’s coffee, that’s how.)

Trade Paperback; Price = $12.23

Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (NF 2008) - Kenneth E. Bailey

My friend Jim S. recommended this one. Bailey (who holds degrees in Arabic Language and Literature, Systematic Theology and a doctorate in New Testament) explores how the people of Jesus’ time and culture would have understood His teachings. So far I’ve only read bits and pieces, but what I have read is fascinating.

Trade Paperback; Price = $17.16

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God (NF 2008) - Francis Chan

Cindy and I have our little rituals. When we were first dating and would see movie previews at the theater, she'd say, "Will that be worth seeing?" I'd give an immediate thumbs up or down. She no longer has to ask; I just automatically give the thumbs up/down. She does the same thing when I ask if I'd like the book she's currently reading; just a nod or shake of the head. When I asked her about Crazy Love, she said "You really need to read this." So I bought it.

Trade Paperback; Price = $8.99

The Space Between: A Parent’s Guide to Teenage Development (NF 2009) - Walt Mueller

Sent to me after I made a donation to the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU).

Trade Paperback; Price = $0

Total Expenditures = $43.17

Next Time: What I actually read.

Twilight Zone, Episode 3: "Mr. Denton on Doomsday"

2009-10-28T05:37:00.004-05:00

"Mr. Denton on Doomsday" (aired October 16, 1959)

Rod Serling must’ve loved westerns or maybe he simply understood that television audiences of the time loved them. The Rifleman, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke and Have Gun Will Travel were just a few of the popular westerns on the air in 1959. Serling no doubt realized that western stories might pull in audiences to this weird new show called The Twilight Zone.

Even for seasoned western fans, “Mr. Denton on Doomsday” does not disappoint. What easily could have been a cliché-ridden half hour instead becomes a clever, well-produced episode. Al Denton (Dan Duryea), the town drunk, is shown in the opening sequence singing for a drink. Unlike most TV drunks of the time, Denton is truly dirty and sloppy, a staggering mess. Fate literally steps in, allowing Denton a second chance at redemption in the form of a gun. But there’s a price: Denton was once the best gunfighter in the west. Now he’ll have to prove it again and again. It’s what drove him to drink in the first place. So is he now in the midst of deliverance or deeper in despair?

“Mr. Denton on Doomsday” is the first Twilight Zone episode with a true twist at the end, the kind of twist that would help define the series. It’s certainly not in my Twilight Zone Top Ten, but maybe the Top 50. (This episode also features a young Martin Landau and a very young Doug McClure.)

Columbine (NF 2009) - Dave Cullen

2009-10-25T19:17:00.004-05:00

The front cover of Dave Cullen's Columbine shows a mostly deserted Columbine High School (date undetermined) with a few scattered cars sharing the parking lot with large patches of melted snow. It's a scene you see at countless schools across the country hours after the doors have closed for the day. What makes the cover so striking is that the school grounds only take up a very small portion of the photo. The school is dwarfed by a huge gray sky that seems to stretch on forever.

For a long time, I found myself staring at that photo in wonder. Then I realized that the photo stirred something in me greater than wonder. It haunted me. Then it angered me. Then, strangely, it comforted me.

Although the story of Columine belongs to the students, parents, teachers and surrounding community, it is partly a masterful psychological study of the two killers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Harris was the mastermind, a true psychopath that literally saw himself as superior to nearly everyone else around him, a young man filled with absolute hatred for most of the people in his universe. He saw himself as a god, but in fact, he was quite small, a small young man raging against the world. Right or wrong, that's what the photo says to me. That one quiet picture unleashes a whole gamut of emotions that you can't deny while reading Columbine.

Regardless of what you've been told about what happened at Columbine, what you know is probably wrong. Dave Cullen spent nearly ten years researching and writing Columbine, which serves not only as a stellar account of what really happened on April 20, 1999, but also how the media got it wrong.

We were led to believe a group calling itself the Trench Coat Mafia was responsible, that they were hunting down jocks, settling long-standing feuds. None of that is true. The truth is far worse and far more chilling. Cullen shows, citing the killers’ journals, videotaped conversations and eyewitness accounts, that the attack was intended to kill not just a few hated students, but every single person at the school, over 2,000 students and faculty.

Cullen masterfully tells the Columbine story in an unconventional manner, using multiple time lines and points of view. This works because Columbine is such an unconventional story. There had been school shootings before Columbine, many of them, but none were quite like this one. Cullen doesn't pull any punches, but he doesn't exploit his subject either. He's got too much respect for the subject, his audience and his profession. That respect comes across on every page.

Columbine is often a painful book to read, but one we should not shrink away from. It belongs to that community, but it also belongs to all of us. It's a necessary reminder and an essential warning of what did and could happen anywhere.

TZ Season One: "One for the Angels"

2009-10-21T05:48:00.002-05:00

“One for the Angels” (aired October 9, 1959)

A sidewalk pitchman (“salesmen” we would call them now) named Bookman (Ed Wynn) is approached by Mr. Death (Murray Hamilton), informing him that his time on Earth has come to an end. Bookman begs for a little more time, until he can make one last masterpiece pitch, a big one, one for the angels. When Mr. Death feels he’s been cheated, he threatens to take, instead of Bookman, an eight-year-old girl.

Again, no spoilers, but “One for the Angels” suffers from Mr. Death being inconsistent and in some ways not very smart (unless you consider his actions part of his overall scheme). The episode also suffers from being too sweet, too sentimental, yet its heart is in the right place, allowing Serling to reflect on death and self-sacrifice, themes he would frequently revisit.

Marc Scott Zicree claims that veteran actor Wynn suffers from not portraying a convincing, fast-talking pitchman. I think that’s really the point: Bookman isn’t very good at what he does. He’s not a fast-talker and he’s not an effective salesman. (He even gives some of his products away to children early in the episode, evidencing both his failure as a pitchman and his generosity.) His inadequacies make his quest for the Big Pitch all the more improbable. Yet when the Big Pitch comes, it’s neither convincing to us nor should it be to Mr. Death. (Again, this could be part of Mr. Death’s plan, but I think I’m reading more into the episode than is actually there.)

While far from the best Serling would serve up in the show’s first season, “One for the Angels” is still enjoyable. It’s also fun to see a young Murray Hamilton playing Mr. Death. Hamilton would gain far more attention as Mrs. Robinson’s husband in 1967’s The Graduate and as the mayor of Amity Island in Jaws.

Twilight Zone Season One: "Where Is Everybody?"

2009-10-20T05:46:00.003-05:00

"Where Is Everybody?" (aired October 2, 1959)

A man (Earl Holliman) is seen walking through a deserted town. He doesn’t know his name, how he got there or where he’s going. He just wants to find someone, anyone, to talk to. Signs of other people are everywhere: a jukebox blaring in an abandoned cafe, a movie projector running in an empty theater, a freshly lit cigar in an ashtray at a police station desk, a telephone ringing in a phone booth. The man can’t help the feeling that he’s being watched.

It seems ridiculous to raise a spoiler alert to a show that’s half a century old, but I can’t bring myself to give away the ending. It’s an ending that probably carried more impact in 1959 than it does now, yet it still works. What doesn’t work is the man’s constant (and unnatural) commentary on what’s happening to him. (It’s a lesson that Serling would learn and use to his advantage in later episodes.) “Where Is Everybody?” is essentially a one-man show and while the subject matter was somewhat fresh fifty years ago, seeing the episode now is a bit unsatisfying only because we’ve seen "The Last Man on Earth" scenario so many times since. Yet Holliman’s performance contains a certain warmth and charm that’s hard to deny.

“Where Is Everybody?” was TZ’s pilot episode, the show that would either sell the series to the network executives or stop it cold. It was far from the best episode to air (even in the first season) and in many ways uncharacteristic of most of the episodes that would follow. But imagine what might have happened (or not happened) had the pilot episode been “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” or “Long Live Walter Jameson.” “Where Is Everybody?” did what it was supposed to do: it persuaded CBS to give Serling the green light. After that, there was no turning back.

Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone

2009-10-19T20:34:00.003-05:00

I usually iron for about half an hour, which is about as long as I can stand it. I’m not very good at ironing (which you can no doubt attest to upon seeing me), but I keep at it. After thirty minutes, frustration sets in. (That usually equals one shirt and one pair of pants.) But thirty minutes is plenty of time for an episode of The Twilight Zone to keep me company.

A couple of years ago I bought the first two seasons of The Twilight Zone (The Definitive Edition) at Costco, relatively on-the-cheap. (I hope to buy the remaining three seasons the next time I see them at a good price. Or maybe Santa will bring them?) It’s always fun seeing these episodes, but this past weekend I thought, “What the heck? I’m usually ironing on a regular basis, so why not take a look at some TZ episodes? Why not in the order that they aired?"

Why not?

So I plan to comment on the episodes as I see them in the order they were broadcast from 1959-1964. I’ll be referring quite a bit to Marc Scott Zicree’s excellent book The Twilight Zone Companion, but mostly commenting on...well, what I like. Stay tuned.

Addiction

2009-10-19T08:22:00.000-05:00

Another Forgotten Film

2009-10-16T05:45:00.007-05:00

Last night a woman came into the library with her two daughters who were getting library cards for the first time. They were probably twelve or thirteen and clearly excited. Were they interested in the Twilight books? No. When I asked "Can I help you find anything?" their answers were Pat Benatar and Joan Jett.

Wow. Two names you don't hear every day, not anymore. I found a couple of CDs and showed them where all the books on Rock n Roll are and they were very happy. For some reason the movie Light of Day (starring Joan Jett) popped into my mind. I mentioned it to the girls' mom and she said "I remember that movie. Haven't seen it in years."

I remember seeing that movie in a theater in 1987, thinking that it was good, despite the fact that it was not the rock n roll movie I was expecting. It starred Joan Jett (whom I remember delivered a surprisingly good performance) and Michael J. Fox. I even remember thinking, "I'd like to see this movie again someday" after it was over. But I never did.

Rock n roll was important in the film, but the central focus was family. Fox and Jett played a brother and sister who were in a rock n roll band, much to the displeasure of their parents. (Read Roger Ebert's review from 1987 for more details.) The film was directed by Paul Schrader, who wrote screenplays for Taxi Driver and Raging Bull and directed Cat People, American Gigolo and Mishima.

I'd love to see Light of Day again, but it's currently unavailable on Region 1 DVD.