Dear Readers,
1. For those of you who (like me) are awaiting the release of Beauty and the Beast with significant anticipation, but have also heard some negative buzz about its sexual content, this post is helpful. It gives a quick rundown of what actually happens on-screen.
2. I think we all know that most of the novels currently sold as "Christian fiction" are quite terrible. Jessica Hooten Wilson suggests we need to stop writing stories that are "safe and nice" and instead turn to the kind of "scandalous" truth that "penetrates" readers. I'd personally add the caveat that not all truth needs to make readers uncomfortable--a gentle story can also be true--but I appreciate the gist of her point.
3. I wrote about friendship last week, and then saw this invigorating article on Facebook about ways to catch up with friends.
5. Do you listen to podcasts? This episode on "Building Sturdy Children" is excellent and inspiring. I hope you won't follow the speaker's advice about exiting the blogosphere (although maybe this blog isn't the kind he means?) but if you have kids or hope to have them, you'll find a lot of food-for-thought in his comments.
6. Now here is an interesting sounding book. I have a copy of my own and will report back once I've read it.
7. Have you read the novel Gilead by Marilyn Robinson? I just finished. You really should, and then tell me what you think.
1. For those of you who (like me) are awaiting the release of Beauty and the Beast with significant anticipation, but have also heard some negative buzz about its sexual content, this post is helpful. It gives a quick rundown of what actually happens on-screen.
2. I think we all know that most of the novels currently sold as "Christian fiction" are quite terrible. Jessica Hooten Wilson suggests we need to stop writing stories that are "safe and nice" and instead turn to the kind of "scandalous" truth that "penetrates" readers. I'd personally add the caveat that not all truth needs to make readers uncomfortable--a gentle story can also be true--but I appreciate the gist of her point.
"But when writers imitate the scandal of the incarnation in the way they write, their narratives transform readers to be more like Christ. Christians should make it a habit to be regularly scandalized, specifically in what we choose to read—it is through scandalous literature that we will become more like Christ." More.
3. I wrote about friendship last week, and then saw this invigorating article on Facebook about ways to catch up with friends.
4. This piece has been out for a year, but I just read it, and it's very good. D.C. McAllister acknowledges both the costs and benefits of giving up a career to be a stay-at-home mom.
5. Do you listen to podcasts? This episode on "Building Sturdy Children" is excellent and inspiring. I hope you won't follow the speaker's advice about exiting the blogosphere (although maybe this blog isn't the kind he means?) but if you have kids or hope to have them, you'll find a lot of food-for-thought in his comments.
6. Now here is an interesting sounding book. I have a copy of my own and will report back once I've read it.
7. Have you read the novel Gilead by Marilyn Robinson? I just finished. You really should, and then tell me what you think.
I'm finishing up Kristen Lavrandatter and then was going to read Giants in the Earth trilogy and then Gilead. Maybe I'll save GiTE for later...
ReplyDeleteIt would be fun to have a "what the writers are reading" column every few months.
Ooh, I really like that idea.
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