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Art Lesson
I’m really enjoying Madeleine L’Engle’s The Irrational Season, and trying not to read it too quickly. Today I read her commentary on some works of art. L’Engle writes, “Christian graphic art has often…
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Whitefoot
Whitefoot: A Story from the Center of the World is Wendell Berry’s first foray into children’s books. Davis TeSelle’s wonderfully delicate and detailed illustrations in black and white enhance the tale. Judging from…
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Stray thoughts on war and pacifism
I wanted to gather a few comments from thinkers I respect, and see what comparisons emerge. First, Wendell Berry. Here’s a brief excerpt from “The Failure of War“: What could be more absurd,…
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The Man who was Thursday
I get cranky with books that are heavily allegorical. Something in me says irritably, “If you have a message this specific, just say it. Why try to hide it in a story?” J.R.R.…
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The Giver
I read this one a few months ago, but I’ve been familiarizing myself with it again for book club this month. Spoilers follow… Here are the things that jump out at me: 1.…
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The Story Behind Modern Books
Ever wondered how some loved story took shape in its author’s mind? I read Jeane’s review of this book over at Dog Ear Diary, and it sounded really interesting. I picked up a…
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The Last Days
The Last Days is a page-turner — a political thriller about what its author calls the “epicenter” in his best-selling nonfiction book. I read Epicenter for a book club I belong to, and…
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Washington: The Indispensable Man
This isn’t how I’m accustomed to visualizing George Washington. Charles Willson Peale’s 1772 painting captures him young and gallant, with a twinkle in his eye, in his French and Indian War uniform. But…