Books with Coffee

What did you do this weekend? I read a lot, finishing two books and starting a new one. I made lots of coffee, including this iced coffee, because what goes better with books, reading, and rainy afternoons?

I finished reading:
The Molehill, vol. I - various authors from the Rabbit Room (rabbitroom.com)
Filled with poems, stories, non-fiction, and art work, this delightful book was engaging and thought-provoking. The talented writers have a myriad of topics and style to which they attend to. I especially enjoyed the poems and any of the writings having to do with the UK. Reading about learning and living at Oxford was a favourite. But some of the stories gripped me, too. Not the sort of fluff you may imagine when you hear "Christian Fiction", but really good stories full of life and oddities. I don't want the fluff with predictable situations where things go bad, but Christian turns it around and all is good. That's why I enjoy these authors so much because it is not like that.

The Visionary Christian, C.S. Lewis
This book was a collection of readings from several of his fiction, poetry, and apologetic writings. I have read most of what was in here, but some of the poems and one of the fiction books I was not familiar with. Something to note about Lewis here is that it is difficult to read his works in short excerpts. Unless you are somewhat familiar with the story or the topic, it is hard to read short little clips form larger works because he builds one subject from a previous discussion so sometimes by only reading a passage, you are missing several pieces of the discussion. That is my only "warning" on that. I enjoyed reading many of these passages, and I could read Lewis all day. This collection shows the diversity in his writings. A mixture of fantasy, scientific, children's fantasy, non-fiction, poetical, theological, and creative. I never get bored reading his works.

I started reading:
Phantastes, George MacDonald
I have been wanting to read this book for a few years, and at last I am picking it up! Perhaps it is partly attributed to listening to a podcast that references this book, and perhaps it has to do with finding a copy of the book at my library, for sale. I can do $.50 for sure.
This book is a sort of genesis of fantasy, published in 1858,  who some of my favourite authors looked up to (C.S. Lewis and Madeleine L'Engle to name a few). I just started it this weekend, and am thoroughly enjoying following the young man into a strange land where strange things happen. It is a little like following Alice through the rabbit hole. I like these kind of creative stories where it is imaginative and it explores the heart of humanity along a spiritual journey. I am easily falling into this story.