Recent Reads

What have you been reading? Anything interesting, thought-provoking, or inspiring?

Here's what my recent reads have looked like:

Four Faultless Felons by G.K. Chesterton - Four witty mystery stories where the obvious felon isn't the felon. Where the titles of each tale are an oxymoron in themselves. Where I know by the last few pages the real truth will start to leak out and everything revealed. I could see hints of my favourite Chesterton stories in these tales. I feel like this book was a rehearsal to his best mysterious books.

The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck - I have a first edition of this book, given to me by my good friend's boyfriend. I have wanted to read some of Steinbeck, because I am not very familiar with him. So, this was a good, easy read. Written in 1942, it is the story of a nameless town that was just invaded and taken over by an army. There are clear implications of propaganda but the heart of freedom sings out in the characters and their unwillingness to give in to the soldiers who have taken over their quiet countryside town.

In Memoriam A.H.H. by Alfred, Lord Tennyson - This is a long poem written my Tennyson 18 years (I believe) after the loss of his dear friend. It is beautifully written, with short stanzas that follow a flowing rhyme scheme. The language is lovely. While the poem begins with more thoughts about a person, it flows into a more spiritual work as it goes on, leaving me with some underlined passages to muse upon.

The Arm of the Starfish by Madeleine L'Engle - I can read one of her books in just a few days (or less) because I enjoy them so much. Sure, this is a young adult story published in 1965, so there is some cheesiness, but it is so well written and the themes are deep. The issues are relevant even if slightly outdated. At the core is a deeply loving family. The father is a scientist who is on the brink of something big, and certain people want that information so they can sell it for the highest price. There's lots of intrigue, spying, and lessons on doing the right thing.

Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis - I re-read this book over the weekend because I felt like it. The more I ponder about his 3-part space trilogy books, the more I want to re-read them, so I am doing that. They are much more about humanity, the implications of development, research, and battling the scariest of evils than about space. I got so much more out of this second reading, and cannot wait to move on to Perelandra,  the second book, which I like even more.