As we venture into the summer months, I offer an interesting mix of books that I've read recently. Each one is so different I hope something peaks your interest.
Aesthetics Volume I, Dietrich von Hildebrand
What is beauty? This book is foundational to the true understanding of what beauty is, and what beauty isn't. Written in the 1970s, Hildebrand collects all his study and thoughts on beauty into this book, including all he wanted to say about it at the end of his life.
The world tells us that beauty is subjective, it's in the eye of the beholder and everyone's view is different. But is that true beauty? Hildebrand argues that beauty is objective. It exists for the good that it is, and it is it's not an emotional experience. Beauty is valuable as being important-in-itself. It's not because we desire something that it is beautiful. No, it's good in and of itself whether we notice it or not, our presence or opinion is not required. This is not the way our world and culture portray what beauty is. If you listen to the world, you'll be thrown upside down by this book, and it's wonderful. Absolutely essential reading if you want to understand one of the transcendentals - beauty, truth and goodness.
Galahad and the Grail, by Malcolm Guite
An epic undertaking, Guite has released the first volume of his re-telling of the Arthur tales, with 3 more volumes to come. As one who isn't an expert in the Arthur stories but only knows a little bit, it was so enjoyable, and I think anyone can read this. It's written in a ballad form, so it's poetry, and yet very musical with rhymes. You get into the flow of the tale and end up reading many pages before noticing.
If you can read this out loud it would be ideal, as it will sing through the air these old stories of England. Read this for the full Christian perspective of the Arthur stories - this book focusing on Galahad and the Grail, but all the characters come into it.
Leave it to Psmith, by P.G. Wodehouse
I needed to re-read this one, because I was seeking some laughs. It's the first Wodehouse I ever read, and it's been one of the favourites I've re-read a couple times. When a young man who dresses like a gentleman and calls himself "PSmith, but the P is silent" you know you are going to be in the presence of some properly British humorous adventures. You're going to get caught up in a necklace heist scheme out at a country manor house where Psmith gets entangled as he pretends to be an artist, and you'll wonder how flower pots could possibly be involved in this mess, but somehow an essential part of the book is about flower pots. Just read it. You'll see, and you'll laugh.
The Man Who was Thursday, by G.K. Chesterton
Another one I wanted to re-read - it's a favourite Chesterton book of mine than I have re-read more than any others. Jump into this strange tale of a poet, Gabriel Syme, of London who meets an anarchist, and of course they disagree on each other's theories of life. The anarchist is offended that Syme comments that he doesn't think he's a serious anarchist. So, he brings him to the secret underground meeting spot of the anarchists and adventures begin. One that takes twists and turns across London, involving spies and disguises. In pursuit of the dark, mysterious leader of the anarchists known as Sunday, you as the reader try to make assumptions about who he is, and what is really going on underneath the surface. The ending is so mysterious, so good and thought-provoking, and seemingly pulled straight from the book of Job. I'll say no more and leave it to your reading experience.
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