The Flight: A Monthly Book Sampler (January 2020)
Board member Andrea Humphries’ book review column is back for 2020! Here’s her summary of what she read in January:
January was a very full month for me, but I still managed to fit in an eclectic bunch of books, all of which I recommend.
Reading this book was such a great way to kick off 2020.
In Try Softer, Aundi Kolber comes alongside her reader, like a kind and gentle friend, saying, "Hey, this white-knuckling through life thing that we've all been doing? It isn't working. I know, because I've been doing it, too." Then she proceeds to not only explain why it's not working - we're fighting against our physiology - but also how to recognize when we're white-knuckling without realizing it. Finally, she shows us a better way - a way to work with our minds, hearts, and bodies as they've been created, a way to move towards greater health and wholeness. And she does all of this while acknowledging that it's hard, non-linear, and (sometimes) painful work. This is an insightful, helpful, and above all hugely practical book. I'm so thankful for it and for Aundi.
The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter
I love the classic monster novels of the 19th century. I’m such a nerd that after my best friend and I saw The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in the theater lo, these many years ago, I then went and read the original novels that all the characters are from. So when I read the premise of The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter, I was instantly intrigued. Mary Jekyll is the titular alchemist’s daughter and she’s joined by the daughters/creations of Mr. Hyde, Dr. Moreau, Victor Frankenstein, Signore Rappaccini...oh, and Holmes and Watson. Theodora Goss has given us a delightfully odd novel and I’ll definitely be reading the sequel.
In an Advent episode of her podcast, Speaking with Joy, Joy Clarkson mentioned this marvelous collection curated by English poet and priest, Malcolm Guite. After listening to another podcast where Guite was a guest, I ordered it immediately. Beginning with the first day of Advent and continuing through the Feast of the Epiphany, each day, Guite presents the reader with a different poem and his thoughts on it. The poets span four or five centuries and Guite’s reflections include reasons for choosing and juxtaposing them. For the week before Christmas Eve, Guite presents his gorgeous sonnet sequence based on the great ‘O Antiphons’. You may not know them by that name, but you’re probably familiar with several as they open the verses of O Come, O Come Emmanuel, which is my favourite Advent hymn. This was a really lovely addition to my observance of these seasons.
The latest in the Lord and Lady Hetheridge series of police mysteries set in London. I picked up Ice Blue, the first of the series, a couple years ago when it was free on Kindle. I loved the characters and quickly devoured the remaining books. I didn’t realize that the author, Emma Jameson, was still writing the series until something popped up in one of my social media feeds about Blue Christmas. I really appreciated this one as it dealt with the fallout of the events of the previous book and I thought Jameson did a good job handling the physical, emotional, and mental ramifications.
Lies, Damned Lies, and History
At this point, I think we’ve established that I adore The Chronicles of St. Mary’s. Lies, Damned Lies, and History was no exception. As per usual, I laughed, cried, and laughed ‘til I cried.
The Invisible Library is another fantasy series that I’ve been reading for several years. Including the words ‘library’ or ‘book’ in your novel’s (and/or series’) title is a sure-fire to get me to pick it up. Here’s the first line from the back of the book: “Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, which harvests fiction from different realities.” There are faeries and dragons, a Sherlock Holmes-style detective, and lots of characters obsessed with books. The Secret Chapter is the sixth book and I’m still loving the faeries, the dragons, and all the books. I really like how the two main characters have developed and I can’t wait to see where their adventures land them next.
In 2017, I read five different books on the Sabbath. Each of them quoted liberally from Abraham Joshua Heschel’s The Sabbath and generally referred to it as the authoritative work on the subject. Since then, I’ve seen Heschel quoted more times than I could count. Because of all this, I assumed it would be a fairly hefty tome. And then I ordered a copy and when it arrived, I discovered that it’s only 144 pages. Although it’s relatively brief, it’s the sort of book that needs to be read in small chunks and mulled over. After reading it, I understand why it’s the book everyone else refers to and quotes. It’s hard to believe that it was published in 1951 because it’s still so relevant. Parts of it may, in that mysterious way that frequently happens with spiritual writing, be even more relevant and applicable today than they were then.
Living Brave
I should probably preface this by saying that I am completely biased when it comes to this book. Shannon Dingle is one of my dearest friends and one of the fiercest, bravest women I know. I was incredibly lucky to get the chance to read the manuscript of her upcoming book, Living Brave. It made me laugh and cry and think and I was mad when it was over. It’s not scheduled to release until next year, but in the meantime, do yourself a favour, head over to shannondingle.com and read, well, everything.
