First Among Sequels

A jolly good time.

That is how I would describe my fifth entrance into the literary world of Thursday Next, with  First Among Sequels. However, it didn’t start out that way. The first part of the book is an anemic re-tread over old territory, just like a ride at a theme park. “On the right we have Jurisfiction and on the left we have Goliath Corporation and up ahead is The Well of Lost Plots“. I feared the author was becoming bored with his heroine.

In this installment, Spec Ops has been “officially” disbanded, but Thursday and some of our usual suspects are using a carpet installation business as a front for their under the table work for Spec Ops. All is not well in the Book World either. There a border dispute brewing because someone thought it would be a good idea to put Racy Novels right next to Feminist and Ecclesiastical Lit. “Outlanders” (people like you an me) have stopped reading books and books are in danger of disappearing. Added to that, Thursday is forced to take on a trainee from Book World: the tree hugging, yogi taking, novelized character of herself from the 5th Thursday Next novel. (Thursday 1-4 being too violent to be put into Jurisfiction - the policing arm of the Literary World).

Fortunately, after the first 120 or so pages the book picks up its pace and seems to come into its own. My favorite part was the cheese smuggling chapter. And, there were a number of other places that left me chuckling out loud. In one, Thursday and two of her Jurisfiction friends (Emporer Zhark and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle) go for a spot of tea in the back-story of PG Wodehouse’s Summer Lightning:

“To the rear were two additional and private tearooms, the one of light-colored wood and the other in delicate carvings of a most agreeable nature. Needless to say, it was inhabited by the most populous characters in Wodehouse’s novels. That is to say it was full of voluble and opinionated aunts.”

In the end, I was sorry to leave the world of Thursday Next and can’t wait until she is back in another adventure. If you’ve never read a Thursday Next novel I would highly recommend a trip into these very original novels, starting with The Eyre Affair.

First Among Sequels:A Thursday Next Book 5: 3.5/5 stars

Where was God?

“Ours is, after all, a religion of salvation. Our faith is in a God who has come to rescue his creation from the absurdity of sin, the emptiness and waste of death….that shatter living souls; and so we are permitted to hate these things with perfect hatred.”
The Doors of the Sea. Where Was God in the Tsunami? by David Bentley Hart

Yes, I do hate that death that came and took Isaac from his mother’s womb and left her childless at 50. I hate that disease that took Barbara, leaving her daughters without a mother. But, I can raise my fist and shout.. “you don’t get to have them” because Christ has risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tomb bestowing life!

Whenever I hear church bells now I begin to weep, because what I hear are the gates of Hell being ripped off their hinges and torn asunder.

“Hell swallowed a man but received God instead”

Inspiration

A week or so ago Kerry, over at A Ten O’Clock Scholar had a link roundup which included this inspirational article.

I don’t plan to get all the way down to 100 things, but it certainly is something I want to seriously consider. I was able to get two trunk loads in last week (thank goodness for kids who drive). One of them was done while I was sick, so I’m thinking that if I can get a few boxes worth when I’m sick, what can I find when my energy is back up again. I’ve put 2 items up for auction at eBay and hubby has sold some of the completely unused, and I hate to clean it, silver at the coin dealers.

More important, reading the article came at a perfect time for our household. We’ve been busy getting my MIL ready for another move. She’s needing to downsize even more and two Saturday’s ago we all met at her home to go through and pick out what we wanted (and this was just the *first* round!!). I asked my hubby to read the article just a few hours before we left. It was fortunate timing and helped us both to prioritize what was important to us before we hauled a bunch of junk mementos home.

Feast Day of Sts. Peter and Paul

We should not allow ourselves to celebrate any Christian feast without seriously considering: what is its meaning and what is its purpose; what is our responsibility toward it…Then the feast will become profitable for our soul’s salvation. Otherwise the enemy of our salvation will snatch us and turn the feast of God into a feast of the flesh.”

My Life in Christ
by St. John Kronstadt

Last week was somewhat of a wash for me. In preparation for the two Feast days this week (Sts. Peter and Paul; June 29th, and Holy Apostles; June 30th) I had wanted to read a book on the lives of each of the Apostles. This year we had 6 days for the fast, I figured I could do 2 per day. I wanted to take St. John Kronstadt’s words (which I have posted here) to heart and learn from the Apostles and their lives. When I discovered that St. John the Theologian’s life was over 100 pages long I quickly realized that I probably wouldn’t get to all 12 Apostles. Then I got sick.

I sat here on Saturday looking at that quote and feeling like I have missed the boat. Feeling like once again I don’t quite get the Apostle’s Fast.

I’m glad I was able to be in church this morning, it was the balm this discouraged soul needed. Because it is also the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost we also remembered all the Saints of North America. The Kontakion for them was especially meaningful to me:

“Today the choir of Saints who were pleasing to God in the lands of North America now stands before us. With them the angels glorify Him, and all the Saints of the Church of Christ keep festival with them; and together they all pray for us to the pre-eternal God.”

It reminds me that I am not alone (as though I should forget in church!). As Fr. Stephen has said on several occasions and in particular here: “The first thing I think of in this regard is simply that Scripture never seems to speak of God as “alone.” He is the Lord God of Sabbaoth (Hosts) - He is the ‘God of a huge crowd’ to render it into the vernacular….Orthodox worship and prayer, on the other hand, is simply crowded.“

Even though I didn’t get a chance to do what I had hoped in preparation the Apostles were on my mind most of last week. I was able to read about 3-4 of their lives and ponder what they can teach me 2000 years later. And, finally, on the back of the bulletin were some words of encouragement from the reflections on the Hagiography of Sts. Peter and Paul:

“Christ is waiting for us to embrace Him as well! He is waiting to work through us in some way to spread His Kingdom here on earth. May we all take the same steps that Peter and Paul took.”

May you have a most joyous Feastday!

Have you Seen the Blacksnake Swimming?

**** **** ****

Down at the Blackwater
blacksnake went swimming, scrolling
close to the shore, only
his head above the water, the long
yard of his body just beneath the surface,
quick and gleaming. The day was hot, but there
in the water, another snake might have
danced with him. But, since he was alone
he whirled a little, unnecessarily, and picked up speed,
so that on both sides he made a lacy wake
and there was rippling sound,
a sort of soft music, just enough
to amuse that narrow mouth, who corners,
in that coolness, were lifted in even more
than his usual gentleman’s smile.
From “Why I Wake Early” a collection of poems
by Mary Oliver

Portrait of a Lady

I’ve been sick the last few days and thankful that it was after I finished reading Portrait of a Lady. Intense and depressing books aren’t so good when one is sick. I’ve been grappling with what to say about a book I liked just “okay”. Part of it is because I feel left out. In all the other reviews I’ve read people have loved it. What did I miss? I feel a bit stupid. Fortunately, no one in book club particularly liked it either. We all agreed that it was well written (especially the dialog) and the characters were deep, but we just couldn’t go all the way and say it was a great book. I also know that it must have something to do with our own 21st Century ideals trying to understand a 19th Century book. But, I’ve read other 19th Century books and didn’t find it so difficult.

I’ve been reading the 5th book in the Thursday Next series and its the perfect book to be reading when sick. I don’t need to think to hard and there area few chuckles along the way. There was one bit in the book that struck me as quite apt when thinking of Portrait of a Lady:

“Don’t underestimate atmosphere,” I said slowly, helping myself to another Jaffa cake. “The four opposing forces in any novel are atmosphere, plot, character and pace. But they don’t have to be in equilibrium. You can have a book without any plot or pace at all, but it has to make up for it in character and a bit of atmosphere…” pg. 190

That hit the nail on the head. I found that Portrait of a Lady was character and atmosphere driven, but the plot and pace weren’t up to snuff. I found the characters to be very interesting. Some were more loveable than others, but I found them all quite believable and compelling. The atmosphere (especially from the middle to the end of the book) was well done. While reading the book I often felt like I was suffocating along with Isabel.  The book did a good just of putting me there with the characters.

I feel like the author was trying to tell me something, but somehow I’m too thick-headed to get it. It’s a book I would have enjoyed reading in a Lit. class where perhaps the professor could guide me onto the right path. This is quite similar to my experience of reading Brother’s Karamazov.

Look Who’s 7

I can’t believe my baby is 7 already.

Recent Films

Back in May I was on a Russian film kick. I tend to follow the bunny trails until I tire and find another trail. A few notable viewings:

Burnt by the Sun was a beautiful and sad movie. It was not what I originally thought it was going to be. From the description I thought I was going to watch a psychothriller, along the lines of Cape Fear. I almost sent it back without watching it. I’m glad I didn’t. It still haunts me because the director did such a good job of painting an idyllic summer holiday with a loving family just as Stalin’s Great Purges were kicking in. I’ve wondered if he was presenting this from the point of view of the main character’s 6 yr old daughter. How innocent, easy, and fun life is - especially when you’re on vacation with your extended family and a fun new adult arrives who brings such fun and games into your lazy summer days. Kids can be so oblivious of what is really going on. It’s Academy Award was well deserved.

Prisoner of the Mountains: a movie based on a short story by Tolstoy and is about two Russian soldiers captured by Muslims in the Caucuses in order to do a prisoner swap. This was another one that wasn’t exactly what I thought. From the description I thought it was going to be a bit more funny. It was sweet in many places, but not exactly funny. My husband and I watched this one together and we both felt that this was a movie that made you feel like you were there. The location and scenery were stunning. I wished I seen this one in the theaters. It also gave the impression that the director used a lot of locals in his movie. I like it when a movie has that flavor of authenticity.

In between watching these two I watch an excellent German movie:

The Lives of Others was a chilling portrayal of life in East Germany during the Stasi period just before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Stasi’s were the secret police and one thing they did very effectively was surveillance. Everyone in East Germany was bugged and watched. I can’t imagine living with that kind of oppression. As with any good movie, it starts off a bit slow building up not only your interest in all the characters, but also the suspense.

Mother Gavrilia

I finished reading Mother Gavrilia: Ascetic of Love last week and have mixed feelings about the book. Its hard to figure out how to explain my feelings about it. First off, it is broken into two parts: her biography and the saying of M. Gavrilia. I really enjoyed the first part.

M. Gravilia [called Avrilia] spent a good part of her adult life traveling and doing works of mercy with her Physiotherapy practice:

“Her practice included poor people to whom she gave free treatments. She was also helping orphans and unemployed persons, “Give to every man that asketh of thee”.

In 1954, when her beloved mother died she had a transforming experience:

“On March 24, 1954, her beloved mother passed away. It was the most painful, the most significant, the most determinant day in Avrilia’s life. She was saying to Helen Vivou: “The day of our parting, the day of my inner crisis, severed the last tie that kept me bound to normal, material life on this Earth. Suddenly, I was dead… I was dead to the world. The only course that lay open before me now, urged me to take the decisive step: ‘Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor’, then ‘ Come and follow Me.’

From that moment she felt the call to India (a country she had had no ties or interest in beforehand). Her promise to God was that she would never take any possessions or money and if anyone asked her to “come” she would go. She put everything into God’s hands for Him to provide for her, and He did. It was an amazing faith & trust that took her from Northern India, to Israel (where she entered the monastery at the age of 62), to Asia Minor, Europe and America. All the while she loved everyone regardless of religion or station in life. She spent 5 years alone in India working in various Leper Colonies. She was friends with people from all religions. I found her life of love, acceptance, and faith to be very inspiring. This part of the book reminded me a lot of Corrie Ten Boom life after WWII, who also went around the world, completely resting in her Faith. In fact, they were both doing this at the same time.

The 2nd part of the book I found more puzzling. I often would read a saying of M. Gravrilia and think to myself, “I need to talk with my priest about that one.” There were quite a few and I should have been putting sticky notes on them. While at the monastery I mentioned the book to one of my housemates and she said she found the 2nd half of the book troubling and was instructed to stop reading it by her spiritual father. Its not that everything she said was confusing, but there were enough of them that I felt that the book was becoming less and less inspiring for me.

In the end, I found reading the story of her life was worth it for me. As always, I find reading about people (especially missionaries) who totally put their life into God’s hands to be very helpful for my own spiritual encouragement. Her life of faith and love is not only inspiring, but something I want to follow. However, her sayings were a bit disappointing and fell flat for me.

Mother Gavrilia: 3/5 stars.

Done!

Yesterday was a fruitful day. I contacted a friend of mine about my homeschool review and she said she could do it today! I spent some time in the afternoon pulling things together and writing down what we did this past year. Its quite satisfying to have it all written out. Its also quite satisfying to be officially done! Now I just need to fill out a bit more paperwork and send it all in to our umbrella group.

As you might see from the photo, I also made another batch of soap yesterday. It was a simple white soap recipe. I have plans for it do be an accent decoration in another batch. I’ll have to wait for it to cure a week or two before I can really handle it for that though.

My next project is to make my own mold.  This should be interesting.  I’m not exactly known for being “handy” around the house.