Comments for Compulsive Overreader

Comment on Seven Types of Ambiguity, by Elliot Perlman by Morgan

Morgan — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:33:06 +0000

I read Seven Types of Ambiguity roughly 8 months ago, and fell madly in love with it. While I do agree with parts of your criticism, the book quickly reached the heights of my “favorite books” list and has remained there. It’s nice to see other people like it as well, seeing as reading such a large book is not a common practice in the mass media circus that is America. The bulk of it I read during a trip to visit family in Colorado, and to be honest, I probably spent more time with this book than I did with them. You have a great voice for criticism though–accurate, yet soft. Too often literary critiques are filled with harsh jabs at an author’s capabilities. I’m not sure if you’ve ever been published, but being a fellow writer myself, I sense that I would enjoy reading your work. I’ll be visiting your site again.

Morgan

Comment on Late Nights on Air, by Elizabeth Hay by trudyj65

trudyj65 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:37:01 +0000

Thanks Ginny!

Comment on Late Nights on Air, by Elizabeth Hay by Ginny

Ginny — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:28:59 +0000

I cam to this book in the same way: I couldn’t believe “The Book of Stanley” by Todd Babiak hadn’t made the list, and I wanted to see why this book won.

I found it beautifully written, but thought the foreshadowing was heavy-handed, and took me out of the book at several points.

I think if I hadn’t just finished “Consumption” by Kevin Patterson, I may have enjoyed this book much more.

(I’m glad I found your blog. I really enjoyed it, and will definitely be back!)

Comment on Jesus for President, by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw by trudyj65

trudyj65 — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:59:06 +0000

Thanks for commenting here, Terry — I’ve been reading your blog now and finding your stories really interesting!

Comment on Jesus for President, by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw by Terry Foester

Terry Foester — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:01:29 +0000

Thanks for this summary. After reading Irresistible, I visited the simple way folk in philly. I also will likely never be Christian-retro-hippie living in an inner-city commune sewing my own clothes and getting thrown in jail for protesting pretty much everything.

But like you, I like how Shane’s words and style call us to question even the simple things we do.

After reading Irresistible, a friend and I started taking homeless men to lunch. That’s been a crazy humbling experience.

Comment on Seven Types of Ambiguity, by Elliot Perlman by Mary

Mary — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:45:06 +0000

Hello…
I found the first chapter intriguing…the language was absolutely superb… and I rather sadly empathised with Simon alot… the description of his love for Anna reminded of me of myself (not that I stalk my lovers or anything)… and the way he saw things as they were… with simplicity yet complexity all at once… Throughout the novel I still sided with simon even though I was able to feel the others get a little fed up the way lounged around and I felt very very sorry for angelique the way joe treated her. I thought Simon’s, Sam’s and Alex’s characters were so well done they made the book worthwhile, however the lengthiness was a bummer… and Simon and Angelique contradicted simon’s character so much that I’m afraid I am utterly dissapointed… it had alot of potential… just got bogged down in all the side scandals… the lesbian mother… retarded brother…horrible dads… Alex, Sam and Rachael seemed the only decent people by the end.
Cya

Comment on Mistress Malapert, by Sally Watson (Old Favourites #3) by Lara

Lara — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 03:22:59 +0000

I loved Sally Watson’s books as a young girl, I think the book Jade stuck in my mind the most but it is fun to see that old books I loved as a kid others loved as well…I look forward to skimming through your blog to see what else you’ve read that you liked.

Comment on The Emerging Christian Way, by Marcus Borg, Matthew Fox, Tom Harpur et al (LentBook #5) by Peter Walker

Peter Walker — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:06:06 +0000

Trudy,
Thanks for the review. I live in Borg - country, Corvallis Oregon and always enjoy listening to the man, reading him… but he’s exactly as you say: a modern liberal. By no means is he “emerging” although he is friendly with guys like McLaren - they’ve discussed a conference circuit together, which could be great for Borg. I think his “Heart of Christianity” was an [unrecognized] attempt at reaching out to more conservative Evangelicals, but he’s still too rigid and divisive for much of the emerging crowd.

I currently attend a very liberal United Methodist church. I enjoy and appreciate it, but hear a lot of self-congratulatory talk about “social relevance” and progressive, “emerging” Christianity.”

There is nothing progressive about them. They are as entrenched in 1960s liberalism as my old Assemblies of God church was steeped in 1950s fundamentalism.

Glad you’re recognizing the need for a third way.

I just happened upon your blog - keep it coming!

Peter Walker

Comment on Bright Shiny Morning, by James Frey by Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:30:00 +0000

Wow. Now I wanna read it. I wasn’t all that interested initially.

Comment on Jesus for President, by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw by Nicky

Nicky — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:06:19 +0000

I’ve read The Irresistible Revolution, but am still wanting to read Jesus For President. Just wanted to give my 2 cents though insofar as becoming a retro-Christian-hippie. I think you can still incorporate some very radical ways of living as a Christian, without necessarily sewing your own clothes or making your own shoes, like Shane…
When I first heard and read about The Simple Way (and my husband actually visited them in Philly) I thought I could never be as radical as all that, so what was the point? And so perhaps my Christianity isn’t worth its salt. No pun intended.
But we can do something, orient our lives differently, live more generously, get to KNOW poor people, and not just as charity cases, open our homes and hearts more outrageously - which was your point I guess. Shane and his cohorts are definitely a prophetic voice to all of us comfortable Christians.
Thanks for writing.