Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

Dec 11

#43: Life Support (Robert Whitlow)

by kennithfreeman

The end of the semester was extremely busy this term and my reading life had to take a back seat. I’m happy to fall back into my routine and share with you the marvelous story by Robert Whitlow.

Life Support is the first of Whitlow’s novels featuring Alexia Lindale, an attorney in South Carolina. Alexia specializes in divorce cases, but finds herself in a new situation with her latest client, Rena Richardson. While on a hike, Rena’s newlywed husband, Baxter, plummets over a cliff to the rocks below. Rena immediately assumes her husband died in the accident; when medical personnel arrive, they discover that Baxter is severely injured and comatose. A legal battle ensues between Rena and her powerful father-in-law over whether or not to terminate life-sustaining medical assistance. The novel thrills with intrigue, deception, and legal twists throughout. As in Whitlow’s other novels, spiritual truths are finely woven into the book’s fabric. I found myself pausing in the midst of my reading to meditate on the insights Whitlow expresses.

As a pianist, I am especially fond of the character of Ted Morgan. Ted is a music minister at the church Alexia has begun attending. A gifted pianist, Ted’s improvisations are musical expressions based on Scripture that give birth to Alexia’s faith journey as well as music therapy to the comatose Baxter. With expressive description, Whitlow vividly captures the connection between music and the holy presence of Almighty God that can only be fully understood through first-hand experience.

Life Support ends with the ultimate cliffhanger that (I hope) will be resolved in the second book of the series, Life Everlasting. I see a trip to the library in my immediate future to continue the story of Rena, Baxter, Alexia, and Ted.

Christian fiction music

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Nov 2

Update – 11/2/13

by kennithfreeman

No reason to give excuses here. It simply turned out to be a matter of personal taste. After slogging through Clear and Present Danger for nearly 3 weeks and roughly 350 pages, I decided that it was proving to be a laborious read that I was not enjoying. So I followed my own advice and closed the cover firmly last night. It was time for a trip to the library today anyway, so I picked up three new books. I’m hoping that at least one of them grabs my interest this month! October has not been a successful month for my reading life.

What books now sit on my desk? I grabbed a biography of the composer Bela Bartok as well as Life Support, a work of inspirational fiction by Robert Whitlow. To round out my stack, I randomly selected a novel listed on the Modern Library’s Top 100 Novels — Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner.  I’m not going to read exclusively from the list, but I think it will be an interesting journey to work through in the coming years.  We’ll see what sparks my interest and how far I get on the Modern Library list.

update

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Oct 20

Looking Ahead….

by kennithfreeman

It’s been a busy week here, so my reading has been very slow. I’m plowing through Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy at the moment. I like the book, but I find myself getting confused by the names that are so similar; as we shift between scenes, it takes a few minutes for me to figure out where we are in each plot line. I think if I had more time to sit down and read in larger chunks, it might be easier going.  I’m about 200 pages into this 650 page work. Things are just beginning to get interesting. I expect to give you a full review by the end of the week.

A few days ago, I received a note from my niece (also a book lover) telling me that she just couldn’t get her nose out of the Jodi Picoult novel I had recommended. She then asked if all of her books were this good. I assured her that Picoult was one of my favorite living writers and that she should check out all of her novels. That discussion got me to thinking about some of the book releases that I am anxiously awaiting.  At the top of my list is Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult!  (No surprise there!) Jodi’s works have been appearing in February or March of each year.  For a brief synopsis of the book, you can check out Picoult’s website here.  The other release that has me on pins and needles is Ken Follett’s Edge of Eternity, the final volume of his Century Trilogy.  I’m gonna have to be really patient for this one……it’s not schedule for release until late 2014.

What author’s books do you have to get your hands on as soon as they are released?  Share in the comments section below.

update

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Oct 14

Reading Update

by kennithfreeman

I’m still not happy with exactly how the format of this blog is turning out. Although I don’t plan on writing daily, I do want to provide some sort of routine update to how the reading is going rather than just waiting to post reviews. So……here’s the first update of my reading life.

My intentions were to read An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser while flying back and forth to Los Angeles. The travel didn’t happen (because of illness), but I still started the novel. I don’t know if the problem was how I was feeling or the writing. I struggled through 50 pages and knew this book simply had to be put away.  There are too many good books to read instead.

This morning, I returned my borrowed books to the Memphis Public Library and selected three more to dive into.  This week is all about making progress related to some personal reading projects.

At the top of the stack is The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. This book is the final installment in Stieg Larsson’s trilogy.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first two novels and had never gotten around to reading the last one.  The time has come to finish the adventures of these characters.

When I heard of the death of novelist Tom Clancy, I immediately knew that I wanted to read one of his novels. I tend to steer clear of these big, masculine thrillers. Because Clancy’s work has become such a part of mainstream culture, I decided I owed it to myself to give one of his works a try. Although I contemplated reading one of his lesser known novels, I opted for his 1989 work Clear and Present Danger. This 656 page tome looks really intimidating for some reason. As long as I don’t get tied up in minute details, I think I’ll be fine.

The last treasure in today’s haul is a biography of the Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn.  I’m not certain what I expect to learn from it, but I have committed to including biographies of composers and musicians as part of my reading diet.

I’ve always wanted to read through the major classics of Western literature. I have read many of them throughout my years of school. I was probably too young for many that I read during high school; in college, I was searching for a way to get through the books as quickly as possible rather than lathering in their beauty.  So, I’m in search of a list that can help guide me through my reading of the classics. It won’t exclusively dictate my reading; the list will merely be a project that I’ll work my way through in the coming years.

What are you reading now? I’m always looking for good recommendations from friends. Do you know of a list (other than the Time Magazine list of 100 important novels of the 20th century) that I might consider? I’m hoping to find something like “The 50 Novels Every Educated Person Should Read.” We’ll see what I find…..and I’ll make sure that I share!

update

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Oct 10

#42: Savannah (John Jakes)

by kennithfreeman

I was first introduced to John Jakes’ work in junior high school.  I was doing an independent study in American history and the coordinator recommended I read the Kent Family Chronicles. Looking back on that recommendation, I’m still surprised; even though the history was fascinating, the novel was a bit too mature in content for my young mind. Since then, I’ve always been fascinated by Jakes’ works but have never really taken the opportunity to dive in.  This week, I visited a city that I dearly love — Savannah, Georgia — only this time I traveled there during the closing months of the Civil War as told by John Jakes.

Savannah is enthralling as a historical narrative. The details of the war leap from the page. The reader is horrified at the suffering of the innocents at the hands of Union and Confederate soldiers. As a story, however, I found myself wanting more. After reading 100 pages, I was tempted to set the book aside and start something new. The only thing that caused me to push ahead was the realization that there were less than 200 pages remaining. In those final pages, the historical accounts took a backseat to the tribulations faced by the central characters. THIS is what I appreciate about John Jakes’ novels. He is a master storyteller; I simply wish he would get the story rolling a bit sooner.

It’s always been on my bucket list to read the Kent Family Chronicles in its entirety; I still plan to do so, but I’m not feeling an intense desire to start after reading Savannah. If you’ve had a better experience with the works of John Jakes, I’d love to hear about it. I’m willing to give him another chance. I just need a recommendation of which book offers the best storytelling.

fiction historical

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Oct 2

#41: O Pioneers! (Willa Cather)

by kennithfreeman

As a student, I remember enjoying reading My Antonia by Cather. I’ve always intended to read more of her works, but have never gotten around to it. This week, I stumbled across O Pioneers! on the library bookshelf and decided the time had come to revisit Cather.

O Pioneers! is the story of a farming family in Nebraska. After her father’s death, Alexandra finds herself with the responsibility of leading the family business, much to the chagrin of her older brothers. Despite difficulty and tragedy, Alexandra chooses to remain faithful to the land she inherited in hopes that her younger brother might have more choices in the future. Although the plot itself is rather simple, the novel is considered a masterpiece.

One of the major characters of O Pioneers! is the land itself. The land can be at times beautiful before suddenly taking on a vengeful, depressing air. Man’s inability to control the land (and by extension, man’s future) is a recurring theme of the novel. Personally, I loved how Cather finally stated this idea in the voice of Alexandra at the novel’s conclusion:  “We come and go, but the land is always here.  And the people who love it and understand it are the people who own it — for a little while.” (Cather, O Pioneers!, 158)

Was this one of my favorite reads of the year? Probably not. Am I glad that I read it? Definitely. If you’re in the mood for beautiful word play from one of America’s leading female authors, take a chance and check out O Pioneers!

classic fiction

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Sep 24

#40: Grace – More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine (Max Lucado)

by kennithfreeman

Grace is central to the Christian faith. We invoke it daily and its name peppers our songs. But sometimes I wonder if we REALLY know what it is. We’ve learned that grace is “the unmerited favor of God,” yet do we truly understand what that means to our daily lives. In his book on the subject, Max Lucado explores grace from lots of angles in a practical and approachable way.

Over the years, I have read most of Lucado’s books and have had the privilege to hear him speak. I always find that several passages virtually jump off the page and into my heart. Grace was no different. I’ve decided to limit myself to sharing only one passage with you here (after all, you need to read this book for yourself).

In Genesis 32, we read the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel. After fighting all night and suffering a dislocated hip, Jacob realizes that he is struggling with God and declares that he will not give up until Jacob receives a blessing. Here’s Lucado’s portrait of grace based on this passage.

What are we to make of this? God in the mud. A tooth-and-nail fight to the finish. Jacob clinging, them limping. Sounds more like a bootlegger brawl than a Bible story. Bizarre. But the blessing request? I get that part. Distill it down to our language, and Jacob was asking, “God, do I matter to you?”

I would ask the same question. Given a face-to-face encounter with the Man [God], I’d venture, “Do you know who I am? In the great scheme of things, do I count for anything?”

So many messages tell us we don’t. We get laid off at work, turned away by the school. Everything from acne to Alzheimer’s leaves us feeling like the girl with no date to the prom.

We react. We validate our existence with a flurry of activity. We do more, buy more, achieve more. Like Jacob, we wrestle. All our wrestlings, I suppose, are merely asking this question: “Do I matter?”

All of grace, I believe is God’s definitive reply:  “Be blessed, my child. I accept you. I have adopted you into my family.”

Adopted children are chosen children.

. . . . .

God saw our lives from beginning to end, birth to hearse, and in spite of what he saw, he was still convinced ‘to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure.’ (Eph. 1:5, NLT)

(Lucado, Grace – More Than We Deserve, 119-120)

Encouraging stuff, huh? Do yourself a favor. Accept the fact that most of us don’t fully understand grace. Then with an open heart and open Bible, dive into this wonderful book from Max Lucado. You’ll be glad that you did.

Christian

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Sep 13

#39: My Nine Lives – A Memoir of Many Careers in Music (Leon Fleisher)

by kennithfreeman

In addition to determining to learn more about composers, I have also begun to venture into biographies about performers. I was immediately attracted to the memoir of Leon Fleisher because of my personal interest in music related injuries. I was aware of his many years as the left-handed pianist due to focal dystonia and his legendary teaching at the Curtis Institute. I quickly learned that this marvelous musician was a man who epitomizes perseverance and passion for his craft.

I especially enjoyed reading Fleisher’s finely crafted descriptions of performances and lessons. His words made me thirst to hear the sounds that he produced. His insights encouraged me to revisit familiar pieces that hold special places in my heart. I cannot wait to finally hear his legendary recording of the Brahms’ D Minor concerto. I greatly appreciated the author’s open discussions about his various obstacles, failures, fears, and relational difficulties. I suppose we all face the same challenges to some degree; it’s comforting to hear a stellar musician sharing situations with which I can identify. I suppose it gives me hope for overcoming them in my own life as well.

I’m glad I read the memoir. I look forward to listening to Fleisher’s recordings. I trust that I will return to My Nine Lives again in the future.

memoir music

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Sep 6

#38: Vivaldi: Voice of the Baroque (H.C. Robbins Landon)

by kennithfreeman

I’ve come to accept the fact that I actually know very little about the composers and performers of classical music. During my years of study, most of my attention has been focused on their music rather than the story of their lives. That’s a situation that I can easily correct by reading some biographies…….and this was the first in what I hope will be a long line of such reading.

Before reading Landon’s biography, I knew of Vivaldi as the composer of The Four Seasons and the “Red Priest” who worked tirelessly with the girls of the Pieta. I was surprised to learn about his operatic writing and his questionable relationship with the Giraud sisters. The chapter entitled “Problems in Ferrara” was especially interesting as the biographer detailed the accusations of fornication leveled against Vivaldi and Anna Giraud.

While the book was primarily biographical in nature, the discussions of Vivaldi’s compositions — with special attention given to the operas, sacred compositions, and The Four Seasons — were insightful and well written. I found the book very approachable while being extremely informative.

music

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Aug 29

#37: Prayer – Does It Make Any Difference? (Philip Yancey)

by kennithfreeman

It’s not often that I pick up a book on a subject like prayer and read it from cover to cover. I’m so thankful that I did just that with Philip Yancey’s book on the subject. My prayer life has improved while reading it and I have begun to understand prayer more intimately.  If you’ve been reading my personal blog, Livin’ Life, recently, you’ve seen how the book has touched me. (You can check out the posts related to prayer here and here.)

If I had to pinpoint the one point that most spoke to my heart, it would definitely be this truth:  prayer is not an activity we engage in out of duty or because God needs it. Prayer is authentic, real, honest communication with the Living God! It’s all about relationship. That’s such a basic concept of the Christian faith, but I think many of us miss the boat when we view prayer as a laborious duty we need to fulfill. I found Yancey’s closing of the book exciting and inspiring. While thinking about Heaven as described in the book of Revelation, Yancey has this to say about prayer:

Prayer itself will necessarily change [in Heaven] — not end, exactly, but realize its rightful place as conversation. Prayer now is a kind of awkward rehearsal, like talking on a mobile phone to someone in Africa, the connection garbled and staticky, the English broken and accented. God “has never acquiesced in the break which was brought about in Adam,” wrote Jacques Ellul. Indeed God has not. The entire Bible chronicles God’s effort to renew what was lost on that day in the garden when Adam hid and no longer conversed with God as a friend. One day we will all have that chance.

Sometimes I think about my first face-to-face conversation with God. I have so many unresolved questions, so many laments and regrets. Where should I begin? Various openings play out in my mind, until I remember with a start whom in fact I will be talking to, the One who spun out galaxies and created all that exists. Objections fade away, doubts dissolve, and I imagine myself falling back on words akin to Job’s:  “Oh, now I get it.” And then the conversation resumes.  (Yancey, 327-328)

Did I enjoy this book? Yes.  Do I agree with all of Yancey’s arguments? No. I especially have issues with his statements about Divine healing. Have I been challenged and experienced growth while reading it? Most certainly. It’s not important that we all agree about every aspect of prayer; what is important is that we pursue a conversation with the Father that daily becomes more and more intimate.

Christian non-fiction prayer

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