Lost in Rooville by Ray Blackston

In Lost in Rooville, Ray Blackston’s third novel about a group of southern Presbyterian singles, we are once again introduced to the voice of the narrator, Jay Jarvis, the main character in the first book of the series, Flabbergasted. This time, Jay, Allie, Steve, and Darcy all travel together to the Australian Outback for vacation, not to mention possible marriage proposal action by the guys.

After reading (and enjoying) Flabbergasted, I read with anticipation its sequel, Delirious Summer, which I enjoyed in a mindless, predicable, corny Christian fiction sort of way. Yet it must not have bothered me too much because I found myself drawn to the third book. When I picked it up the other night, I grinned at Craig and said, “I’m a glutton for punishment,” meaning that I expected this one to replicate the almost boring predictability of its predecessor. Gratefully, I was pleasantly surprised by the book.

Now to be perfectly honest and fair, Lost in Rooville is a predictable story line – anyone who has read the first two knew before this book was even written that the three main couples would have flashing rings in the third installment. But also to be fair, Blackston appears to realize that his characters’ end goals are recognized by his readers, so he makes the way they get there a fairly zany, fresh, likeable read.

At the beginning of the story, we find out early that Neil and Alexis (from Delirious Summer) have become “The Couple Who Could Not Wait,” and married earlier than their friends. They are currently at the end of their honeymoon in Australia when the two as-yet-not-engaged-couples begin their short trip to the Outback. On their second day, the guys decide to split the foursome up into couples for the purpose of proposing, intending to meet up again at the end of the day to celebrate with each other.

However, while on a wild kangaroo-chasing, photo-snapping excursion, Jay and Allie become seriously, dangerously lost, and their Land Cruiser damaged beyond driving, leaving them stuck and alone with no way to call for help in the hot Australian desert and only 2 ½ days of water in the back. And thus begins my only real complaint with the story.

Yes, the plight of Jay and Allie and their near-death experience is serious, and I’m sure part of the intent of dragging it out as long as Blackston did in the telling was to communicate the desperation they felt as they w---a---i---t---e---d for help, I became weary of reading about the wait and wished for the story to progress a tad more quickly. Actually, a lot more quickly.

But aside from this, I enjoyed Blackston’s crisp storytelling and the events and shenanigans of the characters as they struggled their way across Australia and through the continued struggles afterwards (which I won’t go into here as to maintain some aspect of surprise to the story). Blackston’s writing is honest, yet witty; his humor dry, but true. The opening line of the story is, “With apologies to the heat, what I remember most is the color of the dust.” What a great line.

I know this is the end of the South Carolina singles department and their tales of dating, living, and loving, but I hope Ray Blackston continues to write, and to do so in a way that doesn’t cave in to the contemporary Christian culture of storytelling, a way that continues at or exceeds this level.

Calvin for Armchair Theologians by Christopher Elwood

Calvin for Armchair Theologians is a treatise on the life, spiritual formation, and theology of 16th century French reformer, Jean (John) Calvin. As the title implies, Elwood takes one of the giants of the Protestant faith and makes him accessible to the non-seminarian reader.

The book begins by giving a concise, insightful description of Calvin, his childhood, and his entry into first scholastic and then public life. Elwood takes the words and works of Calvin as recorded in The Institutes and summarizes them in a way that is both understandable and enlightening. He wraps up the book with sections on the struggles Calvin faced in his day, as well as the widespread reach his theology has influenced through the following centuries. The book includes graphic illustrations by Ron Hill, which contribute to the lightness of the biography, as well as serve to further the points made.

Many theological themes are presented, among these are the concepts of predestination, the outward means of care, infant baptism, and the relationship of the church to the state. Personally, it is hard to disagree with Calvin on most of his views. Though he was human and a sinner just as I am, he was much more studied on all things theological and spent a great deal more time carefully evaluating everything he taught, whereas I have not.

As I was reading the book, I thought it could have just as easily been titled, Calvin for Dummies but quickly realized the connotation that would give and just as quickly came to appreciate the actual title it had been given. Calvin for Armchair Theologians affirms the person who wishes to make a first attempt at understanding Calvin, and does it in a way that gives the reader confidence in what they know while at the same time curious to know more.

Thus, I would highly recommend this book, particularly to folks who, like me, have a desire to better grasp theology, but are not in the stage or station of life to study it at the level of a serious theologian. The Institutes seem ominous on the shelf and thus unlikely to be read by the average non-seminarian homemaker; however, after reading Christopher Elwood's treatment of Calvin and his theological positions, I began to think that perhaps I could tackle Calvin's Institutes. In all my free time, of course...

Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson

I confess I'm the type of reader who tends to stay away from best-seller lists. But I am so thankful that a friend suggested a joint book review--via our blogs--on Marilynne Robinson's novel Gilead, which won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. I soon found that my anticipated problem of not coming up with enough to write about was completely reversed.

The narrator's insights come from Reverend John Ames's end-of-life reflections, wise but often humanly uncertain, on his roles as father, husband, and son--all illuminated by his vocation as a pastor. The narrative takes the form of Rev. Ames’s letter to his seven-year-old son, which he hopes will serve as some kind of substitute for fatherly advice once a rapidly degenerative heart condition overtakes him. The foremost source for Ames’s introspective commentary is his refreshing--dare I say, Puritan-like--view of ordinary life as sanctified. Even at age 79, "remarkable" is one of his favorite words to describe the wonders of existence. Easily one of my favorite lines in the novel, this instance captures it well: "Cataract that this world is, it is remarkable to consider what does abide in it." Simply put, Ames is obsessed with the revelation of eternity and divinity in mundane and "mere" human existence.

Though he warns his son, "you must not judge what I know by what I find words for," Gilead is a didactic memoir whose every word is deliberate and filled with precise, vivid meaning; the form of a letter from father to son highlights the breathtaking intimacy of verbal communication. In fact, more than the richness of the thematic developments, and more than the profoundness of potentially trite theological considerations that are weaved gracefully into the narrative, Robinson produces a thoroughly realistic, yet somehow remarkably heavenly-minded account of the joys and difficulties that redeemed humans have with loving as they have been loved.

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

If there are two things I love, as far as habits go, they are great reading and great cooking. In Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires, she gave me both.

Reichl, former restaurant critic for The New York Times, had the ultimate dream job. In her book, she tells the stories of dining at Le Cirque, The Four Seasons, Tavern on the Green. She inserts at the end of chapters the reviews she had written, letting us into the world of a star-giving lifestyle.

The detailed food descriptions would be enough to gain my attention, but Reichl gives so much more. Because she was the most sought-after patron in any eating establishment, she had to develop disguises to prevent detection while critiquing. She becomes a silly blonde, a hippie redhead, a version of her mother, a matronly spinster. In each persona, Reichl develops entire personalities, with backstories even, to fool her servers. What's most fascinating, however, is what the disguises begin to reveal about herself.

As a final plug for Garlic and Sapphires, let me add that the author, who is now the editor-in-chief of Gourmet, sprinkles the text with a few of her own favorite recipes, making the book part-expose, part-memoir, part-cookbook.

~Shanna

The Elements of Style, by Strunk & White

This is the quintessential English grammar book, a handbook for the care and feeding of the English language. Originally written by a Cornell professor, it was later revised by E.B. White (of Charlotte's Web and the New Yorker fame). The most recent incarnation is a lovely red hard-bound version with whimsical illustrations.

The Elements of Style has been a beacon of sorts to writers for decades. The chapters cover topics such as punctuation, spelling, commonly confused words, and development of style and structure. Imperatives are followed by examples of use and misuse. The discussion is intelligent and wry, with statements such as the following:

Colloquialisms. If you use a colloquialism or a slang word or phrase, simply use it; do not draw attention to it by enclosing it in quotation markes. To do so is to put on airs, as though you were inviting the reader to join you in a select society of those who know better.

Within the chapters are nuggets of wisdom that most people manage to forget after elementary school, and are vital for anyone hoping to pursue writing in any capacity, from professional emails to full-time staff writing. Strunk and White continually drive home the need for concise writing. The slim book ends with a glossary of grammatical phrases, and the illustrated edition includes portraits of the authors.

If you consider yourself a writer, this is the best little reference I've seen. If you are annoyed and dismayed by today's continual butchering of English, you'll love this book. If you don't know of any such butchering, you need this book.

I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson

"At times, I can almost be moved to tears by the picture of the thrifty responsible homemaker I could and would become. But the idea of not having an income after all these years makes me so fearful. I need my own money the way I need my own lungs.

And how would I be, left alone with the kids all day? The need of children is never-ending. You can pour all your love and patience into them, and when is it all right to say when? Never. You can never say when. And to serve so selflessly, you have to subdue something in yourself. I admire the women who can do it, but the mere thought makes me sick with panic. I could never admit this to anyone, but I think giving up work is like becoming a missing person. One of the domestic Disappeared."

So writes fictional character Kate Reddy, a working mother of two small children in England, struggling to find herself in the midst of her many roles of executive, mother, wife, woman.

When I started reading this book, I did so at the request of a friend of mine who asked me to read and review it. I got about half way through the book and I was so angry with the story I was almost crying. The portrayal of the stay-at-home mom seemed so degrading to me, and the life of the working mom so glamorous. (Of course, I, being a stay at home mom, read this with a bias to that end and took things personally whenever a stay-at-home mom was criticized by Kate or another character.)

However, as I continued to read, I began to realize the point of the story was not to demoralize the stay-at-home mom, nor to idolize the working mom, but to paint a picture of one woman's struggle to balance everything available to her. Kate honestly felt that if she let her job go, she would be letting herself go and she was terrified of that.

As the story progresses (in an amazingly well-written manner by first-time author Allison Pearson), Kate has some serious choices to make about what she really wants in life and the author does a great job of allowing the reader to feel the tension in those choices. As she processes through all of this she begins to believe the bigger picture should be of more than just herself. How she reaches the conclusions she does at the end will fascinate you...as well as break your heart.

Writing round-up for February 2006

Here's an overview of what our writers have published in the past month:

Megan Dunham
Published several articles at The Beginner's Guide; here are her Beginner's Guides to:

• Bath Rugs
• Outdoor Thermometers
• Coat Racks and Hooks
• Floor Screens
• Candle Holders

Megan also published "Who are you?" at Catapult magazine.

Ed Eubanks, Jr.
Had two columns published at Low End Mac: "Yojimbo: a powerful, easy-to-use information management tool" and "More Address Book Foibles, Tips, and Add-ons".

Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher

Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls is the kind of book that I want to read because I know that I need to understand what it purports. And it's the kind of book that I don't want to read because I already know a little bit about what it purports and, if I'm honest with myself, I really don't want to know more.

While Reviving Ophelia is an older book (first published in 1994), I've found that it hasn't reached the level of familiarity or saturation that it deserves-- in asking others, most had not heard of the book, and only one had read it. I hope my review here will generate a little bit more of that familiarity, because even though I don't always like reading the hard truths it contains, I agree with Dr. Pipher that everyone needs to be aware of them.

The book takes on the difficult subject of understanding two sides of adolescent girls: first, the side that is their true identity, that wonder and amazement at life that so many younger girls embody. And second, the hardened, nervous, insecure side that is consumed with pleasing others and conforming utterly that it seems like every young girl goes through. While it's important enough to recognize the difficulties of the latter, it is even more important to realize how much impact that side of adolescence has on a girl's life.

Dr. Pipher, a practicing Psychiatrist and counselor, draws on years of experience in counseling teen-aged girls to unfold for readers a simultaneously breathtaking and heartbreaking look at how adolescence, and the adolescent culture that accompanies it, pose a threat to the very identity of young girls.

(An aside: Dr. Pipher suggests, and I am convinced, that similar threats exist for young boys, but she disclaims that she writes about girls because she knows girls. Sadly, no one who "knows boys" has answered the need for an equivalent book on adolescent boys.)

Her examination is comprehensive. She gives a clear overview of her foundational ideas about identity in girls and why it is so important. She looks at family life, mothers, fathers, and divorce. She considers depression, the "god of thinness", drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence. She compares the world that she grew up in to the world of the mid-90's (a 30-year gap).

Through all of this, Pipher exposes hard truths about the realities girls face. She tells the stories of many girls, each in the context that she best illustrates, and then unpacks the pathology of that girl's circumstances to demonstrate what went wrong. And she draws on the ideas of many, humbly integrating the thoughts and discoveries of other counselors and thinkers to help her in her discovery of the problems of adolescence in girls.

Thankfully, Dr. Pipher's efforts are not focused only on exposing the problems. As the title implies, she goes to great lengths to help the reader understand how to protect, strengthen, encourage, and aid young girls in their journeys through adolescence. She gives many practical suggestions, acknowledges the parts that are difficult to address, and presents a comprehensive set of solutions to these hard problems. Through all of this, Pipher offers great hope in a subject that would otherwise be very bleak indeed.

While Dr. Pipher's perspectives are carefully sanitized of any particularly religious leanings, easily 90-95% of what she presents is compatible with an evangelical Christian perspective. This is not a "Christian book", but any Christian who is honest about the realities of the world of counseling and emotional distress will find great value in this book.

Dr. Pipher appears to aim her book at parents and counselors, and it would prove a valuable resource for both. But its value extends beyond this limited audience: I think teachers, pastors, youth pastors-- and anyone else who has regular contact with the adolescent generation-- can, and should, benefit from reading Reviving Ophelia.

UPDATE:
Readers may also appreciate Ophelia Speaks by Sara Shandler, in which a college student writes about adolescent girls' search for their own identities; and Surviving Ophelia by Cheryl Dellasega, which focuses on how mothers deal with these tumultuous years.

Also, I mentioned above that there was no equivalent for adolescent boys. However, there is a similar book: Raising Cain by Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson focuses on many of the same issues as Pipher's excellent book.