As usual, I’ve had my hands in the fictional and theological pies of late.
I’ve been consuming Timothy Keller’s book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, for the past couple of weeks. Keller is the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, and is renowned for his speaking, writing, and teaching. The book is intelligent, readable, and challenging, without the “holier than thou,” politically charged agenda of many Christian voices today. Keller promotes tolerant discussion, social justice, and the in-depth search for Truth. He says, “A faith without some doubts is like a human body without antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic.”
I’m not an expert on the must-reads of theology and contemporary apologetics. Nonetheless, I haven’t come across a better book geared towards both the skeptic and the believer. If merely for the mental gymnastics of considering Keller’s answers to (or attempts to answer) hard questions, give the book a read.
I was certain that I wouldn’t be able to find Larry Brown‘s Facing the Music without hitting up Amazon.com or Abebooks.com. I was browsing around Larry’s section not long ago, scanned the shelf below where Mary Ward Brown (who will be here August 11th) is stationed, when I saw two copies of Facing the Music with Mary’s books. I quickly grabbed one, checked the computer, and discovered that the two books weren’t even in the system. I quickly corrected the error, and put the book in its proper place–after buying one for myself. The other sold not long after that. I’m not sure when this collection will be reprinted, it shouldn’t be long, but get your hands on it if you can. I thoroughly enjoyed Big Bad Love, and Facing the Music is more of Brown’s signature goodness. Brown’s characters are fueled by heartbreak, alcohol, bad backs, and too many hours without enough pay. Brown knows the heart of the “common man,” and his stories prove that everyday life is full of truth and despair.
I’ve also been reading on the collected short fiction of Anton Chekhov. My first exposure to the Russian literature was Dostoevsky, and let me affirm that the Russians do not disappoint. Chekhov is considered the father of the modern short story, and rightfully so. One needs only to read Chekhov’s three page story “The Huntsman,” to discover how much heartbreak he packs in a very small space. I have been blown away by his fiction so far, and recommend his stories highly to anyone looking for short controlled bursts of greatness.
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