The New Oxford Annotated Bible

I just bought this Bible from B&N online,** and have had it for a week now. I bought it because I'm taking a class on Scriptures at the Unitarian church I attend, and this season's class focuses on Ecclesiastes and Job. I'll comment later on these two texts, but for now I want to comment on this Bible as a whole.

Anyway, I am exceedingly pleased with this version of the Bible. The translation is the "New Revised Standard Version", includes the Apocrypha, and it is beautifully - and, seemingly, thoroughly - translated. So much nicer to read than my copy of THE WAY, a contemporary translation I own, published in the 1970s. I think THE WAY has it's merits and uses, being intended for a younger audience, but after reading through some of the New Oxford, I can easily see where much is left out of the translation in THE WAY.
As for the King James version - well, it's also beautifully translated, but, let's face it, it was a very political translation, and there really isn't any need for the biblical texts to be read in Shakespearean English. Although it sounds real nice. . .

The best thing about the NEW OXFORD Bible, however, is the commentary and footnotes on every single page, and the commentary before each book. This commentary focuses on the social, cultural, and political climate of the period in which a book was written, as well as citing any evidence of WHEN the book was first written. There is commentary on the translation(s) as well. All of this, of course, makes for a much easier, more comprehensive, and therefore, enjoyable read of the Bible.

I highly recommend this version of the Bible for anyone wishing to read the Bible, Christian or not.



** This is the Augmented Third Ed. by the way.

BREAKING DAWN. Meyer, Stephanie. c.2008

If I didn't know any better, I'd think that BREAKING DAWN, the fourth and final book in the Twilight series, was a parody of the series itself. It is so ridiculous and badly written it almost must be on purpose.
But, it's not. This is, indeed, the finale to the saga of Edward, Bella, and Jacob. And it's unbelievably bad. So much so, I do believe it is the worst book I have ever read. Ever. I am serious. I don't mean Robin Cook bad, or Danielle Steele bad. Meyer's first three books in this series, which I reviewed below, were actually on par with Cook's and Steele's writing. I mean, it's seventh-grade tortured, rambling diary entry and submit it to a fiction contest bad. It's THAT bad and then some.

While some of the writing in Meyer's first three books was often mediocre and amatuerish, I really enjoyed reading them because of the truly intriguing love story she wove. The story itself had depth and the characters were believable and well-developed. By the third book, ECLIPSE, the reader expected certain things from the characters and we knew their motives and desires.

In BREAKING DAWN, not only is the writing terrible, but the events that unfold are ridiculous, unbelievable, and serve no purpose to the story but to fill up pages. The greatest travesty - and the book's major flaw- is that the characters are suddenly mere shells of their former selves. Jacob and Edward no longer fight for Bella and her soul, but give into her every whim. Bella is no longer afraid of anything and does not even struggle as a new vampire. She gives birth to a creepy promiscuous baby who drinks human blood - but the babe isn't a vampire herself and is actually very sweet. Um - why? What purpose does this serve? Well, it serves the same purpose as Jacob then imprinting with Bella's baby, and Bella becoming the best and sweetest and most angst-free vampire in the world. That is, everyone gets a happy ending.

And I, the reader, am so damned bored and disappointed. What happened to Edward wanting to save Bella's soul? What happened to Jacob at all? BREAKING DAWN has minimal conflict, maximum fairy-tale happy resolutions, and zero arc.

I really wish Meyer had ended the series with ECLIPSE.

BREAKING DAWN is not recommended at all (except for a compost heap or bonfire), even if - and especially if - you read TWILIGHT, NEW MOON and ECLIPSE. Just pretend the fourth book doesn't exist and imagine your own ending for Bella, Edward and Jacob. Anything you can think of will be better than this book, trust me.

TWILIGHT Series; TWILIGHT/NEW MOON/ECLIPSE. Meyer, Stephanie. c.2005, 2006, 2007.

So I finally caved and read the Twilight series. My daughter, who is eleven, owns these books and read them herself. I was never interested in them myself until I took her and her friend to see the movie NEW MOON (the movies are worth the cinematography and soundtrack, but nothing else). Although the acting and narrative pacing in the film left much to be desired, I did become intrigued with the story, so decided to read the books, especially after my daughter - who is herself an avid reader - highly recommended them. (I should have paid more attention when she professed disappointment in the series' final book, though, BREAKING DAWN - and that book will be reviewed separately from the first three.)

I'm lumping the first three books into one review, because, honestly, it's all one story, one narrative. (And I should note here that the story encompasses three books due to very large print and redundant dialogue and mise en scene - but more of that later.)
I did notice that Meyer's writing improves a bit (only a bit, though) with NEW MOON and ECLIPSE, and the taut web of Bella's relationship with both a vampire and a werewolf becomes more entangled and mesmerizing with each book.

First, the things I really enjoyed about the first three books -
All three novels are fast and engaging reads. Meyer weaves an incredibly compelling story of the tumultuous love triangle of Bella, Edward and Jacob, a story reminiscent of Wuthering Heights, yet narrated in a voice familiar to contemporary 21st c. adolescents.

TWILIGHT, the first book, introduces us to Bella and the community of Forks Washington - a landscape under a constant cover of cloud, mist and lush green forest. Bella has just moved here from perpetually sunny Phoenix AZ and the contrast is sharp and significant. She meets Edward Cullen, a strange classmate at her new school. Edward acts in ways she should interpret as red flags - but instead, Bella is intrigued, entranced, even. At the same time, Bella befriends a Native American boy, Jacob Black, who lives on a nearby reservation. Jacob is everything Edward is not - easygoing, bubbly, lighthearted, and playful. Edward is mysterious, dark, serious, almost brooding - and extremely pale. Guess which one Bella falls inexplicably in love with?
Jacob and Bella become fast and close friends, though, due to Jacob's honest, open nature and this is where the tension rides. Jacob falls in love with Bella, but Bella is so obsessed with Edward - and Edward so obsessed with her that he practically stalks and controls her - that she finds herself unable to return Jacob's affections despite her almost unconditional love for him.
Jacob is clearly - even after certain events in New Moon - the better, "safer" candidate for Bella. The reader can see that, yet, at the same time, we are just as drawn to the romantic, tortured figure of Edward.
Meyer is quite adept at sustaining this tension throughout all three books. The tension builds in NEW MOON when Edward is mostly absent but Bella pines for him - literally - and Jacob feels the sting of unrequited love. And it runs headlong into a climax in the third book, ECLIPSE.

I read all three books in a week. I could not put them down, and could not wait to discover what would happen. Would Bella come to her senses and be afraid for her mortal life? Would she ever see the good, mortal guy (Jacob) right in front of her? Would Edward ever do the truly noble thing and leave Bella forever or would he continue to torment her and himself forever? And, finally - would he actually go so far as to make her one of the undead, simply because he cannot live without her?

The story, throughout each book, held me in it's grip as I agonized along with the three main characters.

I was disappointed in the writing, however. Throughout all three, much of the dialogue is repetitive and almost seems to be used as filler, as if Meyer had a contract to write so many pages and struggled to do so. This frustrated me, furthermore, because I craved more details to the story. For such a thick book, so much seemed to be missing. I would have loved to have read flashbacks from Edward's point of view regarding his long history as a vampire and his ongoing struggle to remain "good". As it was told here, I felt many things, including this, were explained away too simplistically. I wanted to feel more the internal struggle Edward had with himself and with the knowledge of his power over Bella. I wanted Bella to question her own motives more. From the very beginning, she simply resigns to the fact that Edward is a vampire, but, hey - she loves him, no worries. Uhh, yeah. It's never fully explained why Bella is NOT afraid of Edward, even though some of his early behavior (before she realizes what he is) bothers her - and why she so readily accepts that he is a vampire. There should have been scenes and dialogue exploring this further. As is, the narrative feels rushed and sloppy at times.

However, there's seemingly no end to the descriptions of the many ways Edward kisses Bella's throat and lips. Not so much in NEW MOON (and it's the best book of the three, I think) but in both TWILIGHT and ECLIPSE, a good deal of the narrative takes place in Bella's bedroom at night, where Edward protects her - from herself and other vampires - and watches over her while she sleeps. Of course, before her slumber, there is much anguished, controlled kissing and cold-hard skin in the midst of burning desire. It got to the point where I was a little bothered by it - especially considering it's marketed to teen girls. It's an effective technique for conveying the prolonged anguished desire of teenagers trying to be noble, but - why is it constant? Is this Meyer's idea of Mormon soft-core porn or is it a morality tale that got away from her?

Overall, I really enjoyed the first three books. These are not life-changing books, however, and I can honestly say you're not missing anything by not reading them. In fact, you may save yourself some frustration if you don't as you won't then feel compelled to read the final book - BREAKING DAWN - which is arguably one of the worst books ever written. But that's my next review, and that's why it's separate. The first three - TWILIGHT, NEW MOON AND ECLIPSE - were highly entertaining and even thought-provoking at times. I just wish Meyer had stopped with ECLIPSE and let us draw our own conclusions about what finally happened to Bella. She let us draw our own conclusions about so many other missing details. . .

ANGELS & DEMONS. Brown, Dan. c. 2000.

I read this early summer 2009.

This was the novel Dan Brown wrote before he wrote THE DA VINCI CODE. Ill assume everyone's at least heard of THE DA VINCI CODE unless you've been living under a rock for the past ten years.
Like DA VINCI CODE, this one's what I'd call a "potboiler". You know, something fast and easy to read while you have more complicated things on the stove. . . So, for a "potboiler", it's decent. Not as compelling and surprising as DA VINCI CODE, but I'd still say more original. (A lot of THE DA VINCI CODE was based on the non-fiction book, HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL - in itself a fascinating book, but a whole other book review). Brown's narrative pacing is good, but a bit relentless. I could have used a breath here and there.
Again, a msytery regarding Vatican/Catholic Church secrets.
This is a good airplane/train ride read. (If you're Christian/Catholic, just remember, it's fiction, and whatever you do, don't read HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL - your head will implode.)
Overall, good, by no means great. (And I'd say the same for DA VINCI CODE which I read a couple summer back.)

BEYOND THE HORIZON. Angus, Colin. 2007.

Read: May 2008.

Reading Time: 1 and 1/2 days.

Despite the reading time, this book is a little bland, for what it is. It is a retelling of the author (and friend and girlfriend's) circumnavigation around the globe by human power, in 2003-2004. He was the first, apparently to ever accomplish this awesome feat. And, despite my not thinking the book is all that great, I do recognize this as something awesome.

However, if you like adventure/trekking stories (and I'm a sucker for them - I must have been a little British boy in my former life), you'll like this. However, I've read better-written accounts.

A couple of things turned me off about this book - the author's whiny, defensive tone, as he spends half the book lambasting his friend and once fellow traveler; and the lack of comment and detail about the places and cultures they traveled through. While I enjoy hearing about the techniques and logistics of hiking and biking trips, it's not exactly entertaining reading for others. I guess I was hoping for more of a story.
And the incessant whining about his friend who ultimately bailed on him is a little unbelievable. Maybe the author needed some scandalous element to enliven an otherwise dull story, or maybe he actually has recieved a lot of flak which he feels he doesn't deserve. Either way, I don't care, and it left a bad taste to the read.

I recommend you read a magazine article about Colin Angus's trek, instead of this book. Look for it on OUTSIDE online, or National Geographic, something like that.

CONFESSIONS OF A FAILED SOUTHERN LADY. King, Florence.

Read this just before Christmas 2008.

Autobiographical account of a young woman coming of age in Washington D.C. in the the thirties through fifties. Needless to say, she discovers she's a lesbian.

This is a very entertaining and quick, enjoyable read. I read it in two days flat, which, for me, means I couldn't put it down. (Because I rarely have time to read like that anymore, what with wifedom/motherdom/suburbandom. . . )

I find that the best autobiographies are the funniest ones, and the most self-deprecating. It takes a fairly objective eye to turn it on oneself and find humor among the trivial tragedies of our lives. This book reminds me of ANGELA'S ASHES in that regard.
If you've ever lived in, or known folks from, the South, you'll appreciate how incredibly funny - and true - this book is in portraying the "old-school" southern woman.
It is also a frank and unflinching look at the irrationality behind sexism, racism, and homophobia.

There are some frank descriptions of lesbian (as well as heterosexual) sex, so if that sort of thing bothers you, well - These descriptions are also side-splitting hilarious, though.

Recommended for anyone looking for something lighthearted, yet poignant, that will make you laugh and think.

DESPERATE PASSAGE. Rarick, Ethan. Read: April 2008.

Revisionist account of the tragic Donner Party story.
Past accounts have traditionally portrayed the pioneer party unsympathetically. Rarick's account is more forgiving, while still critical of the party's fateful blunders - starting the journey too late in the season; underestimating the potential perils of their journey; and underestimating the American Western landscape in general.

In all, a very enjoyable, engaging read. I read this in about three days, which, for me, always means I could hardly bear to put the book down. This is the kind of history book I love and crave more of - factual and rich in detail, yet the narrative pace is fluid and seamless.
I highly recommend this to anyone interested in the history of the American West. It's more than just a tale of what forces good citizens into horrid circumstances like cannibalism. Rarick succeeds in showing how the Donner Party really embodied the essence of the first pioneer FAMILIES trying to push through the desert and mountain barriers to the coast.
Very good read.

Updating past posts. . .

I'm in the process, tongith and tomorrow, of updating (i.e., filling in details) my past posts on this blog. I refer to those posts with only the title of the book. My intentions for this blog is to at least indicate if I liked the book or not, if I recommend it, for whom, and a brief synopsis and analysis of the book.

So, if you scroll down (you know, YOU, the sole person besides myself to ever read this blog) the page you'll see a few details about the books I've read.

THE ROAD. McCarthy, Cormac. Read: August 2008.

"A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls, it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there."

So states the blurb on the back cover of the paperback version of THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy.
This is the first - and, so far, only - book I've read by McCarthy, and I'm terribly impressed. I read this in two days flat. I simply could not put it down. I stayed up late reading it in bed, and I never stay up late reading anymore.
The gist of the story is stated above, but although the tale is universal and so general, really, that we're never informed why the world is the way it is - in fact, we're never even told the man and boy's names - it is also an immensely personal story, a common story shared between a child and his parent.

Highly, highly recommended. One of the best novels I've ever read, period. I am in awe of McCarthy's narrative genius. So much that it's hard to define.

A warning that it's somewhat depressing.

LETTER TO A CHRISTIAN NATION. Harris, Sam.

I'm in the middle of reading THE GOD DELUSION (did you know God was a delusion??!! :) ) by Richard Dawkins, which I like enough, but someone recommended Harris's book as well (they also recommended THE END OF FAITH by Harris. Haven't read that yet.)
This is a very quick read, intended, I guess, not for the likes of me. (agnostic/atheist) Or maybe it is, as Harris argues against tolerance for religious people near the end of the book. (I tend to be very forgiving of others' mumbo-jumbo - hey, I was once guilty of it. Granted, I wasn't old enough to order a drink, but it takes some folks longer. . )
The "letter" is addressed to U.S. Christians, and his arguments are compelling and well thought out. His tone is calm and fluid, and he drives his points about disproving the existence of any god consistently and with eloquence.
That being said, I consier myself agnostic and don't need much convincing, but I was taken aback by his arguments against religious tolerance. After having read it, though, I must admit agreeing with him.
If you're Christian, or Muslim or Jewish, you may find this book offensive, and for good reason. Harris' main intent is to attack the foundations of your belief system. But I'm all for confronting the ideas that frighten you. It's how I managed to become a "free-thinker", myself.
Recommended for those who enjoy a good, but polite rant about the hazards of religion, and for those considering crossing over to the dark side.

MY LOBOTOMY. Dully, Howard. 2007.

This is one of those books I happened upon while perusing the New Books aisle at the library. Intrigued by the title, I picked it up, read the inside jacket, started reading the first page and couldn't put it down.

It's a compelling and heart-wrenching story. Although Dully, now a tour bus driver in his fifties, had help writing the book, his own voice seems to shine through so well that it seems he's right there in the room with you, telling his story.

Oh, of course, the book is about Dully's front-orbital lobotomy at the age of twelve, because he had behavorial issues at home. Interesting and scary. Relevant to today's "issues" and concerns with children, i.e., the whole ADHD thing.

This is a quick, engaging read - I read it in two days, couldn't put it down - and you'd be brain-dead yourself if you didn't find this fascinating. A very sad story, yet hopeful and inspiring. Highly recommended, especially for an "interim" book if you're like me and read a lot of dry non-fiction and need a quick break from that.

THE SHELTERING SKY. Bowles, Paul.

January 2008.

DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON

Orwell, George.
February 2008.

ANIMAL VEGETABLE MIRACLE

Kingsolver, Barbara. February 2008.

A LAND SO STRANGE: THE EPIC JOURNEY OF CABEZA DE VACA

Dec. 2007

SAVAGE KINGDOM. Woolley, Benjamin.

Subtitled, "The True Story of Jamestown, 1607, and the Settlement of America."

Well, sometimes, the truth is tedious, and complicated, and really, somewhat boring.

I looked forward to this book coming out and when I finally saw it on the New Books shelf at the library, I couldn't wait to read it.
It is not a quick read.

Woolley seems to leave no trivial detail unturned in the story of Jamestown's founding. There is an adventure tale, and a morality tale, both present in this story but they are both clouded over by tedious details of the capitalist undertakings of the business men and politicians who really made Jamestown happen. I realize they made it happen, but - that part is just not very interesting. Unless you're an economics historian or something. Does such a tedious person exist? Well, if so, this book is for them.

Only recommended for History of Economics professors. Everyone else should watch Disney's POCAHONTAS with their kids.
Okay, or find a better book about Jamestown. Then, please tell ME about it, so I can read it, too.

FOUR QUEENS. Goldstone, Nancy. Viking, 2007.

Subtitled "The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe".

I learned a lot from this book, but I was disappointed in the writing style, which is that of a long-winded, repetitive, high-school research paper. The subject matter is incredibly interesting, however, and propelled me forward to finish the book.

The book narrates the lives of the four daughters of Raymond Berenger of Provence (southern France) in the mid-13th century. The daughters were, from eldest to youngest: Marguerite, who wed Louis IX (Saint Louis) and endured two seperate crusades to the Holy Land; Eleanor, who would wed Henry III of England; Sanchia, who wed Richard of Cornwall, Henry III's brother and eventual Holy Roman Emperor; and, finally, Beatrice, the youngest, who would inherit her father's lands and title in Provence. Beatrice wed Charles d'Anjou, Louis IX's younger brother.

All four sisters did, in fact, become queens - of France, England, the Holy Roman Empire, and of Sicily. Which means they were married to kings, whose lives were, of course, much more interesting. The depiction of the queens' lives unwittingly highlights the limited roles of women, even powerful women, during the Middle Ages. There is much conniving, back-stabbing, second-guessing, and whispered manipulations from these women, mainly because it was not acceptable for them to do anything outright. In Beatrice's case, even her own sisters and mother begrudged her inheritance of her father's estate, believing it could not be rightly hers, being both the youngest and female. Beatrice stood up for herself and was subtly ostracized for it.
At least, none of them were dragged through the streets by a wild stallion, the fate of that other "powerful" queen from Southern France, Brunhild. And it would be another three centuries before Elizabeth I of England would prove herself more than capable of ruling the most powerful empire in the Western World. But, of course, she kept all her male suitors at bay.

Overall, a so-so read, and not even as full of information as I'd like. I feel a lot was glossed over and maybe even "dumbed down" for a mainstream (possibly mostly female?) audience. I would have liked more details about everyday life, such as dress and cuisine. Reading this, however, has piqued my interest in Louis IX and Beatrice of Provence, as well as the Holy Roman Empire. And of course to fill in the gaps between the Merovingians and 13th c. France.
I recommend this to anyone interested in European History and the roles of women in 13th c. European royalty.

TWO OF US. Giuliano, Geoffrey. 1999, Penguin Studio.

The subtitle reads: "John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Behind the Myth."
I'm not sure what the myth(s) the author's referring to. That they hated each other? That they co-wrote each and every song together? That they themselves were the myth?

Anyone reading this who's known me for a while, also knows I'm slightly obsessed with the Beatles for reasons I, myself, cannot explain. Well, except I love their music, and unlike some of the music from my youth, when I replay any given Beatles CD, it sounds fresher than ever.
I enjoyed this book so much I read it in one evening and the following morning. I could not put it down. The book portrays both the professional and personal relationship between Lennon and McCartney. Despite having listened to their songs for years, I found the author's insight enlightening and refreshing. Most of the information was gleaned from interviews over the past thirty years with the subjects, as well as their peers and family. It follows the two songwriters from the time they met as teenagers until the formal breakup of the Beatles.
After I finished the book this morning, I played almost all of my Beatles CDs through. I found THE WHITE ALBUM immensely refreshing, esp. the Lennon songs that I hadn't cared for all that much when I was thirteen. I have to still, after all this time, disagree with my Dad in his assessment that the Beatles' best stuff was pre-1966. No way, Dad. It is amazing how innovative, even today, the post-1966 music is, and how original and unique. There's still nothing like it.

Currently Reading:

FOUR QUEENS, by Nancy Goldstone.
and soon to read: SAVAGE KINGDOM, a book about settling Jamestown.

The World Without Us. (August 2007)