:: it's getting good ::

I liked So Brave, Young, and Handsome straight away, but late last night, around page 37, I thought, "Uh oh. Leif Enger did it again. How will I ever be able to put this book down?" Since I was weary to the bone, I found a way, but needless to say, whatever Enger writes - be it the phone book, grocery lists, etc. - I will read it.

Here's one quote that I read over and over, just for the sheer beauty:

"And so I rose each day and dipped my nib. I filled my hopeless quota. I was the Dickensian halfwit who composes letters by the hour, only to make them into kites and fly them up to God."
[page 22]

And, here's a description I found to be charming:

"It pleased Glendon to make shiny inlaid sections in the small foredeck of his Dobie Swifts. He generally shaped copper or bronze to the profile of a bird in flight - aglow with polish, they were pretty and simple as sonnets."
[page 26]

To entice you a little further, some of the character's names (so far) are Monte Becket, his wife Susannah, Redstart (their son), and Glendon Hale. It's fun to meet new characters, huh? Leif Enger's second book is getting good, folks.

And oh, yeah - the ending of Christ the Lord: the Road to Cana choked me up. Anne Rice did it again, too. Andrea, you gotta read it ASAP so I can say more. No pressure.

:: a keeper ::

I'm not finished with Christ the Lord: the Road to Cana yet, thank God. The only problem with a great book is the last page; I hate for such a good story to end. I love Anne Rice's imagination. I don't want to give anything away, especially since Andrea is planning to read The Road to Cana, but apparently, there's some controversy regarding the character of Avigail. However, that story line is choking me up with a beautiful parallel of how Christ loves the Church. Again, Anne Rice is brilliant.

Though I'm still immersed in Cana, I do know what my next fiction read will be. Last night, Johnny and I met my brother for Greek food - a good enough time in and of itself. But I was itching to wander around a bookstore w/coffee in hand. This should not surprise you. We visited one of my favorite stores in Houston: Bookstop, an old, renovated movie theater. I sipped an Americano - my new favorite drink.

In my defense, we did buy birthday gifts for two of our friends. And then, I walked by a display table of new, hardback fiction. You know what I saw ~ So Brave, Young, and Handsome by Leif Enger. It was 20% off, and I'm thankful my husband understands there are some books you simply must own. Besides, we want to pass down the best books to our [future] children (hence the name of this blog). I'm even more satisfied we spent money at Bookstop since there's talk of tearing it down - one of the most beautiful spaces in Houston. I'd make a purchase at Bookstop every week if it would do anything to save the historic landmark.

....I'll let you know how great Leif Enger's new novel is soon.

[a coconut milk latte w/cinnamon. I know what you're thinking, but it tasted great; like real milk. I swear. Hey, if you were dairy-deprived for several months, you'd try it, too.]

:: a new book ::

[coconut black tea there]

It's tough to follow up a book like Peace Like a River, but for an avid reader such as myself, it had to be done. I like to have both a fiction and non-fiction book going at all times. As for fiction, I pulled Christ the Lord: the Road to Cana off the shelf a few days ago, and since then, it's been very hard to put it down.

Selecting that book was not a hard choice. For one thing, I loved Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. Both of Anne Rice's Christ the Lord books are pretty astounding. She honors Scripture within fiction, writes beautifully, and presents history accurately. As for how she describes Jesus - brilliant. Perhaps it seems controversial, but who hasn't sat around, imagining what Jesus was like - as a child, growing up, obeying Joseph & Mary, working as a carpenter, and all the while never sinning? We have a great account of Jesus in the Bible, of course, but I don't see any harm in using our God-given imaginations, as long as Scripture is not contradicted.

The Road to Cana was also an easy choice because my husband "oooh"-ed and "ah"-ed out loud when he read it last month. We usually read together in the living room at night. I sit in my spot on the couch sipping tea, and Johnny sits in a chair across the room sipping a martini (or Scotch). We get absorbed in whatever we're reading, and if we are impressed, we'll often say, "Hey, can I read you something real quick?" This annoys both of us, yet we continue to bug each other.

Last month, Johnny was convincing enough that Anne Rice's new book is making me "oooh" and "ah," too. I'm determined to persuade him to read Peace Like a River ASAP, but he keeps reminding me that he's reading a good book about Stonewall Jackson (by George Grant). I love Stonewall Jackson as much as the next guy, but please, tell my husband I'm right. I can't keep my mouth shut about Leif Enger's story much longer, and I gotta know Johnny's opinions!

Anyway, I might share more thoughts when I'm done w/The Road to Cana, but if you're curious, go ahead and read both "Jesus books." They're absolutely beautiful.

And if you're wondering, yes, I did read one of Anne Rice's vampire books: Vittorio the Vampire. It's not my preferred genre, but that book was great; it even had a quote by St. Augustine and a few redemptive elements. I liked the film Interview with a Vampire, too. So there.

What are y'all reading now that Leif Enger is out of your life (or is he)?