Like most Texans, I was raised very religious. Like most people who have religion shoved down their throats for 18 years, I am now an atheist. Atheism isn’t why I hated The Shack, though, it’s because it’s a fucking terrible book. I realized pretty quickly I didn’t like this book, given how shoddily the words are put together. I don’t even want to call it writing. I think I digested about 20% of the overall book, followed along completely, and still felt I gave it too […]
No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross
As you might imagine, this memoir is not a fun one to work through, but that fact doesn’t mean it is not a good or doesn’t have significance. I was drawn to reading it after just finishing a YA novel focused on sexuality in a majority Mormon community, only to see that the trailer for the film adaptation for Boy Erased just dropped. And watching it was a lot to handle at a moment where I was already emotionally compromised, but I figured it would […]
28: An interesting, if inaccessible, book on liberation theology
A decided for her book club pick that we’d be reading theology, and she wanted to focus on social justice issues. James H. Cone’s The Cross and the Lynching Tree was in her TBR, and she wanted to augment our discussion from social justice and activism issues. I’m not sure this is the most accessible book for public consumption, though there were parts that were compelling and enjoyable. As an academic, it was fun to read from a discipline outside mine, especially since Dr. Cone […]
The Glory of my Favorite Illustrator
The end of March 2018 saw a reissue of a Tomie dePaola classic Big Anthony and the Magic Ring (now called Strega Nona’s Magic Ring). The beginning of March saw a reissue of The Clown of God (last night was the first time I could read without crying my eyes out). And early April saw a rare site: dePaola’s text and illustrations by Doug Salati with, In a Small Kingdom. It is a miracle I can tear myself away from reading them! (Yes, my friends, […]