A brief summary of what I’m currently reading or have recently finished, why I read it, and whether I’d recommend it. Although really, it’d have to be truly terrible for me to bother writing about a book I wouldn’t recommend……
Phantastes (George MacDonald) – Disclaimer: This might be the worst book I recommend. It may have been the time of day I was usually reading (late), but I had so much trouble following this plot. It was covered in episodes 71-75 of The Literary Life Podcast (link is to episode 71; I trust you can figure the rest out from there if you’re interested), and the guidance of friendly better-read individuals is helpful on this one. Regardless of plot, it’s widely considered to be one of the first, if not the absolute first, fantasy novel, and so many other authors and stories have been influenced by George MacDonald in general, and this book in particular. Its influence on other writing is why I consider it to have been worth the time, and recommend it here.
Becoming Elisabeth Elliot (Ellen Vaughn) – Few 20th-century Christians are so widely recognized as Elisabeth Elliot. In my mind, and in the minds of many others around me, she is the quintessential wise grandmother with whom I’d like to have a cup of tea and talk about just life. Ellen Vaughn took on the intimidating task of writing her biography, with the approval of Elliot’s family. The first of two volumes, Becoming Elisabeth Elliot covers roughly the first half of her life: childhood, college, her marriage to Jim Elliot, and life in South America. If you’ve read any of Elliot’s books or listened to her radio show in the 90s, and wanted to know more about where she learned such wisdom, this is the book for you.
George Whitefield (Arnold A. Dallimore) – Dallimore condensed his own 2-volume biography of Whitefield, a contemporary and sometimes co-laborer of John and Charles Wesley during the Great Revival, into a single volume that hits the highlights. Whitefield’s is a name that I’ve heard often but mostly in passing, and I think he is often overshadowed by the better-known Wesley brothers. This is a manageable account of his life; it avoids the minutiae that so often bogs down thicker biographies, but doesn’t gloss over the details that are relevant to the broader picture of his life.
James Herriot’s Favorite Dog Stories and James Herriot’s Animal Stories (James Herriot) – James Herriot was a much-loved English country veterinarian, and wrote accounts of his experiences treating all kinds of animals over nearly 50 years. There’s no better comfort read in my book. These two books are comprised of accounts drawn from his longer works; they’re the perfect size to slip into a small purse or even a pocket (though only in menswear; don’t get me started about the pocket inequality of women’s clothing) to read while waiting in line or over a lunch break.
So there you have it: 4 books I’m reading right now or have recently finished. If you’ve read any of these (or decide to after reading this post), drop me a note and let me know what you thought of them! And let me know what you’re reading right now too.