I just noticed yesterday that the last reading review I’d posted here on the Book Den was way back in mid-April. So, I’ll catch up with a brief rundown on the books read since then.Re-reading C.S. Forester’s The Good Shepherd, his World War II novel set in the north Atlantic, which was the Notting Hill Napoleons novel for that month, set me off on re-reading Forester’s whole series of seafaring adventures starring Horatio Hornblower. Great reads all.
I also completed Light from Heaven, the latest in the Jan Karon Mitford series which Claire so loves (and Carol and Carol and Patrick and, I guess, me too). I find this series not only charming but very spiritually stimulating too.
In May I returned to a longtime favorite, the Swiss doctor and author Paul Tournier, and re-read The Seasons of Life. Also in that month I read Gods, Heroes, and Men of Ancient Greece by W.H.D. Rouse, Graustark by George Barr McCutcheon, The Little Minister by J.M. Barrie (a superb novel), and The Amazing Story of Sergeant Jacob De Shazer by C. Hoyt Watson which described the life of a B-25 Bombardier who flew in the Jimmy Doolittle raid, was captured and tortured for 4o months in a Japanese prison, turned to faith in Christ while imprisoned, and returned to serve several decades as a missionary in Japan.
In June I took brief trips to Oz reading (for the first time) L. Frank Baum famous novel and then the next two in the series. My curiosity, however, is now satisfied and I think I will steer clear of Oz the rest of my days.
A more serious read was recommended to me by Dr. Greg Gardner over in Birmingham, England. That was Mere Churchianity by John Hampton. A very provocative book.
And then yesterday I finished a re-read of Daphne Du Maurier’s classic Gothic novel Jamaica Inn — just in time for the Notting Hill Napoleons’ discussion party over at Karla’s house.
Now it’s time to jump through the wardrobe into the land of Narnia for the summer reading challenge we’ve launched with our church. You can read about that by following this link and you might even want to join in the adventure with us.
