Blog and Reading Happenings

Unlike the last half dozen blog updates, I won't be promising to write more frequently, as that seems to induce an unexpected hiatus. But here's an update on a couple of things you can expect to see in the coming months, as well as some books I'm excited about that don't fit in with the overall blog. 

7th Annual Tolkien Blog Party

This will be my fourth year participating in Hamlette's fantastic blog tag and overall Tolkien celebration. It's one of the highlights of my blogging year. Be on the lookout for one or two additional Tolkien posts that week as well. 

Exciting Releases

I've been a fan of Pastor Wolfmueller for some time now. I give him and Pastor Jonathan Fisk credit for me having an appreciation for theology and the liturgy and being key influences in the development of my faith. I've been looking forward to this book since he first mentioned it on his Youtube channel. The book is set to release on August 27th.

You may recognize the name of Kathy Tyers from the Firebird Trilogy that I can't seem to be quiet about. (I really ought to adjust my rating from 4.5 stars to a favorite; I keep coming back to it).  I have not yet read this separate sci-fi installation, but I do look forward to it. If it's half as good as Firebird, I'm sure I'll enjoy it thoroughly. 

Recent Readings

Dracula, by Bram Stoker

This was the latest in my quest to read some more "classics"/ "books everyone ought to read". Surprisingly, I enjoyed it quite thoroughly (I really have no desire to read about vampires, romance, or suspense, so the fact I enjoyed says something significant about the quality of the novel). The novel is framed as a series of journal entries, newspaper clippings, and telegrams written by the characters, which lends it an interesting perspective. Don't read it at 2 o'clock in the morning when you're on overnight shift unless you thoroughly want to be creeped out, but it's worth the read for the sake of the prose and suspense. It's also an interesting study in how the role of men and women has changed in lit and how religion can be a central point in a story without it being overwhelming. 

The Inheritance Cycle, by Christopher Paolini

I read this series pretty much every summer. This year, I've taken to listening to it on Audible. (Amazon made me buy it, I swear!). Gerard Doyle does a marvelous job narrating the story, especially when it comes to different character voices. If you're really into audio books, I would highly recommend Audible, even if you end up unsubscribing after a few months; I've been able to purchase the books at under half price.  

The Butchering Art, by Lindsey Fitzharris

This was entirely an impulse buy when I was on a history of anesthesia kick. As usual, the surgeons get all the glory, but this was an interesting historical read nevertheless. If you ever have issues with how healthcare is run, you can find more than one reason to be grateful for how far medicine has progressed in the past two hundred years within this work. It's incredible to see how our understanding of germs, antisepsis, and surgery itself has evolved in so short a time. Fair warning: only read this if you have a strong stomach; it can be pretty medically graphic at times. 

The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis

Speaking of Pastor Jonathan Fisk, he recommended this in a video a while back, so I picked it up to fulfill a Lewis deficiency in my life. I enjoyed it, but if you asked me to explain the main concepts, I would tell you that I need to read it again before I really understand it. (That's partially fueled by the fact that I read it on an overnight shift waiting for the phone to ring; my reading comprehension is not so good at those times). I look forward to revisiting it in the future, hopefully when I'm a little less sleep deprived and can more fully appreciate it and process it. 

What have you been reading lately? Are there any new releases you're waiting on?