Future for me

Since my experience reading sports related stuff is limited to 1. espn.com and 2. seabiscuit, I have decided to forego following Will's book list for the moment...

I just finished reading Stardust.. (a Neal Gaiman book, he writes lots of neo-Fantasy books and wrote Coraline... anyways there's a Stardust movie too that's I actually really enjoyed even though I normally trash any book's accompanying film media). I don't really feel like writing a review about Stardust, but it's fairly good and a very easy read, and if you've already seen the movie this is fun because there's a lot of differences, but in a good way. The plot is much less cheesy. (7/10).

I'm halfway through The Broker right now, because I had this weird craving for reading a Grisham book... and after that I'm probably going to read The Handmaiden's Tale because people keep telling me I would like it. So those are my next ones... maybe after that I'll find a classic to write a boring review about!!!

The Shack, by Wm. Paul Young

Ok, first I want to say sorry for not posting this sooner... in sc we had some storms so both nights after I wrote my last post the power was out (7-9 hours each time) because down in the great south no one cares about us so it takes forever for them to fix anything. Basically I spent some quality time reconnecting with my gameboy (yes I am lame) because what else is there to do when it's dark?

Anyways... The Shack. I don' t know how to write an amazingly structured review like Will did, so you'll just have to bear with my rambling opinion of the book. Ok. I feel like the plot is kind of irrelevant to the purpose of this story, but here's a basic summary:

It takes place in Oregon, and the main character Mack loses his daughter to a serial killer during a camping trip, and he feels to blame for how it happened. Prior to this, his relationship with God has been shaky because of prior childhood events, etc. etc. Vague, I know but I can't give everything away.

Mack, because of a note he recives in his mailbox, ends going up going to "The Shack," where his daughter was killed, to try and make peace with himself and God. And... well I guess you'll have to read it to figure out what happens. Obviously, something happens in the Shack and since this is Christian fiction there's a high chance he is going to have a reconciliation of some sort.

When I first started reading this book, I didn't really understand what the big deal was, and why it was even on the best seller list. But honestly, the first 80 pages (during which I was not a fan of this book at all) are just setting up the story, and imo the real philosophical meat is when he finally gets to the Shack. After this... it takes forever to read, but not because it's boring... it's because it starts getting really dense, and I had to keep re-reading parts to make sure I caught everything.

This book seemed so simple at first, and it wasn't till Chapter 11 and 12 (coincedentally my favorite chapters) that I really began enjoying it. The way this author views God and religion is very interesting, and in chapter 11 he addresses a question a lot of people ask themselves... "Why is God punishing me/why did he allow this to happen?" This book provides a lot of answers, and honestly, it's up to the reader how you interpret them and even whether you agree. Personally, I think this book really delivers a great perspective on God and relationships between people. (And free will, but the only reason I think I appreciate this aspect is because of the required theology professor I had last semester was obsessed with the concept).

Bottom line: Look past the plot, and maybe it is a little hokey but you'll realize halfway through that it is necessary for the author to get to the underlying messages. Some really great quotes, and I think this is one of the deeper pieces of Christian fiction I have read, and one of the more enjoyable ones. Definitely recommend reading, and I'm leaving it on my shelf to re-read at some point.

And, since I'm such a crappy writer I'll end with someone else's words, one of my favorite quotes from the book (p. 237):
"Mack, if anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach our and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindess and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again."

Next Review

Hey everyone,  just updating you on the next review I'm planning on doing.  Its on a book called Tailgating, Sacks, and Salary Caps; it details the evolution of the NFL over the years.  I might also squeak in that The Shack review I was supposed to do before I left for Africa.  Someone here on the trip has it, and I might just try and plow through the final 30 or so pages I had left before I left.  Either way, those are my next two reviews.  I'll leave it open to suggestion whether my thrid review is either The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Catch 22, or some South African fiction I find while I'm here.  Thanks everyone!!!

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel

Life of Pi was written in 2001 by Yann Martel.  It tells the story of Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi), following his youth in India, where he grew up on a zoo owned by his father, as well as some brief information about his current status in the world as a zoologist himself.  One of the crucial elements of the story focuses on Pi’s religious beliefs:  he is a practicing Christian, Muslim, and Hindu, all at once.  The majority of the story, however, follows Pi’s adventures following the crash of the Tsimtsum. 

Pi’s father sold his zoo in India and moved the family to Canada.  As the ship they were sailing on, the Tsimtsum, made its way from India to Canada, it sank.  Pi found himself cast off the ship and into the dark, cold, Pacific Ocean.  He made his way to safety  on a life boat; the lifeboat later came to be home to an injured zebra, and orang-utan, a hyena, and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.  Over the first few days of the trip, the zebra, orang-utan, and hyena are all killed and eaten, leaving only Pi and Richard Parker.  The story tells of their life together on this small little boat, and how they have to rely on one another to survive.  Many different tragedies and joyous moments happen to them as they go.

I loved this story.  It is such an unbelievable tale, full of adventure, full of meaty religious dialogue, full of humor.  I recommend this to anyone who loves to read.  Pi’s inner thoughts on being a Christian/Muslim/Hindu are great, and his reliance and life with God are very interesting, especially given his situation at hand.  His relationship with Richard Parker is also amazing.

The ending is amazingly well paced and is quite simply an all-time great ending to a story.  I’ll obviously not ruin anything, but I suggest that once you have completely read the story, you re-read it.  Once you know the ending, re-reading it changes the book entirely.  I give Yann Martel a great deal of applause for this book, as so many stories I have read recently haven’t really made me stop and go, “what the hell?”  This one did, and I must admit, it left me shaken at the end.

Pi Patel is no ordinary boy, and Life of Pi is no ordinary story.  It is one that needs to be read and re-read and re-read again until the book is so tattered that you must buy a new copy.  The last line of the story, once you know the ending, has so much meaning, is so powerful, that I think I will write it down to think about in future times:  Very few castaways can claim to have survived so long at sea as Mr. Patel, and none in the company of an adult Bengal tiger.  This line really gets at what makes us human, and I implore anyone who reads this review to read this book and then ask themselves if they could actually claim that they could join Pi in this feat.

 

5/5 Life of Pi.

My first post.

Okay, I just wanted to say I finished the Shack yesterday, and will be posting my review tonight or tomorrow... has anyone else finished it yet? I just want to figure out if I am allowed to put spoilers/my favorite quotes in my review.

also, because i am now a lame sat teacher, I get to read while I'm proctoring tests. Which means I will be on top of my reading list (as of now) for the summer.... Will, what's our next book?