At the beginning of this year, I had a simple goal to read more books. I figured that if I could read a book a week I could easily read 52 this year. As of right now I am on book 59 which doesn't sound like a whole lot but is at least a step in the right direction. My hope is continue to increase the number of books that I read but also to diversify the types of books that I read. Below are a few of the highlights of the books I read this year.
Most Important Book I Read This Year: On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Reading Great Books by Karen Swallow Prior.
The other day my daughters caught up with a friend of theirs who also happens to be a fellow bibliophile. She posed the question "What's the most important book you read this year?" On Reading Well easily wins the prize in the books I read this year. I've always shied away from the so-called "classics" but Prior's book inspired me to dig more into classic literature in the coming year. Prior does an excellent job of showing how both virtue and vice are demonstrated through the stories she highlights. This is a book I imagine I will find myself coming back to as I read through the novels that are selected. There's no question that fiction should be a key part of every Christian's reading list and Prior makes the point very clearly in On Reading Well. (Honorable mention: Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More: Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist by Karen Swallow Prior)
Favorite New Historian: Candice Millard
Last Christmas, my wife bought me Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President. It had me hooked from the first page and I could not put it down. It reads more as a murder mystery thriller than non-fiction book. I enjoyed Ms. Millard's writing so much that I then picked up Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill and found it equally enjoyable. If you are looking for a writer whose non-fiction work reads more like a thriller novel then Ms. Millard is for you.
Favorite Non-Fiction title, History
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission was the first attempt to send a manned spacecraft in orbit around the Moon. While the mission's achievements are well known the tireless work in turning that mission into a success is lesser known. Thanks to Robert Kurson's Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon we have a very detailed but thoroughly readable account of the men involved in this daring mission into space. Given the tumultuous year that was 1968 the Apollo 8 triumph was the redemption of a very dark year in American history.
Book that I had the hardest time putting down
Without a doubt that would be Brad Meltzer's The Escape Artist (my review of the book can be found here). Meltzer is a master at writing thriller novels and The Escape Artist is one of his best yet. He's one of my favorite authors and I thoroughly enjoy reading everything he writes. His new book (due out in a couple of weeks) will be his first foray into non-fiction with the account of the plot to assassinate George Washington. Should be a very interesting read.
My favorite Agatha Christie novel of the year would have to be The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I read a total of nine of Christie's novels this year which is more than any other author. The thing that I love about Styles is that even though it is the first of the Hercule Poirot novels Christie already has a clear idea of what her Belgian detective is like as a character. I have read others of her books that I like as much or more but this definitely stands out as one of her better books.
My new favorite mystery writer: Anthony Horowitz.
I was far more familiar with Horowitz's writing for television with programs such as Foyle's War, Agatha Christie's Poirot, Midsomer Murders, Collison, and New Blood on his resume. But this year I discovered his novels and quickly became a fan. Two that I would particularly recommend are Magpie Murders (my review is here) and Forever and a Day.
Monday, December 31, 2018
Saturday, December 29, 2018
How I Became An Accidental Book Collector
I have always considered myself more of a book hoarder than book collector. Just ask my wife. She will quickly point out we have always had far more books packed up in boxes than shelf space to store them. I tend to buy books and then keep them without really thinking about whether they are something that needs to stay in the house forever. Certainly I will read that book again one day, right?
A couple of years ago things started to change. We had downsized to a smaller house a while back and didn't have nearly the bookshelf space we had before. Our old house had built in bookshelves in both the living room and upstairs family room which is of course exactly why we bought it. Since we had moved to our current house I've slowly been purging books and other stuff that we simply don't have space for any more.
Then about a year ago I joined Instagram. I was aware of it but never really saw how it would fit in with my social media consumption. I joined primarily because my wife and daughters were on it doing different things and I wanted to be the supportive father and husband and be able to give them support for their posts. Somewhere along the way though I started looking at different feeds and discovered a whole subculture of Instagram wholly devoted to books. This was a game changer. Now I follow a number of these accounts where people post pictures of their books. It opened up a whole new world to me as I was largely unaware of some of the artistic treasures that existed out there in the wild.
This also coincided with my desire to read more of Agatha Christie's novels as well as other classic crime fiction. I do a lot of reading for pleasure as a diversion from the day to day stresses of work. I had become a fan of Christie largely through watching the entire series of Agatha Christie's Poirot with David Suchet. I had read the occasional novel here and there and thoroughly enjoyed them and so I wanted to start branching out and reading her other works.
Around the same time I stumbled across an Instagram account that has become one of my favorites: The Year of Agatha. The account was started by two Christie fans who read through the entire canon of Christie's novels in a year and blogged about the experience. But they also collect vintage Christie novels and post the photos on their Instagram feed. As I started browsing through the feed the first time I was instantly struck how many different versions there were out there of her books and how striking the covers could be.
The real kickoff to collecting occurred back in March. While my wife was away with her college girlfriends for the weekend, I spent a lazy Saturday afternoon at Too Many Books in Roanoke, VA (a store I would highly recommend visiting while in the area). As you can see from the photos below, I came away with quite the start to my collection.
Now all of a sudden I had a mission: start collecting Agatha Christie novels. I was already purging books and other stuff I didn't want but now I could take that to used books stores and leverage it for credit for stuff I did want. I have been pleasantly surprised at being able to find older copies of her books. For the proof all you have to do is scroll through my Instagram account where I have been posting photos.
I have long been a fan of used book stores because (a) I like to read a lot, and (b) I'm cheap and don't like to pay a lot for books. Thanks to my new found pastime shopping at used books stores has gone to another whole level.
A couple of years ago things started to change. We had downsized to a smaller house a while back and didn't have nearly the bookshelf space we had before. Our old house had built in bookshelves in both the living room and upstairs family room which is of course exactly why we bought it. Since we had moved to our current house I've slowly been purging books and other stuff that we simply don't have space for any more.
Then about a year ago I joined Instagram. I was aware of it but never really saw how it would fit in with my social media consumption. I joined primarily because my wife and daughters were on it doing different things and I wanted to be the supportive father and husband and be able to give them support for their posts. Somewhere along the way though I started looking at different feeds and discovered a whole subculture of Instagram wholly devoted to books. This was a game changer. Now I follow a number of these accounts where people post pictures of their books. It opened up a whole new world to me as I was largely unaware of some of the artistic treasures that existed out there in the wild.
This also coincided with my desire to read more of Agatha Christie's novels as well as other classic crime fiction. I do a lot of reading for pleasure as a diversion from the day to day stresses of work. I had become a fan of Christie largely through watching the entire series of Agatha Christie's Poirot with David Suchet. I had read the occasional novel here and there and thoroughly enjoyed them and so I wanted to start branching out and reading her other works.
Around the same time I stumbled across an Instagram account that has become one of my favorites: The Year of Agatha. The account was started by two Christie fans who read through the entire canon of Christie's novels in a year and blogged about the experience. But they also collect vintage Christie novels and post the photos on their Instagram feed. As I started browsing through the feed the first time I was instantly struck how many different versions there were out there of her books and how striking the covers could be.
The real kickoff to collecting occurred back in March. While my wife was away with her college girlfriends for the weekend, I spent a lazy Saturday afternoon at Too Many Books in Roanoke, VA (a store I would highly recommend visiting while in the area). As you can see from the photos below, I came away with quite the start to my collection.
Now all of a sudden I had a mission: start collecting Agatha Christie novels. I was already purging books and other stuff I didn't want but now I could take that to used books stores and leverage it for credit for stuff I did want. I have been pleasantly surprised at being able to find older copies of her books. For the proof all you have to do is scroll through my Instagram account where I have been posting photos.
I have long been a fan of used book stores because (a) I like to read a lot, and (b) I'm cheap and don't like to pay a lot for books. Thanks to my new found pastime shopping at used books stores has gone to another whole level.
Book Review: Magpie Murders
If you were to scan my Goodreads list of books read you would likely see a disproportionate number of mysteries and thrillers compared to other genres. This started a couple of years ago after binges on British TV shows such as Poirot, Lord Peter Wimsey, and Father Brown that I turned my attention towards reading the books upon which these great detectives were based. Along the way I also discovered a number of new detectives and stories to read.
I also frequent a lot of used book stores because (a) I read a large number of books; (b) I don't necessarily want to keep the books after I have read them and trade them for more books and (c) because I am cheap. Often my trips to the bookstore uncover amazing finds (as I have previously documented on Instagram). This was especially true for Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz.
I was familiar with Mr. Horowitz's writing for television particularly as creator of such shows as Foyle's War, New Blood, and Collision. He's also contributed scripts to Agatha Christie's Poirot and Midsomer Murders. He's also written Sherlock Holmes stories and James Bond novels (each with blessing of the estates of Arthur Conan Doyle and Ian Fleming) as well as an adventure series for young adults.
But it's clear that Mr. Horowitz knows what makes a good mystery and how to in some ways turn the conventions on their head. This is certainly true in Magpie Murders which features a novel within a novel thus setting up two mysteries for the reader to solve.
From the synopsis:
Editor Susan Ryeland has worked with bestselling crime writer Alan Conway for years, so she has no reason to think his latest novel will be much different from his others. Readers love his detective, Atticus Pünd, a celebrated solver of crimes in the sleepy English villages of the 1950s.
But Conway’s latest tale of murder at Pye Hall is not quite what it seems. Yes, there are dead bodies and a host of intriguing suspects, but hidden in the pages of the manuscript lies another story: a tale written between the very words on the page, telling of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition and murder.
It's difficult to take an established literary genre as the British cozy mystery and do something completely different with it but Mr. Horowitz manages to do just that. It's clear that he understands how the genre works and is willing to turn convention on its head. I look forward to seeing what he has coming next.
Friday, May 11, 2018
Weekend Links 5-11-18
A Friday roundup of interesting stuff from the internet. Here are the articles that caught my attention this week:
Brad Meltzer, best selling author of The Escape Artist has a new book in the works. This time he is delving into non-fiction with the story of the secret plot against George Washington.
A profile of the man who invented book selling as we know it.
This is a terrific look at the geniuses behind the Babylon Bee.
Analytics is pretty commonplace now in Major League Baseball but at the college level it is still a novelty. At UNC they are leading the way in adopting analytics into the game.
Many evangelical leaders have not only been outspoken in their support of President Trump but have gone to great lengths to defend his most egregious behaviors. David French has some very frank words for the President's evangelical backers.
Tim Challies poses an interesting question: is your church Christian or Christianish?
10 things you should know about your smartphone.
Nostalgia alert: 10 Fun Facts About Highlights.
The woman who was the subject of one of the most iconic photos to come out of the Vietnam War shares how she came to Christ. It's a powerful testimony.
Baseball America polled its correspondents to come up with a list of the ten best major league parks (excluding Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Dodger Stadium as they are in a class of their own).
This is one of the more interesting stories I have run across this week: How a Coney Island sideshow helped to save thousand of babies.
On an almost daily basis there are new reports of scientific studies reported as absolute fact. But there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of such studies.
As I visit used book stores in my travels I am always on the lookout for vintage cover illustrations. In fact, I believe that book cover illustration is in many ways a lost art. This collection of pulp covers of classic fiction is fantastic.
Brad Meltzer, best selling author of The Escape Artist has a new book in the works. This time he is delving into non-fiction with the story of the secret plot against George Washington.
A profile of the man who invented book selling as we know it.
This is a terrific look at the geniuses behind the Babylon Bee.
Analytics is pretty commonplace now in Major League Baseball but at the college level it is still a novelty. At UNC they are leading the way in adopting analytics into the game.
Many evangelical leaders have not only been outspoken in their support of President Trump but have gone to great lengths to defend his most egregious behaviors. David French has some very frank words for the President's evangelical backers.
Tim Challies poses an interesting question: is your church Christian or Christianish?
10 things you should know about your smartphone.
Nostalgia alert: 10 Fun Facts About Highlights.
The woman who was the subject of one of the most iconic photos to come out of the Vietnam War shares how she came to Christ. It's a powerful testimony.
Baseball America polled its correspondents to come up with a list of the ten best major league parks (excluding Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Dodger Stadium as they are in a class of their own).
This is one of the more interesting stories I have run across this week: How a Coney Island sideshow helped to save thousand of babies.
On an almost daily basis there are new reports of scientific studies reported as absolute fact. But there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of such studies.
As I visit used book stores in my travels I am always on the lookout for vintage cover illustrations. In fact, I believe that book cover illustration is in many ways a lost art. This collection of pulp covers of classic fiction is fantastic.
Friday, April 20, 2018
Weekend Links 4-20-18
A weekly roundup of interesting stuff from the Internet:
The old adage is that you never leave a baseball game early. Never. Last Saturday, the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves proved this adage to be true in one of the strangest innings of a baseball game ever. I was watching this game live and still cannot believe the way it turned out. I have never seen anything like it.
C.S. Lewis is known as one of the greatest Christian writers of all time. Many forget that he was once an avowed atheist. His experiences in the trenches during World War I changed his life forever.
Adventures in etymology: Why are bananas, nuts, and crackers the only foods that say "crazy"?
How a notorious art heist led to the discovery of six fake Mona Lisas.
English isn't logical and that's a good thing.
How Schoolhouse Rock became the "Jingle of a Generation". (hat tip Witnify)
Five ways to recover the lost art of note taking.
Five years ago, Brad Meltzer put out a plea on social media for a kidney donor to help save his beloved history teacher. He then rewarded the donor by making her a major character in his latest novel.
Could a move towards localism help heal our political divide? It's certainly a good place to start.
Myrtle Beach is known as a great place for a golf vacation. But it also happens to be the self-proclaimed mini-golf capital of the world.
The old adage is that you never leave a baseball game early. Never. Last Saturday, the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves proved this adage to be true in one of the strangest innings of a baseball game ever. I was watching this game live and still cannot believe the way it turned out. I have never seen anything like it.
C.S. Lewis is known as one of the greatest Christian writers of all time. Many forget that he was once an avowed atheist. His experiences in the trenches during World War I changed his life forever.
Adventures in etymology: Why are bananas, nuts, and crackers the only foods that say "crazy"?
How a notorious art heist led to the discovery of six fake Mona Lisas.
English isn't logical and that's a good thing.
How Schoolhouse Rock became the "Jingle of a Generation". (hat tip Witnify)
Five ways to recover the lost art of note taking.
Five years ago, Brad Meltzer put out a plea on social media for a kidney donor to help save his beloved history teacher. He then rewarded the donor by making her a major character in his latest novel.
Could a move towards localism help heal our political divide? It's certainly a good place to start.
Myrtle Beach is known as a great place for a golf vacation. But it also happens to be the self-proclaimed mini-golf capital of the world.
Friday, April 13, 2018
Weekend Links 4-13-18
It's been a really full week of fun stuff on the internet. Here are the stories that caught my eye.
I'm generally not a fan of colorized photos but I have to admit these colorized photos of old baseball players are amazing.
Minor league baseball teams always have to be creative with their promotions. Case in point: the Richmond Flying Squirrels will have an Edgar Allan Poe Bobblestache night (Poe lived in Richmond).
Speaking of the minor leagues, here is a terrific profile of the brief, colorful history of the Saratoga Phillies, where baseball was played for the fun of it.
Disneyland has updated its monorails with some pretty cool Pixar themed artwork.
Many young girls dream of being a princess. The next best thing is to attend a royal wedding.
The idea of being a location scout always seemed interesting to me but once you know their secrets it's not as glamorous a job as you might think.
Strange but true: how a typographical error might have helped end World War II.
Matt Walsh has some interesting observations about how our culture destroys boys.
No doubt this was a shock among Purdue fans: head football coach Tony Levine has stepped down to run a Chick-fil-A in Houston. But read the whole article to discover why he made this unusual career move.
Tweet of the week:
I'm generally not a fan of colorized photos but I have to admit these colorized photos of old baseball players are amazing.
Minor league baseball teams always have to be creative with their promotions. Case in point: the Richmond Flying Squirrels will have an Edgar Allan Poe Bobblestache night (Poe lived in Richmond).
Speaking of the minor leagues, here is a terrific profile of the brief, colorful history of the Saratoga Phillies, where baseball was played for the fun of it.
Disneyland has updated its monorails with some pretty cool Pixar themed artwork.
Many young girls dream of being a princess. The next best thing is to attend a royal wedding.
This 12-year-old Manchester attack survivor has landed an invite to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding - and she couldn't be happier about it ❤️ pic.twitter.com/pbRiFcU5yB— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 11, 2018
The idea of being a location scout always seemed interesting to me but once you know their secrets it's not as glamorous a job as you might think.
Strange but true: how a typographical error might have helped end World War II.
Matt Walsh has some interesting observations about how our culture destroys boys.
No doubt this was a shock among Purdue fans: head football coach Tony Levine has stepped down to run a Chick-fil-A in Houston. But read the whole article to discover why he made this unusual career move.
Tweet of the week:
“I acted for what I deemed the best.”— DailyPlum (@DailyPlum) April 6, 2018
“Another time try acting for the worst. Then we may possibly escape with a mere flesh wound.”
-Right Ho, Jeeves
Friday, April 06, 2018
Weekend Links 4-6-18
A random collection of links for your weekend reading:
ICYMI: my review of Brad Meltzer's The Escape Artist is here.
This is one of my favorite stories of the week. A couple decided to open an independent book store in Ann Arbor, Michigan. One of its more notable features is a typewriter in the store available for anyone to use. Those contributions have been collected and published in a book.
Uncovering the secret of Chick-Fil-A's success.
Ranking the best westerns ever made.
Once a rare sight, the C-flap is becoming more common among baseball hitters. Here's the story of how it came to be.
Want to be a better writer? Study the habits of these famous writers.
This made me laugh out loud.
How to beat the Facebook algorithm by becoming your own curator. I don't really use Facebook for much of anything (except for friends who still want to stay in touch). It's definitely not the site to use to curate news.
Tweet of the week (watch the catcher carefully):
ICYMI: my review of Brad Meltzer's The Escape Artist is here.
This is one of my favorite stories of the week. A couple decided to open an independent book store in Ann Arbor, Michigan. One of its more notable features is a typewriter in the store available for anyone to use. Those contributions have been collected and published in a book.
Uncovering the secret of Chick-Fil-A's success.
Ranking the best westerns ever made.
Once a rare sight, the C-flap is becoming more common among baseball hitters. Here's the story of how it came to be.
Want to be a better writer? Study the habits of these famous writers.
This made me laugh out loud.
How to beat the Facebook algorithm by becoming your own curator. I don't really use Facebook for much of anything (except for friends who still want to stay in touch). It's definitely not the site to use to curate news.
Tweet of the week (watch the catcher carefully):
This is absolutely amazing. This is my buddy’s son up to bat but please watch the catcher. Let’s make this guy known! 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/M6goz7VYa1— Tony Austin ⚾™ (@TonyAustin_10) April 1, 2018
Wednesday, April 04, 2018
Book Review: The Escape Artist
Every once in a while a book comes along that I am hesitant to start because I know once I do start it I'm not going to be able to put it down.
Brad Meltzer's new book The Escape Artist is just such a book.
And it's no big surprise that it debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list.
The best thrillers are those where it's hard to separate what's fact from what's fiction. Meltzer intersperses his books with details that only come from meticulous research. For example, one of the main characters, Jim "Zig" Zigarowski is a mortician at Dover Air Force Base which is home to the government's mortuary. Any soldier killed in action is brought to Dover. So are CIA undercover agents that have died in the line of duty. And many others. Meltzer's description of the mortuary is so detailed you feel like you are right there. And I came away with a much greater appreciation of the work that is completed there by our unsung heroes who go to tremendous lengths to make sure that their fallen sons and daughters are properly prepared to be given a decent burial.
When a small plane crashes in Alaska with the Librarian of Congress and several others aboard it is up to Zig to deal with the bodies as they are brought to Dover. He is shocked to discover one of the victims is Nola Brown, a young woman who many years earlier had saved his own daughter's life. But as he completes his examination he realizes that the woman is not Nola Brown at all. Nola is alive and on the run. Why did she go to such lengths to fake her death? Who is she running from? And why? Zig is determined to get to the truth. But at what cost?
I would share more but that would be telling. Suffice it to say that because Meltzer does such a great job of grounding his stories in what is true that it makes the plot much more realistic and as a result the novel much more fascinating to read. Also he's a master at the unexpected plot twist - just when you think you know where the story is headed he brings an unexpected twist (or two or three).
Meltzer has made a career of constructing page-turning thrillers and The Escape Artist is no exception. Pick up a copy and then block out time to read it. Once you start it you won't be able to put it down.
My rating: 4 1/2 stars.
Note: this book contains adult language.
Brad Meltzer's new book The Escape Artist is just such a book.
And it's no big surprise that it debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list.
The best thrillers are those where it's hard to separate what's fact from what's fiction. Meltzer intersperses his books with details that only come from meticulous research. For example, one of the main characters, Jim "Zig" Zigarowski is a mortician at Dover Air Force Base which is home to the government's mortuary. Any soldier killed in action is brought to Dover. So are CIA undercover agents that have died in the line of duty. And many others. Meltzer's description of the mortuary is so detailed you feel like you are right there. And I came away with a much greater appreciation of the work that is completed there by our unsung heroes who go to tremendous lengths to make sure that their fallen sons and daughters are properly prepared to be given a decent burial.
When a small plane crashes in Alaska with the Librarian of Congress and several others aboard it is up to Zig to deal with the bodies as they are brought to Dover. He is shocked to discover one of the victims is Nola Brown, a young woman who many years earlier had saved his own daughter's life. But as he completes his examination he realizes that the woman is not Nola Brown at all. Nola is alive and on the run. Why did she go to such lengths to fake her death? Who is she running from? And why? Zig is determined to get to the truth. But at what cost?
I would share more but that would be telling. Suffice it to say that because Meltzer does such a great job of grounding his stories in what is true that it makes the plot much more realistic and as a result the novel much more fascinating to read. Also he's a master at the unexpected plot twist - just when you think you know where the story is headed he brings an unexpected twist (or two or three).
Meltzer has made a career of constructing page-turning thrillers and The Escape Artist is no exception. Pick up a copy and then block out time to read it. Once you start it you won't be able to put it down.
My rating: 4 1/2 stars.
Note: this book contains adult language.
Friday, March 30, 2018
Weekend Links 3-30-18
A shorter than normal collection of links for your weekend reading. Just means I had less time to hunt stuff down this week.
Facebook has been in the news a lot because of a data breach. But the problem goes much, much deeper as Gracy Olmstead points out. I've long since stopped sharing personal stuff on Facebook and these days don't spend a lot of time there.
There's a lot of truth in this article: Remote Workers Outperform Office Workers. I have worked remotely for the past fifteen years and always find I am far more productive working remotely than in an office.
Wise words from Andy Crouch: It's Time to Reckon with Celebrity Power.
It amazes me that decades after the end of World War II there are still news stories connected to the war. The latest is the discovery of the wreckage of the USS Juneau which sank in 1942. The wreck is notable because among the victims were the five Sullivan brothers from Iowa who insisted on serving in the Navy together.
Via The Curious Reader, a wonderful analysis of master and servant, Jeeves and Wooster.
The benefits of practicing attention management.
And finally, baseball is back!
Facebook has been in the news a lot because of a data breach. But the problem goes much, much deeper as Gracy Olmstead points out. I've long since stopped sharing personal stuff on Facebook and these days don't spend a lot of time there.
There's a lot of truth in this article: Remote Workers Outperform Office Workers. I have worked remotely for the past fifteen years and always find I am far more productive working remotely than in an office.
Wise words from Andy Crouch: It's Time to Reckon with Celebrity Power.
It amazes me that decades after the end of World War II there are still news stories connected to the war. The latest is the discovery of the wreckage of the USS Juneau which sank in 1942. The wreck is notable because among the victims were the five Sullivan brothers from Iowa who insisted on serving in the Navy together.
Via The Curious Reader, a wonderful analysis of master and servant, Jeeves and Wooster.
The benefits of practicing attention management.
And finally, baseball is back!
Friday, March 23, 2018
Weekend Links 3-23-18
Your Friday roundup of interesting stuff unearthed this week:
I've always been curious how rare book dealers appraise books. Surprisingly it's a much quicker process than you might think.
You can now take a free online course in Klingon.
Every wonder how to write a great Jeopardy! clue?
Why P. G. Wodehouse is the funniest author in the English language. It's hard to argue with this logic. This also happens to be one of my current favorite websites to visit.
Steve McQueen's 1968 Ford Mustang from the movie Bullitt is considered the holy grail among car collectors. For a long time it was thought to be lost. The fact that it was found is only the beginning of the story.
In some parts of the country it's time for the dreaded PBS fundraising drive.
It's rare that umpires speak in public about their profession which is why this interview is so interesting.
This documentary about Fred Rogers looks like it will be amazing.
Related: Why Mr. Rogers still matters.
I've always been curious how rare book dealers appraise books. Surprisingly it's a much quicker process than you might think.
You can now take a free online course in Klingon.
Every wonder how to write a great Jeopardy! clue?
Why P. G. Wodehouse is the funniest author in the English language. It's hard to argue with this logic. This also happens to be one of my current favorite websites to visit.
Steve McQueen's 1968 Ford Mustang from the movie Bullitt is considered the holy grail among car collectors. For a long time it was thought to be lost. The fact that it was found is only the beginning of the story.
In some parts of the country it's time for the dreaded PBS fundraising drive.
It's rare that umpires speak in public about their profession which is why this interview is so interesting.
This documentary about Fred Rogers looks like it will be amazing.
Related: Why Mr. Rogers still matters.
Friday, March 16, 2018
Weekend Links 3-16-18
A roundup of interesting stuff I ran across this week:
Last weekend marked the premiere of the film version of A Wrinkle in Time. Fans of the novel have been alarmed that removal of the faith elements from the novel are going to dilute the story. Plus here's seven things to know about the novel and its author.
Fifty years ago this week, Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey premiered. The amazing ways the film foretold the future.
Matt Chandler delivers a powerful message on biblical masculinity and its absence in our culture is at the heart of the brokenness we see today.
P. G. Wodehouse was one of the most prolific writers of all time. Here are nine of his lesser known books that are worth reading.
Productivity tip: How to Send Insights to Your Future Self.
In this brief video, Karen Swallow Prior explains why Christians should be readers.
The easy response to the news is to tune out. The much more difficult (and possibly better response) is to carefully tune in.
I love the fact that Food and Wine magazine chose a local burger chain as the nation's best. It is really good. Well worth the visit if you're ever in the neighborhood.
This is a fascinating article: How a book warehouse is changing Columbia University's Library.
I've never seen a play like this before. I am not sure how he pulled it off.
This is a fantastic idea.
Video of the week - Nutella: The Miracle of World War II. (Hat tip: Tim Challies)
Last weekend marked the premiere of the film version of A Wrinkle in Time. Fans of the novel have been alarmed that removal of the faith elements from the novel are going to dilute the story. Plus here's seven things to know about the novel and its author.
Fifty years ago this week, Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey premiered. The amazing ways the film foretold the future.
Matt Chandler delivers a powerful message on biblical masculinity and its absence in our culture is at the heart of the brokenness we see today.
P. G. Wodehouse was one of the most prolific writers of all time. Here are nine of his lesser known books that are worth reading.
Productivity tip: How to Send Insights to Your Future Self.
In this brief video, Karen Swallow Prior explains why Christians should be readers.
The easy response to the news is to tune out. The much more difficult (and possibly better response) is to carefully tune in.
I love the fact that Food and Wine magazine chose a local burger chain as the nation's best. It is really good. Well worth the visit if you're ever in the neighborhood.
This is a fascinating article: How a book warehouse is changing Columbia University's Library.
I've never seen a play like this before. I am not sure how he pulled it off.
This is a fantastic idea.
Video of the week - Nutella: The Miracle of World War II. (Hat tip: Tim Challies)
Friday, March 09, 2018
Weekend Links 3-9-18
Your weekly roundup of interesting things from the web:
One of the things I love about Brad Meltzer's thrillers is the tremendous amount of research he puts into his novels. His new novel The Escape Artist was just published this week. One of the characters in the novel is a mortician at Dover Air Force base. While visiting the mortuary to do research for the book he discovered a message from 9/11 victim that was sent from beyond the grave. It's a fascinating story.
Gracy Olmstead has a terrific column on discovering community through book clubs. She also quotes P. G. Wodehouse which is an added bonus.
Productivity tip. sometimes you need a reset day.
Legendary North Carolina Tar Heels broadcaster Woody Durham passed away this week. I shared a few of my own memories of Woody here but Adam Lucas did a much better job summing up how Tar Heel fans felt about him.
While lots of sports news outlets are facing cutbacks, The Athletic is growing by leaps and bounds. Seems like every day they are hiring more writers.
For baseball fans, the dead ball era refers to that period in history before the home run became commonplace. Most of our sights of the era have been based on photographs. However, this video shows footage from actual games of the era.
The assassination of President James Garfield rocked the nation yet few people know the full story. Now there is a move underway to mark the site of the assassination. If you want to learn more about the assassination, I highly recommend Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard.
One of the best ways to stay informed is to read less news.
This may seem counter intuitive but actually makes a lot of sense: I wanted to be a good mom. So I bought a gun.
One of the things I love about Brad Meltzer's thrillers is the tremendous amount of research he puts into his novels. His new novel The Escape Artist was just published this week. One of the characters in the novel is a mortician at Dover Air Force base. While visiting the mortuary to do research for the book he discovered a message from 9/11 victim that was sent from beyond the grave. It's a fascinating story.
Gracy Olmstead has a terrific column on discovering community through book clubs. She also quotes P. G. Wodehouse which is an added bonus.
Productivity tip. sometimes you need a reset day.
Legendary North Carolina Tar Heels broadcaster Woody Durham passed away this week. I shared a few of my own memories of Woody here but Adam Lucas did a much better job summing up how Tar Heel fans felt about him.
While lots of sports news outlets are facing cutbacks, The Athletic is growing by leaps and bounds. Seems like every day they are hiring more writers.
For baseball fans, the dead ball era refers to that period in history before the home run became commonplace. Most of our sights of the era have been based on photographs. However, this video shows footage from actual games of the era.
The assassination of President James Garfield rocked the nation yet few people know the full story. Now there is a move underway to mark the site of the assassination. If you want to learn more about the assassination, I highly recommend Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard.
One of the best ways to stay informed is to read less news.
This may seem counter intuitive but actually makes a lot of sense: I wanted to be a good mom. So I bought a gun.
Wednesday, March 07, 2018
Farewell Woody
As the ACC basketball tournament gets cranked up this weekend, North Carolina Tar Heels are faced with the sad news that Woody Durham, the voice of the Tar Heels, has died.
Growing up in North Carolina the son of a Tar Heel (my father graduated in 1958) I had no choice but to become a Tar Heel fan. Woody started his career with the Heels in 1971 when radio was still the dominant medium in college sports. As a result, generations of Tar Heels like myself grew up listening to Woody's calls.
The impact that Woody had on Tar Heel nation was visible. It was not uncommon during football games for fans to chant "Woody, Woody" over and over again until he would lean out the press box and wave to the crowd acknowledging he had heard their chants. Fans would frequently bring radios to the game so they could listen to his call while watching the action.
It was also common when games were televised for many folks to "turn down the sound" and turn on Woody's call of the game. I can vividly remember while a student at Carolina being at numerous viewing parties where Woody's call was on while the game was on television.
When I was at Carolina there were only eight teams in the ACC so the basketball tournament would start on the first Friday of March. I always made a point to make sure I didn't have any Friday classes after noon (and if I did I would have skipped them) because not only would be calling the Carolina game he would call the entire tournament. That meant on opening day he would call four games. Stop and think about that for a moment. And he was just as sharp at the end of the day as he was at the beginning. It was the one time of the year that no matter which ACC school you pledged allegiance to you would have the privilege of having Woody call your team's game.
The reason that he connected so well with the fans was he was not only a Tar Heel (class of '63) but also at heart a fan. His excitement when Carolina had success was evident in the tone of his calls. All you have to do is listen to a few of his memorable moments to hear that at heart he's not just a broadcaster but a fan.
But I will always treasure the brief period of time when I got to work with him. I was a part time announcer and sports report at WCHL in Chapel Hill while I was at Carolina. I was fortunate enough to work with the Tar Heel Sports Network my senior year including conducting locker room interviews following home games during the 1987-88 season. I was able to sit in the booth and watch a master at work.
If I learned anything from working with Woody it was the importance of getting details right. For example, he was a stickler about getting players' names right. He hated mispronounced names. He also encouraged me to make sure to get the details right because they were important.
As a listener, Woody made it sound like he had a really easy job. But the fact of the matter is that he put an immense amount of preparation into each broadcast. It showed with the immense amount of information he managed to convey during a broadcast. Plus he was able to paint a word picture of the action like few other broadcasters have been able to since.
I would venture to say there are probably only a handful of announcers who have been able to make the personal connection with their fans they way that Woody Durham did. He was definitely one of kind. And Tar Heel nation will miss him greatly.
Growing up in North Carolina the son of a Tar Heel (my father graduated in 1958) I had no choice but to become a Tar Heel fan. Woody started his career with the Heels in 1971 when radio was still the dominant medium in college sports. As a result, generations of Tar Heels like myself grew up listening to Woody's calls.
The impact that Woody had on Tar Heel nation was visible. It was not uncommon during football games for fans to chant "Woody, Woody" over and over again until he would lean out the press box and wave to the crowd acknowledging he had heard their chants. Fans would frequently bring radios to the game so they could listen to his call while watching the action.
It was also common when games were televised for many folks to "turn down the sound" and turn on Woody's call of the game. I can vividly remember while a student at Carolina being at numerous viewing parties where Woody's call was on while the game was on television.
When I was at Carolina there were only eight teams in the ACC so the basketball tournament would start on the first Friday of March. I always made a point to make sure I didn't have any Friday classes after noon (and if I did I would have skipped them) because not only would be calling the Carolina game he would call the entire tournament. That meant on opening day he would call four games. Stop and think about that for a moment. And he was just as sharp at the end of the day as he was at the beginning. It was the one time of the year that no matter which ACC school you pledged allegiance to you would have the privilege of having Woody call your team's game.
The reason that he connected so well with the fans was he was not only a Tar Heel (class of '63) but also at heart a fan. His excitement when Carolina had success was evident in the tone of his calls. All you have to do is listen to a few of his memorable moments to hear that at heart he's not just a broadcaster but a fan.
But I will always treasure the brief period of time when I got to work with him. I was a part time announcer and sports report at WCHL in Chapel Hill while I was at Carolina. I was fortunate enough to work with the Tar Heel Sports Network my senior year including conducting locker room interviews following home games during the 1987-88 season. I was able to sit in the booth and watch a master at work.
If I learned anything from working with Woody it was the importance of getting details right. For example, he was a stickler about getting players' names right. He hated mispronounced names. He also encouraged me to make sure to get the details right because they were important.
As a listener, Woody made it sound like he had a really easy job. But the fact of the matter is that he put an immense amount of preparation into each broadcast. It showed with the immense amount of information he managed to convey during a broadcast. Plus he was able to paint a word picture of the action like few other broadcasters have been able to since.
I would venture to say there are probably only a handful of announcers who have been able to make the personal connection with their fans they way that Woody Durham did. He was definitely one of kind. And Tar Heel nation will miss him greatly.
Friday, March 02, 2018
Weekend Links 3-2-18
After an unexpected week off a whole host of links for your weekend reading. I'm spending the weekend off of social media and am going book hunting. We'll see how that goes. Meanwhile, enjoy these articles.
This is fascinating: these astronauts have seen Earth from space. Here's how that experience changed them.
Odd but true: divers found an undetonated World War II bomb in Sydney harbor.
Someone decided to abandon a Boeing 737 in Bali and nobody knows why.
If you can't remember the last book you read or the last movie or television show you saw you're not alone.
Speaking of reading, here's how to read more books. I have found that I have to make time every day to read. Plus I have at least one book I am working on at any given time. Right now I am churning through about seven books a month and that feels like a pretty good pace. I also follow lots of different bookish people on Instagram and it's a treasure trove of inspiration.
Tim Challies weighs in on why men don't read books written by women. I think he's on the right track in terms of how writers target their writing for a particular audience but mostly I think it has to do with how publishers market the books.
Quote of the week: Carl Trueman on the Oscars:
I don't like to wade into politics here any more in large part because it has become far too toxic to discuss. However, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this column from Mona Charen. Last week she was booed off the stage at CPAC because she dared to call conservatives on their hypocrisy when it comes to sexual harassment and the chronic excusing of past behaviors of their candidates. I applaud her for her courage. I wish more conservatives had her backbone.
Guns have also been a hot topic in the aftermath of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. But this piece by David French is very thoughtful and worth careful consideration.
Joe Carter wraps up his series on how Christians should engage with the news. In summary, consume less of it. The previous installments are here, here, and here.
A related issue that frankly has been woefully under-reported is the plague of fatherless homes. Matt Walsh has some great insights into things every boy needs to learn from his father.
Matt Szczur may have moved on from the Cubs to the Padres but he still has fond memories of the 2016 World Series. He's also quite the talented artist.
"Great people choose to do what is right no matter what." That certainly rings true for Iowa's Jordan Bohannon who missed a free throw on purpose. A very classy move.
This is fascinating: these astronauts have seen Earth from space. Here's how that experience changed them.
Odd but true: divers found an undetonated World War II bomb in Sydney harbor.
Someone decided to abandon a Boeing 737 in Bali and nobody knows why.
If you can't remember the last book you read or the last movie or television show you saw you're not alone.
Speaking of reading, here's how to read more books. I have found that I have to make time every day to read. Plus I have at least one book I am working on at any given time. Right now I am churning through about seven books a month and that feels like a pretty good pace. I also follow lots of different bookish people on Instagram and it's a treasure trove of inspiration.
Tim Challies weighs in on why men don't read books written by women. I think he's on the right track in terms of how writers target their writing for a particular audience but mostly I think it has to do with how publishers market the books.
Quote of the week: Carl Trueman on the Oscars:
I make a point of never watching the Oscars. If I want to waste four hours of my life being alternately patronized and reminded what an abject failure I am according to the criteria of contemporary society holds dear, I can always read The New Yorker.
I don't like to wade into politics here any more in large part because it has become far too toxic to discuss. However, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this column from Mona Charen. Last week she was booed off the stage at CPAC because she dared to call conservatives on their hypocrisy when it comes to sexual harassment and the chronic excusing of past behaviors of their candidates. I applaud her for her courage. I wish more conservatives had her backbone.
Guns have also been a hot topic in the aftermath of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. But this piece by David French is very thoughtful and worth careful consideration.
Joe Carter wraps up his series on how Christians should engage with the news. In summary, consume less of it. The previous installments are here, here, and here.
A related issue that frankly has been woefully under-reported is the plague of fatherless homes. Matt Walsh has some great insights into things every boy needs to learn from his father.
Matt Szczur may have moved on from the Cubs to the Padres but he still has fond memories of the 2016 World Series. He's also quite the talented artist.
"Great people choose to do what is right no matter what." That certainly rings true for Iowa's Jordan Bohannon who missed a free throw on purpose. A very classy move.
Friday, February 16, 2018
Weekend Links 2-16-18
A weekly roundup of links of interest. Commentary included at no extra charge.
Pitchers and catchers report this week which means baseball season is right around the corner. The big story this offseason has been the extremely cold free agent market. George Will offers some very sensible analysis why teams aren't going to spend money on expensive free agents. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is the start of new trend.
This interview with Roy and Karen Prior on marriage is well worth reading. I found myself thinking a lot about how I met my wife and how much God has blessed our family in reading their story.
Some helpful advice here on how to become a morning person.
This is interesting: The Phantom Tollbooth and the Redeeming Power of Words.
This sounds like a dream job to me!
An important article from Russell Moore: How to Teach Boys to Respect Women.
Now we know the origin of "Who's On First?"
Fun fact of the week:
Pitchers and catchers report this week which means baseball season is right around the corner. The big story this offseason has been the extremely cold free agent market. George Will offers some very sensible analysis why teams aren't going to spend money on expensive free agents. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is the start of new trend.
This interview with Roy and Karen Prior on marriage is well worth reading. I found myself thinking a lot about how I met my wife and how much God has blessed our family in reading their story.
Some helpful advice here on how to become a morning person.
This is interesting: The Phantom Tollbooth and the Redeeming Power of Words.
This sounds like a dream job to me!
An important article from Russell Moore: How to Teach Boys to Respect Women.
Now we know the origin of "Who's On First?"
More productivity advice: why your phone's airplane mode is not just for flying. Because I use my cell phone as my work phone it's hard for me to disconnect at times. But this is a terrific idea.Who's on First? Apparently, Abbott.— Tom Shieber (@tshieber) February 13, 2018
Maybe the confusion all began when Costello plunked Abbott in this game played on June 19, 1927? pic.twitter.com/8XgG3XQLC9
Fun fact of the week:
Friday, February 09, 2018
Weekend Links 2-9-18
It's a cornucopia of interesting links this week.
This is interesting: 16 facts about Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. This makes me want to go read the book.
Articles like this make it harder to enjoy football. There was a time when I was truly interesting in watching it. Not anymore.
If you are a football fan enjoy it while you can because the sport is doomed.
Thomas Boswell was right - baseball is better than football. There's also this from George Carlin.
Spring training starts next week. Here are the report dates for every team.
One of the best shows currently on television is the Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour (shown on PBS here in the United States). This is a fascinating interview with Russell Lewis, the series creator and sole writer.
America is at her greatest when she accomplishes great things. Just ask Elon Musk. (As a side note, I am currently reading a second book on the Apollo space program and find myself longing for the days when we dared to do difficult things).
This seems to fall more in the category of "don't try this at home". However, I know of at least one person who does one of the things on this list regularly.
How Groundhog Day (released 25 years ago!) shows we are "stuck with virtue".
Quote of the week:
Some interesting thoughts on The Post and the current state of the press. Lots of stuff here to think about.
This is an amazing article written by a long-time photojournalist. The story - about one man and a photograph - is pretty remarkable.
This article from WORLD Magazine on the current turmoil at Moody Bible Institute is incredibly detailed and provides a pretty comprehensive account of the challenges facing the college.
Recommended reading: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.
This book wasn't on my to be read list at the beginning of the year but I ran across it a library book sale and couldn't resist. I had seen it recommended several places and now I understand why it was getting such tremendous endorsements. It's an amazing account of a group of working-class boys who fought theri way through the Great Depression to defeat the heavily favored German team in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It's a terrific read and well worth your time.
Incidentally, pay particular attention to the prologue of the book. I love the story of how the author stumbled onto this tale. It made reading the book even more enjoyable.
This is interesting: 16 facts about Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. This makes me want to go read the book.
Articles like this make it harder to enjoy football. There was a time when I was truly interesting in watching it. Not anymore.
If you are a football fan enjoy it while you can because the sport is doomed.
Thomas Boswell was right - baseball is better than football. There's also this from George Carlin.
Spring training starts next week. Here are the report dates for every team.
One of the best shows currently on television is the Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour (shown on PBS here in the United States). This is a fascinating interview with Russell Lewis, the series creator and sole writer.
America is at her greatest when she accomplishes great things. Just ask Elon Musk. (As a side note, I am currently reading a second book on the Apollo space program and find myself longing for the days when we dared to do difficult things).
This seems to fall more in the category of "don't try this at home". However, I know of at least one person who does one of the things on this list regularly.
How Groundhog Day (released 25 years ago!) shows we are "stuck with virtue".
Quote of the week:
Abide is an old fashioned word. It simply means remain, stay, or dwell. The challenge is for us to continue to be immersed in, satisfied by, surrounded by, empowered by, protected by, and infused with Jesus.Read the whole thing.
Some interesting thoughts on The Post and the current state of the press. Lots of stuff here to think about.
This is an amazing article written by a long-time photojournalist. The story - about one man and a photograph - is pretty remarkable.
This article from WORLD Magazine on the current turmoil at Moody Bible Institute is incredibly detailed and provides a pretty comprehensive account of the challenges facing the college.
Recommended reading: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.
Incidentally, pay particular attention to the prologue of the book. I love the story of how the author stumbled onto this tale. It made reading the book even more enjoyable.
Friday, February 02, 2018
Weekend Links 2-2-18
A few links of interest for your weekend reading:
Brad Meltzer is one of my favorite authors. His political thrillers helped get me interested in reading fiction again. But he also has written a series of children's books entitled Ordinary People Change the World. In this wide-ranging interview he discusses the latest entry in the series as well as what inspired him to write the books in the first place.
The gentle - and radical - faith of Mister Rogers. In related news, Tom Hanks will portray Mister Rogers in an upcoming film.
Last week we had the class of 2018 for the Baseball Hall of Fame announced. The election results refueled the debate over whether Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens (among other steroid users) should be allowed induction into the Hall of Fame. Don Yaeger makes the compelling case against their election (which I also wholeheartedly agree with).
This is something I honestly had not considered: 4 ways that Netflix perpetuates modern anxieties.
I try to shy away from political commentary with the exception of a small handful of writers. David French is one that I make a point to read pretty much everything he writes. In this column he manages to sum up perfectly the issue that is at the heart of the culture wars: masculinity.
Tweet of the week (this video gave me chills):
Brad Meltzer is one of my favorite authors. His political thrillers helped get me interested in reading fiction again. But he also has written a series of children's books entitled Ordinary People Change the World. In this wide-ranging interview he discusses the latest entry in the series as well as what inspired him to write the books in the first place.
The gentle - and radical - faith of Mister Rogers. In related news, Tom Hanks will portray Mister Rogers in an upcoming film.
Last week we had the class of 2018 for the Baseball Hall of Fame announced. The election results refueled the debate over whether Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens (among other steroid users) should be allowed induction into the Hall of Fame. Don Yaeger makes the compelling case against their election (which I also wholeheartedly agree with).
This is something I honestly had not considered: 4 ways that Netflix perpetuates modern anxieties.
I try to shy away from political commentary with the exception of a small handful of writers. David French is one that I make a point to read pretty much everything he writes. In this column he manages to sum up perfectly the issue that is at the heart of the culture wars: masculinity.
Tweet of the week (this video gave me chills):
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) January 30, 2018
Friday, January 26, 2018
Weekend Links 1-26-18
A roundup of interesting stuff that I ran across this week:
I really appreciate Tim Challies' analysis of the Billy Graham Rule and its practical application. As usual, he has taken a very thoughtful approach to a thorny issue.
This is cool: Trash collectors in Turkey use abandoned books to build a library.
That time Edgar Allan Poe pranked New York City and inspired Jules Verne.
This is right on the money: America needs more gentlemen. Thank you Peggy Noonan for writing this column.
This is the first of what promises to be a fascinating series of articles: How should Christians think about "the news"?
Why this guide to "intelligent reading" should be on your to be read list. It's definitely on mine.
"Follow Your Heart" has to be without a doubt the worse advice you can give to someone. Don't believe me? Here are ten great reasons why.
Tweet of the week:
This speaks to me: 12 bookstores worth traveling for. I love visiting book stores when I go to different places.
What I'm Reading: The Rubber Band and The Red Box by Rex Stout.
I really appreciate Tim Challies' analysis of the Billy Graham Rule and its practical application. As usual, he has taken a very thoughtful approach to a thorny issue.
This is cool: Trash collectors in Turkey use abandoned books to build a library.
That time Edgar Allan Poe pranked New York City and inspired Jules Verne.
This is right on the money: America needs more gentlemen. Thank you Peggy Noonan for writing this column.
This is the first of what promises to be a fascinating series of articles: How should Christians think about "the news"?
Why this guide to "intelligent reading" should be on your to be read list. It's definitely on mine.
"Follow Your Heart" has to be without a doubt the worse advice you can give to someone. Don't believe me? Here are ten great reasons why.
Tweet of the week:
Congratulations to the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2018! Another fun note via Jayson Stark: with Chipper Jones' election to the Hall of Fame, he becomes part of the only foursome of teammates in the Hall of Fame that spent 10 or more years with the same club (the other three are John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and Greg Maddux).Congrats, Chipper! Enjoyed watching you play way back when. “Anybody who can't get pumped up to play in Durham needs to be kicked in the butt a couple times." #halloffamer #bullcity #durm https://t.co/WQwrSMtEoB pic.twitter.com/bMCls9H66G— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) January 25, 2018
This speaks to me: 12 bookstores worth traveling for. I love visiting book stores when I go to different places.
What I'm Reading: The Rubber Band and The Red Box by Rex Stout.
I first became intrigued by the Nero Wolfe mysteries watching the A&E series A Nero Wolfe Mystery some time ago. Then last fall I read Fer-de-Lance and The League of Frightened Men (the first two Wolfe novels in the canon) and was immediately impressed by how well the TV series captured the essence of the books. Rex Stout managed to create one of the most interesting detectives in the history of mystery fiction. Each book has been tremendous fun to read so far. I count this series among the many that I am thoroughly enjoying.
Friday, January 19, 2018
Weekend Links 1-19-18
A random collection of links for your weekend enjoyment:
Tim Challies wrestles with what the church should do in response to pastors who commit sexual sins. In the same post he deals with the prospect of Oprah Winfrey running for President.
Is listening to an audio book the same as reading a physical book? Here's an interesting perspective on that issue. (hat tip: Susan Wise Bauer) I don't usually listen to audio books unless I'm taking a lengthy road trip. However, I find them nearly as fulfilling as reading physical books.
Legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson passed away last week. It's fascinating that he almost wrote an autobiography. This quote was particularly interesting and a good word for broadcasters everywhere:
Which is exactly why he was one of the best.
Another one of the best is being honored for his legendary career: longtime University of North Carolina play-by-play announcer Woody Durham is being inducted in to National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame. I had the privilege of working alongside him while at UNC. He is truly a class act.
Religious freedom is a hotly debated topic these days. So it's critical to understand what the separation of church and state truly means under the Constitution.
Odd story of the week: A new BBC documentary reveals that the Crown Jewels were hidden in a biscuit tin at Windsor Castle during World War II. The most interesting aspect of the story is the fact that Queen Elizabeth didn't know until she was told by the documentary presenter.
Brad Meltzer is one of my favorite writers. He's one of the best at writing thrillers. But he also has a series of children's books called Ordinary People Change the World. His newest installment will profile Neil Armstrong.
Recommended reading: Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey Kluger
In the summer of 1968, the Apollo moon program was in shambles. Reeling from the Apollo 1 fire just eighteen months earlier that took the lives of three astronauts and in race for space dominance against the Soviet Union, NASA makes the daring decision to make the first manned trip to the moon by the end of the year. Jeffrey Kluger (who also co-wrote Apollo 13 with astronaut Jim Lovell) tells the amazing story of not only the three astronauts but hundreds of engineers and controllers that worked tirelessly to make the Apollo 8 mission (and ultimately the moon landing the next year) a success. A fantastic read.
Tim Challies wrestles with what the church should do in response to pastors who commit sexual sins. In the same post he deals with the prospect of Oprah Winfrey running for President.
Is listening to an audio book the same as reading a physical book? Here's an interesting perspective on that issue. (hat tip: Susan Wise Bauer) I don't usually listen to audio books unless I'm taking a lengthy road trip. However, I find them nearly as fulfilling as reading physical books.
Legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson passed away last week. It's fascinating that he almost wrote an autobiography. This quote was particularly interesting and a good word for broadcasters everywhere:
“There are times I turn on an athletic contest that I’m quite sure my profession has died. … If he wants to go into show business, he should go back to vaudeville and get his own stage. Amplify, clarify, punctuate. Don’t intrude. I live by that. I do not in any sense at any time try to intrude on what’s happening. I merely define it.”
Which is exactly why he was one of the best.
Another one of the best is being honored for his legendary career: longtime University of North Carolina play-by-play announcer Woody Durham is being inducted in to National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame. I had the privilege of working alongside him while at UNC. He is truly a class act.
Religious freedom is a hotly debated topic these days. So it's critical to understand what the separation of church and state truly means under the Constitution.
Odd story of the week: A new BBC documentary reveals that the Crown Jewels were hidden in a biscuit tin at Windsor Castle during World War II. The most interesting aspect of the story is the fact that Queen Elizabeth didn't know until she was told by the documentary presenter.
Brad Meltzer is one of my favorite writers. He's one of the best at writing thrillers. But he also has a series of children's books called Ordinary People Change the World. His newest installment will profile Neil Armstrong.
Recommended reading: Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey Kluger
In the summer of 1968, the Apollo moon program was in shambles. Reeling from the Apollo 1 fire just eighteen months earlier that took the lives of three astronauts and in race for space dominance against the Soviet Union, NASA makes the daring decision to make the first manned trip to the moon by the end of the year. Jeffrey Kluger (who also co-wrote Apollo 13 with astronaut Jim Lovell) tells the amazing story of not only the three astronauts but hundreds of engineers and controllers that worked tirelessly to make the Apollo 8 mission (and ultimately the moon landing the next year) a success. A fantastic read.
Friday, January 12, 2018
Weekend Links 1-12-18
A ton of links of interest in this week's roundup:
I am at heart a frustrated writer. Part of the reason for resurrecting the blog was to get myself to write again even if it's no more than these Weekend Links posts I put up every Friday. I'm fascinated by people who are successful writers particularly when they've tried something else and given it up to be a writer. That's probably why this interview with Robert Kurson caught my attention. I haven't read his books yet but they will be going on my to be read list right away.
I am at heart a frustrated writer. Part of the reason for resurrecting the blog was to get myself to write again even if it's no more than these Weekend Links posts I put up every Friday. I'm fascinated by people who are successful writers particularly when they've tried something else and given it up to be a writer. That's probably why this interview with Robert Kurson caught my attention. I haven't read his books yet but they will be going on my to be read list right away.
From Barnabas Piper, ways to become a more curious person. Lots of great food for thought in this article.
This seemed very timely given events in the news of late: Why repentant pastors should be forgiven but not restored to the pulpit. Wise words from Johnathan Leeman.
Season 2 of The Crown on Netflix explores Queen Elizabeth's faith and a meeting she had with the Reverend Billy Graham. The question is whether any of it is true. Sarah Pulliam Bailey has the answers.
In the film Darkest Hour the producers went to great lengths to make Winston Churchill's secret war rooms look as realistic as possible.
This is a story I had never heard: the Swiss man who saved thousands of Jewish people from the Holocaust during World War II.
Russell Moore answers the question of whether we are living in a post-Christian society.
Where I would say that we're a post-Christian society is that we're a post-pretend-Christian society. There was a previous era when people had a certain basic understanding of biblical truths and some connection to the church. That brought some benefit because, in many cases, there was some sort of stable understanding of morality. But, it also brought a lot of drawbacks because a nominal Christianity doesn't save.
Be sure to read the whole thing.
Often what a nominal Christianity does is the worst possible thing: leave people in lostness but convince them that they're reconciled with God. I do think we're moving beyond that kind of Christianity. That's going to mean a lack of cohesion in the country and in some communities.
Good to know: how winter weather affects your car and what you can do about it.
Baseball season is almost upon us. Safe to say I will be checking this opening day countdown clock regularly.
Speaking of our national pastime, this is an amazing piece of baseball history:
Merkle's mistake would help the Chicago Cubs advance to the 1908 World Series. Despite the infamous miscue, Merkle would go on to have a very nice twenty year career in the major leagues including four years with the Cubs.9/23/1908: Two outs, bottom of the 9th inning @ the Polo Grounds. 1-1 game and a dead heat for the pennant. Fred Merkle takes his lead off first base as Frank Chance holds him on. Moments later, Merkle's life would forever be changed.— Alex Cheremeteff (@AlexCheremeteff) January 6, 2018
(Cubs 1, Giants 1) #MerkleGame #NYC pic.twitter.com/8WtmoVP8Rh
Book of the week: The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books.
Friday, January 05, 2018
Weekend Links 1-5-18
Some random links of interest for the first weekend of 2018:
For better or worse, most people learn history through popular culture. As Peggy Noonan points out, both the media and entertainment industries bear responsibility to treat history with respect. In other words, get it right.
This is interesting: a list of 22 things not to buy at the grocery store.
Tweet of the week:
How one company uses lava lamps to keep the internet secure. What's even more amazing is you can actually see it for yourself.
Newsmax recently released a list of the 100 most influential evangelicals in America and Tim Challies has a few thoughts about the list. Perhaps most interesting to me is his astute observations (as a Canadian) of the peculiarly American mix of evangelicalism and politics.
Here's some useful advice on how to read more books. For what's it worth, my goal is to read at least 52 books this year (at least one per week).
How World War II helped give birth to the softcover book. This is explored more fully in When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning
Book recommendation of the week: Destiny of the Republic - A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard.
I love reading history books particular those about Presidents. I admit I knew little about President James Garfield and even less about how he died. The tragedy in his story is that his death could have easily been prevented except that it was his own doctors that were ultimately responsible for his demise. This is a fascinating book and one I would heartily recommend.
For better or worse, most people learn history through popular culture. As Peggy Noonan points out, both the media and entertainment industries bear responsibility to treat history with respect. In other words, get it right.
This is interesting: a list of 22 things not to buy at the grocery store.
Tweet of the week:
Speaking of Twitter, here is why MoonPie is the best account to follow on Twitter. You won't regret it.The more fractured and tribalistic our culture wars become, the more Christians need wisdom in making public political alliances (e.g. party membership, aligning with a candidate or cause). Our alliances themselves (or lack thereof) have growing witness costs. God, give us wisdom— Jonathan Leeman (@JonathanDLeeman) December 30, 2017
How one company uses lava lamps to keep the internet secure. What's even more amazing is you can actually see it for yourself.
Newsmax recently released a list of the 100 most influential evangelicals in America and Tim Challies has a few thoughts about the list. Perhaps most interesting to me is his astute observations (as a Canadian) of the peculiarly American mix of evangelicalism and politics.
Here's some useful advice on how to read more books. For what's it worth, my goal is to read at least 52 books this year (at least one per week).
How World War II helped give birth to the softcover book. This is explored more fully in When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning
Book recommendation of the week: Destiny of the Republic - A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard.
I love reading history books particular those about Presidents. I admit I knew little about President James Garfield and even less about how he died. The tragedy in his story is that his death could have easily been prevented except that it was his own doctors that were ultimately responsible for his demise. This is a fascinating book and one I would heartily recommend.