I just finished The Didascalicon of Hugh of St. Victor, reading along with a book discussion led by my friend Dawn and hosted on the Scholé Sisters discussion forum. I did question a few of Hugh’s ideas and found some places a bit tedious (but necessary information for the beginning students he was writing to),… Continue Reading
On Friday, I finished Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration by Pope Benedict XVI. Like his Infancy Narratives, which I read during Advent and Christmas, I found it very insightful, even if I didn’t always agree with him (not being Catholic). His knowledge of Scripture and the connections he… Continue Reading
I recently finished reading Andrew Klaven’s The Truth and Beauty: How the Lives and Works of England’s Greatest Poets Point the Way to a Deeper Understanding of the Words of Jesus. While I wasn’t convinced that he’d proved his premise, some of his points were thought-provoking and the book made me want to read more… Continue Reading
Thanks to David Timson’s excellent narration of the audiobook and Kelly Cumbee’s class at the House of Humane Letters, I finished Edmund Spenser’s long, beautiful, and sometimes confusing poem today. I still don’t pretend to understand everything or get all the allusions to myths and such, but it is not one to read or listen… Continue Reading
Tomorrow, I will finish reading Dante’s Divine Comedy along with 100daysofdante.com! I have found Paradise to be the most challenging part to comprehend, but the video lectures and the incentive to finish by Easter have helped me to keep going. 🙂 I haven’t saved many quotes from the Divine Comedy for my commonplace journal, but… Continue Reading
“Comrades,” he said, “I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that Comrade Napoleon has made in taking this extra labour upon himself. Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure! On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility. No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are… Continue Reading
I am currently reading Josef Pieper’s In Tune with the World: A Theory of Festivity. This book echoes ideas from his Leisure, the Basis of Culture and the Love section of Faith, Hope, Love, while offering wonderful insights into the deeper meanings behind human festivals, particularly Christian ones. A festival is essentially a phenomenon of… Continue Reading
I thought I needed some more Josef Pieper in my life, and I was right. 😉 I picked up his Faith, Hope, Love as a sort of birthday gift to myself, and it is satisfyingly mind-stretching. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but I’m definitely pondering the concepts of belief and faith in… Continue Reading
For the last six weeks, I have been blessed to be able to participate in Cindy Rollins’ summer course, Morning Time for Moms. Two of the books that we read together were The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom and Live Not by Lies by Rod Dreher. Both are difficult and thought-provoking reads, but they… Continue Reading
I don’t really have a method of picking a Word of the Year, something I have done for a few years now, except to think and pray and look for something that grabs my imagination. After loving Onward so much, I ordered Russell Moore’s latest book, The Courage to Stand: Facing Your Fear Without Losing… Continue Reading