Bookish Briefing
June 2023 Edition
Welcome to another edition of the bookish briefing where I share the books I have recently enjoyed, recommended reads and current reads. Hope you find something of interest…
Recommended Read
Be Thou My Vision - A Liturgy for Daily Worship by Jonathan Gibson
This beautifully designed book gave a refreshing structure to my daily devotional time. It is jam packed with scripture passages, biblical prayers, creeds and catechisms and a bible reading plan. These are all laid out in 31 days which are undated, for use anytime of year. This introduced me to so many historical, liturgical prayers and confessions which were truly enriching to be reminded of daily. Highly recommended, a lovely gift idea for loved ones too.
From the blurb:
‘Be Thou My Vision is a 31 day liturgical guide designed to enrich and focus your daily devotions… perfect for individuals and families, this daily devotional will help guide your quiet time with the Lord in a worshipful, Christ-centred way.’
Prayer from the book:
“Almighty God, and most merciful Father, we humbly submit ourselves, and fall down before Your Majesty, asking You from the bottom of our hearts, that this seed of Your word now sown among us, may take such deep root, that neither the burning heat of persecution cause it to wither, nor the thorny cares of this life choke it. But that, as seed sown in good ground, it may bring forth thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold, as Your heavenly wisdom has appointed. Amen.”
- Middelburg Liturgy
Currently Reading
Liquid- The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives by Mark Miodownik
This is one of the (many) non-fiction reads I’m working through at the moment. I found studying science in my school days very dry and boring, this has changed drastically as an adult, so whenever I can find books on a scientific topic which brings the subject to life I am grateful. Mark’s writing is accessible and humorous, with just enough scientific information to feel that I’m learning something relevant without it becoming information overload.
From the blurb:
‘In this fascinating exploration of all things wet, scientist Mark Miodownik looks at substances as varied and commonplace as water, kerosene, glue, wine and ink, to not only explain their special properties, but also to show how they shape our daily lives…The story of liquids is the story of us and our modern world.’
Recently Finished
Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
I have a strong aversion to jumping on any reading bandwagons, especially if those books are popular in today's modern culture. When this book was released (2018) I saw it reviewed and lauded everywhere, to much acclaim. Unfortunately the reviews I heard/read failed to mention some of the themes brought out in the book, which surprised me when I eventually read it as a book club pick. Firstly, the writing is stunning. There are nature descriptions which paint vivid pictures in the mind, making you feel like you are there experiencing it yourself. The characters are well developed and there are strong, moving themes of extreme isolation, loneliness, rejection and abandonment. I could strongly empathise with the main character (Kya), and there were many other characters who I greatly appreciated in this book. Throughout it all there is a focus on the natural world, and the much needed comfort it brings to our lives. The need to belong, the necessity of being mothered and fathered with love, our place in the world and the internal mental damage caused when a person is deprived of these things are all explored in this book. I felt deeply disappointed and grieved by the end because of some choices Kya made, but this only emphasised the point about dysfunction/brokenness and how this can severely affect a person’s life.
I’ll be thinking about this story for a while.
Warning- there are some overt sexual references in this book and scenes of domestic violence, however I felt they didn’t detract from the main story line and could be skipped over if needed.
An excerpt from the New York Times Book Review on the back cover sums the book up well:
‘Painfully beautiful…At once a murder mystery, a coming of age narrative and a celebration of nature.’
Quote from the book:
“But just as her collection grew, so did her loneliness. A pain as large as her heart lived in her chest. Nothing eased it. Not the gulls, not a splendid sunset, not the rarest of shells. Months turned into a year. The lonely became larger than she could hold. She wished for someone’s voice, presence, touch, but wished more to protect her heart. Months passed into another year. Then another.”
Silas Marner by George Eliot
This was my first George Eliot but it definitely won’t be my last. Compelling, clever writing. Great observations on human nature and relationships. George Eliot has the kind of writing that begs to be savoured slowly, so it took me a while to get through this, although it’s a short book. The main character Silas is betrayed by a close friend at the beginning of the story, I spent the majority of the book waiting for justice to come his way. It never did come the way I thought it would, but I think that was the point of the story. Justice came, but in an unexpected way. Restoration and justice came through selfless acts, community, friendship and renewed faith. A 5 star read.
To finish, here is a poem by Julia Donaldson that celebrates the simple joys of reading…
I opened a book and in I strode.
Now nobody can find me.
I’ve left my chair, my house, my road,
My town and my world behind me.
I’m wearing the cloak, I’ve slipped on the ring, I’ve swallowed the magic potion.
I’ve fought with a dragon, dined with a king
And dived in a bottomless ocean.
I opened a book and made some friends.
I shared their tears and laughter
And followed their road with its bumps and bends
To the happily ever after.
I finished my book and out I came. The cloak can no longer hide me.
My chair and my house are just the same,
But I have a book inside me.