July Books

“Phule’s Company” by Robert Asprin – This is the first book in a science fiction series, but I probably will not be reading the others. It’s a fun, lighthearted book, which was sort of its problem-there was no real conflict! This book was certainly not deep at all, nor was it a page turner. It really seemed more like a book I would have liked when I was a preteen.
“The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd – Now this book is a page turner! I read this book in two days and the way it combined spirituality with race reminded me of Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple.” I also really liked how this book addressed mental illness. In it, there is a character who struggles with a mental illness and her character is dealt with both kindness and honesty. I found this book inspiring. It gave me a lot to ponder.
“What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day” by Pearl Cleage – Great book! The characters were interesting and very realistic. The book expertly deals with a tough subject and I like that while the main character is HIV positive, the book is not trying to make us feel sorry for her. Instead the main characters through the course of the book become more and more fully alive, as they grow and recover from life’s tragedies. This book brings up how vital life-giving community is and how horrible life can become when it has no meaning. The book also reminded me a lot of the blog, _______, because Faith often talks about how black women need to get away from the thinking that they need to stay with black men at all costs and instead need to find communities that are truly life-affirming.
“Jesus and the Disinherited” by Howard Thurman – Another great book! Although the book was written in the 1930s, it is still very applicable to today. The book is refreshing in that it addresses the plight of the “disinherited” – the poor, minorities, etc – and what they can do. As a person with disabilities, I also feel like I am one of the disinherited and so this book really spoke to me and inspired me. It reminded me a lot of twelve-step programs, because like Thurman, those programs have a spiritual answer for a physical problem.

“Matters of Life and Death” by John Cobb – This book’s title makes me laugh, because it sounds so heavy! It really is a good read and I do recommend it. This book looks at four controversial issues with the lens of process theology. The topic “right to kill” about animal cruelty really got my attention. I found the whole book to be really thought provoking.