Books

Okay, actually "Book" since I only completed reading one book this week, another SciFi classic,

8. A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller. I had read this years ago, and remembered it as a fairly dark, depressing novel. Re-reading after several decades, though, I found a lot of humor in it. I also found it much easier to read.

For one thing, in the intervening years I've learned some Latin -- the book is full of Latin quotes, although if you've worked through Latina Christiana you'll be comfortable with it, since the quotes are typically liturgical. Also, while looking up the word "grex" online I discovered entire web pages of Latin translations for this book. Having a clue what the Latin is about sped up the reading since I wasn't left wondering if I'd missed out on something.

Also, through the years I've gotten lots more comfortable with the idea that people aren't necessarily the "good guys" or the "bad guys", and that life has much vague, grey area. And I've read, discussed, and thought about enough theology and philosophy to make those discussions familiar territory. Overall, growing up and getting older made it a simpler book, although I don't think I would've understood that back when I was in my late teens (or whenever I read it before).

I liked the book quite a lot this time through. It was humorous, ingenious, and thought-provoking.

Okay, 2 books to go by Aug. 8, and I'm midway through another scifi book and have started 2 others. However, my attention is starting to drift -- I've other things I'd like to accomplish this month other than reading, and I have less time to read at the moment. We'll see.