shameless blog post stealing

Do you ever steal blog posts from other people? I think it’s a fantastic idea, if you give the original author credit. The list below recommends books to read to understand the culture. It comes via Justin Taylor via James Kushiner from Ken Myers. I’ve read some Lewis, Berry, and Barzun—but not from the list below. Have you read any of these works? I’m intrigued by the books that focus on a particular cultural product, like language and music.

Five “Thinner” Books:

1. C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man (1943)
2. Wendell Berry, Life Is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition (2000)
3. Colin Gunton, Enlightenment and Alienation: An Essay Towards a Trinitarian Theology (1985)
4. George Parkin Grant, English-Speaking Justice (1985)
5. Richard Weaver, Ideas Have Consequences (1948)

Five “Thicker” Books:

1. John McWhorter, Doing Our Own Thing: The Degradation of Language and Music and Why We Should, Like, Care (2003)
2. Jacques Barzun, The Use and Abuse of Art (1974)
3. David Thomson, The Whole Equation: A History of Hollywood (2004)
4. Julian Johnson, Who Needs Classical Music?: Cultural Choice and Musical Value (2002)
5. Langdon Winner, Autonomous Technology: Technics-out-of-Control as a Theme in Political Thought (1977)

fall-ing

September is determined to put an end to summer. There was a nip-in-the-air when the local kids went back to school, and I cheerfully donned a jacket and scarf for the morning commute. Fall has always been my favorite season, and if it comes early that is fine by me. With it comes the realization that we are still here in Arlington. We’ve survived an entire season (both real and metaphorical) and we really live here now. There will be only two Saturday football games – not six or seven. Wes won’t have law school classes to attend or exams to take. I won’t change jobs, as I’ve done every year to mimic the academic calendar. There will still be fellowship groups and potlucks and dinner parties. Yet all the faces will change.

This reflection on late summer from a former college newspaper colleague (I really recommend his blog!) helped me bid summer farewell. But I’m still looking for a perfect tomato.