The City Where We Once Lived: A Novel

The City Where We Once Lived: A Novel by Eric Barnes is a haunting and lyrical work about loss and dedication, and the centrality of community.

Unlike many post-apocalyptic novels, this one, although examining the details of the ecological catastrophe, never really wallows in it.  As things fall part, the North End of this novel builds.  The main character writes for the local newspaper, creating a record of growth in the middle of decay.  Community is formed and reinforced.

While the novel does not have a pat or contrite ending, there is the sense that human beings, resilient creatures, may very well adjust to the mess we have made of the world.

Pacific: Silicon Chips and Surfboards, Coral Reefs and Atom Bombs, Brutal Dictators and Fading Empires

Pacific: Silicon Chips and Surfboards, Coral Reefs and Atom Bombs, Brutal Dictators and Fading Empires by Simon Winchester says it all in the title and subtitle.  Winchester has written a series of essays about the Pacific Rim.  Many subjects are covered; the writing is somewhat compelling, but a bit flat.  The thread of the “Pacific” is very thin.  Sure, there is a connection, but the book could easily find another center of gravity.  At the end, there is no feeling of deep satisfaction with either the length or depth of what was covered.

Volcanoes, Palm Trees & Privilege: Essays on Hawai'i

Volcanoes, Palm Trees & Privilege: Essays on Hawai'i by Liz Prato is a book with a great deal of heart.  This is not an intellectually strong book.  Nor does Prato do many interesting things with language.  Her tone is conversational.  But these 'shortcomings' are balanced by an emotional bravery and honesty which permeates this work.

The Cloud of Unknowing

One thing Carmen Acevedo Butcher ‘s translation of The Cloud of Unknowing: With the Book of Privy Counsel certainly has going for it is that it is a very readable, modern version of this work, which was written in Middle English.  As Butcher explains in her introduction,  this is a translation that takes the sense of the book to the forefront; this is not a word for word translation.

In that regard the book is a great success.  Try reading any other versions and you will see what I mean. 

Despite being a “radical” Christian work, whose centerpiece is contemplative prayer, this is still a VERY Christian book, embedded in orthodox Christian beliefs.  For someone like me, these long passages overshadow the more revolutionary utterances and positions here.  But of course, that is on me.

A New Hasidism: Branches

The editors of A New Hasidism have done the Jewish world a great service by producing these two volumes:  Roots, and here Branches.  This volume explores the range of what we call Neo-Hasidism, which is quite broad and deep.  The articles here lay out the groundwork of this extensive,  hard to pin down,  multi-faceted, and engaging Jewish movement.

This book, and its companion volume, act as both an anchor and line to those who wish to study and enact progressive Judaism.  Here we can find many approaches to what it means to be Jewish in the twenty-first century; how we can preserve the past, while moving boldly into the future.  

And perhaps most importantly, we can be creative in our expression of Judaism.  We can have fun!  We are only inhibited by our lack of imagination or hang-ups.  These books provide the keys to wider worlds that are ours to explore.