After years of ignoring Tolkien’s books, mainly due to long-past associations with his readers in high school. But after pitched a fresh recommendation, I read The Hobbit. The book is creative and interesting; by far the dialogue sprints ahead of the plot, which is somewhat predictable.
On Repentance And Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World by Danya Ruttenberg draws on the ancient wisdom of Maimonides to form a “plan” to make right for the wrongs we have done in a firm and lasting way. Ruttenberg draws directly from the Mishneh Torah, connecting this work’s moral scrupulousness while refashioning it for our time, its issues, and problems.
Ruttenberg’s work is also a not-so-subtle jab at facile Christian notions of radical forgiveness. Turning the other cheek puts an unfair burden on the victim of a wrong while doing nothing to hold the wrongdoer accountable. It is about time that someone took on the Christian notion of radical forgiveness which at face value is so appealing, but does little of lasting value - and in fact, does great harm.
The Cat from Hue: A Vietnam War Story by John Laurence at over 800 pages details Laurence’s coverage of the Vietnam War for CBS news. Through three tours: 1965, 1968, and 1970, Laurence gives us an intimate portrait of America’s most unpopular war. What strikes the reader is the utter waste of such conflicts. Even in a so-called “good” war, fought for defense or noble values, people die without rhyme or reason. The chaos is palpable. But Vietnam was a war that did not need to be fought, and that makes Laurence’s accounts so fraught. We know this war will end badly; we know the waste and death is for no great cause.
