Curtis's bookshelf

Ok, some book recommendations of things I have read recently. I will try to stay off of the bestseller lists - they have enough going for them anyway.

I really enjoyed Eco's The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana. I just finished it tonight, and it is wonderful. You have to pay attention to Eco - it is not easy sledding. And it would help to know a romance language, as there are chunks in French or Italian that are not translated - song lyrics and the like. With my reading ability in Spanish, I was able to put it together for the most part. And it wasn't essential.

I have also been really enjoying The Sins of Scripture - the new book by Bishop Spong. For a progressive Christian, Spong is an essential part of the literature. I just started it a couple of days ago, so I am not yet even a third of the way into it yet. But he is very accessible and logical in his approach.

Moral Politics is another good read. I think the book is a couple of years old, and it is talking about the ability Republicans have had in recent years to communicate their ideas better. Basically, by framing issues using their language, they have been able to dominate debate on things like estate taxes, foreign policy, and spending. Liberals and progressives need to compete in the language game to win back the middle of the road voter.

Finally, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd was wonderful also. Set in the South during the Civil Rights era, it follows a 14 year old girl who runs away from her father and ends up living with her black nanny in a house of three black sisters. The main character's mother had died at an early age - four as I recall - and so she is learning to become a woman by learning of her mother's character as much as possible. It is a gripping tale.