Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi

After my disappointment with Paolo Bacigalupi's The Wind-Up Girl, I decided to give him another chance and picked up his 2010 novel Ship Breaker.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The future history setting is similar, but rather than Thailand, Ship Breaker takes place on the American Gulf Coast.  Nailer lives with his abusive, drug-addicted father, and works as a ship breaker, scavenging materials from wrecked ships along the coast.  When a storm brings a luxurious yacht to the coast, Nailer claims it for his own and begins to strip it of its wealth before other scavengers discover it.  But the wreck had a survivor: a wealthy girl who is heiress to an enormous shipping fortune.

As Nailer becomes friends with her, his interest in her is less about wealth and reward.  For the sake of friendship and justice, he agrees to help her find her way back home while avoiding her father's business rivals, who would love to see her dead.  Bacigalupi's world is gritty, dark, and unkind.  Nevertheless, the action and settings are well-written, and his characters are compelling.  Even in this dark future, surrounded by adults who do not value any life, much less Nailer's, Nailer finds reason to hope and a will to prevail.  Ship Breaker was enjoyable enough for me to forget about The Wind-Up Girl and appreciate Bacigalupi's vision and writing.

Still Evangelical?

I have to admit, when I saw the first sentence of the promotional blurb about Still Evangelical? Insiders Consider Political, Social, and Theological Meaning, I was turned off.  "Evangelicalism in America has cracked, split on the shoals of the 2016 presidential election and its aftermath, leaving many wondering if they want to be in or out of the evangelical tribe."  Overreact much?  The 2016 election was divisive, especially is you pay attention to the partisan press or spend a lot of time reading the comments sections on social media.  But if you're living your life in the real world, most of us realize that life goes on.

That said, the evangelical label has been morphing for many years.  No one will argue that the last few decades of life in these United States has seen a transformation in the use of the term, and as our sight turns more global, we have to acknowledge and examine its use in the church abroad.  As I read Still Evangelical?, I was happy to see that not all of the authors focused on the political alone, but brought in the social and theological as well.

Mark Labberton, president of Fuller Seminary, unfortunately set the tone in his introductory essay, describing Trump's win as an "apocalypse," "disorienting to an extreme," leaving many "gasping in despair."  These disappointed voters, convinced that evangelicals who voted for Trump are deceived and fully embrace every jot and tittle of his lifestyle and background, fail to acknowledge the deep moral and policy objections Trump voters had to Trump's opponent.  This election was not "Trump: Yes or No" but a binary choice between two deeply flawed candidates.  To cast evangelical Trump voters as "controlled by white supremacy, more and political inconsistency, and a fearful nationalism and isolationism" is inaccurate, hurtful, and harmful to Christian unity.  I know, it goes both ways, but books like this, to the extent that they embrace this mindset, need to be balanced and reined in. Thankfully, many of the other essays in Still Evangelical? departed from the reaction to the 2016 election.  Karen Swallow Prior stresses the positive elements and historical contributions of evangelicalism.  Historically, evangelicalism has been known for a "commitment to pursue orthodoxy and orthopraxy," "the gift of liberty," and a "good and true belief in the equal worth and dignity of each human soul."  I agree with her that "some of those quitting evangelicalism today do so, seemingly, from embarrassment and shame over the way evangelicalism looks today reflected in the distorted glass held up by media and poorly designed polls."  If all I knew of evangelicalism was portrayals in the media, I probably wouldn't want to be an evangelical, either.
I appreciated the global perspective offered by writers such as Allen Yeh, who teaches at Biola University, but whose academic work and missions experience spans several continents.  He writes, "many Western evangelicals think that everything different is simply wrong."  In a call for unity, Yeh asks evangelicals to reexamine orthodoxy and orthopraxy and acknowledge that "diversity is a beautiful thing." 

Shane Claiborne would agree with Yeh, but falls down hard on the side of those who believe that evangelicals have compromised by supporting Trump.  "To be frank, my commitment to Jesus has put me add odds with evangelicalism."  He said that an alien listening in on election coverage "may have reasonably concluded that the Savior of white evangelicals is a man named Donald Trump rather than a man named Jesus."  Sounds like Shane listened to CNN a lot more than he listened to white evangelicals. . . .  He complains that Trump voters "claim to be Christian and support a man who contradicts nearly every one of the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, both in his policies and in his personal life."  To which, if I were inhospitable and confrontational, and I try not to be, I might ask Shane how he can be a Christian and support a woman who, in my estimation, contradicts Jesus' teachings in her policies and personal life.  Again, this was a binary choice between two flawed candidates.  

Resisting this focus on a narrow, time-sensitive political view of evangelicalism, Tom Lin reminds us that "the decision of some American evangelicals to abandon the term is insensitive to our overseas sisters and brothers; it reflects the worst impulses of American exceptionalism and self-absorbtion."  As president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Lin has seen vibrant expressions of evangelicalism around the world.  As evangelicalism grows and matures in other countries, American worries about portrayals of American evangelicalism will become moot.

No one likes to have one's "tribe" or "family" misrepresented.  We evangelicals don't have a lot of control over how the media portrays us.  Some of the essays in Still Evangelical? bought into this popularity contest, but, for the most part, the essays balanced each other out and kept the focus on evangelicalism's emphasis on Jesus, the Bible, and missions.  We should also recognize that evangelicalism and the gospel transcend the short-term conditions of one presidential administration, no matter how worked up some of these contributors might get over Trump's tweets.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

When Is It Right to Die? by Joni Eareckson Tada

Joni Eareckson Tada has long been a hero to many Christians and disabled individuals.  Paralyzed in a diving accident as a teen, she has been, for decades, a tireless advocate for people with disabilities and an inspiring witness to Christ.  She has updated her 1992 book When Is It Right to Die?: Suicide, Euthanasia, Suffering, Mercy.  The updated edition, When Is It Right to Die?: A Comforting and Surprising Look at Death and Dying, is even more timely than it was in 1992.  The growing acceptance of euthanasia demonstrates that "the unthinkable became tolerable.  And then acceptable.  And then legal.  And now, God help us, applaudable."

Tada addresses a variety of scenarios: otherwise physically healthy individuals who, due to depression, life's circumstances, or general disappointments with life; disabled individuals who, while not in immediate danger of death, nevertheless struggle with day-to-day living due to their disabilities; and terminally ill individuals, who, in the opinions of their health care providers, will die inevitably and soon.

None of these scenarios is easy, and we have perhaps known or heard of people in each of these categories who have chosen to end their own life or choose an assisted suicide.  Tada writes of her own struggles, but, more than that, writes about how she has been able to help others see the value in continuing to live.

One source of inspiration for Tada was Victor Frankl, a psychiatrist who was sent to Auschwitz, where he saw the worst of humanity and witnessed the depths of desperation.  Prisoners felt like there was nothing more to expect from life.  But he wrote that helping them was a "question of getting them to realize that life was still expecting something from them."  Someone's decision to die is just a decision for himself or herself; it will powerfully impact many people around him or her.

For that third group, those whose lives are coming to an end, Tada does not believe that extending life is always the right choice.  "Allowing a person to die when he or she is, in fact, dying is justified."  She continues, "Dying begins when a person rapidly and irreversibly deteriorates.  This is a person for whom death is imminent, a person who is beyond reasonable hope of recovery.  Such people have a right to not have death postponed.  The line of distinction is not so much between life and death as it is between life and dying."  The details vary for every individual, but I appreciated Tada's sensitivity and her helpful perspective on end-of-life decisions.

Tada writes that she longs for heaven, that she longs for the whole, healthy body she will have.  Yet she knows that God expects more from the life he has given her.  The millions of lives touched by her writing, songs, films, letters, and testimony attest to her giving all that life expects of her.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Racism and Intolerance, by Louise Spilsbury,‎illustrated Hanane Kai

Even as very young children, many of us were exposed to racism--treating people differently because of their skin color, parents, or country--and intolerance--refusing to accept differences in religion, lifestyle, or family.  Louise Spilsbury recognizes that children need to begin learning about racism and intolerance before racist, intolerant attitudes engrain themselves in children's thinking.  Her book Racism and Intolerance, from the "Children in Our World" series, provides a simple, understandable introduction to the ideas.

I think everyone can get behind the idea that we shouldn't hate someone just believe they have religious beliefs difference from our own.  And just because one person in a group does something bad, doesn't mean everyone in that group is bad.  One poignant illustration shows a group of people in a waiting room of some kind.  On the TV a newscaster is reading a news item which shows a mug shot of an apparently black male.  A black mother cuddles her toddler while the other people in the waiting room gasp and stare at her.  With a simple picture and a few words, Spilsbury and Kai illustrate the painful experience of black families, who feel like black people are always portrayed as criminals.

I thought of one question that isn't really dealt with, and is probably over the heads of the age group to which this book this book is targeted, but is important.  What if one person's religion and culture teaches that other groups are, for instance, not human or of less significance?  Should we respect their religion and culture?  I have little tolerance for a KKK member who says black people aren't fully human, or a Muslim who says Christians and Jews should be killed.  We have to ask, at some point, if some religions and cultures are inherently more just and admirable than others.  Someone who believes in white supremacy should be respected as a human, but his culture should be condemned.  Some cultural and religious beliefs should not be tolerated when they teach intolerance.  I know, it gets into a circular argument, but it's the reality we are facing in our world.

All of that said, I like the way Spilsbury and Kai treat the subject.  Racism and Intolerance is a nicely illustrated book that I would not hesitate to read to my little ones.


Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Uniquely Wired, by Julia Cook, illustrated by Anita DuFalla

Some say autism is a disability.  Julia Cook prefers to describe people with autism as "uniquely wired."  Cook has written a new children's book, illustrated by Anita DuFalla, to help children with autism and their families not only gain perspective on what it means to have autism, but also to see the many gifts that come from autism.

The boy in this book has many traits typical of people with autism.  He has an obsession with watches.  (The objects of obsession vary, but the obsession itself is common.)  He likes to smell things.  He often avoids eye contact.  He does not like loud noises.  He spins, flaps his arms, and repeats things over and over that he hears other people say.  People affirm him, pointing out the gifts of laughter, awareness, and seeing things differently.

Uniquely Wired is helpful and simple.  As Cook points out, "Once you've met one autistic child, you have met ONE autistic child."  Every autistic child won't be exactly like the boy in Uniquely Wired, but it can help a child's peers and care givers as they attempt to discern that child's uniqueness.  I like the bold, colorful illustrations.  One question I had: they sometimes use a variety of fonts within a sentence, giving the text a chaotic look.  Is this just the thing that would flood an autistic reader's brain, much like noise in a room?  I don't know.  Just a thought.

Uniquely Wired would be a great addition to any classroom or school library, especially if there is a population of children with autism.  And, really, what school doesn't have children with autism these days?


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Dreamers and Deceivers, by Glenn Beck

Glen Beck is well know for communicating conservative political ideas on his radio and television shows.  He's less well known as a story teller, yet he's written several novels and stories, as well as nonpolitical non-fiction.  One example is Dreamers and Deceivers: True Stories of the Heroes and Villains Who Made America. 

In Dreamers and Deceivers Beck tells the stories of ten Americans who have, in very different ways, influenced life, politics, and culture in the United States.  His selection of characters seems somewhat scattershot, but each of them is inarguably historically significant.  Beck writes that he chose people who are familiar but perhaps misunderstood, teach lessons with ongoing relevance, and who "represent both sides of our past--the selfless and the selfish; the dreamers and the deceivers."

Beck's subjects cover politics (Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Alger Hiss), technology (Howard Armstrong, Alan Turing), finance (Charles Ponzi), and entertainment and culture (Dezi Arnaz, Upton Sinclair, Walt Disney, and John Lasseter of Pixar).  Some readers may be surprised that Beck's choices of subject and his treatment is decidedly apolitical.  The fact that he may disagree with someone's politics doesn't preclude his admiring that person's accomplishments or acknowledging his or her importance.

That said, I would have appreciated a little more judgment and condemnation of some of these people!  President Cleveland's deceit about his health condition may have been defensible for national security, but it came at the cost of destroying the reputation of an esteemed journalist.  The corporate forces that destroyed the dreams of radio pioneer Howard Armstrong led him to suicide.  Ponzi destroyed the fortunes of most of his gullible investors.  Upton Sinclair's outright deception in his novel Boston perpetuated a false narrative and contributed to the acceptance of socialism in America.  The federal government's protection of Alger Hiss allowed him to remain a hero to many and, again, add to the allure and spread of socialism.  As Beck tells these stories, he remains non-judgmentally aloof at several points where he could have condemned.

On the other hand, while the lifestyle choices of Dezi Arnaz and Alan Turning and the political and social leanings of Walt Disney and Steve Jobs call for examination, Beck objectively tells their stories without moral or political correction.  On this he is consistent.  In the final assessment, I came to appreciate his approach, emphasizing the historical importance and contributions of each of these individuals without getting caught up in peripheral issues.

The stories Beck tells are informative, memorable, and, in some cases, downright inspiring.  I enjoyed reading them, and have already shared some of them with others.  That's the kind of stories Beck tells: they stick with you and inspire you to retell them. 

Curing Affluenza, by Richard Denniss

I think we can all agree that Western culture is awash in goods, more than we need, sometimes more than we want.  Richard Denniss hopes to promote a cure for affluenza, "that strange desire we feel to spend money we don't have to buy the things we don't need to impress people we don't know."  The size of our shopping malls--and the size of our garbage dumps--attest to the widespread infection of affluenza.  Denniss, an Australian economist, wants to change the culture of consumerism, not by "chiding people for their current conduct and consumption patterns" but by "creating smarter, more attractive patterns of behavior."

Denniss makes a helpful distinction between materialism and consumerism.  Materialism is not the problem.  It's consumerism's "love of buying new things" that drives affluenza while leading to a stream of waste.  "Consumerism is based on the transient thrill of the new. . . . Materialism is based on love of the old."  Materialism is the love of things that encourages us to cherish what we have, to care for them, to repair them, to use them carefully, and enjoy them.  This is the opposite of consumerism, which encourages seeking the new and disposing of the old.

This distinction is important to the extent that our economy is driven by consumerism.  Denniss criticizes the use of GDP as a measure of economic activity.  He says is "like bragging about a car's top speed."  It doesn't say anything about the direction of the economy or the sectors of activity.  Consumerism boosts GDP, but can be detrimental in other areas of a society's health.

Denniss's case for moving society toward a culture rejecting consumerism is strong and makes a lot of sense.  A recurring example is the bottled water industry.  Who would have thought that a very inexpensive, easily acquired (in the developed world) commodity like water would become a huge, profitable industry?  The bottled water is great for GDP--created jobs, consumers spending money on something they spent very little money on in recent years--but has adverse environmental consequences with the waste created by all the bottles, and redirects billions of assets that could be used for other things.  If our culture began to buy less bottled water (as I believe we have begun to see), that small change could have a great impact.  Small changes by millions of people, whether buying less bottled water, choosing to drive less, or using and repairing their goods rather than replacing them, can lead to great changes.

While Denniss makes a good case for materialism over consumerism, pointing out the waste and pointlessness of affluenza, he steps too far down the road of centralization and communalism.  We in the West love our freedoms.  We are free to ride bikes to work, and to promote bike lanes, ride sharing, and other means of reducing urban traffic.  But we also want to be free to drive our gas guzzlers.  Granted, Denniss talks about gradual changes in culture more than statist decrees.  But he seems to be OK with statism, too.

His bottom line still stands: "Just as your stomach should tell you when  you have eaten enough, your cupboards and your garage should tell you when you have consumed enough."  Denniss overplays the "spending to impress others" angle, but we definitely spend more than we need on stuff we don't need.  I'll join him in making those choices in my family to resist the culture of consumerism and promote a culture of materialism rightly understood.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!