The Heart of a Boy, by Kate T. Parker

In this age of condemning "toxic masculinity" and gender wars, Kate T. Parker's celebration of boyhood, The Heart of a Boy: Celebrating the Strength and Spirit of Boyhood is a breath of fresh air.  She writes that after publishing her earlier book, Strong is the New Pretty, she wanted to "show the richness and diversity of boyhood."  For this book, she travelled the country, attempting "to capture boyhood in all its forms."

Parker's subjects range from preschool to late teens, and she captures them in action, in contemplation, smiling and brooding, hamming it up and candid.  She clearly sought to photograph a wide spectrum of ages and races.  She includes a number of boys with disabilities or who are recovering from illnesses or surgeries.  The result is that any boy will be able to see himself and his friends in these pictures.  Is your boy joyful, vulnerable, dedicated, playful, creative, resilient, expressive, independent, curious, and kind?  He would fit right in with these boys.


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

A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Townes

My son was reading Amor Townes's A Gentleman in Moscow with a reading group at his dorm, so I decided to check it out.  It's an enjoyable read the gives a window into Russian history in the first half of the twentieth century but ultimately is flat and somewhat forgettable.

Count Alexander Rostov, who lives in a suite at Moscow's Metropol Hotel, considers himself lucky when the Bolsheviks place him under permanent house arrest at the hotel rather than subject him to violent ends.  However, rather than returning him to his suite, they relocate him to a small room in the belfry, where he is destined to dwell for decades.  The book follows him through those decades as people come and go, he works as the head waiter at the hotel's restaurant, he becomes a famous movie star's lover, and befriends a young girl whose daughter he later raises as his own.

The count is very likable, and his attitude is admirable.  He doesn't despair over his condition or the loss of his status and freedom.  He truly makes the best of it.  Townes presents the count as the best of the nobility, making him a Disney-like character whose integrity, grace, and honor, not to mention his manners and tastes, are without fault.  His noble character is contrasted with the violent, oppressive socialist regime whose grip on Russia grows throughout the decades.

While Townes doesn't spend a lot of time on politics, the count's perspective from this famous hotel in the heart of Moscow reveals a lot about the politics of the day.  As a remedy for the fascination with socialism on the American left today, he demonstrates the absurdity and abuses spawned by socialism.  While the new rulers abhor aristocracy and drive aristocrats like the count out of their societal roles, they quickly embrace their own version of privilege and take on many of the trappings of the culture they supposedly oppose.  The declines of the hotel and the bureaucratic absurdity of hotel management mirror the decline of culture in Russia.

Why was I disappointed in the book?  Over the course of these decades, not much happens to the count.  Given the incompetence of his captors and the count's own wiliness, I couldn't help but wonder why he passively embraced his fate.  He wasn't under armed guard or even, apparently, closely monitored.  How hard would it have been to walk?  He finally puts a plot together but only after several decades of existing in the hotel.

This is a book that is pleasant to read, but it takes a long time to get anywhere.  I would have liked to have seen a bit more reflection on the societal changes and a more critical examination of the culture that made the count who he is.  Townes is clearly an admirer of aristocratic culture and presents the count as the finest example of it, but doesn't allow any consideration of the darker side of aristocracy and the abuses and disparities that it perpetuated.  Communism gets a more critical treatment, but Townes treats it more like benign incompetence rather than the deadly, oppressive regime that it became.

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, by Eugene Peterson

One of the best descriptions of Christian discipleship may be from Friedrich Nietzsche, of all people: "The essential thing 'in heaven and earth' is . . . that there should be long obedience in the same direction."  From this, Eugene Peterson takes the title of his classic book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society.  

 Peterson is best known for his biblical paraphrase The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language.  But he was also a Presbyterian pastor for nearly 30 years, and published over 30 books, of which  A Long Obedience was his first.  Sadly, Peterson passed away late last year.

In A Long Obedience, Peterson focuses on the "Songs of Ascent," Psalms 120-134.  Peterson writes that these Psalms were songs Jewish pilgrims sang on their way to Jerusalem for the annual feasts, and that "there are no better 'songs for the road' for those who travel the way of faith in Christ, a way that has so many continuities with the way of Israel."

As Peterson unpacks and personalizes the Psalms, there were several points at which I had to stop and reread and linger.  I love this on worship: "Worship does not satisfy our hunger for God--it whets our appetite.  Our need for God is not taken care of by engaging in worship--it deepens."  Would that my heart and mind viewed worship like this. 

Peterson continues on the long obedience pointing out the characteristics or elements of discipleship: service, help, security, joy, work, happiness, perseverance, hope, humility, obedience, community, and blessing.  In doing so, Peterson accomplishes two key things, at least for me.  First, he points me to God.  Just as the ancient Jews set their hearts toward Jerusalem, so should I set my heart toward God.  Second, he points me to the scripture.  Like any good preacher or Bible teacher, he draws me to to the Bible, inspiring me to dig deeper and spend more time in the Word.

Peterson was a treasure whose teaching gift is missed.  His legacy remains in The Message and his many books.  His long obedience in the same direction sets an example for us all.

How Safe are We?, by Janet Napolitano

Janet Napolitano served honorably as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security from 2009 to 2013.  In How Safe Are We? Homeland Security Since 9/11, she draws on her experience to cast a vision for the future of security in the U.S.  For all of her experience and the details about her time at DHS, her proposals don't have a lot to add, and her tone of anti-Trump administration criticism detracted from her message.

I do appreciate one of her over-arching messages: the mission and scope of DHS's work is much more expansive and effective than most Americans realize.  She writes "we are made safer through the unseen, uncelebrated work" of all the combined agencies and programs under DHS.  By her reckoning, "the country has effectively ensured that a reprise of a 9/11-style attack cannot happen."  Skeptics will surely object to her certainty on this point and many others, but her descriptions of plots foiled and crises averted make a strong case.

Aside from the undeniable assertion that DHS does great work in keeping the country safer, she can't resist getting some blatant partisan jabs in as she looks to the future of DHS.  These come across as part typical Democrat Trump hatred, and part arrogance that she is great and others are not so much.  Her two big points by which she claims superiority over the "embarrassing" Trump administration are climate change and border policies.

She writes that "many Americans, including elected officials, have infuriatingly turned a blind eye to preparing for the biggest and most irreversible risk of all, climate change."  She leaves no room for disagreement here, no chance that climate scientists and researchers in related fields might have opinions contrary to hers.  She continues: "It's truly horrifying to know that the number of policy makers in this country who deny climate change is not insignificant."  She has no room in her world view to consider that those policy makers may have legitimate reasons for denying climate change, or at least her interpretation of the implications of climate change.

Even worse is her stance on the border.  She, like many Democrats, pulls of the rhetorical trick of condemning Trump's position on the border while essentially agreeing with most of what the president actually says.  She creates a straw man position, stating that Trump "simplistically suggests we simply seal the border with a wall."  Then she goes on to talk about technological and personnel improvements that we can make at the border, points that Trump himself, as well as just about any Democrat or Republican politician, has made.  She writes, "most of the news and nearly all of the mythology is generated by the 2 percent of the human and cargo traffic that is illegal."  Well, duh.  She herself talks about the 350 million people and $44 billion worth of freight that cross legally from Mexico.  Given her 2 percent figure, I, for one, would think that 7 million people and nearly a billion dollars worth of freight would exceed the realm of "mythology" and move closer to the category of "crisis."

Don't get me wrong.  I'm sure Napolitano did a commendable job at DHS.  And I don't necessarily fault someone for tooting her own horn in a memoir of public service like this.  But her criticisms of the Trump administration and her successors at DHS fall flat in light of her partisanship.



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

26 Marathons, by Meb Keflezighi

If you follow road running at all, you know Meb Keflezighi.  He's one of the United States's most accomplished marathon runners, having won Boston, New York, and winning a silver medal at the Olympics.  In 26 Marathons: What I've Learned About Faith, Identity, Running, and Life from Each Marathon I've Run, Meb writes about the 26 marathons he ran over his 15 year career as a marathoner. 

For someone who most of us would view as a superhuman, Meb reveals his humanity.  As a recreational runner who has run a few marathons, I could relate to many of Meb's struggles.  Of course, there are differences: he runs a marathon twice as fast as I do, and trains well more than twice as much.  But a big theme of the book is fighting through struggles and overcoming adversity, in racing and in life.  He writes that he runs to win, but points out that "isn't about finishing first, but about getting the best out of yourself." 

As the saying goes, life is a marathon, and Meb's example proves what that saying implies.  For him, life and training and racing is about patience and perseverance.  "Grow your capabilities over time, not suddenly two months before a big race."  He writes that "The people who have long, successful careers in any endeavor are those who consistently work hard but don't push themselves so much that they break down." 

And when you meet your goals, celebrate them.  "Celebrate every personal best, even it's only by one second."  Meb certainly had plenty of personal bests to celebrate.  But he was also realistic.  For each race, he would set a series of goals, for example, first place, top 3, top 10, or simply to finish.  Sometimes during a race, you have to adjust your goals, but can still celebrate.

Meb tells some great stories, and shows why he has become so beloved by marathon fans around the world.  As you read, you'll cheer for him at every race, grieve with him as he fights injury, and celebrate with him as he bounces back.  His is a great American success story.


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

We Chose You, by Tony & Lauren Dungy

I know who Tony Dungy is--NFL coach, outspoken Christian--but I didn't know he is the father of 10 children, most of whom are adopted.  In We Chose You, which Dungy co-wrote with his wife, Lauren, a mom and dad explain to their son that they chose him, that God makes all kinds of families.

Calvin came home from school worried about his project for the next day, in which he was going to have to tell the class about his family.  Calvin's mom and dad explained to him that they had prayed and prayed for him, and that God chose him for them, and chose them for him.  Dad reassured him that "Once we became your parents, we all became a family.  You can't un-choose family."

It's a simple message, but one that many adoptees struggle with.  Mom makes it clear to Calvin that even though he didn't "grow in her tummy," they are just as much a family.  I'd be interested to see how the Dungys would address Calvin's questions if he had siblings who were biological children.  I have not doubt that they would assure Calvin that of course they love him just as much as their biological children.  Since the Dungys have both biological and adopted children, perhaps the next book will cover that territory.

This is a cute book with a great message for any child whose life is touched by adoption.


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

Inherit the Stars, by James P. Hogan

James P. Hogan's 1977 novel Inherit the Stars has one of the great set-ups in sci-fi.  Human explorers on the moon uncover an unusual find: a human in a space suit.  Clearly he's been dead a while, but no group of humans will own up to a missing crew member.  Soon researchers get the most shocking news of all: the corpse is 50,000 years old!  This discovery and subsequent related discoveries spark an investigation into the very origins of human life.

Upon reflection, one interesting thing about Inherit the Stars is that despite its being science-heavy, with lots of conversations between scientists comparing theories, it's very readable.  Also, with much of the text being made up these conversation among scientists, there's not a lot that actually happens, yet it's a fun and entertaining read.  And although it was first published more than 40 years ago, Hogan's anticipation of technological developments (and the fact that tech is not central to the story) has kept the story fresh.

Inherit the Stars, Hogan's first novel, established him as a reliably entertaining writer of hard science fiction.  This is definitely a novel that is worth revisiting.