Invincible: 2012 Baylor Lady Bears, NCAA Champions

Never in the history of college basketball has there been a season like the Baylor Lady Bears' 2012 season.  They went 40-0, winning a national championship and leaving no question in anyone's mind who was the best women's college basketball team in the country.  It was a season Baylor fans will remember for a long time, but just to jog your memory a bit, Invincible captures the season in book form.

Invincible includes a summary and stats from every game, profiles of all the players and coaches, and, of course, tons of great pictures.  I know Kim Mulkey will continue to put together great teams, and I am confident that we will see more conference and national championships, but I don't know that we'll ever have a team or a season to equal this one.  What fun, what memories, and what a great year to be a Baylor fan!  Every Baylor fan will enjoy having this book and reliving the season, game by game.

Exodus Towers, by Jason Hough

A few weeks ago, I posted a review of The Darwin Elevator, the first book in Jason Hough's Dire Earth Sequence.  As I noted then, I think it's pretty cool that he is releasing this trilogy in rapid succession.  Book 2, The Exodus Towers, picks up where The Darwin Elevator left off.  Hough continues the hard-hitting action, brings the aliens more into the picture, and presents a whole new set of human conflicts.

In a follow-up alien event, a second space elevator appears in South America.  Skyler and a few others separate from the Darwin Elevator to establish a new colony.  Soon they face a rogue band of immunes, who try to take over the colony.  Then a new form of subhuman, enhanced by alien technology, shows itself.  Facing these new foes and trying to figure out how the human race can survive adequately occupy the time of the Exodus colony.

Meanwhile, back in Darwin, the Jacobites, a religious cult, have taken over the whole place, first through wily political maneuvering, then by force.  Skyler and company are working against the clock, knowing the Jacobite's desire to control both elevators, and knowing that there are more alien events coming, in quicker succession than the last one.

In terms of forecasting technological and societal developments, an important part of any sci-fi, Hough makes a couple of interesting points, both of which play into the story.  First, I noticed that in Hough's future earth, technology as a whole didn't seem adequately advanced for a setting 250 years in the future.  The main reason for this is that Moore's Law, which predicts exponential growth of processing power, proves to have its limits, and processing power plateaus.  Second, China outpaces the West, leaving Western Europe and the U.S. in their economic dust.  Why?  Chine embraced nuclear power, developing safer, more powerful, and longer lasting forms of it, so that "while Europe and America struggled to attach a solar panel to every roof and burned every last drop of oil, China and the developing world suddenly had no energy problem to speak of."  Soon, "Europe was still in catch-up mode, America was a distant memory."

There are a couple of spots where the story drags or skips without a lot of explanation, and some convenient plot elements thrown in, but, hey, it's fiction.  Altogether this is an exciting page turner, and the story adds to the epic feel of the Dire Earth sequence.  And the great news: only 4 short weeks until book 3, The Plague Forge, is released!

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

This Beautiful Mess, by Rick McKinley

Among the many mysteries of knowing and following Jesus is the question of the kingdom of God, his "already and not yet" reign.  In his own pastoral, insightful way, Rick McKinley, pastor of Imago Dei Community in Portland, Oregon, explores our understanding of living in the kingdom in This Beautiful Mess: Practicing the Presence of the Kingdom of God.

You can't talk about the kingdom without talking theology, but McKinley makes it clear that his goal is not to write a systematic theology of the kingdom.  I like his comparison of systematic theology to grammar.  "Theology, especially the systematic kind, becomes more helpful when you think of it as grammar." Grammar is a tool, which helps us to read and write, but does not communicate understanding or beauty.  In fact, as in the case of some poetry, understanding and beauty are enhanced by the breaking of grammar rules.  In the same way, McKinley argues that rather than limit himself to hard and fast theological rules, Jesus used a theological framework but that his teaching "gave us a multifaceted picture that is full of shape and contour and texture and tension and beauty and mess," a picture of the kingdom that is to be lived, not defined.

The strength of McKinley's book, which was first published in 2006 and updated for this 2013 edition, is the stories of his unique church in Portland.  On the one hand, they are passionate about serving Jesus by being a transformative presence in their community.  Their impact, at least from what we read here, has been and continues to be far-reaching.  On the other hand, McKinley seems to be one of those pastors who says, "The church has gotten so much wrong, and is so far off track, that we need to jettison every tradition and start from scratch." I am struck by the arrogance of this attitude.  To be fair, I have never been to McKinley's church, and am making assumptions based on this book, but it seems there are times at which he and his church value novelty over tradition, experience over truth, and feeling over scripture.

One quick example: several times each year, the church has outdoor Worship Learning Experiences, where they "lead people in an experience of creation that draws them to worship the King and celebrate their connection to His kingdom." One day a group cleared out some vines on a hillside and planted some trees.  One of the leaders "pointed around the circle at the muddy knees, sweaty brows, and scratched arms.  'This is the gospel,' he said."  I have to say, respectfully, that is not the gospel.  It's a nice sentiment, I guess, but I think that sort of view of the gospel cheapens and obscures what the gospel actually is: the good news of Jesus' saving work.  Creation care can be an expression of our experience of the gospel, but planting trees is decidedly not the gospel.

So if you pick up This Beautiful Mess, do so with the expectation of some good stories, some thought-provoking and inspiring nuggets, and the possibility of some insight into life with Jesus.  But be prepared for some sentimentality and iffy theology.  You'll want to look elsewhere for an understanding of the kingdom.



Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah for the complimentary review copy!

Autism on the Farm, by Linda Davis

Parents of individuals with disabilities do not need to be reminded that once their children age out of school programs, finding a place for them can be fraught with challenges.  Where should they live?  Can they or should they have a job?  Will their living arrangements and job situation help them to develop, preserve their dignity, and fulfill them?  Linda Davis, whose son has autism, has grappled with these questions.

In Autism on the Farm: A Story of Triumph, Possiblity, and a Place Called Bittersweet, Davis tells the story of Bittersweet Farms, which since the 1970s has serves autistic individuals with residential and day programs in rural Ohio.  As a working farm, Bittersweet provides, in the words of founder Bettye Ruth Kay, "an opportunity and program for our residents and day students to learn real work skills, become more social beings and control their behavior in the process of doing meaningful work as partners with our staff."

Resisting the stereotype of "funny farm," and resisting the increasingly negative perception of institutions for the disabled, Bittersweet's leadership is committed to serving autistic adults with dignity and integrity.  Autism on the Farm gives an honest account of life at Bittersweet, not a perfect place but an attractive and inspiring alternative for the families of autistic adults.  As Davis points out, since the Olmstead decision in 1999, institutionalization of the disabled has been discouraged, and in some states eliminated.  Farms like Bittersweet struggle not be viewed in the same light as impermissible institutions, and have at times, from the perspectives of funding and policy making, been the baby thrown out with the bathwater.

Davis's interest in Bittersweet Farms is not detached.  She was inspired by Bittersweet to establish the SAGE Crossing Foundation in Massachusetts, which has similar goals.  I believe Davis's goal in writing Autism on the Farm was not only to celebrate the work of Bittersweet, but to draw attention to the rapidly growing need for programs for adults with autism, and to inspire parents of children with disabilities to think ahead about finding, or, as she did, creating programs for their children.  I don't like to think about it, but my 11-year-old daughter is growing fast.  Questions of placement, work, and independent living will arise sooner than I think.  I know she would love a place like Bittersweet.

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

The United States of Paranoia, by Jesse Walker

Jesse Walker, books editor at my favorite magazine, Reason, has written another book of his own.  Readers of Reason will recognize him as a reasonable (pun intended, of course) voice discoursing on popular culture and movements.  In his new book, The United States of Paranoia, Walker examines the  historical American tendency to seek to discover more mysterious or insidious plots and machinations behind events of the day.

Even as far back as colonial times, Americans have credited, or blamed, at different times, enemies above, below, within, and/or without for manipulating the workings of society and history.  While many observers (who may be conspirators themselves [insert evil, hand-wringing laugh here]) "tend to write off political paranoia as a feature of the fringe, a disorder that occasionally flares up until the sober center can put out the flames . . .  They're wrong.  The fear of conspiracies has been a potent force across the political spectrum, from the colonial era to the present, in the establishment as well as the extremes."

With good humor and a broad grasp of history, Walker takes the reader on a tour of conspiracies through American history.  For the most part, his perspective remains that of an outsider, leaving the reader to ask himself how much of any given conspiracy theory is based on truth.  Ultimately, a quote with which he opens the book seems to encapsulate his perspective: "Secret societies have not had power in history, but the notion that secret societies have had power in history has had power in history."

There were points at which I wished he had been more bold in his statements, but for the most part he let the facts speak for themselves.  He also spent more time on the presentation of conspiracy in fiction and film than seemed necessary, but he makes a salient point about people's perception is shaped by suggestive fiction.

A few quibbles aside, Walker's walk in the shadows of history, real or imagined, makes for an interesting read.  In his reading of history, he gives us a framework through which, as we watch the evening news and read the morning paper (OK, as we read the news on the internet), we can ask, what, if any, invisible forces are directing the course of events?



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

Bad Monkey, Carl Hiaasen

The release of a new novel by Carl Hiaasen is always cause for celebration.  I have to admit, I love every novel he's written.  (His golf book wasn't that great, to me.)  Bad Monkey came at a great time, shortly after I read a new novel by that other funny south Florida columnist.  (I won't name names, but he should stick to his humor columns and leave the humor novels to Hiaasen!)

Bad Monkey, Hiaasen's first adult novel since 2010's Star Island, opens with a honeymooning couple's snagging an unusual catch on their fishing trip in the Florida Keys: a human arm.  We meet Andrew Yancy, who has been demoted from detective to health inspector due to a very public mini-vac attack on his lover's husband.  Yancy, determined to resurrect his career by pursuing the killer of the owner of the wayward arm, gets himself into a convoluted mess that, in his inimitable style, Hiaasen weaves together and ultimately, improbably, sorts out.

Believe it or not, in spite of the very Hiaasen-esque cast of characters, this may be a little more straight that some of his other novels.  Nevertheless, Hiaasen fans won't be disappointed.  Mystery fans with a sense of humor will enjoy Hiaasen's convoluted plotting.  And restaurant inspectors everywhere will find a new hero in Yancy.

Raising Respectful Children in a Disrespectful World, by Jill Rigby

If you're like me, you can use all the help and reminders you can get when it comes to parenting.  And if you're like me, you've read plenty of parenting books and still feel like you will never master the art of raising kids.  Jill Rigby, well-known for her character education curriculum "Manners of the Heart," has updated her 2006 book Raising Respectful Children in a Disrespectful World and has plenty to say to parents of children of all ages.

Rigby does not seem to be any more encouraged today about the level of disrespect in the world today than when she first published this book in  2006.  To be clear, she does not buy into the false respect of the self-esteem strand of education and parenting.  True self-respect is other-centered, and is grounded in parental discipline and guidance.  The task is made more difficult by the fact that whereas in the past, "parents could raise their children with the assurance of support from the culture norms," by contrast "today, parents must raise their children in opposition to the cultural norms."  This includes, of course, media, but extends beyond that to the ways in which people interact.

I should point out that Rigby's emphasis on manners (at least in this book--I have not seen the curriculum her organization produces) is not all about which fork to use and how to address a visiting dignitary.  She writes, "When we teach our children to be well-mannered, we are teaching them to focus on others, and on how others feel and what others need.  Manners help kids to grow up believing it's more about others and less about me."

I appreciated Rigby's tone, her use of scripture (She is clearly a Christian, but the principles she writes about apply to all children.  I would not think a non-Christian would be put off by her message.), and her practical guidelines.  Some readers, especially those who have read a few parenting books, will feel like they've read some of this before, but I think parenting experts as well as newbies will benefit from Rigby's book.



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