Literary Sampler: Essays, Book Reviews, and More...
Monthly Column by Charity Gingerich

“A classic is a book which people praise and don’t read.”
  - Mark Twain

I have always believed that summer is the time of year for “pleasure reading.” Granted, it’s hard to beat a snowy December night by the fireplace when it comes to devouring books, but there is something about winter and obligatory, ponderous reading; the two just seem to go hand-in-hand. So, if August has rolled around and you find you have not been able to plow through Homer’s Iliad, Dante’s Divine Comedy, Shakespeare’s Othello or even Austen’s fine Pride and Prejudice, perhaps you should consider putting these classics aside for the time being (I am not, by all means, advocating that you don’t read them at some point in your life!) and picking up something a bit more whimsical, unusual, or, at least, something that has not been labeled a “classic.” Below is a short list of such books that I have read or am currently reading this summer. Most cannot and will not be found on any “best seller’s list,” but as we all know, best-seller list status cannot guarantee worthwhile reading.

Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse.
The heart-rending story of one family’s struggle to survive the Oklahoma dust bowl, this beautifully written books is narrated by 14-year old Billie Jo, presented to us as her personal journal. While this may sound like a child’s book, it is really one of those stories that cannot be confined to a certain demographic; it’s appeal spans age-boundaries. Besides the absolutely gripping story, I love the way it is presented: though it may say “novel” on the cover, the chapters are written in a spare, though at times almost lyrical, verse form. Once I started reading this book I was scarcely able to put it down.

Lost Ohio: More Travels into Haunted Landscapes, Ghost Towns, and Forgotten Lives, by Randy McNutt.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve long been fed up with people who speak condescendingly of Ohio—as if it is somehow a “second-rate” state in which to live. If you’re a loyal Ohioan like me, and want to add ammunition to your store of reasons why Ohio is a cool state with a cool history, then this is the book for you. McNutt, a freelance writer, has “devoted his career to uncovering forgotten Ohio and its spirited inhabitants, [continuing] his travels around the state in an attempt to discover vanished traces of our lives – celebrations, motels, road art, drive-in theaters, traditions, inventions, folk tales, battlefields, and forts” (from the cover). This book will inspire you to buy some Ohio maps and do some exploring of your own. Pack a picnic!

State of the Arts: From Bezalel to Mapplethorpe, by Gene Edward Veith, Jr.
This book serves a duel purpose: for those who have always wanted to take a basic art history course and never had the opportunity, Veith takes you on “A Walk through the Museum” (chapter four), beginning with art of the Middle Ages and progressing through (just to name a few movements) the Reformation, Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Modern Art. For Christians who believe it is essential to stay in tune with contemporary culture so as to effectively engage it, this is a must read. Veith begins the first chapter of this book by stating that “recovering a Christian sensibility toward the arts is particularly urgent today, both for the sake of Christians and for the sake of the arts. While the art world has acquired unparalleled status and influence, its aesthetic achievements are undercut by a philosophical and spiritual bankruptcy. Christians need the arts, but the arts are in desperate need of Christianity, or at least of some conceptual framework that can justify beauty and inspire artistic excellence.”

Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger.
Okay, this one is a national bestseller, so you may have come across it at Borders, in WORLD magazine, or countless other places. I hope so. Part of the reason I include it on this list-- besides the fact that it is a superbly written book that I enjoyed immensely—is that it reminds us that there are Christian authors out there who can write about faith and miracles without being hopelessly sentimental and trite. Narrated by 11-year old Reuben Land, a Midwestern boy born with a debilitating case of asthma, Enger compels us to travel with the Land family as they venture west searching for Reuben’s older outlaw brother, charged with a controversial murder. Reuben’s younger sister, Swede, has aptly been compared with Scout in To Kill a Mocking Bird; an aspiring writer, her humor, verse and philosophy are in many ways the heart of this book. Effectively dealing with tragedy, hope, love, and – as mentioned before, miracles – this wonderful novel cannot fail to touch your heart.

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, by T.S. Elliot
“You ought to know Mr. Mistoffelees!
The Original conjuring cat—
(There can be no doubt about that).
Please listen to me and don’t scoff. All his
Inventions are off his own bat.
There’s no such Cat in the metropolis;
He holds all the patent monopolies
For performing surprising illusions
And creating eccentric confusions.” (from “Mr. Mistoffelees.”)

For those who scoff that cats are sweet dreamy creatures belonging only to somewhat irresponsible literature or the occasional necessary metaphor, Elliot’s verse will show that his very British cats are not the kind with which to be trifled. Taking on very human qualities, these cats safely avoid the usual nauseating clichés and stereotypes so unfortunately attached to their fair kind. This is a fun book to read aloud to kids and adults alike!

Copyright © 2007 by Charity Gingerich.

About the Author: Charity graduated from Kent State University with a BA in English, as well as minors in writing and history in 2006. This fall (2008) she will be entering the MFA in Creative Writing program at West Virginia University where she will be specializing in poetry. Charity always welcomes any questions/suggestions about this column. Click Here to send her an email.