We're Reading and Writing but no 'Rithmetic

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow them. - Louisa May Alcott

Myspace Comments, Rosh Hashanah Comments at WishAFriend.com

It has been more than this but I'm behind on adding stuff to Shelfari.

but once again I was subjected to once of the worst narrations ever. I've mentioned doing the Left Behind series. Well the last two books I've done have had narrations that made it an effort to get through them. I can't remember who narrated the last one. But for The Remnant it was read by Jack Sonericker and I absolutely hated it. I do hope to get a better narrator for the next installment. I so wonder what happened to the original voice.

Just finished listening to a book on tape of this. It was performed by Ed Begley, Sr. and I thought it was worth the hour worth of time I devoted to it.

Just wanted to share. (It was a library loan - LAPL)

Just finished Desecration. I am committed to finishing this series.



One thing I did want to share (using Wikipedia for a source - for what that is worth) are some of the criticisms about this book/series



Controversies and criticisms
Some evangelicals are seriously concerned about the message of the genre. Their objections are based on the paucity of scriptural evidence for the Pre-Tribulation Rapture which forms the basis for the story. The supposition is that the Christian Church will not be present for the "final witness" nor need to prepare themselves in the faith for that possibility. It forms a growing basis for discussion among evangelicals who hold to a Post Tribulation Rapture, amillennialism, or forms of preterism.
Other evangelicals object to the message of Left Behind because they say it is not a Christian message, though framed as a Christian series. Loren L. Johns, the Academic Dean of the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, writes: "At the end of the day, this series is ultimately a rejection of the good news of Jesus Christ. I say this because it rejects the way of the cross and Jesus’ call to obedient discipleship and a new way of life. It celebrates the human will to power, putting Evangelical Christians in the heroic role of God’s Green Berets. ... Love of enemies is treated as a misguided strategy associated not with the gospel, but with the Antichrist."[3]
The Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) reported that "the ideas expressed in the Left Behind series are in many ways contrary to the teaching of holy scripture. Though containing a fictional story line, the books promote a theology that is, in important respects, at odds with the biblical revelation."[4]
Lisa Ruby, writer of over 50 investigative articles about the Left Behind Series, and a book, God's Wrath on Left Behind, insists the novels are filled with soul-subverting messages: "My focus is not on the author's eschatological bent, but rather, the apostate thinking and behavior of the allegedly Christian characters. The Left Behind Series is conditioning people to believe that Christians may work at Satan's headquarters and even "pretend" to worship the Antichrist during the Tribulation without forfeiting their souls."[5]
Other Christians find the focus on the Rapture as a dramatic device in a "Christian" film gives too much credence to this debatable theory. Some Christians find the use of Biblical interpretations for commercial entertainment somewhat exploitive and disingenuous, in spite of the claims of some that the books and movie have helped bring new believers to Christianity.

"We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.” - Jonathan Swift

via Wikipedia:

Jonathan Swift (November 30, 1667^[1] – October 19, 1745) was an Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for Whigs then for the Tories), poet and cleric who became Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin.

He is remembered for works such as Gulliver's Travels, A Modest Proposal, A Journal to Stella, Drapier's Letters, The Battle of the Books, An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity, and A Tale of a Tub. Swift is probably the foremost prose satirist in the English language, and is less well known for his poetry. Swift originally published all of his works under pseudonyms — such as Lemuel Gulliver, Isaac Bickerstaff, M.B. Drapier — or anonymously. He is also known for being a master of two styles of satire; the Horatian and Juvenalian styles.

"Books to the ceiling, Books to the sky, My pile of books is a mile high. How I love them! How I need them! I'll have a long beard by the time I read them." ~Arnold Lobel

"Books to the ceiling, Books to the sky, My pile of books is a mile high. How I love them! How I need them! I'll have a long beard by the time I read them." ~Arnold Lobel

Sadly a book that has been enjoyed in the family for quite a bit has to be returned to the library today (we just exceeded our renewals). It is JAPANESE TALES. It was edited and translated by Royall Tyler. Check it out if you have the chance

Although it happened over a week ago, I just read about it today. My prayers and thoughts to his family.

Via CNN:

Please click link to read entire article.

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Dave Freeman, co-author of "100 Things to Do Before You Die," a travel guide and ode to odd adventures that inspired readers and imitators, died after hitting his head in a fall at his home. He was 47.

Freeman died August 17 after the fall at his Venice home, his father, Roy Freeman, told the Los Angeles Times on Monday.

An advertising agency executive, Freeman co-wrote the 1999 book subtitled "Travel Events You Just Can't Miss" with Neil Teplica. It was based on the Web site whatsgoingon.com, which the pair ran together from 1996 to 2001