Books I Read in 2017, Vol. III

RICH MULLINS: Home
Rich Mullins

From the publisher: “Rich Mullins was a poet and thinker who left behind a timeless legacy. As a columnist for Release magazine for nearly six years, Rich shared his musings on faith and life. With the same depth and simplicity that characterized his music, Rich transformed paper to canvas, painting the wonder and awesomeness of our God. [This book] collects these personal writings, along with some of his most memorable quotations.”

From me: I re-read this as part of noting the 20th anniversary of Rich’s death. The articles reproduced in this book are like Rich: deeply God-focused, laced with humor, visually evocative, and poetic enough to be sometimes hard to understand.

Page 56/Sentence 5: I hate restaurants where waiters have too much style and your plates have more finesse than food.

CASH: The Autobiography
Johnny Cash with Patrick Carr

“In his own words, Cash sets the record straight as he looks unsparingly at his remarkable life: from the joys of boyhood in Dyess, Arkansas to superstardom in Nashville, the road of Cash’s life has been anything but smooth.”

Had I known there was ANOTHER autobiography, titled Man in Black, that Cash wrote first, I would have read it first, but still, this book held no disappointments for me at all. There are plenty of behind the scene stories and hard-won bits of wisdom.

56/5: It was the most valuable advice I’d had in years, maybe ever.

APOLOGETICS FOR A NEW GENERATION: A Biblical & Culturally Relevant Approach to Talking About God
Sean McDowell, General Editor

“This generation’s faith is constantly under attack from the secular media, skeptical teachers, and unbelieving peers. You may wonder, How can I help? .... The truth never gets old, but people need to hear it in fresh, new ways. Find out how you can effectively share the answers to life’s big questions with a new generation.”

I bought this book because Sean McDowell’s father, Josh, wrote the definitive book on apologetics, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, back in the 70’s, and it changed my life. (Apologetics: the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of information. Early Christian writers [c. 120–220] who defended their faith against critics and recommended their faith to outsiders were called apologists.) Now, THIS book doesn’t contain a systematic outline of facts and valid arguments that help support faith. Rather, it spells out why apologetics is still important and pertinent, even in a pluralistic culture that states that “what’s true for you may not be true for me.” The fact is, facts still matter, but HOW those facts are shared, in the context of a relationship, matters more.

56/5: More churches are training and equipping people to defend their beliefs.

DAD IS FAT
Jim Gaffigan

“I know what you’re thinking: Finally, another book from a comedian! Finally, a book about parenting from a comedian. Finally, another self-congratulatory book flap obviously written by the author.”

I really like Jim Gaffigan as a stand-up comic, but this is an enjoyable book the way Doctor Strange was an enjoyable movie...the way cotton candy is an enjoyable “food.” I liked it, I laughed, and as soon as it went back to the library, it left my consciousness. Quotable quote: “For me it’s always a little sad getting out of bed. Every morning after I get up, I always gaze longingly at my bed and lament, ‘You were wonderful last night. I didn’t want it to end. I can’t wait to see you again...’.”

56/5: Hospitals should just be renamed “houses of worry.”

Books I Read in 2017, Vol. II

 

SURPRISED BY JOY: The Shape of My Early Life
C. S. Lewis

From the publisher: “In this book, Lewis tells of his search for joy, a spiritual journey that led him from the Christianity of his early youth into atheism and then back to Christianity.”

From me: It’s hard to believe, what with my general respect and awe for everything of Lewis’ I’ve ever read, that it’s taken me this long to read this book. It’s also hard to believe the level of disappointment I felt upon completing it. Yes, it has some very quotable quotes within its covers, but there were also vast passages that were filled with Britishisms, literary references, and allusions to mythology that I was completely unfamiliar with; so much so as to make them empty of meaning for me.

Page 56/Sentence 5: [Oops! I’m recreating this mini-review after having returned the book to the library.]

BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW: Experiencing the Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality of Jesus
John Eldredge

"Reading the Gospels without knowing the personality of Jesus is like watching television with the sound turned off. The effect is a dry, two-dimensional person saying strange, undecipherable things. But when we discover his true character  -  this man who made the wind, music, and flying squirrels  -  suddenly all of the remarkable qualities of Jesus burst forth with color and brilliance like fireworks."

It’s not often that a book lives up to the publisher’s blurb on the dust cover, but this one does! I was absolutely refreshed and actually revived as Eldredge not only demonstrated different character traits of Jesus that usually get ignored by both scholars and critics, but gave a vision of what our lives can be like when we walk through life completely dependent on the fully-rounded person of Christ. INGEST THIS BOOK!

56/5: The wave I’m fixed upon crashes to the sand like a work of art toppling from its pedestal, but before I can feel the loss another is rushing to take its place, sweeping upward, forward, utterly mesmerizing beauty.

WE DON’T NEED ROADS: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy
Caseen Gaines

"For the first time ever, the story of how two young filmmakers struck lightning is being told by those who witnessed it. WDNR includes original interviews with Bobs Zemeckis and Gale, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Huey Lewis, and more than fifty others who contributed to one of the most popular film trilogies of all time....the ultimate read for anyone who has ever wanted to ride a hoverboard, hang from the top of a clock tower, travel through the space-time continuum, or find out what really happened to Eric Stoltz after the first six weeks of filming."

Oh look...two books in a row that deliver on the cover’s promise! For real, though, this is one of the most interesting behind-the-scenes movie bios I’ve ever read. When I finished it, I wanted to immediately watch the trilogy in one sitting.

56/5: For example, the first time the audience sees Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future is in a close-up of the actor with guitar in hand and reflective aviator sunglasses, epitomizing teenage male coolness circa 1985.

THE COLD DISH
Craig Johnson

“After 25 years as sheriff of Absaroka County, Walt Longmire’s hopes of finishing out his tenure in peace are dashed....Somebody, it would seem, is seeking vengeance, and now Longmire might be the only thing standing between the [potential victims] and a Sharps .45-70 rifle.”

Having thoroughly enjoyed watching the A & E/Netflix series based on Johnson’s Walt Longmire mysteries, and having met the author’s wife at her boutique in Wyoming, I was really looking forward to reading this, the first novel in the series. And I was not disappointed in the least. There’s a true sense of place, along with characters that are fully human and undeniably interesting. I’m looking forward to borrowing more of the books from the library.

56/5: I thought about it. 

Fair Warning: "Okja" Is Not for Kids

 

IMDB.com has this as a descriptive sentence for the new Netflix Original movie, Okja:  “Meet Mija, a young girl who risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend - a fascinating animal named Okja.”

Sounds like it could be a Disney Family Masterpiece, doesn’t it?

And Netflix has its own blurb: “ A gentle giant and the girl who raised her are caught in the crossfire between animal activism, corporate greed and scientific ethics.”

The lack of an Oxford comma aside, what these descriptions mostly lack is a warning as to why the film is rated TV-MA.

Let me fix that.

While the themes are semi-adult, and there are scenes of physical peril, the most-obvious reason for recommending this kid-centric movie for mature audiences only is the over-abundance of vulgar language.

It’s so sad, too, because it’s so unnecessary. The film could have been made, and had just as much of an emotional impact, without a single F-bomb. In fact, I submit that the impact would have been stronger without the distraction of four-letter words, some of which I was forced to read instead of just hear, as they were spoken in Korean and read in English subtitles.

Netflix may think Okja demonstrates a bold and true-to-life attitude toward story-telling, but all the filmmakers are really demonstrating is their laziness.

Books I Read in 2017, Vol. I

 

A YEAR WITH C. S. LEWIS
C. S. Lewis

From the publisher: "The wisdom of C. S. Lewis is offered in this essential collection of though-provoking daily meditations. The Los Angeles Times said, ‘Lewis, perhaps more than any other twentieth-century writer, forced those who listened to him and read his works to come to terms with their own philosophical presuppositions’."

From me: It took me a year to read it, but that was the plan. I used this to create a daily Lewis post for the Truth Is... Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DeweyTruth/). So much good stuff from Mere Christianity, The Weight of Glory (a collection of essays), The Problem of Pain, and The Screwtape Letters...it was good to have it broken into bite-sized bits.

Page 56/Sentence 5: That means creatures which can go either wrong or right.

A GLIMPSE OF JESUS: The Stranger to Self-hatred
Brennan Manning

"Manning has long been illuminating the transforming power of God’s constant love for us in his bestselling books. Now he identifies self-hatred as the reason that so many of us seem unable to accept this incredible, unchanging love. By clearly examining and understanding Jesus’ life, we can put self-hatred behind us forever and truly be transformed in the ways God intended."

Another encouraging tome, though similar enough to his other work as to calm down any notion of this being groundbreaking. However, his own description, found in the last few paragraphs, are apt: “As I slosh nimbly through the puddles of advancing age, it would be untimely and absolutely inappropriate for me to write mincing pastorals, sensitive soul-blubber, and well-behaved meditations for pious people. In this little book I’ve given my heart and my language license to be what they are: crude and soft-spoken, whole and stricken, honest and provocative, drawn from the casks of life.”

56/5: The early eucharistic meals were grateful celebrations of God’s gift of life, celebrated in shared food and joyful fellowship.

JIM HENSON: The Biography
Brian Jay Jones

"He was a gentle dreamer whose genial bearded visage was recognized around the world, but most people got to know him only through the iconic characters born of his fertile imagination: Kermit the Frog, Bert and Ernie.... The Muppets made Jim Henson a household name, but they were just part of his remarkable story." (Frank Oz: “I worked with Jim for more than thirty years. He was one of my closest friends. And yet I found out things about him in Jim Henson that were new to me.”)

I found this bio extremely interesting, highly informative, and absolutely entertaining. The behind-the-scenes info on every major Henson project could be books unto themselves, but the author makes it all a part of the flow of Henson’s life story...a story that, even though it ended far too early, is still going on.

56/5: For the Henson family, it was a devastating loss.

THE SHACK
Wm. Paul Young

"In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant, THE SHACK wrestles with the timeless question: Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain? The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!"

I wanted to read this book before seeing the movie, but didn’t get to it in time. As it turns out, I think having seen the movie helped me keep up with what was being said in the book, so no worries. There’s plenty of controversy swirling around both the book and the movie, accusing them of being heretical; of saying that everybody goes to heaven or something like that. Having both watched the movie and read the book specifically on the lookout for false teaching, I’ve got to say that I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. I do, however, agree with the publisher’s hype: I want everyone I know to read this book. It’s a creative way to think about some essential spiritual topics like pain, spiritual direction, and forgiveness.

56/5: Mack felt like he was moving in slow motion inside the eye of a hurricane of activity happening all around him.

SINGING TO A BULLDOG: From Happy Days to Hollywood Director, and the Unlikely Mentor Who Got Me There
Anson Williams

"Anson Williams started working odd jobs as a teenager to help support his family and met Willie, an aging, African American janitor who unexpectedly became a mentor. The lessons Willie taught young Anson proved to be invaluable throughout his subsequent career as an actor, director, and entrepreneur."

The short, episodic chapters in this book made it an easy read, and the behind-the-scenes memories of Happy Days and beyond, mixed with the life lessons Williams learned from Willie, kept everything not only interesting but meaningful. As a whole, it kind of comes across like Slumdog Millionaire, in that what might have been just semi-sober ramblings spoken to a 15-year-old future actor end up being the very attitudes and insights that helped Anson Williams create a wonderful life.

56/5: We walked into an adjoining room, and there was Susan Ford, looking beautiful, talking with a couple of girlfriends.

COMEDY AT THE EDGE: How Stand-Up in the 1970s Changed America
Richard Zoglin

"In the rock-and-roll 1970s, a new kind of outlaw hero emerged on the American cultural scene; an edgy mixture of social commentator and rock star: the stand-up comic, turning the old borscht belt conventions on their head and reinventing a very American art form"

Every chapter in this book either profiles a particular comic (e.g., Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Richard Pryor...) or a particular aspect of the stand-up universe (e.g., comedy clubs, improv, the scarcity of women comics...). Zoglin did a lot of interviewing for his book, and it shows, with lots of direct quotes and personal insights. It's an interesting read, and he makes a fairly good case for the truth of the subtitle.

56/5: Urbisci, for his part, says he had no problems with Pryor: “It wasn’t a walk in the park.”

Goodbye, Farewell, Amen

Back in December, we published a note (“When’s the Next Show”) that filled everyone in on our Grand Poohbah’s retirement (Pete Martin, you are a legend!). In that note we quoted Community Education:  "Members of the community and Lakeville Community Education are working diligently to bring theater back to the families and students of Lakeville by Fall of 2017.  More information will be posted as it becomes available."

Well, there’s more information available.

The diligent work and hearty discussions all came to the conclusion that for Giant Step Theatre to continue, it would take at least one someone working at it full-time. (You know, kind of like what we said in our previous note.) Couple that with there not being anyone with the right skill sets, time, or inclination...and you’ve got a recipe for the official end of GST.

It’s been a great run! 36 years for Pete and Giant Step Theatre to “create performing opportunities for youth and entertainment for families” (16 years for this note’s author, Dewey Roth). WE CANNOT THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH for the time, finances, spirit of cooperation, and abundant talent you’ve shared with us!

Keep telling stories. Keep sharing your lives with others. Keep eating broccoli.

P.S.  -  Pete is still creating fun and mayhem! Be sure to visit the Dakota Chautauqua in the big tent behind the Dakota City Drugstore on the Dakota County fairgrounds during the county fair in August!

More Beauty Than Beast

 

Beyond a doubt, the most impressive thing about the new, mostly-live-action version of Disney’s Beauty & the Beast is its visual impact. It is truly a beautiful thing to see...and I didn’t even go to a 3-D showing.

Even on opening day, I had already heard some complaints:

• “It’s boring”  -  Well, boring is in the eye of the beholder. Frankly, I think if you find this movie boring, it’s because YOU’RE boring. Sure, there are a couple spots that kind of drag (like in ANY movie, TV show, book, or life), but to label the whole film as dull is grossly exaggerating.
• “The singing is a terrible example of electronic pitch correction.”  -  I honestly do not know where this comes from. The male leads are excellent singers, and even Hermione...er...sorry...Emma Watson’s Belle can carry a tune with confidence and a pleasing tone. I was especially moved by the Beast’s mournful solo in the castle’s tower.’
•  “They made LaFou gay.”  -  This had plenty of tongues wagging, and I admit that it was something I was especially on the lookout for. What I actually saw in the movie was Josh Gad playing the character much as he was in the animated version: a slightly effeminate admirer of the biggest, baddest manly-man in town. There was one brief instance when, through an accident of choreography, LaFou ended up dancing with a minor male character who seems to have enjoyed being dressed as a woman (by the enchanted wardrobe, in the battle at the castle), but that was played as a joke, not as a “I’ve found my true love at last” moment. If there was something more overt about this in the movie, I missed it.
• “The Beast is totally CGI.”  -  I have to admit, this was a little off-putting, although, it took me just a little bit of time to decide it was true (it was that well done). Beloved and I both were surprised that the Beast didn’t involve prosthetic make-up instead of computers and pixels, but also thought that, perhaps, it was fitting, seeing as how all the other enchanted occupants of the castle were computer-generated images (Cogsworth the clock, Lumiere the candelabra, etc.). 

One minor disappointment: while having Belle wave a tree branch at the attacking wolves may have been a sideways acknowledgement of Watson’s role in the Harry Potter movies (although that would have been the biggest wand I’d ever seen), the filmmakers missed a golden opportunity by not having Josh Gad (who played the singing snowman, Olaf, in Frozen) do a double-take at a snowman or say, “I like hugs”, or get too warm standing by a fire, or SOMEthing.

One final note: I chose to attach the above picture to this review because the father-daughter relationship between Belle and Maurice, and the NON-”crazy old Maurice” way Kevin Kline played his character, were especially satisfying.

Bottom line: this is NOT simply a live-action remake of the animated classic. It is its own movie, though it includes enough of the original’s songs and iconic moments as to not disappoint fans.

Art Garfunkel in Concert at the Pantages Theater

 

Beloved and I had a great date night with dinner at a downtown restaurant and an intimate concert by one of the most iconic pop vocalists of the Sixties and Seventies, Art Garfunkel.

Backed by just a guitarist and a keyboardist, with occasional synth percussion, the concert was wise in featuring Artie's clear, sweet tenor. Admittedly, at 75 years of age, there's more breathiness on the higher notes, and he either has to use his falsetto more often than I remember, or the jump to it is more noticeable in the more-intimate theater setting than the arena I heard him and Paul Simon in a few years ago (during their "Old Friends" tour). I found myself wondering "How in the world is he going to be able to sing "Bridge Over Troubled Water"?

Scattered throughout the evening were surprise, and surprisingly moving, readings from a book being released in September...a compilation of things Mr. G. calls prose poems...short pieces he has written throughout his career, with humor and poignancy. I look forward to reading the book.

As expected, most of the songs were from the Simon & Garfunkel era, but he also included a greatly edited version of his Adult Contemporary semi-hit "All I Know", "Bright Eyes" (from the movie, "Watership Down"), his own composition "Perfect Moment", and "Emotional Girl" by Randy Newman, who Garfunkel lists as one of the 5 best American songwriters (along with Stephen Sondheim, Paul Simon, Jimmy Webb, and James Taylor).

And what about "Bridge..."? A slightly altered arrangement made allowances for his more-limited range, including completely dropping the third verse and its throat-splitting finale. 'Twas much more subdued, but somehow, more believable. Gone was the strident, youthful, "I will ease your mind!"...replaced by a more-solemn, wiser-because-of-the-years submissive "I will lay me down."