The Weight of Glory – C.S. Lewis

A collection of essays, lectures, and sermons from C.S. Lewis

Most readers of this blog will be familiar with the work of C.S. Lewis via his children’s fantasy series “The Chronicles of Naria.” Lewis was also a prolific nonfiction writer. “Mere Christianity” is probably his most well-known work in this category. The Oxford and Cambridge professor was frequently invited to give public lectures, radio addresses, and sermons. “The Weight of Glory” is largely a collection of these various talks and includes some things not previously published.

Note: If you are a Lewis fan and decide to check this book out, make sure you get the one titled “The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses” which is a revised and expanded edition. It also includes four additional essays and an introduction from Walter Hooper, a man who lived with and assisted Lewis for a few months prior to his death.

Topics/Themes

The book’s title is taken from the first chapter/selection in this collection, which was a sermon given at Oxford University Church. It is a surprisingly deep and moving address that I revisit often. Other talks and essays include topics such as:

A critique of pacifism
The importance of learning, even in times of chaos/world war/upheaval
Inner circles
Forgiveness

Recommendation

Even with this very brief write-up, I know you’ll have picked up by now if this book is for you or not. Some won’t be interested (based on the spiritual/Christian themes) while others will greatly enjoy this eclectic collection. Lewis was an interesting figure, thinker, and persuader. If you have read and enjoyed his other more eclectic books – “The Screwtape Letters” and “The Great Divorce” – then I’m certain you will enjoy this collection.

The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R Tolkien

The epic of all epics

What can be said about The Lord of the Rings (LotR) that hasn’t already been said? It is at or near the top of almost all “best novels” lists, including the top 100 reading list that can be found in this blog. It has apparently sold over 150 million copies and been translated into 56 languages. Lord of the Rings is considered in the high-fantasy epic genre/style but has appealed to many who don’t usually read fantasy novels.

If you haven’t read the book(s), then it’s likely you’ve seen the movie adaptations – or at least are familiar with the topics and themes due to its prevalence in pop culture. Because of that, I won’t go into much detail about such things. Even if I wanted to, it would be really difficult to try and fit a short and sweet summary into a single paragraph or two, especially since this novel clocks in at over 1100 pages in total (!) and is usually broken up into three volumes. This novel is probably the best illustration of the “hero’s journey” type of story that I’ve encountered.

Recommendation

I had put off reading this book until just recently due to the sheer length of it. I’m glad I finally decided to check it out. I highly recommend it, but feel that I need to make a disclaimer. There are times in the course of the story where it feels a little bogged down in the details and can be hard to follow along with all the various names and places (especially since characters and places often have multiple names that are used interchangeably). This might frustrate some readers to the point that they can’t fully enjoy the story.

Here’s a link to the Wiki article on the book. You can learn more about Tolkien (and find ways to connect with fans across the globe) on the Tolkien Society website.

God: A Human History – Reza Aslan

A book to challenge the way you think about the divine and its role in your life

Where does belief in God come from? How has the concept of God, or gods, evolved throughout human history? Why are we so prone to make God in our own image? Author and religion scholar Reza Aslan addresses these questions and more in this book.

Topics

The quest for the divine – Where does the impulse to seek the divine come from? The author explores what we know about the beginnings of human history, what our ancestors must have been like, and their hunter-gatherer lifestyle. He concludes that animism “is very likely humanity’s earliest expression of anything that could be termed religion.” Aslan makes a case for cave paintings largely being an expression of seeking the divine, as well as stone pillars and alters.

What are the origins of religion? – Can the development of religion be explained by Darwinism, experiences of awe and transcendence, the search for meaning, cultural/social developments, biological/psychological adaptation? The author explores each of these lines of thinking and the faults with each.

The agricultural revolution – Did the change from hunter-gatherer to agriculture based society bring about religion, or is the opposite true? Aslan describes the oldest known temple site of any kind at Gobekli Tepe, going back at least 12,000 years, which predates the rise of agriculture (and writing as we know it).

Humanized gods – Why is anthropomorphism so dominant in the majority of religions, especially ancient religions and mythology? We have a natural urge to explain the divine using the same emotions, motivations, and needs that we have as humans.

Polytheism to monotheism and beyond – Aslan traces the history of polytheism in Mesopotamia and the various forms of this to the development of monotheism practiced in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He also explores other views of theism, dualism, and spiritual practices that aren’t based on a traditional notion of God.

Recommendation

This is a very well documented book that will likely make many uncomfortable – theists and atheists, believers and non-believers alike. Though scholarly, it is still very readable and avoids the excessive antagonistic and/or condescending tone that many contemporary critics of religion use. I really appreciate the perspective Reza Aslan brings to the discussion about religion and spirituality. He will also likely surprise you with his own admission of belief. I definitely recommend this book.

Find out more about the author on his website here. That is also where you can find info about his other books and projects.

Talking to Strangers – Malcolm Gladwell

Subtitled: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know

What can I possibly say about Malcolm Gladwell that hasn’t already been said? You either love him or hate him and I’m in the camp that really enjoys his books and podcasts. While I don’t always agree with him, I do appreciate how he brings a different perspective to topics. Talking to Strangers feels a lot like his Revisionist History podcast. It begins and ends with the case of Sandra Bland, while taking a detour in the middle to discuss the different ways where we go wrong when humans interact with each other.

Topics

When the pros get it wrong – Gladwell discusses the history of Adolph Hitler and how many European leaders completely misread and misunderstood the rising leader, much to the detriment of the continent. He also brings to light how the CIA was continuously outwitted by Castro and the Cubans.

Defaulting to truth – Why is it that we can’t pick up on the Bernie Madoff types that scheme people out of millions or Larry Nassar types that abuse so many? The author makes a case that we generally have a high threshold for detecting when things are amiss.

Misreading – We like to think that we can get a good read of others, but there are many times where this goes wrong. And when it goes wrong it can lead to disastrous results and huge mistakes like the Amanda Knox case.

Coupling – Are places and actions more connected than we assume? There are important lessons we can learn from this regarding things like suicide and crime.

Recommendation

I’ve read most of Gladwell’s books and this one is near the top. Some parts seem forced as I’m not sure all of the contents really fit, but I don’t mind the meandering style. There are some takes in this book that I’m sure will be seen as controversial, but that is what the author does. If you haven’t read a book by him yet, this probably isn’t the best one to start with. All in all, I liked this one, the various case studies in it, and the perspective Gladwell brings. I’ll put it on the recommended list.

For all things Gladwell, head over to his website here. There, you’ll find ways to purchase his books and listen to the podcasts.

The Dip – Seth Godin

Subtitle: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)

The Dip, by Seth Godin, is a book that talks about how to know when you should fight through the rough times (dips) that happen with any big project or idea, and how to know when it’s just not working and you should quit. He tackles the famous quote from Vince Lombardi that “Quitters never win and winners never quit.” Winners do in fact quit a lot, they just know what things to quit so they can focus on the things that are successful. This is a short book that is very practical and applicable to people in many careers.

Topics

How to be the best in the world – “Best” and “World” are relatively speaking, of course. The goal is to find what you can really be the best at in your pocket of the world. Find your niche and passion and develop your skills around that.

Expecting and planning for the dip – Any big project or idea will go through certain stages as it develops. There is the initial excitement and optimism that accompanies something new, but there will almost always be a rough patch (dip) that is coming. If you’re aware of this, you can plan for it so it doesn’t catch you off guard. The visuals in the book are handy at showing how this process generally plays out.

Knowing when to cut your losses – Sometimes the dip is more of a dead-end, but that can be hard to see and even harder to admit. Sunk costs can drastically influence your decision making in this area, so it helps to have some perspective when evaluating if this is a dip that you can (and should) fight through, or not.

Recommendation

I read a lot of books, but I don’t own very many as there are few books that I care to read more than once. I own this book and try to revisit it every year or so, at least in part. There is a lot of practical wisdom in these pages that I have been able to put into practice. I strongly recommend checking this one out. Seth Godin is a great thinker and author. If you find this book enjoyable, you should check out his daily blog.

You can find the Wiki article for the book here. If you want to learn more about the author, here’s a link to Seth Godin’s website. On his site, you can find links to buy books, listen to his podcast (which I recommend), and other stuff.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone – Lori Gottlieb

Subtitle: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone tells the story about how the process of mental health therapy works. It is written in a narrative format where the author (who is a psychotherapist) shares her personal story of getting help, intermixed with stories of several of her patients. It is an honest look at how the stories we tell ourselves can shape our lives and relationships, for good and for ill. This book also illustrates how finding healing is a journey that never travels in a straight line.

Recommendation

I’m going to flip things and do the recommendation part first. I really liked this book overall and think that it will help a lot of people to see how powerful that therapy can be to change lives and find healing. Hopefully, it will also help to de-stigmatize therapy for some who have outdated views such as the misconception that therapy is for weak people or only for those with severe mental illness. The narrative format makes for easy reading and helps illustrate how therapy works without getting overly technical or heavy on clinical jargon. Those looking for a book more truly focused on therapy (less personal narrative/memoir) should check out “The Examined Life” by Stephen Grosz instead.

Instead of the usual breakdown of topics and themes, I wanted to share some quotes and therapy pearls of wisdom from the book. Lines without references are quotes from the author/book.

Quotes and Therapy Pearls of Wisdom

“Nothing is more desirable than to be released from an affliction, but nothing is more frightening than to be divested of a crutch” – James Baldwin

One of the most important steps in therapy is helping people take responsibility for their current predicaments, because once they realize that they can (and must) construct their own lives, they’re free to generate change.

Most big transformations come about from the hundreds of tiny, almost imperceptible, steps we take along the way.

The most important factor in the success of your treatment is your relationship with the therapist, your experience of “feeling felt.”

Therapy can’t help people who aren’t curious about themselves.

Happiness equals reality minus expectations.

So many of our destructive behaviors take root in an emotional void, an emptiness that calls out for something to fill it.

“The opposite of depression isn’t happiness, but vitality.” – Andrew Solomon

Regret can go one of two ways: it can shackle you to the past or serve as an engine for change.

Sometimes “drama”, no matter how unpleasant, can be a form of self-medication, a way to calm ourselves down by avoiding the crises brewing inside.

Avoidance is a simple way of coping by not having to cope.

Not speaking about something doesn’t make it less real. It makes it scarier.

There’s no hierarchy of pain. Suffering shouldn’t be ranked, because pain is not a contest.

You can’t get through your pain by diminishing it…You get through your pain by accepting it and figuring out what to do with it. You can’t change what you’re denying or minimizing.

Maybe we all need to doubt, rail against, and question before we can really let go.

“The nature of life is change and the nature of people is to resist change.” & “The more you welcome your vulnerability, the less afraid you’ll feel.” – Wendell

You can learn more about the author and this book on her website. Here’s a link to the Wiki page for this book.

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics – Carlo Rovelli

A concise, but deep exploration of the nature of our universe and how it works

What is the nature of our world, of space, time, even consciousness? Seven Brief Lessons on Physics is a short book that covers (you guessed it) seven topics, including Einstein’s theories, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics. While the concepts covered are incredibly complex, Carlo Rovelli, a theoretical physicist, writes in a way that doesn’t require the reader to have a degree in science to understand. It is an attempt to stimulate the reader’s curiosity, not a science textbook. In that sense, it is similar in style to Stephen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time”, though shorter and less technical.

This quote, from a review in the Guardian, sums it up well:
“Rovelli’s book conveys a simple truth: physics is beautiful and awe-inspiring, its mysteries there for us all to muse upon.”

Topics

Spacetime – Space and time aren’t separate things, they are fused together. It goes against our intuition and what we used to believe about how the universe works. The author covers how Einstein’s special theory of relativity changed how we think about the topic.

Quantum mechanics – The universe operates in very different ways when you compare how galaxies work with how the smallest particles (like electrons) behave. The quantum world is very strange.

Thermodynamics – Heat, friction, movement, and vibration all come together to impact and interact with spacetime. Is heat one of the reasons why time behaves like it does? That’s an interesting question.

Consciousness – How does the knowledge of all of the topics above impact how we view ourselves and humanity? What does this mean for concepts like free will and what it means to be conscious? This was a fitting ending lesson to the book.

Recommendation

I love science. If you’re a science nerd, like me, I think you’ll enjoy this book. While it is written in a way to be understandable to the general public, it will likely be confusing for people who aren’t familiar with the deeper concepts in physics, especially the different theories of relativity.

Here’s a link to the Wiki page for this book (not much to see there). Here’s a link to the publisher’s website for the book. Lastly, here’s a link to the Wiki page for the author, Carlo Rovelli.

Author Profile: Emily Dickinson

A genius poet who was never recognized in her time

There’s nothing that I can say about Emily Dickinson that hasn’t already been said. She was a prolific writer who only had a handful of poems published during her lifetime. She was a mysterious person, described by some as a recluse and eccentric, and her mystique has only grown over the years. Emily made her sister promise to burn all of her writings after she died, but, thankfully for us, while she did burn most of her letters and correspondence, she didn’t burn her poems. Somewhere around 1800 poems (partial and complete) were found after her death.

After her death, the earliest published volumes of her poetry were heavily edited. Some of the reason for this was that her style conflicted with the conventional rules of popular and accepted poetry at the time. Some of it also was likely because of tension between the Dickinson family and the editors. This quote from the Wiki page on Dickinson is a nice summary of her style and themes.

“Her poems were unique to her era. They contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Dickinson

Other Interesting Notes

The first volume of her poems (which was highly edited) was published in 1890, four years after her death.
The first (almost completely) unedited version of her poems was published in 1955.
Her most prolific and creative period was from 1861-1865, with estimates that she wrote 366 poems in 1862.
The most common themes and topics in her poetry are mortality, nature, and spirituality.
She is often classified as a Transcendentalist and is thought to have been an avid reader of Emerson.

Most Popular Poems

I did a quick Google search for “most popular Emily Dickinson poems” and the 7 poems listed below seem to be on just about every list that people put together in articles and blogs on the topic. “There’s a certain Slant of light” is possibly (probably?) my favorite. One not listed below but that I especially enjoy is “This World is not Conclusion.”

“Hope” is the thing with feathers
Because I could not stop for Death
There’s a certain Slant of light
After great pain, a formal feeling comes
I’m nobody! Who are you?
I felt a Funeral, in my Brain
My Life has stood – a Loaded Gun

Recommendation

I have tried many, many times to get into poetry. I’ve read several books to learn more about the art of poetry and to develop a greater appreciation for this artistic medium. With all that as background, I have to be honest that Dickinson is the only poet I consistently enjoy. And not just enjoy, I love her poetry. There are plenty of poems out there by other poets that I enjoy, but nothing and no one comes close to Emily Dickinson. I highly recommend reading her poems, as long as you make sure to get her unedited works. This is important because there are many books of her poetry that only contain the early, highly edited versions. This is a shame because I really enjoy her quirky, unconventional style.

You can learn more about Emily Dickinson on this Wiki page. Here’s a link to the Emily Dickinson Museum in her hometown of Amherst. Lastly, here’s a link to the Emily Dickinson Archive, where you can view high-resolution images of her surviving writings/manuscripts.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind – Yuval Noah Harari

A unique perspective and narrative of human history

In Sapiens, Professor Harari takes the reader on the wild ride through human history, what makes us different from other animals, and examines the major cultural shifts throughout the years. Evolutionary biology leads the early portions of the book, while later sections discuss the role of the agricultural and industrial revolutions, religion, philosophy, and economics.

This paragraph from the author’s website does a great job summarizing what the book is about.

“Sapiens focuses on key processes that shaped humankind and the world around it, such as the advent of agriculture, the creation of money, the spread of religion and the rise of the nation state. Unlike other books of its kind, Sapiens takes a multi-disciplinary approach that bridges the gaps between history, biology, philosophy and economics in a way never done before. Furthermore, taking both the macro and the micro view, Sapiens conveys not only what happened and why, but also how it felt for individuals.”

Topics Covered

What makes humans unique? – Prof Harari makes a convincing case on how homo sapiens ability to cooperate and work together in large numbers has given us a strategic advantage to be able to expand our territory and succeed in hostile climates.

Capitalism as religion – This is probably my favorite unique perspective that the author takes. Capitalism definitely fits many of the criteria of religion, especially the dedication of its followers and the rituals and traditions surrounding it.

Human happiness – In many ways, modern humans have it much better and easier than ancient hunter-gatherer societies, but there is a pretty strong case that we aren’t happier these days. There are many reasons for this that are addressed throughout the book.

The dark side of the Agricultural Revolution – This ties in with the above about happiness. The Agricultural Revolution had certain benefits for humanity, but it also had very specific costs for humans and animals that are often overlooked.

Recommendation

This is a really thought-provoking book that pushes the envelope in several areas. It challenges many long-held beliefs, assumptions, and special dogmas of certain groups. While the author takes some liberties to make assertions about the future and makes conclusions that will seem to be a stretch for some (the author clearly has a tendency towards exaggeration and has received much scholarly criticism for this), this is still a good book to make you think. I put it in the recommended list as long as you keep that in mind.

Here’s a link to the Wiki page for the book. Here’s that link again to the author’s website.

When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi

A neurosurgeon’s quest for meaning while living with terminal cancer

When Breath Becomes Air is a Pulitzer Prize finalist that was written by Dr Paul Kalanithi and published posthumously. It is an autobiography of the author’s life and the years surrounding his cancer diagnosis, treatment, and death. In it, he explores the struggles he faced in his quest to become a top neurosurgeon, his personal relationships, and what it felt like to be on the opposite side of the doctor-patient relationship. He also shares his quest to find meaning and purpose in life.

Topics

Career as calling – The author reflects on the demands, physical and emotional, that surgeons (especially neurosurgeons) face as they climb their way through medical school and the years of residency afterward.

Search for meaning – Dr Kalanithi traces his search for meaning and purpose in life from his early childhood days through med school and to the very end of his life. He offers a very candid take on how he dealt with those deep, existential questions of life.

Life as a cancer patient – Though he had much experience in interacting with cancer patients and performing countless surgeries to remove cancer, life is very different on the other side of the doctor-patient relationship. These sections of the book are very moving and profound.

Recommendation

This book will tug at your heartstrings. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster in sections for me and I know the same will be true for others, especially those who have lost loved ones to cancer. It’s amazing how much a book like this can change your perspective in many areas of life. If you’re up for the journey, this book is a well-needed dose of humanity.

Here is a link to the Wiki page for this book. You can find the book on Amazon here.