Sirfurboy's (Stephen's) 75 book challenge for 2026
Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2026
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1sirfurboy
I am Stephen, or Sir Furboy. I live in Aberystwyth, on the west coast of Mid Wales. My hobbies include walking, cycling, kayaking and surfing (obviously), although these days I mostly just surf in my kayak. I also like languages and reading (of course), and thus also reading in other languages.
Last year I managed 75 books. At one point I looked like I would get closer to 100, but then I slowed down and had to manage reading carefully in December to finish off the challenge, so 75 looks like a good target to go for once again.
Although I am an avid reader, and have been since I was eight years old, I did not in fact learn to read until I was seven-and-a-half, going on eight. This, it turns out, is because I am dyspraxic, a specific learning difficulty that was largely unrecognised in school. I was in remedial education until age of 8, but once I learned to read, and read well, they stopped the interventions. This was unfortunate because it was not just my reading that was affected. It also affected my performance in a range of other subjects but it was only in 2022 that I finally got a diagnosis that put everything in context, and left me flabbergasted that there were so many dots, and that no-one ever joined them! In any case, by the age of 8 I was actually reading with a reading age a couple of years above my chronological age, having added 5 years to it in 6 months!
Oh yes, some of my favourite genres are Young Adult, Sci Fi, Coming of Age, Fantasy and Historical. I also try to read some classics each year, as well as some non fiction and other works out of those genres. I have an MA in creative writing, and have had some short stories published, but I am still allegedly writing a fantasy novel (and I need to be more disciplined about that this year). I claim the choice to write fantasy was by accident! Some have suggested they never doubted it!
Anyway, I hope you will star my thread and stop by every now and again. Coffee is available (not necessarily from me! But it's definitely available) and the sofa is comfy. Except where I have been jumping on it.
Last year I managed 75 books. At one point I looked like I would get closer to 100, but then I slowed down and had to manage reading carefully in December to finish off the challenge, so 75 looks like a good target to go for once again.
Although I am an avid reader, and have been since I was eight years old, I did not in fact learn to read until I was seven-and-a-half, going on eight. This, it turns out, is because I am dyspraxic, a specific learning difficulty that was largely unrecognised in school. I was in remedial education until age of 8, but once I learned to read, and read well, they stopped the interventions. This was unfortunate because it was not just my reading that was affected. It also affected my performance in a range of other subjects but it was only in 2022 that I finally got a diagnosis that put everything in context, and left me flabbergasted that there were so many dots, and that no-one ever joined them! In any case, by the age of 8 I was actually reading with a reading age a couple of years above my chronological age, having added 5 years to it in 6 months!
Oh yes, some of my favourite genres are Young Adult, Sci Fi, Coming of Age, Fantasy and Historical. I also try to read some classics each year, as well as some non fiction and other works out of those genres. I have an MA in creative writing, and have had some short stories published, but I am still allegedly writing a fantasy novel (and I need to be more disciplined about that this year). I claim the choice to write fantasy was by accident! Some have suggested they never doubted it!
Anyway, I hope you will star my thread and stop by every now and again. Coffee is available (not necessarily from me! But it's definitely available) and the sofa is comfy. Except where I have been jumping on it.
2paulstalder
Hej Stephen, flying bye to say hello. Wish you a good reading (and writing) year
3PaulCranswick
New Year greetings from Kuala Lumpur. My project is at least physically completed and an addition to the city scape.
Look forward to keeping up with you in 2026, Stephen.
4richardderus
>1 sirfurboy: New Year orisons, Stephen, glad to see you're back. Yay for hitting your goal last year, and may it be a repeat this year!
10SirThomas
Happy new Year, Stephen - may your year be full of happines health and joy - and of course - books.
13sirfurboy
1. The Rose Field - Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman is such an incredibly good writer, and I have enjoyed so much of his work, that it feels like a betrayal to get to the end of this, the last book of his magnus opus, and just arrive at the position of "it was ok". But sadly that is where I find myself.
The signs started during the reading. I eagerly began this as soon as it came out. It's a big book, but that's okay. I can read big books, and they allow so much exploration and character development and enjoyable prose that they will usually keep me reading through quickly. But somehow I took 2 months to finish this one, which is slow going. The reason was that I did not feel compelled to continue, as I might have for other works by Pullman.
The first in this series, La Belle Sauvage, was a beautifully written book that left me in awe of Pullman's skills. It contains a compelling story and masterful prose. Here the prose stood out less for me, but was always good. But the compulsion deserted the story, which meandeerd towards a long overdue arrival at the quest goal, only to be presented with what can only be called a clumsy resolution.
I didn't hate the resolution. But it did remind me I was reading a children's book (which was not always evident in the prose, and, I'd argue, was not even true of the earlier books).
Plenty of threads in this story seem to have been dropped, and many possibilities left unexplored. That can happen, but you might then wonder if this children's book could have benefited from some serious editing.
Indeed, Pullman says that he write another ending for this story and decided that would not do, so he rewrote it and found this ending. I wonder, however, whether he really found the ending at all, or whether this story just kind of ground to a halt.
Pullman is still a fine writer. Nothing can take that away. He is also usually a great storyteller, but I'm underwhelmed by this example. I don't hate it. Meh, it was okay.
Philip Pullman is such an incredibly good writer, and I have enjoyed so much of his work, that it feels like a betrayal to get to the end of this, the last book of his magnus opus, and just arrive at the position of "it was ok". But sadly that is where I find myself.
The signs started during the reading. I eagerly began this as soon as it came out. It's a big book, but that's okay. I can read big books, and they allow so much exploration and character development and enjoyable prose that they will usually keep me reading through quickly. But somehow I took 2 months to finish this one, which is slow going. The reason was that I did not feel compelled to continue, as I might have for other works by Pullman.
The first in this series, La Belle Sauvage, was a beautifully written book that left me in awe of Pullman's skills. It contains a compelling story and masterful prose. Here the prose stood out less for me, but was always good. But the compulsion deserted the story, which meandeerd towards a long overdue arrival at the quest goal, only to be presented with what can only be called a clumsy resolution.
I didn't hate the resolution. But it did remind me I was reading a children's book (which was not always evident in the prose, and, I'd argue, was not even true of the earlier books).
Plenty of threads in this story seem to have been dropped, and many possibilities left unexplored. That can happen, but you might then wonder if this children's book could have benefited from some serious editing.
Indeed, Pullman says that he write another ending for this story and decided that would not do, so he rewrote it and found this ending. I wonder, however, whether he really found the ending at all, or whether this story just kind of ground to a halt.
Pullman is still a fine writer. Nothing can take that away. He is also usually a great storyteller, but I'm underwhelmed by this example. I don't hate it. Meh, it was okay.
14PaulCranswick
>13 sirfurboy: I haven't come across that one yet, Stephen, but what a lovely cover!
15The_Hibernator
I'll have to look up dyspraxia. D has dysgraphia (though, besides spelling and hand-writing, she's doing much better in the writing. She's in high school.) IL has language difficulties which affect speech, communication, and reading. He's way behind. Last night he wanted to read a book he loves that is way above his reading level. He can hardly read at all. How's your reading now? For some reason I thought you were in college.
16sirfurboy
>15 The_Hibernator: I think Dyspraxia is called DCD in the US. I'm glad IL wants to read the stories, and enjoys stories - motivation is so important there.
Regarding my reading: It's clearly fine these days! I read a lot, but, in fact, I am still not the fastest reader ever. I read books on speed reading in the past and upped my reading speed, but it lowered my comprehension and retention. At my slower reading speed, I have excellent retention, but that all goes away with speed reading.
In any case, audiobooks can be part of the mix. With audiobooks, IL can enjoy the stories without the struggles (although clearly some struggle is needed too, to catch up with traditional reading. So they are an addition and not a replacement). I like listening to audiobooks in the car or while walking.
Anyway thanks for dropping by.
Regarding my reading: It's clearly fine these days! I read a lot, but, in fact, I am still not the fastest reader ever. I read books on speed reading in the past and upped my reading speed, but it lowered my comprehension and retention. At my slower reading speed, I have excellent retention, but that all goes away with speed reading.
In any case, audiobooks can be part of the mix. With audiobooks, IL can enjoy the stories without the struggles (although clearly some struggle is needed too, to catch up with traditional reading. So they are an addition and not a replacement). I like listening to audiobooks in the car or while walking.
Anyway thanks for dropping by.
17sirfurboy
2. The Moonlighters - Lee Newbery
An enjoyable story for children up to mid-grade, about 10 year old Theo who gets in trouble when on a trip to the Natural History Museum, where he accidentally destroys an exhibit. He's recently moved home against his will and fallen in with the wrong crowd in school. Running away from the situation he has a magical encounter with a mysterious character who inducts him into a secret group of children, called the Moonlighters, searching for magical artefacts.
However there are good guys and bad guys, and someone has some very evil designs. Ultimately it will be up to Theo and his new friends to defend the world from these.
This is an enjoyable book that is really for its intended audience primarily and is aimed at too young a readership to include much nuance. All the same, it is a fine example of a children's story that should have enduring appeal, and rehearses the age old conflicts found in the genre. Lee Newbery is a fine writer of such tales.
Note that the title links to "The Moonlight Hotel" on LibraryThing, so I guess that is the US title.
An enjoyable story for children up to mid-grade, about 10 year old Theo who gets in trouble when on a trip to the Natural History Museum, where he accidentally destroys an exhibit. He's recently moved home against his will and fallen in with the wrong crowd in school. Running away from the situation he has a magical encounter with a mysterious character who inducts him into a secret group of children, called the Moonlighters, searching for magical artefacts.
However there are good guys and bad guys, and someone has some very evil designs. Ultimately it will be up to Theo and his new friends to defend the world from these.
This is an enjoyable book that is really for its intended audience primarily and is aimed at too young a readership to include much nuance. All the same, it is a fine example of a children's story that should have enduring appeal, and rehearses the age old conflicts found in the genre. Lee Newbery is a fine writer of such tales.
Note that the title links to "The Moonlight Hotel" on LibraryThing, so I guess that is the US title.
18PaulCranswick
>17 sirfurboy: I am biased perhaps Stephen but I do think that the British title is a better choice.
19sirfurboy
>18 PaulCranswick: I agree.
20sirfurboy
3. A Short History of Fantasy - Farah Mendelsohn and Edward James
A thorough examination of the development of fantasy fiction up to the point this book was published. Hit stops a decade and a half ago though, so perhaps could do with an update.
I think it has valuable information in understanding the sub genres of fantasy, where they have come from and how trends have emerged and passed away over time. There is discussion of a great number of stories, many of which I have read, and many more I haven't. That may help direct my reading, and I've already taken a few recommendations away.
Ultimately, however, the utility of this may be more as a text book than anything else. It covers so much that you don't get a lot of depth on much of it. Three authors (Pratchett, Rowling and Pullman) get a chapter of their own. Others get a reasonable bit of depth (like Lewis and Tolkien) but many are just mentions. I am not sure if a narrower but deeper coverage would have been better. All the same, an interesting read.
A thorough examination of the development of fantasy fiction up to the point this book was published. Hit stops a decade and a half ago though, so perhaps could do with an update.
I think it has valuable information in understanding the sub genres of fantasy, where they have come from and how trends have emerged and passed away over time. There is discussion of a great number of stories, many of which I have read, and many more I haven't. That may help direct my reading, and I've already taken a few recommendations away.
Ultimately, however, the utility of this may be more as a text book than anything else. It covers so much that you don't get a lot of depth on much of it. Three authors (Pratchett, Rowling and Pullman) get a chapter of their own. Others get a reasonable bit of depth (like Lewis and Tolkien) but many are just mentions. I am not sure if a narrower but deeper coverage would have been better. All the same, an interesting read.
21sirfurboy
4. A Skinful of Shadows - Frances Hardinge
This is a very clever novel with a wonderful central idea: that there are people who have an inherited ability to take on the souls of ghosts, who will live on within them. Makepeace, the child of a single mother in a puritan stronghold in the midst of the English civil war, is one such person, but she doesn't know it. Life is hard, and gets harder when her mother is killed, but that brings her to a slow understanding of who she is.
The author has created a wonderful semi-historical novel set in the turbulent 17th century. There is intrigue and ingenuity here and Hardinge is a very good writer. The novel is an award winner, and these are not the only awards Hardinge has achieved.
But clever, well written, award winning and historical are all very well. I definitely enjoyed this for all those reasons, but it was a touch hard to get into, and if it were not for Bear, I think I would not have enjoyed it nearly so much. For a children's book it lacks danger and it contains a lot of unrelieved foreboding. That could be a strength too.
One thing it does have going for it is the strong female lead. That's actually not so unusual these days, but there was a time that would be a rare thing, and it is still good to see.
Anyway, yes, an enjoyable book with a lot of merit.
This is a very clever novel with a wonderful central idea: that there are people who have an inherited ability to take on the souls of ghosts, who will live on within them. Makepeace, the child of a single mother in a puritan stronghold in the midst of the English civil war, is one such person, but she doesn't know it. Life is hard, and gets harder when her mother is killed, but that brings her to a slow understanding of who she is.
The author has created a wonderful semi-historical novel set in the turbulent 17th century. There is intrigue and ingenuity here and Hardinge is a very good writer. The novel is an award winner, and these are not the only awards Hardinge has achieved.
But clever, well written, award winning and historical are all very well. I definitely enjoyed this for all those reasons, but it was a touch hard to get into, and if it were not for Bear, I think I would not have enjoyed it nearly so much. For a children's book it lacks danger and it contains a lot of unrelieved foreboding. That could be a strength too.
One thing it does have going for it is the strong female lead. That's actually not so unusual these days, but there was a time that would be a rare thing, and it is still good to see.
Anyway, yes, an enjoyable book with a lot of merit.
22SandDune
>21 sirfurboy: I’ve read this one but I don’t remember much about it. I didn’t rate it as highly as Cuckoo Song or The Lie Tree
23EllaTim
>21 sirfurboy: This sounds good. A sub-genre of fantasy that’s new to me: historical fantasy. Her other books look interesting as well.
24Whisper1
>21 sirfurboy: This book sounds great. I'm adding it to my TBR list.
25sirfurboy
>22 SandDune: Two more I should be looking for then! :)
>23 EllaTim: Yes indeed.
>24 Whisper1: I hope you enjoy it.
>23 EllaTim: Yes indeed.
>24 Whisper1: I hope you enjoy it.
26sirfurboy
5. The First Epistle to the Corinthians - Gordon Fee
Gordon Fee's contribution to the study of 1 Corinthians is enormous, and this commentary is one of the best to be found on the book. Fee was himself a fan of C K Barrett's first rate commentary on the letter, but he goes beyond it with his work. Published in the 1980s, it remains a timeless work.
There are commentaries and commentaries, as Fee himself pointed out. This is not a daily devotional. This is a serious academic study of the occasion of the letter, the theological background, and Paul's own understanding of his message. It is then a careful exegesis that takes seriously other scholarship, and presents it for the reader. Easily on a par with the likes of the Black's New Testament commentaries.
Gordon Fee's contribution to the study of 1 Corinthians is enormous, and this commentary is one of the best to be found on the book. Fee was himself a fan of C K Barrett's first rate commentary on the letter, but he goes beyond it with his work. Published in the 1980s, it remains a timeless work.
There are commentaries and commentaries, as Fee himself pointed out. This is not a daily devotional. This is a serious academic study of the occasion of the letter, the theological background, and Paul's own understanding of his message. It is then a careful exegesis that takes seriously other scholarship, and presents it for the reader. Easily on a par with the likes of the Black's New Testament commentaries.
27richardderus
>26 sirfurboy: Sounds like something I'd pay money *not* to have cross my path, but valuable for those who engage with the topic.
Good week-ahead's reads!
Good week-ahead's reads!
28sirfurboy
>27 richardderus: Yep, I expect you are right. But again, it's not a devotional commentary. There is plenty of historical academic interest in there too. In any case, I am sure I'll soon be back to something more up your street!
29richardderus
>28 sirfurboy: *popcorn bowl* I await your pleasure, kind sir.
30PaulCranswick
Just dropping by to wish you well in West Wales, Stephen.
31sirfurboy
>30 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul
>29 richardderus: I'll need to get reading more mind... I'm falling behind.
>29 richardderus: I'll need to get reading more mind... I'm falling behind.
32sirfurboy
6. Carrie - Stephen King
A modern classic, apparently. Meh. I don't really know why, but maybe I don't get horror so much.
I read this as it was on a reading list I was working through, supposedly about fantasy fiction. King is an imaginative writer who has written plenty of excellent works, and this was well written and well imagined too. But a modern classic? Why? What am I missing here?
Carrie White is the misunderstood outsider in school. There are some not very nice people in the school, and they get their comeuppance in a gory finale. King does well to write some good characters who have bad things happen to them. It's definitely a good story, even if I don't see why it would be a classic one.
A modern classic, apparently. Meh. I don't really know why, but maybe I don't get horror so much.
I read this as it was on a reading list I was working through, supposedly about fantasy fiction. King is an imaginative writer who has written plenty of excellent works, and this was well written and well imagined too. But a modern classic? Why? What am I missing here?
Carrie White is the misunderstood outsider in school. There are some not very nice people in the school, and they get their comeuppance in a gory finale. King does well to write some good characters who have bad things happen to them. It's definitely a good story, even if I don't see why it would be a classic one.
33richardderus
>32 sirfurboy: I am totally with you on this "modern classic" of horror. Yuck.
Happy weekend-ahead's reads.
Happy weekend-ahead's reads.
34sirfurboy
>33 richardderus: Thanks. My next one is from the same reading list. I think I may have to abandon this reading list!
35sirfurboy
7. Tender Morsels - Margo Lanagan
A recommended read on a reading list I was working through, I'm afraid I didn't really get on with this dark retelling of a brothers Grimm fairy tale. The story concerns Liga, who survives terrible abuse and is taken to a private heaven, protected from the world with her daughters, until the world intrudes.
The storytelling is a strength of the work, especially in finding a nuanced tale that uses metaphor to create a subtle polemic, exploring the danger of hiding away from a broken world rather than re-engaging with it. That's clever and clearly why the book is well reputed.
What broke it for me was the very dark start, where the abuse was described, not graphically, but still dar enough to make it a disturbing read. Add to that quite a wide ranging cast, making it a little hard to follow in places, and I was just a little at sea with this one.
To be fair, though, this is not a book I would have picked up on my own. It may just be subtly off my preferred genres, so that it felt a bit more like an effort to read it than a pleasure. Not that I could ever imagine the first 100 pages would be that pleasurable to read.
So your mileage may vary. It does contain a beautifully written and intelligent tale, and I expect many people would enjoy this much more than me.
A recommended read on a reading list I was working through, I'm afraid I didn't really get on with this dark retelling of a brothers Grimm fairy tale. The story concerns Liga, who survives terrible abuse and is taken to a private heaven, protected from the world with her daughters, until the world intrudes.
The storytelling is a strength of the work, especially in finding a nuanced tale that uses metaphor to create a subtle polemic, exploring the danger of hiding away from a broken world rather than re-engaging with it. That's clever and clearly why the book is well reputed.
What broke it for me was the very dark start, where the abuse was described, not graphically, but still dar enough to make it a disturbing read. Add to that quite a wide ranging cast, making it a little hard to follow in places, and I was just a little at sea with this one.
To be fair, though, this is not a book I would have picked up on my own. It may just be subtly off my preferred genres, so that it felt a bit more like an effort to read it than a pleasure. Not that I could ever imagine the first 100 pages would be that pleasurable to read.
So your mileage may vary. It does contain a beautifully written and intelligent tale, and I expect many people would enjoy this much more than me.
36SirThomas
Too bad it didn't work out for you, but I think there are a few alternatives...
All the best to you, Stephen!
All the best to you, Stephen!
37sirfurboy
>36 SirThomas: Thanks. Yes. I hope all is well with you.
38sirfurboy
8. The Little Liar - Mitch Albom
This is a book that surprised me. I've read plenty of books about the holocaust, and the subject is clearly going to involve much darkness, and strong emotions. But it would be hard to come up with a story in that setting that is strongly original. I think, however, that Albom has cracked it. It starts off with a Greek boy who never lies, and at that point I was thinking this is a bit like John Boyne's famous *The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas*, but this book was never going to be derivative of Boyne's even if some of the locations are very much the same.
This is ultimately a very clever book with some very profound things to say. That war takes captives long after the shooting finishes is said, but also powerfully shown. There are heartbreaking moments, and moments of hope and resilience. Ultimately this is a fine addition to a body of literature about one of the darkest moments in human history.
This is a book that surprised me. I've read plenty of books about the holocaust, and the subject is clearly going to involve much darkness, and strong emotions. But it would be hard to come up with a story in that setting that is strongly original. I think, however, that Albom has cracked it. It starts off with a Greek boy who never lies, and at that point I was thinking this is a bit like John Boyne's famous *The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas*, but this book was never going to be derivative of Boyne's even if some of the locations are very much the same.
This is ultimately a very clever book with some very profound things to say. That war takes captives long after the shooting finishes is said, but also powerfully shown. There are heartbreaking moments, and moments of hope and resilience. Ultimately this is a fine addition to a body of literature about one of the darkest moments in human history.
39Whisper1
>38 sirfurboy: I checked my reviews because I thought I read The Little Liar. Here is the review I wrote. Thanks for jogging my memory regarding this very well crafted book:
Another well written story by the author. The setting begins in Salonika, Greece where the Nazis invade. There are a series of characters, each one experiencing the horror of the Holocaust in heart-wrenching ways. The Little Liar is based on the character of Nico Krispis, who in his eleven years of life, has never told a lie. Yet, when he does tell a lie, there are heart-wrenching consequences for all that he loves as each one is sent to the horrific concentration camp known as Auschwitz.
His older brother Sebastian, is bent on getting revenge against him. Fannie, is a girl who has to choose between the two brothers, and experiences the hell of prison camp, and last, but not a minor character is Udo Graf, who becomes a Nazi officer who also changed their lives with a series of lies.
The entire book is the story of these people and how their lives intersect. At times confusing, but yet always riveting, this highly-recommended book is one that will stay with you for a long time.
A slow read that continually keeps the reader guessing what the outcome will be.
The author paints a very realistic portrait of life in the concentration camp. His stark writing caused me to want to look away at the hellish man that was Adolf Hitler.. Difficult to read, but yet hard to put down, I highly recommend this book.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for your wonderful review. This year I've read a lot about the Holocaust. Most recently, I've read stories of those who did attempt to fight back, including a book about youngsters who gained the strength to rebel.
Another well written story by the author. The setting begins in Salonika, Greece where the Nazis invade. There are a series of characters, each one experiencing the horror of the Holocaust in heart-wrenching ways. The Little Liar is based on the character of Nico Krispis, who in his eleven years of life, has never told a lie. Yet, when he does tell a lie, there are heart-wrenching consequences for all that he loves as each one is sent to the horrific concentration camp known as Auschwitz.
His older brother Sebastian, is bent on getting revenge against him. Fannie, is a girl who has to choose between the two brothers, and experiences the hell of prison camp, and last, but not a minor character is Udo Graf, who becomes a Nazi officer who also changed their lives with a series of lies.
The entire book is the story of these people and how their lives intersect. At times confusing, but yet always riveting, this highly-recommended book is one that will stay with you for a long time.
A slow read that continually keeps the reader guessing what the outcome will be.
The author paints a very realistic portrait of life in the concentration camp. His stark writing caused me to want to look away at the hellish man that was Adolf Hitler.. Difficult to read, but yet hard to put down, I highly recommend this book.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for your wonderful review. This year I've read a lot about the Holocaust. Most recently, I've read stories of those who did attempt to fight back, including a book about youngsters who gained the strength to rebel.
40sirfurboy
>39 Whisper1: I like that review. Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it too.
41sirfurboy
9. Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730s to the 1980s
Richard, look away now. ;) There's going to be a run of this kind of book now as I make headway on my Ph.D. reading. I'll try to intersperse them with fiction reads still.
Review:
This is an academic history, perhaps *the* academic history of British evangelicalism. The book that contains the famous (to historians, at least) Bebbington quadrilateral, defining evangelicalism in terms of its four distinctives (not all unique to evangelicalism, but the four together define it). These are conversionism, biblicism, crucicentrism, and activism. He then goes on to show how evangelicalism arose out of both the reformed tradition, but also the enlightenment. He shows where it has been innovative and demonstrates that, against the assertions of evangelicals themselves, this innovation and change has been characteristic throughout the life of the movement.
The thesis is carefully constructed, and delivered expertly. It is hard to fault the analysis, and this book deserves its place amongst the classics of academic church history. It would also be a good read for anyone in evangelical circles, as I expect it would be eye opening.
My favourite line: fundamentalism is evangelicalism with an inferiority complex.
An excellent work. This was my first reading, but I'll be referring to it again.
Richard, look away now. ;) There's going to be a run of this kind of book now as I make headway on my Ph.D. reading. I'll try to intersperse them with fiction reads still.
Review:
This is an academic history, perhaps *the* academic history of British evangelicalism. The book that contains the famous (to historians, at least) Bebbington quadrilateral, defining evangelicalism in terms of its four distinctives (not all unique to evangelicalism, but the four together define it). These are conversionism, biblicism, crucicentrism, and activism. He then goes on to show how evangelicalism arose out of both the reformed tradition, but also the enlightenment. He shows where it has been innovative and demonstrates that, against the assertions of evangelicals themselves, this innovation and change has been characteristic throughout the life of the movement.
The thesis is carefully constructed, and delivered expertly. It is hard to fault the analysis, and this book deserves its place amongst the classics of academic church history. It would also be a good read for anyone in evangelical circles, as I expect it would be eye opening.
My favourite line: fundamentalism is evangelicalism with an inferiority complex.
An excellent work. This was my first reading, but I'll be referring to it again.
43sirfurboy
10. The Whale Watchers - Dougie Poynter
An enjoyable and educational story about two boys on a long holiday to Scotland, a local girl, a dog and a whale. Nothing especially original, but a classic children's adventure. Meant for slightly younger children than books I normally read. It would be good up to mid-grade, and is an easy read.
An enjoyable and educational story about two boys on a long holiday to Scotland, a local girl, a dog and a whale. Nothing especially original, but a classic children's adventure. Meant for slightly younger children than books I normally read. It would be good up to mid-grade, and is an easy read.
44sirfurboy
>42 Whisper1: Thanks :)
45sirfurboy
11. Steering the Craft - Ursula Le Guin
This is a concise work on writing, originally coming from one of the masters of the fantasy genre (although it now has other contributions too). It is filled with good advice and exercises, and is another great addition to the literature on writing fiction.
Probably the proof of how useful I think it is comes from the fact that in the week since I have read it I have already quoted it twice in two different venues and persuaded someone else to buy it.
Much of the advice can be found elsewhere but it is still a great book.
This is a concise work on writing, originally coming from one of the masters of the fantasy genre (although it now has other contributions too). It is filled with good advice and exercises, and is another great addition to the literature on writing fiction.
Probably the proof of how useful I think it is comes from the fact that in the week since I have read it I have already quoted it twice in two different venues and persuaded someone else to buy it.
Much of the advice can be found elsewhere but it is still a great book.
46sirfurboy
12. England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales: The Christian Church 1900-2000 - Keith Robbins
Keith Robbins book looks at the Church in the British Isles on its own terms, and pulls together a great range of sources to set out in seven key periods and synthesising material to produce a readable and well reasoned thesis that shows how that church has developed, responded to challenges and changed. It is a dense work, filled with a huge amount of source material. It feels exhaustive, but that is perhaps illusory. The magnitude of the task here prevents it from being so. Yet it has every right to call itself comprehensive.
I felt that on one aspect, Robbins perhaps chose to follow a numbers game. Catholic and Anglican churches get a huge amount of coverage and the Methodists plenty too. And for much of the century, that would be right, as they were the largest churches in the UK and Ireland, and their history and involvement in the state were such that there is a lot to be said about them, and they add greatly to the synthesis. But the broadness of the work leaves plenty of lacunae. Local matters, smaller churches and the like feel secondary to the larger interpretive sweep.
For me, the largest missing link would be what he says about Pentecostalism. He is not silent on the subject, but neither does he give it much attention. He treats it as part of the broader narrative of religious change, and that is fine insofar as it goes. However, as Pentecostal denominations have bucked the falling trend in church membership, it seems to me that this aspect remains under considered. And it is not the only such case where the broad sweep of this work is both weakness as well as strength.
But that is not a problem in itself. The book is a fine work for what it does. Robbins is well placed to write it, being an authority on both British church responses to twentieth-century crises and also the differing national identities within the UK, which he understands are intertwined but not the same.
Keith Robbins book looks at the Church in the British Isles on its own terms, and pulls together a great range of sources to set out in seven key periods and synthesising material to produce a readable and well reasoned thesis that shows how that church has developed, responded to challenges and changed. It is a dense work, filled with a huge amount of source material. It feels exhaustive, but that is perhaps illusory. The magnitude of the task here prevents it from being so. Yet it has every right to call itself comprehensive.
I felt that on one aspect, Robbins perhaps chose to follow a numbers game. Catholic and Anglican churches get a huge amount of coverage and the Methodists plenty too. And for much of the century, that would be right, as they were the largest churches in the UK and Ireland, and their history and involvement in the state were such that there is a lot to be said about them, and they add greatly to the synthesis. But the broadness of the work leaves plenty of lacunae. Local matters, smaller churches and the like feel secondary to the larger interpretive sweep.
For me, the largest missing link would be what he says about Pentecostalism. He is not silent on the subject, but neither does he give it much attention. He treats it as part of the broader narrative of religious change, and that is fine insofar as it goes. However, as Pentecostal denominations have bucked the falling trend in church membership, it seems to me that this aspect remains under considered. And it is not the only such case where the broad sweep of this work is both weakness as well as strength.
But that is not a problem in itself. The book is a fine work for what it does. Robbins is well placed to write it, being an authority on both British church responses to twentieth-century crises and also the differing national identities within the UK, which he understands are intertwined but not the same.
47richardderus
>45 sirfurboy: I really enjoyed this read because I like how she synthesized lots of readily available advice into a narrative that only she could've written.
Hoping you're well and happily busy.
Hoping you're well and happily busy.
48sirfurboy
13. The Star Man's Son 2250 A.D. - Andre Norton
Andre Norton is a great Sci Fi writer, and anything she has written is worth reading in my opinion. All the same, this is not one of her best, and the story is definitely showing its age.
Fors, the mutant son of a Star Man sets out on a journey that brings him to a place where he will face danger and forge new allies before making something bold and new. There's been a nuclear war (the Great Blow-up) and there are savage mutant beast-things, and dangerous blasted lands, and all mutants are outcasts (so very Chrysalids and Planet of the Apes). Also this white haired night-seeing mutant looks a bit like an elf at times! But it's a solid story, and very much a product of its time. It has a good polemic and it is worth reading. But if you are not already an Andre Norton fan, I wouldn't start with this one.
Andre Norton is a great Sci Fi writer, and anything she has written is worth reading in my opinion. All the same, this is not one of her best, and the story is definitely showing its age.
Fors, the mutant son of a Star Man sets out on a journey that brings him to a place where he will face danger and forge new allies before making something bold and new. There's been a nuclear war (the Great Blow-up) and there are savage mutant beast-things, and dangerous blasted lands, and all mutants are outcasts (so very Chrysalids and Planet of the Apes). Also this white haired night-seeing mutant looks a bit like an elf at times! But it's a solid story, and very much a product of its time. It has a good polemic and it is worth reading. But if you are not already an Andre Norton fan, I wouldn't start with this one.
50richardderus
>49 sirfurboy: I shall try my best to do that very thing.
>48 sirfurboy: I read the book in the very late 1960s, so my memory of it is hazy. I recall nothing important about the story, only a vague sense that Dark Piper, the next book I read by her, was *infinitely* better. After that I was off to the races with her Ross Murdock series of Time Traders.
>48 sirfurboy: I read the book in the very late 1960s, so my memory of it is hazy. I recall nothing important about the story, only a vague sense that Dark Piper, the next book I read by her, was *infinitely* better. After that I was off to the races with her Ross Murdock series of Time Traders.
51SandDune
>48 sirfurboy: I used to really love Andre Norton novels back in the day!
52sirfurboy
>50 richardderus: I'm glad your memory is in line of my feelings about the book. It wasn't bad, but she has written much better.
>51 SandDune: Me too. I haven't read a new one in a while. (When I say new, I mean, of course, new to me!)
>51 SandDune: Me too. I haven't read a new one in a while. (When I say new, I mean, of course, new to me!)
53sirfurboy
14. The Disruption of Evangelicalism: The Age of Torrey, Mott, McPherson and Hammond - Geoffrey R. Treloar
This work is a historical treaties that seeks to reframe the period of evangelical history from 1900–1940 as a period of rapid adaptation, rather than decline of evangelicalism. The author begins with Bebbington's quadrilateral in framing and understanding evangelicalism, and looks at figures like Torrey and McPherson, per the title, as drivers of change.
Treloar counters narratives of reversal by showing pre-1914 activism disrupted by the first world war, which he spends a great deal of time on. Indeed, he argues that there has been insufficient attention given to the role of the war in this, and he addresses that with his own synthesis. He looks both at doctrinal fidelity and the rise of Pentecostalism (concentrating on the colourful Aimee Semple McPherson). He seems to innovate on Bebbington, tracing biblicist-crucicentric vs. conversionist-activist tensions amid modernism, with an analysis of missions and the rise of radio programming.
I found myself just a bit confused about the author's focus. Traditional narratives of 20th century evangelicalism concentrate heavily on the US. Despite the choice of some key American leaders in this work, it felt that the focus was more on the British church, although then Australia got quite a lot of attention, and this at the expense of some American movements - there wasn't much on fundamentalism, although there was, perhaps, enough. Similarly, the racist strain of (primarily) American evangelical history was not dealt with as strongly as it perhaps should have been.
All in all, this work ably fills a historiographical gap in interwar evangelicalism, complementing Bebbington. Any lacunae would perhaps be filled by other works in the series, or could perhaps be forgiven for the fact that its focus on the impact on WWI could account for the skew in coverage towards the relative actors in that contest, and thus the influence it had on them.
This work is a historical treaties that seeks to reframe the period of evangelical history from 1900–1940 as a period of rapid adaptation, rather than decline of evangelicalism. The author begins with Bebbington's quadrilateral in framing and understanding evangelicalism, and looks at figures like Torrey and McPherson, per the title, as drivers of change.
Treloar counters narratives of reversal by showing pre-1914 activism disrupted by the first world war, which he spends a great deal of time on. Indeed, he argues that there has been insufficient attention given to the role of the war in this, and he addresses that with his own synthesis. He looks both at doctrinal fidelity and the rise of Pentecostalism (concentrating on the colourful Aimee Semple McPherson). He seems to innovate on Bebbington, tracing biblicist-crucicentric vs. conversionist-activist tensions amid modernism, with an analysis of missions and the rise of radio programming.
I found myself just a bit confused about the author's focus. Traditional narratives of 20th century evangelicalism concentrate heavily on the US. Despite the choice of some key American leaders in this work, it felt that the focus was more on the British church, although then Australia got quite a lot of attention, and this at the expense of some American movements - there wasn't much on fundamentalism, although there was, perhaps, enough. Similarly, the racist strain of (primarily) American evangelical history was not dealt with as strongly as it perhaps should have been.
All in all, this work ably fills a historiographical gap in interwar evangelicalism, complementing Bebbington. Any lacunae would perhaps be filled by other works in the series, or could perhaps be forgiven for the fact that its focus on the impact on WWI could account for the skew in coverage towards the relative actors in that contest, and thus the influence it had on them.
54richardderus
>52 sirfurboy: I had a lurch of eagerness for a minute, thinking maybe someone had found a new Norton manuscript or you got Stephen King's Kindle from UR or something exciting like that.
55sirfurboy
>54 richardderus: Haha, brilliant!
56sirfurboy
15. The Secret Passage - Nina Bowden
John, Mary and Ben Mallory are sent to live with their aunt after the death of their mother in Africa. The aunt seems austere but the guests at her guest house suggest otherwise. There's a mystery about the house next door, a secret passage (obviously) and a rich assortment of characters.
Nina Bawden was a fine children's writer, and her books are always wonderful stories with good characters, and heart warming tales. This fits firmly in the genre. Her language can be a little dated, and the omniscient third person point of view adds to that old world feel to the story, but it remains perfectly enjoyable, largely because of her characterisations.
The ending had one aspect of it that seemed so familiar, I almost wondered if I'd read this book before. I don't think I have, but it pretty much went where it obviously should have gone - although other aspects were not quite so obvious.
A good solid read, very enjoyable if not profound.
John, Mary and Ben Mallory are sent to live with their aunt after the death of their mother in Africa. The aunt seems austere but the guests at her guest house suggest otherwise. There's a mystery about the house next door, a secret passage (obviously) and a rich assortment of characters.
Nina Bawden was a fine children's writer, and her books are always wonderful stories with good characters, and heart warming tales. This fits firmly in the genre. Her language can be a little dated, and the omniscient third person point of view adds to that old world feel to the story, but it remains perfectly enjoyable, largely because of her characterisations.
The ending had one aspect of it that seemed so familiar, I almost wondered if I'd read this book before. I don't think I have, but it pretty much went where it obviously should have gone - although other aspects were not quite so obvious.
A good solid read, very enjoyable if not profound.
57sirfurboy
16. Invisible Romans - Robert Knapp
This is an excellent history of the Roman world, making use of a wide variety of sources to examine and attempt to uncover the lives of those who are invisible to the historical record owing to their position in society. It is said that history is written by the victors, and in Roman times the winners were the elites, the rich or at least the free. Almost absent from the historical record is any writing by slaves, or former slaves about their slavery, or outlaws or women. But that doesn't mean nothing can be said about them.
Now obviously the Satyricon is going to get discussed here, and fictional works are a trove of information for the careful historian, aware of their limits. There are also obviously funerary monuments. I was surprised how much the author leaned on Bible accounts too, but I shouldn't have been. It was clear that these writings were excellent sources too. All in all, Knapp has done an excellent job in marshalling primary and secondary sources to produce a book that does exactly what it says: it highlights the lives of the people that history forgot. In so doing, it makes the Rmoan world much more real and understandable. Excellent stuff.
This is an excellent history of the Roman world, making use of a wide variety of sources to examine and attempt to uncover the lives of those who are invisible to the historical record owing to their position in society. It is said that history is written by the victors, and in Roman times the winners were the elites, the rich or at least the free. Almost absent from the historical record is any writing by slaves, or former slaves about their slavery, or outlaws or women. But that doesn't mean nothing can be said about them.
Now obviously the Satyricon is going to get discussed here, and fictional works are a trove of information for the careful historian, aware of their limits. There are also obviously funerary monuments. I was surprised how much the author leaned on Bible accounts too, but I shouldn't have been. It was clear that these writings were excellent sources too. All in all, Knapp has done an excellent job in marshalling primary and secondary sources to produce a book that does exactly what it says: it highlights the lives of the people that history forgot. In so doing, it makes the Rmoan world much more real and understandable. Excellent stuff.
58sirfurboy
17. The Death of Christian Britain - Callum Brown
Brown's central thesis of this work is that the established idea of the secularisation of Britain as long and gradual does not fit the data, and is based on an erroneous model. Instead, he posits a notion of a cultural and pervasive discursive Christianity that dominated in Britain until the end of the 1950s and then rapidly collapsed in the 1960s.
Brown explicitly sets discursive Christianity apart from Christianity in its institutional, intellectual, functional, and diffusive forms. His argument is that sociologists and historians fixate on measurable data: church attendance, baptism rates, census figures, missing the deeper way Christianity functioned as a cultural identity.
That the rapid collapse in the 1960s accounts for the data, such as we have it, is evident in his analysis. That this allows him to posit a different cause to the established one is where this book shines. Christianity, says Brown, supplied the cultural vocabulary, moral grammar, and identity frameworks of everyday life, independent of what people actually believed in a formal theological sense. It is this divorce of belief from discursive Christianity that is, perhaps, explanatory, but also begs the question whether the 60s was the real collapse at all. All the same, that is the visible collapse, and he addresses it.
For Brown, women were the primary carriers of this discursive framework for over 150 years, sustaining both the moral tone and the institutional life of churches through their domestic and devotional roles. When young women in the 1960s rejected the habits, narratives, and thought-forms of their mothers, they simultaneously dismantled the Christian discourse that had governed British cultural identity. That is the thesis, but there is a lot of good evidence going into that. Definitely worth reading.
An excellent book. People have been arguing about it ever since this was published, but in teh argument we see the enduring power of the thesis, even if it is not accepted by all.
Brown's central thesis of this work is that the established idea of the secularisation of Britain as long and gradual does not fit the data, and is based on an erroneous model. Instead, he posits a notion of a cultural and pervasive discursive Christianity that dominated in Britain until the end of the 1950s and then rapidly collapsed in the 1960s.
Brown explicitly sets discursive Christianity apart from Christianity in its institutional, intellectual, functional, and diffusive forms. His argument is that sociologists and historians fixate on measurable data: church attendance, baptism rates, census figures, missing the deeper way Christianity functioned as a cultural identity.
That the rapid collapse in the 1960s accounts for the data, such as we have it, is evident in his analysis. That this allows him to posit a different cause to the established one is where this book shines. Christianity, says Brown, supplied the cultural vocabulary, moral grammar, and identity frameworks of everyday life, independent of what people actually believed in a formal theological sense. It is this divorce of belief from discursive Christianity that is, perhaps, explanatory, but also begs the question whether the 60s was the real collapse at all. All the same, that is the visible collapse, and he addresses it.
For Brown, women were the primary carriers of this discursive framework for over 150 years, sustaining both the moral tone and the institutional life of churches through their domestic and devotional roles. When young women in the 1960s rejected the habits, narratives, and thought-forms of their mothers, they simultaneously dismantled the Christian discourse that had governed British cultural identity. That is the thesis, but there is a lot of good evidence going into that. Definitely worth reading.
An excellent book. People have been arguing about it ever since this was published, but in teh argument we see the enduring power of the thesis, even if it is not accepted by all.
59sirfurboy
18. The Potter's Boy - Tony Mitton
A book that's been on my TBR list long enough that I forget why it is there. This story has a touch of Karate Kid, and a touch of various other stories about medieval Japanese society, but is essentially the story of a boy who follows his dreams, and learns some lessons on the way. A coming of age story perhaps. It is quite a sequential account, but works well enough as a story. Without getting into spoilers, there's a certain circularity to the story, but might leave a feeling that although the internal struggle is resolved, there was still something missing here.
A book that's been on my TBR list long enough that I forget why it is there. This story has a touch of Karate Kid, and a touch of various other stories about medieval Japanese society, but is essentially the story of a boy who follows his dreams, and learns some lessons on the way. A coming of age story perhaps. It is quite a sequential account, but works well enough as a story. Without getting into spoilers, there's a certain circularity to the story, but might leave a feeling that although the internal struggle is resolved, there was still something missing here.
60richardderus
>59 sirfurboy: It feels to me as though most books, even the ones I get from the review-DRC aggregators, are on my Kindle for reasons I no longer remember. Not a story I'm likely to pick up despite my curiosity about medieval Japan.
61sirfurboy
>60 richardderus: LOL, yep, I know how you feel.
62sirfurboy
19. Unroman Britain: Exposing the Great Myth of Britannia - Russell
I spent way too long getting to the end of this excellent work that examines Britain under Roman rule and makes the very convincing case that it was not under such rule long enough to ever be fully Romanised. A great analysis of the source material.
I knew or had heard much of this, but the author puts together a coherent, if tentative thesis regarding the post-Roman arrival of the Saxons that synthesises material I was already familiar with, that shows that the old perception of the Saxons being invaders, crushing and driving out all before them, needs some revision based on DNA and archaeological evidence.
Those who criticise the alternative theory of a gradual and largely cultural spread of the Saxons rightly point to a couple of key linguistic arguments - that the insular Celtic language, Brythonic, that survived in the West, vanished almost without a trace on English, and that the few words that did survive suggest Britons being seen as low status in Saxon society.
Russell, however, has a thesis based on some archaeological and linguistic evidence that tentatively suggests the Saxons could themselves have been romanised, and that their presence in Britain was actually a matter of a kind of Romanised continuity. Belt buckle evidence, he suggests, shows that theses groups could have been a Romanised soldier elite. The replacement of the language, he posits, could be because of the process of latinisation of the Britons. Where their language was being replaced by Latin - and would have been fully replaced had the Romans remained longer, as in Gaul - there was no string affinity to either Latin or to Brythonic, at least in the Romanised East. The amount of Latin Vocabulary in modern Welsh would certainly attest to some of that.
There are also, elsewhere, papers suggesting that Celtic languages did, in fact, influence Old English, particularly in some particularly Brythonic constructions.
Also, Russell shows how the Saxon styles in, e.g., housing were modified in Britain in a way that suggests a local population adopted what was practical and better than what they had, whilst ignoring elements they had no use for.
So all in all, this book makes a great case for the cultural spread of the Saxons with only limited cases of expansion by conquest.
It's not the last word on the subject but it is an excellent read on the subject, and much of the thesis rests upon foundations found in the earlier chapters.
I spent way too long getting to the end of this excellent work that examines Britain under Roman rule and makes the very convincing case that it was not under such rule long enough to ever be fully Romanised. A great analysis of the source material.
I knew or had heard much of this, but the author puts together a coherent, if tentative thesis regarding the post-Roman arrival of the Saxons that synthesises material I was already familiar with, that shows that the old perception of the Saxons being invaders, crushing and driving out all before them, needs some revision based on DNA and archaeological evidence.
Those who criticise the alternative theory of a gradual and largely cultural spread of the Saxons rightly point to a couple of key linguistic arguments - that the insular Celtic language, Brythonic, that survived in the West, vanished almost without a trace on English, and that the few words that did survive suggest Britons being seen as low status in Saxon society.
Russell, however, has a thesis based on some archaeological and linguistic evidence that tentatively suggests the Saxons could themselves have been romanised, and that their presence in Britain was actually a matter of a kind of Romanised continuity. Belt buckle evidence, he suggests, shows that theses groups could have been a Romanised soldier elite. The replacement of the language, he posits, could be because of the process of latinisation of the Britons. Where their language was being replaced by Latin - and would have been fully replaced had the Romans remained longer, as in Gaul - there was no string affinity to either Latin or to Brythonic, at least in the Romanised East. The amount of Latin Vocabulary in modern Welsh would certainly attest to some of that.
There are also, elsewhere, papers suggesting that Celtic languages did, in fact, influence Old English, particularly in some particularly Brythonic constructions.
Also, Russell shows how the Saxon styles in, e.g., housing were modified in Britain in a way that suggests a local population adopted what was practical and better than what they had, whilst ignoring elements they had no use for.
So all in all, this book makes a great case for the cultural spread of the Saxons with only limited cases of expansion by conquest.
It's not the last word on the subject but it is an excellent read on the subject, and much of the thesis rests upon foundations found in the earlier chapters.
63sirfurboy
20. The Battle for Christian Britain: Sex, Humanists and Secularisation, 1945–1980 - Callum Brown
This book contains the most comprehensive look at the work of the Public Morality Council (PMC) that exists, and places it at the heart fo a battle for an idea of a Christian Britain that was pervasive in British culture until the 1960s before suddenly collapsing. The book is not just about the PMC, but about a battle for a Christian culture that the author argues (moreso elsewhere) has now gone for good.
It is necessary ti understand that what Brown is talking about here is what he describes as "discursive Christianity". It is a culture that would allow a church based body to have control of what is on television, when shops may open, and such like.
Brown argues that postwar Britain was shaped by a struggle over sexual morality and public culture, with conservative Christians trying to preserve a Christian moral order through institutions like licensing bodies, censorship, and the BBC, while secular humanists and other progressive forces gradually undermined that order. Brown presents the 1950s as the high point of religious moral vigilance, but says that by the late 1960s and 1970s shifting sexual norms and broader secular liberalisation had decisively weakened conservative Christian authority.
To what extent was this discursive Christianity merely culture though? Much of this control was not really representative of the growing trends in Christianity at the time. The Anglican PMC, and its later Catholic takeover are illustrative. It was not just about Christian authority, but the authority of the establishment Christianity (undermined in Wales and Scotland by disestablishment of the churches). Was the establishment Christianity battling for relevance at the same time it was being replaced by something else? Brown doesn't look at that question in detail, but he points towards it.
In any case, this is an excellent work of history that documents an under-studied matter, and brings to light the extent to which many modern historical narratives ignore or play down the way that established churches were wound into the apparatus of state, suppressing non conformist voices as much as the secular humanist ones.
This book contains the most comprehensive look at the work of the Public Morality Council (PMC) that exists, and places it at the heart fo a battle for an idea of a Christian Britain that was pervasive in British culture until the 1960s before suddenly collapsing. The book is not just about the PMC, but about a battle for a Christian culture that the author argues (moreso elsewhere) has now gone for good.
It is necessary ti understand that what Brown is talking about here is what he describes as "discursive Christianity". It is a culture that would allow a church based body to have control of what is on television, when shops may open, and such like.
Brown argues that postwar Britain was shaped by a struggle over sexual morality and public culture, with conservative Christians trying to preserve a Christian moral order through institutions like licensing bodies, censorship, and the BBC, while secular humanists and other progressive forces gradually undermined that order. Brown presents the 1950s as the high point of religious moral vigilance, but says that by the late 1960s and 1970s shifting sexual norms and broader secular liberalisation had decisively weakened conservative Christian authority.
To what extent was this discursive Christianity merely culture though? Much of this control was not really representative of the growing trends in Christianity at the time. The Anglican PMC, and its later Catholic takeover are illustrative. It was not just about Christian authority, but the authority of the establishment Christianity (undermined in Wales and Scotland by disestablishment of the churches). Was the establishment Christianity battling for relevance at the same time it was being replaced by something else? Brown doesn't look at that question in detail, but he points towards it.
In any case, this is an excellent work of history that documents an under-studied matter, and brings to light the extent to which many modern historical narratives ignore or play down the way that established churches were wound into the apparatus of state, suppressing non conformist voices as much as the secular humanist ones.
64sirfurboy
21. Bluelock Vol. 1
(Touchstone takes you to volume 4, but volume 1 doesn't seem to be on LT).
I bought this in a French superstore. French books, and especially graphic novels, tend to be pretty expensive, but this one was pretty cheap, and the allure of having an easy French read sucked me in. I should have thought about it a bit more, as it is actually translated from Japanese to French, and it is about football, a game I don't have a great deal of interest in. Thus my feelings (that this was just OK) may not be representative of someone who loves manga and football, and is probably much younger than me.
One oddity, the book was read from back to front. I am not sure if this is usual for manga, or perhaps just for French manga, or what, because this is not something I usually read! But it caught me off guard when I supposed the cover was printed backwards in error and tried starting the story on the last page!
The story itself is both preposterous, but also with interesting possibilities. The Japanese must find a new world class striker by a Battle Royale competition where individuals must ruthlessly eliminate one another from a very large pool.
Now I said I'm not a big football fan. I understand that FIFA is often considered pretty corrupt and the forthcoming world cup is mostly just a celebration of how to remove money from people for no reason at all, but... surely the idea of football is that it is a beautiful game of two teams. So this concept seems fundamentally flawed in that it selects against the trait that would make the football team work.
It's part of a series, and I won't read on, but if I were writing this, I'd have someone become the superstar striker and then have Japan drummed out of the World Cup in the qualifiers - perhaps heavy handed, but a cautionary tale. I'm not writing it though, and the Battle Royale idea always excites, and placing it in a football context is an interesting departure. This could be enjoyable to some people, but sadly, I'm not one of them.
(Touchstone takes you to volume 4, but volume 1 doesn't seem to be on LT).
I bought this in a French superstore. French books, and especially graphic novels, tend to be pretty expensive, but this one was pretty cheap, and the allure of having an easy French read sucked me in. I should have thought about it a bit more, as it is actually translated from Japanese to French, and it is about football, a game I don't have a great deal of interest in. Thus my feelings (that this was just OK) may not be representative of someone who loves manga and football, and is probably much younger than me.
One oddity, the book was read from back to front. I am not sure if this is usual for manga, or perhaps just for French manga, or what, because this is not something I usually read! But it caught me off guard when I supposed the cover was printed backwards in error and tried starting the story on the last page!
The story itself is both preposterous, but also with interesting possibilities. The Japanese must find a new world class striker by a Battle Royale competition where individuals must ruthlessly eliminate one another from a very large pool.
Now I said I'm not a big football fan. I understand that FIFA is often considered pretty corrupt and the forthcoming world cup is mostly just a celebration of how to remove money from people for no reason at all, but... surely the idea of football is that it is a beautiful game of two teams. So this concept seems fundamentally flawed in that it selects against the trait that would make the football team work.
It's part of a series, and I won't read on, but if I were writing this, I'd have someone become the superstar striker and then have Japan drummed out of the World Cup in the qualifiers - perhaps heavy handed, but a cautionary tale. I'm not writing it though, and the Battle Royale idea always excites, and placing it in a football context is an interesting departure. This could be enjoyable to some people, but sadly, I'm not one of them.
65Whisper1
While going through your thread, I am so impressed both by the number of books your read, and also your incredible selection!
66sirfurboy
>65 Whisper1: Thanks, and thanks too for stopping by. Happy reading. :)
67sirfurboy
22. King of Swords - Dave Duncan
Dave Duncan has written some of the most memorable books I have read (I really think the Seventh Sword series is undersung). However this book was not, unfortunately, in the same realm. It was fine. A good story starting in the real world and then running through an elvish (called starfolk) fantasy world too. Some humour, some action (as the protagonist has a magical unbeatable sword) and a fair bit of intrigue. The best thing about the book was the exploration of ideas around prejudice and race (in this case human and starfolk races). But it dragged... a lot. It was OK, but it was far from Duncan's best work.
Dave Duncan has written some of the most memorable books I have read (I really think the Seventh Sword series is undersung). However this book was not, unfortunately, in the same realm. It was fine. A good story starting in the real world and then running through an elvish (called starfolk) fantasy world too. Some humour, some action (as the protagonist has a magical unbeatable sword) and a fair bit of intrigue. The best thing about the book was the exploration of ideas around prejudice and race (in this case human and starfolk races). But it dragged... a lot. It was OK, but it was far from Duncan's best work.
68richardderus
>67 sirfurboy: An example (to my eyes) of how much authorship matters in reading...you'd be a lot more forgiving if it had been a debut novel instead of a late-career work by a monadnock in the field. I do this with famous writers all the time and only recently caught myself at it.
69sirfurboy
>68 richardderus: I expect you are right. I might have given it three stars in that case. As you know, I gave it two on Goodreads, but I had to make myself complete it. Thanks.
70sirfurboy
23. Religion and Society in Twentieth-Century Britain - Callum Brown
I've recently read Callum Brown’s The Death of Christian Britain, and there is a fair bit of crossover between the two, with a repetition of sources and analysis. This, however is the broader, more synthetic book: it surveys religion across the whole century, emphasising how a kind of Puritanism and respectability shaped society before the 1950s, then tracing the dramatic changes of the 1960s and later religious militancy. That is the exact topic of the other book, of course, but that one is the more explicitly argumentative, offering Brown’s signature thesis about the “death” of Christian discourse and reframing secularisation as a much later than previously supposed, with a sharper cultural rupture in the 1960s.
This book differentiates itself by reading as a survey of religious history in modern Britain, designed to map religion’s place in culture, politics, and everyday life over a long century. It is complementary to the other book, rather than redundant, and the survey is broader and not so focussed on arguing Brown's thesis.
In any case it is an excellent work, and achieves exactly what the author set out to do: to show how religion and society were intertwined in twentieth century Britain.
I've recently read Callum Brown’s The Death of Christian Britain, and there is a fair bit of crossover between the two, with a repetition of sources and analysis. This, however is the broader, more synthetic book: it surveys religion across the whole century, emphasising how a kind of Puritanism and respectability shaped society before the 1950s, then tracing the dramatic changes of the 1960s and later religious militancy. That is the exact topic of the other book, of course, but that one is the more explicitly argumentative, offering Brown’s signature thesis about the “death” of Christian discourse and reframing secularisation as a much later than previously supposed, with a sharper cultural rupture in the 1960s.
This book differentiates itself by reading as a survey of religious history in modern Britain, designed to map religion’s place in culture, politics, and everyday life over a long century. It is complementary to the other book, rather than redundant, and the survey is broader and not so focussed on arguing Brown's thesis.
In any case it is an excellent work, and achieves exactly what the author set out to do: to show how religion and society were intertwined in twentieth century Britain.
71sirfurboy
24. The Blunders of Our Governments - Anthony King
This book looks at some pretty terrible and often extremely costly blunders made by a succession of UK governments over the last 40 years or so. The focus is the UK, and it only really analyses other governments when trying to understand if they blunder as much (often not), and why they don't. There's some repetition, because the latter part of the book provides analysis, seeking to understand if there are systemic issues, what those are and how things might be different if the national UK government did things differently.
I recall pretty much all these blunders, but this is a very useful collation of them. I think the analysis is right too. You cannot eliminate all blunders in government, but the UK governments of all persuasions are especially blunder prone, and those who make the blunders rarely face the consequences of them. Things need to change. But actually making the change without messing everything up? Seems doubtful the UK government could do that without blundering.
This book looks at some pretty terrible and often extremely costly blunders made by a succession of UK governments over the last 40 years or so. The focus is the UK, and it only really analyses other governments when trying to understand if they blunder as much (often not), and why they don't. There's some repetition, because the latter part of the book provides analysis, seeking to understand if there are systemic issues, what those are and how things might be different if the national UK government did things differently.
I recall pretty much all these blunders, but this is a very useful collation of them. I think the analysis is right too. You cannot eliminate all blunders in government, but the UK governments of all persuasions are especially blunder prone, and those who make the blunders rarely face the consequences of them. Things need to change. But actually making the change without messing everything up? Seems doubtful the UK government could do that without blundering.
73sirfurboy
>72 Whisper1: Thanks. :)
74sirfurboy
25. The Ghost Warriors - Bill Tippins
An enjoyable children's story of two boys in a prehistoric setting who must set out on an adventure to save their friend. Confronted with dangers, and with one of them carrying a disability, they must use resourcefulness and intelligence to overcome.
It's not too deep. The disability was a nice touch, and the intended readership will probably not notice that the stone age culture lacks a bit for historical depth. It is, in any case, well imagined. It is quite sequential, but again, that should be fine for the readership.
An enjoyable children's story of two boys in a prehistoric setting who must set out on an adventure to save their friend. Confronted with dangers, and with one of them carrying a disability, they must use resourcefulness and intelligence to overcome.
It's not too deep. The disability was a nice touch, and the intended readership will probably not notice that the stone age culture lacks a bit for historical depth. It is, in any case, well imagined. It is quite sequential, but again, that should be fine for the readership.
75sirfurboy
26. Blood of the Celts - Jean Manco
This book has sat for far too long on my TBR (5 years+) and unfortunately, in the fast moving world of the study of ancient DNA, it has become somewhat outdated. Nevertheless it was a very thorough study of the ancestral story of the Celts as things stood in 2015, when this was published. It doesn't just look at genetics, but also linguistic and archaeological evidence, attempting to provide a thorough recounting of the ancestral story of Celtic peoples.
The problem with the DNA story is that it relies very heavily on studies of Y-DNA. This allows some analysis of patrilineal descent and is quite interesting, but these days all the progress in understanding DNA comes from autosomal DNA - an analysis of much more than just the Y-Chromosome (or else the mtDNA for matrilineal descent). I'd have liked to read more about what this tells us.
It is no fault of the author, however, to have simply written the book too soon! An update would be welcome, and I think the author would do it well. But as it stands, this book provided me little I didn't know - although if you have not read other books on the Celts, this one would still be a great one to start with. Just bear in mind we know more about what the DNA tells us now.
This book has sat for far too long on my TBR (5 years+) and unfortunately, in the fast moving world of the study of ancient DNA, it has become somewhat outdated. Nevertheless it was a very thorough study of the ancestral story of the Celts as things stood in 2015, when this was published. It doesn't just look at genetics, but also linguistic and archaeological evidence, attempting to provide a thorough recounting of the ancestral story of Celtic peoples.
The problem with the DNA story is that it relies very heavily on studies of Y-DNA. This allows some analysis of patrilineal descent and is quite interesting, but these days all the progress in understanding DNA comes from autosomal DNA - an analysis of much more than just the Y-Chromosome (or else the mtDNA for matrilineal descent). I'd have liked to read more about what this tells us.
It is no fault of the author, however, to have simply written the book too soon! An update would be welcome, and I think the author would do it well. But as it stands, this book provided me little I didn't know - although if you have not read other books on the Celts, this one would still be a great one to start with. Just bear in mind we know more about what the DNA tells us now.
76sirfurboy
27. The Novel: A Biography - Michael Schmidt
This book is a sweeping history of the novel in English, looking at its development over centuries, with many many case studies. Instead of offering a rigid theory or a neat canon, Schmidt moves loosely and largely chronologically through seven centuries of fiction, weaving together letters, diaries, essays, and, of course, the novels themselves to show how writers talk back to one another across time. The result is that I came away with a vivid sense of the novel as a living organism, full of arguments, affinities, and surprising lineages, reinventing itself over time. Schmidt’s own voice helps make the thousand-plus pages feel more companionable than dutiful.
That being said, it's a long work, and the selection criteria for novels, while necessary, was such that I was more engaged in some chapters than other. Schmidt is omnivorous but sometimes eccentric in his emphases, omissions, or judgments (especially, in my view, on certain 19th- and 20th-century writers, where the daunting scale of the work makes it, perhaps, impossible to be anything else). This may frustrate anyone looking for a more balanced reference history, although whether it does so, probably depends where you are coming from.
The sheer bulk of the book and its digressive, dip-in-and-out structure mean it works better as a long-term companion. I expect I will refer back to it, but it was not plain sailing reading this through. Still, for readers who enjoy big, opinionated literary histories and who like to discover new writers by way of unexpected connections, this book is a great tour of what the novel has been and might yet be.
This book is a sweeping history of the novel in English, looking at its development over centuries, with many many case studies. Instead of offering a rigid theory or a neat canon, Schmidt moves loosely and largely chronologically through seven centuries of fiction, weaving together letters, diaries, essays, and, of course, the novels themselves to show how writers talk back to one another across time. The result is that I came away with a vivid sense of the novel as a living organism, full of arguments, affinities, and surprising lineages, reinventing itself over time. Schmidt’s own voice helps make the thousand-plus pages feel more companionable than dutiful.
That being said, it's a long work, and the selection criteria for novels, while necessary, was such that I was more engaged in some chapters than other. Schmidt is omnivorous but sometimes eccentric in his emphases, omissions, or judgments (especially, in my view, on certain 19th- and 20th-century writers, where the daunting scale of the work makes it, perhaps, impossible to be anything else). This may frustrate anyone looking for a more balanced reference history, although whether it does so, probably depends where you are coming from.
The sheer bulk of the book and its digressive, dip-in-and-out structure mean it works better as a long-term companion. I expect I will refer back to it, but it was not plain sailing reading this through. Still, for readers who enjoy big, opinionated literary histories and who like to discover new writers by way of unexpected connections, this book is a great tour of what the novel has been and might yet be.
77sirfurboy
28. The Gusii of Kenya: Social, Economic, Cultural, Political & Judicial Perspectives - John Akama
The author of this work about the Gusii people of Kenya (a Bantu speaking tribe in the highlands of Western Kenya, surrounded by non Bantu speaking people) is an academic but neither a histrian, nor anthropologist, nor a sociologist. But despite that, he goes to great lengths to document the history, customs and practice of the Gusii people for posterity. The text is heavily referenced, and although there is, in fact, a paucity of sources being referred to, this reflects the nature of the subject matter, which is not well studied. The book is therefore a valuable addition to the corpus of works on Gusii culture.
To be honest, it's a bit of a tough read. Akama deals with various customs in excruciating detail. That he does so is important, but the book will be better dipped into than read straight through. I was definitely flagging by the end. I am still going to say I really liked it though. Not because it is a book I enjoyed in the traditional sense, but because of what it represents: an exploration of a subject about customs, people and culture that are invisible to most outside the culture, and that might be lost without works such as these.
Kindle unlimited warning, but this is a good example of what kindle unlimited can bring.
The author of this work about the Gusii people of Kenya (a Bantu speaking tribe in the highlands of Western Kenya, surrounded by non Bantu speaking people) is an academic but neither a histrian, nor anthropologist, nor a sociologist. But despite that, he goes to great lengths to document the history, customs and practice of the Gusii people for posterity. The text is heavily referenced, and although there is, in fact, a paucity of sources being referred to, this reflects the nature of the subject matter, which is not well studied. The book is therefore a valuable addition to the corpus of works on Gusii culture.
To be honest, it's a bit of a tough read. Akama deals with various customs in excruciating detail. That he does so is important, but the book will be better dipped into than read straight through. I was definitely flagging by the end. I am still going to say I really liked it though. Not because it is a book I enjoyed in the traditional sense, but because of what it represents: an exploration of a subject about customs, people and culture that are invisible to most outside the culture, and that might be lost without works such as these.
Kindle unlimited warning, but this is a good example of what kindle unlimited can bring.
78sirfurboy
29. Evangelicalism: A Very Short Introduction - John G. Stackhouse
A clear compact, and often provocative primer on Evangelicalism, written by an insider. It succeeds as an entry point to the subject, covering much of the history appropriately. It is not an academic history in the manner of some of my other recent reading, and I expect some evangelicals and certainly historians will find parts of it contestable.
Inevitably Stackhouse must define his subject and does so in what they share, which seems fair, but is one of the areas of contestability. He pushes back at some simplistic representations, although pushing too hard runs the risk of looking like opinion or polemic. It is not the work for a major thesis. All the same there is an attempt to keep his coverage balanced and although certainly not the last word on the subject, it is not a terrible place to start, especially because it is short. And that is what it is intended to be.
A clear compact, and often provocative primer on Evangelicalism, written by an insider. It succeeds as an entry point to the subject, covering much of the history appropriately. It is not an academic history in the manner of some of my other recent reading, and I expect some evangelicals and certainly historians will find parts of it contestable.
Inevitably Stackhouse must define his subject and does so in what they share, which seems fair, but is one of the areas of contestability. He pushes back at some simplistic representations, although pushing too hard runs the risk of looking like opinion or polemic. It is not the work for a major thesis. All the same there is an attempt to keep his coverage balanced and although certainly not the last word on the subject, it is not a terrible place to start, especially because it is short. And that is what it is intended to be.
79sirfurboy
30. The Global Diffusion of Evangelicalism: The Age of Billy Graham and John Stott - Brian Stanley
This book is a concise, authoritative survey of evangelicalism from 1945 to 2000, framed around the ministries of Billy Graham and John Stott. Stanley traces how evangelicalism moved from a transatlantic, Anglo‑American project to a genuinely global movement, with a new centre of gravity in the global South.
The author weaves together missions, scholarship, revivalism, Pentecostal/charismatic renewal, and social engagement, deftly. The judgments seem balanced, and his engagement with non‑Western Christianity is especially valuable, making this an excellent starting point for understanding late twentieth‑century evangelicalism.
This book is a concise, authoritative survey of evangelicalism from 1945 to 2000, framed around the ministries of Billy Graham and John Stott. Stanley traces how evangelicalism moved from a transatlantic, Anglo‑American project to a genuinely global movement, with a new centre of gravity in the global South.
The author weaves together missions, scholarship, revivalism, Pentecostal/charismatic renewal, and social engagement, deftly. The judgments seem balanced, and his engagement with non‑Western Christianity is especially valuable, making this an excellent starting point for understanding late twentieth‑century evangelicalism.
80sirfurboy
31. God is Dead: Secularization in the West - Steve Bruce
This book is well written and an empirically rich defence of the secularisation thesis, arguing that modernisation erodes religion’s social power in Western Europe. It is written from the point of view of a sociologist and stands against Callum Brown's historical work and counter thesis. Bruce synthesises classic theory with demographic and institutional data, and engages with the criticism of secularisation. Yet I felt that the the argument is tightly anchored in the British and wider European experience, underplaying U.S. and global‑South cases that complicate his narrative of linear decline. Some of what he codes as decline could be interpreted as transformation and diversification. His treatment of "re‑sacralisation" and new spiritualities seems brusque.
Despite that, the book is a provocative benchmark in the debate, and it is quite interesting to see how the disciplines of sociology and history line up, somewhat overlap, but differentiate themselves here.
This book is well written and an empirically rich defence of the secularisation thesis, arguing that modernisation erodes religion’s social power in Western Europe. It is written from the point of view of a sociologist and stands against Callum Brown's historical work and counter thesis. Bruce synthesises classic theory with demographic and institutional data, and engages with the criticism of secularisation. Yet I felt that the the argument is tightly anchored in the British and wider European experience, underplaying U.S. and global‑South cases that complicate his narrative of linear decline. Some of what he codes as decline could be interpreted as transformation and diversification. His treatment of "re‑sacralisation" and new spiritualities seems brusque.
Despite that, the book is a provocative benchmark in the debate, and it is quite interesting to see how the disciplines of sociology and history line up, somewhat overlap, but differentiate themselves here.
81sirfurboy
32. Ben Archer and the Star Rider - Rae Knightly
This books showed up in a kindle unlimited trial. Self published but with a good looking cover. I gave it a go without realising at first that it was the fifth in a series. That probably affected my enjoyment, as it dropped me straight into an ongoing story with little to tell me the context. Ben is in a TV studio, telling people he can talk to animals, but for some reason they don't take him too seriously. But soon he is kidnapped and finds himself taken out of the country.
The story was written with enough love by the author that it was still fine as a story. However, there were plenty of reasons why this would need to be self published. The story itself, in the whole book, doesn't have a clear structured end. Rather, it drifts into the next book. I'd have liked to see more dialogue in a mid grade book like this, and the dialogue that was there could have been doing more. There were a lot of places an editor would have picked up on things (not grammar - that was all pretty well done). I marked out one page where every other paragraph started with the same name (10 to 12 times in all). The Point of View was never head hopping - it marked off changes with section breaks - but it did still jump around a lot. It lacked for engaging sub-plots and the polemic of the book was just a touch heavy handed.
But despite all these things, it could well be enjoyed by a younger audience. It claims to be a teen read but also mid grade. I'd say it was clearly children's - mid-grade. Targeting the story there, adding a professional edit and perhaps joining some of the books in the sequence so they become a single coherent three act story would all pay dividends, and I think this could then be an engaging tale for the audience. And even without that, your mileage may vary and younger readers will probably like this more than I did.
This books showed up in a kindle unlimited trial. Self published but with a good looking cover. I gave it a go without realising at first that it was the fifth in a series. That probably affected my enjoyment, as it dropped me straight into an ongoing story with little to tell me the context. Ben is in a TV studio, telling people he can talk to animals, but for some reason they don't take him too seriously. But soon he is kidnapped and finds himself taken out of the country.
The story was written with enough love by the author that it was still fine as a story. However, there were plenty of reasons why this would need to be self published. The story itself, in the whole book, doesn't have a clear structured end. Rather, it drifts into the next book. I'd have liked to see more dialogue in a mid grade book like this, and the dialogue that was there could have been doing more. There were a lot of places an editor would have picked up on things (not grammar - that was all pretty well done). I marked out one page where every other paragraph started with the same name (10 to 12 times in all). The Point of View was never head hopping - it marked off changes with section breaks - but it did still jump around a lot. It lacked for engaging sub-plots and the polemic of the book was just a touch heavy handed.
But despite all these things, it could well be enjoyed by a younger audience. It claims to be a teen read but also mid grade. I'd say it was clearly children's - mid-grade. Targeting the story there, adding a professional edit and perhaps joining some of the books in the sequence so they become a single coherent three act story would all pay dividends, and I think this could then be an engaging tale for the audience. And even without that, your mileage may vary and younger readers will probably like this more than I did.
82richardderus
>81 sirfurboy: Its cover says mid-grade. It sounds dire to me, but it would since I'm enough beyond mid-grade years to have had mine authored by Boethius and printed by Gutenberg.
83sirfurboy
>82 richardderus: Haha... brilliant.
Yep, nothing in that title changed my perception that Kindle Unlimited is a warning.
Yep, nothing in that title changed my perception that Kindle Unlimited is a warning.
84richardderus
>83 sirfurboy: Readers like thee and me ain't so well-served by their...selections, shall we be polite and say.
85Whisper1
Stephen, You read a lot of very in-depth, interesting books. Your reviews are very well written and insightful. I'm glad you are a member of this group!
86sirfurboy
>85 Whisper1: Thanks Whisper1. Yes, I am reading historical context for my history PhD. It is certainly keeping me busy too. Still trying to work through my other TBR books as I go, though.
87sirfurboy
33. The Emergence of Evangelicalism - Michael Haykin and Kenneth J. Stewart (Eds.)
Conceived as a Festschrift, but perhaps rather polemical, this book is a response to Bebbington's seminal 'Evangelicalism in Modern Britain'. Each author acknowledges the immense contribution of Bebbington to this field of study, but most of the authors take issue with him on a number of points, and the result are some very good essays on the subject. Beeke is a stand out, being tightly focussed on his expertise. But much of the polemic seems to come from a particular quarter, and appears to be more theological than historical. Bebbington picks up on this in his closing response, but it was really very noticeable as a reader.
In one essay a reformed theologian spells out the problem: if evangelicalism began with the Methodists and not (as he contends) with the Puritans, then Wesley's Arminianism becomes a foundational stream and not an aberration. But perversely this seems to show the genius of Bebbington's definition. Because the Bebbington quadrilateral is an inclusive definition of evangelicalism that describes what is, and not what we might think should be. When pastors and theologians have tried to define evangelicalism, too often they want to exclude elements, and so their definition doesn't really capture the reality on the ground.
Bebbington's response to the essays is masterful. In broad strokes he manages to pick out the most salient objections, whilst largely re-affirming his thesis. And on one point he does shift his position: his argument regarding the doctrine of assurance enabling the activism of evangelicalism is, he agrees, overstated. He doesn't retract the claim altogether, but graciously acknowledges the evidence brought to bear by those who have critiqued his work.
So this is an interesting work, but I do wonder a little about the selection criteria for those who were included here. Not that one can take issue with anyone included, but the result perhaps shows primarily where the opposition to Bebbington is drawn from.
Conceived as a Festschrift, but perhaps rather polemical, this book is a response to Bebbington's seminal 'Evangelicalism in Modern Britain'. Each author acknowledges the immense contribution of Bebbington to this field of study, but most of the authors take issue with him on a number of points, and the result are some very good essays on the subject. Beeke is a stand out, being tightly focussed on his expertise. But much of the polemic seems to come from a particular quarter, and appears to be more theological than historical. Bebbington picks up on this in his closing response, but it was really very noticeable as a reader.
In one essay a reformed theologian spells out the problem: if evangelicalism began with the Methodists and not (as he contends) with the Puritans, then Wesley's Arminianism becomes a foundational stream and not an aberration. But perversely this seems to show the genius of Bebbington's definition. Because the Bebbington quadrilateral is an inclusive definition of evangelicalism that describes what is, and not what we might think should be. When pastors and theologians have tried to define evangelicalism, too often they want to exclude elements, and so their definition doesn't really capture the reality on the ground.
Bebbington's response to the essays is masterful. In broad strokes he manages to pick out the most salient objections, whilst largely re-affirming his thesis. And on one point he does shift his position: his argument regarding the doctrine of assurance enabling the activism of evangelicalism is, he agrees, overstated. He doesn't retract the claim altogether, but graciously acknowledges the evidence brought to bear by those who have critiqued his work.
So this is an interesting work, but I do wonder a little about the selection criteria for those who were included here. Not that one can take issue with anyone included, but the result perhaps shows primarily where the opposition to Bebbington is drawn from.
88sirfurboy
34 Israelism in Modern Britain - Aidan Cottrell-Boyce
This book looks at the British Israel movement - or rather, an strand of thought perhaps? Something that was once quite pervasive but now is definitely on the fringes of Christian thought - yet perhaps not so much so as it should be! The book's strength lies in its refusal to treat British-Israelism as a mere curiosity; instead, it convincingly presents the movement as a minor but revealing strand of twentieth‑century British culture, with adherents at the highest levels of society, including members of the royal family and political elites. Chapters on Ireland, the British Empire, the State of Israel, Russia and the European Union neatly demonstrate how British-Israelist ideas adapted to the geopolitics of the day, whilst maintaining the view that the lost tribes of Israel had moved northwards into Europe and spread to America and the British Empire.
The book is a genuinely original study of a movement that has long sat at the fringes of both British religious history and nationalism studies. Drawing on rich archival work, Cottrell-Boyce reconstructs the institutional world of British-Israelism and shows how a marginal theology intersected with more mainstream discourses of empire, race and national destiny. In the modern world, like so many theologies, some of the provenance has been forgotten, yet it persists in the Christian Identity movement and, I think, in American Christian Nationalism.
For scholars of minority religions, nationalism, and Christian heterodoxy, this will be an indispensable reference work. The subject is not as niche as it looks, but at the price, you'll want to get a library copy!
This book looks at the British Israel movement - or rather, an strand of thought perhaps? Something that was once quite pervasive but now is definitely on the fringes of Christian thought - yet perhaps not so much so as it should be! The book's strength lies in its refusal to treat British-Israelism as a mere curiosity; instead, it convincingly presents the movement as a minor but revealing strand of twentieth‑century British culture, with adherents at the highest levels of society, including members of the royal family and political elites. Chapters on Ireland, the British Empire, the State of Israel, Russia and the European Union neatly demonstrate how British-Israelist ideas adapted to the geopolitics of the day, whilst maintaining the view that the lost tribes of Israel had moved northwards into Europe and spread to America and the British Empire.
The book is a genuinely original study of a movement that has long sat at the fringes of both British religious history and nationalism studies. Drawing on rich archival work, Cottrell-Boyce reconstructs the institutional world of British-Israelism and shows how a marginal theology intersected with more mainstream discourses of empire, race and national destiny. In the modern world, like so many theologies, some of the provenance has been forgotten, yet it persists in the Christian Identity movement and, I think, in American Christian Nationalism.
For scholars of minority religions, nationalism, and Christian heterodoxy, this will be an indispensable reference work. The subject is not as niche as it looks, but at the price, you'll want to get a library copy!
89sirfurboy
35. Religion in Britain: A Persistent Paradox - Grace Davie
This is a readable overview of how religion continues to matter in a country that is steadily becoming more secular. Secularisation is viewed through a sociological lens, and the book's central thesis is that British religion is not disappearing so much as changing shape, with declining church attendance seen alongside growing visibility in public debate. Nevertheless it is part of the secularisation narrative from a sociological viewpoint, as opposed to the thesis of the historian Callum Brown.
Davie is not unaware of the context, and addresses that head on. A strength is in her placing of today's religious landscape in historical context. She moves beyond simple narratives of decline to show how Christian heritage, immigration, public controversies, and the rise of "vicarious religion" all help explain Britain’s contradictory religious life.
The book is a thoughtful and fair introduction and reference. A wide range of religious developments in Britain are considered, including some account of the rise of Pentecostalism, although the book could have gone further on this. All in all another interesting contribution to the secularisation narrartive.
This is a readable overview of how religion continues to matter in a country that is steadily becoming more secular. Secularisation is viewed through a sociological lens, and the book's central thesis is that British religion is not disappearing so much as changing shape, with declining church attendance seen alongside growing visibility in public debate. Nevertheless it is part of the secularisation narrative from a sociological viewpoint, as opposed to the thesis of the historian Callum Brown.
Davie is not unaware of the context, and addresses that head on. A strength is in her placing of today's religious landscape in historical context. She moves beyond simple narratives of decline to show how Christian heritage, immigration, public controversies, and the rise of "vicarious religion" all help explain Britain’s contradictory religious life.
The book is a thoughtful and fair introduction and reference. A wide range of religious developments in Britain are considered, including some account of the rise of Pentecostalism, although the book could have gone further on this. All in all another interesting contribution to the secularisation narrartive.
90sirfurboy
36. A Short History of Global Evangelicalism - Mark Hutchinson
This book traces evangelicalism from its eighteenth‑century North Atlantic origins through to its twenty‑first‑century global diffusion, with sustained attention to developments in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania. Framing their narrative through David Bebbington’s quadrilateral, the author adopts his definition explicitly in the opening chapter, using it to resolve definitional debates and to organise the account of evangelicalism’s diverse regional expressions. The result is an accessible yet authoritative synthesis.
The book's significance is not strictly groundbreaking, but it offers one of the first single-volume, genuinely global surveys of evangelicalism from the eighteenth century to the present, moving beyond Anglocentric or US‑centric narratives to trace how the movement became multicentred and indigenised in the Global South.
This book traces evangelicalism from its eighteenth‑century North Atlantic origins through to its twenty‑first‑century global diffusion, with sustained attention to developments in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania. Framing their narrative through David Bebbington’s quadrilateral, the author adopts his definition explicitly in the opening chapter, using it to resolve definitional debates and to organise the account of evangelicalism’s diverse regional expressions. The result is an accessible yet authoritative synthesis.
The book's significance is not strictly groundbreaking, but it offers one of the first single-volume, genuinely global surveys of evangelicalism from the eighteenth century to the present, moving beyond Anglocentric or US‑centric narratives to trace how the movement became multicentred and indigenised in the Global South.
91sirfurboy
37. Paper Boat Paper Bird - David Almond, illustrated by Kirsti Beautyman.
I have never read a David Almond book I disliked, and that hasn't changed here. This book is beautifully written and beautifully illustrated. Mina, one of Almond's enduring characters, returns here in a tale set in Japan, and in the afterword he explains why it is Mina and why Japan. The afterword adds a lot.
The book is aimed at younger readers up to mid-grade. It is illustrated throughout and the text is short, allowing a good sense of progress. That is a real plus. The story is more slice of life than anything, but with a message about connection too.
For me, I prefer Almonds longer stories that are a bit more involved. For younger readers, I expect they will enjoy this for what it is, and for their ability to progress quickly through it.
I have never read a David Almond book I disliked, and that hasn't changed here. This book is beautifully written and beautifully illustrated. Mina, one of Almond's enduring characters, returns here in a tale set in Japan, and in the afterword he explains why it is Mina and why Japan. The afterword adds a lot.
The book is aimed at younger readers up to mid-grade. It is illustrated throughout and the text is short, allowing a good sense of progress. That is a real plus. The story is more slice of life than anything, but with a message about connection too.
For me, I prefer Almonds longer stories that are a bit more involved. For younger readers, I expect they will enjoy this for what it is, and for their ability to progress quickly through it.
92PaulCranswick
>89 sirfurboy: That looks an important read, Stephen.
93sirfurboy
>92 PaulCranswick: Yep. I'm reading another of her works now. It is perceptive and well researched and thought through.
94sirfurboy
38 A History of English Christianity 1920-2000 - Adrian Hastings
This book is a huge and wide-ranging survey of twentieth century Christianity, which remains highly useful for understanding the religious history of modern England, but only to a much lesser extent, Wales, Scotland or Ireland. It's a standard text, and is well balanced and perhaps encyclopaedic in coverage. The breadth of the work is a real strength. Hastings covers Anglicanism, Free Churches, and Roman Catholicism, and talks at length about the efforts towards ecumenism, and the crossing into politics. Wider cultural change is discussed, of course, in a time that saw huge such changes, and the book is somewhat interpretive on that.
The work reflects the author’s Roman Catholic standpoint, so it tends to give Catholicism a more prominent role than readers might expect for English Christianity. But there may be an element of this being a useful corrective. Nevertheless, this is at the expense of non-conformity and especially the story of Pentecostal and charismatic expansion, which is mentioned but where the work shows why there is more research to be done on those. Even so, the book’s measured tone and serious engagement with decline, institutional change, and church life make it a valuable account of twentieth-century English Christianity.
This book is a huge and wide-ranging survey of twentieth century Christianity, which remains highly useful for understanding the religious history of modern England, but only to a much lesser extent, Wales, Scotland or Ireland. It's a standard text, and is well balanced and perhaps encyclopaedic in coverage. The breadth of the work is a real strength. Hastings covers Anglicanism, Free Churches, and Roman Catholicism, and talks at length about the efforts towards ecumenism, and the crossing into politics. Wider cultural change is discussed, of course, in a time that saw huge such changes, and the book is somewhat interpretive on that.
The work reflects the author’s Roman Catholic standpoint, so it tends to give Catholicism a more prominent role than readers might expect for English Christianity. But there may be an element of this being a useful corrective. Nevertheless, this is at the expense of non-conformity and especially the story of Pentecostal and charismatic expansion, which is mentioned but where the work shows why there is more research to be done on those. Even so, the book’s measured tone and serious engagement with decline, institutional change, and church life make it a valuable account of twentieth-century English Christianity.
95sirfurboy
39. The Religious Crisis of the 1960s - Hugh McLeod
This book offers a nuanced, empirically dense reconstruction of Christian decline and religious innovation across the "long 1960s," (engaging with the unobvious debate over when the 1960s really began and ended). This book has become a standard point of entry into the historiography of post‑war secularisation, engaging with the debate between sociologists and revisionist historians such as Callum Brown.
Mcleod positions himself between the sociological long‑run-secularism accounts and Callum Brown’s thesis of an abrupt 1960s rupture of "discursive Christianity". He endorses elements of Brown’s timing, which challenge the accounts that find the causes of secularism in industrialisation or rationalisation, but rejects Brown's single‑cause narrative too. McLeod astutely pinpoints the problem with both ends of this spectrum: he rejects single master-factor explanations, and, I think wisely, concludes that the religious crisis resulted from a conjunction of multiple long and short‑term factors (family change, marriage and relationships, student protest, affluence, legal secularisation, erosion of "Christian nation" identity, etc.)
This book is a consciously synthetic work. McLeod addresses Brown at the outset, but also analyses the arguments of sociologists like Bruce and Davie. Indeed he gives much thought to Grace Davie's "Believing without Belonging" thesis, and draws together a huge amount of data and a very impressive bibliography. It is a much needed contribution that accepts what Brown has demonstrated but moves beyond Brown, and engages carefully with the response to Brown from sociologists too.
This book offers a nuanced, empirically dense reconstruction of Christian decline and religious innovation across the "long 1960s," (engaging with the unobvious debate over when the 1960s really began and ended). This book has become a standard point of entry into the historiography of post‑war secularisation, engaging with the debate between sociologists and revisionist historians such as Callum Brown.
Mcleod positions himself between the sociological long‑run-secularism accounts and Callum Brown’s thesis of an abrupt 1960s rupture of "discursive Christianity". He endorses elements of Brown’s timing, which challenge the accounts that find the causes of secularism in industrialisation or rationalisation, but rejects Brown's single‑cause narrative too. McLeod astutely pinpoints the problem with both ends of this spectrum: he rejects single master-factor explanations, and, I think wisely, concludes that the religious crisis resulted from a conjunction of multiple long and short‑term factors (family change, marriage and relationships, student protest, affluence, legal secularisation, erosion of "Christian nation" identity, etc.)
This book is a consciously synthetic work. McLeod addresses Brown at the outset, but also analyses the arguments of sociologists like Bruce and Davie. Indeed he gives much thought to Grace Davie's "Believing without Belonging" thesis, and draws together a huge amount of data and a very impressive bibliography. It is a much needed contribution that accepts what Brown has demonstrated but moves beyond Brown, and engages carefully with the response to Brown from sociologists too.
96sirfurboy
40. Religion in Britain Since 1945: Believing Without Belonging - Grace Davie
In this book, Davie frames what is the now-classic “believing without belonging” thesis. Her core claim is that post-war Britain has seen declining institutional Christian participation (falling church attendance, membership and vocations) alongside a more persistent, but diffuse layer of religious belief, identity and practice that remains culturally and morally significant even when not mediated through regular congregational life.
Davie couples this with a nuanced engagement with secularisation theory, arguing that Britain exemplifies a distinctive European pattern in which religious institutions lose social power while religion maintains a residual presence in public ritual, media, as well as privately held belief.
The book frames some conceptual vocabulary, talking about "unattached" or "vicarious", and it also synthesises data to make its points. It is a sociological work that takes the data seriously and attempts to follow where the data leads but avoids the temptation to find causation where there is only correlation.
At the same time, both the book and the "believing without belonging" formula have attracted criticism and subsequent revision, I believe. Quantitatively, some have argued that Davie underestimates the long-term decline of both belief and belonging, pointing to later survey evidence for the growth of self-described non-religion and “no belief” positions that make "believing" itself look more fragile than her formulation implies.
Others suggest the thesis over-privileges Christianity and the historic churches, giving less attention to non-Christian faiths and to forms of spirituality and secularity that do not fit a residual Christian cultural frame. Davie herself has modified and supplemented the idea with the notion of "vicarious religion," emphasising that an active religious minority can perform rituals and sustain moral frameworks on behalf of a much larger, more ambivalent public, and acknowledging that belief and belonging can vary and be understood in different ways.
All in all, however, this is another important work in the secularisation jigsaw, and it is a must read on that score, just for being the work that frames the velieveing without belonging debate.
In this book, Davie frames what is the now-classic “believing without belonging” thesis. Her core claim is that post-war Britain has seen declining institutional Christian participation (falling church attendance, membership and vocations) alongside a more persistent, but diffuse layer of religious belief, identity and practice that remains culturally and morally significant even when not mediated through regular congregational life.
Davie couples this with a nuanced engagement with secularisation theory, arguing that Britain exemplifies a distinctive European pattern in which religious institutions lose social power while religion maintains a residual presence in public ritual, media, as well as privately held belief.
The book frames some conceptual vocabulary, talking about "unattached" or "vicarious", and it also synthesises data to make its points. It is a sociological work that takes the data seriously and attempts to follow where the data leads but avoids the temptation to find causation where there is only correlation.
At the same time, both the book and the "believing without belonging" formula have attracted criticism and subsequent revision, I believe. Quantitatively, some have argued that Davie underestimates the long-term decline of both belief and belonging, pointing to later survey evidence for the growth of self-described non-religion and “no belief” positions that make "believing" itself look more fragile than her formulation implies.
Others suggest the thesis over-privileges Christianity and the historic churches, giving less attention to non-Christian faiths and to forms of spirituality and secularity that do not fit a residual Christian cultural frame. Davie herself has modified and supplemented the idea with the notion of "vicarious religion," emphasising that an active religious minority can perform rituals and sustain moral frameworks on behalf of a much larger, more ambivalent public, and acknowledging that belief and belonging can vary and be understood in different ways.
All in all, however, this is another important work in the secularisation jigsaw, and it is a must read on that score, just for being the work that frames the velieveing without belonging debate.
97sirfurboy
41. God and Greater Britain: Religion and National Life in Britain and Ireland, 1843-1945 - John Wolffe
This book offers a wide-ranging, carefully researched survey of how religion shaped politics, culture, and national identities across the British Isles during a long century of imperial expansion and crisis. It draws on a substantial body of primary research and a synthesis of secondary literature. Wolffe moves beyond institutional church history, as found in some other works I've read, and explores "unofficial" religion, the impact of evangelicalism and Catholic revival, and the ways religious belief informed popular understandings of nationhood in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland
One surprise, and difference her from other works, is his sensitive use of novels and other literary sources as primary sources: windows onto shifting religious mentalities. Particularly strong are his treatments of moments of national crisis where he demonstrates how heightened religiosity and religious nationalism intersected.
As a piece of historiography, the book has justifiably been praised for its originality of scope and its judicious blend of synthesis and fresh research. Its comparative attention to the various "Britains" and "Irelands" within the Union makes it a particularly valuable resource for scholars interested in national consciousness, imperial ideology, and the varieties of religious nationalism, while the incorporation of fictional and non-fictional print culture seemed especially useful.
This book offers a wide-ranging, carefully researched survey of how religion shaped politics, culture, and national identities across the British Isles during a long century of imperial expansion and crisis. It draws on a substantial body of primary research and a synthesis of secondary literature. Wolffe moves beyond institutional church history, as found in some other works I've read, and explores "unofficial" religion, the impact of evangelicalism and Catholic revival, and the ways religious belief informed popular understandings of nationhood in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland
One surprise, and difference her from other works, is his sensitive use of novels and other literary sources as primary sources: windows onto shifting religious mentalities. Particularly strong are his treatments of moments of national crisis where he demonstrates how heightened religiosity and religious nationalism intersected.
As a piece of historiography, the book has justifiably been praised for its originality of scope and its judicious blend of synthesis and fresh research. Its comparative attention to the various "Britains" and "Irelands" within the Union makes it a particularly valuable resource for scholars interested in national consciousness, imperial ideology, and the varieties of religious nationalism, while the incorporation of fictional and non-fictional print culture seemed especially useful.
98sirfurboy
42. Mouse Bird Snake Wolf - David Almond
This is a lovely book written by a very accomplished children's writer, who I greatly admire. Almond has written some fantastic books, and everything he writes is worth reading. This is no exception. My second illustrated story by this author that I read this week, and I thought this one was better than Paper Boat Paper Bird. It was better because there was a clear story arc here, and also some great subtext and use of metaphor.
The story is essentially a fable set in a world that is incomplete because the gods have become lazy. So three children set about imagining some of what is missing. The story is written for children, but it bears adult scrutiny too. There is a nice touch of humour, and some themes about imagination, and other matters too. I felt there was an undercurrent of Almond's catholic background here, but also a lovely tale that asks questions of the reader too.
This is a lovely book written by a very accomplished children's writer, who I greatly admire. Almond has written some fantastic books, and everything he writes is worth reading. This is no exception. My second illustrated story by this author that I read this week, and I thought this one was better than Paper Boat Paper Bird. It was better because there was a clear story arc here, and also some great subtext and use of metaphor.
The story is essentially a fable set in a world that is incomplete because the gods have become lazy. So three children set about imagining some of what is missing. The story is written for children, but it bears adult scrutiny too. There is a nice touch of humour, and some themes about imagination, and other matters too. I felt there was an undercurrent of Almond's catholic background here, but also a lovely tale that asks questions of the reader too.
