Plato

So I finally did it. I bought Plato’s collected works. I realized yesterday that I’ve been reading about Plato for some time—mostly summaries and introductions in larger books—but I’ve never actually read Plato. So, I tried at the public library yesterday to find some of his dialogues, but their entire philosophy section consisted of two (small) introductory summary-style books. I was very disappointed. So when I got the Borders 40% off coupon in my email this morning, it seemed obvious what I needed to do.

Book Reviews

It’s been a busy week at school. I turned my first writing assignment in this week: a book review. I may post it here in the future, once I find out how well I did. But it was probably the most rewarding thing I’ve done so far this semester. I struggled with it, though. It has been a long time since I had to write anything for a grade. But the struggling was good. Because I actually had to think about the author’s argument and goals and method, well, I got way more out of the book than I would have otherwise. Normally I read something and and say to myself, “I really need to think more about that.” But then I never do. Writing a review makes me wrestle with it.

My teacher gave us a helpful format for doing the book review. It involves asking only three questions:

1. What is the author’s goal for writing?
2. How does the author try to achieve that goal?
3. Does the author succeed in achieving that goal?

That’s it. But that produces some really fruitful thoughts. The first question helps me to keep the big picture in mind as I read. The second question not only helps me to come up with a summary of the material, it also helps me to consider the method the author is using to reach his goal. Is it just laying out information? Or using examples? Is he arguing from experience? How much does he cite other authors? How does he use the Bible in his arguments? Etc., etc. I can’t explain why this is so helpful, but it opened up a new view of reading for me. The final question forces me to do some critical thinking and come to some conclusions. I have to decide if the method was helpful or correct. And I have to decide if the argument was a convincing one.

Children’s Stories and Narrative Arcs

Before I left my job in Atlanta to start at seminary, one of my co-workers told me a strategy her brother had used while at school to help him deal with the complexities of theological education: he read Winnie the Pooh. I think that’s outstanding. So, in my own way I’m starting to copy him. I’ve been visiting the library near my house and going into the children’s section and checking out Roald Dahl books. I’m not embarrassed. I’m already reading his short stories for adults. So it kind of fits with what I was already doing. It’s nice though. I missed all these books when I was growing up. I saw Willy Wonka, of course, but I never knew the book it was based upon. The simplicity and straightforwardness of the children’s story helps me just to decompress from the weightyness of all the other reading. Next up: James and the Giant Peach.

Has anyone out there read Dahl? What is your favorite book by him?

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In hermeneutics class this past week we’ve been talking about interpreting narrative portions of Scripture. One of the things we’ve talked about is just being able to see Bible stories as stories. They follow the basic rules for stories that are encapsulated in this illustration:

I find this incredibly interesting, not just in understanding the Bible, but also in other stories I’m reading. I’ve never really read stories with this kind of thing in mind before. I think I might begin practicing on the Dahl stories as a kind of game. Maybe it will be fun.

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(On another note, I haven’t given up reading War & Peace yet. I’m still plodding along. I expect to have another section completed by next week.)