Dilemmas of Life...

So intially I thought that the books I was reviewing today had nothing in common, other than my reading them. But in actuality, this is not the case. They are all (except for the "Dummies" one) people-oriented. They are about lives, feelings, and growth. Only one is fiction.

The first is Salman Rushdie's Luka and the Fire of Life. This was a magical book, in many ways, but will appeal most to people who have an understanding of the Far Eastern/Persian tradition, although lovers of the classics will enjoy it too. What I found truly enjoyable were his little allusions to popular culture within the scope of the novel..as well as some phrases that are obviously meant to be read in a British accent.It is a rich tapestry of a novel, and one I found highly enjoyable.

The second is called The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball. I found this fascinating. This woman went from living in New York City to owning a farm with her husband. Plowing with horses, bringing in the crops, milking, just absolutely fascinating picture of one woman's growth and change.

The third is Dilemma by Father Albert Cutie. This is a unique book. The father is a man who was a Catholic priest, who fell in love. He left the Catholic Church for the Anglican, got married, had a family. His book is, to a certain extent, and understandably so, a little defensive. But it is also a look at the interior workings of the church, from one man's POV. It is also an exploration of celibacy and its role in the church, and a questioning as to if celibacy is necessary. He argues that a lot of the Church's issues would be eased if it allowed priests to marry and to be at ease with their sexuality. Which does, to a certain extent, make some sense. Priests do tend, even in this country, to become priests young, because they are expected to. And it does seem that most people have a story about a priest who left, who got married. Priests in most other traditions are allowed to get married. Many of the Apostles were married. And clergy in the Catholic tradition were allowed, once to get married. He argues that this needs to happen again.... and some points were valid. Some of the book, I felt, was a cry of frustration, and of loss... and some of it felt a little hastily written, not well-edited, perhaps. It could use a rewrite, definitely, but it does bring up some valid points about the church, which does need to forge ahead, into the 21st Century.

And speaking of the 21st Century...bringing me to the final book, iPad for Dummies. Its not that helpful. Get it from the library. Other than a chapter on Apps, it really wasn't that well-written or useful. The iPad is pretty self-explanatory.