Bookworm

Lisa at Books on the Brain tagged me for a meme. Hooray! It’s about books and everything! Here goes:

1. Whatcha reading?

I’m re-reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Small Wonder, as well as reading J.I. Packer’s Knowing God and Tell is Slant, by Brenda Miller and Suzanne Paola. I’m also partway through Unceasing Worship, by Harold Best. For the sake of the meme, I’ll stick to Small Wonder.

2. How much of it have you read so far?

Previously, the entire book, but this time through I’m on page 14. This means I’ve completed the introduction and am partway through the first essay, “Small Wonder.”

3. What’s it about? (in a nutshell! A sentence or two is enough.)

Small Wonder is Kingsolver’s response to 9/11 spread out over several essays, most of which have nothing to do with 9/11 literally, but deal with aspects of the event either practically or abstractly.

4. What does the title refer to?

Miracles. Certain instances that seem to fly in the face of the darkness, violence and hate that seem to saturate the world at times. A bear who nurses a small boy, rather than devouring him. Little hopes. Small wonders.

5. Would you recommend it?

I would. Upon re-reading the book, I realize that I read it initially at a time when Kingsolver was exactly what I needed to hear. Sadly, this means that some of the power has gone out of her essays as I read them again at a very different point in my life, but they are still very good, and I would still recommend them.

I, in turn, tag Morgan (Morgan in Chile), Veronica Mitchell (Toddled Dredge), and Sarah (Wannabe Inkling). I can’t remember exactly how many people I’m supposed to tag, but three sounds about right to  me.