A Little Book for New Philosophers Paul Copan

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Paul Copan (born September 26, 1962) is a Christian theologian, analytic philosopher, apologist, and author. He is currently a professor at the Palm Beach Atlantic University and holds the endowed Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics. He has written and edited over 25 books in the area of philosophy of religion, apologetics, theology, science & religion, and the historicity of Jesus Christ. He has contributed many articles to professional journals and has written many essays for edited books. For six years he served as the president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society.

From 1980-1984, he attended Columbia International University and earned a B.A. degree in biblical studies. Copan attended Trinity International University, where he received his M.A. in philosophy of religion, as well as his M.Div. At Trinity International. Copan received the Prof. C.B. Bjuge Award for a thesis that “evidences creative scholarship in the field of Biblical and Systematic Theology.”

In May 2000, Copan received his Ph.D. in philosophy of religion from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His dissertation topic was "The Moral Dimensions of Michael Martin’s Atheology: A Critical Assessment.

DESCRIPTION:

What's the point of studying philosophy when we have theology? Is philosophy anything more than a preparation for apologetics?

Often called "theology's handmaid," philosophy has sometimes suffered from an inferiority complex in the church. Many Christians see little point in it at all. But as Paul Copan contends, it is possible to affirm theology's preeminence without diminishing the value and contribution of philosophy.

In A Little Book for New Philosophers, Copan offers a concise introduction to the study of philosophy. Aimed at newcomers, this brief overview is both a survey of philosophy's basic aims and categories and an apology for its proper function in the life of the Christian. "By God's grace," Copan writes, "philosophy can enhance our understanding and worship of God . . . and assist us in defending the coherence of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

REVIEW:

This is the first time I come across Copan's writing, therefore I humbly state that I am a complete novice in theological criticism. I picked up the book on the advise of my boyfriend who studies theology and is very knowledgeable on the topic. He said I quote: "In order to understand were my patience and tolerance come from you need to understand who I think."

Mind you  a man's mind is a complete mystery to the mere mortal women out there, yours truly included, so I was definitely intrigued to learn more about  the opposite gender.

In short, the book is a beginners guide to philosophy, most of the information that I found in it I was vaguely roughly familiar with, what I loved about it, though, was the smooth language, the easy with which Copen gently introduces you to theory, terminology and basic tools to approach the topic.

I always tend to admire such talent and skill, for I am, sadly, I very poor teacher and my explaining skills are, well, let's call them non-existent for lack of a more drastic word. After reading this small, but in the same time very grand book, I understand why my boyfriend suggested I should start with it. You see Copen, he focuses on philosophically inclined Christians who are fearful or cynical about philosophy. He contends that philosophy done right can benefit our understanding and worship of God. And after a brief discussion with my friends who are believer( unlike me) I believe it is save to say that I have gained knowledge at a new level of perceiving religion and belief in general.

I will be completely honest here, I tend to dismiss most of the fanatic believers with a gesture of mere tolerance, for they have made their choice and they do have their reasoning behind it. I never agreed, thou, that one should  be devoted to an entity, because at the end of the day, after I have met numerous bad Christians ( here I mean, people who hide behind the safety of their religion, while not taking responsibility for their actions), I have concluded that as and atheist I am a better person, than they will ever be.

Copen, managed to help me see the other side. His book is targeting the intelligent Christians, who have a deep understanding of God and how the whole belief shenanigans work. This book forced me to put aside my skepticism and open my eyes to perceive another cast of believers, who indeed are people more attuned with the way religion fits in reality. I found that extremely refreshing.

The Girl in the Garden by Melanie Wallace

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Wallace was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire, and now lives with her husband in Myloi, an agrarian village below the Ohi mountain range in Greece, and in Paris.

Wallace's novel "The Housekeeper" was longlisted for the 2007 Orange Prize.

DESCRIPTION:

An unforgettable novel about a young woman and her infant son, abandoned at a seaside motel in New England, and the secrets of the townspeople who provide them with shelter.

When June arrives on the coast of New England, baby in arms, an untrustworthy man by her side, Mabel—who rents them a cabin—senses trouble. A few days later, the girl and her child are abandoned.  June is soon placed with Mabel’s friend, Iris, in town, and her life becomes entwined with a number of locals who have known one another for decades: a wealthy recluse with a tragic past; a widow in mourning; a forsaken daughter returning for the first time in years, with a stranger in tow; a lawyer, whose longings he can never reveal; and a kindly World War II veteran who serves as the town's sage. Surrounded by the personal histories and secrets of others, June finds the way forward for herself and her son amid revelations of the others' pasts, including loves—and crimes—from years ago.  

In vivid, nuanced prose, Melanie Wallace—“a writer with a tender regard for the marginal, the missing and the lost”*—explores the time-tested bonds of a small community, the healing power of friendship and love, and whether the wrongs of the past can ever be made right.  * Hilary Mantel

REVIEW:

What's better than a cosy nook, a good book and a cup of cocoa when outside the snowing is silently covering the world and changing the destiny of all of us? I am so lucky to have read this wonderful novel at the very beginning of 2017... And it is so close to its publishing date that I am enthralled for you guys to be able to read it.

It is for sure one of the best reads I have had recently, furthermore, it marks 2017 as one of the best years to come in my adult reading life! I barely can wait for the next jewel to appear magically in my hands.

Mrs Wallace has the skills of magic and the tongue of a storyteller! I am forever grateful for the joy she brought to my heart with her poetical writing. Every word, every phrase, every sentence is a block of spicy chocolate melting  in your mouth... better yet: you know the effect of a good old glass of scotch after a hard day of work at the very end of the week... This is what this book is all about. It not only soothes your nerves, but also leaves your whole being lingering with nostalgia and a sense of beautiful sadness.

In short the novel tells a number of stories of heartbroken characters, each carrying burdens of their own. I love to read about damaged people, who find the strength in them to lift themselves up, because life is more-often-than-not a hard travel, and sometimes when I indulge in a novel like this one, I find it easier to continue the fight.

It was such a profound read... I closed it gently, put it on the ground, and stared at it for a couple of minutes... I am still struggling to find the words to best describe it. Unique is one of them... Poetic - another... Strong is the third that comes to mind, but D**n it I did not expect to be that much influenced by it.

So go ahead guys and give it a go, you'll not regret it!

The House of Birds by Morgan McCarthy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Morgan McCarthy was born in Berkshire, UK, where she still lives. She has worked in a supermarket, a small independent bookstore, and, most recently, as a media analyst.

DESCRIPTION:

Morgan McCarthy's THE HOUSE OF BIRDS is a beautiful and bewitching story of love, war and second chances that will be adored by readers of Kate Morton, Louisa Young and Virginia Baily. 

Oliver has spent years trying to convince himself that he's suited to a life of money making in the city, and that he doesn't miss a childhood spent in pursuit of mystery, when he cycled around the cobbled lanes of Oxford, exploring its most intriguing corners.

When his girlfriend Kate inherits a derelict house - and a fierce family feud - she's determined to strip it, sell it and move on. For Oliver though, the house has an allure, and amongst the shelves of discarded, leather bound and gilded volumes, he discovers one that conceals a hidden diary from the 1920s.

So begins a quest: to discover the identity of the author, Sophia Louis. It is a portrait of war and marriage, isolation and longing and a story that will shape the future of the abandoned house - and of Oliver - forever.

REVIEW:

The House of Birds is a beautifully written book with one of the most spectacular covers I’ve seen in a long time.  I am a sucker for a pretty cover, but this one really does catch your eye and dares you to ignore it’s alluring charm. It is a bit nostalgic and it perfectly fits to the mood of the novel.

Morgan McCarthy weaves together tales from the past and present so eloquently,  the stories flow well together so that the reader is experiencing the mystery that Oliver is searching for the answers to but also the memories attached to the items within the old house and how they relate to Sophia Louis.

Oliver’s search is captivating reading, the memories he unearths add a richness to both the past and the present.  The interwoven narration from Sophia gives a wonderful insight in to her character, the oppressive societal struggles for women in this time and several emotive topics are written with care and sympathy where necessary, but also detailed to show that McCarthy has done her research to ensure authenticity.   Each character in this has their own appealing qualities (or unappealing as the case may be), they are are carefully and thoughtfully constructed.

The vivid descriptions in this book are spectacular, the detail given about the house means that the reader is more than able to envision the setting clearly.  There is great care given to the description of people also, the description of a young Kate when Oliver sees her cycling on her way home from school conjures a crystal clear image of the young girl, with hair so perfect on her white bike, and the small detail of her catching his eye ‘like a unicorn’ gives the reader a small insight into the flowing prose awaiting them later in the book.

McCarthy’s writing is a delight to read, so natural and expressive which truly makes this a delight to read.

The Last Days of Leda Grey by Essie Fox

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Leda Grey is novel about an actress who has lived in a crumbling cliff top house for more than half a century, until she confides her story to the journalist, Ed Peters ... who rapidly finds himself immersed inside her dark and eerie world.

She has also written three Victorian novels, the first of which - The Somnambulist - was shortlisted for the UK National Book Awards, featured on Channel 4's TV Book Club, and has been optioned for TV/film.

Elijah's Mermaid, features the hypocrisy in Victorian art and literature. It has brothels, asylums, and freak shows...not forgetting the mermaids!

The Goddess and the Thief is an 'oriental gothic', with Indian Maharajahs, Hindu gods and sacred diamonds ... including candlelit seances which are held in English drawing rooms.


Her website is: www.essiefox.co.uk

She blogs as The Virtual Victorian, The Eclectic Edwardian, and The Fiction Fox.

You can find her on Twitter as @essiefox, and on Facebook as Essie Fox Books.

DESCRIPTION:

A bewitching novel about an enigmatic silent film actress, and the volatile love affair that left her a recluse for over half a century - for fans of Sarah Waters and Tracy Chevalier.

During the oppressive heat wave of 1976 a young journalist, Ed Peters, finds an Edwardian photograph in a junk shop in the Brighton Lanes. It shows an alluring, dark-haired girl, an actress whose name was Leda Grey.

Enchanted by the image, Ed learns Leda Grey is still living - now a recluse in a decaying cliff-top house she once shared with a man named Charles Beauvois, a director of early silent film. As Beauvois's muse and lover, Leda often starred in scenes where stage magic and trick photography were used to astonishing effect.

But, while playing a cursed Egyptian queen, the fantasies captured on celluloid were echoed in reality when Beauvois suspected a love affair between Leda and her leading man. A horrific accident left Leda abandoned and alone for more than half a century - until Ed Peters finds her and hears the secrets of her past, resulting in a climax more haunting than any to be found in the silent films of Charles Beauvois.

REVIEW:

I was captivated by the description of this novel... I simply had to have it, had endure it, had sink deep into the world of the story. I am a devoted fanatic to the era, therefore my first fear was whether Fox will be able to approach it correctly, but just after a few paragraphs I was sure: this will not be a problem. Fox created a magical world from the silver screen a world of never ending summer, filled with ladybirds that swarmed everywhere.

This is a very atmospheric read. I enjoyed being immersed in this world of dissolving glamour; where you just sense that everything is slowly and surely, waning away. This is a novel of secrets, jealousy, love and obsession. A very good read and an interesting historical novel. It fitted right into my Christmas nostalgic mood.

I love her speech. I love Fox's use of language and her beautiful, lyrical prose.

Each chapter begins with a quote from Shakespeare and very cleverly create an ominous sense that something deeply unpleasant lurks in the shadows of the house and of Leda's past. The quotes were very effective in creating suspense and tension to the unraveling story.

Fox then switches to italics and we are privy to Leda's story. Her voice is strong and provides a good contrast to that of Ed's. Again, Leda's passages are exquisitely written. They are engaging and intriguing as well as full of metaphors, connotations and analogies.

It is a great book and it is impossible not to want to gallop to the end and reveal all of Leda's secrets. Just read it. You'll love it.

Everybody's Fool (Sully #2) by Richard Russo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

RICHARD RUSSO is the author of seven previous novels; two collections of stories; and Elsewhere, a memoir. In 2002 he received the Pulitzer Prize for Empire Falls, which like Nobody’s Fool was adapted to film, in a multiple-award-winning HBO miniseries

DESCRIPTION:

Richard Russo, at the very top of his game, now returns to North Bath, in upstate New York, and the characters he created in Nobody’s Fool.

The irresistible Sully, who in the intervening years has come by some unexpected good fortune, is staring down a VA cardiologist’s estimate that he has only a year or two left, and it’s hard work trying to keep this news from the most important people in his life: Ruth, the married woman he carried on with for years . . . the ultra-hapless Rub Squeers, who worries that he and Sully aren’t still best friends . . . Sully’s son and grandson, for whom he was mostly an absentee figure (and now a regretful one). We also enjoy the company of Doug Raymer, the chief of police who’s obsessing primarily over the identity of the man his wife might’ve been about to run off with, before dying in a freak accident . . . Bath’s mayor, the former academic Gus Moynihan, whose wife problems are, if anything, even more pressing . . . and then there’s Carl Roebuck, whose lifelong run of failing upward might now come to ruin. And finally, there’s Charice Bond—a light at the end of the tunnel that is Chief Raymer’s office—as well as her brother, Jerome, who might well be the train barrelling into the station.

Everybody’s Fool is filled with humour, heart, hard times and people you can’t help but love, possibly because their various faults make them so stridently human. This is classic Russo—and a crowning achievement from one of the greatest storytellers of our time.

REVIEW:

“We don’t forgive people because they deserve it,” she said. “We forgive them because we deserve it.”

This Christmas I needed a lot of wisdom, in fact, the deeper I am sinking into my late twenties the more reflective I have become. But it is the very demanding nature of reflection that takes its toll on me. Therefore, I really enjoyed reading Everybody's Fool. It is full of life, humour and advise that all of us need.

This sequel to Nobody's Fool returns us to the blue collar town of Bath in upstate New York. A change in his circumstances from the previous book has made Donald Sullivan relatively prosperous with no need to work the kind of back breaking jobs he’d done for most of his life, but at 70 he’s just received some very bad news about his health. Sully’s old nemesis, Douglas Raymer, is now the police chief, but no one respects him including Raymer himself. His wife died just as she was about to leave him for another man, and Raymer is obsessed with learning the identity of this guy by using the only clue he has, a remote control for a garage door opener.

Despite plenty of buffoonery and mishaps nursed for humour, Russo paints these characters with a warm heart, and most are lovable at some level. They evolve through a series of crises that appear to be a part of a larger jinx that affects the whole town. A lot of the shame in being a fool has to do with perception of the judgement of others. For the town, its downhill economy is made more painful by the contrast with neighbouring Schuyler, whose newspaper largely features stories of the misfortunes that befall Bath. (After a wall collapses in a rehab project, Gus asks: “How come shit like this never happens in Schuyler?”, and a policeman from there answers: “There’s an ordinance against it”). The overall dynamic of the tale has to do with how to live with the limitations, foibles, and secret passions at the individual and community level and not succumb to madness and total despair from their consequences.

Time will tell if this will become a classic. It sits pretty well for me as a less moralistic, blue collar alternative to Bellow’s “The Adventures of Augie March” and Updike’s “Rabbit Run.” It is a sequel to “Nobody’s Fool”, but I, like most people, have only dim memories of reading that novel 20-plus years ago (i.e. I feel it unnecessary to read that one first).

It already won my heart!

Final Girls by Riley Sager

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A native of Pennsylvania, Riley Sager is a writer, editor and graphic designer. Riley now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
​
In addition to writing, Riley enjoys reading, movies and baking.
​
Riley's first novel, FINAL GIRLS, will be published in 2017 in the United States, the United Kingdom and more than a dozen territories around the world.

DESCRIPTION: 

Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media’s attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past.

That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy’s doorstep. Blowing through Quincy’s life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa’s death come to light, Quincy’s life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam’s truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.

“The Final Girls need you. . . . The Final Girls are tough, everything survivors should be. But the new threat is clever, ominous, even closer than you suspect. You are about to gasp. You might drop the book. You may have to look over your shoulder. But you must keep reading. This is the best book of 2017.” —Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of Find Her

REVIEW:

I often flatter myself by being able to be two steps ahead of all plot stories... Always! So when I am caught by surprise by a twist of the novel I applaud very loudly the author - You're good! I was guessing madly as each snippet of information revealed by the author twisted the narrative in a new direction, or tantalisingly offered a seemingly innocent action or comment that was, in fact, a massively huge, big fat red herring. But, alas I could not find myself out of the novel before it ended. 

Although it is a debut novel, I already know that Sager has way more to bring to the table. I have become a fan! From the initial moments, this novel proves to be a suspenseful, engaging read. The plot was intricate and smart. Marvellous thriller. I dare not predict its future, but it will definitely be a stepping stone in 2017. A key read for all thriller lovers.

It is gripping, easy to read and beyond enjoyable! Brilliant from start to finish. A fast paced easy to read book that I had to read in one go to find out what happened. Lisa, Qunicy and Samantha are all sole survivors of separate massacres and that is why they are called the final girls. When Lisa is found dead, Quincy starts to try to remember her own story. Quincy has no memory of what happened at pine cottage. The book is written from her perspective. The who plot is brilliantly put together with many twists and turns which make it a memorable book.

Fever at Dawn by Péter Gárdos, Elizabeth Szász

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Péter Gárdos was born in Budapest in 1948. He is a multiple-award-winning film and theatre director.

As a director he has received more than twenty international awards at major film festivals, among them the Jury’s Special Award at the Montreal Film Festival and the Golden Hugo at the Chicago Film Festival.

Based on the true story of his parents, Fever at Dawn is his first novel.

DESCRIPTION:

Twenty-five-year-old Holocaust survivor Miklós is being shipped from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp to Gotland, Sweden, to receive treatment at the Larbro Hospital. Here he is sentenced to death again: he is diagnosed with tuberculosis and his doctors inform him that he has six months to live. But Miklós decides to wage war on his own fate: he writes 117 letters to 117 Hungarian girls, all of whom are being treated in the Swedish camps, with the aim of eventually choosing a wife from among them.

Two hundred kilometres away, in another Swedish rehabilitation camp, nineteen-year-old Lili receives Miklós’s letter. Since she is bedridden for three weeks due to a serious kidney problem, out of boredom — and curiosity — she decides to write back.

The slightly formal exchange of letters becomes increasingly intimate. When the two finally manage to meet, they fall in love and are determined to marry, despite the odds that are against them.

Based on the original letters written by Miklós and Lili (ninety-six altogether), Fever at Dawn is a tale of passion, striving, and betrayal; true and false friendships; doubt and faith; and the redeeming power of love.

REVIEW:

Okay, okay... I have no I idea why and how this one popped into my TBR tower, but it did. And I regret nothing! Although it was mostly a very hard read, and a lot of tears were shed, I am pretty sure I had my reasons to chose it at the first place. Sometime books find you... Right!? 

Don't get me wrong... it is a fictionalized account about the love story of author Peter Gardos's parents, Miklos and Lili, who are both Holocaust survivors. Good story, moving story, an emotional one. Their real-life story deserves 5+++ stars, the book doesn't quite measure up. I am not sure whether it was the writing , or something else, but it was a hit-and-miss.

To conclude, the book is not long, and its form is episodic, told in an often-tongue-in-cheek manner, but it has stayed with me in the several weeks since my reading. I particularly recommend it to readers who enjoyed The Hare with Amber Eyes. This book had promise but overall it fell flat for me. While Fever at Dawn lacks emotion and tension it is a quiet memoir and a nice way for the author to preserve and honour a part of his parents' history.