Now that I've discovered that we do actually have a tiny bit of testosterone perusing this page, I decided two posts in two days wasn't much of a stretch.
If you're reading this blog (or if you're not reading this blog, for that matter), there's a very good chance you couldn't care less what I like to read. If that's you, I encourage you to skip this post and continue checking back for pictures of my daughter -- you won't regret it. A few months ago, though, my uncle emailed me after I posted a link to an article I had glanced at recently and told me he would love to see more of what I was interested in reading. So this post is for you, Uncle Matt.
These articles are not necessarily about particularly deep or scholarly subjects and have nothing to do with each other subject-matter wise; they are united by the fact that I like them and think they are brilliantly written. I should also mention that, despite the fact that these are some of my favorites for various reasons, I by no means agree with everything in them. So, in no particular order:
1) The babycult: Having children in an age of affluence by Read and Rachel Schuchardt
I am perfectly willing to admit that I'm not entirely objective when it comes to this one. Read was one of my professors at Wheaton and he and Rachel became some of our closest mentors and friends by the time we left. They are also some of the most sincere believers we know. Kels and I read this article a few months after becoming parents and have never been the same. It was actually written when the Schuchardts had only three kids -- they now have eight. Just an incredibly transparent view of the society we are all influenced by.
2) Your Stupid Rage by Brian Phillips
The only sportswriting piece I'll include in this list, I promise. Brian Phillips isn't necessarily my favorite sportswriter out there, but I think he might be the very best writer I've come across who happens to write about sports. He writes for Grantland, Slate, and Run of Play, his own blog which this article happens to be from. The first time I read it I loved it so much I actually emailed the aforementioned Mr. Phillips. There aren't many pieces of writing that could inspire me to do that. Caveat: If you know nothing about international soccer this one might be confusing at times, but still worth a read in my view as it applies to other sports and to life in general. There is also some unflattering language used here so don't read if you're offended by that sort of thing, but it's a very positive article overall.
3) Shipping Out by David Foster Wallace
Caveats with this one: It's very, very long. Don't even start unless you have at least an hour to kill. Also, I kind of cheated considering this was not technically published on the internet initially but in Harper's Magazine but hey, this is my list. I also officially rate this one PG-13 for some strong language and adult themes.
Now, all that being said, I'm quickly learning that I'm not the world's best writer, but I would like to think I know good writing when I see it and every sentence David Foster Wallace writes leaves me wishing I had thought of it first. You can hear a hint of the fatalism evident of a tortured soul here -- Wallace struggled with depression for twenty years and committed suicide in 2008. You can also hear some of the moralistic undertones and big picture-mindedness you would expect from a believer, which Wallace apparently was as well. He was also hilarious, and I laughed out loud a few times while reading this one.
Convicted by the Holy Spirit: The Rhetoric of Fundamental Baptist Conversion by Susan Harding
Okay, so this one was also published in a journal rather than online. It's also the only entirely scholarly article listed here and I'm currently using it for a paper I'm writing in one of my classes. Harding does not write here from a Christian perspective, but she is remarkably attuned to the dynamics of the Baptist church and to the steps necessary for true conversion according to the pastor she speaks with. I think it's a fascinating read -- the way in which Harding seamlessly moves back and forth from researcher to subject to researcher again is evident and somewhat unique.
That's my list. If anyone reads any of them, let me know what you think.
1. You know my thoughts on this one: LOVE it. I think we've realized Read was right when he said all that really needs to be present to be "ready" for a child is "two sets of loving arms, two breasts, and a way to put food on the table." Charis is a direct product of this ideology, and I think she's turning out pretty great. :) (But maybe I'm biased?)
ReplyDelete2. Good writer... but even with as much as I have learned about soccer, it was a bit over my head.
3. Phenomenal writing and an almost too-accurate portrayal of life on a luxury cruise. From the "boiled looking" ship to the cleaning lady who seemed to clean every time Wallace left the room (and yet was never seen), he was both witty and realistic. Much to your chagrin, however, this hasn't changed my views on cruising -- so let's go on one and you can see for yourself?
4. Her main idea that "hearing is believing" in Baptist ideology was quite thought-provoking. And you're right, I'm grateful she recognized that the presence of Jesus truly is the key to conversion. The pastor's story was, as she put it, "stunning" and quite compelling, as well. A great read overall.