I’ve always been around health nuts. Lately, it seems, I’ve experienced a concentration of them (AHHH! Concentrates! Stay away! Oh, we’re not talking about juice), and may, in fact, be turning into one.
Organic all the way, baby! When it is on sale...
Lately I recognized a similarity in eating and reading. Both are necessities to life, but our selection of food should compare to our selection of books. There are many “candy” books around, and while I think it is okay to indulge in these once in a while, some readers devote their appetites only to these. This seems unhealthy. Shouldn’t something more substantial be introduced?
For example, I try to read three books at a time: one theological, one informational, and one fun. This should represent a main course, a side, and a dessert. Eight-year-olds may dream of being adults and eating only dessert for every meal, but most grow up and find this is not a good reality. It seems to be the true for some readers, though. If you skip from reading Harry Potter to Twilight to some trashy romance novel (sorry, I mentioned Twilight then trashy romance novel – that was redundant), you are only stretching your mind to wondering how awesome it would be to have magical powers, to having a rich/handsome/immortal boyfriend, to having a rich/handsome/immortal boyfriend. Do any of these challenge your beliefs, or make you develop them where they need growing? Did you learn anything?
The three books I am reading now coincidentally relate. I’m reading Mere Christianity (theological), Bonhoffer (informational – though it could fit well into theological), and The Hunger Games (fun). All of them talk about war, governments, and right and wrong. Bonhoffer seems the clearest link between the others so far, for Lewis and Bonhoffer were fighting for the same cause on different sides of WWII, and Bonhoffer and The Hunger Games relate in that they concern just rebellion. I didn’t intend to read them together, it just happened to be a fitting three course meal, but these coincidences keep happening. If I only had Twilight to compare to Harry Potter, I may notice the similarities of them dealing with the abnormal, maybe a note on the value of life if I paid attention.
Instead of trying to squeeze meaning out of books that are mainly meant for entertainment, why not try a balanced diet of books? You may find that some of them taste better when taken together.
~Reese
P.S. I liked Harry Potter, and think it could have been great if the author hadn’t pandered so much to her audience.
P.P.S. Sorry if I offended you about Twilight. If I did, I pity you.
3 comments:
I am convinced you could insult someone in such a nice way that they would thank you at the end of the conversation. ;) Your diversifying your book selection is a great idea. It's easy to get wrapped up in too much of one thing. I happen to be reading Mere Christianity myself. :)
Isn't it awesome? Well, I've heard there are some theologically sketchy parts, but I haven't found those yet.
Good advice, Reese! I appreciated this post a lot. And if you offended someone about twilight, I feel badly for them, too.
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on The Hunger Games (I would like to read those soon).
Mere Christianity is fabulous! The theological differences are fairly small, except (for me) his view on evolution. Otherwise, the book is brilliant.
~ J
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