dual personalities

Tag: reading

September 23, 2026

The Beginning of Knowledge

by chuckofish

Annie Dillard died. She was a favorite of my youth.

“Why are we reading, if not in hope of beauty laid bare, life heightened and its deepest mystery probed? Can the writer isolate and vivify all in experience that most deeply engages our intellects and our hearts? Can the writer renew our hope for literary forms? Why are we reading if not in hope that the writer will magnify and dramatize our days, will illuminate and inspire us with wisdom, courage, and the possibility of meaningfulness, and will press upon our minds the deepest mysteries, so that we may feel again their majesty and power? What do we ever know that is higher than that power which, from time to time, seizes our lives, and reveals us startlingly to ourselves as creatures set down here bewildered? Why does death so catch us by surprise, and why love? We still and always want waking.” (The Writing Life)

But now I tend to think she is another of those women writers who became famous too soon, gathering accolades and awards, believing the praise. Eudora Welty praised Dillard in her NYT review of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, but Welty also admitted “not (knowing) what she’s talking about” at times and that her writing “leaves something to be desired.” That something was what Welty called “straight narrative,” the clarity of “point, direction, and shape”. Indeed.

I liked her because, like Thoreau and Buechner, she told us to pay attention to God’s creation. But paying attention is not enough. You have to know who to thank and, sadly, Dillard lost her faith along the way. I could go on, but it would probably be presumptuous. I am going to re-read some of her books and see what I think 30 years later.

By the way, I re-read Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry and it is terrific. I still highly recommend it.

Yesterday I read the last of the Psalms (150) in my Bible reading plan and I am on to Proverbs.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Amen.

2 Comments
September 22, 2026

This and that

by chuckofish

My yard is looking pretty dry these days after weeks of heat alerts and despite exorbitant water bills.

However, Don’s garden still shows signs of life, both of the flora and fauna variety.

I went to my new Bible Study yesterday and to the women’s book club at church last night, which is way over my daily quota of human interactions. But I believe in pushing beyond the limits of my comfort zone occasionally.

We discussed the book Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, A Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism by Leland Vittert.

I read it because someone whose opinion I respect loved it. It is an amazing true story and it takes place in St. Louis, so that was interesting, but I didn’t love it. But we had a good discussion of the book and I’m glad I went.

I related to this story about Our Season with the Foxes, because I’ve also had foxes in my yard…but, alas, no trail cam.

This is a really good response to women who think they regret having children (a hot topic these days). “There aren’t that many things in this life that matter to eternity. Generally speaking, a career doesn’t, travel doesn’t, being free to eat a good lunch doesn’t, having nice furniture and a pretty house doesn’t. But motherhood does. The sacrifices we make here will echo far beyond us, and the joys of it will follow us to our deathbed and beyond.”

And here’s Wes discovering his handsome face in the doll dresser mirror.

Have a great Tuesday! Enjoy the cooler temps!

3 Comments
September 3, 2026

How’s it going?

by chuckofish

It has been steamy hot all this week so I have been working on inside projects and getting ready to head up to the prairie on Friday for the long weekend.

I have, as usual, been reading several different books, including Agatha Christie’s autobiography. She really was quite an unusual person who seemed to think nothing of traveling to exotic places like Bagdad alone. She was always very lucky and found people to stay with and hang out with for lengthy periods of time. It was a different world–at least for people of her social class etc. If they had made a movie about her, she would have been played by Margaret Rutherford, if you can imagine Margaret Rutherford surfing. (I can.) She was married twice and had one child, who was shipped off to boarding school at age eight–don’t worry–she wanted to go. Agatha, of course, never had any formal education, but was, of course, much better “educated” than most modern students. It is a fascinating read, but I’m not sure how much of it I actually believe.

Indeed. what can beat a train?

This is a really interesting short film I saw on TCM about the making of The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)–back when making movies was a true collaboration of real artists. It was an entirely different endeavor from today when everything is done on computers. They were crafting illusions and bringing them to life through brilliant camera work, art direction, costumes, music, makeup, acting. Wow. Fascinating!

Down to the buzzing of the arrows, they don’t don’t make ’em like this anymore!

Well, have a great Thursday! Keep cool.

2 Comments
August 28, 2026

Unfaded, yet prepared to fade*

by chuckofish

Well, here we are–it’s the last Friday in August. One more weekend and then it’s September! It was a good summer. Good weather. A little travel. I watched all seven seasons of The Mentalist (2008-2015). Now I am ready to get back into the fall swing of things.

Departing summer hath assumed

An aspect tenderly illumed,

The gentlest look of spring;

That calls from yonder leafy shade

Unfaded, yet prepared to fade,

A timely carolling.

In the meantime, here are some good things to read:

I agree with this. “There is a difference between possessing the information contained in a book and possessing a book.”

Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death? A. That I am not my own, but belong, body and soul, in life and in death, to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. This is important: What the Heidelberg Catechism Says to the Age of Self.

R.C. Sproul’s entire teaching series library is now free forever. You can find them all on Ligonier’s Teaching Series page.

The Book of Common Prayer (1662) as printed by John Baskerville is available online.

Have a good weekend!

P.S. This made me LOL:

*William Wordsworth, September, 1819…read the whole poem here.

2 Comments
August 19, 2026

Sauntering toward the Holy Land

by chuckofish

Yesterday I spent a good part of a pleasant afternoon reading randomly from this book:

1973 edition

What a wonderful resource! I love this from Henry David Thoreau, don’t you?

I enjoyed reading James Melville’s (1556-1614) description of the Spanish Armada being blown off course and thereby shipwrecked in Fife. The Spaniards come begging for mercy and Melville explains that the Scots are “men, and sa moved by human compassion and Christians of better religion nor they, quhilk should kythe, in the fruits and effects, plain contrary to ours…

I also read about Scott’s last expedition, retold by Charles Turley, and I have to admit, I wept a little.

While I read I listened to sad classical music and some movie soundtracks as well–this may have contributed to the weeping. I commend this practice to you. You can search on Youtube and most things are there. My favorite movie composers are: Jerome Moross, Alfred Newman, Miklos Rozsa, and Elmer Bernstein. Even a pretty bad movie can have good music, i.e. The Valley of Gwangi (1969).

Anyway, give it a whirl sometime when you have a few free hours. I’m sure you have something on your shelves that you can crack open for some delightful entertainment!

And it’s so much better than scrolling Instagram! Although I did think this was funny:

The twins are coming over this morning to hang out while their parents are working in these last days before school starts. I hope my engine is fully operational.

2 Comments
August 10, 2026

Glad when Thy gracious smile we see

by chuckofish

I had a very quiet weekend–which I needed after a very busy month of July and first week of August. I watched an online auction and went to one estate sale where the basement was like a time capsule–red linoleum floor, pine paneling and glass block bar–where, I have no doubt, many good times were had back in the day. I hope they don’t tear down the house, but that is the current modus operandi.

On Sunday I went to church, but I didn’t stay for adult ed because I was feeling like I was in a DayQuil funk. (Yes, I have been fighting off a summer cold.) I went home and took a nap.

I caught up with daughter #2 on the phone. I did a little stitching…

…I read a little…

I am ready to face the week ahead.

Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
where’er our changeful lot is cast;
glad when Thy gracious smile we see,
blest when our faith can hold Thee fast.

–Bernard of Clairvaux, c. 1150 (tr. Ray Palmer, 1858)

2 Comments
July 1, 2026

My help comes from the Lord

by chuckofish

Well, June is gone and half the year has flown by with it. We are under an extreme heat warning here–it reached 98 degrees on Monday. Par for the course, as we like to say in flyover country. Thank goodness we have air conditioning and know how to use it so our senior citizens don’t die in droves. Personally, I get my chores done and run my errands early so I can stay home when it’s really hot. I can’t complain.

I found this essay to be insightful and rich in food for thought. “We cannot follow Jesus if our eyes follow everyone else. Chances are, if we spend significant time dwelling on our neighbors’ irksome habits and measuring their blessings against our own, we see little of God. Jesus redirects our gaze. If we study God’s infinite beauties, then when Jesus says, “Follow me!” no one will be able to stop us.” I dealt with envy early on, but I have suffered with a critical spirit most of my life. Seriously, I learned to be critical in kindergarten. I regret to say, I still wrestle with this particular sin. It is an ongoing battle…

Here’s good news! Scotland is not entirely lost. “First, the idea of buying and renovating an old granite Presbyterian church in downtown Aberdeen was impossible, then it was difficult, then it was done.” And thank God for Sinclair Ferguson!

Check out the beautiful plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) in Don’s yard!

And here’s a new song from Jon Reddick:

2 Comments
June 23, 2026

A few suggestions

by chuckofish

It was rainy on Sunday, but we had no tornados like they did in central Illinois!

And yesterday was dark and gloomy, but that’s just permission to stay home and read. Indeed, I always have a stack of books waiting for me.

But if you are like me, you are always looking for something good to watch. Usually this means re-watching something old, sometimes really old. Here are a few movies I’ve re-watched recently.

Captain Newman, M.D. (1963), a “comedy-drama” starring Gregory Peck, Tony Curtis, Angie Dickinson, Robert Duvall, Eddie Albert and Bobby Darin. Darin was nominated for the supporting actor Oscar. He really went all-out in his big scene and I’m still sad that he didn’t win. Peck plays psychiatrist Captain Josiah Newman who is head of the neuro-psychiatric Ward 7 at the Colfax Army Air Field military hospital during WWII where he uses “unconventional” methods to treat his patients. I enjoyed it a lot and all the actors are very good.

I also watched Ride With the Devil (1999) directed by Ang Lee and starring Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich, Jeffrey Wright, Jewel, Simon Baker, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, James Caviezel. It is based on the novel Woe to Live On, by Daniel Woodrell, which is a good book worth reading. Set during the American Civil War, it follows a group of men who join the First Missouri Irregulars, also known as Bushwhackers—guerrilla units loyal to pro-Confederacy units of the state—and their war against Northern Jayhawkers allied with the Union army. It is an excellent and authentic depiction of this terrible time in Missouri history, when, frequently motivated by vengeance, both sides thought that they were right and wholly justified.

Another good movie I viewed recently is Appaloosa (2008), starring Ed Harris (who also directed), Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger, and Jeremy Irons. Based on a novel by crime writer Robert B. Parker, the story takes place in the town of Appaloosa where the leading citizens hire lawman Virgil Cole and his deputy Everett Hitch to restore order, authorizing Cole to lay down the law as the new marshal. It is not a great movie but it is entertaining and mostly worth watching because of Viggo Mortensen and his character’s development. Watch him. He is really good.

I also finished reading Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. It is a well written book (rare these days) with a surprisingly chaste and sweet hero, no bad language and relatively little really grotesque violence. Still, it was not my cup of tea. It was far too creepy for me. I do not need to lose sleep over the fictional Powers of Darkness that proliferate in his books. No sir. So I think that will be enough Koontz for me.

On the other hand, here’s a Case Against Christian Doomerism. The world is nowhere near as uniquely bad as you think it is.

And when Joni Eareckson Tada speaks, it’s a good idea to pay attention: Five Points in My Pain.

Enjoy your day! Read something good, watch something old, watch the sky.

1 Comment
June 19, 2026

What are you reading?

by chuckofish

Do you know who Larry Arn is? He is the president of Hillsdale College and I got an email from him recommending the books of Dean Koontz, who is a bestselling author of suspense fiction. He has sold like 500 million books. Not my usual go-to choice, but I take a recommendation from Larry Arn seriously, so I got Odd Thomas from the library and have started reading it.

Here is an interview Larry Arn had with Dean Koontz about the novel and the nature of evil. Pretty interesting.

So far, I am enjoying the book. It is well written and the main character is engaging. We shall see. One must keep an open mind.

2 Comments
June 3, 2026

Something understood

by chuckofish

Last night I stayed up late finishing Craig Johnson’s latest mystery, The Brothers McKay. Not a masterpiece, but another solid entry in the Longmire Oeuvre. This one riffs on The Brothers Karamasov and that’s an interesting twist. Johnson’s formula is a winning one–Sherriff Walter Longmire spends a long time interviewing suspects while a forest fire rages in the background and then there are 30-40 pages nearing a denouement where Walt fights with natural forces to save his life and the life of one suspect. His sense of duty to the badge never lets him give in when a lesser man would etc. A few familiar characters reappear, as well, and, of course, there’s Dog. I have to admit that one of my favorite characters this time around was a big Mule named Borax.

I had lunch with one of my 90-year old friends at her assisted living residence. We had not seen each other for some time so it was quite a gabfest. I hope I am that sharp twenty years from now.

I also gabbed with my DP on the phone and caught up with her. We discussed how now that Ida got a haircut (“They’re called bangs!”) she looks even more like her great aunt…

And so it goes.

Life is good. Keep the faith. Call an old friend.

3 Comments