The Cozy Book Corner No. 3: How do I choose which book to read next?

Welcome to my Monday feature!

Note

I have moved this feature

from Friday to Monday.

In each weekly post, I explore 

my thoughts on several 

book-related topics.

For the longest time now, I've been wondering just what, if anything, influences people's choices of books to read and blog about. There are book bloggers who blog only about a specific genre or type of book. For instance, I've seen a lot of blogs totally dedicated to Young Adult books. Others only cover Christian books, while still others stick with classics, or science fiction and fantasy (these two usually go together), or mostly nonfiction. Then there are others, like me, who tend to be more eclectic, but I've noticed that eclectic bloggers are not as common as those who prefer one particular genre or type of book. This is why I decided to start this blog, which is only for classics, literary fiction, and nonfiction. My other blog, A Night's Dream of Books, is mostly for Young Adult Fiction (I will occasionally feature an adult book from time to time).

In my case, I've noticed that it's one of two factors that influence what I will most likely read next: either my emotional state, or my preoccupation with certain intellectual or spiritual matters. 

The first became very apparent when I fell head over heels in love for the very first time. Not that I hadn't been in love before that, but that particular time, it was especially strong. How did this affect my choice of books to read? Well, I completely lost interest in the types of books I had read until then -- science fiction, fantasy, classics, and nonfiction. (Hmmm, I guess I've always been a little eclectic.) Instead, I started reading romance novels. Once my appetite was whetted, I began obsessively buying and reading them! I was living in a rosy, romantic haze..... The funny thing is, I had previously looked down my nose at these books. I hate to admit that I even thought that women who read this genre were silly and shallow. How ironic, then, to find myself abandoning my loftier subject matters for this fluffy stuff! The irony hit me even then, but I still couldn't stop myself from reading the genre. I read mostly historical romances back then. I still read a lot of romance novels nowadays, but my preferred sub-genre now is paranormal romance. 

I'm now making a concerted effort to read weightier material. I don't want to stop reading romance novels, though. I came to realize that these books fulfill a need for women, a need that no other type of literature can possibly satisfy, and that it's something uniquely ours. I consider myself an intellectual person, but I still have this need for romance, in common with all other women. it's the need to read beautiful, romantic language, to feel the sexual tension in a new relationship, to immerse myself in the plot twists that seem to separate the lovers, but that will bring them together for that all-important 'happily ever after'. These are feminine emotional needs. However, I do want all of these plot elements to be balanced by others. The female protagonist must be a strong character on her own, not 'a female in distress'. She must be willing to assert herself with the male protagonist. Furthermore, it's great when SHE rescues HIM at times!

On other occasions, I feel the need to read other things like science fiction and fantasy, or nonfiction. These are the times that I've come across something interesting on the Internet, which stimulates my mind, and therefore, I need to delve into it further. For instance, I'm currently preoccupied with certain intellectual/spiritual concerns, such as what to accept or reject from New Age philosophy, researching contradictions I have found in the Bible, and exploring the influence of culture, temperament, genetics, and upbringing on a person's individual moral code.

Last year, I read and reviewed The Psychology of Twilight for my other blog. Some people might scoff at this seemingly frivolous reading material. This is not true at all, however. I've found that this book deals with such fascinating things as attachment theory manifesting in the way the main characters in the Twilight books relate to each other. There's also a fascinating discussion of prejudice in the book, and another section, titled "Gestalt and Twilight" goes into depth on this school of psychology, which "...tries to understand the laws of our ability to acquire and maintain meaningful perceptions in an apparently chaotic world." (Gestalt Psychology:Wikipedia)

Interestingly, while reading this book, I delved briefly into other books dealing with the concerns I've mentioned above.  

One of the books I've delved into is titled Myths of the Bible, by Gary Greenberg. Another is titled Awakening Your Inner Light, by Aeoliah. And then there's A Kabbalah for the Modern World, by Migene Gonzalez-Wippler, which is the book that started me wondering about Biblical myths and contradictions. In this book, Gonzalez-Wippler claims that the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament) contains the stories of Adam, Eve, and the serpent, whereas the original Hebrew version does not. So now I need to research this topic. In relation to this, I have yet another book somewhere in this condo, titled Biblical Nonsense, by Dr. Jason Long. And then I also want to read The Battlefield of the Mind, by Joyce Meyer, as well as Shattering Your Strongholds, by Liberty Savard. These last two are Christian authors, and they have both inserted a bit of psychology into their books, which makes them even more interesting to me!

Sometimes, I might be in the middle of some exciting novel, only to get pulled away from it because an emotional state demanding some other type of reading interrupts. If I've been having problems at work, for example, I will suddenly want to pick up a book on how to deal with bullying by either bosses or co-workers. If I have an argument with my husband, I will suddenly want to read a book on how to improve communication in marriage. If I'm feeling down, I will suddenly want to pick up a book on  dealing with the blues. And, if I'm feeling inadequate, I will suddenly want to pick up a book on bolstering one's self-esteem, or one dealing with positive affirmations.

In short, I look to books for answers to emotional issues, as well as for answers to intellectual and spiritual concerns. Of course, there are times I simply want to be entertained, to escape. Then I will turn to some type of romance. If I want to escape this planet, I will then turn  to science fiction, and if it's reality altogether, I will seek out fantasy, although paranormal romance and urban fantasy also serve the purpose quite well.

So it seems that, in my case, as well as most likely in the case of many other readers, it's really moods that drive my selection  of reading matter. I would imagine, however, that this is especially true of eclectic readers and book bloggers. We're kind of 'a breed apart', sampling here and there, like hummingbirds flitting from one flower to another. It's not always easy to balance different genres, as well as the constant battle between fiction and nonfiction.

While writing this post, I remembered a book I bought some years ago, and haven't gotten around to reading. It's titled Reading To Heal: How To Use Bibliotherapy To Improve Your Life. The author's name is Jacqueline D. Stanley. This book actually recommends certain books to read, based on emotional issues one needs to heal. Some of these books are fiction, while others are nonfiction. I'm not sure where I put this book (perhaps it's in storage), but I want to get it and discover the books recommended by the author. Unfortunately, Amazon does not offer a preview of this book, so I am unable to check out the Table of Contents.
 

Another such book I want to read is titled Bibliotherapy: The Girl's Guide to Books for Every Phase of Our Lives, by Beverly West and Nancy Peske. A preview of this particular book is available on Amazon, so I was able to take a look at the Table of Contents. Some of the chapter titles are actually hilarious! Here are some samples: Chapter 3: When You Still Think You Can Change Him - Bad Boy Books, Chapter 4: When You're Ready To Make Your Own Kind of Music -- Hearing-Your-Inner-Voice Books, Chapter 5: When You're Wallowing In A Sullen Perennial Adolescence -- Coming-of-Age Books, Chapter 9: When Your Biological Alarm Clock Is Ringing and You Can't Find the Snooze Button -- Midlife Crisis Books, and so on. 

I'm feeling a very strong need to order these books from Amazon right this very minute! I have to reign in this impulse, though.....I might be able to find the first book, Reading to Heal, somewhere on my shelves...... As for the second one, I'll have to grit my teeth and get it as a Kindle edition, since I can't fill our new apartment with books....That's the reason I had to put so many in storage when we moved.

Wrapping up....I'm feeling the need to read something right now, as of this writing. And what book will I be picking up? Well, I had already decided to read Water For Elephants next. But is that what I would REALLY like to read right now? I do have this compulsion to read something about the Kabbalah. Or should I pick up one of my Star Trek TOS novels, instead? Hmmm...


NOTE: All of the books mentioned in this post are available on Amazon, and are listed on Goodreads, as well.
    



 

What are your thoughts on
 this subject?
What factors influence 
your own choice of books 
to read at any given moment?

Tuesday Intros No. 5: Water For Elephants, by Sara Gruen

Welcome to First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros,

hosted by Diane @

Bibliophile By The Sea!!

Every Tuesday, each participant
shares the first paragraph 

(sometimes two) from a book
they're reading,

or thinking about reading.

The book I've picked this week is...

 Water For Elephants
Sara Gruen
Trade Paperback, 331 pages 
Algonquin Books
Movie Tie-In Edition     
March 1, 2011
Classics, Contemporary Fiction,  
Historical Fiction, 
Literary Fiction, Romance 

About the Book
  
As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and for Jacob the circus was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was ultimately their only hope for survival. 




Prologue

Only three people were left under the red and white awning of the grease joint: Grady, me, and the fry cook. Grady and I sat at a battered wooden table, each facing a burger on a dented tin plate. The cook was behind the counter, scraping his griddle with the edge of a spatula. He had turned off the fryer some time ago, but the odor of grease lingered.

The rest of the midway -- so recently writhing with people -- was empty but for a handful of employees and a small group of men waiting to be led to the cooch tent. They glanced nervously from side to side, with hats pulled low and hands thrust deep into their pockets. They wouldn't be disappointed: somewhere Barbara and her ample charms awaited.
  

I have been wanting to read this for 
quite some time, and will be
starting it soon. From what
I posted above, would you
say I should keep reading? 

Book Review: Understanding Roman Catholicism, by Rick Jones

Understanding Roman Catholicism: 37 Roman Catholic Doctrines Explained
Rick Jones
Kindle Edition, 224 pages
Rick Jones (Print Edition formerly published by Chick Publications, October 1, 1995), November 18, 2013
Christianity, Nonfiction, Religion, Theology

Book Synopsis: Are Roman Catholics REALLY Christians? This eye-opening book examines 37 main Catholic doctrines, quoting from the official Catholic Catechism, then compares each doctrine with the Word of God. Written in a loving style, yet without compromising, this book clearly shows the eternal destiny of those who follow the pope of Rome. If you want to talk intelligently with Catholics about their salvation, you first must know what they believe. If you are like most Christians you will be shocked when you learn what Catholicism really teaches. Must reading for every Christian who knows or talks with any Roman Catholics.

My Review

The title of this book is rather misleading, unless one reads the synopsis. The title leads the reader to believe that it's a concise, clear explanation of Catholicism for non-Catholics, or for those Catholics who would like to refresh their knowledge of Catholic doctrine. This is not the intent of the book, though. Instead, it's an exposition of Catholic doctrines that are in direct contradiction to Bible teachings. 

I think this is a pretty sneaky move on the part of the author, but I don't condemn him for it. Indeed, this little ruse might have drawn many an unsuspecting Catholic to the book, and have then perhaps stimulated them to question Catholicism. This is exactly what happened to me, although I had already begun to question my Catholic beliefs before coming across this book. However, it did help me to see exactly how Catholic doctrines were in total opposition to what is taught in the Bible. 

Jones uses the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994 edition) and compares quotes from it side by side with Biblical quotes. He clearly shows how each Catholic doctrine differs markedly from what is actually taught in the Bible.  

The biggest contradiction is also the key concept of Christianity: salvation. Just how are we humans saved, according to the Bible, and according to the Catholic Church? Jones shows that, according to the latter, one must be a member of the Catholic Church in order to be saved. Furthermore, one must also perform "good works". 

In regards to salvation only through the church of Rome, Jones quotes: "For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained." (Catholic Catechism, paragraph #816) Jone contrasts this with the following Biblical quote: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13, KJV) He also points out that Jesus repeats this message in John 3:16, 3;18, and 6:40. He also references Romans 10:9-10, in which Paul states that if one confesses out loud, and believes in one's heart, that Jesus rose from the dead, one will be saved. Jones mentions other verses, as well.

In regards to "good works", which include such things as baptism and the other sacraments, Jones emphasizes that salvation is a free gift of grace from God, and can never be earned through the performance of any type of "good works". He references Ephesians 2:8-9, as well as Titus 3:5, Romans 3:28, and Galatians 3:8 and 3:26. These are not the only verses he mentions, but they are the most important ones.

Each chapter in the book examines a specific doctrine, contrasting quotes from the Catholic Catechism with relevant quotes from the Bible. At the end of each chapter, Jones summarizes his point, and then challenges the Catholic reader to decide whether s/he will choose to believe God, as quoted from the Bible, or the Catholic Church.

The doctrines examined by the author in this book are precisely the ones that set apart Catholics from other Christian denominations. They are also the very ones that are huge points of disagreement between Protestants and Catholics. Some of these doctrines are: the Catholic Church is the one true church, baptism saves, the Pope is infallible, the sacraments save Catholics, there are venial and mortal sins, the bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ during the Mass, indulgences can help get souls out of Purgatory, and the Virgin Mary is Co-Redemptrix and Co-Mediator, together with her son, Jesus.

The entire book is laid out in a very straightforward, simple manner, with each Catholic doctrine clearly explained, and then juxtaposed with the Biblical teaching it contradicts.

Jones is a former Catholic himself, so he never talks down to or attacks Catholic readers. In fact, his tone is even loving and respectful. In spite of its simplicity, the book should be studied by any reader -- whether Catholic or not -- who would like to be better informed about the differences between Catholic teaching and what is taught in the Bible. 

Having stated all of the above, I would also have to point out that it seems to me that Jones has carefully selected the verses he uses, ignoring those that might be used by Catholics in support of the teachings of their church. For instance, in the chapter titled, "Confessing Sins to a Priest", Jones clearly leaves out a key verse used by Catholics in support of this particular doctrine: John 20:21-23 (KJV), which states the following: "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you, as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."

Clearly, the above verse is a powerful one to use in support of the Catholic doctrine of confessing sins to a priest. Why, then, does Jones fail to address it? True, he does give several verses that show that people in the Bible confessed their sins directly to God, but still, he should have addressed the verse above (as well as others that seem to justify the Catholic position). Just what did Jesus mean in this verse? What teaching was He attempting to convey?

It might seem that I'm either playing devil's advocate here, or trying to find ways to criticize the author of this book. However, what I'm simply trying to do is to remain objective, although I was raised in the Catholic Church myself. Tt seems to me that Jones could have done a more thorough job of refuting any verses that might be used by Catholics in counter-arguments with him. 

To summarize, although I do think that this book presents a very clear, easy-to-read exposition of the author's position, I don't think it goes far enough in proving that his position -- which is the one take by most Protestants -- is the only true one. Therefore, I would regard this book as a sort of primer for those who are beginning to question Catholic teachings. 

In this regard, I would like to read another book which  I believe will be a more thorough, more in-depth examination of this highly-important (to anyone interested in theology) issue. That book is titled The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Catholic Tradition and the Word of God, by James G. McCarthy. I happen to own this book, so I will be delving into it in the very near future. Hopefully this book will clear up some of the issues that Jones's book has left unresolved in my mind.   

About the Author  

(from the Amazon Author Page)

 At the age of 20, while in the US Navy, Rick Jones thought he was a Christian because he belonged to a religion. But one warm August evening in Ventura, California, he learned the difference between religion and Christianity. His life was transformed when he received God's free gift of eternal life by trusting Jesus Christ by faith alone for his salvation.

Rick's life's calling soon came into razor-sharp focus - to help others find that same salvation. It began with Bible college, followed by six years at a Christian home for troubled teens. That calling continued during his years working at a Christian publishing company. It is also the thrust of the six books he has written, as well as his website.

Online Links

Website

Tuesday Intros. No. 4: The Robe, by Lloyd C. Douglas

Welcome to First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros,

hosted by Diane @

Bibliophile By The Sea!!

Every Tuesday, each participant
shares the first paragraph 

(sometimes two) from a book
they're reading,

or thinking about reading.

The book I've picked this week is...

 The Robe 
Lloyd C. Douglas
Trade Paperback, 508 pages
A Mariner Book
Houghton Mifflin Company    
April 7,1999
Christian Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, 
Religion, Spirituality 

About the Book
  
A Roman soldier, Marcellus, wins Christ's robe as a gambling prize. He then sets forth on a quest to find the truth about the Nazarene's robe-a quest that reaches to the very roots and heart of Christianity and is set against the vividly limned background of ancient Rome. Here is a timeless story of adventure, faith, and romance, a tale of spiritual longing and ultimate redemption.




Chapter 1

Because she was only fifteen and busy with her growing up, Lucia's periods of reflection were brief and infrequent; but this morning she felt weighted with responsibility.

Last night her mother, who rarely talked to her about anything more perplexing than the advantages of clean hands and a pure heart, had privately discussed the possible outcome of Father's reckless remarks yesterday in the Senate; and Lucia, flattered by this confidence, had declared maturely that Prince Gauis wasn't in a position to do anything about it.

But after she had gone to bed, Lucia began to fret. Gauis might indeed overlook her father's heated comments about the extravagances and mismanagement of his government, if he had had no previous occasion for grievance against the Gallio family. There was, however, another grievance that no one knew about except herself -- and Diana. They would all have to be careful now or they might get into serious trouble.

  

I read this great novel many years ago,
and it has left a lasting impression on me, so I want to re-read it.
Have you ever read this classic?

If so, what did you think?

If not, has the selection above
enticed you to do so?

I would love to know!

Tuesday Intros No. 3: Girl with a Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier

Welcome to First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros,

hosted by Diane @

Bibliophile By The Sea!!

Every Tuesday, each participant
shares the first paragraph 

(sometimes two) from a book
they're reading,

or thinking about reading.

The book I've picked this week is....

Girl With A Pearl Earring
Tracy Chevalier
Trade Paperback, 233 pages
Plume
(An Imprint of Penguin Books)  
January, 2001
Art, Classics, Historical Fiction, 
Literary Fiction, Romance 

About the Book
  
History and fiction merge seamlessly in Tracy Chevalier's luminous novel about artistic vision and sensual awakening. Through the eyes of sixteen-year-old Griet, the world of 1660s Holland comes dazzlingly alive in this richly imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired one of Vermeer's most celebrated paintings.




1664

My mother did not tell me they were coming. Afterwards she said she did not want me to appear nervous. I was surprised, for I thought she knew me well. Strangers would think I was calm. I did not cry as a baby. Only my mother would note the tightness along my jaw, the widening of my already wide eyes.

I was chopping vegetables in the kitchen when I heard voices outside our front door -- a woman's, bright as polished brass, and a man's, low and dark like the wood of the table I was working on. They were the kind of voices we heard rarely in our house. I could hear rich carpets in their voices, books and pearls and fur.

Have you ever read this classic?

If so, what did you think?

If not, has the selection above
enticed you to do so?

I would love to know!