A Bowl with Little Punch

Devil's Punchbowl By Greg Isles

Isles has pulled out another book staring his beloved character, Penn Cage. The is set (again) in the small town of Natchez, Mississippi (*sigh*). At the end of the previous book (Third Degree) Penn had decided to become mayor, beating out the local prosecutor Shad Johnson, and he's split with his exotic (if only because she is pale with black hair) girlfriend Caitlin. In the latest of the saga, an old high school friend that's seen some rough times, Tim Jessup, leaks some intel about prostitution and dog fighting that is arranged by the owners of the local casino boat. Jessup quickly winds up dead and the race for proof or at least some old-fashioned southern justice begins. The normal foes are involved including: some Irish thugs that are unbeatable, ruthless, and outwit everyone; an Chinese businessman Edward Po that can't be caught due to his offshore location; and an unsavory, self-serving FBI agent. While Isles keeps me turning the pages, I can't help but recognize his plot devises and become a bit disappointed when the story (and the conclusion and clinch to the next book) is so formulaic. Isles is certainly more of a guilty pleasure in wasting time (especially when I'm serious about procrastination) than a thought-provoking page turner. While I always think I'm going to stay away from the next book, I'm sure to wind up in Natchez again!

Literally, The Bible....and it's a book!

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible By A. J. Jacobs

Jacobs has written an interesting and hilarious book from any viewpoint: left, right, up, or down. The narrative follows Jacobs on his unique spiritual quest - to spend one year living as 'biblically' as possible. By it's description alone, you may avoid this book (if you're like me - not a bible reader) simply because you expect it to be 'preachy' and fundamentalist, but you would be seriously missing out. I'm a biologist by nature and a shoe-in for being one of Jacobs' self-proclaimed 'fellow Agnostics'. This book explores all of the Bible, not just the convenient parts or the parts that 'apply to life in the modern world' but all of the Bible. Jacobs herds sheep, offers to wash peoples' feet, and carries his own chair around NYC to avoid touching anything impure. He explores the fundamentalism and all of its caveats. In America, he visits a creationist museum - a place that makes even the least open-minded feeling a bit nauseous. Jacobs also goes to Falwell's church, picnics with a snake handler, dances with Hasidic Jews, and witnesses a live chicken sacrifice. Through all of these adventures he tries to ditch his natural skepticism and go with what feels natural to him. The most intriguing chapters of the book are the ones he spends analyzing his own feelings and discovering where he is most comfortable in the vast gradient of Christianity. He finds the creation story a bit far-fetched, but he does begin to really enjoy praying and celebrating the Sabbath by turning off the computer and the TV.

I have to admit I was a little disappointed that Jacobs didn't spend more time looking at the New Testament, but he does admit to being Jewish by birth and that makes it more understandable. While Jacobs didn't seem to explore religion in his youth and his family is secular, it seems that some of his Jewish history did rub off on him.

Overall, it was an interesting book - a good look at what Christian is about and a virtual primer for the Bible in ALL of its interesting pieces. In the end Jacobs realizes that all religion is to some degree 'Cafeteria-style' and no group of people follow all of the rules and that is perfectly okay. For a non-Christian like me, this book was a bit enlightening, even though it didn't change my mind - I still think I'm a bit more Buddhist than anything else.