What Books Are You Reading?

romiosini · Post by **romiosini** » Thu 22 January 2004 9:26 pm

Lord Have Mercy!

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Fri 23 January 2004 1:06 pm

Started reading The Byzantine Commonwealth: Eastern Europe, 500-1453 by Dimitri Obolensky a few days ago. So far it's been mostly just trying to establish a geographical context for the rest of the book, so not a whole lot of real "meat" thus far. Concerning what I have read of the "meat," it seems like a mixture of even-handed, though condescending, scholarship (ie. "we know better because we're modern"), and statements somewhat lacking in respect (e.g., Mr. Obolensky said that one of [Saint] Justinian's tactics was to use "religious propaganda" [p. 70]). Overall it seems pretty fairly written though, and is leastwise not as skewed as other texts I've read on this period in Christian/Roman history. Strangely, the harshest treatment I've read concerning this period was written by a famous Orthodox theologian, and the most sympathetic treatment (relative to an Orthodox perspective) I've read was written by an Episcopalian!

I also started the Notes From Underground by Dostoevsky, which I must admit that I don't really "get". Even with a 19 page introductory essay explaining the book I still don't understand what exactly the larger meaning to it all is. Can anyone help me out here?

I also read The Arena during my catechumenate in the Antiochian Church (in fact, the Antiochian Priest who lent it to me was kind enough to offer giving it to me when I commented how much I'd liked it--looking back, I wish I would have taken him up on his kind offer ). I can understand some priests being cautious though... most of us would probably get further along if we tried applying what we already know, rather than collecting even more stuff in our heads. I agree that The Arena is very edifying and helpful, though.

Mary Kissel · Post by **Mary Kissel** » Mon 26 January 2004 12:51 pm

I'm still reading the Lives of the Prophets book. I think it's a bit dry but it does give a lot of information about the Prophets that I never knew.... right now I'm on the life of the Prophet Isaiah(spelling?) I would say his life is the longest in the book so far.

MaryCecilia

Грешник · Post by **Грешник** » Mon 26 January 2004 1:15 pm

Spelling = CORRECT

Juvenaly

Mary Kissel · Post by **Mary Kissel** » Tue 27 January 2004 10:05 am

thankyou juvenaly, i wasnt sure, it just didn't look right to me

_cizinec_ · Post by **_cizinec_** » Wed 28 January 2004 1:51 pm

I am also new here.

I am finishing Credo by Jaroslav Pelikan. Those with Protestant families will find it useful.

Just finished Neighbors at War, a collection of essays published by Central European Review. It is an intersting look into the war in the Balkans. The authors are anthropologists with different expertise and ideoligical positions.

Also finished The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church by Lossky. It's by Lossky, so I don't need to say how much I enjoyed it.

I'm starting to learn Serbian (I know a decent amount of Czech and studied Russian for a couple years), so I'm starting to slow down my other reading.

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Wed 11 February 2004 1:20 pm

cizinec

What's Credo about?:)

All,

I'm getting ready to start reading The Gulag Archipelago. Anyone have any thoughts on it?