I like movies for book club. They are short and sweet. :-)
There are several books I'm still interested in reading that lost previous months' club polls, but it's probably better to start from a clean slate. Anyone want to nominate a book?
I'm still interested in non-fiction titles. There are books by Byrd and Schow that I've mentioned wanting to read some time. There are books by general authorities that I think would be faith building and fun to read. There are always your Pulitzer prize books that are just plain hearty reading. We could read poetry...
I'm open for anything.
8 comments:
My suggestions:
Poetry: Delights and Shadows, Ted Kooser
Mystery: Funerals are Fatal, Agatha Christie
Science Fiction: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke
Non-fiction and/or Religion: Anything The Great -L- recommends
I don't participate in the group, but I'm reading a great book right now called Covering. It's be Yale Law School professor Kenji Yoshino. It's part memoir, part legal analysis. Though focused on the experiences of a gay Asian American man, it speaks to the experiences and civil rights concerns of any individual who finds himself in minority status.
From Yoshino's website, which is devoted to promoting his book:
Although they are often pitted against each other, religionists and gays share a special bond. Like gays, religious minorities have been subjected to all three demands for assimilation -- conversion, passing, and covering. When Mormons led the charge against same-sex marriage in Hawaii in the 1990s, I was struck by how I could retell the history of Mormonism as I have retold the history of gays -- as a movement from coerced conversion, through passing, toward covering. In the nineteenth century, Mormons were forced to convert their religion by repudiating the practice of polygamy. Those who refused -- self-described Mormon fundamentalists cast off by the Mormon church -- went underground, practicing plural marriage in a form of “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” More recently, authorities have turned a blind eye to polygamists who cover, reserving prosecutions for flaunters.
Loyalist suggested Rough Stone Rolling again, and BYU student suggested we do a double feature alternately covering Ron Schow and Dean Byrd's books. These two fellas are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of faithful Mormon scholarly thought on homosexuality. Byrd is the head of NARTH and Schow from what I understand is strongly opposed to any mixed orientation marriages.
My preference is that we do a poetry month in Feb. (Satisfy my amorous research needs next week!) Anyone could provide a few poems on their blog and then comment on them. Whatever is personally meaningful. Then we could have an early March blog poll (now) and have extra time for that selection. So, that's my thought.
Schow from what I understand is strongly opposed to any mixed orientation marriages.
I don't think that's true. As I understand it, I think he believes that, based on his study of such marriages, most are likely to fail. Subtle difference, but a difference nevertheless.
That assessment of Schow is not based solely on what I've read in the paper. It's also based on what I've heard from folks who know him personally. If he would care to comment, he can always set the record straight (hee).
There has been some question on your blog about my position on mixed orientation marriages. Chris is accurate in his post.
-I- is not.
I'd be happy to explain further, but the best way to understand my position is to go to the www.dialoguejournal.com website and read my 2005 essay which you can access by finding "past issue selections" on the left hand margin of the Dialogue home page.
Best wishes,
Ron Schow
Thanks for putting in an appearance, Dr. Schow. I've read your paper before, seen some of your videos, and looked at sites you write for. As I said, though, my assessment of your position was not based merely on your writings, but on conversations you've had with people I know.
Regardless, I'm happy to hear that you do not hold the position that mixed orientation marriages should be avoided.
Post a Comment