Books – Kasperian Moving Parts

Current Book List: Chess, Chess, Chess

Monday April 14, 2008

Although I was never fortunate enough to take part of the chess club… anywhere… I have always loved the game intensely. Some of my fondest growing up memories are of me and my dad playing chess for long hours at a time. However, I’ve never really progressed much through the years, and haven’t taken the time to try to improve. Well, having gotten my clock cleaned a few times on FICS, I’ve decided it’s time to read a bit. So I started out with the deprecatingly-titled Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chess. Definitely a good book and I recommend it as a good first read. Towards the end, the author recommended some good “next” books to read. I was painfully aware Read more…

Books

A New Sherrif In Town

Monday April 7, 2008

As I might have mentioned previously, I love a good book. And so I was delighted to discover Ted Dekker’s books recently. I first read his “Skin” book which totally freaked me out and made me think that I couldn’t handle any more of his books. But I took a chance on Saint next and absolutely loved it. Looking for more, I found Showdown, which turns out to be the previous book in Dekker’s excellent Paradise series. The third book, Sinner, comes out soon and I’m totally looking forward to it. So, excellent author: yes! But what really impressed me about Showdown was the intensity of the story that Dekker weaved and the underlying parallels that he was subtly building. Read more…

Books, Movies

Susan Cooper, Please Kick Someone’s Butt!

One of my favorite memories of all my growing-up years happened in my 7th grade. It centered around a very under-appreciated teacher of mine named Robin Avant who did something simple and inventive and refreshing and stirring with her class. I wish I knew how to contact her today because I can honestly say that she affected me in a deep, deep way and I’d love to thank her for it. I know it’s hard to believe, dear reader, but I was a most uncomfortable geek in school at all levels. I didn’t fit in, to say the least. I was geek before geek was cool. =:) I was an avid reader, an Apple ][ hacker, and more socially inept Read more…

Books

The Demise of a Moleskine (Binding)

Monday February 11, 2008

Oh No’s! My beloved Moleskine has torn itself asunder! Behold, the ripped binding. For $15, you’d think they’d be a little more resilient than this! And no, my deluxe custom black duct tape pen holder is not to blame (I don’t think?). Oh, intrepid fellow Moleskine users: is this kind of senseless violence unprecedented? [ Update (2008-03-19: ] Moleskine has come through for me and send me a replacement!!

Books, Life in General

Daily Thoughts from C.S. Lewis, part deux

Saturday January 28, 2006

So, as part of the new and exciting me, I’ve decided that I need to start reading more books. Well, this and that I need to finish the books that I start. Currently, I have around… oh… 392 books that have bookmarks somewhere within the first quarter of them. I’ve finished 3 good books since I’ve been out here in Rhode Island, and I’m currently working on finishing C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity. Which reminds me, Mike, I’m still waiting for your review…. =;) But here’s some really good blips from the last week’s worth of chapters I’ve read…. Warning: Open minds required below…. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down Read more…

Books, Life in General

Mere Christianity, Sunday BBQ

Sunday July 17, 2005

After talking with John from KKSM, I ordered and received Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I read the preface thus far and underlined about half of it. It is SOOOOO good!! I absolutely love C.S. Lewis’s writing style. He is both precisely clear and creative at the same time. One example: “It so happens that the impulse which makes men gamble has been left out of my make-up; and, no doubt, I pay for this by lacking some good impulse of which it is the excess or perversion.” — C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Preface page XII Love it! And the section following that, where he talks about the meaning of the very word “Christian”… amazing!!! Ahh, and thank goodness for Read more…

Books, Life in General

The Da Vinci Code

Thursday July 7, 2005

So, my sister Jenny was reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown when she came out for her vacation and since she bought the bigger version (with pictures), she gave me her old one. And thus I got hooked. She had me read a couple of pages in the middle of the book, and my first reaction was a strong distaste. I mean, this is Jesus the story is meddling with. Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, my Lord and Savior–you’ve heard of Him, surely. I started reading, though, and was immediately caught into the story, and as is usual with good stories, I couldn’t put it down until Read more…