BitterSweetLife

I'm coming to terms with a mental hangup I have with regard to reading books and blogging about them. It is not easy, is never easy, to confront these deep-seated inner diseases, but necessary. Necessary for my own psychological health, for the well-being of this blog, and for the feelings of my very smart, very good-looking readers. For these reasons I will continue with the exorcism. It transpires thusly.

Since I try and review only the best books (or interestingly bad books) I read for The Master Book List, I'll find myself "holding out" until I finish a book to say anything about it--as if a finished review is the only appropriate way to talk about books on this blog. Since I often read several books at once, I'm then stuck in a scenario where I'm faced with 3-4 books, finished at about the same time, each of which are arguably deserving of a review. And then, instead of writing 4 book reviews in the same week, I post several baby photos--because the mere prospect of reviewing that many books quickly exhausts me. It's a vicious cycle.

Also, it is a ridiculous and nonsensical cycle and it must end now. I am going to fix this situation by liberating myself to post about books whenever and however I want to--briefly, rashly, wantonly--without requiring myself to write complete reviews if I don't feel good and ready.

If I read a quote in Neil Cole's Organic Church that is uncannily John Eldredge-like in its dependence on movie references, I'll write a blurb about it. And if I read a quick description of "biblical spirituality" by Donald Bloesche that causes me to wonder why I have refrained from reading him for so long, I'll post about it. And if I read an old-fashioned, elephantine description of the Father's love by the Puritan John Owen that is nevertheless beautiful, I'll post about that! Ha ha ha! That is the laughter of freedom you hear. [long exhale]

Just writing that, I feel better.