In this post, I share my February book club takeaways: two very different books that reflect on the human condition.
These two books, randomly selected for my February book club, couldn’t be more different. One is fanciful fiction. The other is philosophical nonfiction. One has a leading character who is an octopus named Marcellus. The other “lead” is Jesus Christ. One is a debut novel by a young author. The other is a 20-year old classic written by a multi-published professor. Yet for all their differences, I find them surprisingly similar as they both reflect on our human condition. Ultimately, we can all be remarkably bright creatures.
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February’s Nonfiction Read: Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard
Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ by Dallas Willard
I knew very little about this classic book published in 2002 before a friend whose faith walk I respect mentioned the author as one of her favorites. I accidentally ordered the companion workbook, Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice, and realized I should read the actual book first! This book is a deep dive into spiritual formation. It’s philosophical and filled with challenging discussions that require serious contemplation. Let me just say, this is not quick or light reading.
I’ll be honest. I thoughtfully read, annotated, highlighted, and underlined the first half of the book. By Chapter 9, I realized I’d never finish it by the end of February at that pace, which was my goal, so I read faster (skimmed some) and promised myself a closer reading later.
My Biggest Takeaway
What is the biggest takeaway? Putting on the character of Christ is a beautiful goal, pure and simple. But how does one “put on the character of Christ”? This book reminded me I can practice new things and keep growing.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”
Romans 12:2 (ESV)
As the Foreword author writes, “We desperately need guides for the spiritual life. Centuries of separation and suspicion between spirituality and psychology have left us with a generation of churches who know how to teach the Bible but not how to live it. And the farming out of soul expertise to professionals who don’t even believe in the soul’s Creator has left us with a culture devoid of the necessary resources to see Christ formed in each person according to the Creator’s loving design.”
Our Minds as Saint-Sinners
Willard writes about our spirits, our souls, our “within” which is “astonishingly complex and subtle–even devious” (Renovation 9). With those words, I am reminded of the public confession in my faith tradition’s liturgy, a confession that I make every week:
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
This confession reminds me that no matter how good my intentions, I daily fall short. No matter how Christ-like I want to be, I don’t always succeed. Martin Luther described this state as being “simultaneously justified and sinful at the same time,” or simul iustus et peccator in the Latin. Here’s a great discussion of this, if you want to dig deeper.
Yes, as a saint-sinner, I wrestle daily with “delighting in Your will” and clinging to my will. I wrestle daily with how to “walk in Your ways” and how to step off my own prideful path. I wrestle daily with being a light for others and being tempted by the darkness. Ultimately, as Willard reminds me, “Christlikeness of the inner being is not a human attainment. It is, finally, a gift of grace.”
Transforming Our Minds
The first third of the book looks at the heart, the soul, the radical evil and the radical goodness that is possible. Willard then dedicates the rest of the book to an examination of what it looks like to transform our mind, will/heart/spirit, body, social dimension, soul, and our local congregation. What does it look like to live as “children of light and the light of the world”?
Willard’s style is academic and philosophical. After all, he was a professor and director for the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California for most of his life. He also wrote more than thirty books and developed a spiritual direction ministry to pastors and leaders.
The book is also practical. “There are no formulas in the spiritual life, because it is not a life that runs on its own. It runs in interaction with God . . . We can do things–adopt certain practices.” Yes! Music to my ears. I love some good hands-on suggestions. “The most obvious thing we can do is to draw certain key portions of Scripture into our minds and make them a part of the permanent fixtures of our thoughts . . . and a good way to do that is to memorize them.”
Daily Practices
That’s no surprise, really. God calls us to remember His Word. The two years of my catechism class back in junior high focused on just that. Memory work. My own children’s parochial education included weekly memorization of Scripture and Luther’s Small Catechism along with spelling rules and times tables. I’ve worked a little to memorize Bible verses as an adult, but I’m not adding many new ones to my bank!
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11 ESV) and “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8 ESV).
Reading Willard’s book reminded me to reflect on my daily practices. Even though I know I am a redeemed child of God, what can I change or add to my daily habits to grow in Christ-likeness so that others will see Him in me?
Not because I have to but because I want to.
His love. My response.
February’s Fiction Read: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
(Story includes the death of a spouse and a child. But this is all done with a light touch and compassion.)
Seriously? A story where one character is a giant Pacific octopus? Audible kept recommending this book to me with its bright orange and blue cover. “Recommended for you,” it said. The cover did make it seem happy, but for months, I swiped past it. Nah. It just didn’t appeal to me.
Then a friend said, “It’s delightful! Funny! Read it!” Isn’t that what it takes sometimes to pick up a book? A friend recommends it, a friend you trust especially when it comes to books. And I’m so glad I picked up this one.
The Story of an Octopus and His Human Friend
Set in the Pacific Northwest, the book opens with Tova Sullivan working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping and cleaning up. She’s done this ever since her husband died. Busy-ness is how she deals with life. It’s what she has done since her 18-year-old son Erik mysteriously disappeared on a boat in Puget Sound more than thirty years ago, and it’s what she does when she is left alone.
She has a circle of friends, but Marcellus, the curmudgeonly octopus, is most important and loveable. We meet him on Day 1299 of his four-year (1460 day) life span. His dry sense of humor makes him such an endearing character. Ultimately, Marcellus and Tova develop an unlikely friendship and he determines to solve the mystery of Erik’s disappearance to help Tova deal with her sadness. We also meet a lovely cast of characters including Cameron, a young man whose story connects with Tova’s in a fairly predictable but still charming way.
To Read or To Listen?
I loved the audio version of this book primarily because of the Marcellus narrator, Michael Urie. He was so good that I believed in an octopus who could slip out of his tank and wander the aquarium, I believed an octopus could have emotions and personality and say things like:
“As a general rule, I like holes. A hole at the top of my tank gives me freedom. But I do not like the hole in her heart. She only has one, not three, like me. Tova’s heart. I will do everything I can to help her fill it.”
Curious, I looked up the giant Pacific octopus, and Marcellus is indeed based on real-life octopuses (or octopusi). One aquarium describes them: “These animals are smart and solitary. An octopus is a very intelligent animal that can learn to open jars, solve puzzles and interact with caretakers.”
In a perfect little twist, the title refers not to the octopus. Instead, it comes from one of Marcellus’ wise thoughts: “Humans… For the most part you are dull and blundering. But occasionally you can be remarkably bright creatures.”
I’ve seen this debut novel compared to A Man Called Ove, and I’d agree. It’s a delightful story, and especially when we are in Marcellus’ shoes, ahem arms. It made me smile and goes on the list for one of my favorite reads.
What’s all this about Beth’s Book Club? Let me fill you in.
In case you missed it, this year I chose 24 books to highlight for a “reading club,” two per month. One fiction. One nonfiction. Because that’s what I love to do. Then I write a blog post about those two books at the end of the month. I am choosing a variety of books, and I realize you might have zero interest in reading some of these. That’s okay. Read what you want, if you want, before or after I post. My blog post will be filled with my Beth-review and takeaways. Nothing fancy. No quizzes. Just reading fun!
What have you missed? Not much. We just started, and this is the first Book Club post that actually reviews books.
What’s next?
- The Saints of Whistle Grove by Katie Schuermann
- Breath by James Nestor
I’ll be covering both of these at the end of March. Stay tuned, and get all the details here on Beth’s Book Club. I hope you join in!
