The good man Jesus and the scoundrel Christ - Philip Pullman

I'm a fan of Phillip Pullman - not just his writing (His Dark Materials books although written for children are excellent), but also of his atheist stance (and his outspoken views).

So it was obvious that I'd be getting this book, and I knew that John would want to read it too.  It's not long, and is part of a series of books written by 'the world's finest authors', each a retelling of a well known myth.

I guess there will be those who do not regard the life of Jesus Christ to be a 'myth', but I've always believe it to be so or at least a story that could (or could not) be based on fact.  As the back cover proclaims in large letters 'THIS IS A STORY.'

Even if you've never read a bible story or heard any Christian parables I know that you'll have at least a vague knowledge of the life of Jesus, this book retells the stories but with a twist - Jesus Christ was not one man, but actually two brothers; Jesus and Christ.  The story tells of their birth to Mary and Joseph (in a stable), their lives and ultimately the death - as I said you'll know the story.

As you can see this book only took me two days to read, it's a short story essentially.  But it's well written and one thing can't be denied, Philip Pullman knows his bible and can tell a good story!  It's interesting and well written, and the Christian Pullman haters will be surprised to know that it's made me want to read the story in the bible - although I think I know it, it's been a long time since I went to church or read any religious writing.

The book is controversial, but not in that it denegrates or distorts the story of Jesus Christ, more that it chooses to put forward a different possible version of events - well it's been a long time!  One thing that Pullman makes very clear is to highlight the misinterpretation and misuse of these stories - even possibly by those who were closest to the protagonists. To be honest I'm not sure about the meaning of the title, and wonder if it wasn't thought up just to get attention?

Bought on Amazon

19th-20th April 2010

A Book of Silence - Sara Maitland

I'm not sure why I wanted to read this book, I think I must have read a review somewhere... it seems an unlikely choice for me as it's a memoir by a religious feminist!  But when I came up on Green Met I decided to buy it - a bargin as I got the hard back edition.

The other weird thing about this book is the feeling I have that somewhere, sometime I've met the author - or maybe I just think I have... very strange.

Sara Maitland is a novelist who over the last few years seem to have been slowly withdrawing from society in search of silence - silence in which to immerse herself for prayer amongst other things.  This books tells of her journey, including trips to places associated with silence (deserts, woods, hermitages, hillsides and mountains), her reading of books and poetry which discuss silence,  and her gradual realisation that she needs to withdraw from the noise and pace of modern life.

There are many different silences, and ways of being silenced.  Some enforced (solitary confinement, exile, etc), but many others chosen (retreats, withdrawal, etc).

She describes her different experiments with silence; sitting in the desert, walking in the mountains, living in a remote cottage on Skye for 40 days.  She explores other people who have written about and experienced silence - mainly nuns, monks and religious followers (not just Christian like herself).

All in all I'm not sure I enjoyed the book, although for some reason I kept reading.  It's made me think about silence and the noise we are continuously surrounded by, but it's also made me realise that although I enjoy my own company I'm rarely 'silent' in the way that Sara means.

She ends by telling how she partly manages to find the silence she needs, but how even then it won't (and can't) be total.

Green Metropolis

28th March - 17th April 2010

Postscript: as I finished reading this book a strange silence of the skies had occurred across most of Europe. A volcano in Iceland was erupting and the resulting dust cloud had forced the grounding of all flights - therefore the skies were clear of contrails, and those below free from the constant rush of aircraft noise.