The Queue

Of Christopher Moore's novels that I've read, The Stupidest Angel had the worst amusement-to-exasperation ratio. Let us hope Lamb strikes a more satisfactory balance.

The big problem with Father Gaitley's explanations of Marian Consecration is that he is not a terribly effective communicator. The first part of 33 Days to Morning Glory's introduction is not an explanation of the bewildering topic of Marian consecration, no, but an explanation of the title, 33 Days to Morning Glory. A free piece of unsolicited advice: If an author has to explain why he has titled his book as he has, if the full meaning of the title does not become obvious through the normal course of the book, that author should probably pick a different title. (A badly titled book is like a musical album that shares its title with one of the songs: It is a wasted opportunity.) For every paragraph that clarifies what Marian consecration is, there are two paragraphs that further muddy the waters. That is a shame.

Recently
Jonah Goldberg, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning
Christopher Moore, Practical Demonkeeping: A Comedy of Horrors
Christopher Moore, The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror

Currently
Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel according to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
Father Michael E. Gaitley, 33 Days to Morning Glory: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration

Presently
Matthew Kelly, Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion & Purpose
Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
Edgar Rice Burroughs, Swords of Mars
Edgar Rice Burroughs, Synthetic Men of Mars
Sir Ernest Shackleton, South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage
Edgar Rice Burroughs, Llana of Gathol
Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter of Mars
Richard Price, Clockers
Sir Richard Francis Burton, translator, "Sinbad the Sailor" from The Arabian Nights

Lately Neglected
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill
Edmund Burke, The Evils of Revolution
F. J. Sheed, Theology for Beginners