Books

Odd and the Frost Giants

A boy teams up with Odin, Loki, and Thor to vanquish the frost giants and bring back spring. 

This is a great little introduction to the work of Gaiman. All the familiar elements are there: underdog protagonist gets in way over his head, gets some magical help with mythical flavor, forced to grow as a person to overcome adversity. Plus, the illustrated version is outstanding. 

Ideal for kids, but also recommended for adults.

The Bible

Foundational text of Christianity. 

A lot of my favorite writers were quite fond of this book either for its substance or its poetry, or both. So I went into it not just with an open mind, but actively seeking the magic that so many serious people have found in it for so many centuries. 

I did not find much of anything remarkable. What I discovered instead is that Christianity as it’s commonly known is substantially extra-textual and the Judeo-Christian literary heritage is a product of layering by subsequent authors.

The Bible itself, as a literary work, does not offer much. It has its moments. The Song of Solomon stood out to me, for example. But if you throw that much at the wall something is bound to stick. It seemed to me that most of the Old Testament consisted of measurements in cubits for the construction of various sacred objects. 

The New Testament at least emphasizes love and mercy, but in a simplistic way. No really touching moments.

Not inspiring, not beautiful, not recommended.

It is supposed to show you the path to God