THE CHURCH AND THE AGE OF REFORMATIONS (1350 - 1650)

TITLE - THE CHURCH AND THE AGE OF REFORMATIONS (1350 -  1650)

WRITTEN BY - JOSEPH T. STUART & BARBARA A. STUART 

PUBLISHED BY - AVE MARIA PRESS

 
PUBLICATION DATE - 8TH APRIL 2022 

The latest volume in the “Reclaiming Catholic History” series documents the era from 1350 to 1650, incorporating the years leading up to the Protestant Reformation and its aftermath. The series aims to present an unbiased and objective timeline of “Christian history” - ostensibly a “just the facts” from “God’s point of view” - whilst making the story accessible and entertaining. I am not a Christian, but I applaud any attempt at an overview of history from a more honest and human perspective.

The title of the book is a statement of intent - this was the era of not just THE  Reformation, but of many.  The authors, Joseph T. Stuart and Barbara A. Stuart, offer a contemporary and modern reassessment of the Reformation that is never boring, writing accessibly and vividly to bring the era and it’s people to life. Towering historical figures such as Thomas More, Johanes Gutenberg (whose printing press would have a profound effect on the accessibility of the Reformation) and of course Martin Luther, a personal hero of mine. Rightly remembered as the instigator of change, this book shows that the genesis of that change had begun much earlier. 

The book includes a chronological timeline of the era from 1350 to 1650, a map, bibliography and a full index. Sidebars entitled “Up Close And Personal” give concise biographies of the key players of the time, and the “You Be The Judge” panels invite the reader to make up their own mind about events and institutions such as the Spanish Inquisition; the latter having many of its enduring myths debunked. 

This book was a refreshing read. It looks at history from a new perspective whilst remaining eminently scholarly, and deserves to be widely read.

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WHO BY FIRE - LEONARD COHEN IN THE SINAI

TITLE - WHO BY FIRE - LEONARD COHEN IN THE SINAI 

WRITTEN BY - MATTI FRIEDMAN 

PUBLISHED BY - SPIEGEL & GRAU 

PUBLICATION DATE - 29TH MARCH 2022 

As a recent convert to the music and wisdom of Leonard Cohen, I have been actively searching out books about his life and career, especially if they offer an interesting and original angle. 

Journalist Matti Friedman’s excellent and timely work “Who By Fire - Leonard Cohen in the Sinai” is one such book. It tells the true and astonishing story of an extraordinary chapter in the career of singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen that not only changed his life but also left an indelible impact on the state of Israel itself. To quote Friedman - “Sometimes an artist and an event interact to generate a spark far bigger than both”. 

In 1973, Cohen travelled to Israel during the conflict known as the Yom Kippur War to give impromptu concerts to Israeli troops at the front lines in the Sinai desert. Friedman makes use of an unpublished document which Cohen himself wrote about his experiences during this time, as well as interviews with people who were there and actually attended the “concerts”. 

Friedman paints a vivid account of the effect of Cohen’s songs on the young soldiers. Cohen himself was also reinvigorated by his journey, going on to write some of his best-known songs, including “Hallelujah”, after having contemplated retirement some months before. But Cohen’s visit also affected the nation’s music and “spiritual life,” leading the country to abandon “the militant secularism of the founders for an openness to the old wisdom.” This may sound incredible but Cohen was an incredible artist, and Friedman’s erudite prose brings the story to life with stunning credibility. 

Friedman’s scholarly work is a glorious testament to a great artist and to the enduring power of song to change the world.

THE EMPLOYEES

TITLE - THE EMPLOYEES

WRITTEN BY - OLGA RAVN | TRANSLATED BY MARTIN AITKEN

PUBLISHED BY - BOOK'HUG PRESS 

PUBLICATION DATE - 8TH MARCH 2022 

Shortlisted for the 2021 International Booker Prize (given to translated books), “The Employees” is a short science-fiction novel by Danish author Olga Ravn which tells the story of a spaceship manned by humans and humanoids (basically a kind of artificially “grown” human) and the consequences of their discovery of alien lifeforms on a planet. Both types of crewmembers begin to become attached to the aliens and start yearning for things and people they left behind on Earth whilst trying to maintain their strictly controlled productivity levels. This inevitably leads to conflict.

Now this is not a straightforward novel. It is told in the form of written “statements” taken from interviews with the crew during the unfolding of the story. This works quite well, and a palpable tension is built as the story is told through these snippets; some are a couple of pages long, others just one sentence. You will not know who is talking to begin with, but after a while a few different characters can be discerned, and you will come to understand who they are and the parts they play in the story.

I am not going to spoil the ending, but it would not take a genius to work out what happens. Even so, this book is a short but imaginative and often quietly profound examination of the dominance of work in our lives and ultimately what it means to be human.

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THE MEANING OF METALLICA | RIDE THE LYRICS

TITLE - THE MEANING OF METALLICA | RIDE THE LYRICS

WRITTEN BY - WILLIAM IRWIN 

PUBLISHED BY - ECW PRESS 

PUBLICATION DATE - 19TH APRIL 2022

I’m a casual but longtime fan of Metallica so the premise of this book intrigued me; it may be the first one purely devoted to a critical study of the lyrics of the band’s frontman James Hetfield. 

The title itself is bold and challenging, suggesting a definitive document, but that’s a symptom of the publishing world and not author arrogance. At any rate, the author himself offers the disclaimer that this is his own personal interpretation, not the final word, and that we are welcome to disagree with it and substitute our own.

  

William Irwin is clearly not just a fan of Metallica - he is a F A N of Metallica. This may make the book unpalatable to some readers, but I am fine with it as everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I am making a personal choice to read Irwin’s. Subdivided into separate (big) themes such as religion (which comes first), addiction, war and freedom - all regular subjects of Metallica songs -  Irwin proffers his interpretation of Hetfield’s lyrics. 

If I am honest, a lot of his conclusions went over my head and many seemed to derive far too great a meaning from certain lyrics, but occasionally he made me look at my favourite Metallica songs in a totally new way, and his obvious affection for the songs is a positive rather than a negative factor. 

On the whole, “The Meaning of Metallica” is a success, shedding new light on familiar songs and encouraging debate. Anyone who disagrees with William Irwin’s conclusions is invited to write their own book.

THE STASI POETRY CIRCLE

 

TITLE - THE STASI POETRY CIRCLE 

WRITTEN BY - PHILIP OLTERMANN 

PUBLISHED BY - FABER AND FABER LTD

PUBLICATION DATE - 24TH FEBRUARY 2022 

Philip Oltermann’s book “The Stasi Poetry Circle” is, on the surface, a black comedy, which would make for a hugely enjoyable movie. The book’s chapters are split into “lessons” and comically entitled “Bathos” and “Dissonance” etc, giving this work the feel of a school text book. The contents are a connected series of stories which tell the tale of how the Stasi tried to win the war through poetry. The history has been deeply and skilfully researched, and it is an accessible read. 

Whilst not the craziest thing ever to happen during the Cold War, this is nevertheless a quirky and poignant account of one bizarre chapter of it. At once both deadly serious and totally ridiculous, “The Stasi Poetry Circle” is highly recommended for students of the Cold War and readers who enjoy unusual histories.

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