Post by Cary Friedman on Feb 15, 2009 15:56:27 GMT -5
Keenan's Book Reviews
keenansbookrev.blogspot.com/2009/01/best-of-what-i-read-in-2008.html
keenansbookrev.blogspot.com/2009/01/wisdom-from-batcave-by-cary-friedman.html
For those of you who like to focus their reading time on the best, here are what I consider to be the top 20 percent of the books I read in 2008.
1. Luke (The Holy Bible)
2. The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
3. Changing for Good by Prochaska et al.
4. Walking with God by John Eldredge
5. His Excellency by Joseph J. Ellis
6. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
7. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization by Anthony Esolen
8. Wisdom from the Batcave by Cary A. Friedman
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Wisdom from the Batcave by Cary A. Friedman
Rabbi Friedman finds serious ethics taught in stories delivered through a medium that is not always taken seriously: comic books. Friedman’s hero of choice is Batman.
After the introduction, each chapter is a short essay on some ethical subject; the author is a teacher of ethics and the Torah. To illustrate his points, he draws on stories from the Batman comics.
Most chapters have a literal illustration drawn from a comic featuring Batman. These are directly related to the text.
The author finds no irony in using the Batman as an example. He says that as he studied ethics, in both secular and religious settings, he found many of the concepts he was studying were already familiar from the comics he had read as kid. He sees value in such stories where ethical lessons can be taught by slipping past the defensive wall people put up when they sense a lecture coming.
The subjects covered in the book are wide ranging. A selection includes family, the role of adversity, hard work, inspiration, moral principles, forethought, and the little ways we can fight evil every day.
The author’s style is sometimes tongue-in-cheek, as one might expect from someone dealing with such serious subjects by referring to popular entertainment. However, his insights are informed by his work as a rabbi and his consultation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on ways to help law enforcement officer cope with the stress of their jobs.
The book is short, less than 100 pages, but not light on material. In fact, one of the chapters deals with not saying too much, but valuing speech and making the words one uses count. To close, here is what the author says about his purpose, “I hope this book serves as a reminder that there are countless opportunities around us—opportunities that we encounter in our everyday lives—to be heroic.â€
Thank you!
-- Cary
keenansbookrev.blogspot.com/2009/01/best-of-what-i-read-in-2008.html
keenansbookrev.blogspot.com/2009/01/wisdom-from-batcave-by-cary-friedman.html
For those of you who like to focus their reading time on the best, here are what I consider to be the top 20 percent of the books I read in 2008.
1. Luke (The Holy Bible)
2. The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
3. Changing for Good by Prochaska et al.
4. Walking with God by John Eldredge
5. His Excellency by Joseph J. Ellis
6. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
7. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization by Anthony Esolen
8. Wisdom from the Batcave by Cary A. Friedman
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Wisdom from the Batcave by Cary A. Friedman
Rabbi Friedman finds serious ethics taught in stories delivered through a medium that is not always taken seriously: comic books. Friedman’s hero of choice is Batman.
After the introduction, each chapter is a short essay on some ethical subject; the author is a teacher of ethics and the Torah. To illustrate his points, he draws on stories from the Batman comics.
Most chapters have a literal illustration drawn from a comic featuring Batman. These are directly related to the text.
The author finds no irony in using the Batman as an example. He says that as he studied ethics, in both secular and religious settings, he found many of the concepts he was studying were already familiar from the comics he had read as kid. He sees value in such stories where ethical lessons can be taught by slipping past the defensive wall people put up when they sense a lecture coming.
The subjects covered in the book are wide ranging. A selection includes family, the role of adversity, hard work, inspiration, moral principles, forethought, and the little ways we can fight evil every day.
The author’s style is sometimes tongue-in-cheek, as one might expect from someone dealing with such serious subjects by referring to popular entertainment. However, his insights are informed by his work as a rabbi and his consultation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on ways to help law enforcement officer cope with the stress of their jobs.
The book is short, less than 100 pages, but not light on material. In fact, one of the chapters deals with not saying too much, but valuing speech and making the words one uses count. To close, here is what the author says about his purpose, “I hope this book serves as a reminder that there are countless opportunities around us—opportunities that we encounter in our everyday lives—to be heroic.â€
* * * * * * * * * *
Thank you!
-- Cary