Conclave: The Politics, Personalities, and Process of the Next Papal Election

I ordered Conclave: The Politics, Personalities, and Process of the Next Papal Election by John L. Allen, Jr. after Pope Benedict XVI made his announcement to step down from the papacy last month. In fact, it was a month ago today that the announcement was made. I have long been fascinated with the process by which Popes are elected. It has also seemed to be a secret and somewhat romanticized process to me. Admittedly, most of my most recent knowledge regarding conclave comes from the opening scenes of Dan Brown's novel Angels & Demons. Upon realizing this, I decided I wanted some more accurate information regarding the process, especially given how important this next election may be for the Roman Catholic Church. Those who have been around me recently are likely aware of how excited I am for this particular election.

I rather enjoyed the book, as Allen provides some clear information about the process. He starts off by providing information about the role of the Pope and describing what the position is actually responsible for, both inside and outside of the church. Allen then details the various issues about which the voting cardinals will be concerned when considering who to elect into the Papacy. Next, the author describes the actual process of conclave, starting with the announcement of the Pope being ill. Clearly this book was written prior to our present situation, so the author does not discuss the process for when a Pope resigns. Next, the book describes the various political parties within the college of cardinals and the affiliations along with they vote. Finally, the author describes the likely candidates for the Papacy; however, the book was written about a decade ago, so it is currently out of date. However, interestingly, the author did not pick Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) as a likely candidate.

Overall, it was a very interesting read. I enjoyed learning about the process of the Papal election and I look forward to watching the new media report on Conclave over the next week. I believe that as a result of reading this book, I will better understand the process as it unfolds.

Persuader

Persuader is the 7th book of the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. I have returned to this series, after a brief hiatus in which I have been reading books for class or other books about the blues.  

Persuader finds Jack Reacher collaborating with the DEA to go undercover to investigate a suspected drug dealer. The suspect in Reacher's investigation is also potentially working with a mysterious figure from Reacher's past. The narrative of this book takes place in the present, but is also peppered with flashbacks.

This proved to be a pretty fun book with a strong story. I think this is one of the stronger books I have read from the series. Fans of the series will likely find this to be an enjoyable read.

Persuader

Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion & Purpose

I received the  Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion & Purpose by Matthew Kelly from the pastor of my parents' church and my home parish. I received it sometime over a year ago. While I was somewhat curious to see what was included in the book, it never really made it to the top of my queue of books to read. However, with the arrival of Lent and the resignation of the Pope, it seemed like an appropriate time to start reading the book.

I will admit, it took a while for the book to engage me. The first couple of chapters used some good metaphors to explain the need for a deeper exploration of religion in the modern era. However, the beginning of the book sounded rather like a self-help book. I don't necessarily have anything against self-help books, but they often seem to be too simple and a bit pedantic.

However, Chapter 8 started to interest me. Kelly explores the lives of five Catholics he believes are worthy of emulation. Following that, the author really caught my attention in Chapter 12 when he begins to explain what he refers to as the seven pillars of the Catholic faith: confession, daily prayer, the mass, the Bible, fasting, spiritual reading, and the Rosary. These prove to be rather interesting chapters focused on some of the core sacraments and practices of Catholicism.

Throughout the book, Kelly provides a fair share of self-disclosure about his own understanding of the faith and his personal journey. While not all of the book resonated with me, the sections I have just mentioned proved to be thought-provoking and prompted some reflection. This is certainly a useful book for Catholics who are seeking ways to engage more actively with their faith.

Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion & Purpose

History of the Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People from Charley Patton to Robert Cray

This marks the second or third time I have read The History of the Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People from Robert Johnson to Robert Cray by Francis Davis, having used it to teach class last year. I am again using the book as a textbook for the Honors Colloquium I am teaching this semester, title Black, White, and Blue: Race Relations in the US through the Blues.

Davis provides a survey of the Blues, starting from the Mississippi Delta and the migration to Chicago and beyond. He places heavy importance on figures such as Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, Son House, Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf. Davis also does a great job of providing brief descriptions of the social context surrounding the Blues milestones on which he is focusing. Davis also provides insight into his own thoughts and theories surrounding important events. While not intended to focus on race relations, given the history of the Blues one cannot help but think about the topic.

Overall, I enjoy the book. I gain new interests and insights each time I read. This time, I found myself running to my computer and the iTunes store to listen to song he was referencing in the text, especially those that might be useful in illustrating certain points to my students.

The History of the Blues: The Roots, The Music, The People from Charley Patton to Robert Cray

Elwood's BLues: Interviews with the Blues Legends & Stars

I received Elwood's Blues: Interviews with the Blues Legends & Stars by Dan Aykroyd and Ben Manilla as a gift from a colleague, Michael Blackwell. He found it at a YMCA book sale and thought I might enjoy it due to the class I am teaching about the Blues this semester.

I wasn't sure what the quality of the book was going to be, as its title was derived from a character from the Blues Brothers. However, the book has some really great interviews with some really important figures in the world of the Blues. These include: Luther Allison, Junior Wells, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Little Milton, B. B. King, and more. The book also includes interview with icons from the world of rock who trace their path in music back to the Blues.

The interviews actually come from Elwood's House of Blues Radio Hour, but they highlight Aykroyd's deep understanding of appreciation for the Blues. While I was initially hesitant about this book, it turned out to be a great find.

Elwood's Blues: Interviews with the Blues Legends & Stars

Without Fail

Without Fail is the sixth novel in the Jack Reacher series, a collection of books I have been reading lately. This time, Reacher is up against a group of covert assassins bent on killing the Vice President of the United States. He's paired up with an old army buddy, the Secret Service, and his brother's ex-lover. While working to stop the assassins and save the VP, Reacher deals with the ghost of his brother.

This was not my favorite of the Reacher books that I have read so far, but it was still a good story. It hooks you at the beginning and there are some interesting characters on the periphery. It's also interesting to see Reacher, a loner and sometimes-vigilante, work alongside a bureaucratic government agency. For anyone who enjoys this type of books, it's definitely worth a read.

Without Fail

Wilco: Learning How To Die

I picked up Wilco: Learning How To Do by Greg Kot sometime over the past year. My guess would be that it was probably around June or July, either in preparation for or response to seeing Wilco in Charlottesville, VA. I pretty into them, picking up live concert DVDs, their documentary and this book. I picked it up a couple of days ago and read it pretty quickly.

The book reads like a fan's platonic love letter to singer-songwriter Jeff Tweedy, following his musical start in Belleville, IL with the Primitives. The Primitives morphed into fan favorite Uncle Tupelo, who are credited with the start of the alt-country movement. It then follows the disbanding of the group and  the Tweedy's new group, Wilco (the subject of the book). It also focuses on Tweedy's involvement with Golden Smog and Loose Fur. Kot chronicles the hiring and firing of various band members. He also devotes a good amount of time to detailing the various Wilco recorded up until A Ghost Is Born (the album most recently released at the time of the book's publication). It is clear that Kot admires Tweedy; throughout the book, he is written in a mostly positive, or at least sympathetic, light. Even during passive-aggressive firings of band member, during which you know Tweedy's performance was less than admirable, the singer-songwriter comes out in a positive light.

While the book is described as the story of Wilco, it is really the story of Jeff Tweedy, focusing mostly on the front man. However, to be fair, maybe Tweedy is Wilco and the stories are one in the same. Either way, it was an interesting and mostly enjoyable read.

Wilco: Learning How to Die