Two I Started But Might Not Finish

I don’t always finish the books I start. There are various reasons for that, and usually it isn’t because the book is bad. Here are two that I recently started reading that I’ve decided to set aside for now and maybe forever.

How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One
As the title suggests, this little book by Stanley Fish is about appreciating and crafting sentences. After the first chapter, I was sure I would love it, but things fizzled in the middle. I set it aside and never picked it up again until this morning, when I cleaned off my desk. 

I thumbed through to refresh my memory, read some of the last chapter on last sentences and was once again intrigued. I’ve decided to read that chapter and the one before it on first sentences and leave it at that. And that’s more than I planned to read before I began this post on books I might not finish.

Would you like it? I don’t know. It won’t teach you how to write better sentences any more than a book about fine wine will help you with wine-making. But if you love language, you might enjoy the whole thing as much as this reviewer did.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go
This is another of Nancy Guthrie’s books of collected essays by classic and contemporary Christians. The purpose is to help believers learn to think rightly about death so that they can “die well.” I read several excellent essays, but grew tired of thinking about dying. It didn’t help that I recently read and reviewed another book about death. 

I feel bad for not finishing, because I know there aren’t enough books on this subject. I also know that this book in particular is a valuable resource and one I recommend. I especially enjoyed the essay by Richard Baxter with Directions for a Peaceful Departure.

Maybe I’ll finish later, but right now, I’m death saturated, and ready to move on to something else.

Comments

[Victor]

Hey for what "IT" is worth, I agree with you Rebecca and besides when you've been reborn, death might get a little sentimental. :)

Peace