Uniformity with God's Will, by St. Alphonsus de Liguori
My daughter Emily gave each of us in the family a copy of this short pamphlet in our stockings at Christmas.  I was really touched by this, and thought I should read it soon.  This is one of those works I'll have to read and re-read, chew on, meditate over.  It challenges my usual way of thinking, the way I normally operate.  I read it and think, of course, this is all true, but how do I put it into practice?  Here's an example, bracing in its directness:  "He who gives his goods in alms, his blood in scourgings, his food in fasting, gives God what he has.  But he who gives God his will, gives himself, gives everything he is."
Much of this book reminds me of the First Principle and Foundation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, in which he says that we should not care if we are rich or poor, in good health or bad, living in the East or the West.  We should only care about doing God's will.  But how do we know what God's will is for us?  This question puts me in mind of Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Cassaude.  He pretty much says that where you are now is where God wants you.  He talks about the sacrament of the present moment.  Is it all as simple as "Bloom where you are planted"?  I always chastise myself for not doing more with my life, something BIG.  I think I need to read Story of a Soul again, and ponder Mother Teresa's dictum, "We are not called to do great things, but small things with great love."  As I said earlier, this challenges my usual way of thinking.  What a greatest present, Em!

The Redbreast, by Jo Nesbo

This Scandinavian mystery is nothing like current sensation The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, or the dark and dreary novels of Maj Sjowal and Per Walloo.  It is  not at all noir, but more like mainstream American detective fiction.  The protagonist, Harry Hole, is working on his drinking problem, unlucky in love, but an excellent detective.  The mystery reaches back to World War II and the Norwegians who fought along with the Germans on the Eastern front.  It is a clever and well-paced story, with a likeable main character and enough development in secondary characters to make us care about them. 


This is the second in the series,and i will definitely go back and read the first one, The Devil's Star, and whatever later ones I can get my hands on.

Faithful, by Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King.

This is the story of the 2004 Red Sox season, told by two writers who share friendship and Red Sox passion.  It is composed of notes, emails,and commentary, written game-by-game and not after the fact.  They certainly picked a perfect time to keep a daily record!  First World Series championship since 1918!  Unfortunately, as we Cardinals's fans know, they achieved this by sweeping one of the best Redbird teams ever. 

I read a few of the daily entries from during the course of the season.  I am sure if I was a Sox fan, these would be wonderful, as I compared my memories and thoughts to theirs.  I wish I had something like this for the 1985 season, or for 2011.  However, as an outsider, I found it less than enthralling.

I did read all the World Series entries.  They were respectful of the Cardinals, not gloating or disparaging our team.  And O'Nan remarked on the gaffe by Jeff Suppan in the third inning of game three, when he failed to score from third on a ground out by Larry walker even though the Sox were conceding the run..  I was at this game, and I remember being stunned when Suppan didn't score, and sensing the encroaching doom.  The run would have tied the score 1-1 against Pedro Martinez, and might have given he Birds some life, but instead the nails were now being driven into the coffin. 

This would be a great gift for any Red Sox fan, but if you don't share the hatred for the Yankees or haven't experienced the long, long years of disappointment, you'll probably just find it mildly entertaining.  There is way to much detail for any but the true Sox fan to be truly appreciative of it.