Bibliography, June 2010

Read (14)
BOTM: D. Erasmus, Praise of Folly

R. Bultmann, Primitive Christianity
E.H. Carr, What is History
D. Defoe, Journal of the plague year
M. Druon, La Reine étranglée
J.C.L. Gibson, Language and Imagery in the Old Testament
H. James, The Golden Bowl
J. Jobling and I. Markham, (eds.) Theological Liberalism
E.T. Long, Existence, Being and God
H. Netland, Dissonant voices
Tertullian, Apologia
B. Unsworth, Morality Play
M. Warner, Between heaven and Charing Cross
J. Ziesler, Pauline Cristianity

Remaining - 68

I hesitate to call some of these 'read' to be honest. I picked up a set of mediocre theology a few years back and have just polished them off. Most were rubbish. It's inspired a savage and brutal cull of other remaining books as well. I've taken out about forty books in June (though I've audited my collection and added a handful as well). As a result, the finishing line gets ever closer, and I really can see it now: six months, slightly over ten books a month to get through - all be over by Christmas.

That said, I don't think I can cope with another month starting like this one. Getting through James nearly killed me, and while good (amongst the best in fact), I wouldn't try it again for a long time. Elsewhere though, this drive for completion has highlighted the gems I have sitting on my shelves. I was taught about Praise of Folly in 1995, when I started doing the Reformation for A Level, and bought this copy in 2002. Yet I failed to read it. How irritating, because it's amazing: a funny, scathing and engaging critique of the world and the church, which echoes down the ages. I can hear the account of the importance of frivolity resurface in Mandeville's Fable of the Bees, and the attack on the monks, though as old as the monastic vocation, could have been written today. I only wish my Latin were good enough to read it in the original, so I could get all the puns (my copy has extensive notes).

It's also a sensible size, clocking in at c.150 pages (incuding footnotes); people should take note: it does not take 500 pages to make an argument, or a novel - yes, Henry James, that's you we're talking about.