Books!

I read quite a lot - you might have noticed from my earlier posts. And lately I've been reading a lot of religion books. Since this is my first daily update I figured I'd keep the content pretty light, and just let you all know what religion-related books I've been reading/intend to read soon.

1. What the Buddha Taught, by Walpola Rahula - Having asked the one close Buddhist friend I have what she thought about this book, she advised me that it was a pretty solid introduction. There are subsets and sects within Buddhism, as there are in any major religion, but this is a wonderful start if you're trying to understand the broad picture.

I have a pretty much scholarly interest in Buddhism but the lightness of being I felt when reading this book was a wonderful thing. There is a lot about Buddhism that makes a solid logical sense. It was this that really encouraged me to learn more about it, particularly since the Buddhists I know are journalists or scientists by trade. Whether you want to identify Buddhism as religious, philosophical, or otherwise, it is ultimately comforting and joyful, and I feel very satisfied knowing more about it.

2. The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis - I am a huge fan of Lewis, as is probably anybody who grew up going to Catholic school and reading the Chronicles of Narnia. As I got older I grew into his Out of the Silent Planet series. With Screwtape, feel like I'm finally reading a Lewis book meant solely for adults. I'm about a quarter of the way through, and the premise is entertaining, the concepts of demons and devils keep the book lively, and I am yet again happy to read the indirect meditations of a great Christian scholar. As far as I can tell, the book contains numerous prescriptions against temptation and for greater peace in one's life. There might be no writer so convincing of Christianity's virtues and yet so cognizant of the faults of the churches which represent it.

3. Confessions, by Augustine of Hippo - I have yet to really delve into this book, but simply happy to read what is essentially the inner struggle of a saint. Few Catholic saints are regarded as Augustine's intellectual equal, and perhaps what lies behind that is the description of his redemption. I would welcome any reader's comments to help me through this book: passages I should meditate on, ones that mean much to you. Let me know what I should look for in Augustine's Confessions.