Summer Reading So Far
CT Interview, EJ USA webinar, and summer reading round up
Reading Black Books has been out in the world for over a month. Thank you to all who have read, shared, reviewed, or bought the book! Reviews are rolling in on Amazon and GoodReads. Please drop a review on both if you’ve read and enjoyed the work.
If you’re interested in hearing more about the book, the stories behind it, and its reception, I’ve done a handful of podcast and interviews:
Christianity Today — This interview with Patricia Raybon might be my favorite interview so far. It was a special conversation, and I’m so glad part of that shines through in print.
That Makes Sense Podcast — Alexis Busetti brought some great and deep questions to the table. Thoroughly enjoyed this conversation.
Unconformed Podcast — My friend Darius and I covered lots of ground in this conversation about my book and some sidebars about Drake, Kevin Durant, and Steph.
Think Christian Podcast — Josh Larsen and I centered this conversation on the 1998 film adaptation of Morrison’s Beloved staring Oprah and Danny Glover.
WEBINAR TOMORROW W/ EJ USA - July 6th 8pm EDT
Tomorrow evening, come hear me discuss about literature, race, theology, and justice and Reading Black Books with my friend, Sam Heath. Sam is wise and sharp. This convo will be a good one. You can register here, which will also get you the recording of the event afterwards.
SUMMER READING RECAP
This summer I’ve enjoyed dipping in and out of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act by Isaac Butler. Butler argues and shows that “to theorize about acting is to theorize about what a human being is and how a human being works.” If you like movies, it’s hard to imagine you not finding this book fascinating.
Zena Hitz’s Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of the Intellectual Life has been a delight, and I’d recommend it to all, especially if the title makes it feel like it’s not your type.
Yesterday on a whim, I grabbed two books that have been sitting on my shelf for sometime and finally gave them some attention. The two winners were John Webster’s Holiness, a short and riveting meditation on, yes, holiness, and Walker Percy’s rollicking novel about our sad and ill human souls, Love in the Ruins. Both are wise and captivating. Another W for whimsical reading.
As for aspirational reading plans, I’d like to get my hands on Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Shuffle before summer’s out. Maybe another Tana French novel, too.
What are you reading as we march through summer?
Until next time,
Claude