“Killing Lincoln” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Seth Skogerboe

Photo Credit: Richard Pilon (on Flickr)

This book is my answer to the question, “What’s so great about reading outside your comfort zone?” This. I got to read this. “Here, borrow my copy. Not the history reading type? Forget it, man – this is WAY too real to be history.”

Bill O’Reilly’s Killing Lincoln is anything but an old story. That would be like calling Nutella “just a hazelnut spread.” Au contraire, mes amis. It is delicious heaven-paste. And Killing Lincoln is not fairly described as “just an account” – it is more like a window with pages. Booth’s outrageous mindset is displayed clearly, murders realistically, and people, wholly.

The book successfully recaptures the chaotic atmosphere of the end of the Civil war, and places you inside it.You will flee the streets to avoid the post-war mobs, drunken with victory, or defeat, or just liquor. You will dodge the blows of an assassin in the night. And along with the masses, you will cry, “SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!” at the President’s window.

That man with the top hat, tall, skinny build, and commoner’s tongue will lead you out of years of evil into blessed peace. He’ll calm your doubts with quiet words, but urge you to be better than any before you. He will love his wife, his family, and his country like no President before him. And in the end, he’ll stand unshaken to stare into the eyes of Death.

I received this book as a gift from my grandparents for review. This in no way changed my opinion, or review, of the book. It only made it more clear to me how fantastic my grandparents are.

“Surprised by Laughter” by Terry Lindvall :: Biography

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Seth Skogerboe

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! No, just kidding. (Gotcha’. 🙂 ) Surprised by Laughter is both enjoyable and accurate as a study of the wit and wisdom of C.S. Lewis. Whom I quote frequently. And may or may not have read several books about. And of whom I may be (for my age and amount of study-into-the-subject done) a veritable scholar. *ahem* I liked it. 🙂

One of the things I liked most about this book is it’s abundance of quotes. In fact, I would estimate that the quotes alone, in 10 pt. font, could fill a small book. They are used by Lindvall, who employs them skillfully to prove point after point. Not only does he quote Lewis: G.K. Chesterton, Rabelais, Chaucer, Søren Kierkgaard- and all as if they were having an conversation with him.

And for that content which was written by Lindvall himself. It was good. *cough* No, really. I liked it. It was a wee bit dry, but that was to be expected. (I mean, the guy actually put PH. D on the cover. I sat reading the book with an arched brow, and a dictionary on my knee.) It is very clever writing, if you can keep up with it. And I don’t say that in a mean way, I just mean to say, it’s a bit like reading a history book. Every once in a while I would realize I hadn’t really registered the last couple sentences, and go back and re-read. However, when I did go back, it would usually make me smile.

Surprised by Laughter revealed to me three main truths. First, satire is a sword, capable of cutting, fighting, and at times, surgery. What better tool for argument than a sword? (See chapter 31, “The Sword of Satire.”) And C.S. Lewis was a masterful swordsman. Secondly, Flippancy is the bane of man. It can take him to hell with a laugh, and a scoffing wave of the hand. And finally, Laughter is the ultimate medicine, when paired with God. Laughter alone is not enough; as I noted in my journal well reading, “Laughter needs something more; we need laugh with good reason, shared with God. This puts the wind in the wind-chimes, the breath in the trumpet that produces a ringing note.”

One last note: I did not read chapters 27-29. I did however, enjoy very much the rest of the book. These three chapters you will have to judge for yourself.

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4.8 of 5 stars

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