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Slubgrip Instructs: Fifty Days with the Devil
The demon Slubgrip has been demoted to teach Popular Culture 101 at Bowelbages University. Meanwhile he is plotting with his old friend, the demon Knobswart to overthrow the University Administration.
136 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2015
9 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Dwight Longenecker
45 books80 followersDwight Longenecker was brought up an Evangelical, studied at the fundamentalist Bob Jones University, and later was ordained an Anglican priest in England. After ten years in the Anglican ministry as a curate, a chaplain at Cambridge, and a country parson, in 1995 Dwight was received into full communion with the Catholic Church. He has published in numerous religious magazines and papers in the UK, Ireland, and the USA, writing on film and theology, apologetics, Biblical commentary and Catholic culture.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 9, 2015
Yes, it's true. A well-known, highly published, and hugely popular Catholic priest is encouraging all of us to spend Lent with the devil. And I can tell you, having had a taste of the journey, that it's one that will be well-worth the effort.
Fr. Dwight Longenecker, whose wisdom graces the webpages of many well-esteemed Catholic sites (including his own very popular blog, Standing on My Head), has released a new book that is designed to take you on a journey through Lent with none other than the devil himself.
Slubgrip Instructs: Fifty Days with the Devil, while a sequel to Longenecker's Gargoyle Code, stands alone and does the "make you think twice about everything in your life" job quite nicely.
It's a fast read if you sit down to read it, but I would encourage you to take your copy (because, I assure you, you need one!) and savor it. Consider what's written and how popular culture is truly impacting you. It's not an easy truth to face.
Fr. Dwight Longenecker, whose wisdom graces the webpages of many well-esteemed Catholic sites (including his own very popular blog, Standing on My Head), has released a new book that is designed to take you on a journey through Lent with none other than the devil himself.
Slubgrip Instructs: Fifty Days with the Devil, while a sequel to Longenecker's Gargoyle Code, stands alone and does the "make you think twice about everything in your life" job quite nicely.
It's a fast read if you sit down to read it, but I would encourage you to take your copy (because, I assure you, you need one!) and savor it. Consider what's written and how popular culture is truly impacting you. It's not an easy truth to face.
March 28, 2015
nice try
Okay but not what I expected. Learned stuff. Won't read next year however. Good commentary on society. Glad it is done.
Okay but not what I expected. Learned stuff. Won't read next year however. Good commentary on society. Glad it is done.
April 2, 2018
3.5/5
May 10, 2015
I chose this as my Lenten reading this year, following last year's Lenten reading of its predecessor: "The Gargoyle Code". These trips into the demon world--seeing our culture and temptation from the devil's point of view--are edifying and inspiring.
In this book, Slubgrip has been demoted from mentor demon to instructor of Popular Culture at the demons' university. One thing that definitely comes clear through this foray into hell is that our culture is no longer advancing. People tend to assume that our culture (music, arts, science, technology) are constantly improving. Through this book, one can see that society is more and more influenced by dark forces. We are being used by the devil, and we don't even realize it.
Of course, all this is revealed through very entertaining daily "lectures" at Bowelbages University. My only criticism of the book is that the lectures are too short. Of course, it is written to be short, daily meditations for Lent.
This book can be enjoyed by anyone. It will be as deep and thought-provoking as the reader allows it to be. It could be particularly enlightening reading for the college-bound. I have given it to my high-school graduate to read before heading off to college this Fall.
In this book, Slubgrip has been demoted from mentor demon to instructor of Popular Culture at the demons' university. One thing that definitely comes clear through this foray into hell is that our culture is no longer advancing. People tend to assume that our culture (music, arts, science, technology) are constantly improving. Through this book, one can see that society is more and more influenced by dark forces. We are being used by the devil, and we don't even realize it.
Of course, all this is revealed through very entertaining daily "lectures" at Bowelbages University. My only criticism of the book is that the lectures are too short. Of course, it is written to be short, daily meditations for Lent.
This book can be enjoyed by anyone. It will be as deep and thought-provoking as the reader allows it to be. It could be particularly enlightening reading for the college-bound. I have given it to my high-school graduate to read before heading off to college this Fall.
July 25, 2015
Slubgrip Instructs tries to follow in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis's masterpiece, "The Screwtape Letters". In that it shows a demon trying to teach other demons how to win souls for Satan, it does a passable job. However, Slubgrip, Snort, Grimwort, etc. are all extremely two dimensional in nature and the book relies heavily on stereotypes without bothering to do the research (and it shows). For instance, the speech he gives about higher education being there to lure people to the Devil is almost exactly the same one I received as a young Baptist in my senior year of high school, but studies show that earning a college degree has no impact at the BA/BS level on a person's religious devotion overall.
Another glaring issue is Father Longenecker's desperate need for an editor...the second week of Lent is a mess. There is no Wednesday, there are two Fridays, and the days aren't in order. All in all, I want to like this book. I loved The Screwtape Letters. However, the poor editing, heavy reliance on stereotypes, complete ripoffs of characters wholesale (the guest lecturer on money and greed being good is Gecko and has the speech patterns of the fictional Gordon Gecko), and the two dimensionality of everyone made the reading of this book a true Lenten penance.
Another glaring issue is Father Longenecker's desperate need for an editor...the second week of Lent is a mess. There is no Wednesday, there are two Fridays, and the days aren't in order. All in all, I want to like this book. I loved The Screwtape Letters. However, the poor editing, heavy reliance on stereotypes, complete ripoffs of characters wholesale (the guest lecturer on money and greed being good is Gecko and has the speech patterns of the fictional Gordon Gecko), and the two dimensionality of everyone made the reading of this book a true Lenten penance.
April 9, 2015
A sequel to Fr. Longenecker's "The Gargoyle Code," 50 recorded lectures and conversations about popular culture delivered by a demonic professor to future tempters. It is not as good as the Gargoyle Code, being less related to personal spirituality, and more about cultural trends as a whole. I found it less than satisfying for lenten reading because of that. Worth reading for its overview of pop culture, but that is not what I am looking for in a lenten book, and most of the cultural insights were quite basic anyway. If you have to choose, reread "The Screwtape letters."
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews