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Reading Between the Lines: A Christian Guide to Literature
Here is a guidebook for those who want to learn how to recognize books that are spiritually and aesthetically good--to cultivate good literary taste. Gene Edward Veith presents basic information to help book lovers understand what they read--from the classics to the bestsellers. He explains how the major genres of literature communicate. He explores ways comedy, tragedy, realism, and fantasy can portray the Christian worldview. These discussions lead to a host of related topics--the value of fairy tales for children, the tragic and the comic sense of life, the interplay between Greek and Biblical concepts in the imagination, and the new "post-modernism" (a subject of vital importance to Christians).
In the pages of this book, readers will meet writers, past and present who carry on a great literary tradition. By supporting worthy authors, Christians can exert a powerful influence on their culture.
"What a superb resource this is! It resonates with profound perceptions of how good literature works to enrich and illuminate us. Dr. Veith proves himself once again to be a knowledgeable guide through the landscape of the written word." --Luci Shaw, author of God in the Dark and Polishing the Petoskey Stone
"Veith makes it clear that the joys of reading can be deep joys of the type which can enliven our souls. This book should raise significantly the cultural level of evangelicalism." --Dr. Edward E. Ericson, Jr., Calvin College
"Reading Between the Lines is thoroughly readable and thoroughly literate--a magnificent blending of history, literature, and theology that will be welcomed by professionals and laity alike." --Dr. Wayne Martindale, Wheaton College
"Ed Veith has written on important topics with his usual clarity, good sense, organizing ability, and comprehensiveness. The scope of the project is impressive." --Dr. Leland Ryken, Wheaton College
In the pages of this book, readers will meet writers, past and present who carry on a great literary tradition. By supporting worthy authors, Christians can exert a powerful influence on their culture.
"What a superb resource this is! It resonates with profound perceptions of how good literature works to enrich and illuminate us. Dr. Veith proves himself once again to be a knowledgeable guide through the landscape of the written word." --Luci Shaw, author of God in the Dark and Polishing the Petoskey Stone
"Veith makes it clear that the joys of reading can be deep joys of the type which can enliven our souls. This book should raise significantly the cultural level of evangelicalism." --Dr. Edward E. Ericson, Jr., Calvin College
"Reading Between the Lines is thoroughly readable and thoroughly literate--a magnificent blending of history, literature, and theology that will be welcomed by professionals and laity alike." --Dr. Wayne Martindale, Wheaton College
"Ed Veith has written on important topics with his usual clarity, good sense, organizing ability, and comprehensiveness. The scope of the project is impressive." --Dr. Leland Ryken, Wheaton College
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 1990
40 people are currently reading
962 people want to read
About the author
Gene Edward Veith Jr.
45 books185 followersGene Edward Veith Jr., is the Culture Editor of WORLD MAGAZINE. He was formerly Professor of English at Concordia University Wisconsin, where he has also served as Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences. He is the author of numerous books, including Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture, The Spirituality of the Cross: The Way of the First Evangelicals, and God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life.
Postmodern Times received a Christianity Today Book Award as one of the top 25 religious books of 1994. He was named Concordia's Adult Learning Teacher of the Year in 1993 and received the Faculty Laureate Award as outstanding faculty member in 1994. He was a Salvatori Fellow with the Heritage Foundation in 1994-1995 and is a Senior Fellow with the Capital Research Center. He was given the layman’s 2002 Robert D. Preus Award by the Association of Confessional Lutherans as “Confessional Lutheran of the Year.”
Dr. Veith was born in Oklahoma in 1951. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1973 and received a Ph.D. in English from the University of Kansas in 1979. He has taught at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and was a Visiting Professor at Wheaton College in Illinois. He was also a Visiting Lecturer at the Estonian Institute of Humanities in Tallinn, Estonia. He and his wife Jackquelyn have three grown children and live in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.
Postmodern Times received a Christianity Today Book Award as one of the top 25 religious books of 1994. He was named Concordia's Adult Learning Teacher of the Year in 1993 and received the Faculty Laureate Award as outstanding faculty member in 1994. He was a Salvatori Fellow with the Heritage Foundation in 1994-1995 and is a Senior Fellow with the Capital Research Center. He was given the layman’s 2002 Robert D. Preus Award by the Association of Confessional Lutherans as “Confessional Lutheran of the Year.”
Dr. Veith was born in Oklahoma in 1951. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1973 and received a Ph.D. in English from the University of Kansas in 1979. He has taught at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and was a Visiting Professor at Wheaton College in Illinois. He was also a Visiting Lecturer at the Estonian Institute of Humanities in Tallinn, Estonia. He and his wife Jackquelyn have three grown children and live in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
October 14, 2023
"A true grappling of good and evil, though, would embody that conflict in characters facing specific moral issues: saving life versus destroying life, generosity versus selfishness, humility versus pride, forgiveness versus revenge."
A very interesting, and at times quite thought-provoking, read.
A very interesting, and at times quite thought-provoking, read.
October 27, 2019
This book is about books, yet is itself a great read. It will also serve as a practical reference, since it contains sections on different styles and periods of literature. Dr. Veith presents a scholarly, balanced introduction to literature for Christians. Note that this is significantly different from merely talking about "Christian books." A book on that topic would have become dated quickly, but this book deals with classics of literature and urges Christians to read these as a heritage of real truth, being ever mindful that all real truth is God's truth. Dr. Veith boldly tackles difficult issues (How should Christians deal with objectional material in books? Is it all right to read light, popular books as well as classics?), but he does not offer pat answers. Rather, this is a book which will make you realize the value--or lack thereof--in literature and almost certainly make you start a list of "must-reads." For those who are comfortable in the safe world of Christian books (that proliferation of historical fiction, moralistic kids' tales, and self-help titles), "Reading Between the Lines" will most certainly cause a little discomfort; however, it will be a healthy discomfort that leads to worthwhile intellectual engagements with authors whose works offer much more than predictable plots with pat endings. If you wish to be a better reader, read this book.
[Additional thoughts upon re-reading:]
My second trip through this book I recognized how much time has tattered the edges of the portions that touch on the present. It is obviously written in a time before self-publishing, smart phones, and even the dominance of Amazon as purveyor of books. Some of the up-and-coming Christian writers now appear to be no-names or has-beens. Such worn out spots do detract a bit from the book's entirety. Nonetheless, it is still a volume well worth keeping on hand. The portions about the various literary types and eras remain excellent--and this is the bulk of the book.
[Additional thoughts upon re-reading:]
My second trip through this book I recognized how much time has tattered the edges of the portions that touch on the present. It is obviously written in a time before self-publishing, smart phones, and even the dominance of Amazon as purveyor of books. Some of the up-and-coming Christian writers now appear to be no-names or has-beens. Such worn out spots do detract a bit from the book's entirety. Nonetheless, it is still a volume well worth keeping on hand. The portions about the various literary types and eras remain excellent--and this is the bulk of the book.
April 3, 2021
This may sound strange, but I forgot how influential this book has been on my thinking. I read this a little more than three years ago and liked it enough that I bought a copy at some point, but on listening to it on audio this past week I was struck by how many concepts I have "taken with me" or how I still think about the ideas in this book on a fairly regular basis. I'd just forgotten that this was the source.
Highly recommended, especially for high school or college students who are just beginning to reading the "great books" and want a Christian perspective and guide.
Highly recommended, especially for high school or college students who are just beginning to reading the "great books" and want a Christian perspective and guide.
February 28, 2019
I teach this book in ENGL 205. I read only Chs. 1 2, 6, and 9 and the Appendix, but I want to read the rest. A little bit of Two-Kingdom Lutheranism from time to time, but still good. Because I'm putting my notes for this book in my class notes, I'm not going to put anything here on Goodreads.
Acknowledgements
Preface
Ch. 1: The Word and the Image: The Importance of Reading
Ch. 2: Vicarious Experience and Vicarious Sin: The Importance of Criticism
The Forms of Literature
Ch. 3: Nonfiction: The Art of Truth-telling
Ch. 4: Fiction: The Art of Story-Telling
Ch. 5: Poetry: The Art of Singing
The Modes of Literature
Ch. 6: Tragedy and Comedy: The Literature of Damnation and Salvation
Ch. 7: Realism: Literature as Mirror
Ch. 8: Fantasy: Literature as Lamp
The Traditions of Literature
Ch. 9: The Middle Ages and the Reformation: The Literature of Belief
Ch. 10: The Enlightenment and Romanticism: The Literature of Nature and the Self
Ch. 11: Modernism and Postmodernism: The Literature of Consciousness and Self-Consciousness
Ch. 12: The Makers of Literature: Writers, Publishers, and Readers
Appendix: A Reading List
Acknowledgements
Preface
Ch. 1: The Word and the Image: The Importance of Reading
Ch. 2: Vicarious Experience and Vicarious Sin: The Importance of Criticism
The Forms of Literature
Ch. 3: Nonfiction: The Art of Truth-telling
Ch. 4: Fiction: The Art of Story-Telling
Ch. 5: Poetry: The Art of Singing
The Modes of Literature
Ch. 6: Tragedy and Comedy: The Literature of Damnation and Salvation
Ch. 7: Realism: Literature as Mirror
Ch. 8: Fantasy: Literature as Lamp
The Traditions of Literature
Ch. 9: The Middle Ages and the Reformation: The Literature of Belief
Ch. 10: The Enlightenment and Romanticism: The Literature of Nature and the Self
Ch. 11: Modernism and Postmodernism: The Literature of Consciousness and Self-Consciousness
Ch. 12: The Makers of Literature: Writers, Publishers, and Readers
Appendix: A Reading List
June 11, 2025
An excellent book on why it is so crucial for Christians to be good readers and how we should approach literature.
April 12, 2017
This is a wonderfully helpful book of you're interested in delving deeper into the different types of literature in their historical and philosophical context. I think this would be excellent for any high schoolers to work through, and it's a good addition to any home our classroom.
I did find a minor disagreement with him on Dungeons and Dragons in the fantasy part. He dealt with it from Chick Tract perspective and not from a reality perspective. I also disagreed with his opening thesis of the importance of reading because he tries to set it over preaching. He even tried to give biblical proof that reading is more important, but his example breaks down easily.
While I didn't agree 100% with all he had to say, those points of disagreement challenged me to think as much as the points of agreement. I highly recommend this book.
I did find a minor disagreement with him on Dungeons and Dragons in the fantasy part. He dealt with it from Chick Tract perspective and not from a reality perspective. I also disagreed with his opening thesis of the importance of reading because he tries to set it over preaching. He even tried to give biblical proof that reading is more important, but his example breaks down easily.
While I didn't agree 100% with all he had to say, those points of disagreement challenged me to think as much as the points of agreement. I highly recommend this book.
September 8, 2017
Okay. I need to rant about this book for a second. The author apparently didn't do a lick of research before writing this book. Not only did he claim that the Bible was the first literary document (which is incorrect), but he also says that because of people's ability to read the Bible is what has enabled medical advances in society. THAT CORRELATION MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE AND IT'S SO PAINFULLY INACCURATE. There are more examples, but for the sake of my current good mood, I'll leave it at the aforementioned examples. That being said, when the author makes a point that could potentially be valid Christian theology, all of the blatant false information given before makes it extremely difficult to believe anything else he says. All in all this book was infuriating and I would not recommend it.
June 6, 2018
DNF. Not going to finish. Never. Ever. Couldn't pay me to. The author's tone is pretentious and haughty. On top of that, it has won the position in the top 5 most boring, snore-worthy, coma-inducing books on the planet. I had to find the audiobook just to get to chapter nine and I put it on 2x speed but still wanted to pluck my arm hairs off to keep from death-by-boring-ass-book. Okay, I know I'm being super mean but this book had the opportunity to speak into literature in a life-giving and productive way but I couldn't hear a thing over the condescending and scornful tone in ever line...or perhaps BETWEEN THE LINES (ahahahah points for jokes?).
August 12, 2019
"History, philosophy, and concrete human life come together in literature."- Chapter 10.
I started this book for a class, and the class had us jump around reading just a couple chapters. This gave me a wrong impression of Veith Jr. Unfortunately, both chapters were full of a lot of subjective opinions, including many that I did not agree with, and names that he mentioned as influential were critics that I knew I didn't agree with. So I got off to a rocky start. But! I'm glad I picked up the book to finish reading the rest because it was an insightful book. Veith divides the book into four sections- an introduction to literature, criticism, and the place for Christians in both; the forms of literature, such as nonfiction, fiction, and poetry; genres of literature; and the history and waves of literature. I particularly enjoyed his chapters on the Enlightenment and Romanticism, and his chapter on Postmodernism. I also enjoyed him taking the time to analyze select poems throughout the book, which gave a sort of guide and exercise for English lovers reading his book- I learnt much through his process.
Veith is a tenured English professor, so he speaks with authority. Though this book is not only for English or Lit majors, it does require a familiarity of literary criticism and modes of language.
There were a few points I disagreed with, only due to the fact that there is a lot of grey areas in any humanity subjects and I felt Veith made strong statements and interpreted things in a different way than I would. For example, he gave a rather scathing review of why modern literature is trying to recognize minority voices, interpreting this as a purely political move. I would venture to disagree and recognize that there are many minority voices that were as (or maybe more) gifted than majority voices and we are retrospectively recognizing this. And really- where's the problem?- more good books for us all! On a similar plane, I do wish he would have recognized more diverse authors than he did in this book. Lastly, I am still trying to wrap my mind around why Christian writers lionize Flannery O'Connor so much, pls don't at me.
I started this book for a class, and the class had us jump around reading just a couple chapters. This gave me a wrong impression of Veith Jr. Unfortunately, both chapters were full of a lot of subjective opinions, including many that I did not agree with, and names that he mentioned as influential were critics that I knew I didn't agree with. So I got off to a rocky start. But! I'm glad I picked up the book to finish reading the rest because it was an insightful book. Veith divides the book into four sections- an introduction to literature, criticism, and the place for Christians in both; the forms of literature, such as nonfiction, fiction, and poetry; genres of literature; and the history and waves of literature. I particularly enjoyed his chapters on the Enlightenment and Romanticism, and his chapter on Postmodernism. I also enjoyed him taking the time to analyze select poems throughout the book, which gave a sort of guide and exercise for English lovers reading his book- I learnt much through his process.
Veith is a tenured English professor, so he speaks with authority. Though this book is not only for English or Lit majors, it does require a familiarity of literary criticism and modes of language.
There were a few points I disagreed with, only due to the fact that there is a lot of grey areas in any humanity subjects and I felt Veith made strong statements and interpreted things in a different way than I would. For example, he gave a rather scathing review of why modern literature is trying to recognize minority voices, interpreting this as a purely political move. I would venture to disagree and recognize that there are many minority voices that were as (or maybe more) gifted than majority voices and we are retrospectively recognizing this. And really- where's the problem?- more good books for us all! On a similar plane, I do wish he would have recognized more diverse authors than he did in this book. Lastly, I am still trying to wrap my mind around why Christian writers lionize Flannery O'Connor so much, pls don't at me.
September 20, 2020
This was an excellent and practical book on guiding Christians in the realm of literature.
Essentially, Gene Veith argues that Christians have to read because they are "people of the Book". But why read outside the Bible? Because novels "defamiliarise" experiences that become familiarised. We become passive to Scriptural truths and other truths overtime, and the defamiliarising by novels help us to freshly taste these truths anew (one only has to see how Nathan's story brought sight to David of his sin with Bathsheba [see 2 Sam. 12:1-14]). Further, books speak the biblical truths in every generation marked by some dominating form of philosophy.
The practicality of the book lies in the fact that Gene defines genres and provides a taste by expounding on a select text or idea from different books––explaining the differences of genres and how they communicate specific truths.
I highly recommend this book to any Christian who believes that any other book (specifically novels) should not be read other than the Bible.
Essentially, Gene Veith argues that Christians have to read because they are "people of the Book". But why read outside the Bible? Because novels "defamiliarise" experiences that become familiarised. We become passive to Scriptural truths and other truths overtime, and the defamiliarising by novels help us to freshly taste these truths anew (one only has to see how Nathan's story brought sight to David of his sin with Bathsheba [see 2 Sam. 12:1-14]). Further, books speak the biblical truths in every generation marked by some dominating form of philosophy.
The practicality of the book lies in the fact that Gene defines genres and provides a taste by expounding on a select text or idea from different books––explaining the differences of genres and how they communicate specific truths.
I highly recommend this book to any Christian who believes that any other book (specifically novels) should not be read other than the Bible.
November 22, 2024
This is a book I've been meaning to get to for some time, so I'm grateful I got to hear it on audiobook as it can read a little more densely like a textbook. That being said, it's a solid treatise regarding literary understanding and how the Christian faith can and should impact reading. I appreciated the logical breakdown of the book into the forms, modes, and traditions of literature, all meant to inform readers on the intended purposes of nonfiction, fiction, poetry, tragedy, comedy, realism, and fantasy. Personally, I found this analysis to be a useful lens in evaluating literature and thinking more critically about it.
All in all, this book is a celebration of literature and the power of the word. The sections on what literacy means to Christians were my favourite, especially as a pathway to better comprehending how faith can play a role in how literature is interpreted and what can be learnt from it. Of value is the final chapter with further information regarding readers, authors, and publishers and the relationships between them. Readers who enjoy reading about reading will find much to mine in this volume as they examine books from a Christian worldview and appreciate just what it means to be readers of words, and ultimately, doers of The Word.
Review link: https://christianshelves.blogspot.com...
All in all, this book is a celebration of literature and the power of the word. The sections on what literacy means to Christians were my favourite, especially as a pathway to better comprehending how faith can play a role in how literature is interpreted and what can be learnt from it. Of value is the final chapter with further information regarding readers, authors, and publishers and the relationships between them. Readers who enjoy reading about reading will find much to mine in this volume as they examine books from a Christian worldview and appreciate just what it means to be readers of words, and ultimately, doers of The Word.
Review link: https://christianshelves.blogspot.com...
April 22, 2021
I wish I would have read this four years ago when I started my graduate studies in literature. Insightful, informative, and interesting, as Veith's writings always are, I really enjoyed this dive into literature and why Christians should be readers.
The book is now 30 years old, so an update is probably due, as Amazon, smartphones, podcasts, and YouTube weren't in existence in 1990. The publishing world is also different with ebooks and self-publishing adding even more titles to the marketplace. However, the sweep through literary history is well done and still applicable, as I have also learned it from grad school and my personal reading.
I will be having my kids read this book as a supplement, especially my oldest this year as he will be a high schooler this fall.
The book is now 30 years old, so an update is probably due, as Amazon, smartphones, podcasts, and YouTube weren't in existence in 1990. The publishing world is also different with ebooks and self-publishing adding even more titles to the marketplace. However, the sweep through literary history is well done and still applicable, as I have also learned it from grad school and my personal reading.
I will be having my kids read this book as a supplement, especially my oldest this year as he will be a high schooler this fall.
Read
December 3, 2022Read for NSA's MFA.
Waited too long to review this one and now it's blurring together with the rest. That said, right after I read it, I definitely had deep thoughts... bummer. Anyways, quite good?
Waited too long to review this one and now it's blurring together with the rest. That said, right after I read it, I definitely had deep thoughts... bummer. Anyways, quite good?
April 11, 2020
A lot of really excellent insights about Christians and literature. Some of it outdated and some opinions aren't sufficiently backed up. But a very helpful book!
December 4, 2020
good book to read for my english lit. class.
April 28, 2024
The beginning chapters lacked nuance, but I do believe it gained something when he started discussing later sections of literary history. His discussion of modernism and postmodernism was very good
December 10, 2024
Really helpful.
Read
September 11, 2025This was very interesting and engaging. I appreciated how grounded and clear-eyed it was, yet I couldn't help being amused how *very* Evangelical American it was. Which is not bad, but I think the book could have been better--more timeless--if the author was not quite so keen on making observations on modern American society. But that aside, I enjoyed and appreciated most of his insights. Sections I found particularly stimulating were "Bad Language" in Chapter 2, along with chapters 6, 8, and 10.
November 29, 2015
This is a very interesting book by a very interesting author. At first glance it looks like another book that is intent on reinforcing the "Christian ghetto" but even a cursory reading or a knowledge of the author would prove the book to be much more interesting. It is mainly an overview of literature from the perspective of a Christian thinker. This includes the dominant cultural philosophies that birth literature, genres of writing and their historical beginnings and significance, as well as specific examples of literary expression from both Christian and non-Christian writers.
I found one of the most interesting parts of the book was the discussion on comedy v tragedy. A comedy is a story of unfortunate events that eventually lead to a happy ending. As Christians we can view our lives through this lens knowing that the end of the story has already been written and finishes with glorious joy in heaven. Now we can see that all these "tragedies" along the way are not to be taken quite so seriously. For those who believe life ends in nothing, there is only ultimate despair and life becomes about living for the maximum personal pleasure. This is tragic in the end.
This is an excellent book and should be read.
I found one of the most interesting parts of the book was the discussion on comedy v tragedy. A comedy is a story of unfortunate events that eventually lead to a happy ending. As Christians we can view our lives through this lens knowing that the end of the story has already been written and finishes with glorious joy in heaven. Now we can see that all these "tragedies" along the way are not to be taken quite so seriously. For those who believe life ends in nothing, there is only ultimate despair and life becomes about living for the maximum personal pleasure. This is tragic in the end.
This is an excellent book and should be read.
June 2, 2014
I wish goodreads allowed for half stars because I would give this book 4.5 stars. This was another fantastic book by Veith. He is one of my favorite writers. I can't read enough enough from him or Michael Horton. This particular Veith book was really helpful for me as my own education regarding literature, how to read and understand it, is quite limited. I learned so much from this book I wish I could take a semester or two from Veith who is a professor of literature at Patrick Henry College. I loved the beginning chapters on the importance of reading and criticism, the forms of literature and all the examples and recommendations in the book that he gives. His treatment of obscenity, pornography, vulgarity, and profanity in the chapter on vicarious experience and sin were very interesting. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read broadly and to people who want to learn more about reading literature. Excellent!
September 27, 2014
A remarkable read! I especially valued Mr. Veith's thorough coverage of historical/literary periods as well as Christian authors' responses to their cultures through these eras. Although not a book on apologetics, Reading Between The Lines gave me ammunition against many of popular culture's attacks on the inspiration of Scripture. Finally, I marveled at the author's discussion of the centrality of words to the Christian faith, in which even our God is called "the Word."
June 13, 2012
This is an excellent primer for Christians embarking on the adventure of exploring great literature. Veith illuminates the murky and confusing panorama of Western literary history in a concise and readable style. Chances are you’ll come away from this volume freshly inspired to read more and read better books.
September 22, 2012
I was disappointed. Didactic and moralistic. His scholarship was well-done, his commentary not-so-much.
January 26, 2013
This book should not be read in college. This should be read by a High School Freshman. I had to read this for a class my Sophomore year in college, and I knew most of it already.
February 17, 2024
Incredible content but SUPER DENSE!
Only took me four years to read it 😂
Only took me four years to read it 😂
August 30, 2012
Ironically enough, I am not "reading" this book--I am listening to it on Audible while at work. The narrator speaks clearly and not too fast; I had no trouble following the material while working simultaneously (unlike the narrator for the Audible edition of Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death--a work Veith interacts with--who was flying at what seemed to be 100 WPM; I reported this issue and received a refund and a complementary $20 credit from Audible).
PREFACE
The author argues that many practices of our post-literate culture, such as abortion, are eerily similar to practices of pre-literate cultures, such as outright infanticide (00:34:13). Interesting statement, but I don't think this is a matter of causation.
In speaking of TV preachers, he mentions that TV, more suited to what people want than what people need, is very unlike Jesus, who would not give people what they WANT first and foremost, but what they needed (0:35:50).
A point the author makes is that a book's appropriateness or inappropriateness is to be judged by its effect on the reader, not merely for the type of content itself (1:05:30), and that to depict sin is not necessarily to advocate sin (1:07:15). For example, Scripture speaks of sexuality and gruesomely violent acts, but the way in which it does so is not likely to incite lustful or violent desire in the reader. The same can be said for Anna Karenina, a book that centers around adultery and its destructive effects.
The author highlights the differences between obscenity, pornography, vulgarity, and profanity.
--Obscene (1:10:40): out of the scene or offstage. Something that would wreck the decorum or aesthetic quality/mood of a Greek drama if it was done onstage, e.g., violence. In modern movies, when a sex scene is portrayed, some in the audience may respond sexually, rather than aesthetically, which is the desired response. "Stimulating an audience artistically takes skill and craft; stimulating them sexually is far easier" (1:12:50).
--Pornography: need to listen again.
--Vulgar (1:20:45): milder than obscene; means, "the common people." Comes from the idea that the lower class of people would entertain conversation topics the upper class would avoid, e.g., references that are embarrassing, rude, or out of place for the time and company, e.g., mild sexual innuendo, toilet talk, etc. These things are "not necessarily obscene, but usually vulgar." Even so, the author states, "Vulgarity may exhibit poor taste and should be avoided by Christians on aesthetic grounds, but it is seldom sinful."
--Profanity (1:22:57): the opposite of sacred, violating what is holy; from a Latin construct meaning, "outside the temple." The Bible says far more about profanity than about obscenity, pornography, or vulgarity. "Only what is religious risks being profane."
--Blasphemy (1:27:00): overt denigration of God; an extreme case of profanity.
The author rebukes prudish conservatives who want to see books banned from school curriculum and libraries because they contain PG-13 or perhaps R-rated (though not obscene) material, stating that to focus on those aspects of particular books is to often miss the big picture. For example, he defends Twain's use of "nigger" in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1:39:30) on two grounds:
1. The word was not as pejorative in the 19th century as it was in the 20th.
2. The theme of the book itself is that racism is evil.
He does admit, however, that the maturity of the classroom needs to be assessed before diving into books like Huckleberry Finn (1:41:00).
"Christians should make their presence known in the marketplace [by] refusing to waste money on worthless entertainment and actively supporting quality work" (1:45:20). The author recommends renting classic videos over the latest "slasher movie" or even turning off the TV and reading more.
What is a good book? (1:45:40)
--The enjoyable vs. the admirable (from Mortimer) (1:46:25)
---Enjoyable = subjective
---Admirable = objective
---Slasher movies may be enjoyable to some, but even those who enjoy them may not maintain that they are admirable.
---The process of learning how to enjoy the admirable is known as the cultivation of taste, and this is a spiritual thing, for the aesthetic principles are just as grounded into the created order as scientific ones (1:51:55).
THE FORMS OF LITERATURE
3. NON-FICTION: THE ART OF TRUTH-TELLING (1:52:15)
In good non-fiction, Veith states, the reader is "caught up" in what is being expressed by the author (2:04:10). He also maintains that "any subject can be made interesting by a good writer" (2:04:30). He thinks it's important that non-fiction authors avoids cliches (2:05:00).
4. FICTION: THE ART OF STORY-TELLING (2:21:17)
As evidenced by the popularity of fictional stories throughout history (and indeed in fictional movies in the modern age), the author concludes that mankind seems to have a "need" for stories (2:21:56) and attributes the capacity to invent stories as a remnant of the divine image given us by the Creator (2:22:15).
The author states that "stories are often better teachers than abstract discourses or straightforward exhortations" (2:27:38). He cites Kirkpatrick, who shows "how stories have always been the most important method of moral education" (2:28:25), using the Greeks and the shaping of their ideals by the nobility of the Homeric legends as an example.
The author argues that character is more important than plot in a story, even in commercials (2:47:25), and this is why people become so engrossed in soap operas--the plots are often outrageous or confusing, but the characters are intriguing (2:47:56). Bill Cosby, Lucille Ball, etc.--the most successful television shows are character-driven.
The author hits this point home by comparing Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. The former had inferior special effects and a more haphazard construction than the latter, but it fared much better. Why? The characters: "the ultra-rational Spock, the folsky Dr. McCoy, and the shrewd pragmatist Captain Kirk" (2:49:40). Aristotle observed the lesser power of what he termed the "spectacle" of a play, calling it the least artistic aspect of theater (2:50:10).
He believes that reading works by non-Christians can be helpful for Christians "if and only if they have a firm grasp of biblical truth and a well-sharpened critical sensibility, which comes from studying literature" (3:06:00). Herman Melville (1819-1891), for example, though a spiritually confused man, was able to vividly portray in Moby Dick's (1851) Ahab a human being rebelling against existence itself, a rebellion with "special resonance" for Christians (3:08:35).
5. POETRY: THE ART OF SINGING (3:19:20)
The author makes the claim that poetry is the "most natural form of literature," making the startling claim that all cultures have poetry (3:19:40). Of course, he considers song lyrics to be poetry.
The word "lyric poetry" comes from the instrument that accompanied it in Greek times, the lyre (3:20:21).
The main unit of prose the paragraph, of drama the scene, of poetry the line (3:23:04). I have forgotten most of the musical training I have ever received, and his explanation that meter is, in most basic terms, the number of syllables per line, amazed me, especially when he noted that one can sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to the tune of "Angels We Have Heard on High" and vice versa. Mind blown. I was a bit lost after this point in his discussion of poetrical structure, but hopefully I will re-listen to this section with pencil and paper in hand.
Prose hurries by to convey information, while poetry slows us down (3:29:50), and we can't read them in the same way. Poetry requires a more "active reading" than do other types of literature (3:32:30) and, according to the author, "is probably closer to reality," written as it is "out of the intensity of lived experience" (3:39:30).
Whereas Western poetry has largely revolved around rhyme schemes and metrical patterns, the ancient Hebrew form was based on parallelism, "saying the same thing twice in different ways," which some have thought to be the only poetic device able to be fully translated from one language to another, which the author sees as evidence of God's design (3:41:50).
The author also sees Hebrew parallelism as a factor in considering the synoptic gospels, the seemingly two different creation stories (Genesis 1 and 2), etc. (3:46:56).
He also points out that our Western imaginations are largely visual, and we want to visualize the characters and setting in literature (3:47:50). The ancient Hebrews, however, were wary of visual images, especially in light of the surrounding pagans and their graven images, while their God makes himself known not through sight, but through hearing. "The Hebrew prohibition of images manifests itself throughout their language and art" (3:48:14). While the Greeks often described the physical characters of their characters, the Hebrews never did, except for a few instances.
This understanding helps us in our understanding of the Song of Solomon; the woman's cheeks do not look like pomegranates, her hair like goats, her breasts like fawns, her neck like a tower; rather, her cheeks are fragrant (and, perhaps, taste like) pomegranates, etc. (3:50:27).
George Herbert
This is a poet I am not familiar with at all (3:52:20). I should re-listen to this section after familiarizing myself with him.
T.S. Eliot (4:04:05)
Even before his conversion, Eliot indicted the spiritual emptiness of the early 20th century, in effect saying (though not in these words), "There is no harmony and order in modern life; how can poetry about that life be harmonious and orderly?"
The Waste Land (4:08:36): Eliot's greatest and most famous poem, written shortly before his conversion.
THE MODES OF LITERATURE (4:15:55)
6. TRAGEDY AND COMEDY: THE LITERATURE OF DAMNATION AND SALVATION (4:17:37)
According to Dante, a tragedy is a story that begins in joy but ends in pain; a comedy is the converse (4:20:00). Hence the Divine Comedy, which begins in hell (Inferno), proceeds through purgatory (Purgatorio), and ends in heaven (Paradiso).
The author maintains that a Christian worldview encourages a comic sense of life (4:30:10) because although our life on earth (the beginning of our existence) is full of pain, the end is joy. In contrast (4:32:47), the Greeks had a tragic sense of life in which after death, all souls, good and evil, go to the shadowy place called Hades.
Tragedy
I find it humorous that the narrator pronounces the Greek word (ἁμαρτία) for the Aristotelian notion of tragic flaw (which is also the word translated "sin") hah-mahr-shee-uh (4:34:21) rather than the correct hah-mahr-tee-uh. Holding a more precise definition of tragedy than did Dante, Aristotle believed that the pain in the story must be caused by the tragic hero and not by mere accident in order for the story to be a true tragedy (4:42:00).
Comedy (4:50:20)
According to the classical theorists, the purpose of comedy is to ridicule vice (4:50:56). "Comedy teaches the audience to hold moral faults in contempt" (4:51:20). "Just as tragedies would portray noble characters...comedies would portray ignoble characters," such as shepherds or thieves or slaves (4:51:44).
The author claims that poking fun at something may often do more to refute an idea or cultural icon than intellectual analysis alone, citing Walter Percy's The Last Donahue Show(4:53:53).
The Romance (4:58:40)
The romance is a serious story with a happy ending, many of which having been preserved as fairy tales. Many of Shakespeare's works take this form.
Deus ex machina (5:02:30)
7. REALISM: LITERATURE AS A MIRROR (3:19:20)
"Realistic literature operates by defamiliarizing experience" (such as social ills and personal problems), for "familiarity breeds blindness" (5:19:30).
"Literature increases our perception, and this is why it can enrich our lives...[reading can make us] more aware of our surroundings, more sensitive to the people and events we encounter, and more alert to their significance and value," as happened to Londoners when they read Dickens' Oliver Twist (5:21:55).
He criticizes social realism (think Sinclair Lewis) for generating stereotyped characters that are either victims or products of their social or economic environments with no inner life (5:29:20). He also points out that social realism is the favored literature of communism, as it does not present individuals, but social classes (5:30:30).
He points out that authors can destroy the effect of realism by failing to include an important part of the setting. An example provided is Faulkner's avoiding the strong influence of the church in the South (5:39:30).
8. FANTASY: LITERATURE AS A LAMP (5:43:25)
"Fantasy draws upon the inward imagination rather than external reality for its subject matter" (5:44:00).
In the genre of fantasy would be the works of Irish satirist Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) (5:47:00).
He claims that Tolkein is plagarized by many of the "sword and sorcery authors" (5:56:59). Even so, Tolkein is able to create a Middle Earth of "eerie beauty and moral order that is party of that beauty," unlike the worlds found in many of his imitators, which are "dark, cynical, and repugnant."
The author believers that Christians, by virtue of their beliefs, have first dibs on fantasy, what with their focus on creation rather than imitation, which was central to the Greek Platonic worldview in which "the physical world is an imitation of an ideal realm [with art being] an imitation of that imitation," thus minimizing the importance of art (5:59:00). Many Greeks held to a "mythic cycle" form of creation in which "the universe came into being when the primal chaotic matter was organized and given form by an active agent, the Demiurge, working in accordance with the divine rational plan, the Logos." Plato and Aristotle rejected this in favor of a god understood as a first cause, which garnered early Christian respect. Contrast the love of imitation found in Greek culture with the virtual abstinence from imitation in the Hebrew culture.
In Narnia, Lewis was able to defamiliarize the gospel (6:19:40). It is fantasy that can tear the gospel away from stained glass and hushed voices and forced reverence so that the true excitement of the Christian story might shine through, in its real potency (6:20:30).
Fairy Tales - 6:20:50
The author explores Bruno Bettelheim's (1903-1990) thoughts on fairy tales and why they are important for children. Bettelheim prefers the often violent tales of the Brothers Grimm to the "sanitized versions of Walt Disney" (6:28:00). He believes that the horrible punishment of villains found in the Grimm stories is necessary so that children develop a sense of justice.
Science fiction is a modernized fairy tale--while in fairy tales, anything is possible by invoking magic, in science fiction, anything is possible by invoking science (6:37:15). Science fiction writers were the first to imagine submarines, atomic weapons, communication satellites, and space travel (6:38:10).
THE TRADITIONS OF LITERATURE
The author cites C.S. Lewis on the value of reading old books when he says, "Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books. All contemporary writers share to some extent the contemporary outlook—even those, like myself, who seem most opposed to it…To be sure, the books of the future would be just as good a corrective as the books of the past, but unfortunately we cannot get at them…People were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes.”
He then takes the reader on a journey from the Middle Ages, through Enlightenment and Romanticism, and finally to the Modern and Postmodern world, describing the limitations, worldviews, practices, and unique perspectives of each age. I need to re-listen/read to these parts again to get a good handle on them.
Criticisms:
I took issue with this: the author states that "American democracy was the creation of a word-centered culture and a literate populace" (0:31:56) and then questions whether freedom and democracy can endure in an increasingly iconographic culture in which people value a leader's charisma (how he makes them feel) over his ideas (how he makes them think). It is with the first statement of fact that I take issue. Not to mention that there were other literate cultures before America, I think that this is far too favorable an assessment of a nation that has denied literacy--and basic human rights--to millions of individuals living within her borders.
PREFACE
The author argues that many practices of our post-literate culture, such as abortion, are eerily similar to practices of pre-literate cultures, such as outright infanticide (00:34:13). Interesting statement, but I don't think this is a matter of causation.
In speaking of TV preachers, he mentions that TV, more suited to what people want than what people need, is very unlike Jesus, who would not give people what they WANT first and foremost, but what they needed (0:35:50).
A point the author makes is that a book's appropriateness or inappropriateness is to be judged by its effect on the reader, not merely for the type of content itself (1:05:30), and that to depict sin is not necessarily to advocate sin (1:07:15). For example, Scripture speaks of sexuality and gruesomely violent acts, but the way in which it does so is not likely to incite lustful or violent desire in the reader. The same can be said for Anna Karenina, a book that centers around adultery and its destructive effects.
The author highlights the differences between obscenity, pornography, vulgarity, and profanity.
--Obscene (1:10:40): out of the scene or offstage. Something that would wreck the decorum or aesthetic quality/mood of a Greek drama if it was done onstage, e.g., violence. In modern movies, when a sex scene is portrayed, some in the audience may respond sexually, rather than aesthetically, which is the desired response. "Stimulating an audience artistically takes skill and craft; stimulating them sexually is far easier" (1:12:50).
--Pornography: need to listen again.
--Vulgar (1:20:45): milder than obscene; means, "the common people." Comes from the idea that the lower class of people would entertain conversation topics the upper class would avoid, e.g., references that are embarrassing, rude, or out of place for the time and company, e.g., mild sexual innuendo, toilet talk, etc. These things are "not necessarily obscene, but usually vulgar." Even so, the author states, "Vulgarity may exhibit poor taste and should be avoided by Christians on aesthetic grounds, but it is seldom sinful."
--Profanity (1:22:57): the opposite of sacred, violating what is holy; from a Latin construct meaning, "outside the temple." The Bible says far more about profanity than about obscenity, pornography, or vulgarity. "Only what is religious risks being profane."
--Blasphemy (1:27:00): overt denigration of God; an extreme case of profanity.
The author rebukes prudish conservatives who want to see books banned from school curriculum and libraries because they contain PG-13 or perhaps R-rated (though not obscene) material, stating that to focus on those aspects of particular books is to often miss the big picture. For example, he defends Twain's use of "nigger" in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1:39:30) on two grounds:
1. The word was not as pejorative in the 19th century as it was in the 20th.
2. The theme of the book itself is that racism is evil.
He does admit, however, that the maturity of the classroom needs to be assessed before diving into books like Huckleberry Finn (1:41:00).
"Christians should make their presence known in the marketplace [by] refusing to waste money on worthless entertainment and actively supporting quality work" (1:45:20). The author recommends renting classic videos over the latest "slasher movie" or even turning off the TV and reading more.
What is a good book? (1:45:40)
--The enjoyable vs. the admirable (from Mortimer) (1:46:25)
---Enjoyable = subjective
---Admirable = objective
---Slasher movies may be enjoyable to some, but even those who enjoy them may not maintain that they are admirable.
---The process of learning how to enjoy the admirable is known as the cultivation of taste, and this is a spiritual thing, for the aesthetic principles are just as grounded into the created order as scientific ones (1:51:55).
THE FORMS OF LITERATURE
3. NON-FICTION: THE ART OF TRUTH-TELLING (1:52:15)
In good non-fiction, Veith states, the reader is "caught up" in what is being expressed by the author (2:04:10). He also maintains that "any subject can be made interesting by a good writer" (2:04:30). He thinks it's important that non-fiction authors avoids cliches (2:05:00).
4. FICTION: THE ART OF STORY-TELLING (2:21:17)
As evidenced by the popularity of fictional stories throughout history (and indeed in fictional movies in the modern age), the author concludes that mankind seems to have a "need" for stories (2:21:56) and attributes the capacity to invent stories as a remnant of the divine image given us by the Creator (2:22:15).
The author states that "stories are often better teachers than abstract discourses or straightforward exhortations" (2:27:38). He cites Kirkpatrick, who shows "how stories have always been the most important method of moral education" (2:28:25), using the Greeks and the shaping of their ideals by the nobility of the Homeric legends as an example.
The author argues that character is more important than plot in a story, even in commercials (2:47:25), and this is why people become so engrossed in soap operas--the plots are often outrageous or confusing, but the characters are intriguing (2:47:56). Bill Cosby, Lucille Ball, etc.--the most successful television shows are character-driven.
The author hits this point home by comparing Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. The former had inferior special effects and a more haphazard construction than the latter, but it fared much better. Why? The characters: "the ultra-rational Spock, the folsky Dr. McCoy, and the shrewd pragmatist Captain Kirk" (2:49:40). Aristotle observed the lesser power of what he termed the "spectacle" of a play, calling it the least artistic aspect of theater (2:50:10).
He believes that reading works by non-Christians can be helpful for Christians "if and only if they have a firm grasp of biblical truth and a well-sharpened critical sensibility, which comes from studying literature" (3:06:00). Herman Melville (1819-1891), for example, though a spiritually confused man, was able to vividly portray in Moby Dick's (1851) Ahab a human being rebelling against existence itself, a rebellion with "special resonance" for Christians (3:08:35).
5. POETRY: THE ART OF SINGING (3:19:20)
The author makes the claim that poetry is the "most natural form of literature," making the startling claim that all cultures have poetry (3:19:40). Of course, he considers song lyrics to be poetry.
The word "lyric poetry" comes from the instrument that accompanied it in Greek times, the lyre (3:20:21).
The main unit of prose the paragraph, of drama the scene, of poetry the line (3:23:04). I have forgotten most of the musical training I have ever received, and his explanation that meter is, in most basic terms, the number of syllables per line, amazed me, especially when he noted that one can sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to the tune of "Angels We Have Heard on High" and vice versa. Mind blown. I was a bit lost after this point in his discussion of poetrical structure, but hopefully I will re-listen to this section with pencil and paper in hand.
Prose hurries by to convey information, while poetry slows us down (3:29:50), and we can't read them in the same way. Poetry requires a more "active reading" than do other types of literature (3:32:30) and, according to the author, "is probably closer to reality," written as it is "out of the intensity of lived experience" (3:39:30).
Whereas Western poetry has largely revolved around rhyme schemes and metrical patterns, the ancient Hebrew form was based on parallelism, "saying the same thing twice in different ways," which some have thought to be the only poetic device able to be fully translated from one language to another, which the author sees as evidence of God's design (3:41:50).
The author also sees Hebrew parallelism as a factor in considering the synoptic gospels, the seemingly two different creation stories (Genesis 1 and 2), etc. (3:46:56).
He also points out that our Western imaginations are largely visual, and we want to visualize the characters and setting in literature (3:47:50). The ancient Hebrews, however, were wary of visual images, especially in light of the surrounding pagans and their graven images, while their God makes himself known not through sight, but through hearing. "The Hebrew prohibition of images manifests itself throughout their language and art" (3:48:14). While the Greeks often described the physical characters of their characters, the Hebrews never did, except for a few instances.
This understanding helps us in our understanding of the Song of Solomon; the woman's cheeks do not look like pomegranates, her hair like goats, her breasts like fawns, her neck like a tower; rather, her cheeks are fragrant (and, perhaps, taste like) pomegranates, etc. (3:50:27).
George Herbert
This is a poet I am not familiar with at all (3:52:20). I should re-listen to this section after familiarizing myself with him.
T.S. Eliot (4:04:05)
Even before his conversion, Eliot indicted the spiritual emptiness of the early 20th century, in effect saying (though not in these words), "There is no harmony and order in modern life; how can poetry about that life be harmonious and orderly?"
The Waste Land (4:08:36): Eliot's greatest and most famous poem, written shortly before his conversion.
THE MODES OF LITERATURE (4:15:55)
6. TRAGEDY AND COMEDY: THE LITERATURE OF DAMNATION AND SALVATION (4:17:37)
According to Dante, a tragedy is a story that begins in joy but ends in pain; a comedy is the converse (4:20:00). Hence the Divine Comedy, which begins in hell (Inferno), proceeds through purgatory (Purgatorio), and ends in heaven (Paradiso).
The author maintains that a Christian worldview encourages a comic sense of life (4:30:10) because although our life on earth (the beginning of our existence) is full of pain, the end is joy. In contrast (4:32:47), the Greeks had a tragic sense of life in which after death, all souls, good and evil, go to the shadowy place called Hades.
Tragedy
I find it humorous that the narrator pronounces the Greek word (ἁμαρτία) for the Aristotelian notion of tragic flaw (which is also the word translated "sin") hah-mahr-shee-uh (4:34:21) rather than the correct hah-mahr-tee-uh. Holding a more precise definition of tragedy than did Dante, Aristotle believed that the pain in the story must be caused by the tragic hero and not by mere accident in order for the story to be a true tragedy (4:42:00).
Comedy (4:50:20)
According to the classical theorists, the purpose of comedy is to ridicule vice (4:50:56). "Comedy teaches the audience to hold moral faults in contempt" (4:51:20). "Just as tragedies would portray noble characters...comedies would portray ignoble characters," such as shepherds or thieves or slaves (4:51:44).
The author claims that poking fun at something may often do more to refute an idea or cultural icon than intellectual analysis alone, citing Walter Percy's The Last Donahue Show(4:53:53).
The Romance (4:58:40)
The romance is a serious story with a happy ending, many of which having been preserved as fairy tales. Many of Shakespeare's works take this form.
Deus ex machina (5:02:30)
7. REALISM: LITERATURE AS A MIRROR (3:19:20)
"Realistic literature operates by defamiliarizing experience" (such as social ills and personal problems), for "familiarity breeds blindness" (5:19:30).
"Literature increases our perception, and this is why it can enrich our lives...[reading can make us] more aware of our surroundings, more sensitive to the people and events we encounter, and more alert to their significance and value," as happened to Londoners when they read Dickens' Oliver Twist (5:21:55).
He criticizes social realism (think Sinclair Lewis) for generating stereotyped characters that are either victims or products of their social or economic environments with no inner life (5:29:20). He also points out that social realism is the favored literature of communism, as it does not present individuals, but social classes (5:30:30).
He points out that authors can destroy the effect of realism by failing to include an important part of the setting. An example provided is Faulkner's avoiding the strong influence of the church in the South (5:39:30).
8. FANTASY: LITERATURE AS A LAMP (5:43:25)
"Fantasy draws upon the inward imagination rather than external reality for its subject matter" (5:44:00).
In the genre of fantasy would be the works of Irish satirist Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) (5:47:00).
He claims that Tolkein is plagarized by many of the "sword and sorcery authors" (5:56:59). Even so, Tolkein is able to create a Middle Earth of "eerie beauty and moral order that is party of that beauty," unlike the worlds found in many of his imitators, which are "dark, cynical, and repugnant."
The author believers that Christians, by virtue of their beliefs, have first dibs on fantasy, what with their focus on creation rather than imitation, which was central to the Greek Platonic worldview in which "the physical world is an imitation of an ideal realm [with art being] an imitation of that imitation," thus minimizing the importance of art (5:59:00). Many Greeks held to a "mythic cycle" form of creation in which "the universe came into being when the primal chaotic matter was organized and given form by an active agent, the Demiurge, working in accordance with the divine rational plan, the Logos." Plato and Aristotle rejected this in favor of a god understood as a first cause, which garnered early Christian respect. Contrast the love of imitation found in Greek culture with the virtual abstinence from imitation in the Hebrew culture.
In Narnia, Lewis was able to defamiliarize the gospel (6:19:40). It is fantasy that can tear the gospel away from stained glass and hushed voices and forced reverence so that the true excitement of the Christian story might shine through, in its real potency (6:20:30).
Fairy Tales - 6:20:50
The author explores Bruno Bettelheim's (1903-1990) thoughts on fairy tales and why they are important for children. Bettelheim prefers the often violent tales of the Brothers Grimm to the "sanitized versions of Walt Disney" (6:28:00). He believes that the horrible punishment of villains found in the Grimm stories is necessary so that children develop a sense of justice.
Science fiction is a modernized fairy tale--while in fairy tales, anything is possible by invoking magic, in science fiction, anything is possible by invoking science (6:37:15). Science fiction writers were the first to imagine submarines, atomic weapons, communication satellites, and space travel (6:38:10).
THE TRADITIONS OF LITERATURE
The author cites C.S. Lewis on the value of reading old books when he says, "Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books. All contemporary writers share to some extent the contemporary outlook—even those, like myself, who seem most opposed to it…To be sure, the books of the future would be just as good a corrective as the books of the past, but unfortunately we cannot get at them…People were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes.”
He then takes the reader on a journey from the Middle Ages, through Enlightenment and Romanticism, and finally to the Modern and Postmodern world, describing the limitations, worldviews, practices, and unique perspectives of each age. I need to re-listen/read to these parts again to get a good handle on them.
Criticisms:
I took issue with this: the author states that "American democracy was the creation of a word-centered culture and a literate populace" (0:31:56) and then questions whether freedom and democracy can endure in an increasingly iconographic culture in which people value a leader's charisma (how he makes them feel) over his ideas (how he makes them think). It is with the first statement of fact that I take issue. Not to mention that there were other literate cultures before America, I think that this is far too favorable an assessment of a nation that has denied literacy--and basic human rights--to millions of individuals living within her borders.
September 6, 2025
I think it’s pretty obvious by now that I love books, but sometimes I feel like a fraud when it comes to reading and studying literature. I don’t have an English degree and I haven’t spent much time studying the classics. But I’m always looking to learn more, and thankfully there are books like this one that provide all the education without the hefty college tuition.
In this book that blends literature, history, and theology, Christian literature professor Gene Edward Veith hopes to “promote critical reading, the habit of reading with discernment and an awareness of later contexts and deeper implications.” Veith begins with the premise that reading is a precious gift of God, and his stated purpose is to encourage people to utilize this gift to its fullest by helping us to read closely, to understand what we read, and to appreciate and enjoy good literature. Though originally published in 1990, it felt shockingly timely in its invitation for distracted Christians to return to the time-honored study of good books. (That said, some parts are quite dated, such as the bemoaning of contemporary obsession with TV [which feels almost quint now], and discussion of running around to brick-and-mortar bookstore searching for books.)
In the book’s opening chapter, Veith explains why reading has always been important to Christians, who are to be people of the Word. Veith goes on to explore the good and bad things that books can promote, then offers detailed explanation of various forms (nonfiction, fiction, poetry) and genres (tragedy, comedy, realism, fantasy). From here, we enter into a tour through literary history with an examination of the literary landscape during various periods—beginning with Medieval literature and leading up to the Postmodern era, and showing how Christians have remained relevant within each age. The book ends with a study of the relationship between authors, publishers, and readers, particularly how Christians can have an impact on the literary world.
This book covers a lot of ground and was a little much for me to take in all at once, especially on audio. But the content is golden, offering a comprehensive look at various aspects of literary history and analysis and providing support for understanding all of it through a Biblical lens. My biggest revelations came from the section on the various genres: I learned SO MUCH about tragedy, comedy, realism, and fantasy, and how each of these relate to our faith. The whole book (but this section in particular) has given me a greater appreciation for the intricate interplay between faith and literary form. I loved seeing how faith plays into books by secular writers, but I was especially intrigued by the highlighting of Christian authors within each genre and time frame and enjoyed seeing how Christians throughout history have allowed their faith and values to inform their work.
This would be worth a reread in print. I can see our family using this as part of our homeschool curriculum when we get to high school. And it was a great pairing with The Redeemed Reader, the book on children’s literature that introduced me to this title!
My Rating: 4 Stars // Book Format: Audiobook
In this book that blends literature, history, and theology, Christian literature professor Gene Edward Veith hopes to “promote critical reading, the habit of reading with discernment and an awareness of later contexts and deeper implications.” Veith begins with the premise that reading is a precious gift of God, and his stated purpose is to encourage people to utilize this gift to its fullest by helping us to read closely, to understand what we read, and to appreciate and enjoy good literature. Though originally published in 1990, it felt shockingly timely in its invitation for distracted Christians to return to the time-honored study of good books. (That said, some parts are quite dated, such as the bemoaning of contemporary obsession with TV [which feels almost quint now], and discussion of running around to brick-and-mortar bookstore searching for books.)
In the book’s opening chapter, Veith explains why reading has always been important to Christians, who are to be people of the Word. Veith goes on to explore the good and bad things that books can promote, then offers detailed explanation of various forms (nonfiction, fiction, poetry) and genres (tragedy, comedy, realism, fantasy). From here, we enter into a tour through literary history with an examination of the literary landscape during various periods—beginning with Medieval literature and leading up to the Postmodern era, and showing how Christians have remained relevant within each age. The book ends with a study of the relationship between authors, publishers, and readers, particularly how Christians can have an impact on the literary world.
This book covers a lot of ground and was a little much for me to take in all at once, especially on audio. But the content is golden, offering a comprehensive look at various aspects of literary history and analysis and providing support for understanding all of it through a Biblical lens. My biggest revelations came from the section on the various genres: I learned SO MUCH about tragedy, comedy, realism, and fantasy, and how each of these relate to our faith. The whole book (but this section in particular) has given me a greater appreciation for the intricate interplay between faith and literary form. I loved seeing how faith plays into books by secular writers, but I was especially intrigued by the highlighting of Christian authors within each genre and time frame and enjoyed seeing how Christians throughout history have allowed their faith and values to inform their work.
This would be worth a reread in print. I can see our family using this as part of our homeschool curriculum when we get to high school. And it was a great pairing with The Redeemed Reader, the book on children’s literature that introduced me to this title!
My Rating: 4 Stars // Book Format: Audiobook
October 7, 2021
Reading Between the Lines is like a portable literature class, and in it Veith shines in his role as professor. His aim is to “help people be better readers,” and the reading he promotes is “critical reading, the habit of reading with discernment and an awareness of larger contexts and deeper implications.” But first, he makes the case for reading in general. “Christians, to maintain their Word-centered perspective on an image-driven world, must become readers.” Reading is not only an important aspect of maintaining Christian doctrine and avoiding the cultural tendency towards image-based mediums, but it is also necessary because “readers exert the most influence on society.” If we want Christians to lead in business, politics, academia, etc., we need to cultivate a love for reading and an ability to read with comprehension.
The book is organized really well. After addressing the importance and dangers of reading, it discusses three different fields: (1) Forms of Literature (nonfiction, fiction, and poetry), (2) Modes of Literature (tragedy and comedy, realism, and fantasy), and (3) Traditions of Literature (Middle Ages and the Reformation, Enlightenment and Romanticism, and Modernism and Postmodernism).
Veith is extremely well-read and provides helpful commentary on the different genres and epochs of literature, all while modeling the fruit of the type of reading he commends.
The book is organized really well. After addressing the importance and dangers of reading, it discusses three different fields: (1) Forms of Literature (nonfiction, fiction, and poetry), (2) Modes of Literature (tragedy and comedy, realism, and fantasy), and (3) Traditions of Literature (Middle Ages and the Reformation, Enlightenment and Romanticism, and Modernism and Postmodernism).
Veith is extremely well-read and provides helpful commentary on the different genres and epochs of literature, all while modeling the fruit of the type of reading he commends.
January 27, 2023
A solid resource, providing background for the different philosophical and societal movements that have shaped literature and genre through the centuries. I enjoyed the section on genre the most. The examples given and the applications were the strongest. While it could be helpful for others who haven't had a background in philosophy or the history of ideas, the section on philosophical movements was information I had already encountered. Additionally, while I realize this is a primer on the subject, the descriptions and explanations of the different movements tended to be simplistic and stereotypical.
Veith encourages Christian writers and readers to write and read well because Christian values line up with the created order, and thus provide good pleasure (compared to the cheap pleasure that modern sensationalist books give). My own sticking point with this was that Veith recommended some Christian authors (to read in place of the sensationalist popular reading) that I thought were just as sensationalist as the non-Christian counterparts. Just because it's Christian and has a moralist message at the end doesn't make it good. (To be fair to Veith, he says the same.)
Overall, this is a good introductory text to critically reading literature from all time periods with the Christian worldview in mind.
Veith encourages Christian writers and readers to write and read well because Christian values line up with the created order, and thus provide good pleasure (compared to the cheap pleasure that modern sensationalist books give). My own sticking point with this was that Veith recommended some Christian authors (to read in place of the sensationalist popular reading) that I thought were just as sensationalist as the non-Christian counterparts. Just because it's Christian and has a moralist message at the end doesn't make it good. (To be fair to Veith, he says the same.)
Overall, this is a good introductory text to critically reading literature from all time periods with the Christian worldview in mind.
September 27, 2023
This is quite possibly one of the best books I have read this year. Dr. Veith argues for the importance of literature in the Christian life. Chapters are devoted to exploring the definition of good literature within various genres, e.g. realistic literature, poetry, fantasy, non-fiction, etc. He also explains what features bad literature might have. Sadly, our postmodern culture's emphasis on finding "your own truth" (or blatantly denying the existence of truth) results in a lack of standards and good morals in best-selling book lists. Thus, it is difficult to find books that proclaim the truth (and spoiler alert: they don't have to be branded as "Christian literature" to do this, although they sometimes can.) The last chapter features a recommended reading list, which I hope to use as I am able. This book has encouraged me to branch out and push my literacy/discernment skills by reading books that have stood the test of time.
One thing I wish this book had to offer was more recommended reading for people who may not have the time or ability for super deep reading. In this busy phase of motherhood, I can't say I have the energy to try to decode Dante's Divine Comedy, Milton's Paradise Lost, or other books of this nature.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who spends the majority of their free time reading!
One thing I wish this book had to offer was more recommended reading for people who may not have the time or ability for super deep reading. In this busy phase of motherhood, I can't say I have the energy to try to decode Dante's Divine Comedy, Milton's Paradise Lost, or other books of this nature.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who spends the majority of their free time reading!
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