Saturday Good Reads

The Catholic Church scandal continues to grow. The Nebraska attorney general has now asked three dioceses for records. The Missouri attorney general has started an investigation. Cathiolics are beginning to see this as more than a crisis, says Canadian David Warren. A bishop resigns from his diocese in Kansas and submits his resignation from the priesthood – at 78 years old. The Get Religion blog continues to look at the international mainstream media, and isn’t, covering the issue. These are dark days for the oldest Christian church.

My favorite character in The Lord of the Ringstrilogy was and remains Sam Gamgee, Frodo Baggins’ faithful friend. At An Unexpected Journey, Zak Schmoll writes about the heroism of the ordinary in Tolkien’s great work, and Sam has a large place in that. 

Clive James on his new epic poem, Ann Kroeker on writing tight, Michael Perry on the value of the old family snapshot, Daniel Luttrell on the impact of Facebook on local politics, some color photos of pre-Revolution Russia commissioned by the tsar, and more.

Art and Photography

Flowers Seen Darkly and Smallscale Wildlife – Tim Good at Photography by Tiwago.

Russia in Color: Photos of Life in Russia Before the Revolution – Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky via Getty Images.

Faith

Something More than a “Crisis” (at The Catholic Thing) and What to Do – both by David Warren.

Thinking about religion-beat whistleblowers – who are on the wrong side of history – Terry Mattingly at Get Religion.

From a Moral-Historical Perspective, This Crisis is Worse Than You Realize– Ben Wiker at National Catholic Register.

Bishop Morrie resigns from diocese amid tears – Michael Leach at National Catholic Reporter (Hat Tip: J of India).

Why Archbishop Vigano is almost certainly telling the truth -- Edward Feser.

Complexity is Sometimes Necessary – Zak Schmoll at Entering the Public Square.

Life and Culture

How did Lewis and Tolkien Defend the Old West? – Bradley Birzer at The Imaginative Conservative(Hat Tip: Zak Schmoll). (Article published in 2015.)

The Facebookification of Local Politics: Extending the Wall of the Bathroom Stall – Daniel Luttrell at Front Porch Republic. 

The power of the old family snapshot – Michael Perry at the Wisconsin State Journal.

On Death and Grief – Andrew Gardner.

Poetry

September 2^nd – Chris Yokel.

Haiku #46 – Helen at His Refuge Wings.

‘The story of a mind heaving into oblivion’ – Clive James at The Guardian.

Writing and Literature

The Heroism of the Ordinary in The Lord of the Rings – Zak Schmoll at An Unexpected Journal.

How to be a Better Writer: Write Tight – Ann Kroeker.

The Practical Magic of Joan Aiken, the Greatest Children’s Writer You’ve Likely Never Read – Brian Phillips at The New Yorker.

Be Thou My Vision – Nathan Pacheco

Painting: Man reading, oil on canvas by Albert Ranney Chewett(1877-1965).