Saturday Good Reads - July 13, 2024

One of the first presidents of my alma mater LSU was none other that William Tecumseh Sherman, he of “March Through Georgia” fame during the Civil War. He was only president for a short time, resigning to accept a command in the U.S. Army. After the Civil War, no name was more notorious in the defeated South than Sherman’s. I’ve wondered if he ever visited LSU (then at Pineville, La.). As it turns out, he did, at least twice.  

Brett McCracken at Family Movie Night has a list of 10 “non-cringe” faith-based movies. I see a list like that, and I have to see which ones I’ve seen. The answer is: seven. (And the list doesn’t include Chariots of Fire or The Sound of Freedom.)

 

Adman Khan at The Walrus has a fascinating story about the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. Well, it’s less about Vermeer and more about the scientist who’s been on a quest to unlock the true colors Vermeer painted with. 

 

More Good Reads

 

Life and Culture

 

We’ve been accidentally cooling the planet – and it’s about to stop – Shannon Osaka at The Washington Post (via Yahoo News). 

 

The Strange Case of Yoursisbillie – Brent Lucia at Farm from Equilibrium. 

 

Israel and Anti-Semitism

 

We Misunderstood the Nazis – Matti Friedman at The Free Press.

 

Columbia removes three deans from power for ‘very troubling’ antisemitic text messages – Matt Egan at CNN.

 

British Stuff

 

Lockdowns and the problem with science-based policy – Max Lacour at The Critic Magazine.

 

In Itchy Park with Jack London – Spitalfields Life.

 

Lady Godiva: did she or didn’t she? – Annie Whitehead at Casting Light upon the Shadow.

 

‘It’s complete surrender’—Olympics hero Eric Liddell and the true story behind Chariots of Fire – Greg McKevitt at BBC.

 

Writing and Literature

 

The Final Prayer of Jim Barry – Max Livatino at Front Porch Republic.

 

Poetry

 

Poetry Doesn’t Need a Room of One’s Own – Nadya Williams at Church Life Journal.

 

Bureaucratic brick wall –Franco Amati at Garbage Notes.

 

Valediction –Paul Wittenberger at Paul’s Substack.

 

Faith

 

Cognitive Decline and Common Faults – Tim Challies.

 

Faith’s Review and Expectation: A Look at the Original ‘Amazing Grace’ – Clayton Hutchins at Mere Orthodoxy.

 

What’s the Earliest Record of Jesus’s Childhood? – Michael Kruger at The Gospel Coalition.

 

Art and Sculpture

 

Why Are Most Ancient Roman Statues Headless? – Alexander Gale at Greek Reporter.

 

Moth – Sonja Benskin Mesher.

 

Shenandoah – Peter Hollens (a capella)

 Illustration: Liseuse, woodcut (1905) by Lucien Pissarro (1863-1944).

Saturday Good Reads: The School of the Transfer of Energy

A few miles southeast of Wichita, Kansas, lies the town of Rose Hill, and it is there you will find The School of the Transfer of Energy. The “head” of the school is a painter, carpenter, printmaker, sculptor, farmer named Jack Baumgartner. Oh, he’s a puppeteer, too.

I can’t remember how I happened upon his web site, but one day I landed there, and found it to be a remarkable place indeed. He describes it as a studio-workshop-farm, and it is all of these but something more, too.

Part of the wonder is how he documents what he’s doing – primarily by photography. The photographs themselves – working at red cedar, drawing, sawing, details of prints – are works of art in themselves. They remind me of the mystery, or almost-mystery that you find in Ann Voskamp’s photos at A Holy Experience. Or is it wonder?

Baumgartner creates objects of art large, small and in-between. He creates furniture and wooden sculpture, decorative items using a deer skull, carved goblets and plates. And the prints, oh, yes, the prints, things of beauty and intrigue, pulling you in to study them closely to see all of what’s there – and you keep finding new things.

Pay Jack a visit, and see some of the beauty that’s there. Be forewarned – you can spend a lot of time in The School of the Transfer of Energy.

Illustration: the Archway by Jack Baumgartner (detail).