Welcome to this week’s edition of the Reading Journal! I’ve been dedicating extra time and energy to finishing up the long-form post for Notes from the Fray this week, so this post won’t be quite as long as last week’s.
That Hideous Strength
I’ve hit a point in this book where the tension and suspense are propelling me forward. What has really struck me this week is how Lewis integrated his knowledge of English legend into this novel so naturally. It feels like it belongs in his story. Lewis’s incorporation of legends surrounding Merlin into the world he’s created for Ransom is beautifully done and makes for a believable and consistent world while also maintaining its mystery and wonder.
Something that struck me about the other two books and has, recently, shown up in this one, too, is how good Lewis was at writing scary scenes. There have been places in all three novels where I’ve been scared for Ransom or, in this one, for Studdock as they face unknown places and powers. Lewis does an excellent job of taking a scene that might not seem to be fear-provoking at first and drawing the reader’s attention to just how frightening it would be to be in that situation.
Along those lines, the vision of the N.I.C.E., of an inorganic and utilitarian world ruled by technocrats, is too close to reality for my comfort. Too often this is the vision I see being acted out among the influential people of the world; they believe the future will be ruled by a few powerful men and want to be sure that they are in the inner circle when that happens. While I don’t believe the real-world equivalent of the people in the N.I.C.E. will ever succeed, it does make me want to fight for the things that will need preserving and defending from their efforts.
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
This week, the sections I’ve read in this book have been discussing some of the natural results of what I mentioned last week. Those philosophies of Reich and Marcuse, once adopted by a certain set of people, led to what Trueman believes to be somewhat paradoxical alliances between groups in the LGBTQ+ community. Trueman points out that these alliances, although the groups themselves at one time were not friendly toward one another, were formed for political reasons. Because the goal became the abolishing of sexual norms, it became necessary for once antagonistic groups to support each other in the common cause of breaking off the shackles of society. I’m still in the thick of this section, so I’m going to wait to write any more until I’ve seen more of the picture Trueman is painting.
Do More Better
I finished this book last weekend and need to start implementing his system. I think I’m in a phase of life better suited to this system than I was during previous times I’ve read this book.
In my opinion, the crowning jewel of Challies’s system is found in the final chapter of the book: his weekly review. This maintenance of the system is the thing I have found missing in a lot of productivity systems or suggestions. Challies lays out a basic framework for a weekly review of your system. He reviews his mission statements in each area of responsibility in his life, takes a big-picture look at his calendar and tasks, makes sure he processes everything in his task and information inboxes, and makes any system adjustments he finds necessary. Although it takes a little extra time each week, I think this is the only way to maintain a system like his. It also serves as a good weekly reminder of what core responsibilities and callings God has called you to and provides an opportunity to adjust any commitments that don’t fit.
That concludes this week’s entry in the Reading Journal! I hope you found it helpful. If you know someone you think might enjoy this and Notes from the Fray, please share this with them. As always, feel free to continue the conversation in the comments!
In Him and for His Glory