Two new books ~ one bought, one borrowed

What's in It for Me? : Finding Ourselves in Biblical Narratives ~ by Stephen Lewis Fuchs, 2014, theology

The world is rapidly dividing between those who take biblical narratives as the literal word of God — claiming that they are historically and scientifically true — and those who dismiss those narratives as quaint or even foolish fairy tales.  Fuchs invites the reader to discover a middle ground that takes biblical narratives seriously without regard to their historical or scientific truth.  The "truth" of these stories has nothing to do with, "Did this really happen?"  Their truth emerges in the valuable lessons these stories can teach all of us.  As we walk the rich middle ground of biblical narrative, we shall keep one question constantly in mind:  Where am I in the text?  In other words, what do these stories teach ME that can help me to be a more self aware, caring, and compassionate human being?

From the Introduction

"The God of the Torah wants us to use our power to create a just, caring, and compassionate society.  We human beings have godlike abilities, and the Almighty has set us in charge of, and responsible for, the earth.  We have awesome power.  We can use it for good or for ill.  Since we have free will, the choice is ours" (loc. 171).

P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever ~ by Raj Haldar, illustrated by Maria Tina Beddia, 2018, children's picture book

Turning the traditional idea of an alphabet book on its head, P is for Pterodactyl is perfect for anyone who has ever been stumped by silent letters or confused by absurd homophones.  This whimsical, unique book takes silent letter entries like "K is for Knight" a step further with "The noble knight's knife nicked the knave's knee."  Lively illustrations provide context clues, and alliterative words help readers navigate text like "a bright white gnat is gnawing on my gnocchi" with ease.  Everyone from early learners to grown-up grammarians will love this wacky book where "A is for Aisle," but "Y is definitely not for Why."

I bought the first book for my Kindle, but the children's book is from the library.  Yes, I'm fascinated by widely different ideas.