On Marriage – Timothy Keller and Kathy Keller
“[Adam’s] first Hebrew word means “At last.” It can also be translated “Finally!” He is saying, “This is what I’ve been looking for. This is what has been missing.” But what was it? He says that she is “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.” It’s a way of saying “I have found myself in you. At last, by knowing you I can know myself.” Remember that Adam is speaking from paradise, where he has a perfect relationship with God. Yet finding a spouse and partner speaks to something so profound in us that Adam erupts in adoration through artistic expression.” P. 46-47
When one has found oneself in what is called “marriageable age”, it is almost impossible not to find such a person reading a book or another about marriage. On Marriage is a small book that is easy to carry around and finish in a day or two, depending on one’s schedule. But its size does not determine its value. On Marriage is succinct and filled with wisdom and compassion. The authors, whom I respect, tried to help readers understand marriage in its proper context, pointing to God, sometimes using personal examples. The book is part of a larger series on ‘How to Find God’. And reading this book, it is evident that marriage, indeed, is one of the places to find God, especially as the Bible presents the relationship between Christ and the Church as a marriage. I would recommend this book to anyone curious about what marriage is and why it matters.
Civilisation: The West and the Rest – Niall Ferguson
“What makes a civilization real to its inhabitants, in the end, is not the splendid edifices at its centre, nor even the smooth functioning of the institutions they house. At its core, a civilization is the texts that are taught in its schools, learned by its students and recollected in times of tribulation….And how good are we at teaching them, given our educational theorists’ aversion to formal knowledge and rote-learning? Maybe the real threat is posed not by the rise of China, Islam or CO₂ emissions, but by our own loss of faith in the civilization we inherited from our ancestors.” Pp. 324-325
Because the air we breathe is Western, I needed to read Niall Ferguson’s account of why Western civilisation has largely been undefeated in its domination of the world. I read this book for two reasons: the title piqued my interest, and Ferguson had been highly recommended by a few people I like to listen to. So, why did the West become the first among the Rest? According to Ferguson, it boils down to these broad categories: Competition, Science, Property Rights, Medicine, The Consumer Society and the [Protestant] Work Ethic, most of which were hinged upon Christianity. The entire book is an exploration of these factors, including many other gems of history that add nuance and perspective to Western ascendancy. I think that this book is important not just for its perspective, but also because it helps one appreciate the virtues of Western civilisation that are increasingly under attack by those who revel in throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Like Ferguson, I do not believe the West is without faults, but denying its positive impacts is dishonest. And while there is absolutely no obligation to agree with this account, I believe it is largely fair, a good read and a worthy purchase.
Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World – Niall Ferguson
“…The Empire, it might be said, was built on a huge sugar, caffeine and nicotine rush – a rush nearly everyone could experience.” P. 15
I’m a great admirer of the British – their language, wit and dry, self-deprecating humour. I also admire the audacity to subject more than a quarter of the world to their power (please understand that admiration does not equal approval). When one considers the size of Britain in comparison to the land mass and peoples they subjected to themselves, one is forced to marvel. It was a David versus Goliath sort of thing.
Now, having thoroughly enjoyed Niall Ferguson’s Civilisation, I did not hesitate to purchase and read this book. Was it worth it? Absolutely yes! I finished reading the book feeling like I understood the United Kingdom and the rest of the world better. Ferguson, being a British subject, did not hesitate to point out all the wrongs of empire building; however, he tried to show how some good came out of the whole operation. That’s how I like to understand history, to always critique: identify wrongs, but appreciate the good. This book touches close to home because Britain colonised Nigeria. So, its history is also my history. I think it’s also important for me to say that I’m thankful for all the good that came from Great Britain’s might, including its naval power and its ability to end the transatlantic slave trade. The British were far from perfect, but like empires before them, they did their bit to the best of their ability, and history took them off the scene. This is another book for the history nerds.
Jagua Nana – Cyprian Ekwensi
“She had not finished admiring herself in the mirror. JAGWA. She gave herself the title now, whispering it and summoning up in her mind all the fantastic elegance it was supposed to conjure up. JAGWA. It was like an invocation.” P.104
Having read several books that were somewhat philosophical. I needed a palette cleanse. I felt a strong need to read fiction, particularly Nigerian fiction. I still had a small pile of foreign classics that I lacked the mental strength to engage with. So, I picked up a Nigerian classic: Jagua Nana. It was a fast read. Jagua Nana, the titular character, is a Lagos woman living in Lagos in all its glory: worldly, fast, nasty, brutish and short; an honest commentary on city life. One reads the book and finds that Nigeria has not changed much.
The history nerd in me was excited to read something about colonial Nigeria, humanising the facts found in history pages. Jagua Nana is as much about the titular character as it is about the socio-political state of pre-colonial Nigeria on the verge of independence. Observing the country through the lens of a ‘loose’ woman who is generally regarded as unqualified to have an opinion on politics made the commentary more poignant because she seemed, in the end, to know how things operated and was smarter and more practical than the seemingly qualified.
Jagua Nana is partly erotica, so Christian readers should read it with extreme caution. Some feminists would like Jagua Nana for her independence and strong will. However, while I appreciated her independence and strong will, I think it was also a problem. But, generally, one finds herself rooting for her even when she makes terrible choices because, in a sense, one understands her: misguided but well-intentioned. The novel has a sequel, and I’d love to know how things turned out for her.
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