Trailer Park: Marilynn Robinson's Home

This week's Trailer Park Thursday is a podcast of Marilynne Robinson's new release, Home.

From the September 12 Newsweek:

There is almost no first-rate American fiction about what happens in a household where religion is the family business, but if you ever wondered what it's like to be a preacher's kid, you can't do better than "Home." Robinson's greatest achievement is that she manages to introduce the notions of belief and religious mystery without ever seeming vague. She never shies from uncomfortable truths. When Jack asks Glory why she hates Gilead and wants to leave, she says, "Because it reminds me of when I was happy." Click here for full review!

An excerpt...

"Home to stay, Glory! Yes!" her father said, and her heart sank. He attempted a twinkle of joy at this thought, but his eyes were damp with commiseration. "To stay for a while this time!" he amended, and took her bag from her, first shifting his cane to his weaker hand. Dear God, she thought, dear God in heaven. So began and ended all her prayers these days, which were really cries of amazement. How could her father be so frail? And how could he be so recklessly intent on satisfying his notions of gentlemanliness, hanging his cane on the railing of the stairs so he could, dear God, carry her bag.

Wednesday Readup: LifeWay, A Call to Fast & Billingsley's High School Sororities

A Call for Action: LifeWay Bookstores

"Religious folks will quickly say that Scripture is clear that women can't be pastors and lead men, yet Hairston says that when she featured Pastor Paula White on her cover two years ago, Lifeway didn't take any action against the magazine." states CNN's Roland Martin in his Call for Action commentary this morning.

But what is a greater issue is that Lifeway clearly has no respect for freedom of the press. Here is arguably the top Christian bookstore in the country making a decision based on their teachings and applying it to a magazine. A spokesman for Lifeway Resources, which runs the stores, was quoted in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week as saying of female pastors, "It is contrary to what we believe."

So does Lifeway and, by extension, the Southern Baptist Convention, fight vigorously for freedom of religion, but it doesn't give a hoot about the other freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution?

After blogging about the Gospel Today/LifeWay incident last week my mind would not stop turning this thing over and over in my head. I knew I wasn't seeing things when I remembered other women pastors on the covers of magazine in LifeWay Stores. I said this thing was deeper, darker...more. Mrs. Hairston's interview with Martin confirmed my belief. Gospel Today subscribers,who are also patrons of LifeWay it's time to pray for reconciliation, but fast from the store chain until the change comes.

FAIR WEATHER FRIENDS in time for Fall

Fair Weather Friends, Reshonda Tate Billingsley's 5th installment to her The Good Girlz Young Adult Series is on bookshelves now. More about the book in Reshonda's words...

Fairweather Friends deals with high school sororities (yes, there are a LOT of them!), race relations and the power of friendship. I'm so excited about my Young Adult books. I never in my wildest dreams expected the reception I've gotten on these books. One 16 year old emailed me and said she NEVER liked reading until her aunt made her read one of my teen books. Now she can't get enough of reading. Then there was the mom who just wanted to thank me because she'd never seen her daughter excited about anything - except reading the Good Girlz. And then the 15 year old who was going to run away until she read Blessings in Disguise and it made her realize her life really was a blessing in disguise. Powerful stuff like that is priceless and validates everything it is that I do. So, please help me spread the word about these clean, inspirational, page-turning, drama filled novels. Even if you don't know any young people, pick up a book from Amazon or at your local bookstore and give it away, donate it to a library, anything to help get young people reading! Your support is sending a resounding message to publishers that young people WILL read clean, entertaining fiction.

Enjoy your Wednesday. If there are any books(current for the month,) you would like me to feature at the Wednesday readup, please contact me on Twitter.