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Check It Out @ the Library
by Denise Sticha
Murrysville Community Library
Summer Reading With A Purpose
Many people choose the summer months as a time to catch up on all those books they didn’t have chance to read during the school year, other people
spontaneously pick up books to read on vacation at airports or newsstand. Smart people (and thrifty) stop by their local library to stock up on books
and audio-books before leaving. Wherever folks get their reading supply, my general observation over the years, is that leisure reading during the
summer months tends to be ‘escapist” or entertaining in nature. Nothing too weighty as we sit by the pool or lake, on the beach or on the porch.
General observations aside, many other people are willing to dig into something deeper and use their summer leisure reading to pursue more
challenging subjects. This year, the Murrysville Community Library Socrates Café members spent their June meeting discussing books that made an impact
on their lives, changed their perspectives or introduced new ideas. Our list this week features their suggestions:
Although the Socrates Café by nature is not a faith-based or spiritual discussion, some members shared that a close reading of the Christian Bible
had a demonstrable impact on their lives. There are many versions of the Bible: The King James Bible, the New International Version, the New Revised
Standard, and the Douay Bible are a few that come to mind. Reading different versions of the Bible lend an enriching element to the experience.
Summer might also be a good time to explore the sacred texts of other faiths. “The History of God, The 4,000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity
and Islam .” by Karen Armstrong, offers a clearly written overview of these three faiths, and Bruce Feilor’s Walking With the Bible or Where God Was
Born are fascinating accounts of the interrelationship between the three. Another member suggested books by
John Shelby Spong, a somewhat
controversial Episcopal bishop, particularly, Spong’s autobiography, Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity of Integrity, Love and Equality. Dr.
Spong addresses how the Bible has been a source of inspiration and guidance for countless Christians but has also left a trail of pain and evil. His is
a compelling and heartfelt call for a faith based on critical though rather than on blind faith, and on love rather than justice. A similar book,
"Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon,” by Daniel Dennett offers an analysis that acknowledges the power of faith without
relinquishing the claims of reason.
“God’s Last Offer: Negotiating for a Sustainable Future,” by Ed Ayres is an exploration of the interconnected nature of growing global problems: rise of
carbon gas emissions, the rate of biological extinctions, unsustainable consumption and exploding human population. Adding to the problems is,
ineffective or politicized governmental involvement and public indifference or media-fed hysteria. Taking an apocalyptic tone, Ayers makes a strong
case for personal responsibility and action. A more optimistic view of the future is foreshadowed in “The Singularity Is Near: When Human Transcend
Biology,” by Ray Kurzweil who writes convincingly of the role of nanotechnology and the role of machines in the future of humanity - a shift
from real reality to virtual reality and through increasingly rapid technological change, our bodes and brains will merge with our machines
creating a singularity between biology, intelligence and technology.
“Man’s Search For Meaning, “by Viktor Frankl, is a moving account of Frankl’s time in Auschwitz and his struggle to transcend suffering and find
meaning to life. An invaluable contribution to the field of psychiatry and psychology. M. Scott Peck, a psychiatrist, ordained minister and former
Army surgeon is another author mentioned by several members of the Cafe. His “The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and
Spiritual,” “The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace.” and “People of the Lie” provide much food for thought. The “Kite Runner,” by Khaled
Hosseini came highly recommended as a fictional account of how human cruelty is learned and for evil to triumph only requires a good man to stand back
and do nothing.
The Socrates Café is an off-shoot of the Society for Philosophical Inquiry, a grassroots nonprofit organization devoted to supporting critical thinking
and open dialogue among people of all ages and walks of life, encouraging them to become more empathetic and autonomous thinkers who take an active
part in creative a more democratic community. Founded by Christopher Phillips, the Socrates Café helps people to articulate, explore, and further
discover their singular philosophies of life, and to develop and contribute their unique talents and potentials. The Murrysville Socrates Cafes meets
the first Monday of every month from October through June at the Murrysville Community Library. Interested people might use the summer months to read
“Six Questions of Socrates: A Modern Day Journey of Discovery Through World Philosophy” and “ Socrates Café: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy,” both by
Phillips and explains his vision. Taking philosophy back to its origins, another member of the Café recommended any translation of Plato’s “Last Days
of Socrates.”
Beginning in the fall, the Socrates Café will be using “Conversations with Elie Wiesel and Richard Heffner” as the jumping off place for discussion.
Through probing questions and provocative comments by Heffner, host of PBS series “Open Mind,” Nobel Peace Prize winner, prolific author, Boston
University professor and Holocaust survivor and historian, Wiesel weighs in on subjects that include moral responsibility of individuals and government,
the role of government in society, the anatomy of hate and tolerance, compassion and capital punishment the threat of technology and the essential
role of historical memory. Not your typical beach book, but one that opens the way for dialogue and challenges the way we form and hold opinions.
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