"How I raised myself from failure to success in selling"

By Frank Bettger, with a foreword by Dale Carnegie.

I have this book sitting beside my bed. I went through a phase about 15 years ago when I was quite interested in reading about sales, how to run organizations, how to communicate better, and how to make money. It was about the same time as my NT Wright phase, if I recall correctly.

Most of those books have long since found their way to our local Vinnies or, more likely, the second hand bookshops around Carlton, Victoria.

For some reason I never tossed this one. I like the cover, which has the title in a Times New Roman type font, although I wouldn't really know. It was written in 1949 and my edition is 1988.

Having never raised myself from failure to success in selling, I don't know if this is a good book or not. But apart from the cover, what prompted me to keep it was its plain and direct style (whereas NT Wright's The New Testament and the People of God is no longer on my shelves. I don't know if it ever was, actually, or if I just scummed a copy off a friend.)

It is full of hokey stories which remind me of a different era, where despite the effects of two world wars an optimistic modernism reigned supreme. Here's one:

A dismal failure at selling life insurance, I finally concluded that I was never cut out to be a salesman, and began answering want ads for a job as a shipping clerk. I realised, however, that no matter what work I tried to do, I had to overcome a strange fear-complex that possessed me, so I joined one of Dale Carnegie's courses in public speaking. One night, Mr. Carnegie stopped me in the middle of a talk.

"Mr. Bettger," he said. "Just a moment...just a moment. Are you interested in what you are saying?"

"Yes...of course I am." I replied.

"Well then," said Mr. Carnegie, "why don't you talk with a little enthusiasm? How do you expect your audience to be interested if you don't put some life and animation into what you say?"

Dale Carnegie then gave our class a stirring talk on the power of enthusiasm. He got so excited during the talk, he threw a chair up against the wall and broke off one of its legs.

Before I went to bed that night, I sat for an hour thinking. My thoughts went back to my baseball days at Johnston and New Haven. For the first time, I realised that the very fault which had threatened to wreck my career in baseball was now threatening to wreck my career as a salesman.

I love it.

Answering Roman Catholicism

Up at Men's Katoomba Christian Convention (MKC) we had a very fine session from Baptist speaker Anthony Petterson, who lectures at Morling College (the local Baptist theological college here in Sydney). It was on answering Roman Catholicism, and pointed out how within Roman Catholicism, the basic vocabulary of salvation is distorted. Grace means not so much God's generosity, for example, as a sort of metaphysical infusion of a substance that allows you to choose to do good works. (Anthony used the parallel of a blood transfusion enabling you to get up and get on with life, and it made a lot of sense as an explanation of the Roman Catholic perspective).

As such, even though the claim within Roman Catholicism is that we are saved by grace, in reality this means something quite different from the Bible's teaching that we are rescued by God without any input from ourselves.

For the average Roman Catholic believer, this means that assurance of salvation is impossible and indeed, forbidden by the teaching of the church. Assurance, for Roman Catholics, is the sin of 'presumption'. For how could one be assured of being right with God if good works are necessary to our right-standing with God, as Catholicism teaches? But on the Roman Catholic view, not only is assurance ruled out, but the very idea of salvation is placed under threat, for our good works can never be good enough to gain our entry into heaven.

Roman Catholic doctrine thus undercuts Christ's work on the cross, as his work in dying for sin is no guarantee whatsoever that God will declare us 'not guilty' on the final terrible day of judgement.

Along the way Anthony pointed out that the Roman Catholic church does not believe that non-Roman Catholic churches can lay claim to the title of being genuine Christian churches, and used the current Pope's words to demonstrate that this traditional view hasn't changed at all in recent times:

Christian Communities born out of the Reformation of the sixteenth century... do not enjoy apostolic succession in the sacrament of Orders, and are, therefore, deprived of a constitutive element of the Church. These ecclesial Communities which, specifically because of the absence of the sacramental priesthood, have not preserved the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic Mystery cannot, according to Catholic doctrine, be called "Churches" in the proper sense."

Find the quote in context here.

Anthony Petterson thought that the current Pope was doing something useful for all Christians by clarifying the difference between Protestant and Catholic beliefs. He certainly is! We mustn't pretend that in essence, all the so-called Christian churches are on about the same thing.

Anthony also gave a good plug for Ray Galea's latest book on the subject, Nothing in my hand I bring. Well worth a read, and before World Catholic Youth Day hits town.

Pilgrim's Progress V

Oh, and just to round out this mini-series, here is the entire original Pilgrim's Progress in various e-forms.

If you are completely strapped for cash this Christmas, I suppose you could buy yourself a ream of discount white A4 and print the whole lot off. That should take care of one bookaholic teenager for you.

Pilgrim's Progress II

Which brings us back to Geraldine McCaurean's enjoyable retelling of the original. A few years back this particular book won a couple of Blue Peter awards, and you can see why. The sex changes of one or two of the characters comes as a minor jolt, but I don't suppose the kids will notice or mind that Hopeful is now a woman, for example. Many of the names have been changed to protect the guilty—'Pliable' has become 'Mr Bendy'; a certain 'Mr Alec Smart' appears on the scene to offer advice.

Other changes are slightly more disturbing, and all the more because they need a bit of close reading to pick them up. Bunyan's "cartloads of...wholesome instructions" that the King (i.e. Jesus) had commanded to be sent to fill in the Slough of Despond , in McCaughrean's version, has expanded to include " stone statues of saints, plaster madonnas, oil paintings in heavy gilt frames...and any amount of beautiful quarried marble". That's hardly the sort of material that the Protestant Bunyan would depict God sending to help his people out of despair, and it's not a helpful addition to this book.

Here's another. In Bunyan's version, Hopeful and Christian are very close to the end of their journey when they are shown a door in a hill by some shepherds. Here it is in the original:

Then I saw in my dream, that the shepherds had them to another place in a bottom, where was a door on the side of a hill; and they opened the door, and bid them look in. They looked in, therefore, and saw that within it was very dark and smoky; they also thought that they heard there a rumbling noise, as of fire, and a cry of some tormented, and that they smelt the scent of brimstone. Then said Christian, What means this? The shepherds told them, This is a by-way to hell, a way that hypocrites go in at; namely, such as sell their birthright, with Esau; such as sell their Master, with Judas; such as blaspheme the Gospel, with Alexander; and that lie and dissemble, with Ananias and Sapphira his wife.

We're in no doubt that those who turn away from God are destined for hell. Here it is in the McCaughrean retelling.

"What's in there?" asked Hopeful, intrigued."

"Oh, just the way back," said the shepherds..."Do you want to see?"

The shepherds carefully open the door.

No horned demons or impish ghouls streamed out, no bubbling tar. There was just a chute of blackness on the other side, a tunnel falling away into Nothingness, a fast route to Nowhere.

That's not what Bunyan wrote, and it's not even close. You couldn't read Bunyan and conclude that he was an annihilationist, a man who believed that after judgement we simply disappear into oblivion. But by contrast, you can't read this retelling without feeling that the full biblical doctrine of judgement has been not so subtly undercut.

One more thing, and that'll do. You can't read Bunyan's original without ending up knee-deep in Bible quotes by about the second paragraph, all meticulously referenced. They are all gone from this retelling, or only hinted at. Yet the solid ground of Bunyan's story is that, although allegorical, it is bedded down firmly in the truths of Scripture. Without that truth, it's just another (good) story.

There's enough of the grace of the original—and of the Bible—to make this rewritten version a book that could still have value. But I wouldn't buy it for my kids. I'm going to wait a couple of years and put the original Bunyan in their hands. Or maybe, read it with them and appreciate again the rich reminder of God's grace against the backdrop of his real and terrifying judgement of sin.

Another Christmas book—Pilgrim's Progress I

Sitting next to me on the desk here in the office is John Bunyan's A Pilgrim's Progress, retold by Geraldine McCaughrean and illustrated by Jason Cockcroft.

Whenever I read retellings of Pilgrim's Progress it reminds me how much I love the original. The main character, Christian, is a deeply attractive person who struggles with all the normal doubts and fears of a Christian life. He is sometimes easily led astray by shortcuts and apparently wise companions—although with names like Obstinate, Pliable, Mr Worldly Wiseman, Formalist, Hypocrisy, Talkative, or indeed

"Mr. Smooth-man, Mr. Facing-both-ways, Mr. Any-thing; and the parson of our parish, Mr. Two-tongues"

you occasionally think that maybe Christian could've picked up a few more clues (Is anyone else thinking "My name's Smoke-too-much, Mr I-smoke too-much" from Monty Python?)

One of the best parts of the book is where Christian and his friend Hopeful come to a river of deep waters that all must pass through before they attain the Heavenly city, the New Jerusalem. Peter Jensen read from this passage at Bruce Smith's funeral a few years ago:

Hopeful therefore here had much ado to keep his brother’s head above water; yea, sometimes he would be quite gone down, and then, ere a while, he would rise up again half dead. Hopeful did also endeavor to comfort him, saying, Brother, I see the gate, and men standing by to receive us; but Christian would answer, It is you, it is you they wait for; for you have been hopeful ever since I knew you. And so have you, said he to Christian. Ah, brother, (said he,) surely if I was right he would now arise to help me; but for my sins he hath brought me into the snare, and hath left me. Then said Hopeful, My brother, you have quite forgot the text where it is said of the wicked, “There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm; they are not troubled as other men, neither are they plagued like other men.” Psa. 73:4,5. These troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters, are no sign that God hath forsaken you; but are sent to try you, whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you have received of his goodness, and live upon him in your distresses.

Then I saw in my dream, that Christian was in a muse a while. To whom also Hopeful added these words, Be of good cheer, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. And with that Christian brake out with a loud voice, Oh, I see him again; and he tells me, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.” Isa. 43:2. Then they both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as a stone, until they were gone over. Christian, therefore, presently found ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of the river was but shallow. Thus they got over.

Now, upon the bank of the river, on the other side, they saw the two shining men again, who there waited for them. Wherefore, being come out of the river, they saluted them, saying, We are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those that shall be the heirs of salvation. Thus they went along towards the gate.

Now you must note, that the city stood upon a mighty hill; but the pilgrims went up that hill with ease, because they had these two men to lead them up by the arms: they had likewise left their mortal garments behind them in the river; for though they went in with them, they came out without them. They therefore went up here with much agility and speed, though the foundation upon which the city was framed was higher than the clouds; they therefore went up through the region of the air, sweetly talking as they went, being comforted because they safely got over the river, and had such glorious companions to attend them.

John Bunyan writes with insight and sympathy about the fear of death, and because he does this so well, the comforts he offers about the glories and joys of heaven are all the more reassuring. I find it hard to read this passage without tears in my eyes.

Jago the illustrator.

After posting about the Jesus Storybook Bible I got a very nice comment from Jago, the illustrator, whose personal blog can be found here.

In it he lets us know that

Jago is an internationally published, award-winning, extremely modest, illustrator of the finest children's picture books. He lives in a wetsuit in Cornwall with his lovely wife Alex and beautiful daughter, Lily Peach.

That must be some wetsuit.

I hope you click through on the link to his blog, because it will give you a lovely sense of how well he uses colour and emotion in his paintings and drawings. That's good because the cover of the Storybook Bible itself doesn't give you the best idea, and feels a little bit cluttered for mine. It's when you open up and read that the charm of the pictures becomes fully apparent.

Jago also provides a number of useful links on his website to other reviews of the Storybook Bible. It is, quite deservedly, already a best-seller, even though it's only been out there for a few months. I believe that as well as being good for Christian parents to use with their children, it is the sort of book that you will be able to give away to non-Christian parents and, unless they have taken a strong ideological set against Christianity, they will be genuinely happy to have and to read to their kids.

Children's Christmas recommendations

From the comments on a previous post.

The See With Me Bible is great for pre-readers. The only words are a small summary at the end of each story (which should mostly be ignored). Very detailed pictures help kids to remember the stories really well. It does rely on the 'reader' knowing their bibles.

Candle Bible for Toddlers. One line per page. Simple stories. Lovely pictures. Great for the littlies.

The Lion Storyteller Bible. The author is employed as a storyteller, so the stories are really well written and even include suggestions for some stories for group involvement. The story is over two pages, so better for infants kids than toddlers since there won't be enough page turning for the younger crowd.

Yes, the little ones want to see those pages turned, don't they! I did like your comment that the words in the first one you recommended "should mostly be ignored". I know what you mean.

I'm interested in hearing more from other blog readers, and also why you like what you like.

The Jesus Storybook Bible

After my previous post suggested that most children’s Bibles don’t give you the big Bible picture, I was really happy to pick up another children’s Bible that proved me wrong. To be honest I haven’t been this excited about a book in ages, and I wasn’t expecting to be either, given my random flips through children’s Bibles over the years.

I’m going to go on about this for a bit, so if you don’t like reading long blog entries in multiple parts, then stop now and just get yourself in to Moore Books in King St Newtown having first phoned ahead to make sure that they still have this one in stock.

Or jump onto the net and order more than one. Order more, so that you will have them in time for Christmas, to give to your own children and the children of your friends. Since it only came out this year it is unlikely that they will have their own—but don’t worry, if they do then there will be plenty of grateful parents you can give this away to.

Let’s start at the beginning, which is the cover. It’s a small hardback, nearly square, and it looks like a better quality children’s storybook. The artwork by Jago is quite lovely, and is like the simple artwork that is used in some of my favourite recent fairy story books, or perhaps the work of Pauline Baynes (if you have the opportunity, check her work on Tolkien’s Farmer Giles of Ham or Adventures of Tom Bombadil). The illustration for Goliath in the David story is a hoot. The waves in the storm before Jesus speaks words of calm are shaped like the stylised waves depicted in traditional Oriental art. The Pharisees and Sadducees—boo and hiss—look like they stepped out of the Spanish inquisition, with their Pythonesque blood-red robes and hoods. Fire, water, sky, stars and the green, green grass are textured and the colours are suitably primary where they need to be.

But all this would be worth nothing if the words themselves weren’t up to par. Sally Lloyd-Jones is a natural story-teller, and as well as carrying you along, these stories are funny, friendly, sad, scary, joyful and playful. This from the crossing of the Red Sea:

What were God’s people going to do? In front of them was a big sea. It was so big there was no way around it. But there was no way through it—it was too deep. They didn’t have any boats so they couldn’t sail across. And they couldn’t swim across because it was too far and they would drown. And they couldn’t turn back because Pharaoh was chasing them. They could see the flashing swords now, glinting in the baking sun, and the dust clouds, and chariot after scary chariot surging towards them. So they did the only thing there was left to do—PANIC!

This is better than the kids' Bibles I remember from when I was little.

Next post, I'll get onto theology.

The pictures in the Big Picture Bible

Two of my readers asked about or made comments on the illustrations in the Big Picture Story Bible, and fair enough too.

I thought the illustrations were well done and had some interesting theological pointers on the way. The 'God's-eye-view' of people was not something I'd seen often before in a kid's Bible, and I thought that was interesting and potentially useful in a conversation. The pictures were large, colourful, and slightly cartoonish—simplified, without being exaggerated or distorted. I wouldn't say I warmed to them personally, but then the book's not for me is it?

The best way to get a feel for these illustrations is to click through on the link (which is to Amazon) and have a look at excerpts for yourself using the 'Search Inside' function.

The Big Picture Story Bible

Two things made me walk into the bookshop at Moore Theological College in the last few days and emerge with an armful of kids books. One; the first kids’ Bible we ever owned is wearing out (our three girls are 4, 6, and 8 and it has done great service over the years). Two; the principal at Moore, Dr John Woodhouse, had mentioned some books that he thought I ought to be reviewing and top of the list was David Helm’s The Big Picture Story Bible .

And actually, the third reason is that it is not far from Christmas, and now is the time to start stocking up on stocking fillers that may actually help my girls spiritually, not just feed their materialism.

At any rate, blog readers who are into this sort of thing will hopefully also benefit from that armload of books, since this is the first in a series of maybe half-a-dozen reviews of Christian children’s books that I plan to post both here and on the Matthias Media website in the next few weeks.

Top of the list is the one I just mentioned, David Helm’s Big Picture Story Bible. And yep, the pictures are big, and the book is too, though not too big for manhandling at the dinner table. The parental reader will appreciate the size of both book and illustrations when faced with the regular complaint “I can’t see!” Because this one, you can see (so sit quietly!).

But the real reason this particular Big Picture Bible is so well-named is that it actually does provide, in the course of 26 parts, the Big Bible Picture. It begins with an explanation of Adam and Eve as made in the image of God, ruling over the world (and incidentally shows one of the few pictures I have seen where there is more than one lousy tree in the garden during the conversation with the snake, who is clearly identified as Satan). The promises to Abraham are clearly explained and referred to in the rest of the Story Bible. David receives the promise that a son of his will be the ‘forever King’, and once again, the story from this point on reminds the children hearing the story that we are looking forward to the one who will fulfil these promises. The Passover and temple sacrifices are explained and provide the groundwork for understanding that the Lord Jesus, who is the ‘forever King’ promised, is also the one who offers a sacrifice for sin and dies in our place. His bodily resurrection is clearly taught, along with his divinity and the power of the (divine) Holy Spirit.

Nor does this Bible shy away from the notion of divine judgement as God’s kingly rule, taught and anticipated from the very beginning of the Bible, is established through the preaching of the disciples. In this version of Revelation, John “saw the holy room of God and the throne where Jesus sits. He saw the place of hell for everyone who rejects Jesus as God’s king. He even saw Satan crushed forever.”

Most kid's Bibles line up one story after another like pearls on a string. Great treasures, but really their order could be rearranged with no great harm to the final necklace. But this is not true of the Bible read by grown-ups, where the story of God’s promises unfold until they are fulfilled in Christ. The great strength of this children’s Bible is that, almost uniquely amongst children’s Bibles, the big Bible Picture is clearly taught.

For the Cheng family at least, we have found another Bible for our children to wear out.

Christian books for children

This morning Fifi and I got into car, drove the girls to preschool and school and headed in to Newtown. We had brunch, and then went to Moore Books. There I proceeded to load up on children's books with the dual purpose of keeping the girls in books at Christmas time—eek!—and picking up some things I could review for purposes of my day job at Matthias Media.

I am about to try and bang out a few hundred words on the Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm, recommended to me by John Woodhouse, the principal of Moore College, when I was asking him about books to review.

Also on the review 'to do' list:

Ten Girls who changed the World by Irene Howat.

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (ed. Katherine Lindskoog)

The Children's Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones.

The Lion Storyteller Bible

The Nativity Play by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen (that's the Kipper the Dog people, if you know the TV show).

Read-Aloud Bible Stories Vol 1. by Ella K. Lindvall.

John Bunyan's A Pilgrim's Progress retold by Geraldine McCaughrean.

What is Heaven Like? by Beverley Lewis.

My main interest here is going to be theological. If you have other kid's books that you think are terrific, mention them in the comments on this post. Yes, Yes, I've heard of Narnia!

Eye infection

Woke up this morning as sick as a dog that is sick and getting sicker, which is very.

Eye infection. This picture, unfortunately, gives you a feel for it (thanks Neil, and for changing it on your blog too)

Anyway instead of going to church I am sitting at home, often in the back garden, reading Al's book and feeling thankful.

Thankful for what?

Gardens.
Water.
Sunlight.
Church.
Friends.
Wives and daughters.
Antibiotics.

Oh, that reminds me Al, there are a couple of pronting errs I picked up. Just one or two. Lilliput. Pethidine. P-E-T-H-I-D-I-N-E. Pethidine. And it's 'eking' not 'eeking'. Biddulph not Bhidulpbfxq, or whatever it is you had in the endnotes. I’ll stop there for the moment. Should've gone with Matthias Media mate. ;-)

Serious hat back on for a moment. It is a really good book and I have already given one away, the first of many. When gardens, water, sunlight and all the rest have been taken away, we will still have the grace of God through the mercy of Jesus Christ, and the hope of the new creation. As you say, in different words, along with other things.

Book launch

Just been to a book launch of Al Stewart's book Men: Firing through all of life. I am guessing that this will be one of those that you buy in bunches, as Phillip Jensen said at the launch, and give away to many friends.

But the marketing department got hold of this one, and Al drove up in a red Cadillac.

Al, what were you thinking, my pig-hunting friend. We know you're having a mid-life crisis, you don't need to rub our faces in it. At least we know it's Cadillac tail-lights on the cover of the book, now, and not some weird new type of lippie.

But the book—this one has the look and sound of a winner, just on a brief leaf-through. It looks and sounds like you talking in front of people, Al; straightforward, clear and honest.

What do you want to be when you leave school?

What Uncle Ian (Fiona's sister Jenny's husband) asked Matilda, Ruby and Lily, when we visited them in Canberra.

Matilda age 8: "A writer and an illustrator."
Ruby age 6: "A chef."
Lily age 4: "I'm not even at school yet." But then, eventually, "a butterfly."

Lily has now changed her mind and decided she wants to be a mermaid.

Oh, and we're back. 3 weeks of enjoyable holiday, visiting Leura, Canberra and Austinmer. Made asparagus risotto. Basil is coming in now so made a great salsa verde with basil, anchovies, olive oil, mint and garlic. Great with the risotto and fried chicken breasts.

Just about finished reading Personal History by Katherine Graham, and got through a few chapters of Spiritual Depression by Martin Lloyd Jones. I'd recommend the latter to anyone. He begins his book with these verses:

Psalm 42

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation
6 and my God.

...

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

On the bookshelf

I just added a virtual bookshelf on Facebook. What a great application! People can look at my books (you need to add me as a Facebook friend) and I can look at yours.

Some of the books I hoped to be able to put on the virtual bookshelf aren't available through Amazon yet (a prerequisite), but I was pleased to find Hella S. Haasse's In a Dark Wood Wandering there. Great story to go with it too. She wrote it in Dutch, years ago (1949), and sent it off to a translator. But she was too shy to follow the matter up, and her (untranslated) manuscript was found in one of the man's cupboards when he died—some 45 years after she'd posted it to him.

So they translated it and published it. Well worth the wait. Agincourt, Joan of Arc plays a minor role, French medieval politics, romance...top stuff.

Ship of Fools book recommendations

The UK based bulletin board Ship of Fools can be a lot of fun if you confine yourself to the 'Heaven' section (unsuspecting Bible-believing readers, beware of other parts).

I started a thread called Books for 8 year olds and have been getting heaps of excellent suggestions.

Daughter's bed

So my 8 y.o. is sick, and wanted to sleep with her mum, which is fair enough especially when your own bed is a bunk bed and you have to climb a ladder to get into it.

(anyone want to buy a wooden bunk bed?)

I'm normally not in the habit of checking out my daughter's bed very closely, especially given that you have to climb a ladder to see it, but last night I had to sleep there, and discovered that she had started a library.

As well as Dave the Bear and a wrapper from a Starburst lolly, there were multiple piles of books.

I brought them down the ladder, and thought you might like a list of what I found.

Rudyard Kipling, Just So Stories.
Kate Forsyth, The Gypsy Crown.
Jughead's Double Digest Magazine.
Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton, The Bad Book.
Jean Little, Lost and Found.
Dan Pilkey, The Captain Underpants Extra-Crunchy Book O' Fun.
Paul Jennings, Round the Twist.
Paul Jennings, Uncanny.
Rachel Flynn, I Hate Fridays: Stories from Koala Hills Primary School.
Jacqueline Wilson, Vicky Angel.
Kate Forsyth, The Silver Horse.
The Kid-Builder Bible For Young Readers.
Emily Rodda, The Flower Fairies.
Joyce Lankester Brisley, Milly-Molly-Mandy's Adventures.
Joyce Lankester Brisley, Milly-Molly-Mandy's Family.
Joyce Lankester Brisley, Milly-Molly-Mandy's Schooldays.
Joyce Lankester Brisley, Milly-Molly-Mandy's Friends.
Paul Jennings, Quirky Tails.
Julia Donaldson, Crazy Mayonnaisy Mum.
Andy Griffiths, Just Stupid!

That's a lot to carry down a ladder when you just want to have a sleep!!

David comments on our bookshelf

Davd M commented on the previous post that our bookshelf (made famous by yesterday's photo in the SMH) looks chockers.

It's true David. All bookcases in our house are chockers. Then there are the books I have in my office. When we lived down in Melbourne we had an entire wall of the study out back lined with shelves, and we could've fitted more then, but ever since moving back to Sydney it's all been too squeezy. I remember when the packers for our move to Sydney came to our house. All was well until they went out the back for a look-see, and then I saw the chief packer's shoulders distinctly slump.

Now I realize that if I want a book, the library is the best first option! They will mind the book for me when I'm not reading it. Although now that I've finished my Masters it may mean that my reading interests broaden out again. I may finally finish Rebecca West's Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, on Yugoslavia; also Paul Johnson's Modern Times. Tim Booker told me that a lot of the 3RAR guys he knew loved the Flashman series, and he thought they were a terrific read too, so I may see if I can track them down.

Anyone else got any recommendations?

Bob Dylan reads

From Bob's early years in New York:

Standing in this room you could take it all for a joke. There were all types of things in here, books on typography, epigraphy, philosophy, political ideologies. The stuff that could make you bugged-eyed. Books like Fox's Book of Martyrs, The Twelve Caesars, Tacitus' lectures and letters to Brutus. Pericles' Ideal State of Democracy, Thucydides' The Athenian General—a narrative which would give you chills. It was written four hundred years before Christ and it talks about how human nature is always the enemy of anything superior. Thucydides writes about how words in his time have changed from their ordinary meaning, how actions and opinions can be altered in the blink of any eye. It's like nothing has changed from his time to mine.

There were novels by Gogol and Balzac, Maupassant, Hugo and Dickens. I usually opened up some book to the middle, read a few pages and if I liked it went back to the beginning. Materia Medica (the causes and cures for diseases)—that was a good one. I was looking for the part of my education that I never got. Sometimes I'd open up a book and see a handwitten note scribbled in the front, like in Machiavelli's The Prince, there was written, "The spirit of the hustler". "The cosmopolitan man" was written on the title page in Dante's Inferno. The books weren't arranged in an particular order or subject matter. Rousseau's Social Contract was next to Temptation of St. Anthony, and Ovid's Metamorphoses, the scary horror tale, was next to the autobiography of Davy Crockett. Endless rows of books—Sophocles' book on the nature and function of the gods—why there are only two sexes. Alexander the Great's march into Persia. When he conquered Persia, in order to keep it conquered, he had all of his men marry local women. After that, he never had any trouble with the population, no uprisings or anything. Alexander knew how to get absolute control. There was Simon Bolivar's biography, too. I wanted to read all these books, but I would have to have been in a rest home or something in order to do that. I read some of The Sound and the Fury, didn't quite get it, but Faulkner was powerful. I read some of the Albertus Magnus book...the guy who mixed up scientific theories with theology. It was lightweight compared to Thucydides. Magnus seemed like a guy who couldn't sleep, writing this stuff late at night, clothes stuck to his clammy body. A lot of these books were too big to read, like giant shoes fitted for large-footed people. I read the poetry books, mostly. Byron and Shelley and Longfellow and Poe. I memorized Poe's poem "The Bells" and strummed it to a melody on my guitar. There was a book there on Joseph Smith, the authentic American prophet who identifies himself with Enoch in the Bible and says that Adam was the first man-god. This stuff pales in comparison to Thucydides, too. The books make the room vibrate in a nauseating and forceful way. The words of "La Vita Solitaria" by Leopardi seemed to come out of the trunk of a tree, hopeless, uncrushable sentiments.

—Bob Dylan, Chronicles: Volume One (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004), pp. 36-37.