Popular Literature
I like to read a variety of books (and no, not just comic books). I'm partial to certain types of genre fiction (fantasy and horror more than science fiction), and have also been reading a lot of "classic" literature over the past few years. I recently completed a book that I think definitely falls into that first category, but for the past couple of years has been the very definition of popular literature. Yes, I'm talking about The Da Vinci Code. For the last few years, since the book first came out, in fact, lots of people -- from students to colleagues -- have recommended the book to me. After reading it, I'm a bit surprised that some of these people have liked it enough to recommend it, solely by virtue of the fact that many of these people are somewhat more religious. (I'd say "more religious than I am" but that includes well over 99% of the people on this planet.) So what did I think of The Da Vinci Code, you ask? (You do ask, right?) To sum up, I'd say it's a darn fine read. It's well written, easy to follow, and frankly, pretty exciting. (One of the reasons I read it now, is that I wanted to read it before the movie version comes out in May. It's easy to visualize the action of the book, and a movie seems a natural.) The chapters are very short, and while following a couple of ongoing mysteries, it switches back and forth, and most chapters leave the reader at a point where one can't wait to see what happens next, to coin a phrase. The book is filled with little fascinating asides, which might make the author seem rather pretentious, but they're just so dang interesting that it's easy to overlook that. The main point of the book --and right here I'm gonna include a SPOILER WARNING! Read no further if you have any intention of reading this book at some point and don't want to have any plot points revealed, 'cause I'm about to say some stuff that if I'd known before I read it, I would've been pretty disappointed. Okay, got it? SPOILER WARNING! So, one of the main contentions of this book is about the Holy Grail, which the main characters are searching for. The "radical" concept here is that the Holy Grail is not a physical object, but rather the bloodline of Jesus Christ, who was married and fathered a child with Mary Magdalene and still has living descendents. Now in fairness to Dan Brown, the author, the book itself makes the point that this idea is not original, but that the evidence for this has been around -- though supressed -- for centuries, and in fact, other writers have made this claim. All well and good, but for the people who have been raving about this book, it seems that this point is a major revelation. I think I may have first read a similar storyline about a decade or so ago in a DC-Vertigo comic book series called Preacher, which took that idea in a completely different direction. But in any event, I did really enjoy The Da Vinci Code for the writing, the intrigue, and the details. Although I was a little disappointed in the non-resolution of the ending.
posted by Kootch | 8:09 PM
5 Comments:
I've wanted to read this book for sometime, too.
But since i have no $, never got around to buying it. Maybe I could borrow your copy sometime?
{Yes, i know about libaries and all that.}
Bro, if you had asked me before I came to Winona on Saturday, I would have brought it.
Stix, my surprise comes from the fact that the book has been described -- and I can see the reasoning behind this -- as "anti-Christian." It certainly contains some ideas, notions, and theories that run contrary to most Christian teachings and theologies.
While I have not read the book yet (btw: Kootch I posted my comments about borrowing it just minuets before you arrived here last Saturday) I have a couple thoughts regarding the Christian, ant-Christian comments running here.
It seems to me that this discussion is in a way a microcosm of what appears to be two widely differing versions of Christianity. Or, perhaps a better way of phrasing it would be two differing methods that so-called Christians use their religion in their daily lives. I like to think the two camps as those that use it as a weapon and those that use it as a tool.
In the first camp, you have people like the good Rev. Phelps who protests at the funerals of men killed in the [illegal, immoral and unconstitutional] War in Iraq beacuse our nation tolerates homosexuality. (A rather species claim to say the least when our President favors a constitutional amendment that would ban same gender couples from enjoying their constitutional right to marriage. A right that is already banned by law in 98% of the nation.) Or like Pat Robetrtson who prays for the death of Supreme Court Justices, etc.
These Christianity as a weapon folk tend to be highly intolerant of other ideas, thoughts and are the ones who are probably being the most vocal critics of the book in question b/c it does by all accounts present a picture of Christ somewhat different from theirs.
In the Christianity as a tool camp, are the Christians who see the teachings of Jesus as a message to work to make life better for everyone. Peoples such as my dear friend Mary Farrel and many of the people I spend an hour or so most Thursday afternoons with, protesting this war. While I certainly don't agree with them on all important issues, most notably the issue of a woman's right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, I do have respect for their believes and for their willingness to stand up for those believes and to speak truth to power. Especially, in the face of this fascist administration in Washington, D.C.
It seems as those the Christianity as a tool folks are more tolerant of others, and certainly seem to have more important things to worry about then what is in a work of fiction.
In conclusion, let me just add that I in no way am placing any one who posts to this discussion in either camp. Just my observations on a Tuesday night.
Wow, I certainly tend to stir up some controversy, don't I? I just thought it was a good book.
Stix, I will admit to having a certain jaundiced view of Christianity and people who profess it. But it's based mostly on personal expierences. I find that most (vocal) Christians are ones whose faith is so strong (if that's the way to put it) that they believe anything that expouses a contrary viewpoint is not only not to be supported, but is to be condemned outright.
(Incidentally, I find the same thing coming from those who believe in Islam and Christianity. Buddhists seems a bit more tolerant to me.)
When I made that comment about recommended the book, I had in mind two particular people: one, a fellow teacher who I get along with very well, but who is a pretty staunch Catholic; and two, a former student who was extremely conservative politically and religiously.
Your mentioning of "Brokeback Mountain" is timely, as well. There are those who condemn this movie (which I, unfortunately, haven't seen yet either) because it has "gay cowboys" in it, not based on any type of artistic criteria. I heard someone recently call it "the worst movie ever made" and this person hadn't seen it, and had no intention of seeing it; he only knew that it was "about gay cowboys." (I haven't seen it, but I don't think that's what it's "about.") I see (on a daily basis) that same type of attitude about anything that doesn't conform with one's own vision of God.
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