The Shadow-gloom and Weight of the Sacred

As I know that I've mentioned on previous occasions (such as here), I began this year with a quest to read only fiction. I used to love fiction but in recent years have read nonfiction almost exclusively. The only exception to my nonfiction-reading is when Ian McEwan publishes a novel, though I've yet to read his most recent publication (I'm waiting until I get around to getting a library card because I'm tired of spending money on books when they're available for free). I haven't done so well on this commitment for a couple of reasons: (1) compared to not having children, you can't cover nearly as many pages when you're a new father, (2) the transitions, the transitions, the transitions, (3) I've missed the mental stimulation that comes from nonfiction, especially theology and history. Fiction is great for the heart; nonfiction is great for the mind. That mental stimulation is also emotional for me. Yet, I wanted to at least primarily read fiction this year. I haven't been able to read as much as I'd like, but I get a few pages in here and there.

I finally finished The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway, one of my favorite books by one of my favorite writers. I used to read a book like this in two or three days. I've now read it a total of three times, but this most recent reading took me all summer. But, I'm now on to another book, Hemingway's To Have and Have Not, which I've never read before. I've only read the first chapter, but it was certainly captivating. I've read the following Hemingway works: The Sun Also Rises, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea, A Farewell to Arms. These works are considered the "must reads" of Hemingway's canon. A lot of his other stuff was actually panned by critiques during the initial publication runs. To Have and Have Not is a short novel that is considered one of his mediocre works. We'll see how it goes. So far so good. I think next I will read The Old Man and the Sea once again.