Long after Netflix made it and made it available, I’ve finally gotten around to watching the first season of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. Like the graphic novels, it is interesting and generally very well done (particularly compared to some of his other comic work). Sandman has been out long enough I won’t go over the plot here, other than to note that it generally stays true to the source material while still being compelling TV. That is a hard needle to thread, and... Read more
This week’s Top of the Country post examines Luke Combs’ hit “Sleepless in a Hotel Room” (from his new album The Way I Am.) Right off the bat, the title alone hits well. We have all been sleepless in a hotel room at some point, and it sucks. But this song gives more specific circumstances: Not only is the singer “sleepless in a hotel room”, he is hurt and lonely. (And let’s be honest: this is definitely a “he.”) Tossing and turning waiting... Read more
If you’re looking for a great read and an even greater listen, pick up Stephen Fry’s book Heroes. Look, I wouldn’t normally recommend book two of a four book (so far) series, but I’ve not read the others so I can’t recommend book one first. I can, however, say that this book is excellent. Even better, Fry reads the audiobook himself, and does a superb job. This volume collects Fry’s tellings of the ancient Greek myths about the heroes. His earlier... Read more
We’ve got a new Top of the Country this week with “Time’s Ticking” by Justin Moore. As Billboard points out, there’s irony here in the title since “Time’s Ticking” now has the record for the longest amount of time on the charts to reach the number 1 spot. Less ironically, this song opens with a blast of classic Country music references. Including references to Ray Scott’s “Long Black Cadillac” (itself a nod to Dwight Yoakam’s “Long White Cadillac” and Josh Turner’s “Long... Read more
Of course, “disciplines of devotion” should never usually be quick. But these three new books are at least short, so Prayer by Courtney Rissig, Fasting by Cassie Achermann, and Sabbath Rest by Megan Hill will fit in the busy schedules that seem to dominate our worlds. All three of these are useful (and again: short). But I think the one that stands out for contemporary American Evangelicals is Fasting. Not because it is better written than the others, and not because “fasting” is any more Biblical... Read more
It took me a while, but as part of this series on Billboard’s top of the country charts I’ve finally finished listening to Morgan Wallen’s album I’m the Problem. Why did it take so long? Because it’s thirty-seven songs long. Thirty. Seven. Songs. And yes, there is an “interlude.” And yes technically it’s a “double” album. In that case maybe thirty-seven is actually a touch short. But it was still a large task to listen through. It was not, however, an unpleasant... Read more
How do we teach children about the Trinity? This is no easy task, not least since trying to explain the inner life of the Triune God without simply confessing the historic Creeds nearly universally runs into heresy. And yet, the new board book God Loves Me by Kristen Wetherell and Grace Habib gives it a go. As far as it goes, this little book does the best job you can explaining the inexplicable. There’s nary a hint of modalism in sight,... Read more
Another week, and we have another hit on the Billboard Country Charts for review in this series on the Top of the Country–this week, Shaboozey and Jelly Roll’s song “Amen.” The grumpy old man in me would like to comment on the names “Shaboozey”, “Jelly Roll”, and “7Lemons” all appearing in the same video, but in an inverse Toby Keith I won’t let the old man out. Not least because Shaboozey and Jelly Roll are both fantastic performers with meaningful... Read more
You know how you’re at a party and someone brings up the aseity of God, and you just nod along so everyone thinks you know what the speaker is talking about? Well, worry no more–Samuel Parkison’s The Fountain of Life: Contemplating the Aseity of God is here to help. In case you’re wondering (and not to spoil it too much), the “aseity” of God is, well, it’s complicated and takes at least a 75-page book to sort it out. But the... Read more
I am still listening through the Top Country songs, but since Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” has stayed on top of the singles charts, I’ve started working my way through albums. I started with Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem. It turns out this album has thirty-seven tracks on it. Who on earth has time to listen to thirty-seven tracks, let alone record and produce them? So that one will have to wait until… next week, maybe. Until then, on a recent cross-country drive I... Read more
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