Nice Work by David Lodge

3/10

I read this about five or six years ago. It was an assigned book for my Advanced British Literature class in college. The class was taught by an awesome professor (maybe my favorite teacher ever), and this was actually my third class I had with him. He normally assigned great books and was always very insightful. He clearly liked this book and tried his darnedest to point out its qualities. But I just couldn't join him on this one. I was like, "Prof, I love ya, but cut...it...out, c'mon." I found the book not only boring but annoying, a lethal combination. It's one thing to be boring, but don't be annoying. I have tried to forget this book so I don't remember much about it. But it is about one of those classic unlikely affairs where the two characters don't like each other at first and shockingly (sarcasm alert) end up having an affair. They are both so intelligent and sophisticated too. He's some manager dude and she's some feminist professor or something. That's about all I remember and I don't want to go through it again to remind myself about the story. So lets leave it at that. It wasn't the worst book of all time, but if you were to ask me if you should read this then I would say, "No...come with me and let me show all the many different books that exist in the world that should be read before you decide to spend your time on this one." That's what I would say, word for word.

Also, no quotes. I had a couple things underlined in my book but they are not worthy of being singled out and posted.

Joseph Smith the Prophet by Truman G. Madsen

9/10

Classic blogger, changing everything so I don't know how to get the picture to the left side. Sigh. But we must push on.

So this is the book form of a lecture series given by Truman G. at a BYU Education Week. I listened to the tapes a few times on the mish and liked them enough to get the book and read it. It has lots of cool stories that you don't hear too often and is presented in classic Truman G. style. I'm glad I heard the tapes first so that I could imagine his voice saying the words while I read them. He's got a great voice and emphasizes certain things awesomely. I will recommend this book. It is another prophet of the Restoration testimony-builder.

Quotes:

"The response that came to Joseph Smith [in the Sacred Grove] was an answer, I believe, to millions of prayers offered down through the centuries on both sides of the veil."

From Joseph Smith: "Weary [the Lord] until he blesses you."

"Anyone who has enough of the Spirit of God to know that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ, by that same spirit will be brought to recognize that one of the prophets called by the Father and the Son was Joseph Smith."

"[I]f a man has a bow and keeps it constantly strung tight, it will soon lose its spring."

"Some of his visions were panoramic. He said of Doctrine and Covenants section 76 on the three degrees of glory, 'I could explain a hundred fold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in the vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive them.' A hundred times more than the present length would be more than the full length of the Doctrine and Covenants."

"[Joseph said,] 'I made this my rule: When God commands, do it.' That took him all the way to Carthage - and to the glories of the eternities beyond."

From Joseph Smith: "The devil flatters us that we are very righteous, when we are feeding on the faults of others."