I made over 360 marginal notes in my copy of The Pursuit of Happiness.
Rosen’s book is comprehensive without being pedantic, lucid without losing style, and makes many wonderful connections throughout.
My only quibble is how far reason can take us mortals. Rosen is more sanguine than me about reason’s power to form good citizens. The promotion of education for all is terrific and one I agree with, but I don’t believe it answers the deepest needs of individuals or societies.
If you are looking for a great book about the Founders, look no further. Rosen has you covered.
FIVE VALUABLE THINGS THAT I LEARNED FROM READING CHARLES DARWIN’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY
David George Moore
Darwin’s autobiography is short (about 125 pages). It offers a good way to better understand what motivated one of the most consequential thinkers of the modern age.
Though Darwin’s autobiography is short, I still made over one hundred notes in the margins. It’s the type of book that invites that kind of engagement.
Following Augustine’s counsel to read with charity, here then are five beneficial things that I gained by reading and pondering Darwin’s autobiography.
*Love for a subject may get you further than raw talent
I am grateful for this truth! I know people with extraordinary talent or intellectual aptitude who have squandered it. I also know many with lesser abilities who get much out of what they have.
Darwin talked about his poor memory, but he had some strengths that separated him from many others:
“Therefore, my success as a man of science, whatever this may have amounted to, has been determined, as far as I can judge, by complex and diversified mental qualities and conditions. Of these the most important have been—the love of science—unbounded patience in long reflecting over any subject—industry in observing and collecting facts…With such moderate abilities as I possess, it is truly surprising that thus I should have influenced to a considerable extent the beliefs of scientific men on some important points.”
What we love and how much we love it makes all the difference in the world.
*Focus is a key ingredient to success
Those who knew Darwin best, like his wife, understood how absorbed he could get when conducting his research. It is not hard to imagine then why interruptions were not easy for Darwin to deal with.
Darwin’s ability to focus is probably best illustrated by the story of collecting beetles:
“I will give a proof of my zeal: one day, on tearing off some old bark, I saw two rare beetles and seized one in each hand; then I saw a third and new kind, which I could not bear to lose, so that I popped the one which I held in my right hand into my mouth. Alas it injected some intensely acrid fluid, which burnt my tongue so that I was forced to spit the beetle out, which was lost, as well as the third one.”
Shortly after describing this scene, Darwin adds, “It seems therefore that a taste for collecting beetles is some indication of future success in life.”
Darwin’s focus is also revealed in what he was willing to give up. He loved to hunt but gave it up so he could concentrate solely on science.
Darwin ran for a perishable crown, but we Christians run for an imperishable crown. (I Cor. 9: 24-27) How much more zealous ought we to be for learning about God and His world?!
*Paying attention is a skill worth cultivating
Throughout Darwin’s book you see the value of paying close attention to the world around you. Darwin invites us to take note of what others might dismiss as unimportant or too obscure for the serious investment of one’s time.
Darwin motivates me to keep reflecting on my life and not quickly discount anything as trivial. Darwin reminds me that so-called lesser things can teach me invaluable lessons.
A great aid for me here has been the habit of writing. For forty years I have captured my thoughts, frustrations, answers to prayer, and reflections on Scripture in various journals (blogging was added later on). I regularly go back to these scribblings. It motivates me to keep paying attention, not only to the spectacular, but to the mundane as well.
*Lavish praise on your family
Darwin gladly praised his wife, Emma. She was an amazing mother and a devoted wife. He said she was his “greatest blessing.” Straining credulity is this comment by Charles:
“…I can declare that in my whole life I have never heard her utter one word which I had rather been unsaid. She has never failed in the kindest sympathy towards me, and has born with the utmost patience my frequent complaints from ill-health and discomfort.”
Darwin’s love for his children was equally intense:
“I have indeed been most happy in my family, and I must say to you my children that not one of you has ever given me one minute’s anxiety, except on the score of health. There are, I suspect, very few fathers of five sons who could say this with entire truth. When you were very young it was my delight to play with you all, and I think with a sigh that such days can never return.”
I resonate with the greatest happiness being the family and with the melancholy from no longer experiencing those days of play with our two sons. I can’t say that the health of our sons has been my only worry!
*How to address criticism
In our nasty age where snarky soundbites make us unwilling to give credence to any criticism, it is striking to see one of Darwin’s regular practices.
“I had, also, during many years, followed a golden rule, namely, that whenever a published fact, a new observation or thought came across me, which was opposed to my general results, to make a memorandum of it without fail and at once; for I had found by experience that such facts and thoughts were far more apt to escape from the memory than favorable ones.”
This kind of careful consideration of one’s critics is challenging, especially for those in the public eye. We can adapt the spirit of the Darwinian model by not quickly dismissing the criticism that comes our way. Sure, we need to be discerning. We also ought to invite trusted friends to say how much credence they would give to the criticism.
In closing, we again find help from Augustine. The African bishop reminds us that “all truth is God’s.” Augustine used the idea of “plundering the Egyptians.” We ought to grab all the intellectual/spiritual booty that better helps us live the Christian life, no matter its source.
Perhaps it is now less surprising why some of the plunder in Darwin’s Autobiography spurs me to be a better Christian.
In his famous essay, “On the Reading of Old Books,” C.S. Lewis said that instead of reading secondary sources on great thinkers, we ought to read the primary sources. Not only are the primary sources more important, but they are usually more lucid, and so easier to read! I’ve experienced the problem firsthand. One book that sought to explain a famous philosopher’s ideas was close to undecipherable. When I read the primary source, it was quite clear.
Mark Dooley’s wonderful book on Roger Scruton does not suffer from the problem Lewis wrote about. Dooley’s book is clear and thrilling to read. Dooley’s style and content is a great tribute to the stylish and insightful Roger Scruton.
Even though I will read dozens of more books this year, this one will be one of my favorite books of 2025.
Whether you are familiar with Roger Scruton or not, this is a biography worth your time. It is not long at 180 pages, but you will want to savor it as there are wonderful insights on every page. No exaggeration there as my own copy has over 160 marginal notes, some the length of the margins.
Dooley’s book is called an “intellectual biography,” as it mainly deals with Scruton’s ideas. Don’tlet that deter you as Scruton was a thinker who abhorred ideas staying in the abstract dimension. You will be inspired by Scruton’s clarity and courage in taking unpopular stands. Scruton paid dearly for telling the truth, especially when many were content with their “comfortable falsehoods.”
One of the great books I read last summer (one of my books of the year for 2024) is a biography of Edmund Burke by Jesse Norman. Burke did not appreciate activists who didn’t think very well. Burke also didn’t respect those who had lofty ideas but did not translate them into addressing real-world problems.
It is no surprise then to discover that Burke was a key influence on Scruton.
Roger Scruton: The Philosopher on Dover Beach is truly a great read!
How does one capture a year in a few pictures? How does one capture a year in many pictures?
How do you capture even a fraction of inner thoughts and emotions of all kinds?
It is impossible, but to quote G.K. Chesterton, “Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.” Here then is a very potted look at our year:
As mentioned in last year’s newsletter, Doreen lost her beloved father late in 2023. This year came with the death of her mother. We are grateful that Doreen had many sweet visits with both over the last several years.
The birth of our granddaughter was certainly a joyous occasion. She is deeply loved. David and Reese are (not surprisingly) already quite adept at the parenting stuff!
Our youngest son Chris, graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. Not only did he excel academically, but we think he excelled in finding a girlfriend. Yudith (or Yudi as we call her) and Chris first got to know one another during their 1L (=first year) at Harvard. This link has some pictures:
While we were in Boston, we received the news (literally while sitting down to dinner in Little Italy) that our dear friend Randy Newman had died. Doreen and Randy were on Campus Crusade for Christ staff together. Randy and I became close when he and his wife moved to Austin. Here is my tribute to Randy:
Chris surprised us with a trip to England. David, Reese, and Yudi all pitched in. We went to London, Cambridge (where Yudi was finishing another degree), Oxford, and the Cotswolds. All the places were amazing.
The church in the Cotswolds is where we worshipped. Though there were only about twenty-five of us in attendance, it was one of the most meaningful services we’ve ever attended. After the service, we talked to the rector, and he told us that our friend Randy Newman’s book made a significant impact on him. What an encouragement!
We also had a wonderful time staying in Philadelphia with Yudi’s parents. Though her parents have been all over the world, they had never been to Gettysburg. Both of Yudi’s parents are MDs and were born in Spain. They moved to the U.S. to practice medicine.
We reunited for a terrific time with some old friends at a wedding.
So much is left out, but I will close with the Christmas gift we received from Yudi: tickets to Handel’s Messiah along with a wonderful picture of her and Chris in Spain.
My approach to reading that I have been doing for decades is to read simultaneously. What I mean is that I tend to read at least six books at the same time. There are demanding and less demanding books in my stacks of six.
One advantage is that I never get stuck. I am always ready to read at least one of them.
I have also found that the conversation across books, even on very different subjects, brings another S: serendipities!
Here’s a typical current stack by my reading chair. Three of these (Dante’s Inferno, Stott’s Cross of Christ (first half), and Bunyan’s masterpiece are rereads.
Since I already knew quite a bit about Wesley, Edwards, and Whitefield (=The Big Three), I wondered whether it was time well spent reading Ownership. I decided to read it, and am very glad I did.
In fairly short compass (184 pages of text followed by almost 30 pages of endnotes), Sean McGever has written a clear, convicting, and careful account of how slavery was addressed by The Big Three.
This is a cautionary tale where we see the problems and rationalizations of pragmatism, blind spots, and a tragic separation of heavenly existence and our present pilgrimage here on earth. On this last one, The Big Three (and many others) didn’t bother themselves with slavery because they were so focused on seeing people make it to heaven.
Jonathan Edwards spoke movingly that true virtue was “seeking the ultimate good of another person,” but it took several of his followers to make that apply to slaves.
This is a balanced and wise book on a most unsavory subject.
Highly recommended!
Since my annual books of the year was posted earlier, I was not able to include this book. It is now on that list.
Since history books dominated my reading this year (sorry to all fiction lovers!), I am going to share my favorite books that appear only in that category, with a few cheats.
My top two can be found at the end of this post.
In no particular order…
Who is an Evangelical? by Thomas Kidd
A short, but helpful history that makes a good case that a much-debated word is still worth using.
Allen Guelzo is one of my favorite historians. I recently reread his Fateful Lightning: A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction. It brilliantly captures the sights and sounds of The Civil War.
A productive scholar, Professor Guelzo has a new book. Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment is only 171 pages long, but I made over 150 marginal notes.
When I started reviewing and interviewing authors I came up with “Moore’s Law of Worthwhile Reading.” It goes like this: Take the total number of pages in a book and divide by two. If my marginal notes exceed that number, then it was a worthwhile read. You can see by that calculus that Professor Guelzo’s more than made that cut.
If you were to ask whether I find Professor Guelzo’s writing optimistic or pessimistic, I would answer, “Neither.”
In Our Ancient Faith he certainly offers sober reflections on the fragility of the democratic experiment. His characteristically judicious treatment of Lincoln has all kinds of inherent warnings for us today.
However, I find Professor Guelzo, after reading four of his books, both realistic and genuinelyhopeful. His hope is certainly a tough earned one. It is tethered to his Christian convictions, but not in the irresponsible way where the past is ransacked for talking points that fit one’s preconceived bias.
The flow of history also informs Professor Guelzo’s hope. He doesn’t sugarcoat the bad actors, nor does he gloss over the weaknesses and error of those like Lincoln whom he clearly respects. In a word, Professor Guelzo does not traffic in either hagiography or cynicism. Again, you get “thick realism with hope.” (HT: Will Willimon)
If you are looking for wise and beautiful reflections to make better sense of our own tumultuous time, I highly recommend Our Ancient Faith. And if you are not looking to make better sense of the present, then read Our Ancient Faith to see why you should!
The Spirit of Early Christian Thought by Robert Wilken
A beautiful and penetrating study of important themes during the ancient period of Christianity. I have studied church history for many years. It is hard to imagine a better place to learn about the early church than this wonderful book.
In Hoffa’s Shadow details the riveting story of Jimmy Hoffa’s mysterious disappearance. It is amply supplied with roller-coaster drama and elegant writing.
The author is the stepson of Charles “Chuckie” O’Brien, the loyal and longtime assistant to Jimmy Hoffa. (I should add that the author is a professor at Harvard law school and a wonderful mentor to our youngest son.)
I well remember the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. My young assessment was that his Teamster job was really a front to make lots of money from his mobster connections. The reality, like many true things, is more complicated and compelling than the simple narrative I believed in high school.
Goldsmith artfully tells the story of his stepfather’s quest to gain his innocence. I am convinced that Chuckie had nothing to do with the disappearance and death of Hoffa. The story is told with judicious detail and an appropriate pathos that one would expect from a loving stepson.
But don’t be mistaken. This is not a hagiographical account. Goldsmith is quick to admit the many faults and foibles of his stepfather. Perhaps you noticed that Goldsmith did not keep his stepfather’s surname. I won’t go into why, but it underscores that this book is not some cheap, laudatory account. On the other end of the spectrum, it is equally not remotely in the Mommie Dearest genre.
If you are looking for an engaging book full of twists and turns, I highly recommend In Hoffa’s Shadow. I should add the subtitle: A Stepfather, a Disappearance in Detroit, and My Search for the Truth.
One of the books I took with me to England this past summer.
Several friends have heard me gush about this book. What can I say in short compass? It is certainly one of the best biographies I have ever read. I will also add that though there is nothing explicitly about theology in this biography, it did give me much to think about how that discipline is conducted.
On the way home, I ran into Karl Rove in Reagan National Airport/Washington D.C. I asked him what he thought about Norman’s book. He also loved the book and added that he has read all of Norman’s books. I asked Rove if there are any present-day Burkes. He was sanguine that there are. I am not so sure…
Undone by John Donne, translated by Philip Yancey (first non-history cheat)
The older I get (66 at the moment), the more I am reading or rereading the books that have stood the test of time: classics in literature, history, and poetry.
I have read several books by Yancey. When I saw that he had put Donne’s essays in modern form, it was a no-brainer to buy the book.
In short, these essays are beautifully rendered by Yancey. Donne’s process of struggling with the horror of death and dying is realistic. He doesn’t sugarcoat the awfulness of it or as Scripture says, that it is the final enemy.
Donne’s coming to peace through realizing that only fearing God made sense of life and death takes time, but journey with Donne as he goes there. It is time very well spent!
Wonder Confronts Certainty: Russian Writers on the Timeless Questions and Why Their Answers Matter by Gary Saul Morson (second non-history cheat)
I read and discussed this book with my literate friend, Bill. Both of us found it stunning.
Morson offers an extended account of how the best of Russian writers (those in the wonder category) confront the hardcore ideologues of the former Soviet Union (the certainty fellows; and don’t be misled there were some women who gladly imbibed in torture and other forms of brutality).
As with the book on Edmund Burke, there was much that made me think about how I go about understanding Christian theology.
A New History of Redemption by Gerald R. McDermott
Wife. Mother of five. Writer. Roman Catholic. PhD in philosophy.
Carrie Gress has the perfect background to write this book. Her training in philosophy and her commitment to womanhood and motherhood are put to great use.
This book is not long (under 200 pages), but the endnotes showcase the serious research that went into the writing.
Gress does a terrific job of describing the origins of modern feminism. It is a truly sordid story.
Since Gress writes as a committed Catholic Christian (I am a small c catholic Christian) her appreciation and explanation of the body’s importance is a real strength. Bible-believing Christians have much to learn about the importance of making arguments from natural law, though there are plenty of Roman Catholics who could also use a refresher course. Remember Clarence Thomas trying to explain natural law to his fellow Roman Catholic, Joe Biden?!
So, Protestants may be surprised to find that there is hardly any Scripture in Gress’s book, but that should not keep them from reading this terrific book.
Highly recommended!
Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians by Chris Armstrong
I read and interviewed Chris when this book was first published. I have recently finished a reread of it with my friend, Warren. It is a terrific introduction to both C.S. Lewis and the medieval frame of mind. Lots to consider and reconsider, especially for us American Christians.
There is actually some history in this book, but it is not strictly a history book. I also read this when it first came out and recently reread it. It was wonderful discussing it with my friend, Scott. We are still doing so, but it definitely deserves a book of the year spot.
I finish this list off with three, short memoirs: one by a political science scholar, one by a biblical studies scholar and the third by a pastor. Exploring the Paranormal is right below this post, Retractions by Pastor Pat Nemmers is also on this page below, and Garrett Sheldon’s memoir can be found here:
In the early 1980s I was a student at Dallas Theological Seminary.
I well remember hearing a radio show called “Streett Meetings,” hosted by Professor Alan Streett. Professor Streett clearly knew his material. What still stays with me even today is the evident joy of Professor Streett. He was confident about the truthfulness of the Christian faith, but there was nothing stodgy about his teaching. As of late, the word “winsome” has come under scrutiny, but I gladly use winsome to describe Professor Streett’s manner on the airwaves.
Years later, I did two interviews with Professor Streett over two of his books. You can find those interviews in the links below.
Alan recently sent me a copy of his latest book. To say the least, I was surprised when I saw the title: Exploring the Paranormal: Miracles, Magic, and the Mysterious. What is a conservative scholar doing writing a book on this subject? As I thought a bit more about the book, it made perfect sense. Professor Streett demonstrated a keen interest about other religions and apologetics on his radio show.
This book is a twofer of sorts: It is about the paranormal, but it is also a spiritual memoir of sorts. Streett traces his own pilgrimage through life as he comes into contact with various paranormal experiences. As I finished one chapter, my curiosity was piqued to find out what might be forthcoming in the next chapter.
Exploring the Paranormal is a thorough introduction that competently covers the waterfront. That said, it is not long (under 200 pages) and is happily written in a lucid style.
Streett doesn’t offer easy answers, but his balanced treatment provides the reader with material that spawns greater discernment.
Wife. Mother of five. Writer. Roman Catholic. PhD in philosophy.
Carrie Gress has the perfect background to write this book. Her training in philosophy and her commitment to womanhood and motherhood are put to great use.
This book is not long (under 200 pages), but the endnotes showcase the serious research that went into the writing.
Gress does a terrific job of describing the origins of modern feminism. It is a truly sordid story.
Since Gress writes as a committed Catholic Christian (I am a small c catholic Christian) her appreciation and explanation of the body’s importance is a real strength. Bible-believing Christians have much to learn about the importance of making arguments from natural law, though there are plenty of Roman Catholics who could also use a refresher course. Remember Clarence Thomas trying to explain natural law to his fellow Roman Catholic, Joe Biden?!
So, Protestants may be surprised to find that there is hardly any Scripture in Gress’s book, but that should not keep them from reading this terrific book.
It is easy to proclaim the “goodness of God” when circumstances are generally pleasant, and suffering is minimal. It is much more challenging to believe that God is truly committed to our well-being when acute suffering, the kind that is not going away anytime soon, abruptly enters our life.
Like C.S. Lewis after losing his wife Joy to cancer, we may feel that God is absent. And it can be an absence that mocks our trust in a God who is supposed to care. Many Christians don’t like to acknowledge the silence of God, but Lewis provides the candid and raw reflections of a person who suffers not only the loss of a spouse, but also wonders whether God is now AWOL:
When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him…you will be—or so it feels—welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that silence.
God could change our circumstances. At the very least, He could tone down the intensity of our suffering. But many times He doesn’t, and so we are left with a bewildering list of questions, nagging doubts, and the temptation to abandon our confidence in God altogether.
Learning to trust God in the midst of intense suffering is a process which usually contains many twists and turns. That certainly was the case for C.S. Lewis who wrote two books on the subject of suffering. The first one, The Problem of Pain, sought to address some of the typical questions about suffering. Rather predictably, Lewis underscored things like human freedom. The Problem of Pain has some helpful insights, but it is what I like to call a “rather neat and tidy book.” Suffering is presented in such a way that the reader is invited to conclude, “Oh yes, I see, this suffering of mine makes sense after all.” Lewis was a bachelor when he wrote The Problem of Pain.
On the other end of the spectrum is A Grief Observed. It is like reading the dark and desperate reflections of a friend’s private journal. This second book on suffering was written as Lewis tried to “make sense” of his wife’s death. The ache Lewis felt was too raw for neat and tidy, philosophical truths, no matter how true they happened to be.
Suffering has many causes. Furthermore, everyone processes their suffering differently. Different Christians tend to emphasize different things about God, so what it means to trust God during times of suffering is no simple matter.
The idea of imitating Jesus to ascertain the right choice in any given situation is a popular one. Various iterations of it have appeared throughout the church, but certainly In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do? by Charles Sheldon, greatly influenced many of us modern Christians. It certainly did for me.
Years ago, I vividly remember our young sons playing with a favorite train set. Well, our oldest son was playing with it while his younger brother was trying to join in. David was typically good at sharing, but not on this occasion. Spying out an opportunity to wow our sons with some godly wisdom, I asked, “Hey David, what do you think Jesus would do?” I was hoping David would respond, “Jesus would share the train.” Instead, David briefly looked my way and nonchalantly declared, “Jesus would make another train.”
My son was focused on the power of God while I was focused on God’s generosity!
Christians may focus on different things about God, but two things remain constant for every believer going through deep waters: the desire to know God is still on our side and that there is a grand purpose behind (and beyond!) the suffering. To feel abandoned by God and/or believe the suffering “is a waste” is simply too great a burden. It can shatter the confidence of the most resilient saint.
When we are suffering like Lewis did after the death of his wife, we need something in addition to arguments as to why there must be so much pain in the world. We are in need of regaining confidence that God is truly for us (Rom. 8:35-39) and that His will is indeed “good, acceptable, and perfect.” (Rom. 12:1,2)
I’ve certainly seen God’s faithfulness in a myriad of ways throughout my life. Even so, I still carry a substantial trunk loaded with questions. There are, however, many important things we can know that offer confidence and joyful perseverance even when we are deeply hurting.
