flaner

556 days into my most recent Duolingo stretch. And, I learned a new French word that perfectly sums up how I travel -

Flâner (pronounced ´flah-ney’) means to stroll or wander leisurely, possibly aimlessly, with pleasure, often enjoying Parisian streets, window-shopping, or relaxing.

Let’s make “la flânerie” - the act or habit of strolling a daily habit, not just when traveling.

book review: The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby by Michael Blanding

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5/5

Thank you PublicAffairs for providing an ARC for review consideration via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

Born in 1980, right when evangelical support ushered Reagan into office, I have felt my life punctuated by the evolution of American evangelicalism. My childhood cartoons and The Price is Right viewings were routinely interjected with Billy Graham’s specials and Tammy Faye’s tear-streaked please for money. My teens were defined by True Love Waits, Promise Keepers, The Left Behind Novels, and The Passion of the Christ. In my professional life, working retail in Florida meant navigating a polarized landscape where choosing between “Happy Holidays” and “Merry Christmas” carried real consequences, all while driving past oddities like Dinosaur World and the Holy Land Experience. Now, what should be the best years of my life are marred by the chaos of radical Christian Nationalists and money-backed politicians. I doubt evangelicals realize how a lifetime of witnessing their double standards and corruption pushes away people who grew up close to God.

This ongoing chaos forced me to scrutinize where my money goes, ensuring my dollars do not fund agendas actively fighting against my well-being. Wanting to make an educated decision about a major corporation, I turned to Michael Blanding’s The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby. It delivered exactly what I needed, and more.

At first glance, using profits and tax breaks to fund a mission to share the Bible globally sounds noble. However, their hypocrisy is maddening. The Greens forcefully impose their ideas on others while turning a blind eye to the greed, corruption, fraud, sexual misconduct allegations, theft, scams, hate, and violence tied to themselves and the prominent figures they bankroll. Alongside the family history, the book masterfully details biblical history, the separation of church and state, religious antiquities, and complex judicial proceedings. It is incredibly fast-paced and engrossing for non-fiction, compiled seamlessly from countless sources without an ounce of fluff. My only wish is that it were fiction, rather than a true story of real people damaging innocent bystanders.

What struck me most is how the Green family and other evangelical leaders view themselves as God’s chosen stewards. They claim the Bible is inerrant and that only their interpretation is correct, dismissing all others. Yet, history shows everyone manipulates scripture to fit their own agenda. The book notes they worry about their legacy 50 years from now—a bizarre concern if their work is truly strictly for God.

I commend Blanding for his impartial, matter-of-fact presentation. Nearly every sentence is sourced, completely free of editorial opinion. The facts are so compelling that they require no authorial bias; the story indicts itself. Because of its logical, research-driven presentation, I hope people of all viewpoints read it. As for me, my stance is clear.

book review: Astronaut! by Oana Aristide

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  5/5

Thank you W. W. Norton & Company for providing an ARC for review consideration via NetGalley! All opinions are my own. 

In 1989, dictator rule clouds Romania. Eight-year-old Lia doesn’t fully grasp why she is constantly getting into trouble. She sees the oppression, rations, and suspicion among neighbors, but naively she just wants to be a kid. The fear and tension from her parents is palpable, that any mis-step their child might make could cause them to be imprisoned or worse. Paralleling Lia’s innocence is Detective Constantin, who is trying to solve a serial killer case without offending the high-ranking officials watching his every move. These two storylines eventually collide in a deeply satisfying conclusion. 

Through not only Lia’s eyes, but Constantin’s son as well, we get a really beautifully orchestrated look at childhood under oppression. I especially loved the nightly parables Constantin reads to his son to explain the world’s harsh truths; including the full text of these stories was a wonderful touch. Lia’s simple, poignant desire to “get the colour back into the world” really resonated with me. 

I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to open themselves up to something a little different, fresh, thought-provoking, and intriguing.