Two Books Worth Reading

Son of Laughter is the story of Jacob. If you remember your Bible you know that Jacob's Dad was Isaac which, when translated, means "laughter." Hence the title.

This is a raw, beautifully written historical novel that will dispel any leftover notions from Sunday School that the stories of the Bible are safe and sanitary. God (here called "the Fear") is a mysterious presence that Jacob and his ancestors and progeny have a very difficult time comprehending. Buechner, as usual, puts his considerable skills as a pastor, theologian, and historian to use and crafts a compelling and believable account of this portion of God's Story. Through Jacob's eyes we see the call of Abraham, the formation of the people of God, and their exploits up through the time of Joseph.

This was published way back in 1994, but I didn't discover it until earlier this year. I'm glad I did.

Grave Matters is an entirely different book. Mark Harris takes the time to investigate the modern funeral industry and share his thoughts on returning to more "natural" ways of burial.

The average modern funeral, arranged through a local mortuary, costs, on average, $10,000, and, as Harris carefully documents, enacts a heavy toll on the environment.

Grave Matters investigates alternatives to the typical casket burial at the mortuary. Harris has chapters devoted to: cremation, burial at sea, the memorial reef, the home funeral, the plain pine box, the backyard burial, and the natural cemetery. He offers helpful advise for further resources and lists average costs as well as giving a historical perspective on each method. The chapters are arranged and told through the voice of actual people and their experiences.

I checked this out at the library on a whim and was fascinated. I learned a lot that I will utilize as a pastor, speaking to families about their plans and helping them to avoid unnecessary costs.

This sold me, once again, on cremation too.