Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 36 -- The Sunset Warrior
Monday, November 27, 2023
Beer of the Week: Two Hearted IPA
Beer score: 6.9
Company: Bell's
ABV: 7.0
IBU: 60
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 35 - The Gospel According to St. Luke
Started: Nov. 21
Finished: Nov. 25
Notes: Considering the Christmas season is looming ahead, I thought it fitting to read the next gospel among my Bible readings.
Mini review: Of the three Synoptic Gospels, I find this one the most comprehensive, telling much that appears in the other two, outlining the life of Jesus while adding some few details not in the other books.
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 34 -- Schools and Masters of Fencing
Monday, November 20, 2023
Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Blue Ridge Porter
Monday, November 13, 2023
Beer of the Week: Lowenbrau Original
Beer score: 4.7
Company: Lowenbrau
ABV: 5.2
IBU: 19
Monday, November 06, 2023
Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Saranac Single Malt Ale
Friday, November 03, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 33 - The Gospel According to St. Mark
Started: Nov. 1
Finished: Nov. 3
Notes: For some reason of which I'm not aware, I believe this is the book of the gospels which I have read the least, including never having read it all straight through. So, considering many scholars believe this to be the first of the gospels to have been written, and the fact I recently finished reading Matthew, it should be interesting for me.
Mini review: From a strict narrative point of view, this is my least favorite of the gospels, mainly because for the first two-thirds of this book there is little narrative structure, the timeline being a jumble of Jesus going around performing miracles and parables in no seeming real order, with the only major event of the life of Jesus to be mentioned being the transfiguration. That being said, the last third of this book is a brief outline of the last days and resurrection of Jesus, though it is so brief as to nearly being uninformative.
Wednesday, November 01, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 32 -- The Archaeology of Weapons
Monday, October 30, 2023
Beer of the Week: Grimbergen Double Ambree
Beer score: 5.8
Company: Grimbergen
ABV: 6.5
IBU: 22
Monday, October 23, 2023
Beer of the Week: King Cobra Premium Malt Liquor
Beer score: 1.6
Company: Anheuser-Busch
ABV: 5.9
IBU: NA
Monday, October 16, 2023
Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Perry's Majestic
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 31 - The Gospel According to St. Matthew
Started: Oct. 6
Finished: Oct. 11
Notes: I'm glad to finally getting to the New Testament. From a narrative point of view, I find it one of the most compelling sections of the Bible. And if you're wondering about the length of the title I above gave to this book, that's the official title from my KJV, though I understand I could have abbreviated it to 'The Book of Matthew' or simply 'Matthew' or something similar.
Mini review: The longest of the Gospels, I found it interesting not only for what it said but what it did not say. For instance, while the Resurrection is detailed briefly, there is no mention of the Ascension. However, the Sermon on the Mount is laid out here fairly extensively, and a number of parables are told.
Monday, October 09, 2023
Beer of the Week: Chouffe Bok 6666
Beer score: 8.3
Company: Chouffe
ABV: 6.66
IBU: NA
Friday, October 06, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 30 -- The Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost Tales
Monday, October 02, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 29 -- The Book of The Sword
Beer of the Week: Anchor Porter
Beer score: 7.1
Company: Anchor Brewing Company
ABV: 5.6
IBU: 40
Monday, September 25, 2023
Beer of the Week: Anchor Brewing Liberty Ale
Beer score: 7.9
Company: Anchor Brewing Company
ABV: 5.9
IBU: NA
Monday, September 18, 2023
Beer of the Week: Sudwerk The People's Pilsner
Beer score: 7.2
Company: Sudwerk Brewing Company
ABV: 5.3
IBU: 35
Monday, September 11, 2023
Beer of the Week: Original Flag Porter
Beer score: 7.9
Company: Darwin Brewery
ABV: 5.0
IBU: NA
Friday, September 08, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 28 -- If It Bleeds
Monday, September 04, 2023
Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Louie's Evil Lager
Monday, August 28, 2023
Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Cold Spring River Road Red Ale
Books read in 2023: No. 27 - The Book of Malachi
Started: August 28
Finished: August 28
Notes: Finally I'm at the end of the Old Testament, at least according to the KJV I'm reading.
Mini review: More warnings to the Israelites because of their sins, but also a fair amount of talk of a future Messiah and the coming of the Lord. For Christians all that means one thing, but for Jews another, though perhaps the two are similar in some ways.
Books read in 2023: No. 26 - The Book of Zechariah
Started: August 27
Finished: August 28
Notes: My last couple of reads have been fairly long, so I've fallen behind on my Bible readings. Here's to jumping back in.
Mini review: The prophet Zerchariah has more warnings for the peoples of Israel and Judah and for many heathen nations, but in my opinion these prophecies seemed more hopeful than most others of the Old Testament, showing how God will bring his people home better than most other texts. I also noted that this particular book seemed filled with images that Christians would likely interpret as signs of the coming of Jesus and of the end times.
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 25 -- The Mysteries of Udolpho
Monday, August 21, 2023
Beer of the Week: James Boag's Premium Lager
Beer score: 4.1
Company: J. Boag & Son Brewing
ABV: 4.6
IBU: NA
Monday, August 14, 2023
Beer of the Week: Samuel Smith Imperial Stout
Beer score: 9.4
Company: Samuel Smith's Brewery
ABV: 7.0
IBU: NA
Monday, August 07, 2023
Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Grolsch Summer Blond
Tuesday, August 01, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 24 -- The Clan of the Cave Bear
Monday, July 31, 2023
Beer of the Week: Cerveza Caguama
Beer score: 3.9
Company: Cerveceria La Constancia S.A.
ABV: 4.5
IBU: NA
Monday, July 24, 2023
Beer of the Week: Ayinger Jahrhundert Bier
Beer score: 5.9
Company: Ayinger
ABV: 5.5
IBU: 22
Monday, July 17, 2023
Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: The Three Stooges Beer
Saturday, July 15, 2023
A few words from John Dutton
Monday, July 10, 2023
Beer of the Week: König Pilsener
Beer score: 4.4
Company: Konig Brauerei
ABV: 4.9
IBU: 32
Monday, July 03, 2023
Beer of the Week: Miller Genuine Draft
Beer score: 3.3
Company: Miller
ABV: 4.6
IBU: 12
Monday, June 26, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 23 - The Book of Haggai
Started: June 26
Finished: June 26
Notes: Another book from near the end of the Old Testament, this one also concerning one of the prophets.
Mini review: In this book, God calls for the building of the Second Temple after the Jews are allowed to returned to their homeland. A bit different than most of the other prophets' books in this part of the Bible.
Books read in 2023: No. 22 - The Book of Zephaniah
Started: June 26
Finished: June 26
Notes: I've slacked on my Bible reading somewhat this year and I'm trying to catch up, especially as I'm near the end of the Old Testament.
Mini review: This one holds familiar themes to those of the prophets in the latter part of the Old Testament: Jerusalem and Judah and Israel will be punished for their sins but eventually they will be redeemed by God and their enemies will be trampled upon. This part of the Bible really is repetitive and rather dull, so I can see why it's not preached about or studied nearly as much as other parts of the Bible.
Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Olde Heurich Brewing Co. Beers
Books read in 2023: No. 21 -- No Country For Old Men
I will add that this is not adventure fiction, though there is a fair amount of violence. This is a novel of ideas, of thoughts, of feelings, though I wouldn't necessarily say it's a novel of high ideals, though perhaps it is in some ways of thinking. It is a bit of a tale of nostalgia for simpler times and simpler people, but it also speaks frankly against such a notion, that simpler times and simpler people never really existed except perhaps in our memories.
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 20 - The Book of Habakkuk
Started: June 22
Finished: June 22
Notes: Trying to catch up on my Biblical readings, I turn to another of the prophetic works from the latter portion of the Old Testament.
Mini review: In this book the prophet Habakkuk has a conversation with God and questions God concerning evils, especially evils perpetrated against Israel by the Chaldeans. God gives an answer, mainly that he will punish the Chaldeans even harsher than the Israelites are being punished. The final chapter is basically a prayer or poem in which Habakkuk shows his faith in God.
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 19 - The Book of Nahum
Started: June 21
Finished: June 21
Notes: Because of travel and other things going on with my life of late, whenever I've been between books, I've not had a Bible handy. Which is unusual since I own a dozen or more copies of the Bible. So, my Bible readings have been limited the last few months. It's time to get back to that. Oddly enough, this is perhaps the book of the Bible which I am least experienced and knowledgeable.
Mini review: This book mainly seems to be a prophecy by the prophet Nahum concerning the destruction of the Assyrian city known as Ninevah. Ninevah was eventually attacked by Babylonians, but whether one considers that prophetic would be for others to speculate.
Books read in 2023: No. 18 -- Lost Lexington Kentucky
Monday, June 19, 2023
Beer of the Week: Green Bench Postcard Pilsner
Beer score: 7.4
Company: Green Bench Brewing Co.
ABV: 4.7
IBU: 35
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 17 -- Our Lady of Darkness
Monday, June 12, 2023
Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Portland Brewing Company Beers
Sunday, June 11, 2023
Books read in 2023: No. 16 -- Uncle Silas
Monday, June 05, 2023
Beer of the Week: Schaefer Beer
Beer score: 1.2
Company: Saranac
ABV: 3.8
IBU: NA
Monday, May 29, 2023
Beer of the Week: Dos Equis Special Lager
Beer score: 3.4
Company: Dos Equis
ABV: 4.2
IBU: 10
Monday, May 22, 2023
Beer of the Week: Murphy's Irish Stout
Beer score: 4.6
Company: Murphy's
ABV: 4.0
IBU: 34
Monday, May 15, 2023
Beer of the Week: Labatt Ice
Beer score: 3.0
Company: Labatt Brewing Company
ABV: 5.6
IBU: NA