Okay, so ... inspired by the 25th Anniversary Les Mis concert, as well as a couple of beers ... I might've kind of pledged to finally read this last nOkay, so ... inspired by the 25th Anniversary Les Mis concert, as well as a couple of beers ... I might've kind of pledged to finally read this last night? Starting today? Eek. Well, my word is good. Now I need to go find my copy ...
Found it! Holy &*%$ it is almost 1400 pages long! What have I done??...more
I'm working on a major project, and I figured, since I've got several books on my currently-reading list that I'm not likely to complete for years, I I'm working on a major project, and I figured, since I've got several books on my currently-reading list that I'm not likely to complete for years, I might as well add another, and share my progress here.
I am trying to read the entire Bible, as an adult, for real (no cheating, skimming, or skipping, not even dietary rules or geneologies). I have been meaning to do this since childhood, because, beyond the religious aspect, I feel that the Bible (or at least some big chunks of it) is essential reading for any educated person; furthermore, knowledge of the Bible is a great help if you're interested in literature. It's a book that many claim to have read, but few have actually read cover to cover, and understandably - this is not easy stuff. It makes the Odyssey look like a trashy adventure novel.
I've been working on this for about a year now, and I'm obviously not moving too fast. My motto is "baby steps, baby steps."
Why the NIV? I'll be honest. Of all the translations I've looked at, this one is the easiest to digest, without being totally dippy. ("The Message"? Uh. No.) I tried the NKJ, but wow, that was slow-going. I prefer its poetry, but I also like to be able to progress through more than one sentence per sitting.
As you can see, I started with the NT, but skipped Revelation (because ... whoa ... I have no idea what I'm even reading about there) and then started back into the Hebrew Bible, where I've almost polished off (survived?) Leviticus. It seemed easier to start with the NT (because, um, it's shorter) but now I'm realizing I'll have to reread it when I finish the rest of the book, because, hello, the NT actually doesn't make much sense without the Hebrew Bible. Smart people warned me that this was true, and I ignored them, but they were right.
Ahem. This is gonna take a while.
So here's where I am right now:
1. Genesis - Read 2. Exodus - Read 3. Leviticus - Read (this book has a bad rap - it's really interesting!) 4. Numbers - Currently reading 5. Deuteronomy 6. Joshua 7. Judges 8. Ruth 9. 1 Samuel 10. 2 Samuel 11. 1 Kings 12. 2 Kings 13. 1 Chronicles 14. 2 Chronicles 15. Ezra 16. Nehemiah 17. Esther 18. Job - Read (great stuff, but whew, those conversations get tough!) 19. Psalms - Steve and I are tackling this, one psalm per night; check back in a 140-odd days. 20. Proverbs 21. Ecclesiastes 22. Song of Solomon 23. Isaiah 24. Jeremiah 25. Lamentations 26. Ezekiel 27. Daniel 28. Hosea 29. Joel 30. Amos 31. Obadiah 32. Jonah 33. Micah 34. Nahum 35. Habakkuk - Read 36. Zephaniah 37. Haggai 38. Zechariah 39. Malachi 40. Matthew - Read twice 41. Mark - Read 42. Luke - Read 43. John - Read twice (could go into how "one of these gospels is not like the others," but this doesn't seem like the appropriate place for that) 44. Acts - Read 45. Romans - Read 46. 1 Corinthians - Read 47. 2 Corinthians - Read at least twice (and still don't get much of it) 48. Galatians - Read 49. Ephesians - Read 50. Philippians - Read 51. Colossians - Read 52. 1 Thessalonians - Read 53. 2 Thessalonians - Read 54. 1 Timothy - Read 55. 2 Timothy - Read 56. Titus - Read 57. Philemon - Read 58. Hebrews - Read 59. James - Read 60. 1 Peter - Read 61. 2 Peter - Read 62. 1 John - Read 63. 2 John - Read 64. 3 John - Read 65. Jude - Read 66. Relevation - Read
Stay tuned for (very) periodic updates!
P.S. Wikipedia is so cool. This is what I'm talking about....more
close-stool = chamber pot; as in, "but had withal a humour very contrary to that of other princes,Words I've learned so far:
certes = indeed, certainly
close-stool = chamber pot; as in, "but had withal a humour very contrary to that of other princes, who for the despatch of their most important affairs convert their close-stool into a chair of State, which was, that he would never permit any of his bedchamber, how familiar soever, to see him in that posture, and would steal aside to make water as religiously as a virgin, shy to discover to his physician or any other whomsoever those parts that we are accustomed to conceal" - I would say that the cost of the book was worth it for this phrase alone, except the book didn't actually cost me anything.
contemn = treat with contempt (as distinguished from condemn)
Rated R for monks, nuns, abbots, abbesses - and everyone else - getting a lot of action.
Still loving this. It's like This American Life for Medieval IRated R for monks, nuns, abbots, abbesses - and everyone else - getting a lot of action.
Still loving this. It's like This American Life for Medieval Italy (This Medieval Italian Life?). Except more bawdy. Really, what took me so long?
UPDATE: Loving this even more since I decided to abandon the 18th century translation I was trying to read and pick up a modern English translation. I may actually start to make progress now....more
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