Author Archives: davetcourt

Reading Journal 2024: Revelation for the Rest of Us: A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident DiscipleAuthors: Scot McKnight and Cody Marchett I am not the target audience for this book, given that I am already well entrenched in the research and approach that this book champions. This book, which is a jointContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: Revelation for the Rest of Us: A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple”

Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional DemocraciesAuthors: Michael Bird and N.T. Wright I’m not sure if the books release was intentionally planned to coincide with America’s upcoming election, but Jesus and the Powers, the newest collaboration and joint effort by Wright and Bird, feels like it’sContinue reading “Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies”

Reading Journal 2024: James: A NovelAuthor: Percival Everett Definitely a conversation starter. It is a really strong example of how to write a reimagining of a classic with purpose and craft. Not only that, it is an extremely entertaining read, especially where it weaves the old world language of Twain into a modernist vibe. ItContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: James: A Novel”

Reading Journal 2024: The Bittlemores Author: Jann Arden If I can say right at the front, I’m not sure where the “comic” descriptive comes from in the books central synopsis. I didn’t find the humor anywhere. Yes, the book is dark, but darkly comic is a thing, and that’s not how I would describe thisContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: The Bittlemores”

Reading Journal 2024: The FutureAuthor: Catherine Leroux I got a bit of whiplash from this one. Starts off simple enough, focused on a singular character, small in scope, and seemingly full of potential. And then it takes an odd shift into a Lord of the Flies kind of premise, with the scope and fhs castContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: The Future”

Film Journal 2024: Abigail Directed by Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin Seemed fitting that I saw this with a crowd of mostly middle grade teens. This is, I believe, the films primary target audience. It’s a YA horror-thriller that effectively pushes some boundaries on that front with its commitment to gore and mature themes (andContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Abigail”

Reading Journal 2024: Northwind Author: Gary Paulsen Northwind gains much of its worth from being Paulsen’s last book he wrote before he died. Without that context it’s hard to know how this book would land. It’s something of an odd duck  With it, the unusual story becomes a personal commentary on life and death itself.Continue reading “Reading Journal 2024: Northwind”

Film Journal 2024: Civil WarDirected by Alex Garland How should I watch this film as a Canadian?That was the first thought/question that came to mind when asked for my thoughts post-viewing. In truth, I’m not sure. If the film takes some strides to create something with universal application, there is no question the film isContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Civil War”

Film Journal 2024: Turtles All The Way DownDirected by Hannah Marks I feel seen. Although I differ somewhat in my own experiences and struggles, I found so much overlap in the central character’s journey. She struggles with a mental disorder driven by severe anxiety and OCD. This disorder results in her getting lost inside herContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Turtles All The Way Down”

Reading Journal 2024: Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to what Matters Author: Charan Ranganath I’ve been interested in the subject of memory for a while now, having recently begun a deep dive into the subject. Part of this is a desire to understand my own story, and to even learn howContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to what Matters”