My Brother and I Talk Literature

[@stevehawke9819]

Here's the list of books. It should just be in the order presented in the video, more or less. * Calvin and Hobbes (Bill Watterson). Both Gavin and Eric say they love Calvin and Hobbes. Eric even says it's "great literature". * The Wizard Knight (Gene Wolfe). Eric's pick. Eric says Wolfe was a devout Catholic. His magnum opus is the Book of the New Sun series. Eric says the Book of the New Sun series is a mix of GK Chesterton and Buck Rogers. Eric says the two writers who have most changed his life are CS Lewis and Gene Wolfe. No other writers come close to Lewis and Wolfe for Eric. Eric says if one has never read Wolfe, then a good book to begin with is The Sorcerer's House. However, Eric's personal favorite is The Wizard Knight. * That Hideous Strength (CS Lewis). Gavin says this is his single favorite book of all time. * Till We Have Faces (CS Lewis). Both Eric and Gavin talk at length about Lewis and in particular these aforementioned two books. * Selected Poetry (Gerald Manley Hopkins). Eric says Hopkins is his favorite poet. * The Complete Fiction of HP Lovecraft (HP Lovecraft). Eric says Lovecraft's poem "Nemesis" captures all of Lovecraft. Eric says vampires deal with our fear of contagion, zombies deal with our fear of mortality, and Lovecraft deals with the fear that we don't matter in the slightest to the universe. (If I'm not mistaken, this is known as cosmic horror. Likewise, see the Christian screenwriter and director Brian Godawa's analysis of horror.) * To Kill a Mockingbird. Gavin's pick. Gavin says it's about "the unmaking of prejudice". * Contact (Carl Sagan). Among other things, Gavin says that, despite Sagan's hard atheism, this book is "filled with a supernatural aura". * The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (Stephen King). Eric's pick. Eric says this is an apocalyptic Western. * Jurassic Park (Michael Crichton). Gavin says he regards the book as a metaphor for technology run amok. * Coraline (Neil Gaiman). Eric's pick. Eric says it's not his favorite book, but it's the "perfect" fantasy book, that is, the "perfectly constructed" fantasy book. Eric says it's "perfectly acceptable for a 10 or 11 year old to read" but then immediately follows this with "it's one of the scariest things I've ever read". The second statement from Eric seems to cast some doubt on his first! Lol. * The Lord of the Rings (JRR Tolkien). Gavin's pick. * The Brothers Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoevsky). Gavin's pick. * The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway). Eric's pick. He says he disagree with the philosophy that "man can be broken but not defeated" but he loves Hemingway's prose. * Wise Blood (Flannery O'Connor). Eric's pick. One can never escape God. * Silence (Shusaku Endo). Eric's pick. Eric says the movie is good, but the book's ending is far more rewarding. The book's ending is redemptive and grace-filled. However, Eric believes Endo has a "wonky Christology". * Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't: The Beauty of Christian Theism (Gavin Ortlund). Eric says he genuinely loved his brother's book. Eric says he has a bookshelf dedicated to his favorite books and now Gavin's book is on this bookshelf next to CS Lewis. (I guess this is the only non-fictional work on this list.) * Dead Petals (Eric Ortlund). Gavin's pick. He likewise enjoyed his brother's book. That's it. It was fun to watch. Please do another one of these "favorites", guys! Maybe favorite non-fiction books? Or favorite specific genres? Et cetera. This was great! By the way, if anyone is interested in a (Reformed) Christian analysis of literature starting from Dante, check out the seven part series "A twice-told tale" by Steve Hays. Here's the first part: triablogue.blogspot.com/2004/06/twice-told-tale-1.html

[@stevehawke9819]

For what it's worth, if anything, here's a compilation of my favorite books: All of Grace (Spurgeon). A book instrumental in my conversion. It helped me see and receive “the free gift of God”. Thanks, indeed, all to God’s grace toward me in Christ, I shall meet Spurgeon in heaven, as Spurgeon pleaded for readers to do! Animal Farm (Orwell). I went to a very politically and socially liberal college. In fact, arguably the most leftist college in the nation. And I had strong sympathies toward socialism at the time. I better grasped the evils of socialism and communism after reading this book. Sometimes it is more persuasive to tell the truth via story (allegory) than to tell the truth plainly. A Backward Providence (Hays). A memoir of merit from a personal friend and tremendous mentor. I sorely miss him. Beginnings (Helm). An aid in the assurance of salvation - which is a struggle I often have. Behind a Frowning Providence (Murray). Such an edifying booklet on grief. Beowulf (Heaney). A stunning achievement in translation. Bible translators could learn from it. Indeed Don Carson has pointed out: “One thinks, by analogy, of the brilliant recent translation of Beowulf by Seamus Heaney. Within the constraints of terms and idioms that simply must be preserved, Heaney manages to bring to life an astonishingly ‘contemporary’ translation that nevertheless pulsates with the life of ancient Scandinavian mythological heroes.” The Bruised Reed (Sibbes). Salve to a sin-sick soul. The Character of Physical Law (Feynman). Foundations in scientific thinking. Charlotte’s Web (White). Death affects children too. As death did me. Another reason to “suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me.” Code (Petzold). How to build a computer. Such fun. It may be dated now, but it was perhaps only a few years old when I first heard of it and purchased it to read. Then again, maybe it’s not dated, considering the book starts with the most fundamental principles. Complete Poems (Christina Rossetti). The words flow so freely and easily from her pen. She’s a delight to read. Not only her poems, but her letters are worth reading too. It may be instructive to compare Rossetti with Elizabeth Barrett Browning who seemed more technically studied in her poetry than Rossetti (and “Cowper’s Grave” is indeed poetic perfection). Confessions (Augustine). I read this at a time when I was utterly restless in life, i.e., when I was in college. As such, it spoke deeply to me, beginning with, “our heart is restless until it rests in you”. I read Henry Chadwick’s translation, but these days I hear Thomas Williams’ translation is the one to read. The Doctor Himself (Lloyd-Jones). On Christian physicians and the care of souls - their own and that of others. Four Quartets (Eliot). Time and memory. Echoes of eternity. The “still-point of the turning world” in the Word of God made flesh. Frankenstein (Shelley). A Gothic tale in the Romantic era. Dark, moody. Grim. Arguably the first science fiction novel and one of the first modern horror novels. Explores many themes, not least of which is the Promethean rebellion of the created against their creator. Atheistic to the core. Rage, rage. It’s not a favorite in the same sense as most the other books on this list are favorites. Rather, it’s a “favorite” in part because it reminds me of my own dark and rebellious atheistic mindset. Who I once was and why I never wish to return. Shudder. I may not be the man I wish to be, but by God’s grace I’m no longer the man I was. Letters Along the Way (Carson & Woodbridge). Practical advice from a seasoned Christian to a new believer in an epistolary format and style. Edifying. The Little Prince (Saint-Exupéry). In my view, the stand-out quotation is: “What is essential is invisible to the eye.” That goes for many truths in life, but perhaps most especially love. That is, love should be deep, not merely skin deep. Long Journey Home (Guinness). Modern existential apologetics at its best. The Lord Our Shepherd (MacMillan). The sheep follow their great shepherd as they take steps toward heaven. Something of a memoir too. The Loveliness of Christ (Rutherford). Brief excerpts or meditations taken from Samuel Rutherford’s letters on the beauty and goodness of our Lord. I wish to read all his letters someday. Memories of Sandfields (Bethan Lloyd-Jones). God’s wonderful work in the lives of his saints. I never fail to be encouraged to hear how God rescued people from themselves. That’s in part because I know how often I need to be rescued. Miracles (Lewis). Along with Mere Christianity, introduced me to apologetics. Both books are good, but I think Miracles is the significantly better of the two. Musica Mundana (Hays). A unique novel written in a unique style. Three stories woven into a single thread: life in an unfallen world, life in a fallen world with no hope of redemption, and life in a fallen world with redemption. The end is open-ended. Thought-provoking. Beautiful. Much more could be said. Take up and read! The Once and Future King (White). A gentle story written by a gentle soul in a harsh world, though tyrant shades lurk between its sheaves. One, Two, Three…Infinity (Gamow). Dated, but still compelling to see how a brilliant scientist approaches problems. Among other things, the idea of infinity impresses upon the mind. Orthodoxy (Chesterton). Why Chesterton believes. Witty, clever, chock full of common sense. Cf. The excellent “Why I Believe” (parts 1 & 2) by Steve Hays. Out of the Depths (Newton). Larger than life, almost too hard to believe, but all true. Full of adventure, full of sin, full of grace. A man’s man. The Banner of Truth has a collection of Newton’s letters that I’d like to read in full someday. And I appreciate Newton’s friendship and brotherly love toward William Cowper. Pensées (Pascal). Insightful, stimulating, cynical. Existentially probing. Pascal was a polymath among polymaths. Fire. The Pilgrim’s Progress (Bunyan). The Christian life mapped out in allegorical vignettes, as Christian journeys toward the celestial city. The Screwtape Letters (Lewis). An urbane devil teaches a youngling how to tempt the Christian. Satirical, shrewd. Spiritual Depression (Lloyd-Jones). The good doctor brings light to bear on our soul’s darkness. If only I could constantly remember and apply its many lessons! The Temple (Herbert). Lyrical, devotional. Good to dip into once in a while. I could say similar things regarding a lot of Christina Rossetti’s poetry and letters. Theology of My Life (Frame). An autobiography and an apologetic for the Christian faith from arguably the foremost living theologian today. I have likewise enjoyed and benefited from several of Frame’s other books (e.g. Nature’s Case for God, Salvation Belongs to the Lord, some of the essays in his 3-volume collection of shorter writings, his film criticisms, his Lordship series). To Be Near Unto God (Kuyper). Our soul’s thirst for the living God. I would write a devotional like this is if I had the talent to write such reflective and edifying words for others. The Universe in Zero Words (Mackenzie). The equations, illustrations, and other images are half the reason the book is so good. A lovely combination of math and art. Beauty in numbers. In a roundabout way it’s a theistic argument from numbers. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Lewis). A baptized children’s version of Homer’s Odyssey, and so much more. Some of the most beautiful words written in the whole of modern English literature toward the close of the book. My favorite of the Narnia tales, though I also enjoyed the others, especially the first - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Lewis’ Perelandra likewise conveys tremendous beauty in word-images. Lewis aspired to be a great poet in his youth. He never achieved his goal. Yet his prose is often richly poetic, saturated with Sehnsucht, which is a large part of what made Lewis such a wonderful writer. In that respect, God had something better in mind for Lewis than Lewis had in mind for himself. The Wind in the Willows (Grahame). A father (Kenneth Grahame) writes bedtime stories to tell his only child, a sickly son (Alastair Grahame) who would die in his youth. These stories are set along the river Thames, in Edwardian England. Several heartachingly moving stories. A nostalgic voice in a nostalgic time. Beautifully told. Poetic. Of course, it goes without saying the Bible is my absolute favorite book. The only book I could truly never live without. The only book which I would be utterly lost without. The only book I come back to again and again, without exhausting its treasures, without losing its sweetness. It refreshes me, it rejuvenates me, it strengthens me. It’s my life. The undying tree of life. The fountain of youth. There is no other book like it, for it alone is God’s word. In particular, I enjoy reading: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Ruth, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, Daniel, John, Luke-Acts, Romans, 2 Corinthians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Hebrews, Revelation. I think I like Genesis, the Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and John best of all.

[@SamuelVanAgteren]

Just so you know, this is my favourite video on youtube. I have watched this entire video probably ten times over the past few years. Just wanted to say thanks.

[@TruthUnites]

wow, that is great! Glad you enjoyed!

[@danadams2331]

Episodes with your family should be in a series called "Ortlundia"

[@LeftHandedWords]

More of this, please.

[@mitchellscott1843]

Only watched a minute so far but my first thought was this channel is becoming my "comfort channel" casual, warm, informative, never end up getting riled up or angered even if there is the odd part I differ with.

[@g.b.agricola7362]

Great to see and hear you interact as brothers. Eric's praise for Gavin's book brought tears to my eyes.

[@vickiekeene2625]

I loved this. You are my kind of nerdy!! Love your brothers enthusiasm!

[@jeffreywp]

This won’t hurt your subs, Gavin. I loved watching your interactions with each other. This was fun listening to the two of you banter back and forth. I also enjoyed listening to each of your insights. It makes me want to take a book study with each of you. Please do this again. And I enjoyed Jurassic Park, too, Gavin.

[@HearGodsWord]

It would be great to get all of the Otlund brothers in a video.

[@carolynbillington9018]

like a dream book club discussion of some of my favorite Lewis books etc.

[@stephanieallison3817]

I loved this! You two sound exactly the same !

[@mcocknoxy]

This was so fascinating! Loved it. More to come in the future, I hope

[@blessonezra7381]

Ready to receive the prize you mentioned for still watching at a certain point of the video! Felt like the love both of you have for literature was oozing of the screen. Certainly has spurred me on to read more. Thanking you.

[@Ericviking2019]

This was awesome

[@aaronroeck6921]

Do a movie one!

[@killingtime9283]

Great video! Wished it was longer 😅

[@DavidFernandez-dn2hx]

You guys are just awesome. Period.

[@pamelashropshire7298]

I just now found this video; I’ve been working through this channel for a couple of months now. The passage Gavin read from Till We Have Faces is also one of my favorites from that book. I loved watching y’all “nerding out!” I get so excited talking about my favorite books I, too, become inarticulate.

[@TruthUnites]

Thanks Pamela! That passage is so good, right?? CS Lewis was a genius.

[@vrocs3225]

Thanks for reminding me to revisit Gene Wolfe, sad to hear he passed away. Genius writer.

[@davidlauer9379]

Do music next. Eric likes Beethoven!

[@DrBob-gr5ru]

On a long slog through the History of Middle earth series edited by Christopher Tolkien with a plan to read Lord of the Rings again afterward. Nothing in fiction compares to the cosmogeny of Tolkien's Middle earth.

[@TomPlantagenet]

I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the brothers karamazov. I think what Dostoyevsky was trying to show was that for the big issues in life there are not human logical answers. The whole concept of the redemption of Dimitri shows that active love is proof of existence of God.

[@suswik3682]

Why do I know who Buck Rogers is??? Feel old now. Lol.

[@joshtraylor4891]

You guys should seriously check out the Suneater series by Christopher Ruocchio. He's a Roman Catholic writing a space opera and it is absolutely incredible. You can really see the Aristotelian and Thomist influence in the metaphysics and epistemology of the world and in some of the characters as well. Very solid writing prose too. Can't recommend it enough!

[@elthgar]

Loving your channel so far... If you want a fun sci-fi, check out a compilation called the City Beyond Time: Fall of the Metachronopolis by John C Wright. It has a lot of spiritual aspects threaded through out the stories. Wright also speaks very highly of Wolfe.

[@marcuswilliams7448]

Curious: Have you considered putting together an audio only podcast of these episodes? I love to listen, but often when I'm working and moving around. It is difficult to so when it is only on KZbin

[@TruthUnites]

I hear you, a lot of people have asked about this. I just am on overload for learning new technology but I do hope to eventually get to this.

[@bobleroe3859]

No Graham Greene? I'm going to have to read some Gene Wolfe. O'Connor? I can't understand Southern Gothic.

[@Jackie.2025]

👍🏼

[@nathanketsdever3150]

Thanks for this. Interesting dialog and choices. What does Eric mean when he says when reading CS Lewis fiction/That Hideous Strength that he "feels more like a human being?"

[@parkerjones6598]

Super late response but I love this question. To me, the book that makes you feel more human is the book that comes to grips with who God is, inasmuch as it is shown by the author, then brings the story to the reader and shows his or her relation to God in a character’s emotions/actions/etc. I think of God answering Job, where we see God’s perspective and also Job’s perspective and their contrast throughout the book. I mean, what makes us feel more human than desiring an answer to the problem of evil and suffering?

[@elthgar]

Not literature per se, but you might find Lex Fridman's channel and Carl J's Theory of Everything channel to be useful for understanding the more humanistic (and transhumanistic) perspectives. About 25% of the interviews are outright awesome, another 25% are interesting, and so on.

[@theinfiniteawe]

Word of the day: desideratum