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Reading Groups

Reading at the Wade

Paul Faber book coverDuring this time of social distancing, Dr. Rolland Hein has offered to continue his blog series with a book discussion of George MacDonald’s Paul Faber: Surgeon. You may visit his blog to participate: http://rollandhein.blogspot.com

Paul Faber: Surgeon (1778), is a sequel to Thomas Wingfold: Curate. In both novels George MacDonald focuses upon each character’s spiritual state in their relationship to God, and how they grow or deteriorate as they respond to the sacramental energies of life. In the former novel MacDonald created George Bascombe, who epitomized the naturalist/materialist spirit that was rising during the Victorian age. In Paul Faber, he thoroughly delineates such attitudes and strives to show their utter inadequacy as compared to the truths of Christianity.

A free online version of the novel can be accessed on Project Gutenberg.

Dr. Hein has also provided an additional document on the background to Paul Faber: Surgeon. (PDF)

The novel will be divided into the following weekly segments, and Dr. Hein will post a blog for each. He warmly invites your responses and reactions to the novel. Please feel free to express whatever is on your mind. Much of the value in reading together lies in freely expressing thoughts and interacting with one another.

  • June 20: Chapters 1 - 9
  • June 27: Chapters 10 - 16 
  • July 4: Chapters 17 - 23
  • July 11: Chapters 24 - 29
  • July 18: Chapters 30 - 40
  • July 25: Chapters 41 - 47 
  • August 1: Chapters 48 - end

For more reading recommendations and access to online resources, see the Wade Center's blog post “Those Who Lived to see Such Times”: Suggested Readings from the Wade Authors during Times of Uncertainty.

 

Lord of the Rings Virtual Book Discussion

Lord of the Rings book covers

Join Wade Center Co-director David C. Downing and Wade Archivist Laura Schmidt for a 6-week virtual book discussion of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The 1-hour discussions will be held via Zoom on Thursday evenings, June 25 – July 30, at 7:00 p.m. (Central).

  • Registration for the series is required.
    After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the discussion for any of the 6 sessions.
  • The  are available for download (PDF).

Whether you are able to join us for all six weeks or only a few, we encourage you to participate!