Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 14, 1993 TAG: 9303140277
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: D-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BOOKS IN BRIEF
The First Dissident: The Book of Job in Today's Politics.By William Safire. Random House. $23.
Pulitzer Prize-winning essayist William Safire has written one of the most insightful commentaries on the book and character of Job in recent times. The author's primary interest is in examining the politics of Job, which provides an additional insight into what has been, for many, a most troubling work of religious literature.
Safire states that his interest in Job "is the symbiosis of master and subject, the needs and limitations of Authority, the balance of power plays, the special interest of this age in the rights and obligations of a dissenter." In short, Safire argues that the book of Job provides a "blueprint for modern dissidence."
Safire ultimately produces a work which is both political and theological. "The First Dissident" challenges the reader's political understanding of Authority, and teaches a spiritual lesson on the value of dissent in strengthening one's relationship with God. The non-traditional paths Safire takes to reach his conclusions make for fascinating reading.
-NELSON HARRIS
Dining With Proust.
By Anne Borrel, Alain Senderens, Jean-Bernard Naudin. Random House. $40.
"Dining With Proust" proves that time past can be found again, at least for someone with imagination. Anne Borrel's text and Jean-Bernard Naudin's photographs combine to re-create Proust's world and to plunge us into its opulence and its beauty.
What pleasure this elegant volume contains for the eyes as well as the mind . . . 130 pages of sumptuous delectations to admire, to dream of, to read about. Borrel alternates passages from Proust's works with explanations about his experiences, his appreciation of haute cuisine or the simplest fare. Proust thought that a good cook was a creative genius, and bestowed praise when due with generous enthusiasm. His works abound in references to meals, one of the great joys of life to all the French, and now to us as well.
Food . . . beautiful glorious food . . . we can almost taste it. And with a little effort, we can. The third name on the title page is that of a chef, Jean-Bernard Naudin, who has provided directions for making each dish so lavishly presented. Here a major problem rears its ugly head; no one in his/her right mind would take this exquisite volume anywhere near a kitchen. I wish the publisher had included recipe cards. Too bad, but nothing can spoil my appreciation of "Dining With Proust." I'll recopy each recipe, provided I can stop drooling. What a gorgeous book!
-LYNN ECKMAN
Stephen Biesty's Incredible Cross-Sections.
Illustrated by Stephen Biesty. Written by Richard Platt. Knopf. $20.
Allegedly meant for children, this is one of those books that's far too fascinating to be limited to the short set. The purpose is simple. Stephen Biesty's drawings and Richard Platt's text explain how things work, and in many areas, most adults are just as ignorant as most kids.
The subjects are a castle, an observatory, a Spanish galleon, an ocean liner, a submarine, a coal mine, a tank, an oil rig, a cathedral, a 747 jet liner, an automobile assembly line, a helicopter, an opera house, a steam train, a subway station, a fishing trawler, the Empire State Building and a space shuttle.
The exploded cross-section drawings break these complex operations and machines down to their individual parts, showing us the ones that are hidden behind walls and under floors. The text explains how they work together or, in some cases, don't work together to achieve the desired goal. It's wonderful stuff. I can't imagine any adult or child who won't learn something new on every page. But what's best about the book is fact that Biesty and Platt never ignore the human element. They pay particular attention the most basic bodily functions. In so doing, they answer the embarrassing questions kids always ask.
-MIKE MAYO, Book page editor
Nelson Harris is pastor of the Ridgewood Baptist Church.
Lynn Eckman teaches at Roanoke College.