Enjoyed a fun conversation about Bible Babel with radio host Faith Ranoli yesterday. Listen live in a week or so.

We talked for about an hour about all things Bible -- where it came from, what's the best translation, how people use the Bible to argue different sides of the same issue, why the Bible says people lived for centuries, and what's with all those names for God. I'm afraid I rambled an awful lot but it sure was fun.

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I'm really excited about my new project, which has me thinking about all things paranormal. Turns out, they're all around us -- almost, well, normal.  The Bible is one source for images and ideas, but the appeal (some would say awareness) seems basic to our humanity. If we don't believe, exactly, we are nevertheless captivated and strangely affected by the supernatural. There's the vampire craze, of course; but angels and demons (thank you, Dan Brown, we cannot use that phrase in exactly the same way ever again), hybrid beings, and mysterious doings are part of the warp and woof of our lives.

Some weeks ago, when the summer ahead seemed endless, I opened a hulking book that has been quite a ride -- Galilee, by Clive Barker. Immortal beings intersecting with extraordinary human beings in ordinary settings. It's wild, not least because the narrator is a curious being and so self-aware of telling the story (another layer that's intriguing). Besides that, I've been watching old episodes of Saving Grace, True Blood, and the pilot of Neighbors from Hell (didn't do it for me), Supernatural, and the Gates. So many more! -- and I'm open to suggestions. Hope you enjoyed a magical Fourth~

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I'm really excited about my new project, which has me thinking about all things paranormal. Turns out, they're all around us -- almost, well, normal.  The Bible is one source for images and ideas, but the appeal (some would say awareness) seems basic to our humanity. If we don't believe, exactly, we are nevertheless captivated and strangely affected by the supernatural. There's the vampire craze, of course; but angels and demons (thank you, Dan Brown, we cannot use that phrase in exactly the same way ever again), hybrid beings, and mysterious doings are part of the warp and woof of our lives.

Some weeks ago, when the summer ahead seemed endless, I opened a hulking book that has been quite a ride -- Galilee, by Clive Barker. Immortal beings intersecting with extraordinary human beings in ordinary settings. It's wild, not least because the narrator is a curious being and so self-aware of telling the story (another layer that's intriguing). Besides that, I've been watching old episodes of Saving Grace, True Blood, and the pilot of Neighbors from Hell (didn't do it for me), Supernatural, and the Gates. So many more! -- and I'm open to suggestions. Hope you enjoyed a magical Fourth~

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I attended a great session at the 2010 VA Fest of the Book on the business of reviewing books. C-Span's Book TV recorded it. I just recently watched it again, after receiving some very nice comments about the question I asked (Is it appropriate to thank a reviewer? - some said "yes," others "absolutely not"). I was in the audience, though, not part of the program and found it to be awesome -- insightful, entertaining, inspiring, and surprisingly funny. I recommend it. The panelists, from left to right if you watch the video were: Rebecca Skloot, reviewer and also author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks; Bethanne Patrick, of The Book Studio; Ron Charles of The Washington Post Book World; Katharine Weber, review and author of True Confections; David Montgomery, reviewer for the Chicago Sun-Times and The Daily Beast and author of Thriller 2. The moderator was Bella Stander, of Book Promotion 101.
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If most people don't get the biblical references, why do the creators of popular tv, movies, music and lit still use them so much? Pondering this question over iced tea with a novelist, Ph.D.-candidate friend, we decided: it's tough to say. Here are a couple of ideas that we bounced around: 

1) Audiences do recognize the biblical language, themes or characters and that's enough because the Bible continues to resonate or at least suggest something greater than what immediatley meets the eye.

2) The creators know that only a few people are going to know the reference but think, "Who cares? We know it's in there. It's cool and adds levels of meaning that are super-rich. The minority who pick up on it are going to love it."

3) It keeps people like me in business. Ok, no. That's definitely not their reason... and it's hardly a business for me. But I do love catching those biblical references, contemplating how the creators integrated and interpreted them, and what that means for the greater story or art.

What do you think is the explanation?

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There's Twilight of course, and True Blood, and going back in time a little, there was Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all those Anne Rice novels. I shouldn't have been surprised to stumble on two more that feature vampires front and center -- Moonlight and The Gates. You'd have to live under a rock in the wilderness to be ignorant of the vampire craze. They're everywhere these days. But did you know there are biblical tie-ins, too? Take this, for example: The Greek word that denotes the evil serpent figure in the Christian book of Revelation is drakon (yes, like "dragon"). revelation woman_clothed_in_sun dragon.jpgA variation of it became the Romanian word for "devil" -- dracul. You can probably see where I'm going with this. Dracul became the nickname of a fifteenth century Transylvanian gent, who belonged to the fraternal society "Order of the Dragon." His son Vlad Tepes grew up to be the cruel count "Vlad the Impaler," also known as Dracul, Jr., "the little devil" dracula (being the diminutive form of dracul). Centuries later Bram Stoker came along, and the rest is history. More to come on the blood, the sex, and those ultra long lives... Wha ha-ha ha-ha.

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Watching "Seinfeld" reruns recently, I saw the one in which Elaine and Kramer argue about rightful ownership of (originally Elaine's) high-handled girly bicycle. To settle the matter, Newman channels the biblical Solomon. According to the biblical book of Kings, Solomon, son of David, inherited the throne in ancient Israel and promptly demonstrated one of the qualities for which he has been admired ever since -- wisdom. In the episode titled "The Seven," Newman decides that rather than give the bike to one or the other of the warring parties, he'll cut it in half. Now, if you're not familiar with the biblical story (two prostitutes, a baby... check it out -- 1 Kings 3:16-28), you'd understandably find the whole thing bizarre. Hiliarious, but strange nonetheless. It comes straight out of the Bible. Instead of a baby, though, what's at issue is a bike. This silly new context for a straight, ancient story adds yet another layer to the Bible's countless interpretations and reinterpretations thoughout the centuries. Great summer fun.
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How much do you know about animals in the Bible? Take Beliefnet's quiz to find out! I had a lot of fun working up this little test. And gosh, there are so many more biblical animals that we could talk about...

Meanwhile, I rescued a big painted turtle yesterday from the humiliation of canine objectification as the setter batted and danced around it. I carried the turtle down to the pond thinking surely it would take its time emerging from the security of its shell. But no! Once she caught sight of water, that turtle was off, no worse for wear...

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Biologists in FL are working to preserve native species threatened by the catastrophic Gulf oil spill, and they've dubbed it "Operation Noah's Ark." Echoing that story in the biblical book of Genesis, Jack and Anne Rudlow are collecting what critters they can house in their Gulf Specimen Marine Lab to preserve and then release when the danger is past. The whole matter is so heartbreaking.

So many good people who have worked so hard over so many years to conserve, preserve, do the right thing. And then this. In a virtual instant, irresponsibility wrecks havoc on a colossal level. So many innocent creatures- -- dolphins, fish, birds, and turtles -- suffering torturous deaths because of our insatiable thirst for profit and cheap energy.

And I think of the little girl I met in Richmond some weeks ago. A beautiful child with long blond hair that fell in loose curls to her waist. In all her eight years, she had never cut it. Yet she determined that the next day she'd join whoever else showed up (at the Children's Museum, I think it was), to cut it all off -- "to help with the oil." The program is called "Matter of Trust." Her mother, wistfully running her hands through the girl's hair, explained that they'd been told that human hair has a unique capacity to sop up oil. In my mind, "obscene" was the word that pierced the sorrow. Compare her sacrifice, her concern and commitment to BP's profit, politicians' popularity, and our obstinate demand for oil.

Sorry for the downer, but there it is. Meanwhile, the sun shines its summertime heat on the green Virginia hills, storm clouds thunder through at night, and Beaver Beverly's guy Vernon has ambled up from the pond where she's busy working to have himself an afternoon snack of the maple shoots sprouting in the shade. He's within the dogs' scope and territory... if they'd just raise their big sleepy heads to look. They're all safe for now.  

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Great day in Chicago, starting at 0'awfully-early with a TV interview at ABC-7. Nice folks there, a fun chat about "Lost," among other things, then hello black coffee! Took the metro ez-pz up to Lincoln Square where I stopped in at the Book Cellar. That is one very cool indie bookstore! Back to the hotel to drop off... er... the shoes I bought. And not just one pair. But never mind that. Back to work: cab through a sudden rain that ended just as soon. Caught the commuter train down to Hyde Park, home of the brick and ivy University of Chicago. And home to co-op bookstores. The rain had quit, sun was out, so I donned my hat and set out. Visited with Javier, a manager at the 57th Street Books and then found my way into the caverns of its partner store -- the Seminary Bookstore on campus. Both of them are funky yet cozy, with amazing inventory (including Bible Babel  - yay!). Awesome that they're essentially owned by the customers. 

I still had a couple of hours to hop across the street to the Oriental Institute Museum before it closed. A place I've been wanting to visit for quite some time, they've got an incredible collection of artifacts from the ancient Near East excavated and analyzed by some of the world's leaders in the field (so to speak - hah). Spent some time taking in the truly colossal (about 40 tons, over 16 feet tall) lamassu -massive winged bulls with beneficent human faces. A pair once flanked the entrance to Sargon II's throne room in Khorsabad at the end of the 8th century BCE (721-705 BCE). A final stop: Powell's, specializing "in quality used, rare, and discounted books, especially academic and scholarly." Hopped the number 6 bus back north and had the happy luck to visit with a couple of women interested in Bible Babel. Charlene bought the last copy I was toting and helped me figure out how to get back to the hotel. whew! Off to dinner and home to Virginia tomorrow ~ 

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