Dominion

A "marvelous" (Economist) account of how the Christian Revolution forged the Western imagination. Crucifixion, the Romans believed, was the worst fate imaginable, a punishment reserved for slaves. How astonishing it was, then, that people should have come to believe that one particular victim of crucifixion-an obscure provincial by the name of Jesus-was to be worshipped as a god. Dominion explores the implications of this shocking conviction as they have reverberated throughout history. Today, the West remains utterly saturated by Christian assumptions. As Tom Holland demonstrates, our morals and ethics are not universal but are instead the fruits of a very distinctive civilization. Concepts such as secularism, liberalism, science, and homosexuality are deeply rooted in a Christian seedbed. From Babylon to the Beatles, Saint Michael to #MeToo, Dominion tells the story of how Christianity transformed the modern world.

Wry Writer wrote on her blog about the Great British Bake Off Book Challenge.

Here is mine.

ON YOUR MARKS – A Book You Can’t Wait To Read

Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel. I’m a huge fan of her books and am really looking forward to this one. Comes out September 15, 2026.

SIGNATURE BAKE – A Book From Your Favourite Genre

I love survival stories. There are many great books out there, but the most recent one for me was 117 Days Adrift by Maurice and Maralyn Bailey. Another great one is Left for Dead by Eric Jay Dolin.

SHOWSTOPPER – A Book With A Beautiful Cover

I love the outdoors and hiking; I found this cover beautiful and creative. A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko.

SOGGY BOTTOM – A Book That Made You Cry

Oof. Lots of books make me cry, but this one was so powerful, raw, and full of hope that I cried many times while reading it. When Breath Becomes air by Paul Kalanithi.

HOLLYWOOD HANDSHAKE – Your Perfect Book

My perfect book is hard to nail down. All books are beautiful and perfect for different reasons, but mine would include animals, the outdoors, kind humans, and some history. That about describes Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton for me. I just loved the book. So, it’s a double entry on this list for me.

LEAVING THIS WEEK – A Book You Didn’t Finish

Always remember the words of Doris Lessing:

” There is only one way to read, which is to browse in libraries and bookshops, picking up books that attract you, reading only those, dropping them when they bore you, skipping the parts that drag – and never, never reading anything because you feel you ought, or because it is part of a trend or a movement. Remember that the book which bores you when you are twenty or thirty will open doors for you when you are forty or fifty- and vice versa. Don’t read a book out of its right time for you. " ~ Doris Lessing

Don’t be afraid to stop reading a book. It may not be your time.

I’ve stopped many books, and you should too. Dive deep into new genres and try reading a book that doesn’t even look good to you. Explore. You may just be surprised by what you find.

Three recent books I DNF.

Dominion by Matthew Scully

Dominion by Tom Holland.

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.

STAR BAKER – A Five Star Read

Last years 5 star read was hands down Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton. Another one that everyone should read is Foster by Claire Keegan.

AND THE WINNER IS – A Book By A Favourite Author

A hands-down favorite author is Maria Popova. I love how she writes. Her latest book, Traversal, was outstanding.

And you, Avid Reader, what would make it into your Great British Bake Off list?