I took this book with me on our family vacation, thinking it was a good sort of book in that it would be gripping enough to be enjoyable, but not TOO gripping in that I would be able to put it down and do other things...I was wrong! I finished it in 1 day! It has a powerful mixture of historical facts, riveting moments, poignant recollections and moving emotions.
The sub-title of this book reads, "The Battle of Britain in the words of the pilots who won it." The author, Max Arthur, served with the RAF and is the UK's foremost oral historian and in his author's note, states: "Through their words I have sought to capture the experiences and atmosphere: the waiting, the action and the consequences of those actions. These are their words - I have been but a catalyst."
The Battle of Britain was fought from July-September 1940 and while the air defenses were badly battered and almost ruined, "but against all odds, 'The Few' as they came to be known, bought Britain's freedom - many with their lives. More than a fifth of the British and Allied pilots died during the Battle of Britain." (book jacket)
It was very refreshing and also thought-provoking to read these candid, first-hand accounts from the men who fought and who, miraculously, survived. I've often wondered what their thoughts were on death, on losing comrades, on shooting down planes...those questions were answered in this book.
- (Winston Churchill had only recently become Prime Minister when he made this speech in June 1940): "I look forward confidently to the exploits of our fighter pilots - these splendid men, this brilliant youth - who will have the glory of saving their native land, their island home, and all they love, from the most deadly of all attacks...Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'" (pg. 90)
- (Sergeant Fred Roberts, Armourer, 19 Squadron): "We didn't really discuss death - if a pilot was killed, it was horrible to think that half an hour before we'd been strapping him in a plane. But he'd gone - and there would be a replacement tomorrow. That was as far as our thoughts went. There was no such thing as stress in those days, there was no counselling or anything like that. It was an act of war - they died, they were killed." (pg. 153)
- (Sergeant Ray Holmes, 504 Squadron): "We built up a sort of synthetic hate against them, which was a bit artificial. I wanted to shoot an aeroplane down, but I didn't want to shoot a German down. I really did not." (pg. 169)
- (Sergeant Pilot Iain Hutchinson, 222 Squadron): "During the battle I didn't have any nightmares - until after the last time I got shot down - and then I had nightmares which have persisted the rest of my life. It was simply that I was stuck in the aircraft and it was going down rather rapidly." (pg. 168)
- (Unknown Pilot, 56 Squadron): "There was a feeling when war came that we were living in a comfortable microcosm. We never thought of wider issues - we were wrapped up in our own lives. You never heard politics discussed - and we read only newspapers - and if a book, then it was a novel. We talked about aeroplanes, but not so much shop as today. We were wilder, drank more, enjoyed ourselves more. We didn't doubt that we wouldn't lose - although I don't know that we were all as anxious to get to grips with the enemy as we made out. I wasn't. Deep down, we didn't know what was going to happen - what it would be like. I never saw anyone show he was frightened, although we probably were...The bell went - the moment of running to the aeroplane was the worst. The nearer you got to it, the less you thought about what was going to happen. Strapping in was a nervous moment - then climbing, in those bright, clear skies - lumbering along trying to get height." (pg. 179)
- (Flying Officer Alec Ingle, 605 Squadron): "It was fairly shattering to see an aircraft just go whoof alongside you. But it all happens so quickly, when you are closing at those speeds. You are not talking about minutes - you are talking about seconds."(pg. 236)
- (Aircraftwoman Jean Mills, Plotter & Tracer at RAF Duxford): "I remember coming on for a night shift and seeing a great glow in the south-east, like the biggest sunset you ever saw, and we said to the guard, 'What's that?' and he said, 'Oh, that's London burning.' That was the first time, really, that I felt it in the pit of my stomach." (pg. 269)
- (Pilot Officer Tim Vigors, 222 Squadron - after surviving a near-death and harrowing experience, he wrote the following which I thought was typically British! :) ) "As I heaved myself from the cockpit, a lady appeared through the gate from the garden. In her hand she bore a mug. 'Are you all right, dear?' she cried. 'I thought you might like a cup of tea to steady your nerves.'" :) (pg. 213)
- (Flight Lieutenant Billy Drake, 1 Squadron): "I don't think we feared death - we accepted that it could happen. What we did fear was being wounded or taken prisoner of war. Those were two immediate worries on a day-to-day basis." (pg. 271)
- (Flight Lieutenant Billy Drake, 1 Squadron): "One has to be honest and say there were moments - the bad moments you can't even remember. They're past, forgotten - but the great moments and the camaraderie - the times that you had on leave, the friends that you made. You met such a cross-section of the British population that you would never have met at other times, other than in wartime. (pg. 269)
I could keep quoting on and on! This book will grip you as you move through the various phases of the battle. As the Daily Telegraph reviewed, "Max Arthur brings together the voices of the living and the dead to recreate the events of July-October 1940, when vapor trails against a blue sky marked the battle to save civilization."
Read the book. Relive the moments. Remember the battle.
Tuesday, 22 July 2014
Monday, 26 May 2014
Book #5 - Passion & Purity
I'm trying to read as much as I possibly can now, to make up for all the time when I read nothing! This was my second time reading this book, and I finished it in a day and a half. The first time I read this book was in my first semester of university, and it was the best time to read it! This time around, my eyes were scanning the book list and the title caused me to stop and consider. After I read it, I realized once again that I had read it at just the right time :) Now down to the book itself...
I've already read one book off the list by the author that also wrote this book, Elisabeth Elliot. To see what I wrote on her style and personal background, read here: http://lemonsandroses12.blogspot.ca/2014/02/book-2-let-me-be-woman_9582.html "In 'Passion & Purity', she emphasizes the need to commit daily to Christ all matters of the heart and to wait upon Him. She teaches this often-painful, yet rewarding discipline by candidly tracing her love story with Jim Elliot to 'serve as evidence that I've been there'."(back cover) Ruth Bell Graham writes the introduction of this book, and she summarizes perfectly my own feelings on the book:
"...this is a book about bringing one's love life under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ. Elisabeth has made it warmly personal, supporting her theme from memories, journals and old love letters to Jim Elliot. She writes with poignancy and restraint. Interspersed through it are rich, right words from the Bible, beautiful old hymns, quotations from favorite authors - each so appropriate because they had met a living need. I didn't put it down until I had finished it. 'The best way to show up a crooked stick,' someone has said, 'is to lay a straight one beside it.' So amid today's too-crooked thinking, Elisabeth Elliot has come up with a straight stick. And a beautifully unforgettable one at that."
Before I move away from the style of the book and on to its content, a word to the guys out there! This book is just as relevant to you as it is to women. So don't be scared to be seen reading it! :) Both single men and women might be thinking, "What's this about bringing my love live under Christ's control? What love life? I have none!" Ahh yes. I've come to learn that the absence of a so-called "love life" is just as real as if you had a hopping, romantic one! Learning to be content with singleness is a constant struggle, one that Elliot deals with in this book. Learning to place it all in His hands and leave it there is indeed a discipline to be learned.
The content of the book has already been touched on. There isn't really an outline to this book, as she moves through her own personal timeline of her relationship with Jim Elliot and the struggles/joys along the way. So rather than lay out the book, I'll once again whet your appetite with a few things I enjoyed from it and things I were challenged by, and I hope that causes you to read it!
- "What kind of God is it who asks everything of us? The same God who '...did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all; and with this gift how can he fail to lavish upon us all He has to give?' He gives all. He asks all." (pg. 38)
- "It is a powerful lie that, because sexual desire is natural, healthy and God given, anything I do because of that desire is natural, healthy and God given... Christians who are buying such rubbish today are without honor. They have lost the notions of fidelity, renunciation and sacrifice, because nothing seems worth all that... If your goal is purity of heart, be prepared to be thought very odd." (pg. 129)
- "Think of the self that God has given as an acorn. It is a marvelous little thing, a perfect shape, perfectly designed for its purpose, perfectly functional. Think of the grand glory of an oak tree. God's intention when He made the acorn was the oak tree. His intention for us is "...the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Many deaths must go into our reaching that measure, many letting-goes. When you look at the oak tree, you don't feel that the "loss" of the acorn is a very great loss. The more you perceive God's purpose in your life, the less terrible will the losses seem." (pg. 163)
Once again, be prepared to have your thoughts on courtship (yes...courtship, not dating!) challenged and probably changed. Be prepared to want to give it all to Christ and yet at the same time feel unworthy of that mighty task. May this book "help to remind you that only by putting your human passion and desire through His fire can God purify your love." (back cover) Enjoy this book :)
I've already read one book off the list by the author that also wrote this book, Elisabeth Elliot. To see what I wrote on her style and personal background, read here: http://lemonsandroses12.blogspot.ca/2014/02/book-2-let-me-be-woman_9582.html "In 'Passion & Purity', she emphasizes the need to commit daily to Christ all matters of the heart and to wait upon Him. She teaches this often-painful, yet rewarding discipline by candidly tracing her love story with Jim Elliot to 'serve as evidence that I've been there'."(back cover) Ruth Bell Graham writes the introduction of this book, and she summarizes perfectly my own feelings on the book:
"...this is a book about bringing one's love life under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ. Elisabeth has made it warmly personal, supporting her theme from memories, journals and old love letters to Jim Elliot. She writes with poignancy and restraint. Interspersed through it are rich, right words from the Bible, beautiful old hymns, quotations from favorite authors - each so appropriate because they had met a living need. I didn't put it down until I had finished it. 'The best way to show up a crooked stick,' someone has said, 'is to lay a straight one beside it.' So amid today's too-crooked thinking, Elisabeth Elliot has come up with a straight stick. And a beautifully unforgettable one at that."
Before I move away from the style of the book and on to its content, a word to the guys out there! This book is just as relevant to you as it is to women. So don't be scared to be seen reading it! :) Both single men and women might be thinking, "What's this about bringing my love live under Christ's control? What love life? I have none!" Ahh yes. I've come to learn that the absence of a so-called "love life" is just as real as if you had a hopping, romantic one! Learning to be content with singleness is a constant struggle, one that Elliot deals with in this book. Learning to place it all in His hands and leave it there is indeed a discipline to be learned.
The content of the book has already been touched on. There isn't really an outline to this book, as she moves through her own personal timeline of her relationship with Jim Elliot and the struggles/joys along the way. So rather than lay out the book, I'll once again whet your appetite with a few things I enjoyed from it and things I were challenged by, and I hope that causes you to read it!
- "What kind of God is it who asks everything of us? The same God who '...did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all; and with this gift how can he fail to lavish upon us all He has to give?' He gives all. He asks all." (pg. 38)
- "It is a powerful lie that, because sexual desire is natural, healthy and God given, anything I do because of that desire is natural, healthy and God given... Christians who are buying such rubbish today are without honor. They have lost the notions of fidelity, renunciation and sacrifice, because nothing seems worth all that... If your goal is purity of heart, be prepared to be thought very odd." (pg. 129)
- "Think of the self that God has given as an acorn. It is a marvelous little thing, a perfect shape, perfectly designed for its purpose, perfectly functional. Think of the grand glory of an oak tree. God's intention when He made the acorn was the oak tree. His intention for us is "...the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Many deaths must go into our reaching that measure, many letting-goes. When you look at the oak tree, you don't feel that the "loss" of the acorn is a very great loss. The more you perceive God's purpose in your life, the less terrible will the losses seem." (pg. 163)
Once again, be prepared to have your thoughts on courtship (yes...courtship, not dating!) challenged and probably changed. Be prepared to want to give it all to Christ and yet at the same time feel unworthy of that mighty task. May this book "help to remind you that only by putting your human passion and desire through His fire can God purify your love." (back cover) Enjoy this book :)
Monday, 19 May 2014
Book #4 - "In the Land of Blue Burqas"
I've got a few things I need to say before I begin the review. First of all, my apologies for such long time since my last review! Since then, I finished at my old job, got a new job as an insurance broker and underwent 4 weeks of training for it. To be honest, I didn't read anything but insurance manuals and textbooks until this past Saturday. Secondly, if you have an excellent memory, you may recall that this book was not on the original list of 20! That is correct :) I was drawn to this book, and so I have read this one instead of #19 "A Man Called Intrepid". I have several WWII books on the list and was desperate to read this one instead. Now for the review...
The author of this book is named Kate McCord, however that is a protective pseudonym. As it says in the author description, "To protect herself and the men and women she talked with, all of the names in this book have been changed." She left her career in America, and went to start an organization with a view of helping Afghan women. She stayed for 5 years before things became too dangerous.
You may ask, what land is the land of blue burqas? Afghanistan. This book was published only in 2012 and so it is very current, both politically and socially. I began this book...and ended it 2 days later. It is fantastic. The last two days I was reading this, I was not in rainy Manitoba but in blistering hot Afganistan. The author wonderfully transports you, so that you can almost smell the smells, see the sights, hear the sounds and meet the people. There is a short paragraph in the first chapter summarizing what this book is - I love it when authors do that, it makes my job easier! :) "This book is a journey into Afghanistan, into some of those conversations. I invite you. Come with me. Join me in the rickshaws and taxis, the bazaars, offices and Afghan homes. You will be our guest. Listen in to our conversations as we share our lives and our faith with one another." (pg. 28) She then proceeds to do just that. You will feel like her shadow, or a fly on the wall. This book is full of intimate conversations, challenging convictions and realistic lives.
She seeks to paint a picture of how different Afghan society is from the Western world. Indeed, how different they are! Differences can be seen in marriages, children, education, how one practices their faith. Islam is central to their lives and everything stems from that. Most of the conversations consist of the locals peppering her with questions about why she does what she does, and she always gives very wise answers!
This is the type of book where I wish I could quote everything to you! But here are just some samples:
- "If there's anything in American culture that Afghans, both young men and all women really admire it's this: that men and women decide who and when to marry. It touched on their greatest sorrow and their deepest dream." (pg. 39)
- The author often remarks how her time there strengthened her own faith and deepened her appreciation for Christ. "I'll admit, sometimes it was difficult to live among Afghans. Sometimes the darkness overwhelmed me. When my Afghan friends explained Jesus as the prophet who will come and dismember those who would not convert to Islam, I wanted to scream, 'No, that's not who Jesus is. You have another Jesus entirely.'" (pg. 83)
- The author also takes the time to tell her own testimony. She naively thought that she must read the Bible as one solid book, and in one go (before she trusted Christ) and I loved how she described that experience: "So I started in Genesis. It took several months for me to read the book, but the results were cataclysmic in my life. In the pages of the Old Testament, I met the God of the universe and found Him beautiful. I was astonished, first, by how honest the Old Testament is about the nature of people. We're always running off in wrong directions. I suppose I expected the Bible to make all those Jewish heroes look perfect, but it didn't...what really captivated my attention was God's unremitting love, His patience and willingness to continually forgive and restore." (pg. 97)
- "For my Afghan neighbors, (prayer) is a beautiful ritual that must be practiced consistently. For me, as a follower of Christ, prayer is an intimate conversation with the God of the universe." (pg. 239)
- "As long as Afghans understand God as a judge who only loves the obedient, they will never genuinely love one another...as long as Afghans hero-worship a warrior king who defined submission and required it at the edge of a sword, there cannot be peace in their country." (pg. 303)
Be prepared to have your view on Afghanistan radically changed. Be prepared to have your heart touched. Be prepared to have your faith and convictions freshly challenged. And be prepared to love this book. I certainly did!
Comments welcome below :)
The author of this book is named Kate McCord, however that is a protective pseudonym. As it says in the author description, "To protect herself and the men and women she talked with, all of the names in this book have been changed." She left her career in America, and went to start an organization with a view of helping Afghan women. She stayed for 5 years before things became too dangerous.
You may ask, what land is the land of blue burqas? Afghanistan. This book was published only in 2012 and so it is very current, both politically and socially. I began this book...and ended it 2 days later. It is fantastic. The last two days I was reading this, I was not in rainy Manitoba but in blistering hot Afganistan. The author wonderfully transports you, so that you can almost smell the smells, see the sights, hear the sounds and meet the people. There is a short paragraph in the first chapter summarizing what this book is - I love it when authors do that, it makes my job easier! :) "This book is a journey into Afghanistan, into some of those conversations. I invite you. Come with me. Join me in the rickshaws and taxis, the bazaars, offices and Afghan homes. You will be our guest. Listen in to our conversations as we share our lives and our faith with one another." (pg. 28) She then proceeds to do just that. You will feel like her shadow, or a fly on the wall. This book is full of intimate conversations, challenging convictions and realistic lives.
She seeks to paint a picture of how different Afghan society is from the Western world. Indeed, how different they are! Differences can be seen in marriages, children, education, how one practices their faith. Islam is central to their lives and everything stems from that. Most of the conversations consist of the locals peppering her with questions about why she does what she does, and she always gives very wise answers!
This is the type of book where I wish I could quote everything to you! But here are just some samples:
- "If there's anything in American culture that Afghans, both young men and all women really admire it's this: that men and women decide who and when to marry. It touched on their greatest sorrow and their deepest dream." (pg. 39)
- The author often remarks how her time there strengthened her own faith and deepened her appreciation for Christ. "I'll admit, sometimes it was difficult to live among Afghans. Sometimes the darkness overwhelmed me. When my Afghan friends explained Jesus as the prophet who will come and dismember those who would not convert to Islam, I wanted to scream, 'No, that's not who Jesus is. You have another Jesus entirely.'" (pg. 83)
- The author also takes the time to tell her own testimony. She naively thought that she must read the Bible as one solid book, and in one go (before she trusted Christ) and I loved how she described that experience: "So I started in Genesis. It took several months for me to read the book, but the results were cataclysmic in my life. In the pages of the Old Testament, I met the God of the universe and found Him beautiful. I was astonished, first, by how honest the Old Testament is about the nature of people. We're always running off in wrong directions. I suppose I expected the Bible to make all those Jewish heroes look perfect, but it didn't...what really captivated my attention was God's unremitting love, His patience and willingness to continually forgive and restore." (pg. 97)
- "For my Afghan neighbors, (prayer) is a beautiful ritual that must be practiced consistently. For me, as a follower of Christ, prayer is an intimate conversation with the God of the universe." (pg. 239)
- "As long as Afghans understand God as a judge who only loves the obedient, they will never genuinely love one another...as long as Afghans hero-worship a warrior king who defined submission and required it at the edge of a sword, there cannot be peace in their country." (pg. 303)
Be prepared to have your view on Afghanistan radically changed. Be prepared to have your heart touched. Be prepared to have your faith and convictions freshly challenged. And be prepared to love this book. I certainly did!
Comments welcome below :)
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Book #3 - "A Tale of Two Cities"
Phew. Completing this book was a personal victory! A few times, I have
picked it up, attempted to read it, I got to maybe the third chapter and gave
up. I am so glad I persevered this time as it is such a fantastic book.
I really wish that one of my professors had taken it up in one of my
classes where we could have spent up to two weeks, peeling back the many
layers that exist and exploring the multiple themes and ideals that run
throughout the book. When I finished reading the last sentence and
closed the book, the first feeling I got was of being overwhelmed. I was
overwhelmed with the deplorable things that occurred during the French
Revolution. I was overwhelmed with the many accounts of intense
sacrifice that Charles Dickens takes up. I was overwhelmed with the fact that a
seemingly "stuffy" and somewhat difficult book, moved me the way it did.
I was overwhelmed with the talent and skill that Dickens demonstrates
in his style. I was overwhelmed that this book is both intimate and epic in its nature.
Prior to discussing the book itself, there are just a few negatives (if one can call them that), perhaps they are more warnings to potential readers. First, be prepared for extremely long sentences and excessive description. Though both of these characterize much of Dickens writings, it can be difficult to plow through! Second, it was first published in 1859, so it's only natural that the language matches the time period.
This is the first fictional book that I have done a review on, and due to the complexities of the plot (and so I don't spoil it for those of you who have yet to read it!), I will steer clear of laying out what occurs - you'll just have to read it for yourself :) With well over 200 million copies sold, and with a high ranking in the literature world, it is safe to say that you have to read this book! But in case you are still not convinced, let me lay out some of the themes and motifs that I noticed, in the hopes that it will pique your interest.
First of all, it's important to note that the narrator is anonymous and could very well be Dickens himself. I would say that the narrator is always sympathetic with the positive and morally good characters and with those who aren't so good, the narrator both criticizes them and yet understands that their circumstances have shaped them as such. The narrator is also third person omniscient, meaning that the focus switches often between cities and characters and also that the narrator sees all emotions, thoughts and motives.
Let's begin with the general themes of the book. (A theme is a fundamental, and often universal, idea that runs through a literary work.) As previously alluded to, A Tale of Two Cities deals with the vitality and mandatory matter of sacrifice. Obviously, as it is set in the French Revolution, sacrifice was something that literally occurred multiple times a day. But not only is sacrifice seen nationally, it is also experienced personally. Dickens seems to hone in on the belief that sacrifice is necessary in order to obtain true contentment and happiness. I'm not 100% sure in my own mind, that that is true in life. I do believe that selfishness gets a person nowhere, but I'm not fully convinced that the other extreme (that sacrifice must occur to be happy) is true. Something to ponder!
Another general theme that runs throughout is the glorious idea of resurrection, rebirth and renewal. In a book filled with darkness, evil and death, the times when this theme is visible, it reminds me of a flower growing in the midst of thorns and weeds. The book is divided (by Dickens), into three books: Book the First - Recalled to Life, Book the Second - The Golden Thread, and Book the Third - The Track of a Storm. The following is a passage from Book the First which provides an example of one of the many ways Dickens explores how resurrection/renewal is displayed. (To provide a bit of context, one of the main characters keeps having a reoccurring dream in which the conversation is always the same.)
A hundred times the dozing passenger inquired of this spectre:
"Buried how long?"
The answer was always the same. "Almost eighteen years."
"You had abandoned all hope of being dug out?"
"Long ago."
"You know that you are recalled to life?"
"They tell me so."
"I hope you care to live?"
"I can't say."...Though the earth was cold and wet, the sky was clear, and the sun rose bright, placid and beautiful. "Eighteen years!" said the passenger, looking at the sun. "Gracious creator of day! To be buried alive for eighteen years!"
Dickens also analyzes the theme of revolution and transformation in a somewhat ambivalent manner. While he seems to support the general cause, he does not support the methods behind achieving it. He also does not choose which class of society to support, for he condemns both the nobility and the peasants and the strategies both groups use. It is only in the final chapter, that Dickens concisely states his opinion on this extremely significant event in history: "Sow the same seed of rapacious license and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind.”
(I want to interject here just to aid in helping to differentiate between a theme and a motif. A theme is an overall idea and a motif is something that has symbolic significance and contributes to the development of the present themes.) Perhaps the greatest motif Dickens uses in conveying these themes is his use of doubles throughout the entire book. As the title suggests, Dickens seeks to tell his story both in London and Paris. Even his famous opening quote ("It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." ) gives way to the fact that doubles will be central in the narrative. Doubles are also seen in all central characters, for example, the two most important females in the text are perfectly opposed to each other. The use of doubles strengthens and asserts the thematic elements and not only shows the stark contrasts that exist (both in settings and in characters) but it also illuminates the hidden parallels that are subtly present.
Another motif that Dickens makes use of to further develop the themes, is imprisonment. Every character is imprisoned in some way, whether it be literally or symbolically. For some, it is mere memories that keep them confined. For others, it is a struggle against what they cannot change that binds them.
Dickens is a master at elaborately weaving together a tale which has all the components to make it well-rounded. Suspense, reunions, joy, disaster, romance, grief, life, death, war, family, enemies, the past, present and future, and social issues are just some of those to name a few! His descriptions, although at times excessively long, paint such a vivid and elaborate picture that the reader can smell the smells, see the sights and hear the sounds that are being experienced by the characters. The edition I read, was published by the Modern Library, and on the inside book jacket they state this, which I thought I must pass on: "The most famous and perhaps the most popular of (Dickens) works, it compresses an event of immense complexity to the scale of a family history, with a cast of characters...as believably flawed as any in modern fiction."
This edition also included Dickens' preface to the first edition from which I quote, "Throughout its (the book) execution, it had complete possession of me; I have so far verified what is done and suffered in these pages, as that I have done and suffered it all myself...it has been one of my hopes to add something to the popular and picturesque means of understanding that terrible time..."
I feel I am grossly inadequate to provide an acceptable review for this book! Indeed, I have only scratched the surface of what I personally noticed and enjoyed and there is so much more. I leave you with the very last sentence of the book. The sentence which, even though I read it three days ago, still runs in my mind and is a grand way to end such a book. May it whet your appetite to discover who said it, why they were saying it and its meaning - for when you discover the answers, you will enjoy it only more!
"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."
As always, comments are welcome :)
Prior to discussing the book itself, there are just a few negatives (if one can call them that), perhaps they are more warnings to potential readers. First, be prepared for extremely long sentences and excessive description. Though both of these characterize much of Dickens writings, it can be difficult to plow through! Second, it was first published in 1859, so it's only natural that the language matches the time period.
This is the first fictional book that I have done a review on, and due to the complexities of the plot (and so I don't spoil it for those of you who have yet to read it!), I will steer clear of laying out what occurs - you'll just have to read it for yourself :) With well over 200 million copies sold, and with a high ranking in the literature world, it is safe to say that you have to read this book! But in case you are still not convinced, let me lay out some of the themes and motifs that I noticed, in the hopes that it will pique your interest.
First of all, it's important to note that the narrator is anonymous and could very well be Dickens himself. I would say that the narrator is always sympathetic with the positive and morally good characters and with those who aren't so good, the narrator both criticizes them and yet understands that their circumstances have shaped them as such. The narrator is also third person omniscient, meaning that the focus switches often between cities and characters and also that the narrator sees all emotions, thoughts and motives.
Let's begin with the general themes of the book. (A theme is a fundamental, and often universal, idea that runs through a literary work.) As previously alluded to, A Tale of Two Cities deals with the vitality and mandatory matter of sacrifice. Obviously, as it is set in the French Revolution, sacrifice was something that literally occurred multiple times a day. But not only is sacrifice seen nationally, it is also experienced personally. Dickens seems to hone in on the belief that sacrifice is necessary in order to obtain true contentment and happiness. I'm not 100% sure in my own mind, that that is true in life. I do believe that selfishness gets a person nowhere, but I'm not fully convinced that the other extreme (that sacrifice must occur to be happy) is true. Something to ponder!
Another general theme that runs throughout is the glorious idea of resurrection, rebirth and renewal. In a book filled with darkness, evil and death, the times when this theme is visible, it reminds me of a flower growing in the midst of thorns and weeds. The book is divided (by Dickens), into three books: Book the First - Recalled to Life, Book the Second - The Golden Thread, and Book the Third - The Track of a Storm. The following is a passage from Book the First which provides an example of one of the many ways Dickens explores how resurrection/renewal is displayed. (To provide a bit of context, one of the main characters keeps having a reoccurring dream in which the conversation is always the same.)
A hundred times the dozing passenger inquired of this spectre:
"Buried how long?"
The answer was always the same. "Almost eighteen years."
"You had abandoned all hope of being dug out?"
"Long ago."
"You know that you are recalled to life?"
"They tell me so."
"I hope you care to live?"
"I can't say."...Though the earth was cold and wet, the sky was clear, and the sun rose bright, placid and beautiful. "Eighteen years!" said the passenger, looking at the sun. "Gracious creator of day! To be buried alive for eighteen years!"
Dickens also analyzes the theme of revolution and transformation in a somewhat ambivalent manner. While he seems to support the general cause, he does not support the methods behind achieving it. He also does not choose which class of society to support, for he condemns both the nobility and the peasants and the strategies both groups use. It is only in the final chapter, that Dickens concisely states his opinion on this extremely significant event in history: "Sow the same seed of rapacious license and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind.”
(I want to interject here just to aid in helping to differentiate between a theme and a motif. A theme is an overall idea and a motif is something that has symbolic significance and contributes to the development of the present themes.) Perhaps the greatest motif Dickens uses in conveying these themes is his use of doubles throughout the entire book. As the title suggests, Dickens seeks to tell his story both in London and Paris. Even his famous opening quote ("It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." ) gives way to the fact that doubles will be central in the narrative. Doubles are also seen in all central characters, for example, the two most important females in the text are perfectly opposed to each other. The use of doubles strengthens and asserts the thematic elements and not only shows the stark contrasts that exist (both in settings and in characters) but it also illuminates the hidden parallels that are subtly present.
Another motif that Dickens makes use of to further develop the themes, is imprisonment. Every character is imprisoned in some way, whether it be literally or symbolically. For some, it is mere memories that keep them confined. For others, it is a struggle against what they cannot change that binds them.
Dickens is a master at elaborately weaving together a tale which has all the components to make it well-rounded. Suspense, reunions, joy, disaster, romance, grief, life, death, war, family, enemies, the past, present and future, and social issues are just some of those to name a few! His descriptions, although at times excessively long, paint such a vivid and elaborate picture that the reader can smell the smells, see the sights and hear the sounds that are being experienced by the characters. The edition I read, was published by the Modern Library, and on the inside book jacket they state this, which I thought I must pass on: "The most famous and perhaps the most popular of (Dickens) works, it compresses an event of immense complexity to the scale of a family history, with a cast of characters...as believably flawed as any in modern fiction."
This edition also included Dickens' preface to the first edition from which I quote, "Throughout its (the book) execution, it had complete possession of me; I have so far verified what is done and suffered in these pages, as that I have done and suffered it all myself...it has been one of my hopes to add something to the popular and picturesque means of understanding that terrible time..."
I feel I am grossly inadequate to provide an acceptable review for this book! Indeed, I have only scratched the surface of what I personally noticed and enjoyed and there is so much more. I leave you with the very last sentence of the book. The sentence which, even though I read it three days ago, still runs in my mind and is a grand way to end such a book. May it whet your appetite to discover who said it, why they were saying it and its meaning - for when you discover the answers, you will enjoy it only more!
"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."
As always, comments are welcome :)
Sunday, 2 February 2014
Book #2 - "Let Me Be A Woman"
I finished this book this afternoon and was determined to write about
it right away, so that I'm caught up! This book is a classic, in that
I'm sure many people (especially women, of course) have already read
it.
The author, Elisabeth Elliot, is the wife of the famous missionary/martyr Jim Elliot. At the time this book was published in 1976, she had been single, married three times and widowed twice. One might call her an 'expert' on the issues of relationships, contentment with being single and a woman's role in life and relationships. In 1999, she wrote a short introductory note to this book explaining the background and what was happening in society as it was being written: "This book was written at the height of the strong feminist movement that swept through our country in the seventies and eighties. Women were told that they ought to get out of the house and do something 'fulfilling'."
This book is very unique in style. It is comprised of 49 chapters and yet the book's length is only 175 pages. So each chapter is, at most, three pages long - yet so much information is packed into those pages! If you had the time, it would probably be best to read one chapter a day. It is also unique in that it is extremely personal, for it is a mother writing to her daughter. The full title is: "Let Me Be A Woman - Notes to My Daughter on the Meaning of Womanhood." In the same introductory note mentioned previously, she states to her daughter (who has now been married 23 years as of 1999), "So I wrote a book as my wedding present to you, putting down in black and white the great eternal principles that distinguish men from women." I love it when authors plainly state the purpose of their book! It makes my job a lot easier :) Elliot is gifted in that she writes both extremely simply and yet extremely intellectually at the same time - which is why all of her books are a pleasure to read.
It's difficult to create an outline for the book as you get the very intimate sense that Elliot would write something as it came to mind, then maybe she went out for the day or out for a walk, thought of something she wanted to say and would write it down when she returned. I personally think that is why the chapters are so short - each chapter is a thought that has come to her that she wishes to pass along to her daughter. Be assured that this in no way makes the book disjointed, rather it emphasizes each point in a concise manner. However some of the broader issues (to name just a few) that she deals with are:
- The Order of Creation: Women for Man
- Submission and Authority in Marriage
- Masculinity and Femininity
- What Makes a Marriage Work
- What Marriage is: A Union, A Mirror, A Vocation
- Humility and Equality
- As a Woman, who do you marry?
- You marry a sinner
- You marry a man
- You marry a husband
- You marry a person
Once again, there are far too many interesting and excellent quotes and arguments to list but here are a few that I both enjoyed and yet challenged me:
- "Christian love is action. It is the warp and woof of marriage, and because marriage itself is a life work, this love is worked out through all the days and years of marriage, growing as it is practiced, deepening as cares and responsibilities deepen, and turning, at the same time, those cares and responsibilities (and even the drudgeries) into deeper joy." (pg. 172)
- (Quoting Isak Dinesen from Out of Africa): "(The right kind of) pride is faith in the idea that God had when He made us. A proud man is conscious of the idea and aspires to realize it. He does not strive towards a happiness, or comfort, which may be irrelevant to God's idea of him. His success is the idea of God, successfully carried through, and he is in love with his destiny." (pg. 17)
- "We are given (gifts) by a divine Giver who knows the end from the beginning, and wants above all else to give us the gift of Himself. It is within the sphere of the circumstances He chooses for us - single, married, widowed - that we receive Him. It is there and nowhere else that He makes Himself known to us. It is there we are allowed to serve Him." (pg. 26)
I hope I've whetted your appetite for more - there are so many more gems contained in this book! As a single person, who has now read this book twice, may I be so bold to say that IF and WHEN I am to be married, I will definitely read this book again - consider it a "marriage manual". It defines marriage, prepares one for marriage, and for those who are married, it holds many good reminders. It is, I would say, more geared towards women (hence the title!) but for any men wishing to have help in knowing the Biblical guidelines and principles for womanhood, then by all means read this book. When you finish it, you may feel overwhelmed (as I did!) at the wealth of knowledge that you have just read, but it is a very readable book in itself and one I would definitely recommend.
Leanne, if you are reading this...one confession. This is, in fact, your book (evidence of this is your maiden name written inside!) and so I will return it the next time I see you. :)
Anybody who lives locally and is wanting this book, PBS does sell it for around $7! :)
As always, comments are welcome below.
The author, Elisabeth Elliot, is the wife of the famous missionary/martyr Jim Elliot. At the time this book was published in 1976, she had been single, married three times and widowed twice. One might call her an 'expert' on the issues of relationships, contentment with being single and a woman's role in life and relationships. In 1999, she wrote a short introductory note to this book explaining the background and what was happening in society as it was being written: "This book was written at the height of the strong feminist movement that swept through our country in the seventies and eighties. Women were told that they ought to get out of the house and do something 'fulfilling'."
This book is very unique in style. It is comprised of 49 chapters and yet the book's length is only 175 pages. So each chapter is, at most, three pages long - yet so much information is packed into those pages! If you had the time, it would probably be best to read one chapter a day. It is also unique in that it is extremely personal, for it is a mother writing to her daughter. The full title is: "Let Me Be A Woman - Notes to My Daughter on the Meaning of Womanhood." In the same introductory note mentioned previously, she states to her daughter (who has now been married 23 years as of 1999), "So I wrote a book as my wedding present to you, putting down in black and white the great eternal principles that distinguish men from women." I love it when authors plainly state the purpose of their book! It makes my job a lot easier :) Elliot is gifted in that she writes both extremely simply and yet extremely intellectually at the same time - which is why all of her books are a pleasure to read.
It's difficult to create an outline for the book as you get the very intimate sense that Elliot would write something as it came to mind, then maybe she went out for the day or out for a walk, thought of something she wanted to say and would write it down when she returned. I personally think that is why the chapters are so short - each chapter is a thought that has come to her that she wishes to pass along to her daughter. Be assured that this in no way makes the book disjointed, rather it emphasizes each point in a concise manner. However some of the broader issues (to name just a few) that she deals with are:
- The Order of Creation: Women for Man
- Submission and Authority in Marriage
- Masculinity and Femininity
- What Makes a Marriage Work
- What Marriage is: A Union, A Mirror, A Vocation
- Humility and Equality
- As a Woman, who do you marry?
- You marry a sinner
- You marry a man
- You marry a husband
- You marry a person
Once again, there are far too many interesting and excellent quotes and arguments to list but here are a few that I both enjoyed and yet challenged me:
- "Christian love is action. It is the warp and woof of marriage, and because marriage itself is a life work, this love is worked out through all the days and years of marriage, growing as it is practiced, deepening as cares and responsibilities deepen, and turning, at the same time, those cares and responsibilities (and even the drudgeries) into deeper joy." (pg. 172)
- (Quoting Isak Dinesen from Out of Africa): "(The right kind of) pride is faith in the idea that God had when He made us. A proud man is conscious of the idea and aspires to realize it. He does not strive towards a happiness, or comfort, which may be irrelevant to God's idea of him. His success is the idea of God, successfully carried through, and he is in love with his destiny." (pg. 17)
- "We are given (gifts) by a divine Giver who knows the end from the beginning, and wants above all else to give us the gift of Himself. It is within the sphere of the circumstances He chooses for us - single, married, widowed - that we receive Him. It is there and nowhere else that He makes Himself known to us. It is there we are allowed to serve Him." (pg. 26)
I hope I've whetted your appetite for more - there are so many more gems contained in this book! As a single person, who has now read this book twice, may I be so bold to say that IF and WHEN I am to be married, I will definitely read this book again - consider it a "marriage manual". It defines marriage, prepares one for marriage, and for those who are married, it holds many good reminders. It is, I would say, more geared towards women (hence the title!) but for any men wishing to have help in knowing the Biblical guidelines and principles for womanhood, then by all means read this book. When you finish it, you may feel overwhelmed (as I did!) at the wealth of knowledge that you have just read, but it is a very readable book in itself and one I would definitely recommend.
Leanne, if you are reading this...one confession. This is, in fact, your book (evidence of this is your maiden name written inside!) and so I will return it the next time I see you. :)
Anybody who lives locally and is wanting this book, PBS does sell it for around $7! :)
As always, comments are welcome below.
Saturday, 1 February 2014
Book #1 - "Calm My Anxious Heart"
My sister helped me to solve the dilemma of which book I should start with! This is actually her book and I think I've had it in my possession for almost a year? Oops... I actually finished this about a week ago and immediately started on my second book, but this is actually the first opportunity I've had to sit down and write a review on it.
The title instantly appealed to me. I am, by nature and by unfortunate habits, an extremely anxious person. I love being in control - some call it bossy! - and I have to know what my plans are well in advance. Certain people in my life are helping me to realize that certain spontaneity is good and fun, and I am gradually beginning to allow some spontaneity to creep into my life. :)
I need to give a bit of background info on the author as that makes a big difference when you read the book! Her name is Linda Dillow. For 17 years, her and her husband were missionaries in various places in Europe and Asia, they now reside in the USA. At the beginning of each of the 12 chapters, there is a page-long story from her time overseas that helps to emphasize her point in that chapter - the stories are all very interesting and most are quite sobering. In fact, her dedication states, "To the women in Eastern Europe who lived contentment before me."
At first glance (and due to the title), I thought this book was just about conquering anxiety. But Dillow makes a very interesting connection between contentment and anxiety; we can have wonderful peace when we are content with what has been given us. The first part of the book deals with contentment and her first chapter is aptly titled "My Journey to Contentment". Contentment is something that needs constant work. It is a conscious desire and choice - we must CHOOSE to be content. She then deals with the following aspects:
- Content with Circumstances
- Content to be Me
- Content with My Role
- Content in Relationships.
Dillow then address the enemy of contentment - greed. This chapter is suitably called "Never Enough", which is followed by the topic of our focus and purpose in life and how vital it is that our focus is correct, otherwise our entire life is thrown off. May my focus in life be truly Christ - He is all I need!
She continues on with the anxiety part of the book - addressing worry and how our faith needs to be secure and well-grounded to ease our worries, fears and anxieties. The final three chapters deal with the same topic but she has split them into a triplet:
- Trusting God with the "What Ifs"
- Trusting God with the "If Onlys"
- Trusting God with the "Whys"
This book is very personal for several reasons. One, the author uses many personal situations and experiences, very often baring her soul and heart. Two, the style that she has written it feels that she is sitting across the table from you, sincerely talking to you. Three, once you have read this book, your ideas about contentment and anxiety will radically change and it makes you more determined to be content with everything you have and to worry less! Four, it became a very personal book for me (so much so that I now have to buy my own copy soon!) as each and every point she raised directly challenged me.
The timing when I read this book was perfect. I read it in 1 week and at the end of this week, lay an obstacle that I had to face and overcome. It consisted of one of my worst fears. At the beginning of the week, I came very VERY close to accepting defeat and letting the obstacle/challenge win. It was affecting my eating and sleeping habits even! I was so thankful I read this book when I did! By the end of the week, I knew I could rely on power and strength far greater than my own, that God is already in my tomorrows, that I must not let this beat me and that indeed "worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do but it won't get you anywhere." There were SO many quotes, points and stories from this book that I enjoyed so much and I ended up writing them down - I took that paper with me when it was time to do battle with my fears and that paper is now kept in my purse for whenever anxiety overcomes me. I'll let you read the book and enjoy it yourself :) I'll leave you with the 'formula' that Dillow makes:
Problem: Living by Feelings - we live by our feeling and what we can see.
RESULT: An anxious heart.
Solution: Living by Faith - we must live by trusting God for what we can't see.
RESULT: A calm heart.
I strongly, strongly recommend this book! Very challenging, very readable (it also includes a 12-week Bible study) and for anyone who has struggled with contentment, worry or anxiety (no matter the degree) this book is, in essence, a balm to your anxious heart. Comments are welcome below :)
The title instantly appealed to me. I am, by nature and by unfortunate habits, an extremely anxious person. I love being in control - some call it bossy! - and I have to know what my plans are well in advance. Certain people in my life are helping me to realize that certain spontaneity is good and fun, and I am gradually beginning to allow some spontaneity to creep into my life. :)
I need to give a bit of background info on the author as that makes a big difference when you read the book! Her name is Linda Dillow. For 17 years, her and her husband were missionaries in various places in Europe and Asia, they now reside in the USA. At the beginning of each of the 12 chapters, there is a page-long story from her time overseas that helps to emphasize her point in that chapter - the stories are all very interesting and most are quite sobering. In fact, her dedication states, "To the women in Eastern Europe who lived contentment before me."
At first glance (and due to the title), I thought this book was just about conquering anxiety. But Dillow makes a very interesting connection between contentment and anxiety; we can have wonderful peace when we are content with what has been given us. The first part of the book deals with contentment and her first chapter is aptly titled "My Journey to Contentment". Contentment is something that needs constant work. It is a conscious desire and choice - we must CHOOSE to be content. She then deals with the following aspects:
- Content with Circumstances
- Content to be Me
- Content with My Role
- Content in Relationships.
Dillow then address the enemy of contentment - greed. This chapter is suitably called "Never Enough", which is followed by the topic of our focus and purpose in life and how vital it is that our focus is correct, otherwise our entire life is thrown off. May my focus in life be truly Christ - He is all I need!
She continues on with the anxiety part of the book - addressing worry and how our faith needs to be secure and well-grounded to ease our worries, fears and anxieties. The final three chapters deal with the same topic but she has split them into a triplet:
- Trusting God with the "What Ifs"
- Trusting God with the "If Onlys"
- Trusting God with the "Whys"
This book is very personal for several reasons. One, the author uses many personal situations and experiences, very often baring her soul and heart. Two, the style that she has written it feels that she is sitting across the table from you, sincerely talking to you. Three, once you have read this book, your ideas about contentment and anxiety will radically change and it makes you more determined to be content with everything you have and to worry less! Four, it became a very personal book for me (so much so that I now have to buy my own copy soon!) as each and every point she raised directly challenged me.
The timing when I read this book was perfect. I read it in 1 week and at the end of this week, lay an obstacle that I had to face and overcome. It consisted of one of my worst fears. At the beginning of the week, I came very VERY close to accepting defeat and letting the obstacle/challenge win. It was affecting my eating and sleeping habits even! I was so thankful I read this book when I did! By the end of the week, I knew I could rely on power and strength far greater than my own, that God is already in my tomorrows, that I must not let this beat me and that indeed "worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do but it won't get you anywhere." There were SO many quotes, points and stories from this book that I enjoyed so much and I ended up writing them down - I took that paper with me when it was time to do battle with my fears and that paper is now kept in my purse for whenever anxiety overcomes me. I'll let you read the book and enjoy it yourself :) I'll leave you with the 'formula' that Dillow makes:
Problem: Living by Feelings - we live by our feeling and what we can see.
RESULT: An anxious heart.
Solution: Living by Faith - we must live by trusting God for what we can't see.
RESULT: A calm heart.
I strongly, strongly recommend this book! Very challenging, very readable (it also includes a 12-week Bible study) and for anyone who has struggled with contentment, worry or anxiety (no matter the degree) this book is, in essence, a balm to your anxious heart. Comments are welcome below :)
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Books, Books, Books!
I know, I know...it's been a very long time since I've blogged! But
in this new year, it will be different. I have compiled a list of 20
books which are in my possession and which I wish to read - some for the
first time, others I have read before. With each book that I read on
this list, I am going to aim to do a short review about it. The review
will not be geared to persuade others to read that book (although if
that happens, that's fantastic!) but I'm hoping that if I know I have to
do a review, I'll pay more attention to what I'm reading.
Here are some reasons why I'm setting out to do this:
- Since leaving school, I have mostly done easy, pleasure reading - nothing too challenging or deep. I've missed reading some of the great literary works or books with strong arguments and themes and so I'm excited to read "deep" stuff again.
- Doing these reviews will encourage me to blog on a more regular basis. I am not going to set out a specific time (like every second Tuesday or something) because I don't want there to be that kind of pressure - otherwise I'll be reading faster than I want to be! But it will be more regular than last year!
- I have some books in my possession which I have borrowed from people for quite some time now (sorry, Mike!) and I'm hoping that this will "force" me to make time to read them, so I can give them back.
- It will force me out of my comfort zone, when it comes to reading. Let's face it. Most of the time, it's far easier to pick up a book that you can read, just to have something to read than to read something which may change your way of thinking or cause you to peel back the layers which the author has created.
- By stating all of this and my goals, it will keep me accountable to follow through with it!
On my list for the year are 20 books. Some are literary masterpieces, others are about historical events, others are more topical and some are meant to challenge. Here is the list, and the order they are listed is not necessarily the order in which I will read them.
1. Passion and Purity - Elisabeth Elliot
2. Calm My Anxious Heart - Linda Dillow
3. Short Stories - Charles Dickens
4. War & Peace - Leo Tolstoy
5. 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die - John Piper
6. The Truth War - John MacArthur
7. Last of the Few - Max Arthur
8. Becoming a Woman of Extraordinary Faith - Julie Clinton
9. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
10. Let Me Be A Woman - Elisabeth Elliot
11. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
12. Hitler: A Short Biography - A.N. Wilson
13. Desiring God - John Piper
14. Joyfully at Home - Jasmine Baucham
15. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
16. Where is God when it hurts? - Philip Yancey
17. The Hidden Life of Prayer - David McIntyre
18. Don't Waste Your Life - John Piper
19. A Man Called Intrepid - William Stevenson
20. The Caravanserai: Collection of Poems - I.Y. Ewan
I'm excited to start this and I'm hoping that you will keep me accountable and maybe read some of them yourself! Stay tuned for the first review. Happy Reading :)
Here are some reasons why I'm setting out to do this:
- Since leaving school, I have mostly done easy, pleasure reading - nothing too challenging or deep. I've missed reading some of the great literary works or books with strong arguments and themes and so I'm excited to read "deep" stuff again.
- Doing these reviews will encourage me to blog on a more regular basis. I am not going to set out a specific time (like every second Tuesday or something) because I don't want there to be that kind of pressure - otherwise I'll be reading faster than I want to be! But it will be more regular than last year!
- I have some books in my possession which I have borrowed from people for quite some time now (sorry, Mike!) and I'm hoping that this will "force" me to make time to read them, so I can give them back.
- It will force me out of my comfort zone, when it comes to reading. Let's face it. Most of the time, it's far easier to pick up a book that you can read, just to have something to read than to read something which may change your way of thinking or cause you to peel back the layers which the author has created.
- By stating all of this and my goals, it will keep me accountable to follow through with it!
On my list for the year are 20 books. Some are literary masterpieces, others are about historical events, others are more topical and some are meant to challenge. Here is the list, and the order they are listed is not necessarily the order in which I will read them.
1. Passion and Purity - Elisabeth Elliot
2. Calm My Anxious Heart - Linda Dillow
3. Short Stories - Charles Dickens
4. War & Peace - Leo Tolstoy
5. 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die - John Piper
6. The Truth War - John MacArthur
7. Last of the Few - Max Arthur
8. Becoming a Woman of Extraordinary Faith - Julie Clinton
9. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
10. Let Me Be A Woman - Elisabeth Elliot
11. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
12. Hitler: A Short Biography - A.N. Wilson
13. Desiring God - John Piper
14. Joyfully at Home - Jasmine Baucham
15. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
16. Where is God when it hurts? - Philip Yancey
17. The Hidden Life of Prayer - David McIntyre
18. Don't Waste Your Life - John Piper
19. A Man Called Intrepid - William Stevenson
20. The Caravanserai: Collection of Poems - I.Y. Ewan
I'm excited to start this and I'm hoping that you will keep me accountable and maybe read some of them yourself! Stay tuned for the first review. Happy Reading :)
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