4 comments about Washed by Blood: Lessons from My Time with Korn and My Journey to Christ.

1. This is pretty much the same book as "Save me from Myself" with points to ponder at the end of each chapter added. My own fault for not checking into it beforehand. His story is awesome nonethelesss and is inspiration to those that are bound to a lifestyle where there seems to be no way out. Jesus is the answer. A lot of people can relate to this testimomy, I did in many ways.



2. This is the same book as "Save Me From Myself" with a different title! I was expecting this one to pick up where the last one left off. This is pretty shady...especially since the back says "You think you're heard the story, but you haven't" or something along those lines. What a rip off.
   
   I loved the original book though.



3. I have to agree with the other reviews on this page. I was a huge fan of the first book, and pre-ordered this one thinking it was "new." It IS the same book, but in "teaching" form. I wish these reviews were up before I pre-ordered, and the publishers of this book should have made it clear that this was the same book. For any Christians "hungry" for more after reading "Save Me..." I suggest "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller.



4. To the people saying it's the same as his first book... this was well documented and announced well in advance:
   
   "Also on June 24, 2008, Harper Collins Publishers will simultaneously release the young adult version of Save Me From Myself, entitled "Washed By Blood". "
   
   It's basically the same book but re-written for younger adults. Still worth reading.

5 comments about The Hiding Place.

1. I laugh at the kids saying it's boring. "Well my school made me read it and I didn't like it! Waahh!"
   
   My school made me read it(twice I think) and I love(d) it. I can see the reason for one saying it's boring, but this a AUTOBIOGRAHPY. Not always life moves so fast. Never once did I think it was boring. Buy it.



2. I was fortunate to meet Corrie Ten Boome in Rome, Ga. when she gave a lecture! Later, My husband took me to Haarlem, the Netherlands to see her home,when I was going thru a particularly hard time in my life, as he had heard me speak of her and her brave story so many times! She and her family, her sister, showed the most extraordinary courage and strength of faith in the most horrible circumstances. Her father's explanation of death:..."Just like I gave you your tickets, The Lord gives us our ticket when we get on the train"....an example of how he always gave his daughters their tickets right before they got on the train to Amsterdam....A must read.. Different aspects will mean different things to different people. Also, as I have re=read it over the years, it has given different encouragement to me in different circumstances. Please don't miss this book.



3. This book is beautiful inside and out. The outside is burgundy leather? bound with gold stamped letters. Very classic looking. The story itself is so well written, Corrie ten Boom draws you into her family. To hear how God worked miracles in spite of German occupation and concentration camps, and the lack of money and resources, was very faith building. I highly recommend this book.



4. The Hiding Place should be read by EVERY Christian. Corrie and her sister's testimony in this book is just like reading the Bible's testimony of the new Believers! Need to feel inspired? Read The Hiding Place.



5. I will not go into detail on this very public site about what this author, and her book, mean to me. Suffice it to say that I would not be alive today, without having heard Corrie's message of God's infinite love.
   
   As a psychiatrist, I have bought, and given away to patients, at least 50 copies of this book over the past two decades. It is more powerful than the strongest of antidepressants.
   
   Corrie ten Boom is a saint. She will not be officially recognized as such by the Catholic Church since she was nominally a Protestant. I say nominally, because her heart, like God's, was deep enough and wide enough to encompass and embrace all people, no matter what "religion" they practiced. Corrie's religion was Love.

5 comments about Save Me from Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story.

1. I picked this book up on a whim, never being a Korn fan myself. The book starts with details on the formation of the band and Welch's childhood. This helps with not having the book become too preachy. His interaction with the Lord and introduction to Him is truly a miracle in itself. I encourage anyone and everyone to read this book.



2. At last he is at peace with himself and his God. Wonderful. May this book only be an inspiration and motive for others to seek the same awesome and True God he has!!
   
   However- I cannot understand why when Brian was speaking of God or Jesus, "He" was not capitalized, because it should have been. That bugged me. The publishers should have known better. Brian should have insisted on capitalizing "He" every time it referred to The Lord.
   
   I wished he had elaborated more about this tattoo fetish he has and continues to have, because I for one, do NOT understand why he has all these and what is the purpose or reason for them all, especially on his neck and face and fingers. Geeezzzz. He'll never hold a normal, ordinary job. I guess he's typical for this time and age, but I don't get it.
   
   But what I do get matters most....He found Jesus, the Savior and the True God of this world and has become His child. Hallelujah!!



3. This is one of most refreshing books I have read in long time on the Christion faith. The author gives you a snapshot of how the faith is to be lived out, which he draws from His own experince of growing in the Christian faith. He keeps you wanting to read until the very end.
   Brian writes a book from his heart while on this journey of faith that makes life pratical and real without any artificial religion.
   Brian's life and growth as a Christian is so remarkable that it will simulate you to challenge your own personal growth in the Christian walk.
   I know this book speaks to the those who are battling with drugs and alcohol, but it is also great reading for those who call themselves Christians; it allows them to see the simplicity of how life is to be lived. This book reveals the great depth of an individual, who lets go and lets God take over His heart with sincerity and genuineness.



4. Hmmmmmm.....
   
   This was a very weird book for me to read through.
   
   I'm a hugh Korn fan and not a Christian.
   
   The Pros:
   
   This is the first book by a member of Korn which (I hope) tells the story, albeit very briefly, as it was. The best thing about this book is that at least for the first part Head didn't try to use someone else' voice to narrate the story. And it's also nice to know some of the things that went on without the fans knowing them.
   
   The Cons: SPOILER'S ALERT
   
   First, this book is too short for me. His life should not be summed up in 218 pages.
   
   Second, although I'm not a Christian, I don't mind reading about it and having Head talking about all the things and miracles that transformed him. Those are things that make him like this and I fully respect him and the things he decided to do in life, especially the good things he's trying to do to the world.
   
   
   BUT my mood changed at the LAST page before the epilogue (which I didn't read although it's like 3 pages long). On page 218, he used the words "TRUST ME", and went on to say that Jesus Christ is the way. I HAVE NO DISREPECT TOWARDS ANY RELIGION WHATSOEVER. But by doing so well telling interesting story for 217 pages, why would he want to spoil it for the non-Christians by saying 'trust me, Jesus Christ is the only way to happiness'. Well, I'm not a Chirst's follower but I am a very happy man. It's a bit disrespectful to me that he would use the book to try to convert some of the people to become what he became (which is not a bad thing). But I'm a type of person who believes that one should not be forced into anything. Head said it himself that he hated being forced into Christ at first and felt really uncomfortable if someone push him too hard. Well, he's done the same thing he hated to his fans, at least some of them would feel the same way I'm sure.
   
   Head is a great musician and I love him. He shouldn't try to change his fans if they're already happy with life. He just have to accept the fact that not everyone went through what he went through and believe what he believes. I happened to think that if he lived in a different part of the world he would've become a convert to another religion to that culture.
   
   Some other musicians who failed in life and were addicted to a lot of things didn't have to become like him to be clean and good again. Head is very vulnerable and needed something to guide him towards the light. That's all, that's very understandable but please, don't force me.
   
   All religions are good, Head proved that by doing great things to the world. But don't force people into it. Let them find the goodness in whatever they believe in by themselves. BELIEVEING yourselfe IS the only way, TRUST ME.
   
   ***And I agreed with a lot of reviews that he used the word God too much
   
   It's still a good book and Korn fans shouldn't miss it.
   
   One question though, I just looked through his website and found all the things involving MONEY which he said Christ forced him off it. Well, he should be doing it for free or little money then, right? At least charge me something less than 29.99 dollars to become a fan club! That's a bit off for me.



5. I have bought this book for many people and they have all enjoyed it. They don't all necessarily agree, of course, but they are nevertheless blown away by the simple, honest style.
   
   If you are a Christian by this for someone, anyone, everyone!

5 comments about The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East.

1. This is a readable account of the evolution of the Israeli-Palestinian situation during most of the 20th century. It uses a brilliant device of following a Palestinian who left his home as a refugee child when the Israeli state was established, and an Israeli who moved into that same house and grew up there. Of comparable ages, the two turned out to be exceptional individuals who established a long lasting if improbable friendship. The evolution of their lives, and the final use of the house with the lemon tree as a center for Jewish-Arab dialog, provides a counterpoint to the more traditional history focusing on politics and conflict. Those who are looking a peace-bringing solution to the conflict will be disappointed with this book, but those seeking ways to understand and empathize better with both sides of the conflict will like this book very much indeed!



2. The Lemon Tree is a true gem amid the harsh cacophony of literature surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This compelling true story weaves together two histories--at once the histories of two families and two peoples--connected to the same house and the same land.
   
   In 1936, Ahmad Khairi built a home for his young family in the Palestinian town of Ramla, which was then part of the British Mandate. As Ahmad's children, including his eldest son Bashir, grew up in this lovingly built house--with its majestic lemon tree in the backyard--the Eshkanazi family faced an uncertain future in Nazi-aligned Bulgaria. Though they could not have imagined it at the time, the two families' lives would become deeply connected even as history places them on opposite sides of a volatile conflict.
   
   The encounter begins when Bashir, who as a child was forced to flee Ramla during the 1948 war, travels back to his childhood home following the Six Day War in 1967. To his surprise, he is warmly welcomed inside by Dalia Eshkanazi, an Israeli college student whose family of Holocaust survivors immigrated to the newly formed state when she was an infant. It is the beginning of an incredible friendship that perseveres in spite of the impassioned political disagreement and painful history that stands between them.
   
   Tolan takes no liberties with the history, basing the story on extensive interviews and archival research. The Lemon Tree reads part like a vividly detailed novel and part like a history text, placing the moving stories of Dalia and Bashir within several decades of rich historical context. By blending these personal and historical narratives, the story offers a unique window into the conflict, beyond the political complexities and ideological abstractions. Tolan's retelling is sensitive to both narratives, empathetically portraying the traumas, insecurities, and yearnings of each side.
   
   While The Lemon Tree offers inspiring proof that reconciliation and dialogue are possible, the book leaves open the question of how much these personal connections can impact the conflict. Although she sympathizes with Bashir and other refugees, Dalia fears an influx of Arabs and clashes with him over the right of return. Bashir, for his part, never recognizes Israel and insists that recent Jewish immigrants should "go back where they came from." Accused by Israel of being in the PFLP, Bashir is arrested in connection with a terrorist bombing; he denies involvement and is eventually released, but Dalia believes he is guilty. Later, Bashir reveals a hidden childhood trauma that sheds light on his enmity toward Israel. Both, especially Bashir, continue to show a fundamental mistrust for the other side.
   
   Almost miraculously, they are able to sustain their friendship despite all this, and the affection and caring between them is genuine. While giving no easy answers, their story stands as a ray of hope for the possibility of coexistence in spite of a difficult history.



3. This is a sublime work of art, made all the more so by its complete factual accuracy. Sure, Sandy picks and chooses the facts he'll present, as any historian does, but every thought, every moment, comes only from historical records and interviews. And perhaps it's this plain "just the facts, ma'am" approach that makes the story so much more filled with pathos and tragedy.
   
   I know of no other book on this subject that so clearly shows the suffering on both sides of the aisle. Most books are either clearly Zionist or focus on al Nakba and the suffering of the Palestinian people. Sandy doesn't take the easy road. He presents the longing and angst- and hopes- of both peoples. He shows us the struggles and poverty of Dalia's family, and their rejoicing on finally finding a home. He shows us Bashir's family's delight in the land, and the horror of seeing it stripped from them. And he shows us the greater suffering of the Palestinians in the last 50 years, as more and more land, life, and dignity are stripped away.
   
   Through this history we see the Principle of Violent Mimicry, where we become that which we hate, as first the Israelis model Nazi practices, and then the Palestinians learn from the Israelis that only violence and terrorism can solve their problems. We see a clash of cultures, with Dalia locked in European Cartesian paradigms of "I think therefore I am,", and Bashir birthed into a narrative of "I reside therefore I am." And through it all we wonder- can there be any hope for change, for peace, for justice? Sandy gives us some glimmer of hope of reconciliation, but it is clear that it is not an easy hope- for this is real life, and not a Saturday morning special. This is gritty historical narrative, and more than ever, after reading this book, I think our only path out of this morass is the one blazed by South Africa.



4. This book should be required reading for whoever becomes President, or anyone else who needs to understand what happened between Israel and Palestine. This is the fairest accounting that I have ever read.



5. yes, after 1948 there were many conflicts between jews and arabs, but what some reviewers here fail to highlight is the very critical timeline of the conflict: no arab ever had a problem with jews prior to 1948, prior to when israel took what was without any interpretation arab land and declared itself a country. did the reviewers even read what they wrote? the grouping of the arabs against the jews was nothing other than solidarity with their kinsmen for losing their land to a newly-, arbitrarily-created country. imagine if a group of muslims joined the significant muslim population in an american city, suddenly declared themselves a country, then cried about the injustice of "all the american states unifying against them"...ludicrous to expect otherwise. Of course this book doesn't portray EVERYTHING, but if it portrays the conflict somewhat favorably towards palestinians, it is because that's the way the facts played out. Some israelis think that an unbiased report means a neutral report, most are willing to accept some fault for starting the whole mess.

5 comments about The Seven Storey Mountain.

1. The Seven Storey Mountain is a true classic written by a humble genius. It is extremely well written and laid out. Thomas Merton being a highly intelligent man wrote it is a highly intelligent manner, and you can not help but sink into his wonderful narrative style and logical manner. It was written over half a century though and I at times had to reread sections because his writing style and use of words was not very familiar to me, and I wanted to insure I was understanding what he was saying.
   
   What really sets the Seven Storey Mountain apart is it gets better after reading it. It is often times in the years after my first read where idea and seeds that were planted when I first read the novel make themselves known. Thomas' search and discovery for religion and purpose will appeal to a wide audience, not just the uber religious. It is a wonderful novel of self discovery and change.



2. I just bought a copy of this book. It is so beautiful I finished reading
   it word for word from cover to cover in 2 days. I am hooked on Thomas Merton! Looking forward to more of his works.



3. This excellent book has been on my 'must-buy'list for some time. It is beautifully written - goes straight to the heart. I have read it twice, and always find something new, and interesting. ( I had the advantage of a borrowed copy). I read in the'Note to the reader'at the beginning of
   the book that some would have difficulty in understanding the 'outdated religious atmosphere' that pervades the book. I think that the reader would find it a part of its charm (if that is the word).



4. "The Seven Storey Mountain" is that rarest of gems: an articulate book about a lifelong spiritual quest.
   
   Its author, Thomas Merton, tells the story of his life, how his vague unease about spiritual questions eventually led him not only to Catholicism but to the narrow walls of a Trappist monastery in Kentucky.
   
   The writing is rich and thoughtful. Whatever your opinion of Merton's conclusions, you find yourself admiring his bravery and honesty.
   
   Surprisingly, the book is actually quite the multi-textured rumination on life in America in mid-century as much as it is the story of Merton's life. His gallery of characters and evocative prose never disappoint. Here's a sample:
   
   "It was a bright, icy-cold afternoon when, having passed Nantucket Light, we first saw the long, low, yellow shoreline of Long Island shining palely in the December sun. But when we entered New York harbor the lights were already coming on, glittering like jewels in the hard, clear buildings. The great, debonair city that was both young and old, and wise and innocent, shouted in the winter night as we passed the Battery and started up the North River. And I was glad, very glad to be an immigrant once again." (p. 151)
   
   I would recommend "The Seven Storey Mountain" to anybody who finds himself restless about spiritual matters, even if he has no particular interest in Catholicism or even Christianity. The book's reach is much deeper than that.



5. 
   
   Today I delivered a gift copy of this book to a widow, "Grace" whose husband had been my late father's closest childhood friend. A week earlier, Grace had asked: "Have you ever read Thomas Merton's SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAIN? I read it in 1953; and found it very moving. I'd love to find a copy and read it again."
   
   When I presented her with a new copy of this edition, I asked if I could read aloud my favorite passage (early in the book) concerning Thomas Merton's `little brother' John Paul (five years younger) who, like his older brother was a French-born, American citizen.
   
   Late in the book Thomas Merton tells us how John Paul was compelled early in WWII to join the Royal Canadian Air Force (and trained right here in Manitoba! John Paul Merton had been flying bombing runs over a real sandy desert on the prairie just outside nearby Camp Shilo, where today's Canadian Artillery Officers still train. My late father was flown at Canadian Army expense each year, late in life, to address the graduating officers at that camp: Small world!)
   
   Just before leaving for overseas, John Paul flew to see his older brother Thomas and, not incidentally, be Baptized, and welcomed into the Catholic faith. Then he left for England (and was killed in action the next year, when his RAF bomber went down over the English Channel).
   
   His death provides the moving culmination to this book - bringing the reader `full circle' from the moment (back on page 25) when Thomas Merton introduces us to John Paul. (What follows is the passage that moves me to tears when I read it aloud to a friend.)
   
   ------
   
   "One thing I would say about my brother, John Paul: My most vivid memories of him, in our childhood, all fill me with poignant compunction at the thought of my own hard-heartedness, and his natural humility and love.
   
   "I suppose it's usual for elder brothers, when they are still children, to feel themselves demeaned by the company of a brother, four or five years younger, whom they regard as a baby, and tend to patronize and look down upon.
   
   "So when Russ and Bill and I (older brothers all) made huts in the woods out of boards and tar paper . . . we severely prohibited John Paul, and Russ' younger brother Tommy and their friends from coming anywhere near us. If they did try to come and get into our hut, or even to look at it, we would chase them away with stones.
   
   "When I think now about that part of my childhood, the picture I get of my brother John Paul is this: standing in a field a hundred yards away from our hut, is this little perplexed five-year-old kid in short pants and a kind of leather jacket, standing quite still; his arms hanging down at his sides.
   
   "He is gazing in our direction, afraid to come any nearer on account of the stones, as insulted as he is saddened, and his eyes full of indignation and sorrow. And yet he does not go away. We shout at him to go away, beat it, go home, and wing a couple more rocks in that direction. We tell him to play some other place. He does not move.
   
   "And there he stands, not sobbing, not crying, but angry and unhappy and offended and tremendously sad. And yet he is fascinated by what we are doing, nailing shingles all over our new hut. And his tremendous desire to be with us and to do what we are doing will not permit him to go away.
   
   "The law written in his nature tells him he must be with his elder brother and do what he is doing, and he cannot understand why this law of love is being so wildly and unjustly violated in his case.
   
   "Many times are like that, and in a sense, this terrible situation is the pattern and prototype of all sin: the deliberate and formal will to reject disinterested love for us, for the purely arbitrary reason that we simply do not want it. We `will' to separate ourselves from that love; we reject it entirely and absolutely, and will not acknowledge it, because it does not please us to be loved . . . "
   
   [Thomas Merton immediately recalls an astounding event] "when our `gang' tried to antagonize the extremely tough Polish kids who had formed a gang in nearby Little Neck (approaching their headquarters) and "from a very safe distance we would challenge them to come out and fight" (but) "nobody came out - perhaps (that day) there was nobody home."
   
   But then came the day, Merton recalls, "one cold and rainy afternoon, when we observed that numbers of large and small figures, varying in age from 10 to 16, most of them very brawny" gathered outside the Merton home, "20 or 25 of them. There were four of us."[hiding inside].
   
   "The climax of the situation came when Frieda, our German maid, told us that she was very busy with housecleaning and we must all get out of the house immediately. Without listening to our extremely nervous protests, she chased us out the back way . . . we made our way through back yards to the safety of Bill's house" [a block away, with a clear view across a field, of the Merton home].
   
   "And then an extraordinary thing happened. The front door of our house opened. My little brother John Paul came walking down the steps with a certain amount of dignity and calm. He crossed the street (and) walked toward the Little Neck gang. They all turned towards him. He kept on walking and walked right into the middle of them.
   
   "One or two of them took their hands out of their pockets. John Paul just looked at them, turning his head to one side and then the other. And he walked through the middle of them and no one ever touched him.
   
   "And so he came to the house where we were. We did not chase him away."
   
   -------
   
   The book closes with a poem written by Thomas Merton upon learning of his brother's death in the North Sea: "I learned that John Paul was severely injured in the crash but managed to keep himself afloat, even tried to support the pilot who was already dead.
   
   "He was very badly hurt; maybe his neck was broken. He lay in the bottom of the dinghy in delirium. He was terribly thirsty. He kept asking for water. But they didn't have any. It didn't last too long. He had three hours of it and then he died. His companions had more to suffer, and were finally picked up and taken to safety five days later. On the fourth day they had buried John Paul at sea."
   
   The chapter concludes with Thomas Merton's poetic requiem for his "dear brother" asking their Maker to,
   
   "Take my breath . . .
   and buy yourself a better death . . .
   And buy you back to your own land
   The silence of Whose tears shall fall
   Like bells upon your alien tomb.
   Hear them and come,
   They call you home."
   
   Thomas Merton died 40 years ago (on the 20th anniversary of his book's first publishing) while attending a conference of Eastern and Western monks in Thailand (electrocuted by a faulty table lamp in his Bangkok hotel room).
   
   This "Fiftieth Anniversary Edition" includes a delightful "Note to the Reader" from William H. Shannon, founding president of the International Thomas Merton Society, who recalls that, from the very first day in print (October 4, 1948) the book was "an instant success: Hailed as a modern day version of the `CONFESSIONS' of St. Augustine, it has continued to sell and sell and sell."
   
   As Evelyn Waugh, no easy critic, wrote prophetically: It "might well prove to be of permanent interest in the history of religious experience."
   
   Buy a copy and see for yourself (I highly recommend this edition).
   
   Mark Blackburn
   Winnipeg Canada

5 comments about Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels.

1. It is fitting that David Bailey, Ken's son, gives the first review since the book is dedicated to him. I am a former God hating PK. Ken has helped me see Jesus in a different light. And like David said Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes is not just for scholars. Anyone interested in discovering more about Jesus will be blown away by this book. And if you like this book, you may also like Finding the Lost Cultural Keys to Luke 15.
   
   David Bailey himself is a talented musician (guitar, singer). A cancer survivor and dude with a great sense of humor. I recently bought his albums: One More Day and Silent Conversations. eProdigal.com



2. This is a must-read for anyone who is serious about Biblical study. Dr. Bailey's videos and CDs should also be purchased. He does not do his work simply in service of scholarship. His work is done in service to the real Jesus Christ. I have had the privilege of hearing Dr. Bailey in person. He is a true witness; and anyone who calls him/herself a Christian needs to hear and read what he has to say.



3. Kenneth Bailey's "Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes" gives the reader a rich feast of information about Jesus' times and teachings. Drawing on his own background of life in the Middle East, as well as expert knowledge of the literary structures and conventions of Biblical times, Bailey brings new excitement to passages that had perhaps become dulled through over-familiarity.
   I highly recommend this book to students who are interested in the culturally relevant shades of meaning that actually reside in the parables and stories of Jesus.



4. Kenneth E. Bailey does it again! The insights in this book are as precious and worthwhile as his insights in Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes. No matter how much I were to study the Biblical text, there are certain aspects that I can't figure out on my own because I don't have a Middle Eastern cultural worldview. Bailey presents this worldview and offers astounding insights into the biblical texts.
   
   Gold...absolute gold.



5. The information in Part 1: "The Birth of Jesus" is worth the price of this book. Previous commentators had remarked that Luke has the Greek word katalyma in Luke 2:7 and again in Luke 22: 11. In the first instance it is commonly translated "inn". In the second instance it is commonly translated as "guest room" or "upper room". Bailey states, "it is 'an upper room' which is clearly a guest room in a private house. This precise meaning makes perfect sense when applied to the birth story." p.33 This explanation then includes the clarifying diagram of a typical village home in Palestine showing the stable, steps leading from the family living room to the stable, the mangers and finally the Guest Room "kataluma". Bailey goes on to expand on the Christmas story. But he states, "Looking at the story in this light strips away layers of interpretive mythology that have built up around it." Bailey's lived knowledge of the Middle East, rhetorical patterns, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek and acquaintance with commentaries by Arabic speaking Christian theologians and exegetes makes this book truly unique. Examples could easily be multiplied. A summary glance of the Index section reveals the scope of this book: Early Jewish Sources, Middle Eastern Arabic and Syrian Christian Authors, Arabic, Armenian, Coptic and Syrian Versions of the Gospels, Greek and Latin Authors. One must read the book to see how masterfully these sources enrich the interpretation. Lastly the author does not hesitate to apply his exegesis to present day attitudes, issues and problems.

5 comments about The Hiding Place.

1. Let me start out by saying that this is a very powerful book. There is such an awesome message of hope, courage, and faith. If you love God, family, and believe that God can do powerful things then this is the book for you. Corrie Ten Boom is living with her family during the time when Nazi soldiers are taking Jews to concretion camps. Her family wants to help the Jews and keep them safe, by hiding them in their home. Corrie is working for a secret organization that helps protect the Jewish people. She and her family soon find that they are in the same situation as the Jews. Corrie stays strong in her faith and good things start to happen in the concretion camp that she and her family are put into. Like eventually she and her sister are finally put together, and other members of her family are let free. I strongly recommend this book for anyone sixth grade and up. The Hiding Place By: Corrie Ten Book is a very well written book and has two thumbs up.



2. The Hiding Place is the moving true-life account of Corrie ten Boom and her family who sheltered persecuted Jews in Nazi-oocupied Holland during World War Two. They did this at great personal risk, but they did it because of their unwavering faith in God, and because it was the right thing to do.
   
   Unfortunately, they are arrested and deported to the camps for their acts of resistance against the Nazis. It is a testament to their faith and nobility that they retain their belief in God despite all the travails that await them in the camps.
   
   "No pit is so deep that He is not deeper still" - as Corrie ten Boom believes despite all the horrors that she has endured. A testament to the power of belief in God, and to the courage of ordinary people in extraordinary and horrific times.



3. Great, great book. Inspiring, heart wrenching. Great message about God's faithfulness, but should in no way be boxed in as Christian literature. A great historical book no matter what your faith. Loved it.



4. This is a wonderful story and it begs the question: Could I have been that brave and compassionate? A story of true Christians.



5. This is an absolutely extraordinary book. Never have I read a book in which the spiritual beauty of the author so resonated throughout the story. The purity of heart that manifests itself in this inspiring saga of a heroic, Dutch family in Nazi occupied Holland during World War II is stunningly beautiful.
   
   This is the true story of the Ten Boom family who, during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands, upon seeing what was happening to their Jewish neighbors and friends, asked themselves this age old question "If not us,...who; if not now,...when?" They answered it, ultimately at great cost.
   
   The Ten Booms were devoutly Christian and lived a simple life. The patriarch of the family ran a watch shop that had been in his family for a century. Some of the family members, the author among them, worked there, selling and repairing clocks and watches. They also lived in the house in which the shop was located.
   
   When the Nazis occupied their country, the reality of what it meant slowly dawned upon them, as they saw the treatment given to their fellow Dutch citizens of the Jewish faith. Moved by their plight, the author at the age of fifty, together with other members of her family, including their father who was nearly eighty, became active in the Dutch underground.
   
   When it became clear to the Ten Booms that Jews were being targeted for deportation and death, they had a false wall constructed in the author's bedroom, thereby creating a secret room. There, they would hide the terrified Jews who were staying with them, in the event of a Nazi raid upon their home.
   
   Eventually denounced by someone to the Nazis, the Ten Booms were arrested and their home raided and torn apart by the Gestapo, in their search for the Jews they believed to be hiding there. At the time of the raid, the Ten Boom home was filled to capacity with Jews in hiding. So well concealed was the hidden room that had been created by the erection of the false wall, that these poor, terrified Jews managed to escape detection.
   
   The Ten Boom family did not fare so well. It was upon their arrest that they learned first hand of man's inhumanity to man, and their faith was put to a test that they had never dreamt possible. It was faith, however, that sustained the author in what was to be her darkest hour of deepest despair. To find out what happened to the Ten Booms, read this book. It is the story of an incredible family, who had the courage to put their convictions to the test.
   
   This book is a masterpiece. The reader is sure to be captivated by the goodness and spiritual beauty contained within its pages.

5 comments about Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith.

1. no question, i'm an annie lamott fan. more specifically, i'm a fan of anne lamott's non-fiction. i've tried her fiction, and continue to find it ok, but not brilliant. but her non-fiction: ooh.
   
   traveling mercies, lamott's first autobiographical book about faith, remains in my top 5 books of all time (not that i actually maintain such a list; but if i did, it would be). and operating instructions, lamott's autobiographical reflections on her pregnancy and the first couple years of her son's life, should be suggested reading for all humans, and required reading for all parents (especially expectant parents). lamott's last non-fiction, plan b, was a bit of a let-down. i really wanted to love it. so i found myself loving parts.
   
   but, other than a horribly repetitive titling and cover treatment (and, really, that's more of a publisher's gaffe than a reason to wag my finger at anne lamott), grace (eventually) brings us back nearly to traveling mercies (notice i say "nearly"). yes, some have complained that this book is another collection of mostly already-published essays. i say: i don't care. they're great; they hold together; and i hadn't read them elsewhere anyhow.
   
   why do i love lamott's writing so much? well, i can't deny the fact that she makes me laugh out loud. and they're not those "slowly creep up on you laughs" that move from smile to tiny "huh" sound to low chuckle to pleasant and appropriate laugh. no: my occasional laughter while reading anne lamott is more the out-of-the-blue cackle, one that surprises me as much as it would anyone within painful earshot.
   
   reason two for loving anne lamott's non-fiction: she is unevenly insightful. what i mean is, there are moments when i'm reading, and i have to stop and breathe for a moment, and think about the profundity of what i've just read. and then there are lots of moments in-between those moments that aren't so insightful. but here's the thing -- the uneven-ness of the insighfulness somehow works. it's almost as if it creates a reading culture where the insights catch me off guard that much more. i'm always hopeful of stumbling onto them, but never quite expecting them when they appear.
   
   reason three for loving anne lamott's non-fiction: there are books -- maybe 1 in 30 books i read, where the very act of reading is joy. the choice of words, the structure of sentences, the odd metaphor, they leave me smiling or astonished. christopher moore writes this way. anne lamott writes this way.



2. I adore "Travelling Mercies." Having spent some time as a Christian, I expected some mature Christian thought from Lamott. Instead, I'm kind of horrified. Jesus was awful as a teenager? Praying to Mary? Yay for abortion? What Bible is Lamott reading?
   
   I admire Lamott's raw honesty and the way she turns a phrase, but the "I hate George Bush" rants got really old. I may not agree with our President's decisions and I may not admire him as a person, but a certain amount of respect is due to the office of the President of the United States. It's one of the most difficult jobs in the world.
   
   After reading Lamott's last three non-fiction books, I get the idea that Lamott doesn't have anything new to say. Although she occasionally has wonderful insights, I won't be buying Lamott's books again.



3. Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith I have enjoyed the books by Lamott because I can relate to them. Down to earth - up close and personal writings that most have experienced. Excellent - certainly helped me to realize that I was not atypical.



4. I would recommend this book to anyone who has past issues that they have struggled with. This is a very candid account of one person's life and the way that they have turned it around. I really liked the honesty, even if I didn't always agree with her position.



5. What's not to like about Anne Lamott's Grace Eventually? A collection of essays in which she describes moments of spiritual clarity and examples of the divine in daily life, the book is a treasure trove of writings about topics ranging from abortion to euthanasia and lots of good stuff in-between. Through Sam, Lily, her mother, her vast and motley crew of friends, and even those whom she casually encounters, Lamott teaches lots of lessons on grace and love.
   
   Some of the writing made me feel sad (Gertrud's sickness), some mad (the carpet guy), some glad (chirren musings) and some scared (shadows scenario). Although she might irritate and even anger some people with her views on George W. Bush, abortion, and global warming, Lamott makes no claim to be a saint, but rather a person who's doing her best to see God in everything and to do her part in making the world a better place. After assisting with a special-ed dance class and learning that one of the dancers said, "I liked those old ladies! They were helpers, and they danced," Lamott decided on the words that she wanted on her gravestone: "that I was a helper, and that I danced."

5 comments about Here If You Need Me: A True Story.

1. I found this book to be a lovely affirmation of moving through a devastating loss to contentment and new life. If our lives and our luck depend on an optimistic and grateful attitude, Kate Braestrup guides us to simple and rewarding acceptance of day-to-day ups and downs. All things come to those who wait--what a novel idea in our society that craves instant gratification!



2. This was a wonderful book. I think it represents well some of the basic tenets of the Unitarian Church.



3. When an out-of-control vehicle took the life of Drew, her Maine state trooper husband, Kate Braestrup's life also headed in a wildly different direction. At the time of his death, Drew was planning to attend seminary to become a Unitarian minister. After Drew's death, a grieving Kate reflected that, like so many other plans and dreams shared by married couples, "when we discussed his plan for the future...we had actually been discussing our plan." And so Kate, who had long struggled with an ambivalence toward organized religion, enrolled in divinity school, saying "'I'm here because Drew isn't.'"
   
   Proving that God does indeed work in mysterious ways, following her ordination this wilderness novice homebody received a calling to serve as chaplain to the Maine Warden Service, ministering to those men and women who respond to the call of a child lost in the north woods, who investigate poaching allegations, who work with dive teams and dogs and ATVs and snowmobiles to rescue lost hikers or recover snowmobilers who have gone through thin ice. What's more, loquacious Braestrup found that her calling required her, more than anything, to just stay and listen, to just be there for whomever needed her: "to just show up, shut my mouth, and be."
   
   Although Braestrup acknowledges that her inspiring "plucky widow" story has made her a regional media darling, many of the stories she shares in HERE IF YOU NEED ME are anything but uplifting. From the agonizing yet cathartic process of caring for her dead husband's body to the discovery of a suicidal young mother's body to the retrieval of a drowned child, she acknowledges the grim, often harrowing work conducted by the Maine game wardens, and by extension, by Braestrup herself.
   
   Not surprisingly, Braestrup finds --- and conveys --- comfort and peace through her conception of the divine. As a Unitarian, she understands God as love, as the generous quiet spirit that enables people like the game wardens whose stories she shares to search tirelessly through dark woods for a possible survivor, that encourages people to show up on the doorstep of a grieving family bearing baked goods, that allows Braestrup and her four children to survive and thrive in the wake of great loss.
   
   Although Braestrup's book is ostensibly a memoir, most of the individual chapters read more like well-crafted essays, meditations on aspects of recovery, questions of faith and everyday expressions of bravery. Relying on the perspective afforded by her unusual background, Braestrup addresses some of the big questions here: What is a miracle? What happens after we die? What is the role of forgiveness? These are, of course, questions that have been explored countless times by countless others. There in the Maine woods, though, surrounded by courageous people who might not even believe in any sort of God, Braestrup uncovers unexpected truths, exploring these age-old questions in new ways and finding answers in the most surprising places, situations, and most of all, people.
   
   --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl



4. Okay, I get it, Kate Braestrup thinks her job is "cool." Good for you, but a memoir this does not make.I waited for this book to grab me until I was about 25 pages from the end, and then I had enough. Not another minute of precious reading time to be spent on this fluff. Those annoying little stories, the meaningless anecdotes from conversations that were not profound or moving, just superficial. A colleague recalls walking four or five miles in howling wind, lost and freezing."It was great," she concludes, "it really was." Pleeeez! The writing is so-so, the use of pretentious "big words" unecessary and stilted.
   The thing is, I was willing to look past all of that if only I had found some satisfaction from learning about Kate's philosophy and spiritual depth. The book fails here. The voice in this book almost mocks deep faith, and left me wondering why a state as economically impoverished as Maine is would pay this woman a salary. For what, hiking into the woods to share condolences with strangers? I am baffled, utterly.
   What is all the publishing hype about? I am an agnostic and have more spiritual depth than this gal.If I read her son's expression "Mom-Dude" one more time I thought I'd scream! Pass this one over. The best thing about it is the beautiful cover of the paperback edition, but there's little to be found inside.



5. This book is incredibly moving in its honesty. It is extremely readable, and the development of Kate's story is gripping. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I became aware of Kate's writing by listening to an interview by Krista Tippett on the program "Speaking of Faith" on National Public Radio. The book more than met my expectations.

5 comments about St. Augustine Confessions (Oxford World's Classics).

1. As a non-believer, some of the more entertaining bits were Augustine pining that he wishes he'd been made a eunuch as a boy, and describing at length the sensual dreams that aroused and tormented after he gave up his lecherous ways and escaped the lesser torment of marriage.
   
   Interesting historically as a document of how Platonism was explicitly wedded with Christianity, but some of the theology is a bit strained, i.e., his exposition of Genesis chapter one in which he attempts to explain how God created everything outside of time and without any effort, and yet this took six days and he rested on the seventh. His attempts to solve the problem of evil also do more to confuse the issue than to clarify it, but that is to be expected.
   
   But it is definitely far better in terms of both literary style and quality of thought than the efforts of today's believers, and it is worth reading for anyone interested in intellectual or religious history.



2. Augustine's confessions are confessions to God, and thus, prayer. Augustine bares his soul--his doubt, fear, guilt, as well as his joy, peace, and love. All this is addressed to God as prayer. Like the Psalms, these prayers are shockingly intimate--you can't read these properly from a comfortable distance.
   
   I am grateful to Augustine for sharing his personal relationship with God in a way that leads me closer, too.



3. Saint Augustine is spiritual, philosophical and always profound.
   Warning: Likely to blow your mind.



4. Augustine is one of these characthers from antiquity who illustrates that humanity is always an everywhere the same - we share the same form, namely the soul and we thirst always and everywhere for the same thing, namely the infinite, which is God. Augustine is poetic in his treatment of God, he addresses him as a bride to her husband. Let him speak for himself:
   
   "Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace."
   
   His own struggle is the struggle of every man and woman to find God. And, yet, not only was Augustine the master of the inner life, he was a great philosopher - witness the chapter on time, which is wonderful. Miss not also his shared ecstatic vision with his mother, Monica.
   
   This is a great work - but, there are bits that are not easy (his exegesis of Genesis, for example) but persevere, its worth it!.



5. This book is a very powerful, memorable spiritual autobiography and Augustine tells his story like none other. He is transparent and honest at every turn, holding nothing back. He tells of his faith struggles, his sins and his temptations very candidly. The story of his conversion is truly beautiful and will stay with you. He has written in such a way that you truly see the hand of God at work in his life. A phenomenal read that will stay with you. Highly recommended.