Review: The Mountains Bow Down by Sibella Giorello

Raleigh Harmon is on vacation...well sort of. She's an FBI agent on an Alaskan cruise and while she's technically off duty, she is serving as a consultant for a film crew as an official FBI agent. She also has her mom and aunt with her, and since Raleigh lies to her mother about being an FBI agent, the trip isn't exactly relaxing. It is, however, a chance to be away from her fiance, who she can't decide if she really wants to be with or not.

But no vacation can really last, and sure enough, someone ends up dead. While the ship wants to rule it a suicide, Raleigh's pretty sure it's murder. She gets the FBI involved, and another agent that's supposed to be on vacation and who just so happens to be all kinds of hot and also hot for Raleigh, shows up to help her. :) (this isn't really a romance though...it's just very lightly teased at)

This was my first book in this series, and I think it's the fourth book, but that was okay. I didn't fully know the background of the characters, but since the bulk of the book was about the present case, it didn't bother me too much. A lot of the mystery deals around precious gems. I have to admit I felt a little confused at times following the mystery and what was going on.

While technically Christian fiction, there's very little faith in this book. Raleigh, quite honestly, seemed like she was depressed to me, there was never really any joy or happiness. She seemed chained to both her mother's issues and the fiance she can't cut loose. I'm curious if this will be further explored in later books.

There is some humor, and some moments of sharp, perceptive writing. The Alaskan setting sounded beautiful and I was amazed by how many different activities were going on the cruise ship.

Rating: 4/5
Things You Might Want to Know: While I wouldn't say this was really edgy Christian fiction, I don't think it conforms to typical Christian fiction.
Source of Book: Received for review
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Sibella Giorello is having a Facebook party on April 5th. You'll have a chance to chat with her and also win prizes. Additionally, check out other stops on the blog tour.

Faith and Fiction Saturday: What do you feel are Taboo Subjects in Christian Fiction?

We've talked a lot about how we'd like our fiction to more accurately reflect life as we know it, to not preach but express truth and I'm wondering if you feel there are some subjects or issues that you'd be surprised to find in Christian fiction.

I do feel that Christian fiction explores more and more subjects that may have previously been considered taboo. This isn't really a complaining session but a chance for us to brainstorm some things we'd love to see tackled and suspect aren't due the sensitive nature of the subject matter, and perhaps a failure on the part of the subculture overall to really engage in conversation on these topics.

This could be a great chance for authors to get ideas. :)

Also I recognize that Christian fiction is a smaller market so we'll get less books on any subject matter.

Here are a few I can think of:
Mental Illness--definitely there are some books about this, but I'd love to see more and more variety.
Sexuality--I'd love to see sexuality dealt with more realistically and not just from the perspective of someone waiting until marriage.
LGBT Issues--Christians actually do have varying opinions on this, but usually LGBT characters are shut out or relegated to supporting character status
Patriotism vs. Faith--Ah so this is a pet topic but man would I love to see one explored in more depth

Would love to hear yours...don't be shy!

CFBA Book Spotlight: Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock

About the Book: When fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of a car, he knows she's the newborn daughter of a meth addict he's been trying to help. But when police arrest him for kidnapping, Lance is thrust into a criminal world of baby trafficking and drug abuse.

His mother, Barbara, looks for help from Kent Harlan---the man whom she secretly, reluctantly loves and who once helped rescue her daughter from a mess of her own. Kent flies to her aid and begins the impossible work of getting Lance out of trouble, protecting a baby who has no home, and finding help for a teenage mother hiding behind her lies.

In this latest novel of suspense and family loyalty, bestselling author Terri Blackstock offers a harrowing look at drug addiction, human trafficking, and the devastating choices that can change lives forever.

Interview with Andrew Himes, author of The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism In An American Family

Celebrating the release of The Sword of the Lord

I'm really excited to share this interview with Andrew Himes, author of The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family with you. I loved The Sword of the Lord and if you're a blogger who is interested in reading it, be sure to check out the last question!


Let's start out with the obvious question…what brought you to the decision to write The Sword of the Lord?

Andrew Himes: I felt compelled to understand my own life and my family’s history, which has been so bound up with the history of fundamentalism for many generations. I had a pretty tough time growing up in my family, which boasted many Baptist preachers, while I was a black sheep, unreconstructed rebel, and general trouble-maker. I was a special problem for myself and everybody else too, because my granddad, John R. Rice, was perhaps the most influential fundamentalist in the US for decades in the mid-20th century. By the time I was in my 30s, I was powerfully motivated to explore and write about our common history. After Granddad’s death in 1980, it’s taken me three decades to develop enough humility, wisdom, and capacity for love to be able to write this book.

The book is heavily dependent on research. What are some of the challenges you faced while researching the book?

Andrew Himes: First, my own massive ignorance. It turns out that I knew little about religious history or aspects of US history that were informed by evangelical Christianity. I had to read and reference over 200 books in order to write my one book. Every time I thought I had written a complete story, I read yet another author and discovered another gap in my knowledge and understanding. Another challenge was that I wasn’t trained as a professional historian, yet I wanted to write a compelling story that was also accurate, truthful, balanced, analytical, and fully referenced. So I had a lot of learning to do!

The book is obviously deeply personal as it's all about your family. Did you face any resistance in writing about your family's history?

Andrew Himes: No resistance from my family, in the end. During the early part of the writing process, some of my relatives might have been concerned that I would unearth and then write about things that could embarrass the family. But when I began to share drafts of the manuscript and ask for critical feedback, we had some wonderful conversations about the importance of understanding and acknowledging our history, even when it might be painful. For example, we are not proud that an earlier generation of our family owned slaves and participated in that terrible crime against other human beings. But when we acknowledge that past, we are enabled to work for racial reconciliation and healing.

Who do you think will be most interested in reading The Sword of the Lord?

Andrew Himes: I think its most passionate audience will be conservative evangelicals and fundamentalists, because it’s a valuable history of the times and people who framed that religious tradition and community, and largely unknown, especially to younger evangelicals. It will also be fascinating for Christians from mainline Protestant, Catholic, and emergent communities, because it will help them understand the evangelical world in a new and more compassionate way. And it will be interesting to a general secular audience because it reveals core threads of American political and religious history that have been little understood--including both the rise of the Religious Right and the role that evangelicals have played in struggles for separation between church and state, to end slavery, create equality for women, and work for social justice.

Was there anything that surprised you in the research and writing of the book? Did you make any discoveries that changed your perspective?

Andrew Himes: Absolutely yes. I came to a much deeper appreciation of my granddad and grandmother and the rest of my large and wonderful family. I summed up how valuable my upbringing was and how much I am shaped by my family and our heritage. So now I can go on to consciously live up to that heritage. As I came to understand how the trauma of war, violent conflict, and economic insecurity affected the lives of my ancestors, I developed much more compassion for them. From my modern context and point of view, I might judge my ancestors of 150 years ago as doing indefensible, incomprehensible, and evil things. But when I see them in the context of their own place and time, I have to grant that they were doing the best they knew to do, and from motives that they believed were pure. I think we are talking about generations of people suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). And we need to work consciously at our own healing. So I think I’ve become a better listener and more compassionate person as a result of writing the book. Surprisingly, I’ve developed more compassion for myself as well, and the crazy, angry, screwed-up kid I was when I was growing up in my fundamentalist family.

What is some of the initial feedback you've received about the book?

Andrew Himes: So far all the feedback has been unanimous and very positive. Readers say that they have learned something important about themselves when they finish. My objective was to write a truthful and accurate account of a complex and painful history, and to do so with a deep sense of love and fairness for the people I wrote about. I think people are really getting that.

What's next for you and the book? What is the best way for readers to stay updated with you?

Andrew Himes: May 15th is the date for the final release of the book. The final edition will have a new foreword by Parker Palmer, plus illustrations, a timeline, and a study guide. We hope to have 100 blog reviews posted by that date, and are recruiting 1000 people to buy the book on Amazon on May 15th, which will catapult it into the Top Ten bestsellers on Amazon that day. To join the Amazon campaign or to apply for a free review copy if you are a blogger, come to www.swordofthelordbook.com. Click on the Subscribe button to keep up to date with my newsletter.

You can also find Andrew on Facebook and Twitter.

Review: The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism In An American Family by Andrew Himes

We build our lives on stories...the stories told to us about who we are as individual people, about our country, and our family's history. This idea...that so much of our identity and understanding is wrapped up in the stories we believe about ourselves and our origins is something that is becoming more and more interesting to me. I've always enjoyed history in the broadest sense of the word, but it's not until recent years, even months, that I've considered just how profoundly "history' affects us. So much about how we think and act can be attributed to forces and events we aren't aware of in the slightest, which always makes learning more about the past an exciting and sometimes even jarring experience.

My personal history is this: I was raised in an evangelical Christian home, my father was a pastor, and I have two older siblings. My parents were both first generation Christians, though their families later converted and had religious understanding and background in their lives.

All of this affected of course, who I became as a person and what I believed growing up. My family was church-going obviously, so I was raised to believe in God. I was raised in an evangelical family, so I always believed God was someone I could talk to, who had a personal interest in even the details of my life. I say this to explain that from a young age, I tried to communicate with God and understand what He wanted from me and my life. I have many memories of praying and reading the Bible and genuinely trying to build a relationship and also believing I had a connection with God throughout my growing up years. Additionally, I was taught to value the basic moral system in the Bible.

Christianity has been around for a long time, though. It's a faith system with a huge history, even bigger when you consider its roots in Judaism. It's one thing to grow up fully immersed in it, it's another to understand how the kind of Christianity I lived and breathed came to be. Understanding its origins, past conflicts, its history, helps me to be understand its present state, where it might go, and yes most especially to also better understand myself.

And...that's where I get to the actual review part. I was really interested in reading this book, The Sword of the Lord: The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family, because there is a very long religious history in this country, my own faith history stems from it, and I know little about it. While the family focused on is the John R. Rice who was an influential fundamentalist, it begins all the way back in the very immigration to this country. This is a very comprehensive and insightful history.

I was riveted by it. I was so surprised by how much there was that I had never bothered to think about, and at the same time how much sense it all made. Himes writes in a very easy relateable way, but this is quite a dense read, which is to say there is A LOT of history to absorb. It's never dry, though, and in many ways is a page turner.

Since Himes's family was fundamentalist, he has firsthand experience of many people in the movement, and a life story of how he dealt with his own personal history. He weaves his own story into the text, beginning chapters with anecdotes and scenes from his own life and then going into more history. This is very effective, because it creates a sense of curiosity about the immediate story of Himes the man, while all along you are reading the history that was the foundation of the influences in his life.

Reading The Sword of the Lord then, with its history of fundamentalist Christianity, (including how that term went out of fashion for many evangelicals) was like turning a light on a shadowed corner of my life. Seriously, I have no way of explaining it, other than to say it was a bit like unearthing and seeing some of the roots of your life for the first time. I was fascinated by the history, by the very popular use of the Bible in extremely heated ways to support ideas on both sides of The Civil War, of the different ways faith manifested itself in the lives of people, what they valued and how that continued to shape each generation.

Himes spares no punches. Which is to say he is extremely forthright about the consequences as he sees them of the kind of faith practiced. Having said that I very much feel this book is written with a great deal of respect for the people it is about. While he may not agree with how they perceived God and what it meant to follow him, I never felt like he was condemning them either. Simply trying to paint the most accurate picture he could, a fully fleshed out messy portrait of messy humanity.

I loved The Sword of the Lord and I really feel that I recommend it to anyone at all who has an interest in the history of evangelical Christianity. I think even just history in the United States might be enough as that's a huge part of it.

Rating: 4.5/5
Source of Book: Received from author for review

CFBA Book Spotlight: No Safe Haven by Kimberly and Kayla Woodhouse

About the Book: Jenna and Andi Tikaani-Gray are hoping for a fresh start. Though twelve year-old Andi has long struggled with a rare medical disorder, she and her mother have finally received good news from out-of-town specialists. It's news they desperately needed, especially after the recent death of Jenna's husband (Andi's dad) in a car accident.

But as they are flying home to Alaska, ready to begin again, the unthinkable happens. The pilot sabotages their small plane and crashes into Sultana, one of the most remote and dangerous mountains in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Even worse, a winter storm is headed their way along with someone who doesn't want to save them, but to kill them.

Only one man can keep them alive: Cole Maddox, the mysterious last-minute passenger who joined them on their flight. But trust doesn't come easy to Jenna or AndiÑand they both sense Cole is hiding something.

A relentless tale of survival and suspense unfolds, involving military technology designed by Jenna's late husband that some would do anything to possess.

Review: Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Teenager Lexi Baill is thrilled to discover that she has a living relative who wants to take her in. When she moves to the new community, she is content to finally have someone who loves her and the chance to make new friends. She quickly befriends Mia Farraday, another girl who doesn't fit in at the school. They become fast friends, best friends. Mia has a twin brother, Zach who is opposite to her in that he's very popular, and Lexi crushes on him a bit. But Jude, Mia and Zach's overprotective mother, has already warned Lexi about being a good friend to Mia and not messing that up with a relationship with Zach. So when Zach and Lexi find themselves falling in love, Lexi is conflicted about the strange relationship it creates with the family she loves so much.

And....stuff happens. I really don't want to say more than that, because while the book heavily foreshadows certain events, it's best to just go in with an open heart. Which is what I did. Hannah very masterfully develops these characters and gives their relationships the kinds of depth and feeling that caused me to feel what they were going through as they tried to navigate the unsettled and unknown new territories of their changing relationships. Seriously, Zach and Lexi's love story made my heart flutter, Mia and Lexi's friendship was so real, and Jude's love for her children was so believable. And this is so important because when things take, um, a turn and start to change, I felt fully invested as a reader and yes...my heart was crushed.

Hannah does a great job of really evoking an emotional response to certain character's actions and even while they are understandable, I felt a lot of anger and frustration. But the emotional pay-off at the end has been unmatched by any reading experience for me in quite a while...oh did I cry.

Night Road is a gorgeously written and developed story about love and why it matters, the exchange of love and pain and the importance of acceptance and healing. For whatever reason, I need these stories in my life, the ones that remind me that life is equal parts love and loss, and that love is always always worth it.

Also, I think this is a great example of how a book can be a love story, even a long suffering love story (without destroying either character) and not be a romance. (but seriously some of it did make me swoon!)

Told in Lexi and Jude's third person perspective, Night Road is a richly rewarding emotional read that engages universal themes and contemporary problems facing parents and teens alike. I loved it.

Rating: 4.75/5
Things You Might Want to Know: Some profanity
Source of Book: ARC received for review
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Whenever a book starts receiving an intense amount of pre-publication buzz, I am always a bit hesitant. I generally enjoy buzzed about books, though there are always a few that fall flat for me. Wither received a significant promotional push and as such it came on my radar very early, and I was extremely interested in reading it. When an egalley came available, I jumped at the chance to read it.

Wither is the rare kind of book that hooked me in within two chapters. DeStefano has created a compelling dystopian/apocalyptic world where the cure for cancer and perfected genetic engineering has created a dilemma no one knows the solution for. Men are dying by age 25 and women by age 20 from a painful virus. The first generation remains aging, but subsequent generations do not live past these ages. The world is at odds with two camps at war--one that believes a cure can be found, and one called pro-naturalism who believe this is the way it should be.

As in any such world, the rich are at an advantage and they often kidnap young girls off the street. Some are sold into prostitution, while others serve as wives to the sons of the wealthy. Their purpose is to provide children and thus test experiments into the families.

This is what happens to Rhine, our main character. Rhine stands out not only for her her blond hair, but also her eyes--which are two different colors. She is chosen as one of three sister wives for Linden. And so begins her new life. Rhine is unhappy having been tricked into this arrangement. She already has a bit of an independent spirit--her parents were scientists working on a cure for the virus. Her twin brother is left behind and she has no idea where he is.

Many things happen to elevate Rhine's position in the household and her desire is to win Linden's trust so she can escape. The mansion they live in is amazing with many illusions and every entertainment they could possibly wish for. Rhine becomes close to her sister wives and a servant boy. Will Rhine eventually accept this new life with its own threats or will she continue to fight for independence and freedom?

As I said, I was utterly sucked into this world and read the book in one afternoon, eager to find out what would happen to all of the characters. The premise is utterly dreadful...what would life feel like if at 16 you knew you only had four more years to live and not a lifetime ahead of you? Additionally, there's the added appeal of the polygamous relationship and it's many intricate workings--the closeness of the sister wives and how they balance their relationship with their husband.

DeStefano draws her characters well, I could fully visualize who they were in my head and how they would act. I had strong feelings about them one way or another. There's also a creeping sense of dread throughout the narrative..what is in the basement? Who is Linden really? What will happen to Rhine?

I do want to mention just how much this book reminded me of The Hunger Games. Clearly they are set in very different worlds, but certain story elements bore a strong resemblance to each other. There's of course the two boys in love with Rhine..one artist/intellectual from the upper class and one servant boy who thinks more practically. There's also the exploration of what is real and not real. There are so many fake things around the mansion, and Rhine questions even her "for show" relationship with Linden. Even to the point where she kisses him at one point because she's at a loss for what else to do. (this happens in every single The Hunger Games book with Katniss and Peeta at almost the same point in the story) Rhine herself, I believe to be quite different from Katniss and more like Mary from The Forest of Hands and Teeth--eager for freedom at all costs. I just found this really striking for some reason, considering how entirely different the two worlds in the books are....might just be that I'm reading too much.

While I have some lingering questions on the set-up of the world, and exactly why things are the way they are, I'm content to live with them for now and go along for the ride. This is a fabulous compulsively readable book that envisions a darker future, where women are like cattle, and hope is dim, indeed. I am very curious about the direction the trilogy will go in..if it will continue to follow Rhine or branch out. I have so many questions about what took place in Wither and a desire to see the characters again.

Rating: 4.5/5
Source of Book: e-galley from publisher
Publisher: Simon and Schuster's Children Publishing


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Ask Me a Question or Suggest a Topic

Despite the reading dry spell I'm going through I have a few essay ideas bouncing around in my head that just aren't fully coming together. So I thought I'd be a little self-indulgent and offer you a chance to ask questions on any topic I generally blog about here or have expressed interest in. I'm hoping that this will help get me writing again and give you the chance to ask questions as March is my blogiversary month and the time I normally do this. But...I plan to keep this open always as a source of inspiration.

It's set up to be totally anonymous so it's up to you if wish to sign your name. I hope some of you have some burning questions..or even topic suggestions you're only mildly interested in.

CFBA Book Spotlight: The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray

About the Book: Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to cleveland
Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.
The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.
Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?

Review: Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Payton Gritas discovers her father has a life altering disease and that her family has been keeping it a secret from her for months. She's scared and completely unable to deal with it, so her guidance counselor suggests she choose something else to focus on, and by focusing on something else she'll eventually be able to come to terms with this life changing information. Payton struggles to choose something as her focus object and eventually settles on the head of the boy who sits in front of her in biology class, Sean Griswold.

I'm pretty sure you can guess what happens...the more Payton focuses on him, the more she grows to like him, and it's all pretty awesome because he's a great guy who helps her deal with her problems and grow as a person. These are the kind of romances I like to read, and the kind I especially like to find in YA...healthy relationships that are still romantic and sweet and free of any soulmate burden..just a guy and a girl that like each other in that special way and get along and make each other better.

But lest you think this is only a romance, it's not. This is really about Payton and how she comes to term with life--the risk of loss in love and dealing with this new illness of her father's and growing up and making amends to her friends and family when she hurts them and learning to see that people are more than the image they project. It's a really sweet and positive book and I enjoyed reading it so much. Also, Payton is a girl athlete! She's both a basketball player and she takes up cycling in the book.

If you enjoy sweet contemporary romances in YA, then I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy Sean Griswold's Head.

Rating: 4.25/5
Source of Book: ARC sent for review
Publisher: Bloomsbury

GIVEAWAY
I have one copy courtesy of the publisher to give away. This is open to residents of the United States. Open until March 24th at midnight PST. Winners will be notified by email.

Review: Clarity by Kim Harrington and Giveaway

Clarity, who goes by Clare, has the gift of seeing the past when she touches an object. It's not an entirely reliable gift, she can't always force it to work, but when it does work, it's right on. For the most part, Clarity uses her gift to help run the family business..her mother can read thoughts, and her brother can talk to the dead. They live in a tourist town and work during the summer months.

But then someone is murdered in their safe little haven of a town and Clare is called on to assist with the investigation in an unofficial compacity. This is a little bit thrilling for her because the new detective's son is all kinds of hot and she has a thing for him. But it's also complicated because she's working with her ex-boyfriend-who-still-loves-her as well. This sets up a bit of triangle, but that's not the focus of the book, the mystery is truly the main focus.

Things become further complicated when she discovers her brother slept with the victim on the night of her death. He's terrified of being found suspect and Clare even finds herself suspecting his innocence. She's more desperate than ever to find the real killer.

I enjoyed Clarity, and thought it was a fun read. I liked Clare, I thought the love triangle was nicely done and well set-up with believable conflict, and even though I guessed the killer halfway through the book, I still enjoyed the journey.

There are a couple of times Clare's gifts are touched upon and the consequences they have--the way they interfere with what would normally happen in life and relationships. I'd love to see this conflict explored more deeply and the consequences it has on Clare as both an individual and her relationships. I'm hoping that the later books in the series will do this. I'm pretty sure this is a series as the love triangle remains unresolved and several plot points were set in motion to indicate more of the story would be coming.

Rating: 4/5
Things You Might Want to Know: a bit of crass language
Source of Book: Review copy
Publisher: Point (Scholastic)

GIVEAWAY
The publisher has generously provided two copies of the book to be given away to readers with a United States mailing address. This giveaway will be open until March 23rd at midnight PST. Winners will be notified by email.



Trailer

Sign up for The Priest's Graveyard by Ted Dekker Blog Tour!

Hello bloggers!
I wanted to share this fun opportunity with you. If you are a blogger and love Ted Dekker or would like to try reading a Ted Dekker than you might be interested in this! (Please note I'm just helping to get the word out and will be on the tour myself, I am not organizing it..that's Sarah!)

Calling all bloggers

We’re looking for participants for a blog tour promoting THE PRIEST’S GRAVEYARD, by prolific thriller writer, Ted Dekker. For more information on the book, check out http://www.getthisbook.com. We’re looking for Dekker fans AND those of you who have never picked up a Ted Dekker book before. We want old fans and new fans alike. The tour will run from April 8 through pub day of April 19 until April 22..

What You’ll Get:
Early review copy of The Priest’s Graveyard
Book trailer
Excerpt
Countdown Widget
Hi-Res Book Cover .jpg
Badge for Sidebar
Banner for entry

What You’ll Do:
Post on your scheduled day (In every post: getthisbook.com, book cover, book info, tour graphic, link back to main tour page)

What to post: Review, teaser, video, excerpt, giveaway, countdown, etc. Be creative!

Possible: Review of another Ted book as well (Bride Collector, etc.)

There are 30 spots total open for this blog tour, including your referring sites. Please use this form http://goo.gl/XU1yo to request a spot, and Sarah from Center Street will contact you. Since there’s limited room on the tour, we can’t guarantee a spot.

CFBA Book Spotlight: A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell

About the Book: The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the downtrodden North End of Boston. Yet each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana enter the world of the upper class, working on finery for the elite in society. The three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream--and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times.

Julietta is drawn to the swarthy, mysterious Angelo. Annamaria has a star-crossed encounter with the grocer's son, a man from the entirely wrong family. And through no intent of her own, Luciana catches the eye of Billy Quinn, the son of Madame Forza's most important client.

Their destinies intertwined, each harboring a secret from their families and each other, will they be found worthy of the love they seek?

I really expected to have this read in time, but I blame my reader's block. Will be reading it soon, hopefully! Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.

Interview with M.J. Putney and Giveaway

M.J. Putney is the author of Dark Mirror Look for my review later today! Here's the synopsis:

Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status.

Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory’s blood is tainted . . . by magic.

When a shocking accident forces Tory to demonstrate her despised skill, the secret she’s fought so hard to hide is revealed for all to see. She is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. There she will learn to suppress her deplorable talents and maybe, if she’s one of the lucky ones, be able to return to society.

But Tory’s life is about to change forever. All that she’s ever known or considered important will be challenged. What lies ahead is only the beginning of a strange and wonderful journey into a world where destiny and magic come together, where true love and friendship find her, and where courage and strength of character are the only things that determine a young girl’s worth.


What was the appeal of writing about a priviledged girl with magical powers? Why do you enjoy writing in a historical time period?


MJP: History allows more room for fantasy and over the plot stories and characters, and I like over the top. An author can pick a time period that enhances her story. As for having a privileged heroine--it makes her fall and attempt to rebuild her life more dramatic. And it's also more fun to identify ;with a historical character who is a lady rather than a scullery maid!

What are some of biggest challenges you faced while writing this story?

MJP: DARK MIRROR was very research intensive. The WWII part is within living memory, and I feel a particular obligation to do my best by the characters of that time, who faced so many challenges with such courage and tenacity. Plus, whenever entering a new genre, a new voice and sensibility have to be developed. At the heart it's still my voice, of course, but tuned in a way that I hope will best suit YA readers.

Is this your first young adult novel? What is different about writing for this age group?

MJP: Yes, this is my first YA. The most obvious difference is having younger protagonists, of course. Plus, the books are a little shorter than my adult books, and for that reason the structure is a little simpler. But the characters face the same kinds of problems and challenges as my adult characters. And a good story is still a good story!

What are some books you've recently enjoyed reading?

MJP: For YA, I really enjoyed the most recent Rick Riordan novel, THE LAST OLYMPIAN. He's a crackerjack storyteller, and I think he did a brilliant job of rebooting his demi-god series in a way that's allows room for a new set of exciting stories. I really enjoyed Sarah Dessen's LOCK AND KEY, too. For adult books, there's Patricia Briggs' latest Mercy Thompson book, RIVER MARKED, and Sharon Shinn's TROUBLED WATERS. I'm just finishing the latest (and last) Dick Francis mystery, CROSS-FIRE. He will be missed.

What's your favorite comfort food?

MJP: A really good warm raspberry pie with ice cream is hard to beat for the sweets. For savories--loaded potato skins with sour cream, yum! I can just feel my arteries solidifying!

GIVEAWAY

The publisher has generously offered five copies of DARK MIRROR to readers of My Friend Amy! Open to residents of the United States and Canada. Entries will be accepted until March 17th at midnight PST. Winners will be notified by email.

Q&A with Geraldine Brooks about Caleb's Crossing and Galley Giveaway

Geraldine Brooks, the author of Pulitzer Prize winning March, has a new book coming out this May from one of my favorite imprints, Viking.

When I read the description for the book, I was immediately interested as it's a richly American topic and very interesting subject for historical fiction.

Here's the book's description:

CALEB’S CROSSING is inspired by the life of Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk, the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College in 1665. Brooks first learned about him during her time as a Radcliffe fellow at Harvard in 2006. Caleb was from the Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans who lived on Martha’s Vineyard and this year Tiffany Smalley will become the second Vineyard Wampanoag to graduate from Harvard. There is little official information on Caleb’s life and Brooks’s novel is an informed imagining of what he might have gone through.

What makes this novel truly special is its narrator, Bethia Mayfield. Bethia is the strong-willed daughter of a preacher who lives in the settlement of Great Harbor on Martha’s Vineyard. She struggles with the restrictions placed on her—namely, that she is denied the education freely given to her brother. Bethia finds respite in the wild landscape of her home and it is while clamming one day that she meets Caleb, the son of a local chieftain. They form a secret friendship that, in time, leads to Caleb coming to live with the Mayfields. Bethia’s father eagerly takes Caleb under his wing, determined not only to convert him to Christianity, but also to groom him for matriculation to Cambridge and eventually, Harvard.

The harsh realities of life for both women and Native Americans are fully confronted in CALEB’S CROSSING. It is a story of difficult friendships, cultural transitions, and facing injustices.

Oh man does that sound like something that intersects with my interests right now! I'm happy to share a Q&A with Geraldine Brooks provided by the publisher and a chance for you to win one of two galleys of the book.

Q&A with Geraldine Brooks

Caleb Cheeshahteamauk is an extraordinary figure in Native American history. How did you first discover him? What was involved in learning more about his life?

The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head/Aquinnah are proud custodians of their history, and it was in materials prepared by the Tribe that I first learned of its illustrious young scholar. To find out more about him I talked with tribal members, read translations of early documents in the Wopanaak language, then delved into the archives of Harvard and the Massachusetts Bay Colony, especially the correspondence between colonial leaders and benefactors in England who donated substantial funds for the education and conversion to Christianity of Indians in the 17th century. There are also writings by members of the Mayhew family, who were prominent missionaries and magistrates on the island, and John Cotton, Jr., who came here as a missionary and kept a detailed journal.

There is little documentation on Caleb’s actual life. What parts of his life did you imagine? Do you feel you know him better after writing this book, or is he still a mystery?

The facts about Caleb are sadly scant. We know he was the son of a minor sachem from the part of the Vineyard now known as West Chop, and that he left the island to attend prep school, successfully completed the rigorous course of study at Harvard and was living with Thomas Danforth, a noted jurist and colonial leader, when disease claimed his life. Everything else about him in my novel is imagined. The real young man—what he thought and felt—remains an enigma.

Bethia Mayfield is truly a woman ahead of her time. If she were alive today, what would she be doing? What would her life be like with no restrictions?

There were more than a few 17th century women like Bethia, who thirsted for education and for a voice in a society that demanded their silence. You can find some of them being dragged to the meeting house to confess their “sins” or defending their unconventional views in court. If Bethia was alive today she would probably be president of Harvard or Brown, Princeton or UPenn.

The novel is told through Bethia’s point of view. What is the advantage to telling this story through her eyes? How would the book be different if Caleb were the narrator?

I wanted the novel to be about crossings between cultures. So as Caleb is drawn into the English world, I wanted to create an English character who would be equally drawn to and compelled by his world. I prefer to write with a female narrator when I can, and I wanted to explore issues of marginalization in gender as well as race.

Much of the book is set on Martha’s Vineyard, which is also your home. Did you already know about the island’s early history, or did you do additional research?

I was always intrigued by what brought English settlers to the island so early in the colonial period...they settled here in the 1640s. Living on an island is inconvenient enough even today; what prompted the Mayhews and their followers to put seven miles of treacherous ocean currents between them and the other English—to choose to live in a tiny settlement surrounded by some three thousand Wampanoags? The answer was unexpected and led me into a deeper exploration of island history

You bring Harvard College to life in vivid, often unpleasant detail. What surprised you most about this prestigious university’s beginnings?

For one thing, I hadn't been aware Harvard was founded so early. The English had barely landed before they started building a college. And the Indian College—a substantial building—went up not long after, signifying an attitude of mind that alas did not prevail for very long. It was fun to learn how very different early Harvard was from the well endowed institution of today. Life was hand to mouth, all conversation was in Latin, the boys (only boys) were often quite young when they matriculated. But the course of study was surprisingly broad and rigorous—a true exploration of liberal arts, languages, and literature that went far beyond my stereotype of what Puritans might have considered fit subjects for scholarship.

As with your previous books, you’ve managed to capture the voice of the period. You get the idiom, dialect, and cadence of the language of the day on paper. How did you do your research?

I find the best way to get a feel for language and period is to read first person accounts—journals, letters, court transcripts. Eventually you start to hear voices in your head: patterns of speech, a different manner of thinking. My son once said, Mom talks to ghosts. And in a way I do.

May 2011, Tiffany Smalley will follow in Caleb’s footsteps and become only the second Vineyard Wampanoag to graduate from Harvard. Do you know if this will be celebrated?

In May Tiffany Smalley will become the first Vineyard Wampanoag since Caleb to receive an undergrad degree from Harvard College. (Others have received advanced degrees from the university’s Kennedy school etc.) I’m not sure what Harvard has decided to do at this year's commencement, but I am hoping they will use the occasion to honor Caleb’s fellow Wampanoag classmate, Joel Iacoomis, who completed the work for his degree but was murdered before he could attended the 1665 commencement ceremony.

Giveaway
Want to win a galley before the book is available in stores? The publisher is really interested in getting great readers to talk about the book before release so you now have the chance to win one! This is open to readers in the US and Canada. I will leave this open until March 16th at midnight PST. I will notify winners by email. Just fill out the form to enter!

Reader's Block

I love books and I'm an avid reader.

But sometimes, shockingly, I don't want to read.

And not just for a day or two, but I've recently discovered, for weeks. "Who is this person?" I think, "This person who loves to read but right now cannot tolerate the idea of picking up a book and reading?"

These periods of time are growing, they are happening more frequently. It's not a good thing for a blog that is based on books, because this blog requires at the very least, the fuel of a reading life. Yes, there are many ideas I can discuss, but these ideas are unearthed so often through reading. I frame them through books I've read, that's why it's a book blog and not a life blog. And yet, I think it's this very blog that has created the problem.

And my moodiness. My inability to really nail down what I want from a book or a reading life. Do I just want to read the newest books or do I want to read the books people I respect and admire recommend, do I want to read light hearted books that make me laugh, or books that make me think and push me at all times to become another person?

And normally the answer to all of this would be yes, but this blog has thrown a barrier up. Not only because of things like review copies and blog tours, though they certainly are a bit of the problem, but also things like themed weeks and readalongs and challenges and the INSPYs. I can be fine for months working on this schedule and achieving these goals and enjoying the ride and then BAM!

I don't want to read whatever's next for me to read. I can't bear to hear about another book even though last week my appetite for book catalogs was INSATIABLE. I want to escape into a TV show during the time I would normally be reading or blogging or tweeting or whatever.

It's moodiness, it cannot be predicted and planned for and OH GUESS WHAT? This blog is not a job, it's a labor of love. It's something I do because I love it, but strangely it comes with all the attachments of a job, there's like a schedule and emails to worry about and it begs to be updated often, I must constantly attend to it. There's spam to delete and agreements to renew, etc, and on and on it goes.

Sometimes I think it's the way I've piled on too much reading. I am thirsty and desperate for the next sublime reading experience and yet so many books fail. There are many great books, but there are only a few that shake you to your core. The search is at times filled with joy and other times it feels like the most burdensome undertaking. The search is important, of course, because while a book may not have that spark or quick fire, it can also act as a poison, slowly working on your mind and heart over time. These books cannot be known at first glance or read, but they have their purpose.

So these past few weeks, I've been suffering from reader's block, blogger's block, writer's block, all of it. I did read a book cover to cover yesterday and loved it. It was everything a reading experience should be I wept through the pages, I thought about my own life and choices. But now I have no idea where to go next. It didn't break the hold of the block, it was like a temporary break. A glimpse back into what a reading life can be.

I concede that being a book blogger has ruined me as a reader. I no longer read for the sheer pleasure of it, I no longer read in a carefree way. There's a weight to every choice, an awareness to my reading life. I am aware, for example, that I am suffering from reader's block, when in the past I would not have even thought about it. Most of the time, I don't regret this. I love the friends I've made, the vast knowledge I've gained. I love the worlds that have been opened up to me through the pages of books I would have never discovered apart from this blog.

But sometimes, like these past few weeks, I feel the sting of regret.

Maybe this block is all a part of what Geoff Dyer talks about in his essay on reader's block,

In the same way, my declining ability to read is itself the product of having read a fair bit. If reading heightens your responses, shapes your idea of the world, gives you a sense of the purpose of life, then it is not surprising if, over time, reading should come to play a proportionately smaller role in the context of the myriad possibilities it has opened up. The more thoroughly we have absorbed its lessons, the less frequently we need to refer to the user’s manual. After a certain point subjective inwardness becomes self-rather than textually generated. Of course there is more to learn, more to read, but whereas, when I was a teenager, each new book represented an almost overwhelming addition to what I knew and felt, each new book now adds a smaller increment to the sum of knowledge.

I don't know I'm still quite young, I think, but the line that really resonated with me is in bold. Reading more and being more aware of my reading has certainly changed everything about who I am as a reader and how I read. Where once I felt desperate to read all the great books being recommended to me by others, now I feel only hopeful to somehow find the most noteworthy, and be able to love them for all they're worth.

Giveaway: In the Land of Believers by Gina Welch

Last year, I read and enjoyed In the Land of Believers by Gina Welch. Picador has generously offered to give one US reader a paperback copy of the book.

If you are interested in winning this book about an atheist girl who goes undercover at Thomas Road Baptist Church to better understand evangelical Christianity, just fill out the form below by Monday March 14th at midnight PST. I will notify the winner by email.



Also, please check out the Picador Book Club on Facebook.

Interview with Christina Boys, Editor at FaithWords

In order to help readers and potential readers of Christian fiction understand and get to know the different publishing houses of Christian fiction and their purpose and mission, I have requested interviews with the editors and publishers of fiction at many different houses. I am so excited to share these interviews with all of you and I think it will increase our understanding and make our conversations more productive. I hope you find it a valuable resource!



Christina prefaced her answers with this:
The questions you asked are quite thought provoking, but can also be a challenge to answer. People form strong opinions about what constitutes “edgy,” “profanity,” or “literary” that may differ from the definitions others give those words. Similarly, authors come from different viewpoints, and what is appropriate in the context of one novel, genre, or from one author, may be inappropriate in or from another. What is universal is our intent to enlighten, enrich, and entertain a broad range of readers, and to reinforce and reflect their Christian faith.

What genres do you publish?

Women’s fiction, romance, Amish, general fiction, humorous fiction, romantic suspense.

Does your publishing company have a mission statement?

FaithWords purpose is to publish engaging and relevant books for the inspirational market.

Do your books have a strong faith message?

Yes, though the messages in some of our novels may sometimes be subtle and more organic to the plot of the novel.

Is profanity ever acceptable in your fiction?

No, what the majority of people would consider profanity is not in our fiction.

Do you publish books that are considered by the market to be edgy?

I think that we are forward-thinking in terms of our fiction. The characters in our novels might deal with controversial issues from a Christian perspective that challenges their faith, just as life can present those same challenges. We recently published HIS OTHER WIFE by Deborah Bedford in which a divorced mother must learn to get along with her husband’s new wife—the woman he left her for—for the sake of her son. We also seek to publish books that reflect the current interests of readers. For instance, this fall we’ll publish KISS OF NIGHT by Debbie Viguié, the first in a Christian vampire series. Debbie has done a brilliant job of creating a biblically-based explanation for the existence of vampires that will appeal to Christian readers who are fans of secular vampire series.

What is your approach to literary fiction?

Most of our books would be classified as commercial fiction rather than literary fiction.

Who do you see as your primary audience?

We seek to publish books for adult Christian readers, primarily women as they tend to buy the most fiction. Some of our authors are also reaching mainstream readers who do not identify themselves as readers of “Christian fiction.”

What are some of the books you have published that epitomize your mission?

ONE PERFECT DAY by Lauraine Snelling is a beautiful novel that deals with grief and hope and faith that has touched many readers in a deeply personal way. It’s the story of two mothers, one of whom loses a child unexpectedly, but because that child was an organ donor, another mother’s daughter is saved.
CHASING LILACS by Carla Stewart is a brilliant first novel about a teenage girl coming of age in the 1950s that was just named a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award for Fiction. It has a lovely, nostalgic tone both in terms of the setting and in the recollection of what it was like to be young and discovering love and loss and the encroaching world of adulthood.

Do you welcome feedback from readers and if so what is the best method for readers to give your their feedback?

Yes, we’re always delighted to hear from readers. We have a website: FaithWords.com, and are on Facebook: FaithWords and Twitter @FaithWords.

Thanks Christina!

You can also read my interview with Karen Watson of Tyndale, Julie Gwinn of B&H, and Charlene Patterson of Bethany House.

If you are the editor or a Christian publisher and have not received my interview questions, please email me at mypalamy@gmail.com

Faith and Fiction Saturday: What Would You Like to Discuss?

I'm curious about what issues you'd be interested in discussing in relation to faith and fiction. If there is a topic you'd like to see me address, be opened up to discussion, or have questions about, please leave a comment. It occurs to me that while I have a lot of thoughts on this subject, I tend to go back to the same issues. I'd really love to know if there's anything bugging you or that you'd like to hear my take on. If you're uncomfortable leaving a comment, I'd love an email as well!

Wrapping up Buechner Week

Thanks for reading all the great posts this week celebrating Frederick Buechner everyone! I really had hoped to post more reviews, but sometimes the real life interferes--in any case, more reviews will be forthcoming! The good news is that I had such fabulous guest posts.

I sent several bloggers copies of The Eyes of the Heart to read for this week and a few of them posted reviews.(my own review is forthcoming) I hope you will check them out.

Carrie from Books and Movies was glad to have read it.

Christy of Critty Joy echoes my own thoughts on his way with words.

Unfinished Person unfortunately couldn't finish it.

If you read the copy I sent you and posted a review, please send it to me!

Also, if you are interested in deepening your knowledge of Buechner and the kinds of conversations found around his work, I recommend checking out King College's Buechner Institute the 25th-29th of May:

The Buechner Institute at King College was created to examine the intersections—and collisions—between faith and culture. Located between shrill sectarianism and abject secularism and honoring Fred Buechner’s example, the Buechner Institute aims to cultivate a conversation that is both artful and substantial on issues of faith and culture.

CFBA Book Spotlight: A Bond Never Broken by Judith Miller

About the Book: For many years, Ilsa Redlich has helped her parents run a hotel in South Amana, but as the United States enters the Great War, she can feel her world changing. The residents of the towns surrounding the Amana Colonies used to be accepting of their quiet, peaceful neighbors, but with anti-German sentiment running high, the Amana villages are now plagued by vandalism, threats, and insults.

Things get even worse when Ilsa finds out her family won't be allowed to speak German in public--and that Garon, the childhood friend she's long been smitten with, has decided to join the army. Jutta Schmidt is shocked when several members of the Council of National Defense show up on her family's doorstep. Sure, the Schmidts once lived in the Amana Colonies, but that was years ago. She's even more surprised when the council demands that she travel to Amana and report back on any un-American activities.

Not daring to disobey the government agents, Jutta takes a job at the South Amana hotel, befriends the daughter of the owners, and begins to eavesdrop every chance she gets. When Jutta hears Ilsa making antiwar remarks and observes Garon assisting a suspicious outsider, she is torn at the prospect of betraying her new friends.

But what choice does she have? And when Garon is accused of something far worse than Jutta could imagine, can the Amana community come to his aid in time?

Buechner Week Elsewhere

Thanks for reading along with Buechner week so far everyone! There are still some goodies coming up, but I wanted to share with you what others have posted!

Meg shares some of what she's learned from reading Buechner:
I have not been familiar with Frederick Buechner for very long. He was first introduced to me about 3 years ago in graduate school at Wheaton College. I spent what little time I could spare reading some of his sermons online, anything I could easily google. All of that time, and even now, after reading a few of his works (mostly his memoirs), that word keeps coming to the front of my mind. Innocence.

After sparking a conversation with myself (which happens more often than I’m willing to admit…) on why this word, it occurred to me that Buechner was the first author who inadvertently made me understand that a certain level of innocence is a state of mind, a state of being or understanding, a chosen perspective or attitude, a sought-out way of life. Go read the rest, it's fabulous.

She also reviews Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale:

Not disappointing his familiar readers in his ability to somewhat surprisingly humanize these characters we common folk might normally write off, Buechner begins in his first chapter with Henry Ward Beecher — 19th century American pastor, speaker, social reformer and avid abolitionist, famous first for his energetic Calvinist teaching and maybe most for his scandalous affair and trial with the married Elizabeth Tilton. Taking one short passage from Beecher’s biography — one scene where Beecher cuts himself shaving in preparation for the first of the Beecher Lectures on preaching at Yale — Buechner thrusts his readers, without hesitation or overwhelmingly sentimental nonsense, into the raw revelation of the human being-ness from which we all suffer and inevitably misunderstand.

Christy reviews Peculiar Treasures: A Biblical Who's Who:
Peculiar Treasures is a unique look at many of the Bible’s most familiar characters (and some not so familiar). I came away from the book with a new appreciation for those characters and for the Word. I was reminded again that the Bible is full or regular and ordinary people and a beyond extraordinary God. Buechner breaks down the characters stories into simple everyday terms using contemporary language and scenes. (His little blurb on Adam is quite interesting….and calling Boaz long in the tooth cracked me up!)

Jen posts a few thoughts as well:
I probably have no business professing to be a Frederick Buechner fan. One book read does not a fan make, especially for an author with about 30 to his name. Oh, but I can claim the title of Wannabe Fan, or maybe Curious or something.

Even though he still seems relatively obscure, Buechner's name seemed to keep showing up on favorite author lists by folks I admire for their deep thinking and general good taste... alongside other writers that have left their marks on me, like Lewis and Chesterton and L'Engle and such.

Go read their full posts and stay tuned for more goodies!

Why I Read Frederick Buechner by Stephen Lamb

When it came time to critique the piece I was workshopping at a writing class I took part in the end of last summer, Lauren Winner, the esteemed leader of our class, offered as one of her critiques that she thought I quoted Frederick Buechner too many times. When I attempted to explain that my quotations of Buechner were there because reading his books had helped me arrive at where I stand today, but that I was sure later drafts of the piece would rely less on Buechner’s words as I found my own, Lauren interrupted me, saying, “then write that. Write about how reading Buechner helped you become who you are today. That I would be interested in reading.”

So here it is: my attempt to explain something of what the writings of Frederick Buechner have meant to me. I have said elsewhere, and readily repeat it here, that I count myself among those are are still able to call themselves Christian, at least in part, because of the work of Buechner. When the voices of my fundamentalist religious upbringing threaten to drown out everything else, I have only to read something from Buechner to remember, once again, that maybe, just maybe, there is something to this whole thing.

I first heard about Frederick Buechner through the singer and author Michael Card, a few years before I started working for him as part of his road crew. Back in ’94, he recorded an album, Poiema, that he said in the liner notes was “inspired by the writings of Frederick Buechner, the C.S. Lewis of our time.” I bought Buechner’s first memoir, The Sacred Journey, not long after I discovered Poiema, along with a collection of his work organized for daily reading (Listening to Your Life), but aside from skimming the latter every now and then, they both sat untouched on my bookshelf for several years, through finishing high school and three and a half years working at a fundamentalist radio station, through a fifteen-month adventure at a Bible school in Argentina, and through a two-year stint working for a Pentecostal TV network. It wasn’t until a year or two after I moved to Nashville, Music City, U.S.A., that I finally picked up The Sacred Journey one cold evening, read it slowly over the next couple of weeks, and then quickly moved on to his next two memoirs, Telling Secrets and Now and Then, devouring both of them over the course of one week, feeling very much like a parched man stumbling onto an oasis. I like to think they were there waiting for me for the time when I needed them most.

Buechner has only released one book since that time - The Yellow Leaves, which I reviewed for the Rabbit Room - but every time I come across one of his books in a used bookstore that I don’t yet have, I immediately buy it to add it to my collection, knowing that at some point down the road, it will be there when I need it. I find a certain comfort in that.

Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy & Fairy Tale is the last book of his that I finished, and I was reading it one Sunday morning a couple weeks ago, a day that happened to mark the one-year anniversary of when I stopped going to church - a story too long to retell here except to repeat one of Buechner’s quotes that I’ve used countless times in the last year, that “the sermons that have the biggest impact on us are those that we preach to ourselves in between the lines of whatever is being said from the pulpit,” and what I was hearing “between the lines,” informed by twenty-eight years of being in church every Sunday - and more - was drowning out the possibility of hearing life-giving words in that context. So on that recent Sunday morn, here are the words I read when I picked up Telling the Truth, words found in the last chapter:

“[In the fairy-tale world] Joy happens, to use Tolkien’s word, and the fairy tale where it happens is not a world where everything is sweetness and light. It is not Disney Land where everything is kept spotless and all the garbage is trundled away through underground passages beneath the sunny streets. On the contrary, the world where this Joy happens is as full of darkness as our own world, and that is why when it happens it is as poignant as grief and can bring tears to our eyes...

If you still have something more than just eyes to see with, the world can give you these glimpses as well as fairy tales can - the smell of rain, the dazzle of sun on white clapboard with the shadows of ferns and wash on the line, the wildness of a winter storm when in the house the flame of a candle doesn’t even flicker...

The joy beyond the walls of the world more poignant than grief. Even in church you catch glimpses of it sometimes though church is apt to be the last place because you are looking too hard for it there. It is not apt to be so much in the sermon that you find it or the prayers or the liturgy but often in something quite incidental like the evening the choral society does the Mozart Requiem, and there is your friend Dr. X, who you know thinks the whole business of religion is for the birds, singing the Kyrie like a bird himself - Lord, have mercy, have mercy - as he stands there among the baritones in his wilted shirt and skimpy tux; and his workaday basset-hound face is so alive with if not the God he wouldn’t be caught dead believing in then at least with his twin brother that for a moment nothing in the whole world matters less than what he believes or doesn’t believe - Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison - and as at snow, dreams, certain memories, at fairy tales, the heart leaps, the eyes fill.”

There it is. That’s why I read Buechner, the reminder of the holy lurking under the commonplace, the reminder of what we maybe desire most - Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison - always present in our actions. If those words mean nothing to you now, if they don’t move you in some way, I ask you, please, remember his name, and if, somewhere down the road you’re struggling to believe in anything, much less the fantastical claims of Christianity, pick up one of his books. I recommend Telling Secrets or the collection of his sermons, Secrets in the Dark. For those of you already reading him, or those who’ve always meant to pick up something by him, treasure his work. Remember these words that he says sum up everything he’s tried to say, repeat them to your family, to your neighbor. And, most importantly, don’t stop repeating these words to yourself, maybe the person who needs to be reminded most of all: “Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.”

Stephen Lamb blogs at Rebelling Against Indifference, The Rabbit Room, and Jesus Needs New PR. You can also follow him on twitter.

Reading Buechner by Dale Brown

Whenever people ask me about Frederick Buechner, the first obstacle is the cumbersome name. I’m sure his career would have been more noticed had his name been Clay Steele or John Grisham. (The name is pronounced “Beekner.”) The second question is usually about which books to read. Such a query makes sense given the more than thirty possibilities. So here’s a quick primer from someone who likes them all:

If you lean toward the essay, you will no doubt enjoy one of Buechner’s unique studies of religious words and stories in such volumes as Wishful Thinking, Whistling in the Dark, Peculiar Treasures, or Alphabet of Grace. Many of his sermons have been anthologized in various collections like A Room Called Remember, The Clown in the Belfry, and Secrets in the Dark. But my favorite in this grouping would have to be Telling the Truth: The Gospel in Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale. The book is the printed version of Buechner’s 1976 talks on preaching at Yale University’s Beecher Lectureship. Buechner’s admonition to preachers is that they tell the hard truth about the absence of God while not being afraid to also tell the outrageous story of God’s glorious presence in the world, the overwhelming of tragedy by comedy. The three essays always strike me as universal and useful in the daily grind. The joke is sometimes hard to get.

If your taste runs to biography, you might want to explore Buechner’s many volumes of personal reminiscence. The series began with The Sacred Journey in 1982. Buechner’s assumption is that the story of any one of us is the story of us all in some way. A very private man, Buechner nonetheless opens the pages of his photograph album in the hope that we might find snapshots of ourselves tucked in among his pictures. And note the adjective: the journey is “sacred.” Buechner believes that his life is going, not just anywhere, but somewhere. If you enjoy The Sacred Journey, move on to Now and Then, Telling Secrets, and The Eyes of the Heart.

If you are drawn to fiction, you’ll be in good hands with Buechner. His first novel, A Long Day’s Dying, made him famous in 1950, but the novels that come after his turn toward Christianity will be his legacy, I believe. There’s the bawdy and yet somehow sacred romp of the Bebb novels of the 1970’s. There’s The Son of Laughter and The Storm and even a wonderful little version of the book of Tobit, On the Road with the Archangel. But the book on which his reputation will finally rest is no doubt the 1980 novel Godric. Fred even recognizes this as his centerpiece as did the Pulitzer committee that made it a finalist for the prize. The novel is the story of a dimly known, eleventh-century saint, the irascible Godric, who insists on one basic premise—all things human are “a broth of false and true.” Much of Buechner’s entire career is summarized in that sentiment. And Godric’s story is, surprisingly enough, somehow the story of us all.

Dale Brown
January 2011

Dale Brown, the founding director of the Buechner Institute at King College, is the author of numerous articles and the recent critical biography, The Book of Buechner: A Journey Through His Writings.