There is almost nothing better than a good book when you’re feeling sick, bored, or just need a short escape.
I used to despise reading as I was growing up. My mind would wander and It would take me a good couple hours to get through a kids book. It took way too much effort! Now, however, reading is something that I try to make time for in my insanely busy schedule.
My favourite book of all time would have to be Redeeming Love. I know, that sounds all mushy and gushy, but it is a beautiful story. It is a retelling of the Bible’s book of Hosea in which God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute. God tells him to “Go, show your love to [her], though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods.” It’s a story of redemption, as you probably could have guessed by the title, and love and peace that surpass all understanding. I may not have sold you on the book, but I promise it’s a good one.
Do you like to read? What’s your favourite book? Any suggestions for good books? If you’ve read Redeeming Love, what did you think of it?
Thanks for reading:)
Erin's Blog 
Mar 08, 2011 @ 19:35:52
Hey Erin,
“Redeeming Love” sounds like a great read! It seems like there are a few books out there nowadays that retell biblical stories into works of fiction – sometimes that makes it easier to absorb the message, hey?
My favourite books are written by a Canadian author named Michael O’Brien. He is a Christian so his books all mostly evolve around similar themes. My favourites of his are “Strangers and Sojourners” (which is about an English woman moving to BC when it’s first settled and how her life here unfolds) and “Sophia House” (follows the life of a Polish bookkeeper in Warsaw during WWII). His books are very contemplative and some may find them slow moving, but they truly capture the human experience. 🙂
Mar 16, 2011 @ 23:00:54
read Flowers in the Attic by V.c Andrews, The Crysalids, and The Handmaids Tale
Mar 31, 2011 @ 23:11:29
I think one of the most thought-invoking books I’ve ever read is entitled “Ishmael” by Daniel Quinn.
It’s one of those books that’s almost impossible to explain, because you know that, when you /do/ try to explain it, it just doesn’t sound as good as the book actually is (as you probably realized when explaining Redeeming Love (though I may have to pick myself up a copy :])). Basically it’s about this man who is as cynical as anyone could get. (I believe) he’s a writer, and one day he comes across an ad in the newspaper: “Teacher seeks pupil, must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person.” Finding this ridiculous, he goes to the building and finds Ishmael, a gorilla who is able to speak telepathically (odd, hey?). Through Socratic dialogue, Ishmael and the narrator tell the story of civilization, essentially, until Ishmael is moved and dies soon after.
I may not have agreed with every point they brought up, but it was so eye-opening and amazing that if you were to ever ask me to suggest a book, this would be the first one I would suggest — obviously. 🙂
Another that I would suggest is “Gargoyle” by Andrew Davidson. This one’s about a man who is extremely self-involved and self-destructive. However, he gets into a horrible car accident and is permanently disfigured. In the hospital he meets a strange tattoo-covered woman who says she is centuries old (she’s there being treated in the psych ward if you couldn’t guess). She tells him that she has x amount of hearts left to give, and she gives them through creating sculptures. She also tells him that he knew her in a past life. As the story goes on, they fall in love, but it’s not the sort of love you would expect, and we are shown how two lives can be so intermingled that they can withstand the test of time (Gods, that sounds cheesy).
My teacher recommended Ishmael to me, and my best friend recommended Gargoyle. These two books are definitely on the top of my favourite list. Maybe they’ll make yours, too. 🙂