Flannery O'Connor: The Complete Stories Book Review #5

Flannery O'Connor is perhaps one of the most brilliant writers of a generation. A native of Georgia, she grew up immersed in the tenants of sacramental theology, which play a great role in her short stories and novels.

This collection in particular is very near and dear to my heart. Who can resist a Flannery story? The best part of all her writings are the endings. You never see them coming. You really don't. Some of her stories can be wildly funny, like "Good Country People," and melancholic, like "The River." Others, like "Parker's Back" (check out the double entendre of the title) are reverent and thoughtful. Whatever your taste, Flannery has a story for you.

My personal favorite in this collection is "Parker's Back." Sacramental theological ideas like the incarnation of Christ and the sanctity of marriage play a large role here. The story is about Obadiah Elihue, a man with many tattoos who has married a woman named Sarah Ruth, a severe, crotchety woman whose face is described like an "onion skin." Obadiah has no idea why he married Sarah Ruth. One day he has an epiphany, and gets a special tattoo he thinks she'll like on his back. (I would tell you the end, but Flannery would turn in her grave.) I love this story because of the humorous elements and its very serious commentary on human nature.

The Picture of Dorian Gray. Book Review #4.

"This book brings extreme self discoverment and a dark realism on true being. Every chapter brings you to acknowledge the pain and truth in a persons vain. Inner beauty is proven to be more important then physical features."
Nicole Rodriguez

I chose this book because of the intelligence of the renowned anthropologist, Oscar Wilde.

The story is about a young artist named Basil who paints a beautiful picture (the best one he's ever done) of the young man Dorian Gray. Dorian becomes obsessed with it, and claims that if he could look as beautiful as he did in the painting, he would give up his soul. What then happens is that the painting becomes Dorian's conscience, and the physical affects of sin are reflected in the portrait instead of on Dorian himself.

This book was so intelligently written, and every page seeped into my soul, and I felt a real connection to Dorian. For me, I was so depressed at the end, but I realized that I felt so connected to Dorian because for me, he represented the human race! Our longing to be beautiful and free from sin. But obviously, sin will catch up to you, and for Dorian, the portrait helped nothing. The conclusion of this novel made me want to get down on my knees and thank God for saving the destitute wretch that I am.

Oscar Wilde wrote this book in 1891, 9 years before his death.

Shadowmancer. Book Review #3.

"This fast and furious tale has things that lurk in the woods, creatures from other worlds, pirates, smugglers, excise men and soldiers, breathless chases, and exciting swords and sorcery."
Michael JR Jose

The reason I chose this book is because I felt that G.P. Taylor had created something different than the normal boy wizard saves the day.

The book is about the Vicar Obadiah Demurral, who is a shadowmancer (someone who speaks to the dead) and has a new relic that he thinks will cripple God and His angels. But someone is there to hinder the process- Raphah, Thomas, and Kate. There are all trying to conquer Demurral and win the battle against evil in an intense scene against all the powers of darkness.

When I first read the back of the cover of this book in the dark corners of a Christian book store, I was surprised to find they had not tossed it outside in the dumpster. A Vicar who thinks he can be God? A person who speaks to the dead? An epic battle against all the forces of evil? No wonder the book was in a dark corner. But curiosity overtook me, and I bought the book. I stayed up all night reading. I couldn't put it down. The spiritual undertones proved to me that the novel really did belong in a Christian book store. And it wasn't just some dumb, good always wins fiction, either. I found it comparable to Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings!

G.P. Taylor earned his spot on the New York Times Bestseller list for this book.

The Old Man and the Sea. Book Review #2

"The Old Man and the Sea is a magnificent story. At one level it is the tale of a man and a fish, at another, a story of man versus nature, at yet another, the story of the culture of manhood, courage, bravery in the face of existence, and at yet another a history of what life was like when individuals were more the central actors on the human stage and not groups or organizations. "
Bob Corbett

I chose this book because it gave me an intense feeling of hope- and strength, to face the daily challenges of life.

The story revolves around a Cuban fisherman, who has not been able to catch many fish. But that changes when he is brought into a battle, by himself, far out in the ocean, with a large marlin for 87 days.

While there was really not much to the plot except for some old guy fishing in the middle of nowhere with a relentless marlin on the end of his line, for me the detailed yet simple language of Hemingway's made this book an undoubted classic in American literature. What made the book powerful was the fact that it was based on a true story about a fisherman who endured for 80 something days for one fish. But going deeper than the surface, the story has unbelievable Christian symbolism. Santiago, the fisherman, befriends a young boy and teaches him many things. Who else but Christ himself is The Teacher? Santiago also battles the fish, which is one of the most amazing elements of the story. The strength and exhaustion spent on the marlin's part reminds me immensely of Christ's battle for His children on the cross.

Hemingway wrote the book in 1952, and went on to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954.

Adam. Book Review #1

"There is something in human nature that just doesn't want to face the reality that we live in two worlds. We live in the physical, material world where we have jobs, read books, and go about our business. And we live in the spiritual world-and that is a world at war."
John Eldredge

Adam is Ted DeKker's latest novel upon the subject of spiritual warfare. I chose this book first because it is one of the first books that ever had an effect on my spiritual walk.

The plot is about an FBI behavioral psychologist named Daniel Clark that has been stalking a serial killer named "Eve" for 16 months. Daniel eventually faces his foe, is killed, then resuscitated. Daniel now begins to have frequent panic attacks, and his obsession explodes into an ultimate battle for his very soul.

When I first bought the book, I was very skeptical, although I had previously read all of DeKker's other books. I knew it would be a great read from both a writer's standpoint, and suspenseful to the extreme. But I was disturbed within the first two chapters. And the feeling only grew until the very end, when I learned why the book was the way it was. Why the cover was so dark. It was almost as if I had literally had my own glimpse into the spiritual world, a feeling I'd only ever felt once before with "The Screwtape Letters," which will come later. This book changed me. My only suggestion, like all of DeKker's other books, is to read it when it is daylight. The book is so chilling that a bump or a creak will make you think twice about what you thought it was.

Overall, this book is on my Top 10 list of favorite books. It is just so brilliantly written and carefully thought out.

Getting Started

So I got to thinking tonight about what would be a great thing for me to do in my spare time. And I was reading a fellow friend's blog and the idea came to me: why not have my own blog dedicated to book reviews?! How amazing would that be since reading is my passion?! So here it is. I'll add a new book every day, but only ones that I really love. That way, if you're ever bored, pick up a book I've suggested and read it through!