Friday Book Review

Can you believe I have only finished one single book this week? That should tell you how busy I've been! Those quiet moments I usually steal for reading have been otherwise occupied.

So! On the return trip from Alabama we listened to "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" by Mitch Album. I had no interest in this book and the Mr. chose it for his mom and dad to listen to on the ride. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It was not any theological masterpiece and I imagine it was never intended to be. But as a person who has always been taught about my eternity in heaven I loved stretching my imagination beyond pearly gates and streets of gold. Perhaps I shouldn't admit it; but I've always had mixed emotions about heaven. I suppose it's a measure of my spirituality that the simple truth of eternity in the presence of Christ doesn't wipe away all of my attachments to the only life I have known so far. I have felt a sense of sadness and even grief that in heaven I won't be Dean's wife, daboyz' mom. My experience has always been to believe that in heaven we won't need those earthly relationships. I just haven't reached that height of understanding to be anxious to leave all of the things I love behind. Yes, I know I will not experience mourning for the life left behind. But now while I'm living it, I can't imagine heaven minus this present joy.

Which brings me to why I think I enjoyed this book. The heaven of "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" allows for the goodness of this life to fold over into the perfection of heaven. I realize that most people who would have wanted to have already read this book but I'll leave my description at that. If you haven't read it, give it a go. It's good fodder for conversation if nothing else. I found it sweet and soothing.

As for "real" books I am presently reading "Case Histories" by Kate Atkinson. I am not sure what genre this book belongs to and I'm almost done with it. I guess I'd call it a mystery? It's one of these complicated stories where all of these separate people seem to exist entirely apart from one another chapter by chapter. About 3/4 through we start to see where lives have overlapped either directly or indirectly. There are two major mysteries at the forefront, the disappearance of a little girl thirty years earlier and the murder of a young woman ten years ago. The main character is named Jackson, a former police officer turned private detective. The little girl's now adult sisters need to know what became of her after a toy believed to have disappeared with the child is found in the desk of their father upon his death. The father of the murdered young woman needs to know why and who did this as his daughter was working in his office when a man came in and asked for him. When the father was not available, his daughter was murdered.

How this will all resolve 110 pages is still unclear. I'm anxious to find out and it's been a good read.

The only book completed this week is "What You Have Left" by Will Allison. This is a novel about a man who leaves his young daughter in the care of his father-in-law after his wife's accidental death. He walks away and the book beings there. A little like "Case Histories" we see parallel lives that almost converge only the connection is always this little girl and her life growing up wondering where her dad is. We understand what happened leading up to his abandonment and ultimately what becomes of the now adult daughter as she searches for him. And yes, she finds him. A good read, not fascinating. Can't say I'd advise you to run out and get it but if you stumble across it, it'll hold your attention.

On my book pile is "The Cure For Grief" by Nelle Hermann. Haven't started that yet.