Sunday, July 20, 2008

You Have To Decide This One For Yourself

Occasionally I read a book I feel I should recommend to others. Usually it is what we consider a "classic" or it might even be some cute NASCAR themed book.

Last night I finished reading a book by William P. Young called The Shack. A client from work gave it to me and didn't let on to what it was about.

First of all, the writing is very well done. I liked the author's prose style and it was easy to read. That was AT FIRST.

As the message in the book started to come out, it got more difficult to read. Partly that may have come from my own hesitation to face some of the issues the book was dealing with. But I think it was also because the subject matter got "deeper and deeper" and it was hard to follow the philosophical stream of dialogue.

This doesn't make it a BAD book at all. It just sort of goes from one thing to another. If you read the book you will see what I mean. Having majored in English in college I might be a little more in tune to something like that than someone else might be.

My religious veiws are private and I am not here to air my own beliefs. I'll just say that a lot in the book confirms how I feel about religion as a whole.

Many of you know this is a hard time for me right now and I think it is interesting that I just picked up the book Wednesday. I read it at first out of obligation to my client who recommened it to me. I have loaned her a number of "cutsie" books and this was the first she had lent me.

I started on it Wedenesday because I was finishing up another book. But I had actually had it over a week at the time I started reading it. So I had this book BEFORE my personal situation happened. Perhaps if I had read this book first I could have learned something about personal relationships that might have helped me in that matter. Yes, my situation didn't happen over night, but if I had been able to open my eyes while he was still here then perhaps we could have had the chance to work things out before he left.

Anyway, this is a work of fiction, but it isn't a typical "beach read." This book will make you question a lot of things. Perhaps that in itself is why you should read it. Then you can decide for yourself what you do and don't believe.

No comments: