The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho





I believe this book can speak for itself. It has many, many kernels of truth in it that lead toward God:

"I couldn't have found God in the seminary, he thought, as he looked at the sunrise."

 

"The old man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window at one corner of the plaza. "When he was a child, that man wanted to travel, too. But he decided first to buy his bakery and put some money aside. When he's an old man, he's going to spend a month in Africa. He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of." 



"When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision."

 

"The boy was beginning to understand that intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of life, where the histories of all people are connected, and we are able to know everything, because it's all written there."

 

"Every second of the search is an encounter with God," the boy told his heart. "When I have been truly searching for my treasure, every day has been luminous, because I've known that every hour was a part of the dream that I would find it. When I have been truly searching for my treasure, I've discovered things along the way that I never would have seen had I not had the courage to try things that seemed impossible for a shepherd to achieve."

Isaac's Storm, by Erik Larson



I wasn't sure, during the hurricane, if all the points of view of the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day were going to end with me feeling elevated by this read, but they did. Even though the storm was so completely devastating, the people of the town were able to regroup and rebuild. 'Honesty in your dealings with your fellow men' is an anchoring discussion point throughout the book. People who are dishonest with others cause a lot of harm.

There was a fascinating discussion of the inception of the weather bureau and it's involvement in the disastrous effects of the storm. Some of the personalities involved are so pompous as to be unbelievable, but their words are direct quotes from telegrams and etc. Also there was a semi-technical discussion of the way the winds move around the globe and how that affected the hurricane, and how hurricanes in general develop. I think a diagram would have helped me understand the winds better.

I highly recommend becoming familiar with the map of Galveston in the front of the book before beginning. Understanding the general layout of the town is important to the story telling.

The Host, by Stephanie Meyer

The idea of having two people inside one mind and body was fascinating and well-done. The concept of 'self,' what it means to love oneself, and what it means to have others love you, were all main themes. The treatment of others who are different from you was given a thorough discussion. Being strong in the face of adversity, keeping passions within set boundaries, working together with others to accomplish goals, and keeping priorities straight were other important things addressed.

The two main external relationships that are compared and contrasted include discussion of the sense of heat when skin contact is made and of molten earth moving inside. There is also some violence but for the most part, I felt the themes of the book were meaningful and thought-provoking 

The Kitchen House, by Kathleen Grissom

I didn't finish this book - so much of it was just about the inappropriate relationships that were going on, and I didn't see that discussion abating any time soon. And the first chapter of the book is a flash-forward that shows you that the main character's mother-figure is hung and that she hasn't turned out to be a stellar mother herself. I wasn't interested in finding out how everyone got through the mess they were in in chapter 14 to end up with that body swaying from the tree and a seven year old whimpering at the sight.

Not recommended by me.



The Rent Collector, by Camron Wright

 

Sang Ly lives in the shanty town surrounding the dump. She and her husband work every day finding recyclable items to sell so they have enough money for dinner each night and can put away a little bit toward rent for the month. Their son is miserably ill and every time they get western medicine for him, his symptoms stop, but when the medicine runs out he is just as ill again. They will never be able to save up enough money to travel back to Sang Ly's village to see the healer there. Then one day, Sang Ly stumbles upon a way to become literate.

 

I loved this quote from a day when the family was in the city:

As we eat, a man walking past catches my attention--he is carrying a stack of brightly colored books, though it's not just his books that give me pause. He sets them down near an adjacent garbage can with the spines toward me, and then he proceeds to clean out his pockets, throwing scattered items away. Naturally I long to read the titles, to learn what the books are about, to thumb through their pages and attempt to read them myself. However, as these thoughts roil through my head, I also have the odd desire to tear open the bag of garbage and see if he's throwing anything worthwhile away.

 

And this one touched me: "For news of a mother's heart, watch her child's face." I ought to make sure that I can always empathize with my children.

 

This is a story of love and ascension and overcoming. It is beautiful and moving and I found it valuable pondering material during the time I was reading it. We never know what those around us are going through or how much a kind word or action will mean to them. We ought to be more accepting and loving.

 

Sang Ly and her husband do talk about making love but are not explicit or sensual in their discussion.



Behind the Scenes, by Elizabeth Keckley



This is the memoir that Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker was based on. It was quite a drag to read after just having read the other, because so much of the information and dialogue is exactly the same. I did enjoy reading Mary's letters to Elizabeth as they were compiled at the end of this book. This is an incredible story and a recommended read.

There are descriptions of slave beatings from Elizabeth's childhood and teen years, as well as footnotes about her delicately-described years as a forced mistress to a white man.

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, by Jennifer Chiaverini

 

I loved the civil war history told from the viewpoint of a black woman who was in the White House at the time. Keckley knew the Lincoln's personally and was a true friend to Pres. Lincoln's wife. She also was a leader in the black community and did a lot to help those who were emancipated and came to Washington expecting to find a new life, but only found Hooverville-type places to live.
Mary Todd Lincoln did not have the personality of a peach, and the author doesn't soften her. Be prepared to read her.

My favorite character in this book was Keckley's son. He looks white enough to enlist in the army and dies fighting for the cause of freedom. His life and the effects of his death brought a depth to the novel that really elevated the storyline. Remembering Keckley's loss through the rest of her interactions in the story will give any reader reason to ponder.

 

Truly an incredible, and true! story.


The Light Between Oceans, by M.L. Stedman





This is an incredible story of war and peace, love and loss, guilt, sacrifice, and redemption. The plot is intricate but (after the first couple chapters) fluid. The characters grow and change, and yet stay true to themselves.

I particularly loved the influence that the war plays in the book. All the characters are affected by it even though it is over, and it really touched me to see the effects played out in so many lives in such a variety of ways. War is awful. It changes everything except God - and it's changes are pervasive and long-lasting. This theme is close to home for me because I have a younger brother who served in the US armed forces. I was very impressed by the treatment of the after-effects of the war.

There is one case of a newlywed wife arousing her husband.

The cast of characters widens effortlessly throughout the novel, leaving the reader with many characters who are well developed (and loved!) and knowing how their stories intertwine - but at a loss convey the relationships to someone else concisely; they are too complex, but the reader hadn't realized they'd become that way.

Tom the lightkeeper has a mundane task - raising an ensign any time a "man o'war" passes the island.

"He knows keepers who swear under their breath at the obligation, but Tom takes comfort from the orderliness of it. It is a luxury to do something that serves no practical purpose: the luxury of civilization."