It's Karla's fault anyway. How'd I land up with these book-learnin' folk anyway? She keeps shoving these books at me and they begin to consume me. Gobble up my hours and hours of free time. Well, and Carol. She's the one who loaned me "Water For Elephants". Took over my life, it did. Amazing piece of writing- it totally sucks the reader in, and one is found utterly spent. Helpless. Victem to its allure.
Then Karla's "The Glass Castle". Holy criminy. Started reading that book, and found myself thinking (about 30 pages in); What the heck is this author trying to pull off? Spin a yarn that is entertaining in a bizarre, but unbelievable way?" That's when I went back to the beginning of that darned book to re-read the intro and the comments.
A Memoir!
Memoir. Real. True.
Actually happened to the actual author.
Unbelievable.
Makes one think about the resiliency of the human character, and re-think the stereotypes we hold about what makes some people turn out the way they do; and others turn out, well, differently.
I also tried really hard to read "The Shack". Really wanted to love it because people who I love and respect love it and I want to be more like them.
Guess that's too lofty a goal.
Just couldn't quite get into the "conversation" that books seem to hold. You know how some books totally suck you into their "conversation" and you are irresistably drawn back to it with every spare ten seconds that you can squeeze out of your day? I really wanted to feel that way about "The Shack".
Instead, I got that in "Water for Elephants" and "The Glass Castle".
So not about the trinity at all.
hmmmmm. Definitely about human nature though, which God thought of as well.
That's got to count for something, right?
Go read.
10 comments:
i have had Glass Castle for about 4 years in my bookshelf ~ unread ~! guess i should snap to it eh?
I'm going to happily continue to shove books into your hands that will leave you abandoning the mundane to steal a few minutes of time reading. I knew you'd be gripped by "The Glass Castle"... it was actually Christine's book-club pick last month. I wish you could have been at our discussion after the reading of it... that story went so deep for me, and the funny thing is, it ended up having a more spiritually significant effect on my soul than "The Shack" did. Go figure. I was emotionally exhausted after reading "T.G.C"...I wept at several points throughout the book - it did me in. With "The Shack", I never really felt like I actually made it into the shack - he didn't get me there. But Jeannette Walls brought me along for every step of the journey and my mind and my heart were enlarged and enriched by her story in ways I don't think I've quite discovered yet.
Guess I need to get you a new book to read! Now go do some laundry or something.
rah, rah, Christine!
Yes, I imagine the book would have that effect on you. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that discussion.
You are right in your description of the author not quite getting us into that shack. Shame. I was so willing to go over that threshold. but I have to agree with you on the impact of TGC. In a way, it is about the acceptance of people the way they choose to be; despite the disappointments it causes in oneès own life. That, and a whole, whole bunch more.
one day, i'll read again. :)
ps i wanted to add that -- ain't that the beauty of diversity? how one book, music, movie....etc can profoundly affect one person and yet not really move another. i love it.
i'm trying desperately to get through "Driven By Eternity" but i'm not so sure about this guy's theology??
loved The Shack though.
i will add "The Glass Castle" to my list.
Have you read The Red Tent, or Secret Life of Bees. Oh I loved those books.
I'm reading The Shack for book club and it's not really doing it for me either. One passage really pulled me in, but other than that ... I also feel kinda weird about it b/c so many of my friends loved it too.
Both books you mentioned are on my want to read list.
btw .. the doggie diaper got put in the mail last week .. hopefully you get it soon. :)
and roo, that's what I love about you. That you see people and diversity that way.
Driven by Eternity- is that the one that tells you about what your life in Heaven will be like based on your choices here below? cuz if it is, I wouldn't read it either. Gloria has TGC. And she's not reading it anyway, so go snitch hers!
m- I love the Red Tent. Loved it. Secret life of Bees I've not read, but I must. Karla- do you have that one for me?!
doggie kotex arrived! I meant to make a grand announcement... but I've been sucked into these books.....!!
I sorta enjoyed, sorta hated Water for Elephants. But it made me think a lot. Made me look at my grandparents in a new way. Good stuff.
"secret life of bees" -beautiful story. one of my favorites...think you'd like it.
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