The Post-Birthday World
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • What's the fuss about?
  • "Cool factor" only goes so far
  • Book of Dense Richness Leaves An Empty Aftertaste
  • Not my favorite...
  • I really wanted to like this book.
The Post-Birthday World
Lionel Shriver
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0061187844
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Book Description

In this eagerly awaited new novel, Lionel Shriver, the Orange Prize-winning author of the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin, delivers an imaginative and entertaining look at the implications, large and small, of whom we choose to love. Using a playful parallel-universe structure, The Post-Birthday World follows one woman's future as it unfolds under the influence of two drastically different men.

Children's book illustrator Irina McGovern enjoys a quiet and settled life in London with her partner, fellow American expatriate Lawrence Trainer, a smart, loyal, disciplined intellectual at a prestigious think tank. To their small circle of friends, their relationship is rock solid. Until the night Irina unaccountably finds herself dying to kiss another man: their old friend from South London, the stylish, extravagant, passionate top-ranking snooker player Ramsey Acton. The decision to give in to temptation will have consequences for her career, her relationships with family and friends, and perhaps most importantly the texture of her daily life.

Hinging on a single kiss, this enchanting work of fiction depicts Irina's alternating futures with two men temperamentally worlds apart yet equally honorable. With which true love Irina is better off is neither obvious nor easy to determine, but Shriver's exploration of the two destinies is memorable and gripping. Poignant and deeply honest, written with the subtlety and wit that are the hallmarks of Shriver's work, The Post-Birthday World appeals to the what-if in us all.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars What's the fuss about? .......2007-10-12

I find it hard to believe that so many readers find this book interesting and thought provoking. When I started the book and for the first 60 pages it reminded me of Ian McEwan who I love. Then it took a sharp downturn and became tedious and overly detailed. It was more of a trashy novel than anything else. The whole kiss focus was a bit overdone and the characters (all of them) were really unappealing. My book club read it this month and no one in the group liked it, in fact only 3 of us got past the first 100 pages. The book was pointless and a waste of 500+ pages. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

3 out of 5 stars "Cool factor" only goes so far.......2007-09-07

I had hoped this would be one of the high concept "What if" books that I love.... After all - we get to see what would happen when/if the main character made one of two choices at a crux in her life. (Kind of like the movie "Sliding Doors".) BUT - the cool factor of the idea only went so far - and after a while - I simply didn't care which choice she made. I just wanted the book to end. It was OK - the things that stay the same regardless of the path she (Irinia) is on and the aspects of other peoples lives that change are interesting to think about. BUT - it went on too long... And the way she (the author) was DETERMINED to keep going back to terrorist attacks was weird.

3 out of 5 stars Book of Dense Richness Leaves An Empty Aftertaste.......2007-09-07

In the interests of not creating a review that is nearly as long as this book, I will try to keep my comments brief. This book has brilliance in many ways, ways that have undoubtedly been pointed out by others who reviewed it. Lionel Shriver is a sharp, funny and very articulate writer and deconstructor of emotional complexity. My favorite part? The scene with Irina, Ramsy and Irina's mother at Christmas. Ramsy, himself, is a wonderful, very alive character. The premise of this book is an intriguing one (a parallel of lives, colliding, at times) and Shriver explores it which much deft adroitness. Still, I was rather dismayed by some of the cheap, fat-targeted humor, as well as the digs at Princess Di, Monica Lewinsky and a character who gains weight. Then, too, the author shows how extremely hard she has striven, at the book's end, to most decidedly Not present the typical, happy ending of chick lit. This is admirable, but the ending Shriver *does* present is a rather weak one, in my opinion, compared to the vigor of the rest of the book. After going through so Very Much with all the characters, one is left with an empty feeling of: oh well. That was....nice.

3 out of 5 stars Not my favorite..........2007-08-29

This was book we read for book club. I found it to bounce around a bit too much and I was not even clear of what was going on till a 3rd the way through the book. She is a lovely writer and very descriptive. Just a bit jumbled.

3 out of 5 stars I really wanted to like this book........2007-08-29

I read so many glowing reviews and the premise is such an intriguing one. Who hasn't pondered where different choices might have taken them? And some parts of it are astonishingly good. My favorite line and I think it's where the character goes home for the holidays: "God, cheerfulness can be a form of assault." That's just one of many bull's eye moments. The author has very sharp insight into the intricacies of human emotion, maybe too much at times. A top editor could have really worked this one out. I'm really losing faith in editors and book reviewers these days. She stretches the conceit as far as it can go, breaking a lot of "writer" rules as she goes along - feels more rebellious than sloppy - and it works often enough to prove those rules to be needlessly limiting. There are spots of pure writer's gold every few pages. So much of Irina's inner dialogue is dark and witty, laugh out loud stuff that rings true.

The down side is that the really good parts cast the rest of it in shadow. I'm not one who has to fall in love and totally relate to the main character, but I found Irina to be stupid and unlikable. The men are bland stock characters. Ramsey's dialogue makes it sound like she's romancing Hagrid. He is an unsophisticated emotional imbecile, who YES we get it, is good in the sack. The characterization of Lawrence is no better. He is either dull but trustworthy and true or he is dull and hiding something. I'm curious why anyone would fashion such a trio of losers. But the main character is so awful as to be puzzling. Was it the author's intention to write about a stupid and shallow woman who will invariably shoot herself in the foot no matter what she does? Would she like to know the character she created? I wouldn't. It's odd to think of a woman in her early 40s behaving this way. Did she spend her 20s in a nunnery? I haven't quite finished, so maybe she did.

The dialogue can be cringeworthy and indulgent. For one, everyone speaks in long emotion-heavy paragraphs that serve to move the plot along. The real and imagined scenarios are grossly daydreamy and maudlin. In fact at times, it reads like a bad daydream by a romance reader who finds Lifetyme TV absorbing. The author also wants to weigh in on the 90s and those parts are clunky and intrusive. She also suffers from the laughable (usually) male writer affliction of the perfect woman - beautiful without any makeup, thin without any effort. She even loses weight when she does nothing but eat out and booze it up with Ramsey! Wow, what an accomplishment. She should be so proud. Yet her only insight into her sister's marriage is to wonder whether her husband loves her because she went (this is so misogynistic) from "bird to cow."

I also never want to read another word about snooker ever again. I'm going to try one more of this author's books and/or maybe her next one. But if there is even a hint of snooker in either of them, it's going back.
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life (Revised Edition with New Bible Study)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great for today's fast-paced women
  • Not very Mary
  • Best Devotional Commentary on a Popular Passage
  • Inspirational
  • Grew our personal relationship with God
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life (Revised Edition with New Bible Study)
Joanna Weaver
Manufacturer: WaterBrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  1. Having a Mary Spirit: Allowing God to Change Us from the Inside Out Having a Mary Spirit: Allowing God to Change Us from the Inside Out
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ASIN: 1578562589
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Book Description

Updated with a new 12 week companion Bible study, Joanna Weaver's popular book shows women how to blend intimacy with Jesus and service for Him.

An invitation for every woman who feels she isn't godly enough...isn't loving enough...isn't doing enough

The life of a woman today isn't really all that different from that of Mary and Martha in the New Testament. Like Mary, you long to sit at the Lord's feet...but the daily demands of a busy world just won't leave you alone. Like Martha, you love Jesus and really want to serve him...yet you struggle with weariness, resentment, and feelings of inadequacy.

Then comes Jesus, right into the midst of your busy Mary/Martha life-and he extends the same invitation he issued long ago to the two sisters of Bethany. Tenderly he invites you to choose "the better part"-a joyful life of "living-room" intimacy with him that flows naturally into "kitchen service" for him.

How can you make that choice? With her fresh approach to the familiar Bible story and its creative, practical strategies, Joanna shows how all of us-Marys and Marthas alike-can draw closer to our Lord, deepening our devotion, strengthening our service, and doing both with less stress and greater joy.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great for today's fast-paced women.......2007-10-01

I'm only in chapter 2 but I'm enjoying the parallels from Mary and Martha's life to my busy, fast-paced life. It's a good reminder to slow down and I think this is a message many women need to hear today. I highly recommend this book!

3 out of 5 stars Not very Mary.......2007-09-21

This book should maybe have been written by co-authors, a Martha and a Mary.

I've always identified more with Mary, and for me the author didn't really capture her spirit. Ms. Weaver comes across as a struggling Martha trying to be more Mary, writing down Martha-esque strategies and tips for being more Mary. Perhaps she captures a mid-struggle Martha well, but she never gets very far into the heart of Mary.

An example from the book:

"You've known the Lord your whole life, and yet you haven't found the peace and fulfillment you've always longed for."

That's a very Marthaesque statement; it speaks to working very hard to live a Christian life without recognizing what God really wants from you. I don't even understand or relate to that experience (as a Mary, my struggles are in different areas). How do you know the Lord and not know peace? A Mary might have said it like this - "Peace and fulfillment found me and I was powerless to resist; I'm not sure how it happened, but his name was Jesus. Hallelujah!"

The author also gets overwraught with her struggles as a Martha. I'm not sure Jesus was condemning Martha for being task-oriented. Society can't function without task-oriented people. All he seems to be saying is that when God shows up at your door, spend the time being present with him. I'm not sure he's asking Martha to change who she is - he just seems to be saying "I'm here. Take a load off and spend some time getting to know me, Martha heart and all."

It appears that a lot of women who have enjoyed this study identify with Martha. If you identify with Martha and are looking for a book that will help you articulate your frustrations, this might be a good book for you. I'm not sure it has any great answers. I agree with other reviewers who commented that Ms. Weaver wasn't old enough to write this and offer mature wisdom.

5 out of 5 stars Best Devotional Commentary on a Popular Passage.......2007-09-17

I've read a lot of commentaries over the years that deal with the Martha and Mary passage in Luke 10:38-42. None of them enable the reader to apply the truths there as this book does. While this title is directed primarily toward women, men can learn much from it as well. What Joanna Weaver does here is to promote a balance between the productive Martha and the pensive Mary. She describes the value of both, although acknowledging that most of today's women have far more problems with the Mary side of the equation than with the Martha side. This book would make a great women's Bible study -- in fact, several ladies in my church are using it for that very purpose. This title is excellent -- I recommend it highly!

5 out of 5 stars Inspirational .......2007-08-30

We have been using this book, A Mary Heart in a Marth World", in our bible studies on Wednesdays and what a blessing it has been! It is aimed towards women but men will enjoy it just as much. And you won't believe the conversations it sparks! It's an excellent source of information and inspiration that you can use again and again!

4 out of 5 stars Grew our personal relationship with God.......2007-08-01

We did this as a 6 week summer Bible Study (two chapters a week). We met in the evening at different public locations and prayed and discussed the study guide questions. All of us REALLY enjoyed the study! It has made us want to have a more intimate relationship with our Lord. We feel convicted and rejuvenated.
The Red Tent
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Loved it!
  • The Red Tent
  • A story for women of all ages!
  • So much more than expected!
  • The Red Tent
The Red Tent
Anita Diamant
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312195516

Amazon.com

The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insider's look at the daily life of a biblical sorority of mothers and wives and their one and only daughter, Dinah. Told in the voice of Jacob's daughter Dinah (who only received a glimpse of recognition in the Book of Genesis), we are privy to the fascinating feminine characters who bled within the red tent. In a confiding and poetic voice, Dinah whispers stories of her four mothers, Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah--all wives to Jacob, and each one embodying unique feminine traits. As she reveals these sensual and emotionally charged stories we learn of birthing miracles, slaves, artisans, household gods, and sisterhood secrets. Eventually Dinah delves into her own saga of betrayals, grief, and a call to midwifery.

"Like any sisters who live together and share a husband, my mother and aunties spun a sticky web of loyalties and grudges," Anita Diamant writes in the voice of Dinah. "They traded secrets like bracelets, and these were handed down to me the only surviving girl. They told me things I was too young to hear. They held my face between their hands and made me swear to remember." Remembering women's earthy stories and passionate history is indeed the theme of this magnificent book. In fact, it's been said that The Red Tent is what the Bible might have been had it been written by God's daughters, instead of her sons. --Gail Hudson

Book Description

Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah's voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood-the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of her mothers-Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah-the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through a hard-working youth, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past. Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction: a new view of biblical women's society.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Loved it!.......2007-10-10

It was the read for my book club and I was surprised of how much I enjoyed it. At the begining it was hard to keep track of all the characters and what was going on but if you stick with it you won't be able to put it down. I would have never picked a book inspired on the Bible not becuase I'm against it but It sounds boring. This is book was not boring at all.

5 out of 5 stars The Red Tent.......2007-10-10

I highly recommend this book to those who are fasinated with Bible stories. It brings to life, a little known person of Biblical times. Along with all of the rest of the persons that we have heard about and read about.

5 out of 5 stars A story for women of all ages!.......2007-10-09

I have a hard time getting into a lot of contemporary literature, but I just LOVED book! I've read it twice -- first in my twenties before I had children and then later in my thirties after having my first child. In my twenties I was enchanted by the first part of Dinah's story -- her childhood and relationships with her various "mothers". Then, later, as a mother I was moved by Dinah's story after giving birth and her bittersweet relationship with her own child. Maybe I'll read it again in another 10 years...

5 out of 5 stars So much more than expected!.......2007-10-07

I donated my first copy of The Red Tent to the Goodwill without having read a single page. Because I'm not one to give to much thought to the bond I share with other women just because we're women, and because I don't have sisters or share a deep connection with many women in my family, I assumed this book was not for me. Years later, however, I decided to give the The Red Tent a shot; and it turned out to be a page-turner.

The Red Tent offers a thought-provoking emotional read . . . An amazing story of strength, love, survival, loyalty, and betrayal. I cared about the characters from beginning to end (regardless of whether I could relate my own experiences to theirs) and found myself so full of sorrow at one point I actually put the book aside and sobbed. Colorful images, beautiful descriptive language, realistic fiction . . . a inarguably well-written novel with immense depth. Highly recommended!

5 out of 5 stars The Red Tent.......2007-10-05

It was an excellent book. I really enjoyed it. It did follow the Bible somewhat but then it is fiction, based on some facts.
Number the Stars
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • KCS Number the Stars
  • Wonderful story for old and young alike!
  • A Simple but Moving Story
  • A teacher told me about this book.
  • great book!!
Number the Stars
Lois Lowry
Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440227534
Release Date: 1998-02-09

Amazon.com

The evacuation of Jews from Nazi-held Denmark is one of the great untold stories of World War II. On September 29, 1943, word got out in Denmark that Jews were to be detained and then sent to the death camps. Within hours the Danish resistance, population and police arranged a small flotilla to herd 7,000 Jews to Sweden. Lois Lowry fictionalizes a true-story account to bring this courageous tale to life. She brings the experience to life through the eyes of 10-year-old Annemarie Johannesen, whose family harbors her best friend, Ellen Rosen, on the eve of the round-up and helps smuggles Ellen's family out of the country. Number the Stars won the 1990 Newbery Medal.

Book Description

Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews of Denmark are "relocated," Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to save Ellen's life.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars KCS Number the Stars.......2007-10-11

Have you ever feared of being prisoners and your parents were staying in a place you don't know, you would be staying in your friends apartment for a while and this would all be happening because of your religion. This book takes place in a town called Copenhagen during World War 2 in the year 1943. The main character is Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen (who they are hiding from the Nazi soldiers). Annemarie has short blond hair and Ellen who has dark black hair.

The problem that they faced in the book was that the Nazi soldiers were coming after all Jewish people. They got the list of all the Jewish people and where they lived by getting the list of all the Jews at the synagogue. So Rosen's parents have to go somewhere and hide but they do not want to leave Rosen alone so they take her to stay with Annemarie's family.

The main idea of this book is to never give up in yourself and in others and also to have courage. The plot summary of the book is that Rosen and the other Jews will be in danger because the Nazis are trying to capture them and take them somewhere no one knows where it is but they are calling it "relocation". The meaning of the title "Number the Stars" is how the Nazis are trying to gather up all the Jewish people to put them in a camp, so they call it that because the Jewish symbol is the Star of David the Nazis are trying to gather them and count them up so they are numbering the people that are Jewish.

The pacing of the book was very fast and exciting with everything they did, it seemed like they were never left with nothing to do. The authors craft is a sad but happy style to it and it pulls you in so you want to keep reading more. It doesn't say if Annemarie's family is Christian so I don't know if it is written from a Christian perspective. The genre of the book is Historical because I know that World War 2 did actually happen but I don't know if Annemarie was a real person so it might be Historical Fiction. Over all I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to people ages 10-12 because it was fairly easy for me.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful story for old and young alike!.......2007-10-09

I really enjoyed "Number the Stars" not only because it was a great story, but it was also educational. I have to admit that I have been ignorant to the effect WW2 had on Denmark, until I read this book. I have heard and read so much about the other European countries, but I have hardly heard a thing about Denmark. Thus, I liked how the author weaved in the reasons for Denmark not fighting the Germans, and how the king of Denmark remained uncontrolled during the occupation. I also enjoyed learning little facts about the Danish Resistance.

As far as the fictional side of the book, I found it to be an easy read that young and old alike could enjoy. Lowry has such a good imagination, that you can't help but be captured by the characters bravery and courage. At times when reading this book, I asked myself if I could have made the same courageous choices.

4 out of 5 stars A Simple but Moving Story.......2007-10-09

This is a moving story ~~ written simply for the younger audience and it's perfect for all ages who want to remember the lost and the forgotten of World War II. This is a simple story of "What Should You Do?" in times like this ~~ where the Jews are forced underground or to leave their homes. This is a story of a young girl who delivered a life-saving package to her uncle who was about to be boarded on his fishing boat by the Germans. He was smuggling his niece's friends and other people to Sweden.

It is a simple story ~~ there are other stories out there that are better written and more well-rounded but this is a perfect start for young kids who want to learn more about history. It's written beautifully and simplistically and yet realistically. It is a story of courage and defiance and strength even in moments of sheer terror. It is a story that honors the old commandent: "Thou Shall Love Thy Neighbors."

It is a must-read for all serious readers.

10-9-07

5 out of 5 stars A teacher told me about this book........2007-09-24

I really enjoyed the book. I went on a trip to Washington D.C. and visited the Holocaust Museum. Since then I have been interested in WWII and mostly the Holocaust. A teacher told me about this book. I read the book very quickly, it was so interesting. My mom liked it too, and read with me. I'm reading it again!

5 out of 5 stars great book!!.......2007-07-12

My granddaughter,11, read this on our vacation, and she told me she absolutely loved it!
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Anne Frank Revisited...
  • Ann Frank
  • Amazing diary of a young woman
  • A Powerful and Intimate Portrait
  • Book Report: Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0553296981
Release Date: 1993-06-01

Amazon.com

A beloved classic since its initial publication in 1947, this vivid, insightful journal is a fitting memorial to the gifted Jewish teenager who died at Bergen-Belsen, Germany, in 1945. Born in 1929, Anne Frank received a blank diary on her 13th birthday, just weeks before she and her family went into hiding in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Her marvelously detailed, engagingly personal entries chronicle 25 trying months of claustrophobic, quarrelsome intimacy with her parents, sister, a second family, and a middle-aged dentist who has little tolerance for Anne's vivacity. The diary's universal appeal stems from its riveting blend of the grubby particulars of life during wartime (scant, bad food; shabby, outgrown clothes that can't be replaced; constant fear of discovery) and candid discussion of emotions familiar to every adolescent (everyone criticizes me, no one sees my real nature, when will I be loved?). Yet Frank was no ordinary teen: the later entries reveal a sense of compassion and a spiritual depth remarkable in a girl barely 15. Her death epitomizes the madness of the Holocaust, but for the millions who meet Anne through her diary, it is also a very individual loss. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank's remarkable diary has since become a world classic -- a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit. In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the "Secret Annex" of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death. In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Anne Frank Revisited..........2007-10-17

As just about every other student, I read The Diary of Anne Frank in middle school, probably during the 6th or 7th grade. I had a distant memory of it, but not much. Well, recently I watched Schindler's List and this got me re-interested in WWII, and especially the Holocaust. I read Night by Eli Wiesel (highly recommended) and decided to move on to The Diary of Anne Frank. Let me start by reviewing the book:

The Diary of Anne Frank is a diary of a young, Jewish girl (as the title obviously states, haha) whom is forced to go into hiding with her family during the Nazi occupation of Holland in the early 1940's. During this period, Jews were being segregated and even sent off to concentration camps by the Germans on a daily basis. When Anne's sister's name was next on the list, their father decided to take the family into hiding.

Aided by some of Otto's (Anne's father) former employees, the Franks seclude themselves in a small Annex of a business in Amsterdam. There, they are joined by the Van Daan family and later by an older gentleman, Mr. Dussel. Anne's diary chronicles their plight for the following two years, until they are discovered by the German secret police and ultimately sent to their death in Jewish concentration camps.

Anne addresses various topics, from their daily activities, to her interest in the son of the Van Daan's, Peter, to some of her inner most thoughts, fears, and aspirations. I have to share with you that I was EXTREMELY impressed with Anne's intelligence. I couldn't help but compare her to myself when I was only 15 years old and I am amazed not only at her intelligence but her strength to persevere during such horrible times. This young girl manages to keep faith in God and struggles with maintaining her morality, even as all around her she is witnessing a warped world full of sin, hatred and evil. I cannot say that in her shoes I would've reacted the same.

I encourage any reader to read and/or re-read The Diary of Anne Frank. You will be completely enveloped by her wit and warmth and are surely to fall in love with her.

4 out of 5 stars Ann Frank.......2007-10-05

The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition is the diary Anne Frank a young Jewish girl growing up during World War II and the holocaust. Anne lives in Amsterdam with her mother, father, and sister Margot. When Anne is 13 she and her family must go into hiding to escape the Germans call ups, particularly one for Margot. They hide in the back of a warehouse where Otto (Anne's father) works. There are seven people at the beginning including the three van Daans an Anne and her family.
The diary reminds me of The Breadwinner which is about a young girl growing up in Afghanistan during the Taliban's rule. The main character must dress up as a boy when her father is arrested to earn money for her family. Unlike Anne's diary however this was written in modern day. They both had trouble getting food that they needed and lived in fear of getting arrested. Although they lived in different times the experiences of the girls were similar
After a bit Albert Dussel, a dentist, joins the group in, as it came to be known, the Secret Annex. Dussel became a bit annoying when he starts hiding food when the rest of the group need to get coupon books through the black market and are eating rotten potatoes and other foods. He did however give them dental checkups. Anne shared a room with Dussel when he came (before she shared with Margot) and was frequently woken up when he got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. "Mr. Dussel's Toilet Timetable" is some thing that Anne tacks to the bathroom door. "I might well have added "Transgressors will be subject to confinement!" Because our bathroom can be locked from both the inside and the outside." Is something Anne writes after the timetable.
Anne also makes friends with Peter van Dan and spends quite a few evenings in his attic bedroom because it has the only window that's not covered by a curtain. They become valuable resources for each other.
All in all this is a very good book and I highly recommend it.

4 out of 5 stars Amazing diary of a young woman .......2007-10-01

Anne Frank is remembered for being a sweet young girl that went into hiding during the holocaust only to be found and sent to a concentration camp where she died 3 months befroe her 16th birthday. The time in between these two horrible events is full of fear, fights,learning, and love, basically life. This version of the diary has more material than the orginal, which some people think is too much, but it is what she wrote left alone. It has what she intended the book to be. It includes story from the restrictions put on her while she wasn't in hiding because she was Jewish to her chores that she did quietly in the Secret Annex such as peeling potatoes and rubbing beans. It is not always the most interesting book, but it does provoke thought. It's sad in the fact that you know how its going to end before you start, but Anne does not as she's wrting it. Anne Frank's writing surpass her age, she writes not as a stuborn teenager, but as an intelligent young woman.

5 out of 5 stars A Powerful and Intimate Portrait.......2007-09-30

You know the storyline - a Jewish girl, her family, and some friends go into hiding for two years during the Nazi regime in Holland. Said girl writes her thoughts and observations of her life during this time in a diary, which is found and published after her death in a concentration camp. It has become a classic, and it was written by a young teenager.

My favorite aspect of this book will forever be Anne's powerful narrative voice. Her words speak, and more than that they smell and taste and touch. She gives her diary, "Kitty," an intimate portrait of life in the "Secret Annexe," both public and private - of the ups-and-downs of people's relationships, of her inner struggles and growth, of her love. Reading her diary is like looking through the window at the war from two perspectives - one from the outside in, at the life of a girl and a family who were sucked into the Nazi vacuum through no fault of their own; and the other from the inside out, at the crazy world war swirling around the epicenter of one fourteen-year-old girl.

5 out of 5 stars Book Report: Diary of a Young Girl.......2007-09-30

This book tells an amazing story of a young girl living in Germany in World War II. And to think it was all a journal is amazing. Anne Frank, a brave young Jewish girl, spends two years hiding in the secret annex from the Nazis. Anne Frank started to keep this diary on her thirteenth birthday. She called her diary, Kitty. At the start of her diary, Anne describes fairly typical experiences, writing about her friendships with other girls, her crushes on boys.
Later, the Franks had moved to the Netherlands in the years leading up to World War II to escape persecution in Germany. They were forced into hiding with another family, the van Daans. There, they listened closely to the radio and everything that happened during the war. Anne kept up with everything that happened while she was there. It was very hard for her because she was separated from all her friends and her normal life style.
I suggest this book for all ages. It is a very inspirational story. It gives a different perspective on life.
-Hayley Robertson
6th period
10/4/07
The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew-- Three Women Search for Understanding
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • What is "faith?"
  • The Faith Club
  • Faith Club
  • The Faith Club
  • One Book; Three Pespectives
The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew-- Three Women Search for Understanding
Ranya Idliby , Suzanne Oliver , and Priscilla Warner
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

FaithFaith | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Women's IssuesWomen's Issues | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Comparative ReligionComparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 074329047X

Book Description

"Welcome to the Faith Club. We're three mothers from three faiths -- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism -- who got together to write a picture book for our children that would highlight the connections between our religions. But no sooner had we started talking about our beliefs and how to explain them to our children than our differences led to misunderstandings. Our project nearly fell apart."

After September 11th, Ranya Idliby, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, faced constant questions about Islam, God, and death from her children, the only Muslims in their classrooms. Inspired by a story about Muhammad, Ranya reached out to two other mothers -- a Christian and a Jew -- to try to understand and answer these questions for her children. After just a few meetings, however, it became clear that the women themselves needed an honest and open environment where they could admit -- and discuss -- their concerns, stereotypes, and misunderstandings about one another. After hours of soul-searching about the issues that divided them, Ranya, Suzanne, and Priscilla grew close enough to discover and explore what united them.

The Faith Club is a memoir of spiritual reflections in three voices that will make readers feel as if they are eavesdropping on the authors' private conversations, provocative discussions, and often controversial opinions and conclusions. The authors wrestle with the issues of anti-Semitism, prejudice against Muslims, and preconceptions of Christians at a time when fundamentalists dominate the public face of Christianity. They write beautifully and affectingly of their families, their losses and grief, their fears and hopes for themselves and their loved ones. And as the authors reveal their deepest beliefs, readers watch the blossoming of a profound interfaith friendship and the birth of a new way of relating to others.

In a final chapter, they provide detailed advice on how to start a faith club: the questions to ask, the books to read, and most important, the open-minded attitude to maintain in order to come through the experience with an enriched personal faith and understanding of others.

Pioneering, timely, and deeply thoughtful, The Faith Club's caring message will resonate with people of all faiths.

For more information or to start your own faith club visit www.thefaithclub.com

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars What is "faith?".......2007-10-14

What I didn't see in this book is how "faith" translated into relationship with God within each of the three religious paths. While there were discussions of how their religions made them feel good/comforted them, I didn't see how God transformed them into his image. It seemed to be more about creating God/Allah in images they could be comfortable with - "I couldn't believe in a God who...would require particular rituals such as prayer/require belief in original sin, etc.

What does it mean to believe? If God created us (rather than vice versa) then what does he require of us? How does God speak to us and guide us when we stray? Because if we don't stray (no such thing as original sin after all and God loves us all just the way we are and we don't need to bend our wills to his) why do we need God at all? In which case, any road truly will lead home after all.

5 out of 5 stars The Faith Club.......2007-10-11

I bought this book when on a business trip and looking for something to read in the evenings. I thought it would be a "soft" book to use as a "sleeping pill," as it were. In reality, it is an excellently written book on the journey of three women of different religions who discover, through the process of "agreeing to disagree," that their "religions" are in reality the same faith. In the beginning, one of the women describes them as "one having a religion with no faith, one a faith with no religion, and one having both." The three women set out to explore their differences and their similarities -- arguing, discussing, and perhaps even compromising -- until they find themselves supporting each other in their differences. I believe their method could be applied to other "differences" as well. Our media and our politics (as well as our religions) have become too egocentric and not willing to honestly explore what people of the opposite party really think, believe, and want. Read this book, discover the process, and "agree to disagree."

5 out of 5 stars Faith Club.......2007-09-17

My wife purchased this book and is reading it for a book club. I heard her tell a friend that she loved this book.

4 out of 5 stars The Faith Club.......2007-09-13

This book was full of good information and challenged me to think about my faith and to acknowledge the similarity between all three of these faiths.
As a Christian I was disturbed by the fact that the Christian seemed to give up some of the basic Christian tenets (that Jesus is truly the son of God and the way to salvation)but that did not ruin the intellectual\spiritual challenges of the book. I could discuss the topics of this book for years.

5 out of 5 stars One Book; Three Pespectives.......2007-08-24

This was an informative yet personal book about the challenge of living in a diverse culture during a time of religious and political debate. Hearing the three women's voices alternatively helped to reveal different viewpoints and interpretations of the events and policies that affect us all. I appreciated some of the new information I read about Palestinians in particular. Yet more than gaining great new knowledge, I gained a broader perspective and deeper insight into many of today's most pressing national and international issues. At the same time, I was given the opportunity to glimpse into the homelife and family life of three different families dealing with three different realities and backgrounds. Fascinating, personal, introspective and heartwarming!
Every Young Woman's Battle: Guarding Your Mind, Heart, and Body in a Sex-Saturated World (The Every Man Series)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Great Advice!
  • P-E-R-F-E-C-T!!!
  • Does not provide complex and nuanced strategies, which are essential for intensely complex dilemmas
  • A "Must-Read" for teenage girls
  • fantastic!
Every Young Woman's Battle: Guarding Your Mind, Heart, and Body in a Sex-Saturated World (The Every Man Series)
Shannon Ethridge , and Stephen Arterburn
Manufacturer: WaterBrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Dating & Single LifeDating & Single Life | Relationships | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1578568560
Release Date: 2004-07-20

Book Description

Guys Aren’t the Only Ones Fighting a Battle for Purity.

The world you live in promotes sex as the answer to just about everything. The pressure to go along with the crowd is greater than ever before, and it’s easy to compromise in little ways that are a lot more harmful than they seem. You and your friends may become caught up in destructive relationships or sexual activities without even knowing how you got there. You just want to be normal–to fit in, to be liked, to look attractive to the opposite sex. But are you paying too high a price?
This counterpart to the award-winning Every Young Man’s Battle can help you:

· learn how the sexual battle begins in your heart and mind
· understand your hunger for attention from guys
· recognize and avoid the potential pitfalls awaiting young women on the journey toward adulthood and possibly marriage
· find out how the media, novels, fashion, internet chat rooms, and body and beauty obsessions influence your sexual choices–and what you can do about it
· guard your mind, heart, and body against sexual and emotional compromise
· develop a deeper, more satisfying level of intimacy with God

Whether you have so far protected yourself emotionally and sexually, feel that you’ve been robbed of your purity, or have given in to temptation in some way, this book can help you achieve or reclaim sexual integrity. It can also guide you through the temptations and pressures of young adulthood while demonstrating how you can live your life to the fullest–without regrets.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Advice!.......2007-09-06

Awesome book! Another great book that I recommend - How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You

5 out of 5 stars P-E-R-F-E-C-T!!!.......2007-08-21

Another bestseller which I love and recommend - How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You

Both books are a must read for every woman!

2 out of 5 stars Does not provide complex and nuanced strategies, which are essential for intensely complex dilemmas.......2007-07-31

Do not buy this book. If you are curious and want to evaluate it for yourself, borrow it from your local library (ask for it via inter-library loan if your library does not hold a copy).

Girls who have not acknowledged their own healthy sexual desires, who have not thought about their sexual desires in context with their other desires (to date, to connect with other people, to not have sex until marriage, to find and marry a person with similar values, etc.), and who have not pre-conceptualized how they might manage predictable situations will find themselves ill prepared to handle those situations.

"Every Young Woman's Battle: Guarding Your Mind, Heart, and Body in a Sex-Saturated World" does not help prepare or guide the girl who is alone with her boyfriend and finds herself intensely aroused while kissing him. Libido only looses its clarity, not its intensity, when jumbled with the social and cultural complexities of sexuality.

Ethridge and Arterburn do not provide complex and nuanced tools and strategies, which are essential for deeply complex challenges. Hopefully they can do so in their next addition, or perhaps another author will.

In the mean time I think girls and women would be better off reading "Every Young Man's Battle: Strategies for Victory in the Real World of Sexual Temptation" along with "Dilemmas of Desire: Teenage Girls Talk about Sexuality" by Deborah L. Tolman. (Ethridge and Arterburn should read Tolman's book as well.)

Dilemmas of Desire: Teenage Girls Talk about Sexuality

5 out of 5 stars A "Must-Read" for teenage girls.......2007-07-16

If there had been a book like this for me when I was a teenager in the 70's, I could have saved myself many mistakes. The book answers questions every parent wants to answer but may not know how to or have the nerve to, in a way that is straightforward and scripturally based. I suggest parents and daughters read this one together. We read it together in our high school youth group while the boys read it's companion book, "Every Young Man's Battle". It helps everyone understand why they should remain sexually pure until marriage.

4 out of 5 stars fantastic!.......2007-05-17

This book was real. It touched on the soultion for dealing with constant thoughts of the opposite sex as well as forgiving yourself for your past. Everyone is a new creature when they ask for forgiveness and this book did a great job of reminding us of that. I recommend this book to ALL young preteens, teen age, and young women. Anyone who is interested in EVER dating.
MY FATHER'S SECRET WAR: A MEMOIR
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • A Book You Just Can Put Down
  • Slow start
  • Disappointment
  • Buried secrets
  • My Father's Secret War: A Memoir
MY FATHER'S SECRET WAR: A MEMOIR
Lucinda Franks
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 140135226X
Release Date: 2007-03-14

Book Description

In this moving and compelling memoir about parent and child, father and daughter, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Lucinda Franks discovers that the remote, nearly impassive man she grew up with had in fact been a daring spy behind enemy lines in World War II. Sworn to secrecy, he began revealing details of his wartime activities only in the last years of his life as he became afflicted with Alzheimer's. His exploits revealed a man of remarkable bravado -- posing as a Nazi guard, slipping behind enemy lines to blow up ammunition dumps, and being flown to one of the first concentration camps liberated by the Allies to report on the atrocities found there.My Father's Secret War is an intimate account of Franks coming to know her own father after years of estrangement. Looking back at letters he had written her mother in the early days of WWII, Franks glimpses a loving man full of warmth. But after the grimmest assignments of the war his tone shifts, settling into an all-too-familiar distance. Franks learns about him -- beyond the alcoholism and adultery -- and comes to know the man he once was.Her story is haunting, and beautifully told, even as the tragedy becomes clear: Franks finally comes to know her father, but only as he is slipping further into his illness. Lucinda Franks understands her father as the disease claims him. My Father's Secret War is a triumph of love over secrets, and a tribute to the power of the connection of family.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars A Book You Just Can Put Down.......2007-10-04

After all the hype and with the authors oh-so-impressive cred, one expects a book that you just can't put down. She delivers a nice, warm story, but by all means, you CAN put it down.

3 out of 5 stars Slow start.......2007-09-10

As I read the other reviews, I realized they are all true. In many ways this is a poignant and touching story. But Franks takes so long describing their disfunctional family and getting to the interesting part -- her father's war experiences and the process of finding the information -- that I almost put it down without finishing it. I'm glad I stayed with it, as Lucinda finally gets to the real story and redeems herself. (I didn't like her at all at the beginning of the story but I forgave her for her honesty at the end.)

2 out of 5 stars Disappointment.......2007-06-16

You asked me for comments. Perhaps I was expecting more focus on the father. If one enjoys home videos of other families, this book might be of interest.

3 out of 5 stars Buried secrets.......2007-06-13

I almost wish Lucinda Franks chose not to write this book.It was fairly obvious from the start that her father didn't want to remember his role in war..at one point she even asks him if he was a nazi sympathizer.definitely not.My goodness Ms. Frank,leave the poor old guy alone.The book tells a lot about her father and a lot about his daughter.When one of his old buddies phones her and said her dad needs living expenses, some extra cash, she responds that she and her husband have to maintain 3 houses, she can't send dad a few extra dollars..she visits , sees a pile of rancid leftovers in the refrigerator and proceeds to reheat the freshest one for her dad's meal..Golly Lucinda, buy and roast a chicken, peel a few potatoes, buy some canned vegetables.. how hard can that be? Poor dad wears K-mart clothes, so order something for him from Lands'End, you don't even have to go to a store. Again, this is a book that didn't need to be written.

5 out of 5 stars My Father's Secret War: A Memoir.......2007-05-30

I found this book to be very well-written, powerful and thought provoking. I can't even imagine what I would have done or felt in the authors situation. Reading this book made me re-evaluate some of my thoghts, feeling and actions as my mother was dying of cancer. The historical aspect of this book alone makes it worth reading, but if you are dealing or have dealt with someone afflicted with cancer or alzhiemers, this book can make you both laugh and cry.
Finding Amelia: The True Story of the Earhart Disappearance
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • non-scientists beware
  • Captivating read on Amelia's Misadventures
  • Amelia Earhart on Fantasy Island?
  • Finding Amelia
  • Clarification on Amelia
Finding Amelia: The True Story of the Earhart Disappearance
Ric Gillespie
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1591143195

Book Description

In the seventy years since the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan during a flight over the Central Pacific, their fate has remained one of history's most debated mysteries. Dozens of books have offered a variety of solutions to the puzzle, but they all draw on the same handful of documents and conflicting eyewitness accounts.

Now a wealth of new information uncovered by the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) allows this book to offer the first fully documented history of what happened. Scrupulously accurate and thrilling to read, it tells the story from the letters, logs, and telegrams that recorded events as they unfolded. Many long-accepted facts are revealed as myths.

Author Ric Gillespie, TIGHAR's executive director, draws on the work of his organization's historians, archæologists, and scientists, who compiled and analyzed more than five thousand documents relating to the Earhart case. Their research led to the hypothesis that Earhart and Noonan died as castaways on a remote Pacific atoll. But this book is not a polemic that argues for a particular theory. Rather, it presents all of the authenticated historical dots and leaves it to the reader to make the connections. In addition to details about the Earhart's career and final flight, the book examines her relationship with the U.S. government and the massive search undertaken by the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy.

For serious students of Earhart's disappearance, an accompanying DVD reproduces the documents, reports, and technical studies cited in the text, allowing instant review and verification of the sources.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars non-scientists beware.......2007-09-11

This highly technical read is not for the mere curious reader or fan of this great American woman. This book contains a vivid picture of the search for America's sweetheart of 1937,Amelia Earhart and her navigator ,Fred Noonan. An intricate compilation of radio transmissions provides a picture of an overwhelmed search party, miscommunicated information and an under skilled pilot. This is not the whole picture and if one seeks a glimpse into the woman behind the incident this is not the book for you

4 out of 5 stars Captivating read on Amelia's Misadventures.......2007-08-17

"Finding Amelia: the True Story of the Earhart Disappearance," Ric Gillespie, Naval Institute Press, Maryland, 2006, ISBN 1-59114-319-2, HC 242 pges., Notes 44 pgs., Index 8 pgs., Content & Forward 10 pgs., plus 40 B/W photos, map & DVD (for computer) to access photos, maps, logs of the Earhart misadventure.

A captivating narrative & chronicle of the flying life and times of pilot Amelia Earhart, both researched 18 years and written by Exec. Dir. of TIGHAR, an Internat. Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery. We are provided detailed accounts of Earhart's two world flight attempts, neither successful, with the aviatrix's last contact being July 2, 1937 while enroute to Howland Isle from Lae, New Guinea and thence to California.

Glimpses are given of Amelia Earhart's quest for notoriety during her earlier years which found her intrigued by flying machines, seeking adventure, finding celebrity status & desiring increased role for American women. But, it is not a bibliography or even a book about Amelia. It is a book of Amelia's monomaniacal attachment to flying, her aeronautical skill confines, that emphasizes her attempts to encircle the globe, imprima her 2nd attempt going Eastward, departing Oakland, California on May 19, 1937 accompanied by navigator Fred Noonan in her Lockheed Electra 10E twin engine aircraft. There is detailed & documented accountings of the massive search by US Coast Guard and Naval ships & planes and detailed reference to ships' logs of communications, etc., and interviews with Ham Radio operators who credibly appear to have identified her signals. The many B/W photographs, maps and the DVD are commendatory to this scholarly study. A few readers may find the detailed readings, etc., of the ships' logs and radiocommunication transmission times and references to frequencies and harmonics confusing & tedious, but the author's intentions to present the factual data is preserved.

2 out of 5 stars Amelia Earhart on Fantasy Island?.......2007-06-29

I have followed Mr. Gillespie's search for years, and it is, sadly, largely based on wishful thinking instead of facts, such as the fuel capacity of Amelia's Lockheed 10E Electra. Simply put, there is NO WAY it could have reached where he claims it is. The book is an interesting read, and reasonably well done, and there are some opposing viewpoints presented. Factually, though, it is an illusion (one that has paid Mr. Gillespie quite well for a long time). An entertaining read, but not historical research-just a flight of fancy--

4 out of 5 stars Finding Amelia.......2007-03-19

The book is a good chronicle of the last flight, and what is (and isn't known). While there isn't anything really new that hasn't been covered before, the book is a good compliment to others previously published on the Earhart story. The focus on (mis)communications highlights the thread of errors that lead to the tragedy. The inclusion of the disc (a nice touch!) containing the source data allows the reader to draw their own conclusions.

5 out of 5 stars Clarification on Amelia.......2007-01-10

Excellently written. Very informative. I think this book clears up why Amelia dissappeared. It is no mystery any more.
The Hiding Place
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great book
  • Biography of a True Christian Heroine
  • Amazing Love, Courage, and Faith
  • GRIPPING and inspiring!
  • Amazing novel
The Hiding Place
Corrie Ten Boom , and John Scherrill
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553256696
Release Date: 1984-10-01

Book Description

Corrie Ten Boom stood naked with her older sister  Betsie, watching a concentration camp matron  beating a prisoner."Oh, the poor woman,"  Corrie cried."Yes. May God forgive her,"  Betsie replied. And, once again, Corrie realized that  it was for the souls of the brutal Nazi guards  that her sister prayed.

Here is a book aglow  with the glory of God and the courage of a quiet  Christian spinster whose life was transformed by  it. A story of Christ's message and the courageous  woman who listened and lived to pass it along --  with joy and triumph!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great book.......2007-10-09

I bought the book The Hiding Place because I had the lost the one I had. I greatly enjoyed the book. It is well written, and Historical. Her story is one that should never be forgotten. The book was in great shape when I got it.

5 out of 5 stars Biography of a True Christian Heroine.......2007-08-08

This is the first book you should read to get to know Corrie Ten Boom, a woman whose life took a dramatic turn when her family was caught up in a turbulent and tragic time when the Nazi's occupied Holland. Corrie, her father and sister were morally convicted to harbor and hide Jews who were facing arrest and deportation. After being betrayed, they were sent to jail, and eventually Corrie and Betsie were sent to Ravensbruck, a German concentration/death camp. Throughout her life, Corrie held onto her Saviour Jesus Christ, and found out that there is no pit too deep that God is not there to pull you out.

Corrie is completed honest and transparent in describing her life. She does not sugarcoat her own mistakes, and the bitterness and hatred she harbored in her heart. She does not make herself out to be a saint. But as a real human being experiencing the depravity of human sin, she in her own power could not forgive or love her enemies. She was incredulous upon hearing her sister Betsie pray for the Nazi's, and as Betsie got physically weaker and weaker, she was strengthened spiritually, encouraging Corrie to let go her hatred, and to spread the word of God's love through the most horrible circumstances. Betsie, before she was set free (passed away), also inspired Corrie to open a home for displaced people after the war. Miraculously Corrie was set free and able to make her way home. She fulfills Betsie's dreams of opening a rest home, and ministering to people who had suffered so much at the hands of evil.

The book ends in 1946. To find out about Corrie's return to Germany and her ministering to former prison guards, make sure to read "Tramp for the Lord."

5 out of 5 stars Amazing Love, Courage, and Faith.......2007-08-06

Corrie Ten Boom and her family exhibited true Christian love. They did not shrink from their duty to hide the persecuted Jews, nor did they lack courage as they were arrested and placed in concentration camps. Several family members died, with only Corrie surviving due to miraculous intervention. Did she harbor bitterness? Yes. But her faith in the Lord God Jehovah sustained her through this difficult time. She came to the place in her spiritual life where God changed her heart, enabling to forgive her captors. This is truly a story that will warm your heart and point you to a personal Savior, Jesus Christ, who loves and cares for His children. Read how God directs their paths, even when imprisoned, and blesses them mightily despite their circumstances.

5 out of 5 stars GRIPPING and inspiring!.......2007-08-04

I really tried not to read this book right before bed b/c of the tough content, but I just couldn't put it down!

The voice is delightful--warm, genuine, matter-of-fact--appealing neither to sentiment or false piety. Corrie shares her story honestly and so pleasantly that you feel you are sitting with her over a cup of tea. She makes no pretense about her own bravery, but humbly shares her own struggles and how the Lord faithfully sustained her. The lessons on forgiveness are timeless and unforgettable. Be careful; you're likely to feel conviction to apply these truths to your own life! =)

I would not recommend this book for small children; anyone under the age of 10 might be too upset by some of the content (her sister's death, their cruel treatment in prison)--but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to anyone who has ever wondered:
--would they have courage to stand up for their faith if put to the ultimate test?
--why does God allow bad things to happen to "good" people?
--when should one fight back and when should one humbly submit
--is it safe to trust God in absolute surrender?

May God bless you as He blessed me in reading this book!
CM

4 out of 5 stars Amazing novel.......2007-07-17

This is a beautiful novel about one woman and her family's journey as they smuggled Jews in their home and other "safe houses" in war torn Holland during the 1940's. Corrie and her family ended up in jail and finally a concentration camp because of her willingness to protect God's children during the Holocaust. Her faith and God's truth ring out clearly in her writing and remarkable story. It really pushed me to think of a more Godly perspective instead of one of this world. This is an excellent novel.

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