Book Review: Heaven is Here by Stephanie Nielsen

Heaven Is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph, and Everyday Joy by Stephanie Nielsen
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication date: April 2012
Pages: 320
Source: Library
For: Because I read her blog

When Stephanie Nielsen and her husband and friend were in a horrific plane crash, she had no idea just how much her life would change. But finding her way in life post-crash, while it has its ups and downs, has helped her focus on those small things, those beautiful details in life that she can cherish because she knows just how close she was to losing them.

Things I Liked:
What an absolutely riveting, amazing, powerful, heart-wrenching, hopeful, and every emotion in between story.  I have been a reader of NieNie Dialogues for a few years now, but I think I didn't start reading her blog until after her accident.  I remember some of the brave and amazing and overwhelmingly difficult things she talked about and I was completely blown away by all she didn't talk about (but which you can discover in this book).  Her experiences are amazing, but what really shines is her ability, with the help of God, her husband, children, family, and friends, to overcome the mountains of challenges she faces.  I think it can be enjoyed by those who are LDS (or Mormon) like me and those who are not, just as her blog is enjoyed by both.  I loved the evolution of how she views herself, especially in regards to physical appearance.  It is easy to say that appearance doesn't matter when we are pretty, but it is even harder after you've experienced being different than everyone else.  Just a wonderful story made all the more powerful because it is true.

Things I Didn't Like:
It was a bit hard for me to read about her experiences so soon after my nephew's passing, but it also brought some comfort, seeing her family gather around her and support her and hearing how she was able to overcome her challenges.  The writing is not great, but I think it makes up for that in honesty.  I highly recommend this one to anyone who is feeling sorry for themselves or needs a boost of morale to keep going in difficult times. 

Read-alikes:
Reminds me of books like Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom and The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and even The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
 
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
(that I recall)

mrg-factor: X
some references to her relationship with her husband

v-factor: ->
not violence exactly, but the crash was pretty horrific and those parts can be disturbing

Overall rating: *****

How do you feel about inspirational memoirs?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Retro Friday Review: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."
  
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Publisher: Various
Publication date: 1971
ISBN: 0912376015
Source: Library, for book group

This is the true story of Corrie Ten Boom and her family, who become the center of an underground resistance in Holland during WWII.  When Corrie and her family are discovered, they are sent to prison.  Facing deprivations and transfer to a concentration camp, Corrie and he sister Betsie find beauty and bring religion to the people they meet.

Things I Liked:
What an absolutely inspiring story!  This book has the power to change people's lives and even better, their behavior.  I was entranced with Corrie's family - the descriptions of the daily things her father and sisters would do and say just exemplify a Christian lifestyle.  I loved the genuinely honest comments Corrie makes about herself and her little weaknesses.  She seems so willing to recognize her mistakes and to praise the strengths of others that you begin to see just how truly good she is as well.  Towards the end, when they are in the concentration camp, the scenes of utter despair and horror are so powerfully juxtaposed to the sisters' devoted and hallowed attitudes that I have no ability to describe my own feelings about it.  This book will make you so grateful for the many conveniences you enjoy and it will (hopefully) help you to see the good in every difficult situation you face.  An amazing account of sincerely religious and happy everyday people who were able to overcome the tragedies in their lives through faith in God.  Just a few of the many places I marked in the book.

Mama's love had always been the kind that acted itself out with soup pot and sewing basket.  But now that these things were taken away, the love seemed as whole as before.  She sat in her chair at the window and loved us.  She loved the peple she saw in the street - and beyond: her love took in the city, the land of Holland, the world.  And so I learned that love is larger than the walls which hut it in.  p 48

Back in the dining room I pulled back the coverlet from the baby's face.  There was a long silence.  The man bent forward, his hand in spite of himself reaching for the tiny fist curled round the blanket.  For a moment I saw compassion and fear struggle in his face.  Then he straightened.  "No. Definitely not.  We could lose our lives for that Jewish child!"  Unseen by either of us, Father had appeared in the doorway.  "give the child to me, Corrie," he said....  "You say we could lose our lives for this child.  I would consider that the greatest honor that could come to my family." p 99

Once again we considered stopping the work.  Once again we discovered we could not.  That night Father and Betsie and I prayed long after the others had gone to bed.  We knew that in spite of daily mounting risks we had no choice but to move forward.  This was evil's hour; we could not run away from it.  Perhaps only when human effort had done its best and failed, would God's power along be free to work.  p 123

But as the rest of the world grew stranger, one thing became increasingly clear.  And that was the reason the two of us were here.  Why others should suffer we were not shown.  As for us, from morning until lights-out, whenever we were not in ranks for roll call, our Bible was the center of an ever-widening circle of help and hope.  Life waifs clustered around a blazing fire, we gathered about it, holding out our hearts to its warmth and light.  The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the word of God.  p 194

And as the cold increased, so did the special temptation of concentration-camp life: the temptation to think only of oneself.  It took a thousand cunning forms.  I quickly discovered that when I maneuvered our way toward the middle of the roll-call formation, we had a little protection from the wind  I knew this was self-centered: when Betsie and I stood in the center, someone else had to stand on the edge.  How easy it was to give it other names!  I was acting only for Betsie's sake.  We were in an important ministry and must keep well.  It was colder in Poland than in Holland; these Polish women probably were not feeling the chill the way we were.  Selfishness had a life of its own. p 213

"...must tell people what we have learned here.  We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that HE is not deeper still.  They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here." p 217

Things I Didn't Like:
Honestly, while the writing may not have been amazing, I didn't even notice most of the time, because the story is so engrossing and powerful.  I encourage every person to read this book, no matter their religion or beliefs.

Read-alikes:
Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Night by Elie Wiesel

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
probably one or two 

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->->
not exactly violence, but the cruelties of concentration camps are described

Overall rating: *****

Anybody else inspired by this memoir?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Retro Friday Review: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Publisher: various (HarperCollins for this particular iteration)
Publication date: 1942
ISBN: 9780060652890
Source: Library (for book group)

In a series of letters from Screwtape, a devil of some status, to his nephew Wormwood, a underdevil, we learn about the machinations of tempters.  Screwtape offers practical as well as philosophical advice to his nephew on how best to tempt the male human he has been put in charge of. 

Things I Liked:
I love the sly and yet meaningful things that Screwtape says.  We read this for our book club and everyone enjoyed the humorous aspect of reversing the view we normally have about Heaven and Hell.  What I found most impressive about this, though, was how subtly it portrays the temptations we fall into.  It rang true that many of us who consider ourselves Christian are more susceptible to small and unobtrusive sins.  I found myself realizing (again) how many of these things I fall prey to and how they lead me towards doing wrong or just not doing right.  An interesting look at Christianity and living a good life from the perspective of one who wants to prevent that.  Some favorites:

Work hard, then, on the disappointment or anticlimax which is certainly coming to the patient during his first few weeks as a churchman.  The Enemy allows this disappointment to occur on the threshold of every human endeavour.  It occurs when the boy who has been enchanted in the nursery by Stories from the Odyssey buckles down to really learn Greek.  It occurs when lovers have got married and begin the real task of learning to live together.  In every department of life it marks the transition from dreaming aspirations to laborious doing.  p 7

At the very least, they can be persuaded that the bodily position makes no difference to their prayers; for they constantly forget, what you must always remember, that they are animals and whatever their bodies do affects their souls.  It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.  p 16

Your patient has become humble; have you drawn his attention to this fact?  All virtues are less formidable to us once the man is aware that he has them, but this is specially true of humility.  Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, 'By jove!  I'm being humble', and almost immediately pride - pride at his own humility - will appear.  p 69

A woman means by Unselfishness chiefly taking trouble for others; a man means not giving trouble to others.  As a result, a woman who is quite far gone in the enemy's service will make a nuisance of herself on a larger scale than any man except those whom Our Father has dominated completely; and conversely, a man will live long in the Enemy's camp before he undertakes as much spontaneous work to please others as a quite ordinary woman may do every day.  Thus while the woman things of doing good offices and the man of respecting other people's rights, each sex, without any obvious unreason, can and does regard the other as radically selfish.  p 142

The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather.  You see, it is so hard for these creatures to persevere.  The routine of adversity, the gradual decay od youthful loves and youthful hopes, the quiet despair (hardly felt as pain) of ever overcoming the chronic temptations with which we have again and again defeated them, the drabness which we create in their lives and the inarticulate resentment with which we teach them to respond to it - all this provides admirable opportunities of wearing out a soul by attrition.  p 155

Things I Didn't Like:
There were a few members of the club who felt like they didn't want to continue reading because it made them feel guilty.  It can, like many religious books, make us painfully aware of our shortcomings, though I think it does better than many in not sounding as preachy or as depressing.  Also, Lewis is a lot more philosophical and abstract than I can understand.  Sometimes, he would talk about things and I would become very lost in my understanding.  Still, when he would return to something I understood, I always learned something about myself or others.  

Read-alikes:
Probably anything nonfiction by C.S. Lewis

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

What's your favorite Lewis book?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall

The Ultimate Giftis what Red Stevens has left to his great nephew Jason Stevens, only it isn't what Jason expected. Jason must follow Red's rules exactly if he wants to inherit, but will he be able to overcome his selfishness, greed, and laziness?

After watching the movieI was pretty thrilled about reading the book. I think that the story lends itself better to film than a book. The story came across as didactic and a little cheesy. With the story being told from Red's 80-year-old lawyer, we don't see any of Jason's personal changes or experiences. Perhaps if the story was told from Jason's POV, it might have worked better. Also, if there had been more story told about each of his experiences. A great idea for a story, but not very interestingly executed.

Read-alikes:
The Ultimate Lifealso by Jim Stovall (next in series)
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Tuesdays with Morrieby Mitch Albom

RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: **

Book Review: The Mother in Me edited by Kathryn Lynard Soper

Description of The Mother in Me: Real-World Reflections on Growing Into Motherhoodfrom Amazon:

"Motherhood is one of the most transforming experiences of a woman's life- an exhausting, exhilarating, extraordinary journey. This collection of writings speaks to every mother's heart as it celebrates the season of motherhood, illustrating its unique challenges and delights, and revealing its deep significance. Some of the selections are humorous, some thoughtful, some poignant- yet each proves that motherhood matters, "not just in the sentimental ways we talk about on Mother's Day," writes the editor Kathryn Soper, "but in the gritty, lovely, everyday realities of life." The volume speaks frankly about health crises, identity crises, and sanity crises, as well as the fruits of such struggles: insight gained, hearts expanded, and faith increased. These shared experiences will make you laugh and cry and want to reach out and hold tightly the little ones in your life."

This book was written by LDS (Mormon) mothers for any mother. It is hard to say why I picked this book up. I don't have any children (yet). I do have plenty of nieces and nephews. But, I don't think you have to be a mother to enjoy this book. I can see why mothers of young children will probably love this, but I loved it too. Give this to any young mother you know. They will laugh and cry, just as I did, but they will also relate better than I can. A perfect mother's day gift as well.

RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: X
There are some pretty frank comments about women's bodies and birth. Not really mrg, but just thought I'd mention it.

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

The Last Lectureis a beautiful collection of wisdom and humor from Randy Paush's last lecture. Professors are often asked to give what was called a "last lecture," to share their thoughts about life and what they would want to be their last words. Randy, diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and with only a few months of health remaining, finds new meaning and purpose behind his last lecture.

I absolutely loved this book! All of the praise is correct, as far as I'm concerned. Every section discussed some of Pausch's thoughts on life and each one seemed remarkably true and intelligent. I tried to pick just one or two gems from throughout the book, but I just couldn't narrow it down. Perhaps what impressed me the most was Pausch's outlook on life - he was positive throughout while still acknowledging the sorrow and difficulty of his situation. I also really loved how everything was always about his family - his wife and three young children. They are the most important things to him. Now, if only we could gain the perspective of a terminal patient without having the terminal part. I think that is one purpose for writing a book like this.

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
A few, not overwhelming.

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the Worldis the true story of a cat left to die in a library book drop in a small-town library in Iowa. His story of survival and the impact he had on those who knew him really is inspirational. He was not just your everyday library cat.

I'll admit it: I am not a cat person. But, this book was just beautiful. Even if you don't like cats, you can find in this one cat's personality and actions something that will warm your heart. The story of his life and the lives of those he touched the most, including Vicki Myron who found him, are real-life survival stories.

RATINGS:
s-factor: none.

mrg-factor: none.

v-factor: none.

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas

Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slaveryis very obviously the story of William Wilberforce...and the heroic campaign to end slavery in England. William's early life and the events that lead to his conversion to Christianity are told in a way that make it obvious that he was led to fight against slavery. It chronicles his successes and many failures all while touching on the beautiful life he led.

After watching the amazing (pun intended) movie, I found myself really fascinated with Wilberforce. This book only fed that interest, as I realized what an awesome person he really was - in so many ways even beyond his attempts to end slavery in England. He was a highly moral person (after his conversion) and tried to make England a better place, not only for slaves but for all people! The biography is really well-written as well, making it easier to feel like you are getting to know him. READ IT! (Or at the very least, watch the movie.)

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
(Maybe a few here and there).

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
There may have been some slave-related events, but I don't recall them.

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Timeis just what the title suggests. Greg Mortenson was a mountaineer who has the chance to change the lives of individuals in small villages in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This book follows his efforts to get donations and bring schools to the impoverished children of those countries. It is an inspiring tale of his peaceful dream to see these schools built.

None of the praise was overrated. I was so impressed with the life and motivation this one man had. His humanitarian efforts are just amazing! It was so interesting to get a glimpse of what life is like for people in this tiny isolated villages. He had to deal with a lot of terrifying and difficult situations to realize his dream, but he never stops fighting for it. What an amazing look at a peaceful way to combat terrorism - educate the women.

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
Probably some here and there.

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none
(I don't remember any incidents described, but it is a violent region)

Overall rating: *****