Take a chance / Don't be shy / Read a book / Please just try!

Today's title was of course inspired by the lovely book I just finished reading entitled The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss. The author, James W. Kemp, is a retired pastor who often used the stories of Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Geisel, in his sermons because he felt (and I have to agree now) that you can equate many of them to biblical principles. For example, in the story On Beyond Zebra!, the narrator insists that there are more than just 26 letters in the alphabet. In fact, there's quite a bit more after one reaches Z (or Zebra). Kemp compares this to characters in the bible such as Abraham that went well beyond Zebra when they were called to do so by God. Abraham was called many times to go the distance but in one instance in particular he showed his true faith in the Lord when he was willing to sacrifice his only son as an offering simply because he was told to do so. Each chapter of Kemp's book begins with a section of the Bible along with a reference from a Seuss book and following this is the reasoning for the comparison. Not only was it very interesting to see how these tied together but I realized that I am unfamiliar with a lot of Seussian (yes, I've made that up but I'm allowed because it's Seuss) literature. I must remedy this ASAP!

Following this delightful romp, Room by Emma Donoghue is a story narrated by a 5 year old who grows up trapped in a room with his mother who has been held there by a man for seven years. The story was apparently inspired by a real life case of a woman who was help captive by her father in their home's basement for 24 years. The book received multiple honors and a film adaptation of the novel is in the works. I have high expectations for this one but something tells me that I won't be disappointed. Review up soon!


And don't forget that summer time is all about BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!!

Everybody's reading on the weekend! (I hope you sang that like I did)

When I began to read Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian I really had no clue what sort of impact it might have on me (if any). As I said in my previous post, this book has been lauded for its insight into a culture which has been overshadowed and marginalized by "American society". It has been awarded literary honors such as the National Book Award. It has also been atop the banned books list since its release. People have an inherent fear of what is different from themselves. The "otherness" which is so often a theme in young adult literature because that is the time when we as a species notice the differences in one another. It is not something we are born with but it is something that we learn. Arnold Spirit, the main character in this book, is the very definition of "other". He is an outsider in his tribe and he is most definitely an outsider in the white community that he voluntarily joins. However, he does not let this stop him from pursuing his dreams for something more. This is a book fraught with struggle, oppression, depression, and jocularity. There are many dark themes discussed in this book which is why it has been so contentious among parents. Do these parents think that these things do not or could not happen to their own children? Do they truly believe that every child grows up in a home filled with laughter and rainbows? Do they want to shield their children from the ugliness of this world for as long as they possibly can? Yes, I believe that's the issue right there. Alexie does not shy away from the hard topics but he doesn't eradicate the good either. There is a thread of hope running through this book which I think everyone could benefit from. So if you want a book that will have you alternately laughing and crying then this is the one for you.

The next book was recommended to me by my best friend and once you hear the title I'm almost sure that you'll agree it's right up my alley: The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss by James W. Kemp. On the surface this might appear to be a lighthearted takeaway from a beloved children's author but it's actually quite a bit more. This book discusses the illustrations in his stories as reflections of biblical principles. That's as much as the book jacket reveals to me so I'll have to give you more information in my review of it. Oh the anticipation!!