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Karen's Reviews > Gilead
Gilead (Gilead, #1)
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Karen's review
bookshelves: beautiful, book-discussion-perfect, classic, creates-questions, educating-moments, excellent, favorites, feel-good, inspiring, loved-it, makes-you-think, memorable
Jun 21, 2023
bookshelves: beautiful, book-discussion-perfect, classic, creates-questions, educating-moments, excellent, favorites, feel-good, inspiring, loved-it, makes-you-think, memorable
How can this little book be described? Slim. Spare. Yet exquisite and wonderfully realized. A story the reflects the routines and wonderments of prayer. Like a good sermon, or a passionate meditation.
The story takes the form of a letter from 76-year-old John Ames, a 4th generation Congregationalist minister, to his just about 7-year-old son. Ames is suffering from heart disease, and his letter, written in 1956, is a summing up of the past sprinkled with anecdotes and advice and sketches of the present, especially of his son and his wife, and his best friend, also a minister.
I won’t go into all that is shared throughout this story. I will just say…it is beautiful, touching, and rich.
Very little of the politics of the outside world intrude directly into Ames’s letter to his son, but the events that forge and form the characters � war and the Great Depression especially � are there as a constant backdrop.
He writes towards the end to his son, “I have been thinking lately how I have loved my physical life.�
How many of us do? Think this.
The author has given us much to reflect on in this beautiful love letter of a book.
The story takes the form of a letter from 76-year-old John Ames, a 4th generation Congregationalist minister, to his just about 7-year-old son. Ames is suffering from heart disease, and his letter, written in 1956, is a summing up of the past sprinkled with anecdotes and advice and sketches of the present, especially of his son and his wife, and his best friend, also a minister.
I won’t go into all that is shared throughout this story. I will just say…it is beautiful, touching, and rich.
Very little of the politics of the outside world intrude directly into Ames’s letter to his son, but the events that forge and form the characters � war and the Great Depression especially � are there as a constant backdrop.
He writes towards the end to his son, “I have been thinking lately how I have loved my physical life.�
How many of us do? Think this.
The author has given us much to reflect on in this beautiful love letter of a book.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
June 21, 2023
– Shelved
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
beautiful
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
book-discussion-perfect
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
classic
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
creates-questions
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
educating-moments
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
excellent
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
favorites
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
feel-good
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
inspiring
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
loved-it
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
makes-you-think
June 21, 2023
– Shelved as:
memorable
June 21, 2023
–
Finished Reading
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Marialyce
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rated it 5 stars
Jun 21, 2023 07:02AM
A marvelous book and a wonderful review!
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Marialyce wrote: "A marvelous book and a wonderful review!"Thank you so much Marialyce. :)
Maureen wrote: "Lovely review Karen 🌸"Thank you so much Maureen. :)
Carol wrote: "Wonderful review, Karen 💗!!!"Thank you very much Carol!
I totally agree. This book shows that a wonderful story can be told with just a few words.
Melissa (Catch Up Mode) wrote: "I totally agree. This book shows that a wonderful story can be told with just a few words."Thank you so much Melissa! :)
Terrific review, Karen!
Tara wrote: "Terrific review, Karen!"Thank you so much Tara! It was that kind of a book! :)
5 stars!!! I must add it to my list to read it asap.Great review!
NILTON wrote: "5 stars!!! I must add it to my list to read it asap.Great review!"
Oh thank you so much Nilton. I appreciate you valuing my reviews to the point, that you would put a book on your reading list! I feel truly honored. :)
I just downloaded a copy from the library. I will be reading this one soon, after John Boyne’s book.
Wonderful review, Karen! This sounds like another book that I must read!
Rachel wrote: "Wonderful review, Karen! This sounds like another book that I must read!"Thank you so much Rachel. I have to believe your book pile is getting pretty high?
A terrific review, Karen. I am happy that you enjoyed it.
Lorna wrote: "A terrific review, Karen. I am happy that you enjoyed it."Oh my gosh Lorna, I am so sorry I did not see your comment. Thank you!
I, too, thought this book was a treasure. So much of it struck very close to home for me. It was gentle, yet powerful. I will need to read it again some day and dwell a little deeper with it.
Marijke wrote: "I, too, thought this book was a treasure. So much of it struck very close to home for me. It was gentle, yet powerful. I will need to read it again some day and dwell a little deeper with it."I love when books do this for me, too Marijke. 💕
Beautiful review, Karen!
Wonderful review Karen!
Christina wrote: "Beautiful review, Karen!"Thank you so much Christina! 💕I hope you enjoy it, too!
Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill wrote: "Wonderful review Karen!"Thank you Kim! 🙂
A wonderfully rich review, Karen. Makes me want to reread this one.
Darla wrote: "A wonderfully rich review, Karen. Makes me want to reread this one. "I am so sorry I missed your comment Darla. Thank you. ☺️
