IgniteLit

What Good is God?

by · Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

What Good is God? by Philip Yancey

Title: What Good is God?
Author: Philip Yancey
Major Themes: Faith, Theology, Suffering, Apologetics
Synopsis: From the halls of a school recovering from a school shooting, to people helping AIDS victims in South Africa, Philip Yancey explores what true faith looks like amid intense suffering—and whether or not God can be trusted.

I’ve grown to appreciate the way reading challenges push me outside of my normal reading “comfort zone” and make me pick up books I might not otherwise take the time to read. I read one of Philip Yancey’s books years ago, and ever since then, I’ve been collecting his works when I come across them—including a copy of What Good is God?, which I discovered while second-hand shopping sometime in the last three or four years. It’s one of those books that look interesting, but unless I get an extra push to read it, I don’t necessarily ever pick it up. I’m so glad I got the chance to read this one—it’s a gem, and one I want to hang onto now!

Publisher’s description:

In What Good is God? journalist and spiritual seeker Philip Yancey travels the globe in search of an answer to a query posed the world over. It’s a universal question, one that “occurs in some form to every person who experiences pain or death or poverty or unfairness—in other words, to everyone,” says Yancey. What good is God in a world where terrorists attack tourist sites in Mumbai, where women and children are sold into sexual slavery, where a gunman kills 32 students and staff on a college campus, and where six million people in South Africa alone suffer from HIV/AIDS?

Or, on a more personal level, does faith really matter when you’re struggling with an addiction, when you get laid off from your job and your home is in foreclosure, or when chronic depression sets in?

This book recounts Yancey’s search, including meetings with leaders of the underground church in China, with Dalits (untouchables) in India, with prostitutes, alcoholics, and Bible college students in the U.S., and with charismatic Christians in Johannesburg. Each stop provides a fascinating clue to answering life’s most profound questions. As he relives these ten memorable occasions, the author tells the dramatic “story behind the story” as well as what he said at the time to the people he encountered. This unique combination provides a compelling reading experience, as well as firsthand evidence that faith really does make a difference, even when belief is severely tested.

My thoughts:

Initially, when I picked this book up and read the back cover, I was surprised to discover that the description reminded me somewhat of The Insanity of God. That book is in my top ten nonfiction books of all time, so that instantly made me more interested in this story. This book ended up quite different from what I thought it might be like, but even so, I found it to be a fascinating, thought-provoking read.

This is a collection of ten mini-stories about trips Philip Yancey took between 2003 and 2009. Each trip featured a speaking engagement, and here he presents an overview of the setting, what brought him there, and what he spoke about to the different groups he encountered. This is a disparate collection of writings, but as I read them, the common theme became obvious: God’s power to transform lives and bring hope and healing into both the ordinary and the most extraordinary of circumstances. Here, Philip shares his experiences on the Virginia Tech campus after the massacre there, of a conference put on for those ministering to prostitutes, of his days in Bible college, his experiences in a transformed South Africa, as well as six other diverse locations and experiences.

What I appreciated so much about What Good is God? is the way Philip continually points to the Lord, and also looks at the world around us—as well as history and our Christian faith—with a clear-sighted, analytical mindset. This was a refreshing, encouraging read for me. Multiple times, I found myself pausing to read out a quote to my family (this book is at the top of my most-quoted-of-the-year list!), and it also brought about some intriguing discussions with a friend or two. Some of the things shared here were ones I have read very little about (I don’t think I’d heard of Virginia Tech before this, for example—and it’s intimidating to think of attending a conference focused on helping prostitutes!). But each story is handled with passion, wisdom, and grace, and I found myself amazed at the perspective and encouragement baked into each section. There’s a lot to be learned from a book like this, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to read it.

WARNING: This book covers some heavy topics—a school shooting, people being tortured in China, discussions with prostitutes or former prostitutes (including mentions of sex, how much people earned per day, what it was like to live in a brothel, etc.), and other things along those lines (for example, in ch. 11, someone mentioned meeting someone whose husband repeatedly cheated on her, and then she found out her father had been molesting his granddaughters). Yancey does a good job getting enough information across so you know and can relate to what he is talking about, but not so much that you feel like you’ve experienced the sin itself. Because of the content, I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone younger than older teenagers and adults.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

by · Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Title: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Author: Mildred D. Taylor
Series: Logan Family Saga, book 4
Major Themes: Racism, Family, 1930s, Mississippi
Synopsis: The gripping story of a black family in Mississippi in the 1930s, facing racism and working together to keep their land.

From the time I was a young child, Mom has read a wide variety of books aloud to our family. One book I have always vividly remembered is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I don’t know when we first read the story, exactly, but I’m fairly certain it was back in the time when Mom was still recording books for us to listen to on cassette tape. Parts of the book have stuck with me, and made me want to re-read it recently. This is a powerful story of a family working together and combatting racism while still trying to retain their dignity—and keep the peace, as much as possible.

Publisher’s description:

With the land to hold them together, nothing can tear the Logans apart.

Why is the land so important to Cassie’s family? It takes the events of one turbulent year—the year of the night riders and the burnings, the year a white girl humiliates Cassie in public simply because she’s black—to show Cassie that having a place of their own is the Logan family’s lifeblood. It is the land that gives the Logans their courage and pride—no matter how others may degrade them, the Logans possess something no one can take away.

My thoughts:

I remember Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry as a gripping, insightful look into the struggles and triumphs black families in the South faced in the 1930s while racism still had a firm hold on the minds and hearts of many people. As a young child, I couldn’t imagine the terror children like me faced so many years ago at the hands of people who should have been good neighbors—and I was also grateful that, though things might not be perfect for families these days, at least things have gotten better.

As an adult reading the story now, I saw a lot more nuances to the story—things I missed in my younger years. I was impressed by the family cohesiveness displayed here. The children were disobedient at times, yes, but despite the disruption and evil outside, their home was one of love and relative peace—with the adults actively working to protect the children from the worst of the horrors. I was also impressed by the way the racism side was handled—it was very matter-of-fact, and, where possible, details were vague—just clear enough that you get an idea of what happened, but not “in your face,” so to speak.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a heavy story. It’s also a well-written, gripping story, one that sticks with you for a long time. As you get to know Cassie and her family, you get to see the courage and determination of many, many black families in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. This book is a portrait of a time past, but many elements are still (sadly) relevant today. If you’re looking for well-written historical literature, but have never read this book, I’d highly recommend you check it out. It’s well worth the read.

WARNING: Shoot is used in ch. 1 (twice), 3, 4, 5 (three times), 6 (twice), 8 (three times), and 10; God’s name is used as “Lord, child”, “my Lord”, or something similar in ch. 3, 4 (three times), 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 (three times), and 12 (twice); “that devilish bus” is used in ch. 3; “them devilish night men” is used in ch. 3 and 7; “holy smokes” is used in ch. 3; “what the devil” is used in ch. 3, 4, 5 (twice), 7 (twice), and 11; “them ole devils” is used in ch. 4 and “that ole devil” is used in ch. 6; “land sakes” is used in ch. 4; doggone is used in ch. 6 (twice) and 8; confounded is used in ch. 6 (twice); “pray to God” is used in ch. 9; and “I swear” is used in ch. 9. There is lying in ch. 1, 3, 4 and 8.

Racism—and the violence of whites vs. blacks in the 1930s—is a main theme in this story. Several times, there are mentions of men badly burnt by white men who were angry at black people (this is described in ch. 2, and people see someone who was burnt in ch. 4). Someone tells of a person being tarred and feathered in ch. 4. A man tells about night men raiding, killing, and burning people in ch. 7, and explains how slaves were hand-picked and forced together to “breed” stronger slaves. A man is shot at and injured in ch. 9, and someone tells about hearing someone breaking men’s bones in retaliation. Someone tells about a break-in, stealing things, and people turn on someone, violently injuring them, in ch. 11. People witness white men raiding and hurting a black family in ch. 11, with intent to kill.

People pray for the soul of a man who died in ch. 2. Children are disobedient several times throughout the story—pretending to wear rain protection when told, but taking them off when their parents weren’t around (ch. 3), going somewhere their parents forbade them to go (ch. 4 and 5), etc. Sometimes, they were caught and punished; other times, they got away with it. People try to take revenge on others and destroy property in ch. 3. Boys punch each other and fight in ch. 4. People talk about young people getting into drinking in ch. 7. Someone smokes in ch. 7. To get revenge for something, a girl sweet-talks someone and then turns on them in ch. 8, and ends up beating someone up.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

The Wise Woman and Other Stories

by · 2 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

The Wise Woman and Other Stories by George MacDonald

Title: The Wise Woman and Other Stories
Author: George MacDonald
Major Themes: Allegories, Fairy Tales, Classics
Synopsis: Four of George MacDonald’s lesser-known stories—ones that will delight, entertain, and ultimately make you think.

A year or two ago, I read Phantastes by George MacDonald. While I enjoyed portions of the story, also I found myself highly confused about what he was trying to convey through the book. After that experience, I decided I needed to try some of his other writings—but it took a while before I was ready to try again. I was delighted, after sitting down with The Wise Woman and Other Stories, to realize that I could understand these stories—and, beyond that, that I was enjoying what I was reading!

Publisher’s description:

George MacDonald (1824-1905), the great nineteenth-century innovator of modern fantasy, influenced not only C.S. Lewis but also such literary masters as Charles Williams and J.R.R. Tolkien. Though his longer fairy tales Lilith and Phantastes are particularly famous, much of MacDonald’s best fantasy writing is found in his shorter stories. In this volume editor Glenn Sadler has compiled some of MacDonald’s finest short works—marvelous fairy tales and stories certain to delight readers familiar with MacDonald and those about to meet him for the first time.

This book includes: The Wise Woman, or the Lost Princess: A Double Story, Little Daylight, Cross Purposes, and The Castle: A Parable.

My thoughts:

Though The Wise Woman and Other Stories might be somewhat difficult to get into (I had to force myself to get through the first few chapters), I also think this collection of stories is quite worthwhile. To be fair, I have always enjoyed fairy tales, so when that element appeared in some of the stories, I was already predisposed to like them. One thing I particularly enjoyed was the allegorical side of several of these stories—it was more pronounced in some places than in others, but I felt like there was a lot to learn from here. Of the four stories in this book, I think The Wise Woman was probably my favorite—the way some of the characters in the story were taught their lessons was unique and made me pause to think more than once.

After reading this book, I’m more excited about trying other MacDonald books. I know his work has inspired many others—authors whom I greatly respect—and I’m interested to try to get a feel for what blessed others. If you enjoy allegories, and stories with semi-supernatural twists, I’d recommend you check this book out.

WARNING: Magic is mentioned occasionally. In The Wise Woman, ch. 1, a girl mistreats an animal. In ch. 2, a wolf is killed and other wolves try to eat a girl. In ch. 7, a girl is stripped naked to try to teach her a lesson (in our book there is a line-art illustration of her naked). In ch. 9, a dog catches a girl and throws her to the ground. In ch. 12, a boy dies. I didn’t see anything to warn about in the other stories.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Counting the Cost

by · Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar with Derick Dillard and Craig Borlase

Title: Counting the Cost
Author: Jill Duggar with Derick Dillard and Craig Borlase
Major Themes: Memoirs, Family
Synopsis: The story of Jill Duggar’s life growing up and into her early married years, told with honesty, courage, and restraint.

Like many other people around the world, I’ve had moments of curiosity about the Duggar family over the years. I remember watching one or two episodes of the TV show, but for the most part, I never followed them closely. I remember hearing about some of the more major events in their lives as they happened, but since I hadn’t spent a lot of time finding out what I could about them, it didn’t affect me much. In more recent years, though, as the children have grown older, I have been intrigued enough to want to read their stories—including Jill Duggar’s recent book, Counting the Cost.

Publisher’s description:

For the first time, discover the unedited truth about the Duggars, the traditional Christian family that captivated the nation on TLC’s hit show 19 Kids and Counting. Jill Duggar and her husband Derick are finally ready to share their story, revealing the secrets, manipulation, and intimidation behind the show that remained hidden from their fans.

Jill and Derick knew a normal life wasn’t possible for them. As a star on the popular TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting, Jill grew up in front of viewers who were fascinated by her family’s way of life. She was the responsible, second daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle’s nineteen kids; always with a baby on her hip and happy to wear the modest ankle-length dresses with throat-high necklines. She didn’t protest the strict model of patriarchy that her family followed, which declares that men are superior, that women are expected to be wives and mothers and are discouraged from attaining a higher education, and that parental authority over their children continues well into adulthood, even once they are married.

But as Jill got older, married Derick, and they embarked on their own lives, the red flags became too obvious to ignore.

For as long as they could, Jill and Derick tried to be obedient family members—they weren’t willing to rock the boat. But now they’re raising a family of their own, and they’re done with the secrets. Thanks to time, tears, therapy, and blessings from God, they have the strength to share their journey. Theirs is a remarkable story of the power of the truth and is a moving example of how to find healing through honesty.

My thoughts:

Jill tells her story with depth and feeling, but doesn’t over-dramatize her story or intentionally vilify people from her past. I was impressed by the amount of restraint she showed in Counting the Cost—in some cases, I imagine it would have been easy to have a vitriolic attitude about different people, but instead, she states the facts and leaves things at that. This isn’t a tell-all story, but Jill is honest about her experiences and gives some details where necessary.

I never paused to consider what it might be like to be someone who takes part in reality TV, and the way she described her experiences made me thankful that I have been able to live my life out of the limelight. While the family’s TV show is a big part of her story, she also goes into some detail about how she and her siblings were raised under Bill Gothard’s teachings, and how she slowly broke free from that after her marriage. She also shares about what happened with her brother Josh and her reaction to his eventual imprisonment.

This book is mostly about the facts of Jill’s life. Although her faith journey is a natural part of the story, she doesn’t focus on that. I found the book to be an intriguing glimpse into the “story behind the story”, and I also found myself relating to Jill’s growth and decisions in a way I didn’t expect. Though our stories are quite different, both of us come from works-oriented faith backgrounds, and I was encouraged to see her approach toward figuring out what’s really important and what can be left up to personal conscience.

Counting the Cost was a gripping book on many levels, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to read it. It gave me more empathy toward the Duggar family as a whole, and made me thankful for the life I’ve been given. If you’re intrigued about Jill’s story—or how IBLP/ATI teachings affect people—I’d highly recommend you pick up this book. I’m also looking forward to reading Jill’s sister’s book Becoming Free Indeed at some stage; Mom tells me that one is more focused on Jinger Vuolo’s faith journey, and I feel like that might complement this book well.

WARNING: Around ch. 6, Derick and Jill hear that their former security guard was murdered (I believe this chapter also mentions a story of a girl’s boyfriend being kidnapped and presumably murdered). In ch. 7, there is a description of one of Jill’s labors, where she suffered from a ruptured uterus (there is one other instance, earlier, where she briefly describes giving birth to her first child—neither of these was graphic enough to be a problem for my teenage brothers). A few times, Jill briefly refers to sexual abuse from her past (not described), and near the end of the book, there are mentions of Josh Duggar’s involvement in child pornography and his imprisonment.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

The Last Fashion House in Paris

by · Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

The Last Fashion House in Paris by Renee Ryan

Title: The Last Fashion House in Paris
Author: Renee Ryan
Major Themes: France, Paris, Spies, Rescues, World War II
Synopsis: When Paulette must flee her home and move to Paris to work in a fashion house, she learns a lot about herself and about life.

Two years ago, I discovered that I liked Renee Ryan’s writing style. Sometime around then, I listened to The Widows of Salzburg. Because I listened to it rather than read it, I was not able to write a review, although I enjoyed most of the story (except when someone was killed). This year, I was offered an advance copy of The Last Fashion House in Paris since I had reviewed The Secret Society of Salzburg. 

Publisher’s description:

In the heart of occupied WWII Paris, an elegant fashion house is the unlikely headquarters of a daring resistance network. Behind closed doors, courageous women vie to save loved ones and strangers alike from the Nazis in this powerful story of survival, friendship and second chances.

France, 1942

Once, Paulette Leblanc spent her days flirting, shopping and drawing elegant dresses in her sketch pad. Then German tanks rolled into France, and a reckless romance turned into deep betrayal. Blaming herself for her mother’s arrest by the Gestapo, Paulette is sent away to begin a new life in Paris, working as apprentice to fashion designer Sabine Ballard.

But Maison de Ballard is no ordinary fashion house. While seamstresses create the perfect couture gowns, clandestine deals and secrets take place out of sight. Mademoiselle Ballard is head of a vast network of resistance fighters—including Paulette’s coworker and friend Nicolle Cadieux—who help escort downed military men and Jewish families to safety.

Soon Paulette is recruited as a spy. Working as a seamstress by day, gathering information at glamorous parties by night, Paulette at last has a chance to earn the redemption she craves. But as the SS closes in, and Nicolle goes missing, Paulette must make life-and-death decisions about who to trust, who to love and who to leave behind…

My thoughts:

I didn’t realize until I started reading The Last Fashion House in Paris that it is a sequel to The Widows of Salzburg. That immediately increased my interest in it—and for the most part, I was not disappointed. Paulette was a fairly minor character in the first book, except for her major, tragic mistake near the end, but this book is all about her. Suddenly, this spoiled teenager is on her own in a cruel world and must grow up.

The story is also about Nicolle and her underground work. That was fascinating. I think my interest in that started about 35 years ago when I picked up an old copy of a book called Paris Underground. In that book, a woman told about how she and a friend or two helped to spirit British airmen to safety. The Last Fashion House in Paris tells a fictionalized version of that work. It really brings occupied Paris to life.

This book is called Christian fiction. I did not find any references to faith, however. The general feel was clean, but there were no references that I noticed to belief in God and doing what they did because of that. It was more that there were people in need, and they were being helped in order to undermine the Nazis who had invaded the country. I did really enjoy the story and had a hard time putting it down. It is very well-written and gripping!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

WARNING: I didn’t plan to write a review for this site, so I didn’t keep detailed notes. It is a war story, so there are mentions of the Gestapo doing terrible things—although there are no details. There are references to the way German officers used women; one woman is a mistress to a high officer. There is also a lot of lying. The worst scene, in my opinion, was one where a woman killed a man in self-defense. There may have been a couple of kisses, but they didn’t stand out. For a war story containing two romances, it was pretty clean.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com