Tim Challies’ Reflections on Reading. Mr. Challies has excellent food for thought here, especially for Christians who might be thinking they should read more or who are wondering how to make serious reading and study a part of their spiritual lives.
Ella at Box of Books is doing interviews with various litbloggers, set to post while she’s on vacation. My first thought is that I wish I’d thought of this, and my second is that I like the question she’s been asking all her subjects: “Who’s your favorite underappreciated author, and what makes them great?” If you didn’t get interviewed (like me, boo-hoo) and you have a favorite underappreciated author, please leave your answer in the comments. I would say some underappreciated authors that I’ve discovered are Samuel Shellabarger, Leif Enger, and Penelope Wilcock.
Barbara at Mommy Life has a great story of how a talented young lady brought truth before the Colorado Legislature.
My favorite under-appreciated author is Lisa Samson. She write’s contemporary Christian fiction, but unlike any other Christian fiction I’ve read. Her characters are real and flawed and have distinct voices and have normal life struggles. In her books, I’ve met a pastor’s wife who is tempted to have an affair; a homosexual man who loves Jesus and remains celibate and is neer healed of his tendencies (at least not in the pages of the book); a woman in the “sandwich” generation with teenage kids and an elderly, disabled mother at home; a woman with extreme social anxiety who doesn’t like to leave her house; and a gospel singer who descends into deep depression – and that’s just a few of them! The books I referenced are The Church Ladies, Tiger Lillie, Club Sandwich, Women’s Intuition, and Songbird, if anyone’s interested.
My favorite under-appreciated author is Lisa Samson. She write’s contemporary Christian fiction, but unlike any other Christian fiction I’ve read. Her characters are real and flawed and have distinct voices and have normal life struggles. In her books, I’ve met a pastor’s wife who is tempted to have an affair; a homos*xual man who loves Jesus and remains celibate and is neer healed of his tendencies (at least not in the pages of the book); a woman in the “sandwich†generation with teenage kids and an elderly, disabled mother at home; a woman with extreme social anxiety who doesn’t like to leave her house; and a gospel singer who descends into deep depression – and that’s just a few of them! The books I referenced are The Church Ladies, Tiger Lillie, Club Sandwich, Women’s Intuition, and Songbird, if anyone’s interested.
Sherry – sorry about double-posting! I wasn’t sure it had gone through.
Elizabeth Goudge, Gene Stratton Porter and Edith Pargeter (aka Ellis Peters)–specifically, The Heaven Tree Trilogy.