nonfiction

Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres

Trish2 Comments

If you ever want to fall apart in an emotional wreck, this is the book for you.  I sped through the first 200 pages, because as horrible as the story is, it’s addicting.  I got distracted by vacation, and it was a good two weeks before I was brave enough to pick up Jesus Land again.  I wanted desperately for Julia and David to have a happy ending, but I was terrified they wouldn’t.  I won’t tell you what I found out.

Jesus Land is excellently written, a first-person memoir written in present tense, so everything feels immediate and emotional.  Julia’s descriptions of growing up in an emotionally, physically, spiritually abusive family with her adopted black brother is horrific.  That they both get sent to the Dominican Republic to a Christian camp for rebellious teenagers that is even more abusive makes their story all the more horrifying, pitiable, and desperate.  Escuela Caribe has since closed, and I can only imagine that Jesus Land is largely to thank for it.  I am so glad Scheeres is speaking openly about her experiences.  Christianity has always been a home to people who would use God as a means to subjugate and intimidate others, and this has got to stop.  Continue reading →

Poisoned Apples by Christine Heppermann

TrishLeave a comment

Wow.  I never knew I needed a book that addressed the complexities of growing up female through the lens of poetry based on fairy tale tropes, but this book satisfied a deep part of me.  The topics are sometimes uncomfortably difficult, but then, so are stories of witches eating children.   The best way to advertise this amazing collection is to let it speak for itself–here is one of my favorite poems, “Blow Your House In.”

She used to be a house of bricks,
point guard on the JV team, walling out
defenders who could only huff and puff
and watch as the layups roll in.

She traded for a house of sticks,
kindling in Converse high-tops and a red Adidas tent.
At lunch she swirled a teeny spoon in yogurt
that never touched her lips and said
she’d decided to quit chasing a stupid ball.

Now she’s building herself out of straw
as light as the needle swimming in her bathroom scale.
The smaller the number, the closer to gold,
the tighter her face, afire with the zeal of a wolf
who has one house left to destroy.

Book Jacket poisoned-apples-cover

Once upon a time…you were a princess, or an orphan.  A wicked witch, fairy godmother, prom queen, valedictorian, team captain, Big Bad Wolf, Little Bo Peep.  But you are more than just a hero or a villain, cursed or charmed.  You are everything in between.  You are everything.

In fifty poems, Christine Heppermann places fairy tales side by side with the modern teenage girl.  Powerful and provocative, deadly funny and deadly serious, this collection is one to read, to share, to treasure, and to come back to again and again.

Release Date:  September 2014

Want another opinion?  Check out reviews by Teenreads and Elle.

In, But Not Of by Hugh Hewitt

TrishLeave a comment

What an fascinating book!  Christians often think “meek and mild” automatically means “not influential.”  Hewitt adamantly disagrees.  While he admits the need for ministers and missionaries who focus on individual change, he is a huge proponent for Christians diving into American politics, finance, and entertainment.  Citing examples such as William Wilberforce, he believes that Christians can, and should, affect global change.

To that end, Hewitt’s book is divided into chapters of varying length, but uniform practicality.  He is refreshingly direct, advising readers to live deliberately from a very young age.  I really admired his lack of BS; he doesn’t really care if people agree with him.  He has seen how the world works, and he wrote this book to tell you about it.  For instance, he tells readers that future politicians must live in DC, future financiers must live in NYC, and future entertainers must live in Los Angeles.  Ideally, you should live in all three at some point, and before age 25.  He sets a high standard, but then, world leaders have a lot to live up to.

Balancing Christian humility with ambition is seemingly impossible, but Hewitt has done it.  This book is a must read for Christians who want to affect the world on a systemic level, and it probably ought to be read by everyone else too.  It’s that good.

Book Jacket index

Influence is not accidental.  It is earned.  In, But Not Of charts the course to acquiring influence over the life of a career while remaining committed to the commands and example of Christ.

Broadcast journalist and law professor Hugh Hewitt not only challenges us to become more engaged in steering the course of history through politics, law, finance, and entertainment, but he also maps out simple, effective strategies that will enable us to bring our visions of influence to pass.

Release Date:  May 2010

Want another opinion?  Check out reviews at Christianity Today and Brothers Judd.