Unlikely Book Review
I tend to shy away from books that hit the mainstream praise. Well, I thought I did. Recently it seems that I’m reading more of them, if for no other reason than curiosity. What is the trend in thinking these days? I wonder. So, my latest book to read is The Shack by William Paul Young.
The premise is that a father experiences a family tragedy and goes back to the site where it happened, only his experience is unexpected. He has an encounter with a physical personification of the trinity — God, Spirit and Jesus.
Having read several books on spirituality (particularly Christian), I found nothing new here in ideas/concepts. I enjoyed it, though, for the creative take on it, how each of the trinity were presented and the beautiful imagery invoked. Perhaps the book has been such a big seller because many of us need examples of deep love and forgiveness; many cannot comprehend all the “bad” in the world if there is, indeed, a loving God. And how to understand the “three-in-one” concept? This book takes a non-academic approach, teaching in layman’s terms through one man’s experience. You can take away what you will, but you may very well leave a tear or two on the pages.
There are websites now, a Project, initiatives to get the book out to the masses. But the basic message is simple.
Love thy neighbor as thyself.
