Book reviews

In this post I thought I'd list some of the good books I've read in the last several months.

- Walking After Midnight by Katy Hutchison (nonfiction). The author's husband was murdered in 1997 when he intervened in a neighbourhood party. The book discusses how Hutchison dealt with this trauma, how she forged a relationship with the young man who killed her husband, and how she developed a career of speaking to young people about violence, forgiveness, and restorative justice.

- Wounded Prophet by Michael Ford (nonfiction). This is a biography of Henri Nouwen.

- Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer (nonfiction). This book discusses how we must listen to our internal voice, not external influences, in order to determine our life calling.

- The Spiral Staircase by Karen Armstrong (nonfiction). The author talks about her emergence from seven years in a convent and how she struggled for many years to find her life direction. She is now a noted author and speaker on issues of reconciliation between Christians, Muslims, and Jews.

- Before I Wake by Robert Wiersema (fiction). This novel is about a toddler who is hit by a truck and enters a sleep-like state; those who come in physical contact with her find themselves healed of physical ailments. There is also a good-vs-evil drama behind the scenes that adds depth to the story.

- Reading Between the Lines: The Diaries of Women by Betty Jane Wylie. I picked this little book up at Value Village! It's an interesting overview of the diaries of both famous and not-so-famous women.