An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor

During my last library visit, I felt so lucky. Or blessed. I found a handful of new books by my favorite writers. As I've sat on my bed reading during the last week, I've been surrounded by these great books. It is a really happy feeling for me.

This was one of those books. It's about how we find the sacred in the ordinary things of life. I savored each chapter of this book and only let myself read one chapter a day.

What Taylor says about the Sabbath:

"Test the premise that you are worth more than what you can produce - that even if you spent one whole day being good for nothing you would still be precious in God's sight...Your worth has already been established, even when you are not working. The purpose of the commandment is to woo you to the same truth."

The Cape Ann by Faith Sullivan

The narrator of this book is six-year-old Lark. She describes a year of her life living during the Depression in Harvester, Minnesota. The title, The Cape Ann, refers to the name of the house that Lark and her mother plan on building once they've saved up enough money. This book is sweet, funny, and beautiful. The characters come to life, and Lark's friend, Beverly, is especially funny.

This is my most favorite book so far in 2009. It was satisfying, I savored reading it, and the ending did not disappoint.

Jesus Wept: When Faith and Depression Meet by Barbara C. Crafton

In my church experience, it seems like feeling depressed is viewed as "unChristian." If one is feeling sad, if it is even expressed at all, people respond with cheery comments like, "Look on the bright side of things" or "Why don't you pray and read your Bible more?" or the most awful "Let go, let God!"

Personally, I think these comments should be responded to with something I cannot write here since this blog already has a Content Warning. Or I guess I could write it, since the Content Warning is already there, but I think you know what I'm talking about.


This book explores what it means for followers of Jesus to experience depression. And what I like about this book is that she takes the stigma away from using antidepressants and talk therapy: "There is no reason one must choose between God and therapeutic intervention." This is a little book, but I could see how reading it would make someone suffering from depression (and those around them) feel less alone and to know that there are resources to help them without leaving out their faith.

Girl Meets God: A Memoir by Lauren Winner

This book follows the author's conversion from Judaism to Christianity. It's fairly easy to read and there's no question that the author is an excellent writer. The one unattractive element of this book is the author's pretension. It's as if she is saying, "Look at me, how smart and cute and emotional I am." It gets tiring after awhile. Still, there is some heart to the book which makes it worth reading, and this is actually the second time that I've read it.

Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan

This book is about what happens to a family when their 18-year old daughter goes missing.

Tedious is the best word I can use to describe this book. I finished it, but it was not easy.

Shelter for the Spirit by Victoria Moran

This book is about how to transform your home into a sanctuary. It's about caring for the physical space as well as creating a safe emotional place for you and your family as well.

I have mixed feelings about this book. There were some good tips about organizing, simplifying, and celebrating. But there was something too saccharine about it all as well which made it a bit weird to read.

Miss Manners on Painfully Proper Weddings by Judith Martin

Yes, I read a book on weddings because my boyfriend and I are now engaged. =D

This isn't the typical wedding planning book. Miss Manners focuses on the importance of relationships and hospitality instead of how to create the "perfect" day. She also suggests that the bride and groom should be practicing qualities like patience, respect, kindness, humility toward each other as well as their guests since these qualities will also come in handy in a marriage.

This book is very funny as well. Miss Manners is blunt and addresses issues in a no-nonsense kind of way. Clement and I took turns reading different letters out loud because they were so funny, yet informative.