First
Light: The Early Inspirational Writings of Sue Monk Kidd
By Sue Monk Kidd
Retail: $19.95
Guidepost Books
230 Pages
Most readers know Kidd for her blockbuster novels, The
Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair. Yet this
nurse-turned-writer was known in traditional Christian circles for
years for her inspirational essays and nonfiction spiritual memoirs
(When the Heart Waits) until she turned to a more
nontraditional feminine spirituality (The Dance of the Dissident
Daughter). In the introduction, Kidd admits it was difficult to
go back and reread her earlier work with an eye to publication. But
"[a] significant portion of my life can be understood as spiritual
quest and the articulation of that experience." Gleaned from
Guideposts (for which she wrote for a dozen years), Weavings
and other publications, these essays point to Kidd's desire to pay
attention to her soul, a "repository of the inner Divine, the truest
part of us," from which so much of her writing sprang. The subjects
have universal appeal: a child sharing a red scarf with a homeless
man; the need for solitude; fishing with her grandfather; the joy
and pain of sending a child to college. Most of the essays have a
point, which is neatly explained. Kidd's lovely prose, passion for
the spiritual life and early instincts for telling a compelling
story should help this book attract a wide readership.
|
Patti's
Two-Cents |
 |
The book didn't catch my attention at first, but I
persisted in reading wanting to give it a chance. I'm sure
glad I kept reading. This book ended up being an inspiration
to me in several ways. It made me look at the busyness of life
and made me yearn for more meaning in slower paced living which left
me with time for reflection and stillness before God. I
recommended this as devotional reading. It will bring you
closer to the heart of God.
*Book Bargains & Preview Rating is based on Five Stars.
Price Shop
