Category Archives: Spiritual

The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell

Posted on May 15, 2015 by bseat

Father Alex Andreou is an Eastern Catholic priest living inside Vatican City with his 5 year old son, Peter. He is a part of  small  but confounding tradition which follows the Greek Orthodox traditions which allows priests to marry but … Continue reading →

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The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber

Posted on April 17, 2015 by bseat

As a daughter of missionaries I am always intrigued by how missionaries are portrayed in fiction. In general they don’t fair very well. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is probably the most recent example of the missionary stereotype in … Continue reading →

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Lila by Marilynne Robinson

Posted on March 13, 2015 by bseat

In Lilla, Lila Dahl, a character we met in Robinson’s previous books Gilead and Home, tells the story of how she was found and raised by Doll, became a part of group of itinerant farm workers who wandered together, broke … Continue reading →

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To Rise Again at a Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris

Posted on November 14, 2014 by bseat

Sometimes a book’s categorization is elusive. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the book without trying to make it fit a mold.  To Rise Again at a Decent Hour is just such a book. It’s a little bit syfi, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Spiritual, Thriller | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

About Grace by Anthony Doerr

Posted on August 22, 2014 by bseat

When we first meet David Winkler he is boarding a plane, and returning home for the first time in twenty-five years. Back then he had been a husband, and a father working as a staff meteorologist at a TV station … Continue reading →

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The Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before And After Jesus by Thomas Cahill

Posted on April 18, 2014 by bseat

On this Good Friday in 2014 it seems appropriate to consider the impact of Jesus on our history, culture and thought. Thomas Cahill in his continuing series on the Hinges of History takes up the question of Jesus and his … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Series, Spiritual | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott

Posted on November 29, 2013 by bseat

I have appreciated Anne Lamott’s wisdom and spiritual honesty for quite a while now.  Her earlier books; Traveling Mercies (2000) and Plan B (2006) were both books that I found to be wise, honest, funny and profound.  This new book … Continue reading →

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

Posted on December 21, 2012 by bseat

For my first Christmas posting it seems appropriate to talk about the wonderful book by Barbara Robinson called The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.  For years now, our family has read this out loud as part of our Christmas celebration, either … Continue reading →

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Mysteries of the Middle Ages by Thomas Cahill

Posted on December 14, 2012 by bseat

I first encountered Cahill when I read “How the Irish Saved Civilization,”  the first volume in his  “Hinges of History.” It  was a joy to read!  Cahill likes to use themes in writing about history and he takes seemingly simple … Continue reading →

Posted in Non Fiction, Series, Spiritual | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment