What I Have Been Reading: Book Reviews & Recommendations

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My Book Reviews and Recommendations

I don’t know about you but, I have to really be in the right mood to start a book.

At times I go for months (even longer) without picking up a book. Then at other times, I go through spells of devouring books one after another. Right now, I am kind of in a moderate reading mode.

Over the past few months, I have read three books that I truly enjoyed and got so much out of, that I wanted to share them all with you.

At first glance, these books are very different. But in reality, they all have one common thread, which I will elaborate on later.

But without further ado, let’s dig right in!

Book #1

THE STRANGER IN THE LIFEBOAT by Mitch Albom

What’s it About?

The Stranger in a LIfeboat starts off by taking the reader into a raft that is drifting in the ocean. There are ten people who have survived a shipwreck and together they are trying to live long enough to be rescued. After 3 days of them holding on for dear life, a stranger appears in the water seemingly needing to be rescued.

They help this person onto the already crowded raft. But what the stranger says, shocks and confuses the other survivors. He claims to be “the Lord”. He offers a way for all of them to be saved, but many don’t believe him.

The story weaves in and out from the perspective of three points of view. The first is from the Sea (which is a first-person perspective of one of the passengers), the second is from Land ( a third-person perspective, following a detective as he is trying to figure out what caused the ship to explode and if anyone survived), the third vantage point is that of a News Report via the anchor and the field reporter.

While The Stranger in the Lifeboat has elements of a savior, it is not a religious book or story. But it is one of hope, love and mystery. It is a tale that will take you on a journey as well as keep you guessing.

It is a New York Times Best-Seller and for good reason. I was thoroughly engaged in this novel and couldn’t put it down.

Book #2

ON THE SPECTRUM: Autism, Faith & The Gifts of Neurodiversity by Daniel Bowman, Jr.

What is it About?

On the Spectrum is a memoir of sorts about the author (who is a writer, a professor, a husband & father) and his personal journey of his later-in-life autism diagnosis. He shares very personal details of his struggles to navigate life in a neurotypical world and how autism shapes his day-to-day activities and he kindly allows us into his thought processes.

Bowman shares stories of events in his life(including those of his childhood in Upstate New York) that give the reader, whether neurotypical or neurodiverse insight into what living with an autistic brain is like, at least for him. He emphasizes how important it is for those without autism to hear these real-life accounts from the person’s #ownvoice, instead of receiving information on this topic from someone who isn’t personally living that life.

The way the author frames autism was eye-opening. He enlightens the reader to the fact that being autistic isn’t a deficiency, it is simply a brain that runs on a different operating system. Think Android and IOS.

Because Bowman is a man of faith and lives his life as such, he weaves that element in this book as well his love of art and writing in an almost poetically descriptive way. The reader gets to experience all of this from his perspective.

On the Spectrum challenges us to learn how to love and live with our autistic friends, family, and neighbors and show compassion and understanding, something that we all need.

I found this book incredibly helpful and inspiring and I think you will too. Whether you are wanting to know more because someone in your world is on the spectrum, or just because you desire a greater understanding of others, this book is for you.

Book #3

THE THIRD OPTION: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation by Miles McPherson

What is it About?

The Third Option is a hopeful book about how we can go about healing some of the racial divides in our nation. One way the author suggests we do that is to try to see others from God’s perspective. While Miles McPherson is a pastor and a man of faith, and though he weaves that perspective in his writing, this book is truly for everyone of every faith background.

McPherson brings us into the Third Option by first shining a reflective light onto ourselves. He reveals to us the reasons we often group ourselves with those like us and why we have a tendency to turn away from those that aren’t in our “in-group”. Using a little psychology to reveal our human nature, he then shows us another way to view others.

The Third Option speaks to both black (or brown) and white, Christian and non-Christians about how we can choose to see others in a way that can unite us all. His tone is one of love and human compassion.

McPherson also uses real-life examples of people stepping out of their comfort zone and reveals the moment where they begin to become aware of some of the subtle prejudices they (& we) have and how they can be overcome in a very real way.

I finished this book feeling hopeful and encouraged that change can be made, but knowing it is up to each of us as individuals to truly make a difference.

If you are someone who is seeking a way to better connect with others who may not look like, think like, or pray like you do, this book is a great place to start.

A Common Thread

As you can see from the descriptions of the books, Stranger in a LIfeboat, On The Spectrum & The Third Option, they are definitely very different books on very different topics. But if we dig a little deeper, we can find a commonality in them all.

What I see in all of these as a common thread is that of humanity. Being able to appreciate and love ourselves for who we are, being willing to love and accept others for who and where they are, and simply learning to be a compassionate human being who can admit faults, accept grace when it is given to us and be willing to give it to others around us.

Each of these books left me feeling uplifted and hopeful and gave me a lot to think about going forward.

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