Search Results for: blog lds fiction vs national fiction vs classics

The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver

I’ve seen this book reviewed in scads of places and heard people talking about it, so I wanted to read it for myself and see if it measured up (in my estimation) to all the press it’s been getting. The book takes place in the 1960s. Nathan Price is a preacher who feels called to go to the Belgian Congo to teach Christianity to the natives. He takes along his wife, Orleanna, and their four daughters: Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May. They can only take the barest of necessities, but they hardly know what those necessities might be, having … Continue reading →

“Seek Ye Out of the Best Books”

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As a confirmed bibliophile, I frequently find myself in search of books to devour. In fact, I was brought into the church through Gerald Lund’s LDS series, “The Work and the Glory.” Since I live on the east coast, that means my primary brick and mortar source for similar books is the LDS bookstore. However, my favorite bookstores have always been used bookstores, and I have a hard time paying full price for novels. Similarly, my fallback, the library, rarely carries these books. This puts me in a difficult position; how do I find good, uplifting books to read without … Continue reading →

Light on Snow – Anita Shreve

“Light on Snow” is the first Anita Shreve novel I’ve read, and I really enjoyed it. Nicky Dillon is a twelve-year-old girl whose mother and baby sister were killed in a car accident two years before. Her father was completely bereft and sold their house, packing up all their things and taking them to New England, where he hoped they would make a brand new start. Nicky doesn’t like the fact that they’ve left every aspect of their old life behind, but she knows he needs this, so she tries to go along with it. One afternoon she and her … Continue reading →

Take Advantage of Your Church Library!

My first calling in the church led me to realize that most members just don’t take sufficient advantage of the branch or ward library. We tend to use it for lesson preparation, and not much else. Occasionally, we might check out a video, though most of the time we only do so for class. But most church libraries are well-equipped, even in smaller branches. What can you find in your ward library? Here are just a few great materials I have utilized over the ten years I have been a member: Books – I’ll start with what should be the … Continue reading →