Finished It! . . . WOW!

If you read this blog much, you know I like books.  You know I LOVE books.  I've been called "a reading fool" (in jest, I hope!).  So please don't discount this post just because "Don's blogging about another book again."

There are books and there are books.  The Shack is definitely in a league of its own.  As I said in my post Tuesday, I'd never heard of it before that morning.  I happened to mention it to Bob Ewing, and of course he had a copy and had read it.  (He mentioned that he really liked it, so I borrowed his copy and set aside my Bruce Catton books on the Civil War to read it.)

It's an amazing little work.  Only 248 pages of fairly large print, so it's an easy read.  The author, William Young, was unknown to me, and isn't a particularly astounding literary artist. I doubt that he'll be receiving the Pulitzer for this book--but you never know. In spite of its "ordinary-ness," it's a truly profound work. On the cover, Eugene Peterson (editor/writer of The Message:  The Bible In Contemporary Language) is quoted:

"This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's PILGRIM'S PROGRESS did for his.  It's that good!"

It's the (true-ish) story of the journey of one man (Mackenzie Allen Phillips) through the darkest and coldest of valleys, emerging into the unlikely presence of God.  Young describes Phillips' encounter with the Trinity in a jaw-dropping, convention-challenging way.  I loved it!

Like many other authors, Young includes a quote at the beginning of each chapter in the book. I was thrilled that for chapter 16 he quoted one of my favorite Christian writer/thinkers of the past, A.W. Tozer. This quote sums up the theme of the whole book, and one that gives me great comfort--especially when I feel like one little speck of dust.

"An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children.  He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others."

READ THIS BOOK!!!!!  (Go to www.theShackBook.com for information.)  I'll be reading it again--after I buy my own copy.