Sue Fairhead's Blog, page 22

Rediscovering the Father Heart of God (by Jeff Lucas)

I have very much appreciated the books by Jeff Lucas over the past decade or so. He is a pastor, originally from the UK but living in the United States. Some of his books are full of anecdotes and self-deprecating humour; others are more serious and thought-provoking. ‘Rediscovering the Father Heart of God’ is one of the latter, which I first read nearly ten years ago, in January 2014. 
I had forgotten what it was about, though the title could have reminded me. The book is an exposition of the...

One Way to Write your Novel (by Dick Perry)

Over two decades ago, I came across the book ‘One way to write your novel’ by Dick Perry, while browsing my father’s bookshelves. I started reading, and found it quirky, interesting, and instructive. I had no real plans to write a novel at the time, but could see that the author’s structured method could be quite helpful, if one’s mind worked that way. A decade or so later, browsing a second-hand store, I came across this book and decided I would like my own copy. 
However, it’s taken me until...

Shocks for the Chalet School (by Elinor M Brent-Dyer)

In my gradual re-reading of the ‘Chalet School’ series by Elinor M Brent-Dyer, I reached ‘Shocks for the Chalet School’, 25th in the original series. I hadn’t read it since 2012, when I had an abridged Armada edition only. I was given a hardback by a relative who was clearing out someone’s attic, and out of curiosity, compared the two (off and on) as I read. I hadn’t recalled any of the plot. 
The story opens as Miss Annersley, Head of the Chalet School, receives a cable from Australia. That’s...

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey)

It’s a long time since I read the books by the late Dr Paul Brand (in conjunction with Philip Yancey). I have two of them in one volume, ‘In the Likeness of God’, which I finished for the first time back in 2007. I recalled finding this inspiring, encouraging and helpful but hadn’t remembered much of the content. I have just finished the first of the books, ‘Fearfully and Wonderfully Made’, and, again, thought it excellent.
Paul Brand was a missionary doctor whose vocation was for people with ...

The Tin Can Tree (by Anne Tyler)

I’m glad I decided to reread some of my novels by the American novelist Anne Tyler, but I think I’ve probably had my fill, at least for a while. I’ve just finished ‘The Tin Can Tree’, which I last read in September 2007.  Unsurprisingly, I didn’t remember any of it. But I’m not sure that I’ll recall much of it even a year from now, let alone another fifteen or sixteen years.
James is the main protagonist of the book; at least, I think he is. It’s hard to tell. It’s essentially about a mini com...

No Land to Light on (by Yara Zgheib)

I had never heard of Yara Zgheib and most likely would not have come across her book ‘No Land to Light on’ in the normal course of events. But it was allocated for this month’s local reading group, so I put it on my wishlist earlier in the year and was given it for my birthday.
It’s a very striking book. It features a married couple who have been separated by unexpected circumstances. The story opens at the end of January 2017. A six-months pregnant young Syrian woman called Sama is waiting in...

Always and Forever (by Cathy Kelly)

I have read several books by Cathy Kelly over the past few years. They’re women’s fiction, often featuring several main characters, and set in Ireland. I very much liked most of them, and was looking forward to reading ‘Always and Forever’ which I picked up inexpensively at a church book sale back in 2019.
The prologue introduces a woman from California called Leah who has decided to buy a large, run-down house which has been unsaleable for a while. The estate agent thinks she’s crazy, but she...

Party Shoes (by Noel Streatfeild)

I decided it was time to re-read my collection of Noel Streatfeild books, many of them stories I have loved since childhood. Although I acquired some in my teens, I’ve managed to find others as an adult, mostly second-hand. One of these is ‘Party Shoes’, which I originally knew as ‘Party Frock’. I discovered that on my grandmother’s shelves when I was about eight or nine, and read it regularly. It then took me many years to find it again, so I was glad that it was eventually republished, desp...

Airs and Graces (by Erica James)

I started reading books by Erica James over twenty years ago, and have liked them all. I’m currently re-reading my collection, some of them for the third time. ‘Airs and Graces’ is actually the first of her books that I ever read, and I re-read it in 2008. So when I picked it up to re-read again a few days ago, I had almost entirely forgotten the storyline.
I say ‘almost’ entirely, because I had vaguely recalled the opening scenes: two friends are meeting for coffee when they come across a run...

The Hypnotist's Love Story (by Liane Moriarty)

I was so impressed with the first book I read by Liane Morarty, ‘Big Little Lies’, that I put a few more of her novels on my wishlist and was very pleased to receive some for Christmas last year, and my birthday this year. It’s taken me this long to pick one of them from my unread book shelf. The one I chose was ‘The Hypnotist’s Love Story’. It’s quite a long novel, at 500 pages, but I finished it in just three days.
Ellen is the main protagonist; she is the hypnotist of the title, or rather (...