Sue Fairhead's Blog, page 50

All is Grace (by Brennan Manning)

I have very much appreciated the books I have read by Brennan Manning. I started acquiring his works after one of my sons sent me his best-known book, now a classic, ‘The Ragamuffin Gospel’, about fifteen years ago. Manning was a Catholic priest and a popular speaker, but his life was plagued by feelings of insecurity, and increased alcohol dependency. 

I knew parts of his history, as mentioned in others of his books which I’ve acquired over the years; he was a fascinating person, very hones...

The Summer House (by Marcia Willett)

I am so enjoying re-reading Marcia Willett’s novels. They are warm, full of likeable three-dimensional characters, and with intriguing storylines. I’m trying to read them in the order in which they were published, since many of her novels reference people from previous books, if only in passing. Not that is the case for ‘The Summer House’, as far as I can tell - I last read it about nine years ago, and had entirely forgotten both the cast and the story.

At least, I thought I had forgotten th...

The Sealwoman's Gift (by Sally Magnusson)

I had never heard of Sally Magnusson. Apparently she’s the daughter of the late Magnus Magnusson, best-known for hosting the British TV show Mastermind. I had not realised that he was Icelandic-born, something that’s relevant to this novel, ‘The Sealwoman’s Gift’, which is about Icelanders.  It’s not a book I would normally have come across, but it’s the one for this month’s Reading Group, so I bought it at the end of last year in preparation.

It’s the author’s debut novel, and what an astou...

The Time of my Life (by Cecelia Ahern)

I’ve read several books by Cecelia Ahern over the years. I’ve liked some of them very much, others I found well-written and interesting, but not so appealing. Each one has been quite different, and some of them include slightly surreal elements as part of an otherwise ordinary setting - so when I see her books inexpensively at a church bookstall, I usually buy them.  ‘The Time of my Life’ is one I picked up a few months ago, and I’ve just finished reading it.

Lucy is the narrator of this boo...

Specks and Planks (by Jeff Lucas)

I have very much enjoyed all the books I’ve read by Jeff Lucas. He’s a British Christian writer who pastors a church in the United States. He also travels regularly, and is quite transatlantic in his views. He’s a good friend of Adrian Plass, and shares some of his tendencies to both deprecating humour, and an excellent way with words. 

I was given ‘Specks and Planks’ for Christmas, having learned that this was Jeff Lucas’s newest book. I was slightly surprised to realise how very recently i...

Maskerade (by Terry Pratchett)

I’m re-reading - gradually - through Terry Pratchett’s lengthy ‘Discworld’ series, and reached the eighteenth novel, ‘Maskerade’.  I recalled quite enjoying this one when I read it before; the last time was in 2006. Despite it being over fourteen years ago, I even remembered some of the story. However that’s probably because it’s loosely based on the classic ‘Phantom of the Opera’.

The unfortunately named Agnes Nitt is really the star of this book, in a low-key kind of way. Agnes comes from ...

One Step Closer to You (by Alice Peterson)

I have loved every book I’ve read by Alice Peterson, since I first discovered her writing nearly fourteen years ago. Her novels cover some important contemporary issues, many of them related to some kind of disability. She does this very sympathetically, and with some great characterisation and storylines. It’s not quite six years since I first read ‘One step closer to you’, but I had almost entirely forgotten the plot, and had no recollection of the characters. 

Polly is the  main protagoni...

Rose Cottage (by Mary Stewart)

I first came across Mary Stewart’s novels in my library at my secondary school, many decades ago. I was pleased when I found some of them, years later, in charity shops; and in more recent years I have been able to acquire re-printed versions of those I didn’t have already. One of these is ‘Rose Cottage’.

I did in fact have it as part of an omnibus edition with three of Stewart’s novels, but it was quite an unwieldy tome, which I read in 2011. Since I also had one of the books in this omnib...

Prayer and Temperament (by Chester P Michael)

It’s nearly thirteen years since I acquired and read ‘Prayer and Temperament’.  I knew nothing about the author, Chester P Michael then, except that he was a Roman Catholic priest. Apparently he died in 2014, at the age of 97.  So when this book was published, in 1991, he must have been 85 - which surprises me, as the writing feels like that of a much younger person.

The main theme of the book relates to Myers-Briggs theory, and particularly Keirseyan Temperament theory: that we have differe...

A Common Life (by Jan Karon)

I’m so pleased I decided to re-read my novels by Jan Karon, set in the (fictional) small American town of Mitford. They are warm and often poignant, yet tinged with humour. While some of the minor characters are a bit stereotyped, the main ones - the Episcopalian minister known as Father Tim and his neighbour Cynthia - are entirely three dimensional. They’re big-hearted, kind, and also vulnerable. 

I last read ‘A Common Life’ in 2006.  It’s the third, chronologically, in the Mitford series. ...