Open Book January 2025 #anopenbook
Today I’m joining Carolyn Astfalk and CatholicMom.com for An Open Book.
Octave of All Souls by Robert Eady
Synopsis: A woman considered mad by many local townspeople due to an earlier very public suicide attempt visits the local cemetery for eight days in November to pray for and help send to heaven those who have died the previous year. After returning from the cemetery, she writes letters to a friend in Brazil describing everything she knows about the deceased townsfolk she has prayed for, thereby laying bare the soul of a small Ontario town. Lives described include a drug-dealing widow robber murdered with the help of a woman waiting for years to settle an old score; a reclusive wood carver who transformed his home into a house of horror; a tough-as-nails proprietress who has turned her restaurant into a shrine for her dead son; an irascible councilor who uses “easements” as a weapon to wield power over the entire town.
My review: Coming!
Twenty-Six Seconds: A Personal History of the Zapruder Film by Alexandra Zapruder
Amazon Synopsis: The moving, untold family story behind Abraham Zapruder’s film footage of the Kennedy assassination and its lasting impact on our world.
Abraham Zapruder didn’t know when he ran home to grab his video camera on November 22, 1963 that this single spontaneous decision would change his family’s life for generations to come. Originally intended as a home movie of President Kennedy’s motorcade, Zapruder’s film of the JFK assassination is now shown in every American history class, included in Jeopardy and Trivial Pursuit questions, and referenced in novels and films. It is the most famous example of citizen journalism, a precursor to the iconic images of our time, such as the Challenger explosion, the Rodney King beating, and the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers. But few know the complicated legacy of the film itself.
Now Abraham’s granddaughter, Alexandra Zapruder, is ready to tell the complete story for the first time. With the help of the Zapruder family’s exclusive records, memories, and documents, Zapruder tracks the film’s torturous journey through history, all while American society undergoes its own transformation, and a new media-driven consumer culture challenges traditional ideas of privacy, ownership, journalism, and knowledge.
Part biography, part family history, and part historical narrative, Zapruder demonstrates how one man’s unwitting moment in the spotlight shifted the way politics, culture, and media intersect, bringing about the larger social questions that define our age.
My review: This was a fascinating account of the origins of the Zapruder film and the challenges that the family has faced throughout the years. Highly recommend.
The Christkindl’s Gift by Kathleen Morgan
Amazon Synopsis: When Anna Hannack’s father-in-law brings home a wounded stranger only days before Christmas, Anna’s not happy. Christian charity moves the Hannack family to help the injured man, but the young widow Anna keeps her distance. The tragedies of life have shattered her trust, and she’s determined not to let another stranger threaten her family. Could it be, though, that this rugged Scotsman is actually the gift Anna’s young children have asked of the Christ child this Christmas?
My review: I don’t know why this has a low rating on Amazon. This is a lovely, clean Christmas romance. I read this every few years as I enjoy Morgan’s writing style. Except for one anachronism, it’s a beautiful story. Recommend. 4/5.
Stay With Me by Carolyn Astfalk
Amazon Synopsis: With her sister Abby’s encouragement, Rebecca has moved out of their overbearing father’s home. When a chance encounter with Chris ends with an invitation, Rebecca says yes. The authentic way Chris lives his life attracts Rebecca and garners her affection. Chris loves Rebecca and her innocence, but he’s confounded by the emotional scars she bears from her parents and an attempted assault. Her father’s disdain for Chris’s faith and career only make matters worse. With the counsel of their friend Father John, can Rebecca and Chris overcome every obstacle and bridge the deepening gulf between them and her dad? Or will a crucial lapse in judgment and its repercussion end their relationship?
My review: This book was published by FQP in 2015, so it’s almost ten years old. The first time I read it, I could not put it down. This book has something for everyone: romance, believable characters, a rich and detailed setting, humor, and the theology of the body. I read it every few years when I have time for pleasure reading–that’s how much I love this book! And thank you, Carolyn, for giving me the honor of publishing this book. Highly recommend!
Christmas Miracles: Magical True Stories of Modern Day Miracles by Jamie Miller, Laura Lewis and Jennifer Sander
Amazon Synopsis: At Christmas, our hearts are touched by reports of wondrous occurrences that make us stop, reflect, and hope. This luminous book shares true accounts of Christmas miracles — inspiring events that happened to real people at Christmas time, including:
A Christmas Mystery: A deaf boy’s generosity is miraculously rewarded
First Christmas: Newlyweds take part in the local Christmas pageant — and receive a surprising lesson in timeless love
My Christmas Angel: A pro baseball player visits a children’s ward to cheer the patients, and is himself transformed
A Heart for Christmas: A series of coincidences brings new life to a little girl
The Stranger: A gentle, mysterious Christmas Eve visitor awes a family
Christmas Saved My Mother: A rabbi tells how his mother, fleeing the Holocaust, was spared on Christmas Eve
George Misses a Shift: Sudden car trouble on Christmas night saves a couple’s life… and more.
Albert Einstein said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.” If you believe in miracles — or want to — let Christmas Miracles light the candle of hope in your heart this year.
My review: I bought this book 25 years ago, and every year, I read it again. It’s jam-packed with wonderful stories! Highly recommend.
