Where God Begins to Be: A Woman's Journey into Solitude

by Karen Karper Fredette

"In her inspiring, vividly composed and always faithful book" (Susan Muto), Karen Karper describes a world where life is rich in being rather than in having. Selected as a Catholic Book of the Month, Where God Begins To Be fulfills Murray Bodo's observation that "...instead of myth fabricated from a few fragments, we have here the details--the nitty-gritty, muddy details--of a hermit's daily living." Karen is a "Seer who brings you along with her, joyfully." (Richard Rohr) "In deftly drawn vignettes, Karper's story, told with simplicity and gentle honesty, is one of faith deepening, beauty awakening, and love discovered." (Gerald May)

Genres: Religion, Memoir, Spirituality

119 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish that the author had talked about her worship more throughout the book. She adds a lot of her insights in the last 10 pages and I would have loved them throughout the book and developed more.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple but beautiful tale of a woman’s journey into solitude and the peace she finds there. I really enjoyed this one. It’s short but inspiring.

[KathyJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of my favorite "women on a (somewhat) solitary spiritual journey" books. This time, a previously cloistered nun (Order of the Poor Clares) settles into a very rustic cabin in the Appalachian Mountains. Karper's resourcefulness is challenged as she lives a life of simplicity, in concert with nature and learning to interact with others outside the cloistered environment.

[sasasa · Rating 2 out of 5]

p 49/119. Hoping for some insight into a different way of life, but there didn't seem to be much. maybe it's coming in later chapters and i might pick it up again since it's so short, but zzz for now.

[Marianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A practical look at a life of solitude. I think I was most surprised by how many people were in her life.

[Karen Karper]

A woman fresh out of thirty years in a cloistered monastery reflects on her new life as a hermit in a holler in West Virginia. From trembling with fear for lack of means (including how to work a wood burning stove), she faces what she must - a copperhead in the woodpile. She literally tangles with the briar roses threatening to take over the neglected property around her leaky cabin as well chasing down the flying squirrels who drop through the ceiling. At each turn, she learns more about herself and her God.