The Open Table – Book Reviews
Jesus was known –some would say notoriously so—for His “open table” eating style. In the Gospels, Jesus loved to share life at the table with others and never refused an offer to eat with someone. Most of Jesus’ great discussions with His disciples and others happened around the table. In honor of that model, The Open Table is a forum where all are welcome to join in the conversation about the books suggested and more. It’s a place where book reviews will be served up, but also where other thoughts, observations, and life happenings can be discussed and ideas savored. Your participation is encouraged. All contributions will be valued and nourished. Good manners are expected of course at The Table. Welcome to The Open Table. I hope we can meet here often. Great times are ahead! –thyrkas
Wicked
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire (Harper Collins, 1995), is a fairytale spun from a fairytale. As the title suggests, this book is derived from...
Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians
Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians: Finding Authentic Faith in a Forgotten Age with C. S. Lewis by Chris R. Armstrong A friendly crush of people gathered recently at Anselm House, a study center at the University of Minnesota, to "get medieval" with Chris R....
The Zookeeper’s Wife
The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman is the historical narrative of Christian Polish zookeepers, Jan Zabinski, a trained zoologist and the director of the Warsaw zoo, and his wife,...
The Wright Brothers
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough Among the many intriguing stories and historical notes in the New York Times Best Seller The Wright Brothers (Simon & Schuster, 2015), by David McCullough, there is this bit of information: Even though the motto of the state...
Jesus Speaks
Jesus Speaks Learning to Recognize and Respond to the Lord's Voice by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola Jesus Speaks: Learning to Recognize and Respond to the Lord's Voice (2016, Thomas Nelson), is the third book in the Jesus trilogy by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola....
To the Table
To the Table A Spirituality of Food, Farming and Community by Lisa Graham McMinn Lisa Graham McMinn's book To the Table - A Spirituality of Food, Farming and Community (2016, Brazos Press) is a splendid publication to add to your collection of books about food and...
Gringos
Gringosby Charles PortisCharles Portis, born in Arkansas in 1933, is a remarkable and distinctive writer. You may know him as the author of the bestseller True Grit, which has been made into a movie twice - first in 1969 and again in 2010. Portis has written several...
The Novels of Miss Read
The Novels of Miss Readby Dora SaintA friend of mine has a favorite book series, The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, which, she assures me, significantly lowers her blood pressure when she reads them. When I want to flee the push-and-shove of...
Following Jesus
Following Jesus:Biblical Reflections on Discipleshipby N.T. WrightIt has been a marvelously refreshing experience to read Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship by N. T. Wright (Eerdmans, 1995) This 2012 edition, which has a new preface by the author,...
The High Mountains of Portugal
The High Mountains of PortugalA Novelby Yann MartelIt was September 2001 when Yann Martel's novel, Life of Pi (2001, Knopf Canada), burst upon the book scene in North America. At that time, Martel's fantasy/adventure story of a boy and a tiger lost at sea in a...