Illusion by Frank Peretti

[pastor's wife]

(08-12-2012 07:00 PM)troublewit Wrote:  I don't remember "The Oath"... was that the one about schooling? By the way, great sign-off quote. Among the first books I was introduced to after my conversion were 'Mere Christianity' and the 'Chronicles of Narnia'.

"The Oath" is about a town in a western state whose founders in the 1800s made a deal with the devil. It's like a metaphor come to life, with the sin in someone's heart becoming something visual and vile.

C. S. Lewis is one of my all-time favorite writers. I re-read his books all the time and was recently able to see "The Screwtape Letters" onstage which was awesome! My parents didn't let us read the Narnia series when we were kids because of the witch and when I grew older, they warned me not to read Lewis because he was Anglican.

Quote:As I looked them over, I remembered reading in JD Salinger's "Franny and Zooey" that one of the characters became obsessed with morality after reading a book called "Pilgrim's Progress" by Bunyan. There, in the bookshelf, was a copy of the book. That was the one I selected. I had no idea it was a classic. So... I have JD Salinger to thank for my introduction to Evangelical Christianity....

That's amazing!

My first introduction to "Pilgrim's Progress" was through a children's book that actually is quite detailed but leaves out some of the deeper theological discussions and turns the main character into a child. I won it through participating in Bible Memory Association. It was one of my favorite books as a child.

http://www.amazon.com/Little-Pilgrims-Pr...cr_pr_pb_t

PresbyGirl, you should go back and reread "Mere Christianity". I reread it at least once every year or two.

[troublewit]

(08-13-2012 10:04 AM)pastors wife Wrote:  

(08-12-2012 07:00 PM)troublewit Wrote:  I don't remember "The Oath"... was that the one about schooling? By the way, great sign-off quote. Among the first books I was introduced to after my conversion were 'Mere Christianity' and the 'Chronicles of Narnia'.

"The Oath" is about a town in a western state whose founders in the 1800s made a deal with the devil. It's like a metaphor come to life, with the sin in someone's heart becoming something visual and vile.

C. S. Lewis is one of my all-time favorite writers. I re-read his books all the time and was recently able to see "The Screwtape Letters" onstage which was awesome! My parents didn't let us read the Narnia series when we were kids because of the witch and when I grew older, they warned me not to read Lewis because he was Anglican.

Quote:As I looked them over, I remembered reading in JD Salinger's "Franny and Zooey" that one of the characters became obsessed with morality after reading a book called "Pilgrim's Progress" by Bunyan. There, in the bookshelf, was a copy of the book. That was the one I selected. I had no idea it was a classic. So... I have JD Salinger to thank for my introduction to Evangelical Christianity....

That's amazing!

My first introduction to "Pilgrim's Progress" was through a children's book that actually is quite detailed but leaves out some of the deeper theological discussions and turns the main character into a child. I won it through participating in Bible Memory Association. It was one of my favorite books as a child.

http://www.amazon.com/Little-Pilgrims-Pr...cr_pr_pb_t

PresbyGirl, you should go back and reread "Mere Christianity". I reread it at least once every year or two.

PresbyGirl,
I have owned, read, and given away more copies of this book (Mere Christianity) than (probably) any other. If you decide to re-read it, here's some thoughts I'll share with you which I found fascinating about the book:

*Keep in mind that the chapters were originally BBC 'broadcasts' (later transcribed into book form) which Lewis delivered over the radio during WWII. The messages were like a 'Chautauqua' series given for the troops. Lewis' purpose was to describe... well... 'mere' Chrisitianity in contemporary (at the time) language which would be easy for anyone to understand. So, here you have an Oxford don of Literature 'reigning it in' for the audience.

Two highlights for me are the (opening?) chapter on "Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe" (or something like that... I don't have the book in front of me), and his famous 'trilemma' in a later chapter (If Jesus said the things he was reported to have said, you can't dismiss Him as merely a "great teacher, but only a man"...No, if Jesus said these things, He must be either Liar, Lunatic, or Lord). (...so let's not hear such nonsense as; "Jesus was merely a great teacher, but not God." He didn't leave us with that option. He didn't intend to..." ( I'm paraphrasing here, but I always smile when I read Lewis' Socratic method in tearing down this argument.

Oh, yeah... one more thing... As with any of CS Lewis' writing, you should always read with the 'voice in your head' having a British accent...

Pastor's Wife -

I had to smile when I read of the 'warnings' you received about Lewis being (Horrors!!) an Anglican... Ay Chihuahua!!

By the way, a local bookstore had a sale recently... 1/3 off on all titles. I bought "The Lion, the Witch".

[ddandb]

Never read it, but thanks to you I'm about half way through it now. Really enjoying it. Kind of book that keeps you up late at night as you just want to read one more page.

[notdrinkingthekoolaid]

Are you reading Illusion? Whatever you are reading, glad its enjoyable.

[ddandb]

(09-08-2012 05:39 PM)notdrinkingthekoolaid Wrote:  Are you reading Illusion? Whatever you are reading, glad its enjoyable.

Yup. Illusion.

[pastor's wife]

I'm halfway through Illusion right now too. It's going a bit slowly for me.

[notdrinkingthekoolaid]

Stick with it and hopefully you'll like the ending.

[pastor's wife]

Cool. I almost always finish a book; since I'm a pretty fast reader, I can get through even the not-so-good ones pretty quickly and move on. Only the absolutely execrable do I put down without finishing.

[ddandb]

(09-08-2012 07:54 PM)ddandb Wrote:  

(09-08-2012 05:39 PM)notdrinkingthekoolaid Wrote:  Are you reading Illusion? Whatever you are reading, glad its enjoyable.

Yup. Illusion.

Almost done. I see what's happening and why. This better have a happy ending.

[pastor's wife]

I'm on chapter 44.