I received this wonderful little book for review from the author, Matthew Warner, months ago. MONTHS ago. I read it in an evening, lauded his vision, and then did the dreadful thing — the thing most of us who are book lovers know to be a bad move. I let someone borrow it.
It disappeared for all these months, until I got it back today. I didn’t think I would. In fact, I’ve started to give people books, instead of lending them, so I don’t fret over their return. But I was surprised to get this one back. I reread it, because it’s well-written, and then I remembered why I lent it, and that I hadn’t really properly reviewed it. So here’s the review.
And here’s why I lent it:
The message in this book is for all of us.
Are we measuring out our lives in coffee spoons, as Prufrock laments, content to live by-the-book instead of by-the-Word?
Matt encourages us to get messy. To take risks. To live our lives fully. This means detaching ourselves from the meaningless markers we create for success. He reminds us that Jesus said, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
The challenge is this — can we take the risk — do we allow ourselves the vulnerability of engaging, truly engaging with those who are around us, in our families, our friends, our neighbors? The fruit of it is, of course, finding our place in God. When we do this – we truly begin the work of evangelization.
I’m going to give the book away to someone I know, someone close to me, maybe a friend, or a family member. I get it, and I think more people need to get this simple message, too.
#21 on my on-going book challenge:
1. A totally gratuitous and vapid book that I’ll forget the moment I set it down after finishing it. I suspect this happened more than a few times last year.
2. A biography.
3. A history book. Preferably American history because I’m weak there.
4.A book about music. The Inextinguishable Symphony by Martin Goldsmith
5. A book about an artist.
6. A book of poetry.
7. A book about prayer.
8.A science-fiction novel. Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
9. A book about Catholic theology.
10. A book about writing.
11. A classic.
12. A New York Times best-seller.
13. A book in Spanish.
14. A romance.
15. A murder mystery.
16. A book about a Saint.
17. A book BY a Saint.
18.A book by a friend. A Catholic Gardener’s Spiritual Almanac by Margaret Rose Really
19. A book about photography.
20.A book about science. Nikola Tesla: Imagination and the Man Who Invented the 20th Century by Sean Patrick
21.A book with a pretty cover. Yes, I’m going to judge it. Messy and Foolish by Matthew Warner
22. A book with an ugly cover. I’ll stay open minded.
23. A banned book. Hey. It’s me we’re talking about here.
24. A book that’s been sitting on my bookshelf, unread, for years.
25. A book you recommend.