This year, we selected 2 books to share with you. While typically we will only be sending one book, these two books felt so connected to me that I wanted to share both with you.
The first book, A Cloud of Outrageous Blue, by Vesper Stamper, was again first read by David. It moved him, which prompted me to read it as well. We decided to share it with you because we both saw so many parallels between this fictional account of the Bubonic plague (which isn’t fictional) and what the world has experienced with the pandemic in 2020. The story is about a young woman who lives with synesthesia, a condition in which someone experiences their senses in color. She is sent to serve at a convent, and the story which plays out there as people respond to the plague highlights the differences in reaction between those whose faith is in religion, and those whose faith is in God.
Which brings us to the second book shared this year, What’s Wrong with Religion, by Skye Jethani. This non-fiction book talks about the difference between religion (which isn’t limited to people in churches, by the way) and practicing faith in God. My sister Marie introduced me to this book and it felt both validating and life-changing when I read it. I was struggling with deep questions at the time, and I believe God used this book to encourage and inspire me. It also seems to relate well to the first book, in that the fictional story shows us in story form some of the different ways in which the conflict between religion and faith can play out during troubled times.
I’ll warn you that the fictional book is not what I’d consider a happy book, but it is an important and thought-provoking read. If you don’t read the book, I hope that you will at least read the end notes, as the author discusses some important ideas there.
As always, with love for you and for all things literary …
Aunt Kari