Much of my reading time is taken up with materials that pertain to preparing to preach and/or pastoring a church. I try to have a history/historical biography within arms length at all times. I also enjoy how-to/self-help books on occasion. Periodically, I like to pick up something for purely recreational reading. I read this book during spring break and found it to be an extremely engaging read.
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| http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Novel-Pocket-Readers-Guide/dp/1451625332/ref=bxgy_cc_b_img_b |
"The assumption of time is one of humanity's greatest follies. We tell ourselves that there's always tomorrow, when we can no more predict tomorrow than we can the weather. Procrastination is the thief of dreams." — Richard Paul Evans (The Walk)
Here is a summary from the book:
This is the first book in The Walk series, a story about the physical and spiritual journey of Alan Christoffersen.My .02:
What would you do if you lost everything—your job, your home, and the love of your life—all at the same time? When it happens to Seattle ad executive Alan Christoffersen, he’s tempted by his darkest thoughts. A bottle of pills in his hand and nothing left to live for, he plans to end his misery. Instead, he decides to take a walk. But not any ordinary walk. Taking with him only the barest of essentials, Al leaves behind all that he’s known and heads for the farthest point on his map: Key West, Florida. The people he encounters along the way, and the lessons they share with him, will save his life—and inspire yours.
The Walk is written in journal form and follows the physical (and spiritual) journey of a man that is seeking the true meaning of life. This is the first in a series of novels that chronicle Alan's walk across the US after the loss of everything that he loves. I was drawn into the story by the realistic portrayal of the main character. Life can sometimes be nasty and the loss that Alan suffers is indeed tremendous. He is angry with God and even questions his existance. However, God begins to work in Alan's life and the physical journey that he undertakes becomes a symbol of his spiritual walk. I do not want to reveal too many details, but Alan will endure hardships and meet people on his journey that teach him what is truly important in life.
I am a wanna be hiker and the idea of dropping everything and trekking across the US does appeal to my flesh. This particular concept initially piqued my interest in this book. In reality, we cannot run away from our problems. The truth is that God's grace is sufficent to overcome the darkest trials of life, whatever our situation. Alan seems to be learning this lesson as his grief and anger remains a not-too-distant companion throughout his journey.
I do not expect a lot depth in the religious message of this series. There are not any specific Bible references. But it is refreshing to see positive values and spirituality heralded in a popular fictional work. Each of Alan's encounters are entwined with both. I am sure that subsequent novels in the series will continue to elaborate on both. It will be interesting to see how the author further develops this theme.
"As a boy I heard this story in church. A man was patching a pitched roof of a tall building when he began sliding off. As he neared the edge of the roof he prayed, "Save me, Lord, and I'll go to church every Sunday, I'll give up drinking, I'll be the best man this city has ever known." As he finished his prayer, a nail snagged onto his overalls and saved him. The man looked up to the sky and shouted, "Never mind, God. I took care of it myself." How true of us." — Richard Paul Evans (The Walk)
If you are looking for an uplifting and entertaining read, then you might want to give this book a look. If you want any additional info, let me know.
Have a Great Day!
3 comments:
Sounds very interesting! Does he physically walk the entire distance or is he hitch-hiking part of the way? (just out of curiosity)
He has walked so far :-)
Michael, just finished the book. Thank you for your recommendation. VERY good book. I loved that he had to lose everything in order to come face-to-face with The Creator. That's about how my story would read. Loved it. Want to get the NEXT one in the Walk series.
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