The Glimpse by Grant Carroll
347124
This book is truly a God send to all Christians looking to affect others in a Good like way. If anyone ever wanted to be in that place with God to be able to make a difference in the lives of others for their soul salvation, this book is the perfect book to read. This book depicts how these couples had to stand on God's promises and know that he will deliver. I would recommend kids as young as twelve to read this book, it will convict your heart and change your life in a positive way to pursuing God's holy word.
2054709
George is a pastor who lives for the simple, Pennsylvania life. One morning, as hes 516G4t+MFlLsitting on his front porch and talking to God, George is granted an unusual vision about the reality around us. As he slips deeper into the vision, George is guided by a strangely familiar voice. This voice sends him on a journey beyond the imagination; one full of self-discovery, and the realization that things are much bigger than they appear.

I greatly enjoyed the fact that this book is written in a journalistic style, which makes it easier for the reader to get absorbed in Georges experience. I like the unique way that the real world is described, and the author does a good job of making us feel Georges wonder, confusion, and profound realization at how the world really works. The dialogue is great for moving the story along, and I especially loved the conversations between George and the voice that guides him.
The author also explains that George was practicing a form of visual meditation, and he gives us examples that can help us try it for ourselves. This can be useful for someone who is curious about having visions of their own
345014
I love this type of reading.  Short real stories from real people sharing interesting and fascinating accounts of their lives.  I could actually picture myself looking in on some of these stories.  For example, in Summer Paramour by Bill Zarchy, I could clearly see the car behind the barn as if I were there.  The writing is EXCELLENT.  I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick read in which you can visually see what is happening.
1381431
Jesus I said Remember me when you come into your kingdom

There was no mistaking His enthusiasm. Joy filled His eyes as He looked at me.

 It was as if He had been waiting for me to ask, as if His answer to my request was bound up with why He was there. It felt to me as if His arms, which were pinned to the cross, were reaching out to me with the same love and forgiveness that He had offered to the guards.

Heaven How I Got Here is the riveting story of the thief on the cross and how he moved from sinner to saint in a matter of hours. Colin Smith takes readers on a compelling journey through the mind of the the thief on the cross as he started out on the day that changed the world. In this fast paced, easy to read, dramatic story, Colin weaves in history, theology and the Gospel as he tells the tale of how the thief got to heaven.

Colin gives readers a great picture of what could have been the mental state of the thief who became a believer. As he writes from a first person perspective, we get glimpses into the the life of the thief as he moves through the various hours, and sometimes minutes, of the day Christ was crucified between two thieves. Colin tells a gripping tale and wastes little time in this page turner.

Heaven How I Got Here was an easy to read, fast paced book. A great historical fiction book about the thief who became a saint. Written in a style in which people from all ages could read and enjoy. Through the account of the thief, we find the Gospel, the story of a man who bridges the gap between sinners and a holy God, the Story of Jesus. Heaven, How I Got Here is a great read and a great Easter resource.
1666668
Excellent!  I've sent the first copy I bought to my friend in Louisiana.  She is impressed by the two sided story of Alice and Eleanor.  My copy is signed by the author.  When I finish the book I will have more to comment on.  Right now I am
Intrigued by the comparisons of the two throughout History.  Lewis Carroll was amazing.
3765102
This short story by Erin McCole Cupp is a beautiful, intriguing fictional reflection on the Holy Family's difficult days living in Egypt. What if Joseph were unable to provide for them for a time?  What would they do?  Woven into the story is the blossoming of the parent-child relationship we imagine Joseph and Jesus having. All in all, it's a great short read.
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Oftentimes the mundane and material are perceived as swimming in a closed system, performing and progressing along well defined tracks to a clearly predictable destination; unless the mundane and material are seen through the eyes of the mystically minded. Charles Williams, long-time friend and confidant of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, is such a one. War in Heaven, originally published in 1930, and recently republished as a 260 page e-book (Kindle), is an ideal example of Williamss ability to see the commonplace and corporeal through celestial senses. This particular edition has a new introduction written by admirer Jonathan Ryan.
War in Heaven seizes the readers interest in the first line, The telephone was ringing wildly, but without result, since there was no-one in the room but the corpse (11). From there the story takes the reader from London to Fardles, city to country, and back again as we follow the steps of Gregory Persimmons, the Archdeacon of Castra Parvulorum (also known as Fardles), and their respective compatriots. The storyline swirls around a chalice purported to be the Holy Graal, that just happens to be at the chapel in Fardles under the unwitting care of the Archdeacon. Yet the story is bigger than simply the Graal; it includes murder, conspiracy, intrigue, dark forces, surprising powers, light, darkness, despair and hope. Then it ends, not with a complete shock, but a wonder nonetheless.
Throughout War in Heaven Williams slowly brings out the normally unperceived and unseen, penetrating into realms and regions that permeate the present. Like many mystics before him, Williams seems focused on sighting what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard (1 Corinthians 2.9) and schooling the reader to join with him. The numinous aspects that lurk behind life and death, stratagems and sincerity, intrigues and integrities seep out into the forefront encouraging us to sense more than the seeable.
War in Heaven is a playful read, as well as perplexing at times. There are places where one will likely stub their toe on the uneven pavement. At other times a reader will be brought to reread a paragraph to try and figure out how the story turned that corner. All-in-all, the book was fun to read, with all of its older British humor, pastoral settings, dialogue, and thoughtfulness. You ought to give it a go!
Thanks to Open Road Integrated Media and Net Galley for the free, temporary e-copy of the book used for this review.
2491274
An amazing story that is a great read for all ages.  This book gives the encounter of a young child who tells his story over a period of years about Heaven.  The details that he gives makes one know that Heaven IS FOR REAL!! Although it begins slow and the father (Todd Burpo) who is one of the authors, retells the events leading up to the time in which the child has his experience in Heaven, the images and stories retold are fascinating.  The experiences in which Colton experienced gives one goosebumps and I walked away knowing that I want to make sure I make it to Heaven.

Having read this and then passing it along to several individuals I highly recommend it.  If you are a non-believer or someone that doubts there is a Heaven, this will at the very least make you think twice about your feelings on it.  In no way did I think it was preachy or did it try and persuade you, but it did give you a WOW factor - knowing that a 4 year old experienced this encounter. This child vividly recounts many things that one could never explain or know had they not experienced it first hand.

Grab a copy and take a read for yourself.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
3407898
I have purchased this work twice: once as a book, once as a Kindle book. I am reading the Kindle one. I find it amazing that Mr. Carroll can write so much and not seem redundant. I am on about page 400 of 750 and haven't become bored yet. I also like his grasp of Catholic Church history, its treatment of the Jewish people, and how doctrines the Catholic popes, friars and other theologians, laid down which led to the Holocaust. It is also not gruesome.
885604
This book is filled with beautiful use of language and texture.  The landscape and feel of this book are just right to convey the mood of this character.  Max Morden has just lost his wife and has now returned to the Irish seaside town where he spent his childhood.  Banville's writing reminds me a little of Updike in his capturing this aging man's look back upon the events and relationships of his past.  The story unfolds slowly and without surprises as the reader feels they are in the mind of Max as he reflects on the events of his childhood.  We are discovering what happened.  Max is looking back on them with the new perspective of a man with a lifetime of experience behind him.

There is very little literature as good as this out there.  Highly recommended.
950596
This book was amazing -- would recommend for any one to read.  Gives the reader a different view that is very amazing. Short read but will hold your interest all the way through this book.
2482551
Vivid and macabre;  Saira Viola combines the imagery of Robert Frost with the diabolical idealism of Stephen King in a way only she can do.  She weaves her poems and songs out of the hidden fabric of humanity; exposing the ugly underbelly of society with grace and surrealism.  These poems are not for the faint of heart, but are highly recommended for those looking to view humanity through new eyes.  Whether you choose paperback or ebook, this book is a superb value for anyone wanting to take a trip through the seedy dark allies of the human soul.
3706490
I really enjoyed reading Kafka's House and recommend this novel to everyone . It is a small glimpse into the life of a 10 year old girl and her family in Romania. Ms Popa, through vivid imagery and powerful emotions paints a portrait of the hardships, disappointments, and cold reality of a war torn Romania in 1968. Through it all we get a sense of hope, a sense that something better is out there waiting for us to discover. One of my favorite lines from the book, "She looks at them with love again then slips them in her apron's front pocket as if returning two beloved children to their womb.", gives me a sense of wanting to protect one's lost innocence, to protect ones dreams for a better life. I found myself wishing the story would continue so I could learn of the fate of this family but perhaps the abrupt end is more poetic, more realistic of the way life was in 1968 Romania.
1168183
Love this book.  Have owned it for a few years and have read it several times. I have enjoyed other books by Michael Phillips but his one is definitely my favorite. It is like a glimpse into his view (and CS Lewis')of being introduced to heaven. Very thought-provoking, funny and comforting all at the same time. I would recommend it.
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Watson is struggling with his decision to return to 221b Baker Street after the death of his wife, Mary Morstan. The offer by Doctor Verner is tempting, but the house and practice hold strong memories.

Watson is asked by a friend named Theobald Crain, the son of the Marquess of Berkley to come to Crain Manor for a visit. Crain knows of Watsons recent bereavement, being Marys friend as well.

Crain writes that he is convinced a certain Madame Farr, a spirit medium, is the real thing. He claims to have been in contact with his deceased mother, and the peace he has discovered through spiritualism he hopes to share with Watson. He hints that Watson may make contact with Mary through Madame Farr.

Against Holmes advice, Watson decides to go. He hopes to expose the medium himself. At Crain Manor, there is an addition known as the Red Tower. The tower is said to be haunted

Now history tells us of Sir Arthur Conan Doyles belief in spiritualism. It wouldnt be unusual at all for him to have written an adventure in which spiritualism would play a major role. Yet although Doyle himself wrote about the no ghosts need apply I think he would have wanted Holmes to prove spiritualismnot the other way around.

That said, if you are not a Holmes purist, the book is a great read. The pace is sometimes frantic. There are a dozen and one false leads, the character interaction is superb, and the final reveal of the case well thought out. After the reveal, one can easily go back through and see the tantalizing clues that Latham has spread throughout, but you may not see them on the way through. Like a magician, Latham uses misdirection and verbal smoke and mirrors to great effect. I really liked this one!

I give the book five stars!

Quoth the Raven
1192043
You'd better clear your schedule before cracking the cover of
DP Costello's THE RAG TREE.  I opened it for a little look-see
and ended up missing dinner, a movie, and a meeting the next
morning.  Ireland in transition is the topic, and the story's
as intriguing a political puzzle as one could find; but as with
all fine work, it's the immediacy of moment and character that
make it such a delight.  It's got 'movie' written all over it.
2922534
I was so absorbed in the plot and characters that I missed the main people  telling the story because they were dead, the book is well written and believable,  if you want to see a glimpse of what life after death is like read this great book!