Nature & Nourish Book Suggestions
Café Readings - continued
Café Book ListUpdated: December 17, 2018
Read as of April 2013:
The Samurai’s Garden (p. 224) 1996by Gail Tsukiyama
The daughter of a Chinese mother and a Japanese father, Tsukiyama uses the Japanese invasion of China during the late 1930s as a somber backdrop for her unusual story about a 20-year-old Chinese painter named Stephen who is sent to his family's summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout with tuberculosis. Here he is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper and a master gardener. Over the course of a remarkable year, Stephen learns Matsu's secret and gains not only physical strength, but also profound spiritual insight.
The Women of Troy Hill (p. 358) 2002by Claire Ansberry
This is a book about neighboring, caring, faith, and friendship in a section of Pittsburgh. Regardless of personal fortune or the lack of it, of education or success, in Troy Hill all are neighbors and predominately German American Roman Catholic. The women in particular have made the "Hill" what it is. What matters is not wealth but how people deal with life's joys and struggles. The book is filled with little incidents that build a clear picture of a community where character matters.
The Devil in Pew Number Seven (p. 288) 2010by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo
In 1969, her father moved her family to Sellerstown, North Carolina, to serve as a pastor. There he found a small community eager to welcome him—with one exception. Glaring at him from pew number seven was a man obsessed with controlling the church. Determined to get rid of anyone who stood in his way, he unleashed a plan of terror that was more devastating and violent than the Nichols family could have ever imagined. Refusing to be driven away, Rebecca’s father stood his ground until one night when Rebecca’s life was shattered. If anyone had a reason to harbor hatred and seek personal revenge, it would be Rebecca. This is a true saga of relentless persecution, one family’s faith and courage, and a daughter whose parents taught her the power of forgiveness.
The End of Your Life Bookclub (p. 352)2012by Will Schwalbe
During treatment for cancer, a mother and son spend many hours sitting in waiting rooms. To pass the time, they talk about the books. Once, by chance, they read the same book at the same time—and an informal book club of two is born. A profoundly moving memoir of caregiving, mourning, and love.
The Potluck Club (p. 384)by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson
In the small Colorado town of Summit View, a surprising multi-generational mix of women from Grace Church meet once a week to pass a hot dish and to pray. But the Potluck Club, as they call themselves, is a recipe for disaster when they send up enough misinformed prayers to bring down a church. And the funny thing: the more they pray, the more troubles seem to come their way. It isn't until they invite God to the table that they discover friendship is the spice of life, and a little dash of grace, just like salt, goes a long way. With charming, down-home characters, humor, poignancy, and a recipe in every chapter, The Potluck Club will keep readers hungering for more.
Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust (215)by Immaculee Ilibagiza
Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans. Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them. It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love—a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family’s killers.
The Glass Castle: A Memoir (p. 288)by Jeannette Walls
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. They lived like nomads, moving among desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Later, when the money ran out, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her siblings had to fend for themselves. Her story is moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.
The Christmas Bus (p. 176)by Melody Carlson
The people of Christmas Valley always celebrate Christmas to the fullest extent. The mayor plays Santa, every business is holiday themed, and there's a nativity for the kids each Christmas Eve. This town knows Christmas. But this year nothing goes according to plan. Shepherd's Inn is full of strangers, Mad Myrtle is causing problems, and a young couple with a baby due any minute rolls in to the middle of town in their Partridge Family-style bus. It's hardly the holiday Christmas Valley wanted--but it may be just what they need. This charming novella is sure to become a new Christmas tradition for readers who love a great holiday story.
The Greatest Gift: The Courageous Life & Martyrdom of Sr. Dorothy Stang (p. 256)by Binka Le Breton
In 1966, Sister Dorothy Stang went to Brazil as a missionary, and in 1982 she moved to a small town in the Amazon to work with an organization to protect poor farmers and their land from loggers and land-developers who stop at nothing—including murder—in pursuit of profits. After testifying at a government panel investigating illegal incursions into protected areas, Sister Dorothy was denounced as a “terrorist” by powerful companies and began receiving death threats. Refusing to be intimidated, she continued her work—until two gunmen shot her six times on a rural Amazon road. This is the first biography of this extraordinary woman and her mission; it presents not only the story of Sister Dorothy’s tragic death, but the powerful and beautiful lessons of her life.
Future Read Suggestions:
Hannah’s Daughters: (p. 368) 1999by Marianne Fredricksson
Sweeping through one hundred years of Scandinavian history, this story follows three generations of Swedish women whose lives are linked through a century of great love and loss. An unerringly perceptive portrait of women in the flux of Scandinavian history, this moving novel explores the often difficult but enduring ties between mothers and daughters, the sacrifices, compromises, and rewards in the relationships and the patterns of emotion that repeat themselves through generations. *English translation gets off to a slow start often stiff dialogue.
Sarah’s Key (p. 400) 2011by Tatiana de Rosnay
1942: Sarah, a ten-year-old girl, is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door to door arresting Jewish families in the middle of the night. Desperate to protect her younger brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom cupboard—their secret hiding place—and promises to come back for him as soon as they are released. Two years on the NY Times best seller list.
The Faith Club: (p. 396) 2002 by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, Priscilla Warner
In the wake of 9/11, a Muslim, A Christian, A Jew-- Three Women Search for Understanding. Seeking out fellow mothers of other faiths to write a children's book on the commonalities among their respective traditions, the women realized they would have to address their differences first. The ladies come to call their group a "faith club" and, over time, midwife each other into stronger belief in their own respective religions.
The Hundred Dollar Holiday -The Case for a More Joyful Christmas (p. 96) 1998by Bill McKibben
This brief, eloquently presented book offers a simple and inviting strategy for handling the most complicated holiday of our times--Christmas. Reacting to the commercialization and overspending that has come to define it, the author (also wrote The End of Nature) argues in favor of only spending a hundred dollars at Christmas.
Kindred Sisters (p.164) 1996by Dandi Daley Mackall
With profound insight, connections made between the lives and faith of the women of the New Testament and contemporary women of all ages. The stories of Elizabeth, Mary, Anna, Mary Magdalene, Salome, Pilate's wife, and others invite meditation and reflection on contemporary issues of life and faith. Ideal for either personal reflection or group study, each story includes biblical references, a prayer, and activities that make New Testament women come alive.
Prophet’s Daughter: My Life with Elizabeth Clare Prophet Inside the Church Universal &Triumphant (p.304)2008 by Erin Prophet
In 1990, in response to apocalyptic prophecies given by her mother, Erin Prophet entered a network of underground bunkers in Montana along with members of her mother's Church Universal and Triumphant, a controversial New Age sect. Emerging to find the world still intact, Erin was forced to a reassess her beliefs. She had spent her adolescence watching her mother vilified as a dangerous cult leader. Prophet's Daughter describes Erin's search for her mother's origins and motivations. A remarkable memoir about power, group behavior and the future of religion.
The Etiquette of Illness: What to say when you can’t fnd the words Susan Halpern
Pope Joan: A Novel (p. 432)1996by Donna Cross
One of the most controversial women of history is brought to brilliant life in Donn Woolfolk Cross's tale of Pope Joan, a girl whose origins should have kept her in squalid domesticity. Instead, through her intelligence, indomitability and courage, she ascended to the throne of Rome as Pope John Anglicus.
Mother Roots: The Female Ancestors of Jesus (p. 240) by Helen Bruch Pearson
In Matthew's Gospel, four women are named in the genealogy of Jesus: Tamar, Raham, Ruth and Bathsheba. At the right time, these women appeared and made decisions that changed the future. They were empowered by God to step beyond their patriarchal structure. This book challenges our understanding of how God works through our lives and in the larger world.
Perfect Madness (p. 352)by Judith Warner
Warner’s book seeks to answer the question, "Why are today's mothers so stressed out?" Warner draws her research from a group of 20- to 40-year-old, upper-middle-class, college-educated women living in the East Coast corridor, describing a life far out of balance. Warner explains how things got to this point, and what can be done to restore some sanity to the parenting process.
Rabbi Paul: An Intellectual Biography (p. 352)by Bruce Chilton
A brilliant biography of Saint Paul, whose interpretations of the life and teachings of Jesus transformed a loosely organized, grassroots peasant movement into the structured religion we know today. Without Paul, there would be no Christianity. His letters to various churches throughout the Roman Empire articulated, for the first time, the beliefs that make up the heart of Christian practice and faith. Rabbi Paul is a compelling, highly readable biography and a window on how Jesus’ message was transformed into a religion embraced by millions around the world.
Rabbi Jesus (p. 330 )by Bruce Chilton
Interpretations of the life of Jesus have flourished for nearly two millennia, yet a clear and coherent picture of Jesus as a man has remained elusive. In Rabbi Jesus, the noted biblical scholar Bruce Chilton places Jesus within the context of his times to present a fresh, historically accurate, and revolutionary examination of the man who founded Christianity. Chilton’s in-depth investigation also provides evidence that contradicts long-held beliefs about Jesus and the movement he led. Merging history and biography, this penetrating, highly readable book uncovers truths lost to the passage of time and reveals a new Jesus for the new millennium.
Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith (p. 275)by Anne Lamott
Anne Lamott claims the two best prayers she knows are: "Help me, help me, help me" and "Thank you, thank you, thank you." Despite--or because of--her irreverence, faith is a natural subject for Anne Lamott. Lamott's faith isn't about easy answers, which is part of what endears her to believers as well as nonbelievers. Against all odds, she came to believe in God and then, even more miraculously, in herself.
Bad Girls of the Bible (p. 144), Bad Boys of the Bible, and More Bad Girlsby Barbara Essex
A series of studies examining Bible characters, with all their flaws and strengths. Bad Girls presents fourteen women from the Hebrew scriptures and New Testament who, often unconventionally and silently, found ways to overcome social limitations and make a difference within their communities. Appropriate for church libraries and for women's study groups.
The Red Tent (p.352)by Anita Diamant
The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insider's look at the daily life of a biblical sorority of mothers and wives and their one and only daughter, Dinah. Told in the voice of Jacob's daughter Dinah, we are privy to the fascinating feminine characters, Dinah’s whispered stories of her four mothers, Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah--all wives to Jacob, and each one embodying unique feminine traits.
The Return of the Prodigal Son (p.151)by Henri J. M. Nouwen
A spiritual adventure - a chance encounter with a poster depicting a detail of Rembrandt's The Return of the Prodigal Son set in motion a chain of events that enabled Nouwen to redefine and claim his vocation late in his life. In this book, which interweaves elements of art history, memoir, Midrash, and self-help, Nouwen brings the parable to life with empathic analyses of each character.
What’s Next (p. 304)by Rena Pederson
"What do you want to do? How do you want to be remembered? What are you waiting for?" Answering these questions is the first step to answering the larger question of What's Next?. This spiritual and practical guide for women seeking change at midlife draws on inspiring anecdotes about famous (Anna Quindlen, Beverly Sills, Julia Child) and ordinary women. Whether readers choose to change careers or finally follow their deep-seated passion, Rena Pederson, an editor with the Dallas Morning News, and Lee Smith, a psychologist and executive coach, guide and encourage readers in taking the next step.
The Five Love Languages (p. 192)by Gary Chapman
We speak different love languages, believes Dr. Gary Chapman. While working as a marriage counselor for more than 30 years, he identified five love languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. In a friendly, often humorous style, he unpacks each one. Some husbands or wives may crave focused attention; another needs regular praise. Gifts are highly important to one spouse, while another sees fixing a leaky faucet, ironing a shirt, or cooking a meal as filling their "love tank." Some partners might find physical touch makes them feel valued: holding hands, giving back rubs, and sexual contact. Chapman illustrates each love language with real-life examples from his counseling practice.
The Poisonwood Bible (p.576)by Barbara Kingsolver
The Poisonwood Bible is a story told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce, evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. They carry with them everything they believe they will need from home, but soon find that all of it—from garden seeds to Scripture—is calamitously transformed on African soil. What follows is a suspenseful epic of one family's tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades in postcolonial Africa.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (p. 400)by Rebecca Skloot
Henrietta Lacks was a mother of five in Baltimore, a poor African American migrant from the tobacco farms of Virginia, who died from a cruelly aggressive cancer at the age of 30 in 1951. A sample of her cancerous tissue, taken without her knowledge or consent turned out to provide one of the holy grails of mid-century biology: human cells that could survive-even thrive-in the lab. Known as HeLa cells, their stunning potency gave scientists a building block for countless breakthroughs, beginning with the cure for polio. Meanwhile, Henrietta's family continued to live in poverty, and their discovery decades later of her unknowing contribution-and her cells' strange survival-left them full of pride, anger, and suspicion. For a decade, Skloot gathered the threads of these stories, slowly gaining the trust of the family while helping them learn the truth about Henrietta. She tells a rich and haunting story that asks the questions, Who owns our bodies? And who carries our memories?