Peace Like a River
I just finished reading a book, Peace like a River by Leif Enger, for the second time. I hardly ever do that. Life is too short, and there are too many books I want to read. But I liked this book so well I selected it for my book group (we rotate choosing), and reading it again was just about as good as the first time, except I knew what was going to happen. Here’s what I think makes a book good—it transports you into its world. When what is going on in the book becomes as important as what’s going on in your life, you’ve selected a winner.
As an English teacher, and hence a citizen of the Literary World, I hear a lot of negativity about the Twilight series. I confess I’ve never read any of them—I saw one movie and that was enough. But I’m having no part of that campaign. I have nothing but respect and admiration (and a little envy—remember, I’m an author) for Stephanie Meyer. Because going by my above standard—transportation to a new land—that woman is the Queen of Real Estate. In my thirty plus years of teaching, I have never seen anyone capture the hearts and minds of young people (girls mostly, true, but tons of guys caught the fever too) like Team Edward and Team Jacob. And that includes the Harry Potter phenomenon! Every writer on the planet owes her a debt, because all of these converts will go on to visit other new places. I haven’t stopped reading since the fifth grade when I discovered the land of Genghis Khan—The Earth is the Lord’s by Taylor Caldwell.
But a book can do more than transport. It can elevate. I first read To Kill a Mockingbird when I was a teenage boy. (I’ve read it many times since, but I taught it for seven years: sophomore English—anybody out there remember?) I knew about racism before that, of course, but nothing had really brought it home. When Tom Robinson was found guilty, and later shot while trying to escape, I was filled with such outrage and indignation that it forever changed my perspective on black/white relations. I understood that I was being racist when I was walking down the street and the guy coming the other way was black and I was uncomfortable. It changed me. I give you John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath as another example. If you can read that without being moved by the plight of the poor, I don’t know where your heart is. A good book which inspires you to become a better person becomes a great book.
Peace like a River is a great book. It is the story of a Christian man who lives by faith through some difficult circumstances, and how his life affects those around him. It is not preachy or didactic or proselytized. If I were to go by the media’s perception of Christianity today, I would think the two main tenets were an embracing of conservative politics and a condemnation of all things pop culture. And I’m not blaming the media. If I were to stand up in most of the churches I’ve been to (I’m not a regular church-goer) and announce that I liked Obama (I do) and my favorite channel was HBO (don’t get it—wish I did), my pronouncement would be met by such a hush—well, I can just imagine! I think if you’re all caught up in those issues, you’ve gone off track. Leif Enger’s main character applied his faith to the life he was living. It changed me (see previous blog about New Year’s resolutions). It’s a great book.
It occurs to me that one might think, since this website is also the vehicle through which you can purchase my books, that this blog is my roundabout way of getting you to sample my wares. Yes and no. (Of course I want you to read my books!) But when I read people like Leif Enger and Harper Lee and John Steinbeck, I shake my head in wonder. They inhabit a different literary universe than the one I dabble in. Maybe that’s why I like Stephanie Meyer.
Dallin, now I guess I have to read “Peace like a river”, but you know I am an athiest — will I still like it? Nailla
Pearl S. Buck changed the way I view myself as a womyn. Good books rock! And yes, despite my critcism of Jeremiah, I did enjoy this book. Any book where all the male characters are flawed and the 2 female characters are awesome gets my vote!
Hey Dallin.…..where’s the “like” button on your website ?
“like” buttons are for facebook. here you have to actually say something.
please feel free to share the website on facebook if you like.
thanks. ‑admin