Books

I recently finished the most delightful book called "Birds of a Feather" by Jacqueline Winspear.

I think if your name is Jacqueline Winspear you should write books because that is a very authory name. This book is the second in the Maisie Dobbs series of mysteries. Maisie Dobbs is a smart, young woman who operates a private investigation firm in London in the inter-war period of the 20th Century. She has had a unique upbringing, jumping social classes and gaining a good education, followed by service in WWI as a nurse. After the war, she spent years as an apprentice of a very learned doctor who himself practiced private investigation. I like Maisie because she is sometimes lonely, but also very self-aware, intelligent. And watching her navigate a man's world as a professional woman is enjoyable. I've never really gravitated towards mysteries, but I'm really enjoying these books, partly because they are part historical fiction. I definitely recommend.

In the middle of reading this book, my friend Whitney sent me "Everything Happens For A Reason, and Other Lies I've Loved" by Kate Bowler.

Bowler is a professor at Duke divinity school whose research emphasis has been on the prosperity gospel in North America. (She also wrote "Blessed: A History of The American Prosperity Gospel.") Bowler was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in 2015. This book is a memoir of her journey through the first years of treatment. She very honestly frames her experiences in the religious faith of her upbringing and of the traditions she has examined in her research.  (katebowler.com)

My friend Whitney is an oncology nurse practitioner, and I often pretend I am an oncologist, so we like to talk shop. I think she knew I would appreciate this book as I'm always up for the story of a search for meaning (aren't they all?), especially in the challenge of fighting a deadly disease. I am fascinated by the role of faith and religion in fighting disease. Bowler offers her fears, doubts, comforts, frustrations - all of the aspects I would want to know about. She also shares a lot of the absurd things that come out of other peoples' mouths when talking about dying or talking about cancer, and its her thoughts about these exchanges that brings the reader close to her heart. Or brings her close to the reader's heart. I wasn't always at ease with her writing style, with the way she structured her narrative, but I was gripped by her emotion. It seems like there are few mainstream voices that are both this religious and this accessible to the not-so-religious. Or maybe I'm just wildly unaware of other works of this genre. Anyway, little book big story; you should read it.