Book Review: Still Alice by Lisa Genova

    Brumonia Barry, a New York Times bestselling author, said about this book, "Heartbreakingly real... so real, in fact, that it kept me from sleeping for several nights. I couldn't put it down... Still Alice is a story that must be told." 

    Lisa Genova's novel Still Alice is not for the faint of heart. It is a terrifying story of how Alzheimer's disease slowly destroyed the life of college professor Alice Howland. Full of scenes both touching and frightening, it has completely reoriented my view of dementia and especially Alzheimer's. 

    I think Genova's style of writing was perfect for this book. She dwells inside Alice's mind so that you can watch her thinking and functioning deteriorate right before your eyes. You get emotionally attached to Alice and her life and then you watch her get torn apart. Effectively, it makes you feel like one of your own loved ones is being broken by this disease. 

    One of the sadder things that I thought about when reading this book was the thought of how people today handle dementia. Sadly, people treat it flippantly and carelessly, even joking around or making fun of people who have it. Near the end of the book, Alice gives a speech at a dementia care conference. She says, "Please don't look at our scarlet A's and write us off. Look us in the eye, talk directly to us. Don't panic or take it personally if we make mistakes, because we will... We will also try our hardest to compensate for and overcome our cognitive losses. I encourage you to empower us, not limit us... Work with us." That, at its heart, is the goal of this book. You may be shocked, you will be heartbroken, but you will come through the fire of Still Alice with a fuller understanding of this disease and the knowledge that those who have it are still people to walk beside and to love.

    Unfortunately, however, this book is not without its flaws, the greatest of which I would say is probably a measure of cuss words. Less prominently, one of the main characters, Lydia, is an actress with a very unwholesome lifestyle- she has two men for roommates. The conflict in this lifestyle is never actually resolved, but instead one of the threads in this novel is Alice coming to terms with Lydia's lifestyle. On the whole, however, this book really does display a message that needs to be heard, and I would definitely recommend this to older, more mature teen readers and to all adults.

Book Review: The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas

     This book makes me cry each time I read it- tears of sorrow and also tears of wonder at the strength of the martyrs portrayed. Every day, I grumble and fuss when I am called to not wear a particular pair of shorts or not go to an unwise event for Christ's sake, entirely ignoring the fact that there were thousands whom God allowed to be imprisoned, slaughtered, beheaded, stoned. Crucified. For the advancement of the Gospel.

    The Robe in this book isn't just a great responsibility that the main character has to shoulder- instead, it is a symbol of the cause that we each must dedicate ourselves to, sacrifice ourselves to, day after day, year after year.

    We have been given a tremendous blessing in Christ, but the fact that we bear it means that we must orient our lives completely with God's will. The true bestowal of God's salvation demands nothing less. That, at its heart, is what I Douglas is communicating in The Robe.

    I would entirely recommend this book to teens and all adults. There is a "clean" romance in it with a few kisses in it, and there are a few instances of the word "damn," but those are all the caveats I can offer. It does portray Jesus, though, and many people object to that. I would definitely agree that portraying Jesus is highly dangerous, and often people will project their own ideals into Jesus' character, which is of course a horrible and sacrilegious thing to do. However, I think that Douglas does a good job at sticking only to what the Bible tells us about Jesus.

    All in all, this book is great for teens and adults and maybe also for a book club, as it could spark some really thought-provoking conversations.

Nature Reflection: 4/27/25

     A couple days ago I took a walk through a forest with a group of friends. We spaced ourselves out so that we would feel as alone as possible. Previously, we had talked a lot about how some of God's glory is reflected to us in Nature, and because of that, you can receive some kind of peace by spending time in Nature. Out there, walking along that prickly trail, was the first time that I really fully understood what that peace was like.

    I was surprised by the feeling that I didn't have to hide my faults. I didn't have to wear a mask.

    As the air filled with the songs of birds above me and the gentle breeze stirred the long dry grass against my legs, I was filled by a sense of wonder at the acceptance I felt. Yes, I still had faults and flaws that needed to be worked against, but they could be known. I could tell them to the open blue sky and sheltering oaks and be heard by their Maker- heard and helped.

    I've read many authors, especially early American Transcendentalists, who speak very passionately about the peace of Nature- so much so that I believe they come close to worshiping it. Yes, they do feel a peace. After all, God gives common blessings to everyone- "He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matt. 5:45) 

    These people worship the shadow of the real thing. Nature is wonderful in its acceptance- it is that way all because of God's acceptance. So they may forever talk on about the peace of Nature alone. I will sing of the glory of Him who made it!

Death, be not Proud- by John Donne

 Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; 

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow

Die not, poor Death, not yet can'st thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but they pictures be,

Much pleasure; then much more from thee must flow

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery. 

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

First Post- All Glory Be to Christ

    When I was growing up, I knew a hymn entitled "All Glory be to Christ." It was sung to the tune of Auld Lang Syne, and it went like this:

"Should nothing of our efforts stand,
No legacy survive,
Unless the Lord does raise the house,
In vain its builders strive.

All glory be to Christ, our King,

All glory be to Christ!

His rule and reign we'll ever sing,

All glory be to Christ."

    I cannot tell you how many times I have prayed to the Lord about blogging and I feel increasingly that it is something He wants me to do. I enjoy writing and trying to express my ideas, and if I could do that in a way that glorifies Him, I should. 

    This verse of the hymn expresses completely my wishes for this blog. Whatever I do here is all because the Lord has enabled me to do it and it is in his plan. Unless he blesses this endeavor, I write in vain. This is partly why I choose to remain anonymous. Who I am really is not important, and I do not want readers to focus on that (kinda opposite to why most anonymous people today don't post their names). Also, if I post my name, I know that I will begin to work for myself and not for God. I ask that you honor this and do not try to find out who I am.

    The verse that this blog stands for is Revelations 4:11- "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being."

    Lord, I pray that whatever You choose to do with this blog, I will accept it. I pray, though, that You will use it to bless those that read it and to further Your Kingdom here on Earth. Your will be done. Amen.