The Shack

[spero]

(mods ... putting this here b/c it's a spiritual read)

Anyone reading it/read it? I've heard SO much (all positive) about this book, in such a short time, I just had to get it. I'm only in just a little way ... and the backstory is just going to kill me b/c I have a DD that age.

If there's already a thread, my apologies.

[umsami]

I read it last December. In general, I liked it... and liked the message, but I can see a lot of people having trouble with the message it proclaims. I actually was shocked that it was so popular, but in a way, I view that as a good thing.

The whole story behind it was so difficult for me to read... having kids that age... and trying very hard to overcome a fear of strangers and such.

[spero]

I almost abandoned the book, b/c the backstory was so incredibly painful and it just hits too close to home for me ... but I'm glad I kept with it, because I am loving the book and the different perspective of God in all His forms.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

I tried to read it, but couldn't get through it. I tried to be open minded but I think my general non-religiousness made it where I just couldn't enjoy it. Once he was having a chat with God in that was-shack, I had to toss it.

[Starr]

I loved the ending and how everything came together like him helping clear the garden, talking about forgiveness and punishment and how far back do you need to go. I think even though it had a traumatic event in the beginning it really explained it in a comforting way towards the end.... Not sure that sounds quite like I mean it to say but hopefully you get the idea.

[Igraine]

I loved this book. It was like a meditation. The garden, the cave, the water... so much symbolism, so much beauty. I have copies of certain conversations from the book around my office that I read when I am getting stressed out and it really works.

I am a pretty eclectic person when it comes to spirituality. I am closer to a pagan than I am a Christian, but I respect and love many folks who are Christian and I was raised Christian so a lot of the conversations with "Papa" and "Jesus" were just so enjoyable to me. My mother passed away last fall. I have missed her terribly. This book was like a gift from her. It was a real boost to my self-esteem and my belief in myself and the belief that we are all connected. The booked pushed that we are all connected because of Jesus, but I just keep in mind that that is only one way people can feel connected with others. The bottom line is that we ARE all connected.

I can see how some people could just hate this book too. It really does push the boundaries in a lot of ways. And that is exactly why I loved it!

[Thandiwe]

I read it this past winter and enjoyed it. I'm going through a nasty situation with a child in foster care, and reading it really helped me emotionally. I struggle often with why things happen to children. I can't say I'd wrap my salvation around it, but emotionally it helped soothe my soul a little during a tumultuous time. Picturing God as more than a fierce father but also as a loving mother has helped me immensely since then.

[lilli'smom]

Originally Posted by Thandiwe

Picturing God as more than a fierce father but also as a loving mother has helped me immensely since then.

My DH had been reading the book and kept asking if I had read it. I honestly had no interest at all. But, I had a breakdown last week after my Gramma died and I told DH about it. He asked me to read it and then we'd talk.

*I* felt like a ton of weight lifted off me. The picture of God, by the author, is how I had always wanted to view my maker, but felt too wrapped in "man's vision" of Him.

Yes, the back story is painful. Very painful. But completely worth it. I highly reccomend it.

[christianmomof3]

I read it and loved it. Hated the back story and found some of the new agey celebration and symbolism stuff strange, but loved the book anyway.
I think the part that struck me the most was when he was told that he was judging God all the time and I realized how much we do that. Anyway, I recommended the book to some friends and all the ones who read it loved it too. My dh read it and said he thought it would appeal more to women than to men. He was not terribly impressed.

[FaithfulOne]

I thought the book was an amazing viewpoint into who God can be for us, so much more than just a dictarian figure.
I agree the pre-story was absolutely heart wrenching and I cried the entire book through.
For many of us the thought of going through what that family endured is difficult to even imagine, even harder to struggle with would be the consideration of forgiveness to the guilty. I actually used to think even God couldn't fathom forgiving someone who's committed such a crime, be He does as should we.
Definately a good read. Allow yourself to be swallowed up by the manifestations represented in the story

[amcal]

I struggled with the book. The back story was so painful to me. I would read a couple pages and put it down.

Then the author came and spoke at our church and it was fantastic. It was amazing to hear his perspective, his history, his story and how it relates to the book. He's a pretty amazing person who went through some significant trauma in his life. This book was his own personal journey to healing and was written for his children. Hearing his speak gave me a while new perspective on the book.

[binxsmom]

i really struggled with this book. i wanted to like it but it was just so poorly written. i found it weak, wordy, predictable and filled with overused similes
and metaphors. i made it to page 80 or so and just couldn't be bothered any longer. william p. young is fiction's version thomas kinkade. no offense to thomas kinkade lovers, of course.

[LaLaLaLa]

I hated the book. I'm an atheist, though, so not exactly the target audience for the story.

I thought the writing was simplistic and the traumatic situation was all about shock value. I found the conclusion to be unsatisfying; I wasn't clear on how the resolution even came about.

I'm in the minority, though. Most people I know can't say enough good things about the book.

[amcal]

I think it's important to understand that he never intended the book to be read by anyone other than his children.

He wrote the book for them at his wife's request.

He had a really difficult childhood - the child of missionaries - he was raised in missionary schools and was very badly abused. So a lot of the writing about the traumatic situation was from his own experiences. The death of his own childhood, the betrayal, the trauma, the abuse etc....

He had a very difficult life and his book was a story for his kids about how he came to find God again and how his relationship with God developed and how he came to understand God and God's love for him.

It was never meant to be a a book for the masses but, it got passed around from famiy member to family member to friends and it sort of took on a life of it's own.

[Attila the Honey]

Originally Posted by binxsmom

i really struggled with this book. i wanted to like it but it was just so poorly written. i found it weak, wordy, predictable and filled with overused similes
and metaphors. i made it to page 80 or so and just couldn't be bothered any longer. william p. young is fiction's version thomas kinkade. no offense to thomas kinkade lovers, of course.

I was very, very judgmental of the book. I went into it thinking, "oh right, this is going to be 'so amazing' all because god is a big black woman!". I made fun of the writing and talked about how corny it was.

Then, by the end I was sobbing. Despite being very moved I didn't think I got much out of the book on the whole, but 6 months later I am still thinking about parts of it, rereading parts of it, having conversations with people about it. I found some of his insights in the book profound upon reflection.

Now I am so grateful I read it, and so grateful that the author - who is just a dude with average writing ability - wrote it. If you are looking for prose from a true wordsmith this ain't it, but it's still a really worthwhile book. I get the judgment though, I was the same way.

[Viola]

Originally Posted by amcal

It was never meant to be a a book for the masses but, it got passed around from famiy member to family member to friends and it sort of took on a life of it's own.

Oh, that's interesting.

I read the book about 3/4 of the way. I forget where I stopped, but it was probably somewhere when he went out in the canoe and Jesus walked on the water and joined him. It was after the part where he was in the cave, I'm sure. I just got bored with this part, I think mostly because it was him asking questions and then making these discoveries, but his reactions and questions were not in tune with where my mind was going, and it felt a little too pat for me. But if it's him trying to explain to his kids, it makes more sense.

I think I did read the end, though. I wanted to see if the story concluded, and I was glad that it did.

[tinybutterfly]

I only got partway through it. I just had way too much trouble with the backstory. It was upsetting to me.

I will try again.

Thanks for posting this!

[annettemarie]

It did not change my life as promised.

[Viola]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

It did not change my life as promised.

Did you get your money back?

[BookGoddess]

I do not think I'm part of the target audience for this book seeing as how I'm not a devout Christian. I read the book because of the hype. Meh. I wasn't impressed by the book at all. I felt it tried too hard and didn't reach the mark. It wasn't written well and the ending was most unsatisfying. I'm not even sure the book is biblically sound according to what I learned at my catholic all-girls school.

Originally Posted by SublimeBirthGirl

I tried to read it, but couldn't get through it. I tried to be open minded but I think my general non-religiousness made it where I just couldn't enjoy it. Once he was having a chat with God in that was-shack, I had to toss it.

I didn't toss it, but I had a similar reaction.