Last night I started reading The Shack. It was hard to put it down and go to sleep. I am only to Chapter 6, but will likely finish the rest today.
I am not going to post discussion questions until after I have completed the book. The discussion questions I would like to use have a "spoiler-warning" at the top, meaning you should wait to finish the book before reading the questions.
However, please feel free to post comments to this post about your general thoughts about the book, how it moved you, and so forth. In the meantime, below are some factoids and quick reviews of the book.
Factoids:
Author: William P. Young - (from the back cover) Mr. Young was born in Canada and raised by missionary parents in New Guinea. (from Wikipedia) Mr. Young initially only printed 15 copies of the book for family and friends, but was urged to get it published. Unable to find a publisher, he published the book himself in 2007 and through word-of-mouth praise it was number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List (trade paperback, fiction) by June 2008.
Page count: 248 pages (including afterwords)
Reviews:
"The Shack is the most absorbing work of fiction I've read in many years. My wife and I laughed, cried, and repented of our own lack of faith along the way. The Shack will leave you craving for the presence of God."
~Michael Smith, recording artist (from the back cover)
"This story reads like a prayer- like the best kind of prayer, filled with sweat and wonder and transparency and surprise. If you read one work of fiction this year, let this be it."
~Mike Morrell, Zoecarnate.com (from back of cover)
"Reading The Shack during a very difficult transition in my life, this story has blown the door wide open to my soul."
~Wynonna Judd, recording artist (from the back cover)
"This is probably the most profound and best book I have ever read in my entire life. It has brought me totally back to God. I have never felt better. I totally identified with Mack and the Great Sadness which has been in my life also."
~"The Time Keeper 'Dave,'" reviewer on amazon.com
"The Shack is a one of a kind invitation to journey to the very heart of God. Through my tears and cheers, I have been indeed transformed by the tender mercy with which William Paul Young opened the veil that too often separated me from God and from myself. With every page, the complicated do's and don't that distort a relationship into a religion were washed away as I understood Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the first time in my life."
~Patrick M. Roddy, ABC News Emmy Award winning producer
I loved the book. I argued a little with it for the first half and then decided to read it with my heart instead of my head. You'll have trouble putting it down once you start reading the end. I'll have lots more to say once you finish. Of course, I think you have a couple of blog readers who haven't even started the book.
ReplyDeleteI hope to finish Midnight's Children and comment on that over the weekend. The book is hard to read in small spurts and understand.