Why I Love to Read, part 8

Why I Love to Read- Monday special.

Reason number 8:

Some books have a premise that is really wacky!

The Year of Living Biblically is about a quest to live the ultimate Biblical life. To follow every single rule in the Bible as literally as possible. The author knew these rules:

• The Ten Commandments
• Love thy neighbor
• Be fruitful and multiply

But also, he found hundreds of oft-ignored ones.

• Do not wear clothes of mixed fibers.
• Do not shave your beard
• Stone adulterers

And he tried every single rule!  The stoning was a problem.

He wanted to experience the Bible himself and find out what’s good in it, and what’s maybe not so relevant to the 21st century.

He met with many religious groups from creationists, to Hasidic Jews, even snake handlers.  It became a spiritual journey and it is fascinating!  And humorous! And wacky!

Another book with a wacky Biblical theme....

Mackenzie Philips, a father of five, is devastated by the death of his daughter.  He gets a note leading to a visit with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

But...

God the father is an African American woman who calls herself Papa; Jesus is a Middle-Eastern carpenter; and the Holy Spirit is an Asian woman .

The title of the book is a metaphor for the house you build out of your own pain- the place you get stuck, hurt and damaged.

The author was a hotel night clerk and self-published this book, just intending it for his own family.  But it became very popular and sold over a million copies.