Lost and Found

Wow, I think I just finished the young adult equivalent of Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead." That may not sound like a selling point to some of you--it seems like people either loved "Gilead" or hated it. But the similarity is in the deeply spiritual internal dialog of a main character in a book put out by a secular publisher. Sara Zarr (who will be at Calvin in less than 2 weeks!) wrote the book "Once Was Lost," and it is good.

I should confess that I was sold on the story before I even started, because the first page offers lines from Over the Rhine's song "Long Lost Brother." Love that one. And Over the Rhine, for that matter. Pretty soon I'll be breaking into song--"Poughkeepsie" always has me singing at the top of my lungs in the car. But I digress.

In "Once Was Lost," Samara Taylor is a teen whose distant father is the beloved church pastor, whose mother has recently entered alcohol rehab, and whose life has been completely turned upside down by that event. As she struggles to hold on to hope and faith amid her troubles, a girl from her church goes missing, launching her even deeper into her confusion. This coming of age novel is a beautifully written and honest look at faith, as well as the doubts and weaknesses of the faithful. For high school and up.

Another book, very quick read, is "Food Rules" by Michael Pollan. It's you don't have time to read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" or "In Defense of Food," and the thought of watching "Food Inc." makes your stomach churn, you should try "Food Rules." Pollan gives practical, positive tips for making the best food choices. And you can read it in an hour or so. For instance, he suggests avoiding any foodlike product that includes ingredients that you cannot picture in their natural states. If you can't produce a mental image of xanthan gum, you probably shouldn't be eating it. It's a fun, informative and extremely readable guide.

For the grammar geeks out there: If you are annoyed and/or amused by misplaced punctuation, you've got to check out this blog: http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/. Too funny--thanks for sharing it, Sandy!