Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Mega Best Seller From The Past- Still Worth Reading
I almost hate to link to her bio- she is one of the most talented and gripping authors I've ever read. Two books I know of sold more than 5 million copies each, her best selling work sold over 16 million copies!
Sometimes a label or category prejudices would-be readers. For instance, though I read alot, I rarely choose to read romantic novels, most westerns, police novels, self help books, Christian books, theology or philosophy books. So unless someone puts one of these books in my hand and explains why I must read it, a book in those categories stands a snowball's chance in hell of my reading it.
That was the case when a friend of mine put the biography of Peter Marshall in my hand. The book, A Man called Peter by Catherine Marshall, (Marshall's wife), had a tremendous impact on our parents' generation. A mediocre movie was made in 1955. I say mediocre in this respect- Catherine Marshall was a remarkably descriptive writer who's gift for communicating her characters' motivations, ambitions and behaviors is on a level, if not beyond that of Pat Conroy and Thomas Wolfe. If you read Prince of Tides and Bonfire of the Vanities, you will be sorely dissapointed in those movies.
So here is why you should read A Man Called Peter - even if you could care less about faith.
Sometimes a label or category prejudices would-be readers. For instance, though I read alot, I rarely choose to read romantic novels, most westerns, police novels, self help books, Christian books, theology or philosophy books. So unless someone puts one of these books in my hand and explains why I must read it, a book in those categories stands a snowball's chance in hell of my reading it.
That was the case when a friend of mine put the biography of Peter Marshall in my hand. The book, A Man called Peter by Catherine Marshall, (Marshall's wife), had a tremendous impact on our parents' generation. A mediocre movie was made in 1955. I say mediocre in this respect- Catherine Marshall was a remarkably descriptive writer who's gift for communicating her characters' motivations, ambitions and behaviors is on a level, if not beyond that of Pat Conroy and Thomas Wolfe. If you read Prince of Tides and Bonfire of the Vanities, you will be sorely dissapointed in those movies.
So here is why you should read A Man Called Peter - even if you could care less about faith.
- Any writer who is described in a league with Wolfe or Conroy is worth a try.
- Peter Marshall was really a contemporary of our grandparents- he was in his late 20's by 1931. His story will give you a unique insight into what life was like at the time.
- He was a Scottish immigrant who migrated to the US in the 1920's - he was rugged, independent, but with his keen observant eyes and eloquent toungue.
- Like many great men and women, he had a remarkable sense of destiny AND humility.
- His immediate success in the pulpit did not divert him from what he was called to do. That is a rare thing to say about anyone.
- He became the chaplain of the US Senate. His story gives any political junkie like myself a rare and unique look at American politics.
- After a brief stay in NJ, he moved to Birmingham, Alabama and became well known throughout the South.
- Catherine Marshall reveals his then famous letters and sermons by weaving them into his remarkable story. It is fun to read words that inspired our parents and grandparents.
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