WOW. I found my way to this post via Pinterest, because I waned to see more about the Valentine's Day themed Christmas tree with the conversation hearts. I thought it looked interesting. I didn't realize it was a whole home tour of Valentine's décor. One home. LOTS of décor. Way more than I even own for Christmas, and I feel like I own a lot of Christmas stuff! What about you? Do you decorate for Valentine's Day at all? This much?
Two.
Feeling brokenhearted? I've noticed much of it going around lately, and I understand! So many hard, hard things happening to folks. Here are some encouraging words and a great verse to go with them!
Three.
You know we watch a lot of Dateline (and other similar documentaries and dramas) and I read a lot of suspense novels. So this news clip about how forensic artists do their work was absolutely fascinating to me! (And the fact that this woman can teach non-artists to draw!!)
Four.
I am so ready for spring, and last week, I spent some time browsing through Goodwill looking for spring inspired clothes! So this post pretty much made my day. Even if it's not yet time for such lovely outfits, we can dream, can't we?
Five.
I like to mention every so often that Ever Thine Home has beautiful products. (I have a Christmas tree devoted to their Adorenaments every year.) They have a whole line of Easter décor that I love, because it focuses on Jesus, not bunnies. (I am not anti-bunnies, but I am pro having more Jesus than bunnies featured in my décor.) Check it out!
Six.
This year, instead of reviewing as many brand new books, I am trying to make my way through my own bookshelves and read some books I've owned but never read. This week's book was just such a pick!
The Noticer by Andy Andrews is not a new book. It actually released in 2009 (eeek! I'm behind!) and I somehow acquired my copy back when I worked at the station. Confession: I thought it was fiction, and it's not. It looks like a fiction book. My copy is hardcover and has a brown suitcase on the cover, and I just seriously thought it was a little piece of fiction. And at the beginning, it read like fiction. Not until I realized that the "main character" was named Andy, much like the author, did I flip the book over to read the genre. Personal growth/self-help. Whoopsie!
I am familiar with Andy Andrews by name, but I'd never read any of his work before. He's good writer. I enjoyed his imagery and presentation and felt I really did sit within the pages of the book, seeing everything in full color as he described it. As for the premise of the book...well, I never did fully land on how I felt about that.
The Noticer tells the story of an old man named Jones who wanders about the area where Andy lives, observing everything about everyone and trying to influence the people he meets. No one seems to know Jones' age or race, even, and no one has any idea who he really is. Does he live there? Does he have family? A home? What is in that little brown suitcase he carries everywhere? The man seems shrouded in mystery, but he also seems to be really invested in all the lives around him.
The book is full of good life principles and common sense teaching, both of which seem to be sadly lacking in too many places today. It was not, however, oozing with a salvation message or lessons deeply rooted in the Lord. There are subtle hints, but it's not overpowering. The book is truly more about learning to see people from a new perspective, trying to get to the root of what might actually be happening in each of their lives, and trying to help them better themselves.
One thing that really surprised me about the book came in a chapter where Jones had a heart-to-heart with a couple on the brink of divorce. As he tried to help them put their marriage back together, his concepts were very much like Gary Chapman's 5 love languages. (Except Jones only had 4.) While I realize the concepts are true no matter who says them, it just surprised me they would be presented as they were when the 5 love languages enterprise is so well-known.
It also bothered me that I could never fully figure out if Jones was real, or if he was supposed to just be a story or even an angel in disguise or something. I couldn't fully believe that he was a real person, though he was certainly presented as such.
The Noticer did make me think, and it was an easy read. But it didn't blow me away as a book I must keep on my bookshelf for all time. Most of the concepts were not new for me, but I do believe a refresher course is always a good thing. It's good to have some every-day principles pushed back to the front of my mind.
While I wouldn't encourage anyone to avoid this book, I do think there are probably other books that offer the same general premise in a much more biblically based form, and that would be more my preference.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
This year, instead of reviewing as many brand new books, I am trying to make my way through my own bookshelves and read some books I've owned but never read. This week's book was just such a pick!
The Noticer by Andy Andrews is not a new book. It actually released in 2009 (eeek! I'm behind!) and I somehow acquired my copy back when I worked at the station. Confession: I thought it was fiction, and it's not. It looks like a fiction book. My copy is hardcover and has a brown suitcase on the cover, and I just seriously thought it was a little piece of fiction. And at the beginning, it read like fiction. Not until I realized that the "main character" was named Andy, much like the author, did I flip the book over to read the genre. Personal growth/self-help. Whoopsie!
I am familiar with Andy Andrews by name, but I'd never read any of his work before. He's good writer. I enjoyed his imagery and presentation and felt I really did sit within the pages of the book, seeing everything in full color as he described it. As for the premise of the book...well, I never did fully land on how I felt about that.
The Noticer tells the story of an old man named Jones who wanders about the area where Andy lives, observing everything about everyone and trying to influence the people he meets. No one seems to know Jones' age or race, even, and no one has any idea who he really is. Does he live there? Does he have family? A home? What is in that little brown suitcase he carries everywhere? The man seems shrouded in mystery, but he also seems to be really invested in all the lives around him.
The book is full of good life principles and common sense teaching, both of which seem to be sadly lacking in too many places today. It was not, however, oozing with a salvation message or lessons deeply rooted in the Lord. There are subtle hints, but it's not overpowering. The book is truly more about learning to see people from a new perspective, trying to get to the root of what might actually be happening in each of their lives, and trying to help them better themselves.
One thing that really surprised me about the book came in a chapter where Jones had a heart-to-heart with a couple on the brink of divorce. As he tried to help them put their marriage back together, his concepts were very much like Gary Chapman's 5 love languages. (Except Jones only had 4.) While I realize the concepts are true no matter who says them, it just surprised me they would be presented as they were when the 5 love languages enterprise is so well-known.
It also bothered me that I could never fully figure out if Jones was real, or if he was supposed to just be a story or even an angel in disguise or something. I couldn't fully believe that he was a real person, though he was certainly presented as such.
The Noticer did make me think, and it was an easy read. But it didn't blow me away as a book I must keep on my bookshelf for all time. Most of the concepts were not new for me, but I do believe a refresher course is always a good thing. It's good to have some every-day principles pushed back to the front of my mind.
While I wouldn't encourage anyone to avoid this book, I do think there are probably other books that offer the same general premise in a much more biblically based form, and that would be more my preference.
3 comments:
Oh my stars- that house decorated for Valentine's Day!! What on earth? WHERE does she store everything? I decorate extremely minimally for VD. I love little touches that celebrate the day.
Carrie Stuart Parks is a great author, too. Have you read any of her books?
Maria - LOL!! I hadn't even considered that! GOOD POINT!
Janice - I have not, but her name sounds familiar to me. I looked her up to see her titles. I am not familiar with any of them, but I'll check them out!
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