How precious are Your thoughts to me, O LORD ... how vast is the sum of them!

Friday, June 10, 2016

Impactful Books

Okay, so I said I might not be posting as much on here because I needed time to focus on my story writing…but I couldn’t resist participating in the Read-to-Win discussion on Homeschooled Authors that will be happening every week. They’ll be short, direct answers to short, direct questions—good blogging material for me right now! (By the way, check out the Read-to-Win program here.)

The first question is: What fiction book most impacted your life?

My answer: I’m bad at narrowing things down. The narrowest I can get is four:
1) Christy by Catherine Marshall
2) Ester Reid by Isabella McDonald Alden
3) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
4) The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Christy and Ester Reid impacted my faith walk as much as or more than certain nonfiction books on Christian living. They showed me what a sold-out-to-God life looks like. Christy especially has become a model to me on how to write fiction where God is the center of my characters’ lives.

Sense and Sensibility, the first Austen novel I read and still my favorite, turned me into a Janeite. Elinor Dashwood is my favorite fictional character and is an example to me of strong, gracious womanhood.

The epic struggle in The Lord of the Rings helped me understand the epic struggle of our lives in this world. Its serious themes yet constant declaration of hope—hope that is always there, despite the shadows—picture to me how to stay faithful to and hopeful in God. 

What fiction book has most impacted you?

4 comments:

  1. Great picks, Kelsey! I love Isabella Alden's books, and totally agree that they offer real-life, applicable examples of the everyday Christian walk. And I love Elinor Dashwood! Definitely my favorite Austen heroine. :)

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    1. Thank you, Nicole! Surprising to myself, I've only read Ester Reid by Isabella Alden...but I have others. I just need to get around to them. I'm glad to hear the others are like Ester Reid.
      Yay! Another Elinor-lover! She's quite the heroine, isn't she!
      Thanks for dropping by!

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  2. I almost went with LotR, because that was also a huge chapter in my childhood and decision to become a writer, but Narnia edged out just a little more. Middle Earth is awesome, though, so rich and deep and true...

    Haven't read the other three, though I've watched two adaptations of S&S. I need to sit myself down one day and make myself read the book ... Jane Austen was a brilliant author, and I love both Emma and P&P.

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    1. Yes, sometimes it is so hard to choose between LotR and Narnia! I have a special place in my life for Narnia, too.
      I think you'd like S&S! It's not as lively as Emma and P&P, but it's rich, and I love the contrast between the sisters.
      Thank you for you dropping by!

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