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Its attraction is not that there is anything
you wouldn’t learn about in the words
of God in Revelation — but that it was
brought to life for the 21st century man by
reminding him that the return of the Lord
to the earth is going to be fast...it paints
the picture for you about how quickly “in
the twinkling of the eye, at the sound of
the trump” would actually happen. It does
for us the same thing that Gaither’s “The
King is Coming” does... “Busy housewives
cease their labors, there’s no traf fic in the street.”
It creates an incredible sense of urgency
AND sparks great conversation, even with
nonbelievers. They are anxious or willing
to talk about it because it is fiction and
merely the author’s “take” on this real
future occasion; it creates an easy opportunity
to make conversation on a plane or
bus about the truth upon which it is built.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett has
become one of my all-time favorites. On
tape, I had the advantage of a different
voice for each of the three major characters.
The story is all about living and
growing up in the 1960s in Mississippi,
during which era parents were hesitant
to allow black kids and white kids to visit
each others’ homes. I thought that part
was sad; it revived the memory of the even
more hurtful, insensible events of that era.
Anyone different (myself included, being
blind) was badly treated. We’ve all seen
these characters who don’t see themselves.
I thought very highly of other parts—and
as a whole, found it extremely entertaining.
I cheered for Skeeter — a rebel who didn’t care what people thought. This is a book everyone should both love and hate. Don’t miss it!
Another great read is Q: The Autobiography
of Quincy Jones, edited by Paul A.
Kirwan. It has been so popular because it is
a lively and full-force account of Jones by
himself, his family and friends, that is full
of behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
It gives me new inspiration; Jones is one of the top five people I want to meet. The greatest producer of all time, he produced the best pop records of all time, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
His book inspired me because he’s done everything, and his energy was caught by everyone else. He was constantly experimenting with styles and harmonies and new talent, encouraging others. I found out a lot about this hero of mine that I didn’t know before: I dreamed as a child (like we all do) but then you get to work with the people of your dreams — that’s what he did! I learned so much from the real person about the musician of him.
Early on in the book, he describes the joy of his discovery of music, his friendship with Ray Charles and his struggles and joys as a jazz trumpeter on the road. It’s much more than the typical celebrity memoir. It has chapters written by all the celebrities who have known him throughout the years. It dates back to his childhood in Chicago and Seattle, his romance with music in his early teens, first road trips as a performer, then bandleader — his wives, children, successes and failures. He was a musician’s musician. I learned from the book as I believe I would have learned from the man in person.
