At many points while reading this book I actually found it quite hard to believe that it was true. The book read to me more like a Fredrick Forsyth novel than an autobiography of a senior inteligence office. It is a much better read than fiction as it is written by a man who has been there and done that.

Read the rest of Spy Catcher by Peter Wright...

Though not a “Christian” book, I have heard this book described more than once as the best illustration of sin in classic literature. Besides being a great, well-written novel, this book does paint quite a picture of the ugliness of sin. Makes me think twice of ever commissioning a self portrait, that’s for sure.

Read the rest of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde...

I have read very few books quite as bleak as The House of Sand and Fog, so saying that I “enjoyed” this book doesn’t seem quite appropriate. I was captivated by it. The story centers around a house and the people struggling against eachother to own it. Each chapter flip- flops from one voice, that of Persian immigrants, the Behrani family, to the other, a house keeper named Kathy Nicolo. I much prefered the story from the Behrani family, it was a mix of flashbacks of their lilfe in Iran and life as now as struggling immigrants. Kathy’s story was twinged with desperation, helplessness and too much sex (as far as I’m concerned). Read the book, then rent the movie, which won a few Oscars. It really made the story come to life.

Read the rest of The House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III...

A review on the back of this book describes Roy’s story like an onion being peeled. This is an apt description — page by page, more of the complex family dynamic is revealed. Like an onion, there are scenes and events that are enough to make your eyes water; however, it does carry a powerful message of love and acceptance. It is a riveting read, and I would recommend it with a disclaimer –this is not a Christian novel, and is not for the faint of heart.

Read the rest of The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy...