Book Review: Quaker Summer

I usually read fiction to escape. But I know when I pick up a Lisa Samson novel, I'm going to run smack dab into myself. Such was the case with Quaker Summer as the main character, Heather Curridge comes face to face with who she is and what really matters in life.

Haunted by memories of cruelty to less fortunate classmates in her Christian school, and left empty by the lifestyle of accumulation she's living, Heather sets out looking for some answers to the questions that linger in all of our hearts. Her quest takes her first to the Hotel, a sort of soup kitchen nestled amidst the drug realm in the worst part of town, and then to the home of two quaint elderly sisters, who teach her not to be afraid to ask the hard questions. Finally she makes the long trip back to her past to set things right, only to find that some things just cannot be made right. She learns, however, that God's grace is always good . . . whether it be forgiveness for past mistakes or guidance for the future.

Lisa Samson is not afraid to tackle the difficult issues in her writing, because she grapples with them in real life, as is evident on her blog. Through colorful yet down-to-earth characters who change and grow as you read, and a stream of consciousness style of writing that echoes many of our own thoughts, she challenges us to question our attachment to material things and our real purpose in life. You'll come away from this book wondering just how Jesus would live and serve if he were among us today.

Follow up Post