Historical Fiction Based on WWII

Saving Amelie by Cathy Gohlke  is a work of historical fiction in which both the historical context and the fictional plot are well done.  Rachel, a fictional American woman is taken to Germany by her father.  While there, she finds a childhood friend in great distress because her Deaf daughter is in danger as the Nazi’s seek to rid themselves of all but the Nazi ideal.  The child’s father, an SS officer, wants to be rid of his “defective” daughter and marry a woman who will give him perfect Aryan children.

While helping her friend, Rachel meets a friendly American journalist, uncovers the history of her birth family, and learns she is an unfinished “project” of Hitler’s unethical doctors. Real events, people, and places are everywhere in the story: Deitrich Bonhoeffer and the confessing church, Oberamergau and the Passion Play, Goebbels, and Joseph Mengele to name a few.

My one concern was the part about the American journalist learning to sign from another American and then using that language with Amelie.  That journalist would have learned ASL, I assume: but signed languages are diverse, just as spoken languages are. In fact, the sign language used in Great Britain is a different language than American Sign Language.  In modern Germany, there are variations in the old East Germany as well as Austrian Sign Language used in the south of Germany.  So that one part of the story bothered me a little--it would not have been that easy.

Anyone who appreciates history should enjoy this blend of history and fiction.  It could also be a good book for homeschoolers in high school to read while studying World War II.  There are many great discussions this book could launch!

I received a free review copy of this book from Tyndale BlogNetwork via NetGalley.

Persecuted by Robin Parrish

Based on the film by Daniel Lusko, Robin Parrish has crafted a novel that is best read cover-to-cover in one sitting, if possible.

John Luther, like many preachers before him, lives in a time and place in which he must choose to obey God or government.  When John chooses God, his enemies (and former friends) go to great lengths to frame him, ruin his reputation, and hijack his television ministry.  When John refuses to give up and sets out to uncover their conspiracy, those enemies show just how far they will go to silence John and the gospel.  How many must die?

The question asked of John Luther can be asked of every Christian.  What would it take to stop you from spreading the gospel message? I hope there will be a sequel, as I think John Luther has a lot more to say!

I received a free review copy of this book from Bethany House publishers.  

Great Book for Learning Colored Pencil Techniques

Colored pencils are so much more than the simple boxes of cheap pencils in the back-to-school department.  The New Colored Pencil by Kristy Ann Kutch is a guide to the vast variety of pencils, from wax-based to watercolor.  Kristy offers all sorts of blending techniques, taking colored pencil art to places it’s never been before.

I found the examples amazing.  If I had not known this was a book about colored pencils, I might have thought some of the drawings were oil paintings.  Any artist who enjoys working in colored pencil should have this book as a reference.  The rest of us should have it just to enjoy the pictures.

This book will be published on May 20.  I received a free electonic review copy through NetGalley.

Book Review: Courageous Gentleness

In Courageous Gentleness: Following Christ’s Example of Restrained Strength, Mary Ann Froehlich really challenges me.  While I am happy to be gentle and patient with babies, I must confess that I often want to just smack some adults upside the head when I witness the decadence and ignorance that permeates American society.  I have a long road ahead if I’m to develop the gentle manner Jesus used.  It helps to be reminded by Mary Ann that, “We have an all-powerful yet gentle God who could have destroyed us but instead chose to love us.”

But isn’t some anger justified?  Mary Ann point to only two situations in which Jesus was angry: with Satan and his demons or with hypocrites. Her emphasis in this book is that “Jesus was never angry or harsh with lost, broken people.” The key for me to conquer my own harshness will be to constantly remind myself that most of the people I encounter each day fall into the “lost, broken people” category.

This book includes plenty of Scripture to back up Mary Ann’s insights as well as quotes from well-known Christians past and present.  There are also discussion questions, making this book suitable for a group Bible study.

I received a free review copy of Courageous Gentleness through NetGalley.

Book Review: Echoes of an Angel

Aquanetta Gordon is generous to share with us all this inspiring story of her son, Ben.  Ben was blind from the age of two, after his eyes had to be removed due to a rare cancer. His mother was determined that he would still have a good life, and Ben’s happy, optimistic disposition made this job easier.

Ben maintained amazing mobility through the use of echolocation.  He made clicking sounds and was able to detect obstacles in his path.  Ben also developed a great appreciation for music and a rich spiritual life. His brief life inspired many.

This is a story of struggle and victory through faith in Jesus Christ.  Ben has won his race and his story is an encouragement to others.  Likewise, his mother’s journey will touch the hearts of parents of all children. 

I received a free review copy of Echoes of an Angel from Tyndale.

Book Giveaway: Impact by Tim Irwin, Ph.D.

While most leadership books focus on a list of steps or strategies for getting people to do what you need them to do, Dr. Tim Irwin takes a different approach.  Given the many scandals of the past decades, in business and in politics, Irwin chooses to focus on what he calls the "core." This core is what we used to call "character" and refers to our most deeply held values that inform our actions.

There are plenty of unfortunate examples of the high price paid by those leaders who neglected their cores and succumbed to arrogance or false beliefs.  Leaders with a weak core are just as vulnerable to harm as athletes who neglect their physical core.  Fortunately, there are proven ways to develop and strengthen our moral core, and Dr. Irwin expounds upon this.

For parents, there is hopeful news for your children and their future leadership abilities.  While they are young, you have the opportunity to help them develop a strong core.  Teach them responsibility and accountability through the ordinary activities of daily life.  And pay attention to your own core--kids are always watching your example, even when you think they aren't paying attention.  For starters, take Tim's free online personal assessment (about 15 minutes of your time.)


To enter a drawing for a free copy of Impact please leave a comment on this blog post and/or like my Kimberly Schimmel, Writer& Researcher Facebook page and leave a comment or a private message. Enter before midnight on April 27.  Drawing will take place April 28.

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Out of the Depths: A Book Review

Few of us will ever experience the nightmare of drifting in a life jacket in the Pacific, knowing at any moment we could be the next to die of shark attack or dehydration or hypothermia.  Although we all need God’s grace daily, the men who survived the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis came face to face with a situation where they truly know God was their only hope from one moment to the next.

This account of the tragic loss of the U.S.S. Indianapolis during WWII was heartbreaking in its detail.  Edgar Harrell was a young marine aboard the ship when it was sunk by the Japanese.  The harrowing tale of the survivors' struggle to hang on does not end with their miraculous sighting and rescue after days in the open sea.  They had to fight on to reveal the truth about the ship's sinking and exonerate their skipper, who had been the government's scapegoat.

Harrell is inspirational in his humility and his lack of residual bitterness.  In sharing this account, he honors those who served and their memory.  He also teaches us all how to go on living, thankful for every new day as a gift.

As a native of the Indianapolis area with many Navy men in my family tree, I found Out of the Depths the most scary and riveting since I read "Blind Man's Bluff" about submarines during the Cold War.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House publishers for my review.