I had wanted to read Rhoda's Mennonite in a Little Black Dress for eons,
so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read her follow up!
Synopsis: What does it mean to give church a try when you haven't really tried since you were twelve? At the end of her bestselling memoir Mennonite in a Little Black Dress,
Rhoda Janzen had reconnected with her family and her roots, though her
future felt uncertain. But when she starts dating a churchgoer, this
skeptic begins a surprising journey to faith and love.
Rhoda doesn't slide back into the dignified simplicity of the Mennonite church. Instead she finds herself hanging with the Pentecostals, who really know how to get down with sparkler pom-poms. Amid the hand waving and hallelujahs Rhoda finds a faith richly practical for life--just in time for some impressive lady problems, an unexpected romance, and a quirky new family.
Rhoda doesn't slide back into the dignified simplicity of the Mennonite church. Instead she finds herself hanging with the Pentecostals, who really know how to get down with sparkler pom-poms. Amid the hand waving and hallelujahs Rhoda finds a faith richly practical for life--just in time for some impressive lady problems, an unexpected romance, and a quirky new family.
Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? is for people who have a problem with organized religion, but can't quite dismiss the notion of God, and for those who secretly sing hymns in their cars, but prefer a nice mimosa brunch to church. This is the story of what it means to find joy in love, comfort in
Review: i don't think I have laughed out loud so much while reading a book, recently, while reading the first half of this book! Examples:
- "Can I wear pants (to church)"?.."The God of my youth insisted on long dowdy prairie skirts"
- "Maybe Mennonites needed Draw Queen Day to loosen things up" (referring to a lady at church, looking like a drag queen)
- "Gospel of Mark- I would set this guy with my single girlfriends in a heartbeat because, wow, he's honest and direct"
As the author says herself in the book, "don't we all have something that blocks our faith? Mine was my mind". The first part of the book is her boyfriend, then fiance, Mitch, helping her explore what was blocking her faith, and by his example, leading her back to hers, when she is diagnosed with Cancer. I really enjoyed the first half as I think many of us have been there, and know where she is coming from, and her experience was humorous and sweet.
The second half to the book is her dealing with her diagnosis, her wedding to Mitch, and the aftermath. It almost felt like there were 2 books put together. She was very honest and forthright in how she and Mitch dealt with her diagnosis, chemo and healing. And for those going through a similar experience, I think it would be very enlightening to read about how much she offered up to God to heal her.
The book is a worthwhile read, and I am glad I got the opportunity to read it! And I want to share the experience with one lucky BTHM reader!
About the Author: Rhoda Janzen holds a PhD from
the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was the University
of California Poet Laureate in 1994 and 1997. She is the author of
Babel's Stair, a collection of poems, and her poems have also appeared
in Poetry, The Yale Review, The Gettysburg Review, and The Southern
Review. She teaches English and creative writing at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.
Ready to win?
Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book from Global Influence, free of charge, for review purposes. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.
Comments
Post a Comment