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Saturday, December 27, 2014

Book Review of 52 Little Lessons from Les Miserables by Bob Welch


   
 
 
52 Little Lessons from Les Miserables by Bob Welch
From goodreads.com
Gold Medallion Award-winner Bob Welch crafts 52 nuggets of Bible-based wisdom from one of the most popular novels, musicals, and films of all time: "Les Miserables." In "52 Little Lessons from Les Miserables," Bob Welch walks readers through Hugo's masterpiece, extracting dozens of uniquely spiritual reflections from this enduring portrait of poverty, social injustice, mercy, and redemption. Welch reminds us that Jean Valjean's life provides the truest example of why real love is found in the grittiest places, and that hearts are made whole beneath the crush of mercy. Most important, though, Welch keeps returning to the intersections of faith and reality throughout Hugo's writing--those places where mercy becomes an inroad to the heart, and where love is only truly received when it is given without condition. Discover again why life's purpose is found not in attending to personal needs and desires, but in responding to the hearts of others.
Leona's Review:
It has been a  long time since I have watched the movie, Les Miserables and after reading 52 Little Lessons from Les Miserables, I now want to read the book. I did not realize Victor Hugo had written the book in 1862. There is also information about Victor Hugo;  I knew a little of him but now encouraged to read more.
Bob Welch has written an inspirational book using the characters as key points in messages. The book has love, hate, misery, death, suffering but I also read hope .
The first part of the book has the characters and places listed and how to pronounce the words which helps the reader. The chapters are short and have a message.
Chapter 8, "It's Not About "The Stuff". "They confuse heaven's radiance stars with a duck's footprint left in the mud" from Les Miserables which "being the solution begins with the perspective." (page 28). I understood the message was we worry too much about what we have. The author uses a man's BMW car as an example.
Chapter 29, "Wisdom Can Come From Weird Places" "God has his own ways" from Les Miserables. "God sends us life lessons on pleasant breezes and on ill winds. It is up to us to raise our sails". (page 99) I understand it is up to us to make the decisions.
There is a chapter for book clubs to use for discussions. Question number 4: "How were Jean Valjean and Avert similar? How were they different?"
I read this book in a few days but as one reviewer wrote, this is good for inspirational reading for one time a week.
The author has done a great job of making the reader think about the messages. I give it a 5 star raring.
I received a complimentary copy to read and review from booklookbloggers.com. The opinions are my own.
This is a Thomas Nelson Publisher book. It would make a wonderful gift for a friend or family member.
Bob Welch is a goodreads.com author. You may reach Bob Welch at www.bobwelch.net. He is an inspirational speaker as well a writer.
Leona Olson

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