The Lord lead me to various books this year. It was good to get some fiction reading for once, and so I thank Him for that!
Three books were very similar. They were books about being stranded on a deserted island. Robinson Caruso was the best. Lord of the Flies was up on my charts too. And Swiss Family Robinson was an excellent choice (The Disney movie was good too, but the book was 1000x better).
CS Lewis said that at least every 3rd book you read should be one from another decade (perhaps it was century?). Good advice. These three books are such books and they come highly recommended because of the vastly different perspective they will give you on life. So called "Christian books" of today's stripe cannot compare to these classics.
Robinson Caruso and Swiss Family will give you a picture of pious people making the best of a terrible situation. But what is most striking--and most refreshing!--is the emphasis on God's providence. Each book stresses it and shows the individuals commending their souls to God's care and wisdom.
RC & SFR also show people with faith in God working through the situation. Their faith carries them and makes them work, love, and cope. Flies is vastly different. The main feature of this book is the depravity of man. Kids become paganized. They fight, faction and murder. The whole book was a downward spiral. I don't know if the author was a Christian, but his purpose in writing the book was, in his own words, to show how boys would really act if they were found in such a situation. In my words, to show their depraved nature.
For the Flies I say, Ephesians 2:1--"You were dead in your transgressions and sins."
For RC & SFR I say, Galatians 5:16, "So I say, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
BTW, just in case you are wondering...I know they are fiction accounts, but they pose great realities. They show what a difference faith in God's Word makes.
And one more thing, I also recommend Around the World in 80 days. That was a real page turner! (I'm still waiting to see this movie)
See your local library or http://www.librivox.org/
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