REVIEWS

CHOOSING JOY: A MEMOIR OF SPIRITUAL TRAUMA SURVIVED

Written by: John A HDempster

Published by: Matador

Price: £9.99

This very personal account of growing up within a family of faith offers snapshots of life in Scotland in the mid to late 20thcentury and demonstrates the fluidity and complexity of spirituality.

The paperback is a story of a lifetime’s yearning to know and understand more about the essence of God and Jesus – ultimately journeying towards a home in the Church of Scotland in Inverness (although there is no guarantee this will remain the author’s permanent home) – but with a lifetime of openness to experience the spirituality of other denominations.

The journey is an intimate portrait of a life searching and finding a sense of belonging at different times and in different places along the way and brimming with questions in the quest for answers along the way.

The personal journey offer fascinating insights into how much Scotland has changed over the last 70 years – including the place of faith – but also illustrates a common restless spirit within faith communities of belonging and clearly demonstrates that spirituality grows and changes with the passage of time.

The clear message is that the author has chosen to be happy in faith and the book highlights why in embracing a life of faith, this has to be a deliberate choice – but is not always a fixed point or position.

SOUL ART

A Workshop Manual For Creativity and Wellbeing

Written by: Shaeron Caton Rose

Published by: Wild Goose

Publications Price: £10.99

‘Making art enables people to talk about things in a different way,’ writes the author in an introduction to this ‘how to ‘ guide.

Published with the support of the Drummond Trust, this book is described as ‘a practical leader’s guide to delivering art and wellbeing sessions to the community’.

Inspired by the recognition that churches now play a key part in delivering social provision and care, the premise of the book is in the title – it is a simple step by step guide to setting up and running a creative space. The author also recognised that in an era of austerity cuts, churches are well placed to offer a ‘deep centred understanding of the value of each person and a concern for their wellbeing.’

The first chapter considers the practicalities: time, venue, space and equipment whilst there are ten further chapters offering a detailed breakdown of running a session – including building in a tea break.

There is also a helpful final addendum with helpful information on running classes and keeping participants safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

For anyone interested in a creative outreach to a community, this is a helpful addition to the bookshelves.

MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP

Letters on hope, death and learning to live

Written by: Claire Gilbert

Published by: Hodder Faith

Price: £10.99

‘I write because I’m going to die.’ The stark opening words of this book smack the reader between the eyes from the opening line of the prologue and provide a reminder of the fragility of life.

Gilbert, at the age of 54, was diagnosed with myeloma, an incurable cancer of the blood. She is director of Westminster Abbey Institute and writes and speaks about ethics and spirituality in politics and public life, medicine, ecology and on Julian of Norwich.

This volume is a diary from diagnosis to the outbreak of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic when she found herself in isolation.

It is a searingly honest account of the pain and brutal reality of treatment, but also one of hope and endurance and the light that can be found in the darkest hours of treatment.

The seeds for the book were sown early in her diagnosis when she asked friends if she could send them letters, with no need to respond, to share her journey: ‘Writing has always been my way of trying to make sense of things, so it was to writing I turned when I heard I might have cancer.’

The book is a sharply-observed account which outlines the reality of treatment, but also the joy to be found in small and simple things and offers significant spiritual insights into the daily life and endurance of living with an incurable condition. It closes just before the announcement of a nationwide lockdown, with a warning that 12 weeks of self-isolation lie ahead – and a prayer.

A second book will likely follow as readers are left asking questions about the last two years – and how that challenged and shaped spirituality – and treatment – during that time.

For anyone facing long-term illness or involved in pastoral care, this will be helpful in understanding the challenges of daily (and long-term) living with an incurable condition. It is also a fascinating diary of life in the year before the global pandemic – with (now) clear signals of the time ahead as offices are closed and people started to socially distance in everyday settings.

Lynne McNeil