by Ruth Verkaik | Oct 10, 2019 | Books, Theology, Thinking
It was my middle son who told me that I HAD to read The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt. His older sister, rather than her usual contrarianism, actually joined him in his attempt to convince me. That’s how I knew it must be really good. But I confess, it took...
by Ruth Verkaik | Jul 16, 2019 | Books, Creativity, Theology, Thinking
From the Back Cover: When Cohen Marah steps over his father’s body in the basement embalming room of the family’s funeral home, he has no idea that he is stepping into a labyrinth of memory. Over the next week, Cohen’s childhood comes back in living color. The...
by Ruth Verkaik | Jul 4, 2019 | Theology, Thinking
Their white-gloved hands reverently took the corners and lifted Old Glory. They brought them together to form a long red, white and blue piece of fabric. I have seen flags folded many times. I have even done it myself. My daughter’s Honor Scout troop folds them...
by Ruth Verkaik | Jun 4, 2019 | Books, Thinking, Writing
From the Back Cover: After Annie Jacobson’s brother Mike enlists as a medic in the Army in 1967, he mails her the address of their long-estranged father. If anything should happen to him in Vietnam, Mike says, Annie must let their father know. In Mike’s absence,...
by Ruth Verkaik | May 27, 2019 | Thinking, Writing
Today I hit a wall. Okay, it’s a wall I’ve seen coming for awhile and I’ve been deep in denial, but still the wall came and we met. It was not pleasant. The wall did not shake hands. He was not welcoming. He had a large beatdown stick and was very...
by Ruth Verkaik | Mar 11, 2019 | Books, Thinking, Writing
**Welcome to the first book review of 2019! I’ve made a goal to read 50 books and you will read my thoughts on each one here. Stay tuned! From the Back Cover: My real name, no one remembers. The truth about that summer, no one else knows. In the summer of 1862,...
