Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Spiritual Life; won the 2015 Minnesota Book Award for General Non-Fiction."So you're the little woman who started this big war;" Abraham Lincoln is said to have quipped when he met Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her 1852 novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin converted readers by the thousands to the anti-slavery movement and served notice that the days of slavery were numbered. Overnight Stowe became a celebrity; but to defenders of slavery she was the devil in petticoats.Most writing about Stowe treats her as a literary figure and social reformer while downplaying her Christian faith. But Nancy Koester's biography highlights Stowe’s faith as central to her life -- both her public fight against slavery and her own personal struggle through deep grief to find a gracious God. Having meticulously researched Stowe’s own writings; both published and un-published; Koester traces Stowe's faith pilgrimage from evangelical Calvinism through spiritualism to Anglican spirituality in a flowing; compelling narrative.Watch a 2014 interview with the author of this book here:
#243725 in Books 2005-06-01 2005-05-19Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.34 x 1.24 x 5.66l; 1.05 #File Name: 0802714471311 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. It's Alright; But Ultimately ForgettableBy 500 BooksTom Standage's A History of the World in 6 Glasses examines what was going on in the world as six different drinks were developed and had their heyday: beer; wine; liquor; coffee; tea; and Coca-Cola. It's set in that order; too; taking us chronologically from early civilization to close to the present day. While each subject is worthy of its own full book-length treatment; honestly; shorter examinations provide an interesting lens through which to look back at history.I think the three most interesting segments are the ones regarding liquor; coffee; and tea. While anyone who remembers history class can probably connect the dots between rum and the large-scale slave trade; I think Standage does a good job of developing both that connection and going into the larger cultural history of liquor. The coffee section details not only the beverage itself; but the role that coffeehouses played in political intrigue; which is something I'd never read about before. And he does a great job tying the British imperialism to the tea trade; which isn't a connection I would have drawn on my own but was really insightfully done.Nothing about it is particularly revelatory...it did more to pique my interest into looking more deeply into some of the topics it covered than captivate me on its own. But it's a novel way to look at the span of human history; it's well-written; and it's an enjoyable if not mind-blowing read. A good choice for the beach or the airplane!3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. History text at its coreBy rmdA History of the World in 6 Glasses covers the material as advertised; walking through human history via beer; wine; spirits; tea; coffee and soda (Coca-cola primarily). Anyone looking for a riveting story or in depth historical perspectives will need to dig deeper in other sources. The book gives a nice (if often dry) summary around the various beverages and the historical context; and will likely be the impetus for me to do a little more reading in some areas of history that piqued my interest in the broad overview covered within.Kindle and Audible versions (listened to this one).0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Fun and Interesting. Recommended!By Richard BVery interesting and a writing style that makes you want to read on. I enjoyed the book immensely. This book is not a deep examination of history; but rather a light; fun read for a lazy afternoon or before bed. Would definitely recommend to history aficionados.
