Book Review: I Will Not Fear. By Melba Pattillo Beals

"You're not doing this for yourself. 

You are doing this for generations yet unborn."

These words of encouragement, spoken directly to Melba Beals by Dr. Martin Luther King, became her mantra, her guiding light for the challenges yet to come.

In 1957, Melba was a young African American student, craving a better education. She bravely volunteered to be one of the Little Rock Nine - a small group of African American students chosen to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

On the first day of school, the children were met by a mob fuelled by hatred and racism. Over the next few days, the eyes of the nation turned to Little Rock, and to the Little Rock Nine.

The Little Rock integration brought Melba's face into the limelight, but this is just one chapter in this courageous woman's extraordinary journey. I Will Not Fear chronicles her life of challenges and the faith that carried her through it all. She bravely shares her stories of racism - not just the prejudice shown to her, but her own struggles in overcoming her fear of white people.

Despite her rough years in high school, Melba was a passionate learner and earned several degrees. She built a career as an NBC television news reporter, a magazine writer, and a professor. As she narrates the story of her life, she is open and honest about her deep faith in God. Every chapter ends with a prayer or Scripture verse for inspiration. She shares the challenge of finding and trusting God, even in her darkest moments.

My one critique of I Will Not Fear is that it's actually too short! Melba has led a truly inspiring life, and it felt like many of the stories were told too quickly. I know she's written another memoir on her high school years (which I'm hoping to read next), but her adult life is also amazing. I wish she had spent more time telling these stories, and sharing those extraordinary experiences with each of us.

I loved reading Melba's story and hearing her heart for God. I'm so moved by her courage, and I love that she has shared her faith in such an intelligent and heartfelt way.

I wish we could say that the civil rights struggle was simply a chapter in history books, but every day, the news tells us otherwise. Our current North American society still struggles with racism and the ugly rise of white supremacy.

More than ever, we need to hear stories like Melba's. We need to hear about the battles that have been fought if we're ever to understand the weight of the challenges ahead. And we need leaders who are willing to be honest about their faith, and the power it has in creating social change.

As Melba's beloved Grandmother would say, 

God is always present with us, even "as close as your skin."

I received this book to review from the Nuts About Books Blogger Program and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Book Review: Paul: Apostle of Christ, by Angela Hunt

A few weeks ago, I shared my review of the film, 

Paul: Apostle of Christ. 

To coincide with the release of the movie, Andrew Hyatt's screenplay has been transformed into a novel by writer, Angela Hunt.

In full disclosure, I have to admit that I've never read a novelization of a screenplay. I've read lots of novels that have been made into films, but never the other way around.

I couldn't help but wonder what it might be like to read a 

novel based on a film based on Scripture? 

As I started reading the novel, the first difference that struck me was Paul's prison cell. In the movie, it's a dark subterranean room, entered by a narrow staircase, and punctuated by shafts of light from above.

In the novel, the full scope of Paul's desperate situation becomes clear to us. His cell isn't a room, but hole in the ground. Instead of stairs, the only point of entry is a rope, which is raised and lowered only at the will of his guards. We're given vivid descriptions of the darkness, dankness, and sheer torture the room provides.

As with any novel, Hunt is able to investigate the details of the world in ways that film can't do. For example, we learn more about Nero, Rome, and the political tensions of the day.

At the end of the novel, Hunt provides an "interview" with some interesting behind-the-scenes info, including some of the research she poured into the book. As with any artistic interpretation of Scripture, the novel has some stretches of imagination. Hunt also addresses these in her interview, sharing her reasoning behind these choices.

I think, ultimately, there's a real value in creating novelized or filmic versions of Bible stories. Sometimes, we can get so lost in the familiar words that we forget the humanity of the stories. We can lose sight that, just like us, these people had to cook dinner, make a living, care for family, and maybe even have a laugh at the end of the day. Translating these stories through art helps to make these details vivid and real. We are able to see God working in the every day, calling ordinary people to extraordinary things.

It's hard to know whether I'd recommend the film over the novel or visa-versa? I think the advantage of having both is that it makes the story available to so many people. You can approach this story in the vividness and immediacy of a film, or you can curl up with the book and spend hours chewing over every detail.

Both versions remind us that, for all of his legendary reputation, 

Paul was still simply a human being, 

which makes his ministry all the more amazing. 

As the tagline for the novel reminds us, "His story will change the world..." 

"Book has been provided courtesy of 

Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."