The Shack a novel
by Young, William Paul
pub. Windblown Media, 4680 Calle Norte, Newbury Park, CA 91320 - 2007 -       isbn 978-0-9647292-3-0 - - 248 p. - Notes
Paul Young wrote this in collaboration with Wayne Jacobson and Brad Cummings.
In a radio interview Young said that he originally wrote this for his children (he has 6 and at this writing the youngest is an adult.) The story is of a family where the dad takes the family (2 girls and 1 boy) on a camping trip in a well used park in NW USA. While rescuing 2 children from a canoe mishap the youngest girl is kidnapped and killed. There is great sadness. Then God (called Papa) invites the dad to the shack where the bloody clothes of the abducted girl were found. God appears. Each of the persons of God in the Christian Trinity interact with the dad.
This book is a vehicle for a discussion of the relationship of God and man from a Christian (but not demoninational and not churchy) perspective. In dialog fashion it is more readable than a dry text. For anyone who paid attention to their religious education class, and took one which discussed the adult version of religious concepts, there are no surprises. For those who have not, this book may have some use.
The underlying story is strong, and not a comfortable read for sensitive people
A friend of mine introduced me to this book and suggested I read it. I did so out of friendship. It is not something I would have picked up on my own. The author has a website at www.theshackbook.com
~~ 2011-09-06 ~

to Books index page.

-