COLD TANGERINES
Celebrating the extraordinary nature of everyday life
By Shauna Niequist. Zondervan. 238 pages. £9.99
ISBN 0-310-27360-9
The back cover says it is ‘a collection of stories about God, and about life, and about the thousands of ways in which an awareness of God changes and infuses everything’. Amid a troubled world the author focuses on the positives of daily life.
It is beautifully written, very readable and includes valuable insights about forgiveness, friendship and God’s providence. The tone is set in the very first chapter, which highlights how often we miss the blessings of today, by waiting for something that is yet to come. Reading this book has made me more thankful for God’s goodness to me personally and determined to appreciate it more.
I do, however, have some misgivings. While making a valid point about the need to appreciate everyday life, the author minimises the flip-slip of Christianity, that we are called to mourn over sin and to yearn for greater holiness. While Niequist clearly respects the Bible, she admits that ‘doctrine is not the thing God has used to change my life’. Her views on matters such as woman’s place in the church and yoga would not be those embraced by most mainstream evangelicals.
Because of its lack of biblical underpinning and one-sidedness, it would not fall into my top ten or 20 books to recommend.
Lois Collier,
pastor’s wife at Great Ellingham Reformed Baptist Church
