Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan Book Review

Title: Then Sings My Soul
Author Robert J. Morgan
Genre: Non-Fiction, Religiou
Source: Paperback
Rating: 3 out of 5 paws


Hymns are sung throughout many churches, hymns that date back to a time we cannot remember.  Each song was written with deep emotion and conviction.  As we sing these songs, sometimes we forget the origins of which they were written, the feelings the authors felt while writing these songs.  This book provides a deep look into what provoked each writer to compose these hymns and share them with the world.

I found this book in my church library and thought it would be interesting to find out the history and deeper meaning behind some of the hymns that I grew up with.  Out of the 150 songs included in this book, I knew maybe 5 the rest I haven't heard of and couldn't really find myself relating too.  I was sad when I realized the song "Then Sings My Soul" actually was not included in this book and I wondered why.

I did like that one page had the hymn and the next gave the history behind it.  When reading the history it was almost like reading a devotion with it.  We see how some of the composers struggled and were affected by life around them that they NEEDED to get it into song format.  Many of these songs were their prayers to God, pleading and crying out to him.  That gave me a deeper meaning and understanding to these songs. I loved seeing some songs that are geared more towards Christmastime included, but also thought that could have been a book of it's own. It was cool to get to read on the origins of some of my favorite songs like "Amazing Grace," and I got the chance to learn about some other songs that aren't normally sung within my church so it was kind of special to see what motivated songwriters to write these songs.

It did get a little frustrating when the same line was used a lot "it was during this time he(she) penned this hymn." It felt generic, repetitive, and cheap.  There was a biographic portion about the author to try and tie in the time and feeling into the song.  While for some hymns this worked, but for others I wondered "what did that have to do with the song."  But regardless of those  minor issues this is still a great book to read for those who love music and hymns.  I recommend it if you want a good devotional to read or give as a gift.

Born Again

Title: Born Again
Author: Tom Harpur
Genre: Non-fiction, Spiritual, Memoir
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


Tom Harpur is an Anglican priest, Rhodes Scholar, Professor at University of Toronto, writer and editor for Toronto Star and a published prolific author.  His previous book "The Pagan Christ" has received critical acclaim.  In this book, Harpur delves into his spiritual journey away from fundamentalism and into spiritual freedom.  He discusses his struggles and triumphs along the way to spiritual self discovery.  What Harpur brings to his audience is more than a memoir, it is something personal and gives us a glimpse into his life.





When I seen this book on Netgalley I was interested in reading someone else's spiritual quest, but also was unsure of what to expect.  I have read a few memoirs that fell short and didn't seem as interesting as the synopsis made it seem, but this book held my attention from beginning to end.  Harpur basically opens the door to his own life for readers to experience.  He doesn't bore readers with every little detail of  his life, but pinpoints the critical points along his journey.


He writes with a knowledgeable, sage voice and include very candid comments about things he observed throughout life which made reading the book all the more real.  He makes it personal and relatable which is something I love about his memoir as opposed to others.  I haven't been able to feel connected to my author the way I did while I was reading this book.  Harpur address some of the things I have been thinking in my own personal spiritual odyssey.


Throughout this memoir, there is a lot of insight and revelation that leads to his personal renewal, his personal freedom from the fundamentalism of organized religion.  This book really hit home as I admit it is something I struggle with in my own personal walk.  I found it very resourceful and know I will find myself returning back to it time and time again., and I feel each time I return to it, I will find something else that will be helpful.


I recommend this to anyone who longs for spiritual freedom, and someone who enjoys memoirs.  It is definitely one of those reads that will get you thinking about things. 

Treasure of the North

Treasures of The North (Yukon Quest Book #1), by Tracie Peterson
Media: ebook - Nook
Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation:  I would recommend this novel for those who enjoy both Christian novels with focus on relying on God as well as those who like old west novels, novels about the gold rush and romance.


Treasures of the North is the story of a young woman, Grace Hawkin, who travels to the Yukon with her governess, Karen Pierce, to escape the potential to marry an abusive man.  Karen travels to the Yukon in hopes of finding her father who has gone missing during a missionary trip among the natives in Alaksa.  Along the way they met and make new friends in Peter Colton, a ship captain who sees the gold rush as a way help establish the family shipping business and Bill, a widower who packs his kids up to head north in hopes of achieving riches with the gold to be found.  Martin Paxton makes his way to the Yukon unbeknown to Grace and Karen.  Martin continues to manipulate her family to bring down their ruin, and he is determined to bring down Grace as well.

This is one of those novels that you can find yourself getting lost in and lose complete track of time.  I almost finished it in one night.  The story is compelling, the characters are thrilling, and you find yourself hoping each of their dreams come true (aside from Martin who you love to loathe).   There are a lot of references to religion and God throughout the novel, so if that is not something you dislike, this isn't a book for you.  That being said those references were done very well, it displayed the beliefs of Grace and Karen, and sometimes Peter.   It added quality to each of the characters to see how their faith fit into their lives. 

Peterson does a wonderful job with this story. It flows nicely and the changes in storylines, meaning changing to the different characters flowed together well. Readers aren't left wondering what is happening or where the story is headed.  There are questions that arise and go unanswered, but that is why there is a second book in the series.  The novel doesn't necessarily end, but prepare readers for the next novel.  It almost leaves you hanging which drops the rating down slightly.

Will I return to it?  I am not sure if I would return to this particular novel, but I will continue to read the series.