Scan barcode
shonac's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a birthday and baptism gift that I will always be greatful for. I never expected to come away from reading someone's memoirs with so many questions about how I view the world.
Whatever your religious background (or lack thereof) the writing of this book is beautiful and to be luxuriated in.
Whatever your religious background (or lack thereof) the writing of this book is beautiful and to be luxuriated in.
shellbiz's review against another edition
5.0
Carolyn Weber, with her Romantic-literature vision offers a truly reflective memoir that took me by the hand, waded me through doubts and hopes, and most of all beckoned me to the feet of the greatest romanticist of all-God. Her novel's title "Surprised by Oxford" a take off from "Surprised by Joy" by the great English writer of both theology and allegory, C. S. Lewis, manages to do Lewis' theme justice. The joy that comes when life's answers are found in Someone greater than oneself. She is neither simple nor naive in her decision to give her all to Jesus while at Oxford, having been discipled by TDH (tall, dark, handsome) in whom she sees great strength and transparency of faith. And she is taken through difficult thought processes, landing her solidly on the side of faith herself. If you like literature, her story, punctuated by literary allusion and metaphor, gives immense gratification to the literary student and to anyone who knows there is meaning to life borne out by what has been spoken by past and present authors.
eatingfiction's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Beautifully told story of a young woman going to Oxford University to study literature and finding a lot more than she ever expected...
It's a slow unraveling of what she thought she knew about the world and about herself, and a grasping of something seemingly unknowable: grace, grace, grace.
Interwoven with literary delight, human flaws, academic discussions, deep and searching questions... some get answers, but most of them remain. The author invites the reader to dwell in the mystery with her. Faith put in simple terms, really.
It's a slow unraveling of what she thought she knew about the world and about herself, and a grasping of something seemingly unknowable: grace, grace, grace.
Interwoven with literary delight, human flaws, academic discussions, deep and searching questions... some get answers, but most of them remain. The author invites the reader to dwell in the mystery with her. Faith put in simple terms, really.
graceevalyn's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I enjoyed this book and found it to be a fun and inspiring light read. At times the writing quality wasn't the greatest or things weren't expressed the most clearly, but overall I really enjoyed it!
jjlibrarian's review against another edition
LOVED this book. So related to what I do as an academic librarian.
lindalou22's review against another edition
5.0
Jesus, the great Lover of the soul, woos Carolyn Drake’s soul, causing her to question her beliefs, her life, and especially her relationships. She details her stay at Oxford College, her study of Romantic Literature, and the sure and steady witnessing of her Christian friends. The candid experience of Carolyn’s life in Oxford captivated me. The book holds a great deal of quotations from poets such as C.S. Lewis, Milton, Donne, etcetera, etcetera. I read her story slowly, taking time to think about each chapter. Her story is bread—solid and simple—for the soul. I was inspired to follow Jesus Christ on a deeper journey.
tawny73's review against another edition
3.5
Loved the setting and the story but the dialog was a bit cheesy.
magistratrium's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful book, especially for those of us who love Oxford, poetry, books, scholarship, and especially our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.