30 Jul 2017

Waking up (by Ted Dekker)

Waking up by Ted Dekker
(Amazon UK link)
I haven’t read any of Ted Dekker’s fiction, as my family have told me that they’re very tense and, in places, too violent and scary for my tastes. However we knew him vaguely, twenty-five or so years ago, before he became a writer. So I was interested when I spotted a free electronic download offering a short autobiographical booklet he had written.

The title when I downloaded it was, 'Waking up: how I found my faith by losing it. It was later entitled, ‘Waking up: to who you really are’. That's a more accurate title, since the author doesn't really lose his faith as such - just starts to ask a lot of questions. And now it appears to be called 'Waking up: to the way of love'. 

The booklet is an honest reflection on the author’s life, delving into his past when he was sent to boarding school at the age of six - something I have read or heard about many times. He felt abandoned by his parents, though he doesn’t blame them in any way. But his experiences were, at times, horrendous.

Most of the booklet looks at his struggles with his faith as an adult, even after he had become a well-known writer. He explores reasons why he often uses dark themes, and mentions some of the books that he’s written which relate to his more recent journey. They start from skepticism and confusion, through to a new and more positive life following Jesus, no matter what happens around him.

The teaching, such as it is, isn’t new. But the writing is excellent, and many of the anecdotes or ideas are quite thought-provoking. Definitely worth reading by anyone who has enjoyed Dekker’s books, or who is interested in the background to some of his books. Those without faith, or with a different kind of faith, may find the Christian element a bit too strong, but I didn’t think it was pushy at all. Andd it’s one person’s experiences, with a positive outcome.

If nothing else, it’s inspired me to think about reading one or two of the author’s more recent books, including the ones he mentions in this booklet.

Only available in Kindle form, as far as I know. And not necessarily available everywhere in the world. 


Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

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