Tales of the New Creation: Remix (Jennifer Trafton , Pete Peterson)

'Cry, the Beloved Country' is set in the backdrop of racial segregation and social injustice in South Africa. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and reconciliation through the story of Stephen Kumalo, a Zulu Anglican priest who journeys to Johannesburg to find his son. Paton's vivid descriptions of the land and its people evoke a powerful sense of place and emotion. The book highlights the moral and spiritual decay caused by apartheid, urging readers to empathize with those affected by it. Ultimately, it is a call for compassion and understanding in a divided society, advocating for healing and unity amidst profound adversity.

The Wind in the Willows is a classic children's novel written by Kenneth Grahame. The story follows the adventures of several anthropomorphic animals—primarily Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger—as they explore the riverbank and nearby Wild Wood. The novel highlights themes of friendship, nature, and the charm of rural life. It includes various adventures such as Toad's obsession with motorcars, a visit to the Wild Wood, and a climactic battle to reclaim Toad Hall from weasels and stoats. The book is known for its evocative descriptions of the countryside and its engaging characters.

"A Ring of Endless Light" by Madeleine L'Engle follows Vicky Austin as she spends a summer on her grandparents' island, grappling with themes of life, death, and faith. Vicky faces the impending death of her grandfather and communicates telepathically with dolphins, exploring the interconnectedness of all living things. She also navigates complex relationships and ethical dilemmas, contemplating the meaning of love and sacrifice. L'Engle weaves together science, spirituality, and human relationships, creating a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant story. Through Vicky's experiences, the novel explores the search for meaning in the face of suffering and the enduring power of hope.

C. S. Lewis's "Perelandra" (also known as "Voyage to Venus") is the second book in his Space Trilogy. It follows Dr. Elwin Ransom's journey to the planet Perelandra (Venus), a world untouched by the fall of humanity. Ransom's mission is to prevent the corruption of Perelandra's Eve-like figure, the Green Lady, by a possessed physicist named Weston. The novel explores themes of temptation, innocence, and the cosmic battle between good and evil. Lewis uses the alien setting to examine human nature and the spiritual significance of free will, highlighting the importance of remaining steadfast in the face of temptation and embracing divine grace.

"Phantastes" by George MacDonald is a Victorian-era fairy tale that follows Anodos, a young man who journeys into a mystical realm filled with allegorical landscapes and encounters. The story explores themes of self-discovery, spiritual awakening, and the battle between good and evil. Anodos undergoes a series of transformative experiences that challenge his perceptions and force him to confront his inner demons. MacDonald's rich symbolism and dreamlike prose create a landscape where the boundaries between reality and imagination blur. Through Anodos's journey, the novel explores the importance of embracing beauty, confronting darkness, and seeking a deeper understanding of oneself and the world.

"Jayber Crow" by Wendell Berry is a novel that chronicles the life of Jayber Crow, a barber in the small Kentucky town of Port William. The story spans much of the 20th century, portraying Jayber's personal journey and the changing landscape of rural America. Through Jayber's eyes, the novel explores themes of community, faith, and the importance of rootedness in a fast-paced world. Berry's evocative prose and deep appreciation for the natural world create a compelling portrait of a man finding purpose and belonging in a close-knit community. The novel serves as a meditation on the value of simple living, the importance of local connections, and the enduring power of human relationships.

The Divine Comedy is an Italian narrative poem begun around 1308 and completed around 1321. It is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The poem discusses the state of the soul after death and presents an image of divine justice, describing Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. It is an allegory representing the soul's journey towards God, drawing on medieval Catholic theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy. The work is considered one of the greatest in Italian literature and Western literature, and it helped establish the Tuscan language as the standardized Italian language.

Bridge to Terabithia is a novel that follows the friendship between Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke, two fifth-graders who create a magical forest kingdom in their imagination. The story explores profound themes of friendship, identity, and courage as they escape the restraints of their mundane lives. After Leslie's tragic death, Jess must come to terms with his loss and find a way to keep the magic of Terabithia alive by building a real bridge and sharing its lessons with his younger sister, Joyce Ann. The book deals with hard topics such as loneliness, insecurity, bullying, parental stress, and death, but ultimately shows that it's possible to overcome obstacles and find joy in life.

Written in 1938-39 and first published in the 'Dublin Review' in January 1945, 'Leaf by Niggle' is an allegorical tale that reflects Tolkien's own creative process and life. The story follows Niggle, a painter who is obsessed with painting a perfect tree but is constantly interrupted by his obligations. When Niggle is forced to take a journey, he finds himself in a bureaucratic purgatory and eventually discovers his tree in a more perfect form in an afterlife. The narrative is a profound exploration of divine creation, human sub-creation, and the journey of life and death.

In 'Gilead', Marilynne Robinson crafts a deeply personal and introspective narrative through the eyes of John Ames, a 76-year-old pastor writing to his seven-year-old son in 1956. The novel explores themes of faith, forgiveness, and redemption as Ames recounts his life, his family's history, and the tensions between his abolitionist grandfather and his pacifist father. The book is a meditation on the human condition, highlighting the beauty in everyday moments and the profound bond between fathers and sons. It won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

In *Surprised by Hope*, N.T. Wright addresses the biblical question of what happens after we die, arguing that most Christians misunderstand the concept of heaven. Wright posits that instead of going to heaven, Christians will be resurrected, and heaven will come down to earth. He defends the bodily resurrection of Jesus and explains how this event is the prototype for the final resurrection. The book emphasizes the importance of this hope in informing current social action, evangelism, and spirituality, and it challenges a Platonized view of Christianity that undercuts the church's present mission. Wright argues that the church's mission is to build for the kingdom, living out the implications of Jesus’s resurrection in the present world.

Peace Like a River is a stirring novel that follows the Land family—Jeremiah, the devout Christian father, and his children Davey, Reuben, and Swede—as they face a family catastrophe in rural Minnesota in the 1960s. The story is narrated by Reuben, an asthmatic 11-year-old, who recounts the family's journey after his older brother Davey commits a fatal crime in self-defense and flees. The novel delves into themes of faith, accountability, perspective, and the power of family love, set against a backdrop of adventure, tragedy, and healing. It is known for its lyrical prose, vivid descriptions, and the poetic verses of Swede, the young and precocious sister.

The series includes seven novels that span the entire history of Narnia, from its creation in 'The Magician’s Nephew' to its eventual destruction in 'The Last Battle'. The stories follow various children who are transported to Narnia, where they often assist the lion Aslan in battles against evil forces. The series is known for its allegorical themes, particularly Christian allegory, and its richly imagined world of magic, mythical beasts, and talking animals.

The story follows a king and queen whose daughter is cursed by the king's sister, Princess Makemnoit, to have no gravity. The princess floats constantly and never cries. She finds temporary relief from her condition when swimming. A prince from another country falls in love with her and volunteers to sacrifice himself to restore the lake that is her only source of gravity. Through his sacrifice and her subsequent tears, the curse is broken, and the princess regains her weight. The tale explores themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption.

Four Quartets is a cycle of four poems by T.S. Eliot, each titled with a place name: 'Burnt Norton,' 'East Coker,' 'The Dry Salvages,' and 'Little Gidding. ' The poems are meditations on time, redemption, and eternity, blending Eliot's Anglo-Catholicism with mystical, philosophical, and poetic elements from various traditions. Each quartet has five sections and explores themes such as the conflict between individual mortality and the endless span of human existence, the nature of spirituality, and the relationship between the present and the past. The work is considered Eliot's masterpiece and his clearest exposition of his Christian beliefs.

The Golden Key, first published in 1867 as part of George MacDonald's story collection *Dealings with the Fairies*, is an allegorical fairy tale. The story follows a young boy named Mossy who finds a golden key at the end of a rainbow and embarks on a journey to find the keyhole it fits. Along the way, he meets a girl named Tangle, and together they navigate through shadowy valleys and mountains, guided by the Old Men of the Sea, Earth, and Fire. The tale is symbolic and explores themes of transcendence and the journey of life, death, and rebirth.

The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R. R. Tolkien, is an epic high fantasy novel set in Middle-earth. The story follows Frodo Baggins, a hobbit who inherits the One Ring from his uncle Bilbo. The Ring, forged by Sauron, holds the power to control all other Rings of Power and must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom to prevent Sauron's return. Frodo is joined by a fellowship of other characters, including Gandalf the Grey, Samwise Gamgee, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir, as they embark on a dangerous quest across Middle-earth. The novel explores themes of good vs. evil, the corrupting influence of power, and the struggle between fate and free will.

In this book, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma reshapes both the body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores various treatments, including neurofeedback, meditation, sports, drama, and yoga, which activate the brain’s natural neuroplasticity to aid in recovery. The book emphasizes the power of relationships in both causing and healing trauma and offers hope through descriptions of novel approaches to treatment. It is based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists in the field.