Crossroads by Wm. Paul Young

Young is the author of the mega best-selling Christian novel The Shack.  His new book, Crossroads, while less provocative, nonetheless deals with death.  In this case, though, it is spiritual death.  Tony Spencer is a wealthy real estate businessman who experienced familial loss and has alienated his remaining family members.  After suffering a cerebral hemorrhage and falling into a coma, he undergoes a spiritual rebirth.  The book is full of metaphors, and Young personifies the Holy Spirit as a Native American grandmother.  Tony is stuck "in between" life and death and encounters Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who show him what the current condition of his heart and ego are like.  Tony is also given some gifts:  the ability to "slide" into the bodies of various people and the ability to heal one person with the help of God.  Since I haven't read Young's first book, and I am leery of Christian fiction that tries too hard to make its point, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I was deeply moved by the narrative and the unique way Young portrays Tony's change of heart. The book will cause the reader to think about the state of his own heart and how he relates to others.

Dawn

If you enjoy Young's books, you may also enjoy books by Ted Dekker.