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Heather Curridge is envied by most: she has a successful surgeon husband who panders to her every need, a smart son, a beautiful home, and money to shop, re-do her home, and install the newest pool in her back yard. But while Heather is outwardly content, inner turmoil reigns with memories of peers being mistreated in her Christian school and a feeling that she could be doing much more with her life. As Heather slowly starts to come out of her shell, she discovers unlikely friends in two old Quaker sisters and a grumpy nun who help her to discover how she can fulfill her life with God's work. Lisa Samson, softcover, 324 pages.
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 320
Vendor: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: 2007
Dimensions: 8.38 X 5.44 (inches)
| ISBN: 1595542078
ISBN-13: 9781595542076
UPC: 020049131596
Availability: In Stock
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Every year I think there must be more to life, and every year, despite a new car or a trip to a new land, new milestones and triumphs in my son’s life, or a redone deck, a pool, a spa, or entertainment system, I take stock and think once again, I was made for more than this. But I love my stuff. Heather Curridge is coming unhinged. And people are starting to notice. What’s wrong with a woman who has everything--a mansion on a lake, a loving son, a heart-surgeon husband, and soapstone countertops--yet still feels miserable inside? Yet when Heather spends the summer with two ancient Quaker sisters and a crusty nun in a downtown homeless shelter, she suddenly finds herself at a crossroads. Sometimes you have to go a little bit crazy to find the life you were meant to live.
Quaker Summer is a fictional depiction of the crisis many women go through when they are not sure of who, what, why, and where they are, or when they will be. Summer seems to bring the renewal of feelings that have been suppressed for a very long time.
The author divides the book into three sections to show her main character's unfolding life--"Fool on the Hill," "The Long and Winding Road," and "I'll Follow the Sun." She has taken Heather Reeves Curridge from her fundraising, private school volunteer days, through a couple of situations that bring her around to questioning why things and prestige mean so much to her; that is, after her cardiologist husband, Jace, points out her spending habits and the fact that he works long days to stretch the budget for them and their son Will, who, unlike his mother, is more aware of who he is and what he is about.
The characters introduced are plausible and their descriptions are played out fairly well throughout the book. Gary and Mary Andrews are mentioned more strongly in the beginning and the ending, and Heather's dilemma seems to be centered on them, because of the way her son has been treated by a bully at school. In fact, too much emphasis is placed on her childhood taunting of these siblings, and this reader is left wondering why one scene is even brought into the story.
Heather meets Laney as an eighth grade room mother at St. Matthews' School, and Laney's stepdaughter Nicola becomes a special friend to Will, as in "he really likes her." Carmen is head of the room mother volunteers, and she is most bridled by the need to be a perfectionist and in control, seemingly a necessary person and a friend to no one in particular. Leslie is a widow whose husband was a wealthy philanthropist, and her daughter Lark is a good listener for Heather and one who does not dwell on the unpleasant and goes to work to make things happen.
Anna and Liza, sisters who play a major role in Heather's awakening and soul-searching, come into her life by accident. They are Quakers (Society of Friends members) who take care of Heather after her car swerves to miss a kangaroo, in Maryland of all places. As a result of the care and hospitality of these 92 and 90 year old women, Heather returns there for a two- week respite at the suggestion of her husband. This scenario is a bit awkward to comprehend, since the ages of the sisters defy the many activities and actions with which they are attributed.
Heather, then Jace, is drawn back to the downtown Hotel (to which the reader is introduced in the beginning), where it and the people who live there play another role in the main character's finding herself. A widowed neighbor named Jolly is on the scene and is not developed as well as he could have been, since one is not sure where he is at the end. Perhaps it is a depiction of the harried life we lead and how we forget our neighbors. It seems that this author is anxious to condense the ending to make it work, but still adds another scene that needs more explanation of characters, even though they have been there right along and are in the midst of the crisis.
Women who are in an emotional upheaval because of their "ministries" in life and the roles they have as daughters, wives, mothers and grandmothers will find this tome introspective, but not therapeutic. I did find that Micah 6:8, stated outside the text, was mentioned a couple times for the characters' processing. There are a couple of questionable, provocative sentences and a vulgarity expressed with which I do not agree, along with the introduction of alcoholic beverages for the characters' liking, including the Quaker sisters.
This is not a book that I would choose wholeheartedly just for pleasure. I found that understanding which character was speaking took a look back at times. – Sharon I. Rideout, Christian Book Previews.com
One of the most powerful voices in Christian fiction, Samson delivers what seems, on the surface, to be just another Christian women's novel, but in reality is a staggering examination of the Christian conscience. Like most Samson heroines, Heather Curridge is a woman in crisis. Outwardly, her life seems idyllic: she has an unusually handsome, successful and loving husband, a child she adores and the most beautiful home she could imagine. Inwardly, however, she is falling apart, overcome by the idea that this comfortable, affluent life is keeping her from God's will. With the help of several older, wiser Christians, her patient family and her two best friends, Heather comes to some painful conclusions about her past and future. Samson's unflinching exploration of childhood bullying, as well as inner-city poverty and drug culture, are rivaled only by her portrayal of the soul-desiccating acquisitiveness in which many Christians engage, often in a misguided attempt to numb both their heartache and their awareness of God's potentially life-upending plans. Unlike many Christian novelists, Samson does not tidily resolve every single problem her heroine faces, but instead paints an emotionally and spiritually luminous portrait of a soul beckoned by God. Copyright 2007 Publishers Weekly.
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 stars(5 out of 5 stars)
7 of 7 Reviews Showing: 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Linda Payne (Beaverdam, VA), October 23, 2008 Great read!! I saw many of my sins in a new light. I was glad to "meet" another useless
spender and I have already started filling yard sale boxes with "stuff".
I am glad I bought a second copy to give at Chrisstmas and yes my copy will be passed along to others as a recycling item.
It is great to have good christian books like the Women of Faith" Series! I can't wait to read more of the same. Invite of a group of friends and start a book club with "Quaker Summer" 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Lisa (Hays, KS), September 30, 2008 I very much enjoyed "Quaker Summer". Heather went through a journey that was very well described and also challenging to the readers as well. It's so easy to be overly consumed with OUR plans and "causes"...but do they really glorify God or is it what He wants us to be doing? Lisa Samson did a great job of putting thoughts and feelings that we, as women all have, into words. I loved the
great relationships that Heather had with her husband, her son, and her very understanding friends. You will enjoy this book...it's highly recommended!! 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Karyn Gillan (Grand Haven, MI), February 04, 2008 I enjoyed Quaker Summer immensely. I liked the writing style and the content. The book has a lot to say to Christian women about the importance and joy of giving to others. Anyone looking for fulfillment and real joy should read about Heather. 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Cheri Clay (Kilbourne, OH), November 06, 2007 Christy award winning author Lisa Samson does an amazing job with Quaker Summer, her first novel with WestBow but her nineteenth overall. A definite 5 plus wow factor as you’ll find yourself within the pages of this page turner that you won't be able to put down. The story unwinds and is so real you’ll think you are Heather or she’s your best friend, an awesome character we all can relate to. Voted 2007’s Women of Faith's Novel of the Year tells you how amazing this book is (Women of Faith is an organization dedicated to encouraging women of all ages to grow in faith and spiritual maturity with Christ). There is even a reading group guide in the back of the book as this book would be perfect for reading groups.
You’ll love the mixture of everyday life with the Bible and how each section ties in with the Beatles such as "Fool on the Hill" and "The Long and Winding Road," even if you don’t know who the Beatles are you’ll catch the comparison. Actually the style of writing puts the reader in mind of the writings of Erma Bombeck, an awesome writer of the seventies. A must read for adult women, especially those who question life and God. So come on an amazing journey and give this book a chance, listen to God and your heart it will really set you free! 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Deborah (Portsmouth, VA), March 11, 2007 First off I loved the Beatles references in this book. The book was divided into three parts, each named after a Beatles song. Heather's story was very intriguing. Her past with Gary and Mary kept getting hinted at throughout the book, giving you only slight glimpses into the past. This either will keep you wanting to read to find out more, or frustrates you because Heather keeps bemoaning over these events which the reader is clueless about. Heather, though, is a very realistic character who says things I would say and reacts to situations like a real person would. The secondary characters bring life into the story such as Sister Jerusha, Anna and Liza. What I really enjoyed about this book is that it is not at all preachy. The main character is not an active church goer and tells about problems she has with church itself. While at the end of the book Heather has changed, she doesn't become a stereotypical church fanatic like in some other Christian novels. This book had some of the best word imagery I have ever read. I enjoyed the descriptions in this book. I could literally see that car covered in cake and could feel the canoe riding across the lake. This was my first Lisa Samson book and it definitely won't be my last. Very enjoyable and highly recommended. 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Andrea (Greenacres, FL), March 09, 2007 Just finished this new offering from Lisa Samson. I discovered her through her blog - http://www.lisasamson.typepad.com/ - and I so fell in love with her perspective and personality, that I just had to check out her books. My first foray was "Straight Up", which was awesome, but I loved this new one even better. The main character, Heather, says the things many of us are thinking. She represents many Christians in this country who have been blessed financially, yet have a nagging suspicion that they are falling short of what Christ had in mind when he spoke of "doing for the least of these". Even those of us struggling to pay our bills have much to learn from Heather. Do I invest my time and resources in that ministry downtown to pregnant girls, or do I contribute to my kid's college savings fund? Heather begins to ask the questions we don't want to face, suspecting she is going crazy in the process. She finally allows God to answer those questions and show her His purpose for her life. This book took me on a journey within my own beliefs about what it means to balance serving Christ with material blessing. It's rare that I can have this much fun with a book, yet walk away with concrete plans for doing things differently in my own life. What I appreciated the most was how real and captivating the characters were. The dialogue dances off the page and there is just enough of the unexpected to make the story feel alive, not contrived. I hated to say goodbye and I'm really hoping that a sequel will be forthcoming. Lisa definitely has a handle on what is truly happening in the Christian community as well as what should be happening. She is inspiring! 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Pattie (Grand Forks, ND), March 02, 2007 Sometimes we choose a book because of its cover, or because we want to be entertained. It's rare when a fiction book has the capacity and the potential to change lives. Lisa Samson's "Quaker Summer" does exactly that.
Heather Reeves, the book's narrator, has issues with shopping too much, doing or saying the wrong things at the wrong times, and is (dare I say it?) HUMAN. She is a fictional woman that I as a reader identified with (not the rich and spendy part, but the wants to change part).
With several older and wiser peripheral characters, we have the privilege of witnessing Heather's transformation and embracing of the "ministry of presence," and it is good. It is very good. Write a review of Quaker Summer, Women of Faith Series #16
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