Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir [Paperback]

Carolyn Weber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 9, 2011

A 2012 ECPA Christian Book Award Finalist

"A hugely readable journey of cultural and spiritual discovery, sparkling with wit and wisdom." -Alister McGrath, Author & Theologian

"this charming book ...will take you willingly on a highly personal and revelatory odyssey." -Christopher Schoppa, Washington Post

"...reads like a fast-paced novel. I loved the humor, skillful use of language... I was totally captivated from beginning to end." -Marilyn Meberg, 'Women of Faith'

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Surprised by Oxford is the memoir of a skeptical agnostic who comes to a dynamic personal faith in God during graduate studies in literature at Oxford University.

Carolyn Weber arrives at Oxford a feminist from a loving but broken family, suspicious of men and intellectually hostile to all things religious. As she grapples with her God-shaped void alongside the friends, classmates, and professors she meets, she tackles big questions in search of Truth, love, and a life that matters.

From issues of fatherhood, feminism, doubt, doctrine, and love, Weber explores the intricacies of coming to faith with an aching honesty and insight echoing that of the poets and writers she studied. Rich with illustration and literary references, Surprised by Oxford is at once gritty and lyrical; both humorous and spiritually perceptive. This savvy, credible account of Christian conversion and its after-effects follows the Oxford liturgical calendar as it entertains, informs, and promises to engage even the most skeptical and unlikely reader.

"...honest, entertaining and refreshingly free of superficial cant." 

--Vaughan Roberts, Rector, St. Ebbe's Oxford 

"...filled with prose that sings and paragraphs that beg to be read a second time.  A delightful read."

--Trevin Wax, Christianity Today's "Books to Note"

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Well written, often poignant and surprisingly relatable." -Kirkus Reviews

"The metaphors and allusions don't make the text inaccessibly erudite, but instead illustrate the beauty and struggle of her conversion." -Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Carolyn Weber holds her BA from the University of Western Ontario and her M.Phil and D.Phil degrees from Oxford University. She has been Associate Professor of Romantic Literature at Seattle University; she has also taught at Westmont College, University of San Francisco and Oxford University. Carolyn and her husband share the joy of parenting three spirited children in Santa Barbara, CA and London, Canada.  Find her online at www.pressingsave.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 9, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849946115
• ISBN-13: 978-0849946110
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 1.3 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (167 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,401 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carolyn Weber is an author, speaker and professor. She has taught literature to undergraduates for 15 years, most recently as associate professor of Romantic Literature at Seattle University. As the Canadian Commonwealth scholar for literature, she completed her M.Phil and Doctoral degrees at Oxford University, and later served as the first female Dean of St. Peter's College, Oxford.

Carolyn lives in London, Ontario Canada with her husband and their 4 children.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly Surprised...a Contemporary Memoir Worth Reading August 5, 2011

By Proof_Rock

Format:Paperback

Carolyn Weber's beautifully penned memoir of her personal faith journey is a delight to read. Her descriptions of Oxford are enough to make any Anglophile salivate. As a professor of English literature and an expert in the Romantic poets, she intersperses snippets of classic poetry throughout. Her ongoing references to the poetry of John Donne and John Milton especially captured my attention, their insights having been instrumental in my own spiritual walk. In the end, I want to dust off the Norton anthologies saved from my own college lit classes and immerse myself once more.

When the author is awarded a full scholarship to do graduate work at Oxford University's Balliol College, she hasn't an inkling of the path on which she is setting out. In the company of her colleagues and friends, and spurred on by one particular theology student who lives across the hall, she explores the deep, existential questions that have nagged her for years. For the first time in her life she reads a Bible--what she says is "the most compelling piece of creative nonfiction I had ever read. If I sat around for thousands of years, I could never come up with what it proposes, let alone with how intricately Genesis unfolds toward Revelation." Following in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis, the truth of God's Word eventually leads her first to believe in God and ultimately to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

Carolyn's journey unfurls as a twofold romance: even as she is being courted by the Divine Lover, she is also courted by "TDH" (Tall, Dark, & Handsome). Conversations with this particular lover of God (and with other friends, both believers and non-believers) serve as the catalyst for her search. The questions had always been there; TDH challenges her to finally seek hard after the answers. All this set against the glory that is Oxford makes the book read more like a novel--as it should, since our lives are simply stories that play out in the context of God's Story.

After traveling alongside the author through the ups and downs of an entire academic year, I was a little (only a little, mind you) disappointed at how she wrapped up loose ends in only a few pages of epilogue. But since the setting of the book is Oxford and the story has its resolution back on this side of the pond, I suppose that's as it should be. I was impressed with Weber's deep love and respect for her family back home. And I resonated at her homage to Christian professors who have so generously discipled her along the way.

In the end, I came away with two thoughts. First, each person's journey to faith in Christ is tailor-made by a loving God who knows us and desires to be known by us. Second, God does not make us travel this journey in a vacuum but fills our lives with people to keep pointing us to His truth. Thanks be to God!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised by Truth & Joy at Oxford August 10, 2011

By Mike Robinson

Format:Paperback

Perhaps C.S. Lewis (no stooge at describing matters of faith and reason) nailed it when he observed: "Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil" (Lewis was a Christian apologist and spent most of his adult life in Oxford as an educator). You don't need a degree in sociology to see what the good professor was saying; nonetheless in "Surprised by Oxford" Carolyn Weber (Weber is presently a visiting professor of literature at Westmont College) provides a captivating look at culture and religious life for those pursuing higher education in one of the most esteemed citadels of academia.

Weber is a passionate wordsmith and enjoys exploring concepts interspersed in the minds and words of friends, connections, and colleagues. Weber was ready to be confronted with high educational expectations and standards, but what she found along with that, was a deeper knowledge of God and how He works in the lives of people. This book was so readable and charming that I found it difficult to put it down late at night.

Before her commitment to Christ, the author had a high regard for rational quests in the halls of academia without much thought about the author of rationality: God. She found God because he found her as He opened her heart to the truth found in Christ: at Oxford! (Sorry Dawkins).

Chapters include:

- Summer Sunset
- Michaelmas Term
- Christmastide
- Eastertide
- Summer Sunrise
- and more including numerous thought-provoking quotes from literati.

One of my favorite sections was: "Jesus the Great Polarizer." The reader soon learns that one can discuss almost anything at Oxford, but if one mentions the name of Jesus, people get rankled fast. The section starts with a quote by Churchill: "You got enemies? Good. That means you stood up for something, something in your life" (p. 87). She records Mark's (her associate) words: "No one gets their knickers in a knot about anyone except Jesus" (p. 91).

If you imagine that the elite academic world has eradicated the awareness of God, you should pick up this volume. Ms. Weber supplies a collation of stories that weave together literature, science, education, politics, culture, and relationships under the knowledge of God and the need of Christ. Not only is it appealing and thoughtful, but it encompasses a joy and purpose that many struggle with in the pursuit of higher education. Beautifully and wonderfully written by a professor who has discovered what she really believes about the most important subject one must face: God.

I received a complimentary copy of this hardcover from the publisher in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions articulated are mine. I did not agree to give a favorable review.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent, humorous, honest - a treasure! October 10, 2011

By Justine Hostetler

Format:Paperback

An absolute pleasure to read! This is the story and personal commentary of Carolyn Weber's own journey to faith while in her first year at Oxford. It is full of insights into her struggle with issues of faith, lacking a father, feminism, academia, and relationships. Strange to say, but this work of non-fiction is a beautifully written love story. The story of how her heart was won over by a gracious God, and also by deeply caring friends. What made this book exceptional to me was how intelligently it was written. Carolyn writes with stark honesty that is sometimes humorous and other times bluntly challenging. There is none of the cynicism or criticism that I have found with other authors that write with such honesty. The academic traditions and culture of Oxford form a beautiful background for the story. Quotes from literature and poetry are richly sprinkled throughout, adding a literary feel. It was refreshing to read such well-crafted, intelligent prose telling a most worthwhile story. The book read more like a novel than a work of non-fiction. I found myself caught up in the story, unable to put it down. Carolyn made me feel like I was there, experiencing it all with her, one of her friends. My husband is not an avid reader, but I noticed he has picked up the book and is likewise devouring it! Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates academia, literature, intelligence, and is open to ideas of faith. 5 stars out of 5

I received this book on a complimentary basis from BookSneeze (Thomas Nelson Publishers) for purposes of review, and I am not required to give a positive evaluation.