Customer Reviews

Unlikely Ways Home: Real Life Spiritual Detours

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Father Beck's newest book is an inspirational look into the lives of everyday people. Each story is filled with varied emotions - happiness, sadness, anger, and disillusionment. However, one thing is evident, regardless of the circumstances surrounding them and the struggles they face, the people in these stories survive. Their faith is a source of encouragement to the reader. The human element is heart warming, something we can embrace in today's frenetic world. I am sure that you will be able to find someone or something to identify with in at least one of these motivating stories. One message is clear - God is always with us.

Mary Cate Schmidt should educate herself better before she goes slamming people like Edward Beck, who has sacrificed alot in his life in order to help others. Maybe she should read his first book, God Underneath, which talks about his own personal struggles including almost losing his mother to a brain tumor. Priests have families, love and issues just like everybody else in this world. Just because they choose a life of service to try to help other people doesn't mean they aren't fully aware, even more so, of the tragedies and injustices of this world. Compassionate people like Edward Beck feel pain just as deeply as anyone. We all have our troubles, some more than others. Anyway, since when does suffering equate to being a better writer and/or a better person...PUH-LEEZ!

Father Edward L. Beck, a gifted, compassionate priest of the Passionist community reveals twelve fascinating true-life stories of remarkable individuals. These people through "unlikely" circumstances somehow find their way to God and develop deep spiritual connections. Each chapter brings the reader into a life's faithful journey to share the trials, tribulations and challenges that eventually lead to a profound relationship with God. Father Edward is a very talented writer. Regardless of your own personal circumstances, whether you consider yourself "religious" or not, this book is a must-read. You may be surprised how closely related your own life's experience is to some of the extraordinary people you will meet thorughout the chapters of Unlikely Ways Home. It's as entertaining as it is inspirational. Congratulations to Father Edward L. Beck on this awesome book!

"Unlikely Ways Home "is what is missing in today's Reality T.V. For those who want to read about the things that "real" life is about this book is a must.I couldn't stop reading. Each story is so well developed. Edward Beck is a master storyteller who takes us inside the lives of his family, friends and acquaintances. I cried,laughed and prayed for and with these people. I felt that I knew them and their journey mattered to me. I travelled with them through their struggles and triumphs and rejoiced in their ability to see God in it all.

Edward Beck shows us the many faces of evil. From a pedophile priest, to an alcoholic parent, to a deadly disease, to a german Nazi and todays Islamic fundamentalists. He shows us the pain they cause and the scars they leave behind, but there is a way out. Forgiveness, which he states can be renewing and life- giving and faith in God. These stories resonate forgiveness, faith and acceptance and I saw how liberating that can be.

The people in the stories may have travelled different paths and taken some spiritual detours but when healing occurs through the grace of God they are all lead home

UNLIKELY WAYS HOME is an extraordinarily, inspiring look into the lives of people, like all of us, who have a story that, ultimately, will contribute to who we are, who we become, and how we relate to one another and our Creator. Fr. Edward has given us a glimpse into 12 stories that touch many different lives, and they will most likely resonate at some level for every reader of this book. I found myself relating personally to each story, as I, either, identified personally with some aspects or recalled people in my life who have been through similar experiences. It becomes obvious as one reads these stories, that somehow, through the maze of life, all of our experiences, good and bad, contribute to who we become, how we relate to one another, and ultimately, how we can find our way ?home? to our God. It, also, becomes obvious in these stories, that we will all have our own spiritual detours, unique to us, and no matter what, we can, in the way that we respond to them, deepen our relationships with others and our God or not, the choice is ours. It is inspiring to see that, even in the most unlikely of ways, one can find God and truly find one?s way home to Him. Having read Fr. Edward?s first book, GOD UNDERNEATH, I knew this was a book I, also, would need to read. Fr. Edward does not disappoint. Like his first, I found myself unable to put this book down. I think his ability to see and relate the spirituality of everyday life is both heartwarming and comforting for those of us who find ourselves on journeys that may also feel like ?unlikely ways home?. His refreshing way of showing us that God loves us just as we are is not to be missed. This is a book that speaks to and feeds the soul, as we all try to make some sense of this journey we are on. He helps us see that we are all heading for the same destination, and there are many paths that will lead us there, even though they may feel unlikely at the time. Because he was interested enough to seek out and share these stories, we, the readers, may be able to see how God blesses us and leads us through our own journeys, in a way we might otherwise have missed, had he not allowed us to see what he sees. I, highly, recommend this book and his first book, as well.

I adore reading a book that grabs me immediately and won't let me put it down. This book is a pleasure, filled with inspirational stories of faith, hope and love - along with all the complexities of the human condition. It is eye opening and heartfelt and well represents the struggles so many of us deal with concerning our religion, faith and spirituality. Through the well told stories of others we see reminders of ourselves in the universal journey of finding whatever it is we perceive God to be. Father Edward is filling a timely void here helping us to realize that on the path to reach the Divine we are not alone and that the roads we take to get there are as individual as we are. Great job!

"Unlikely Ways Home" is a wonderful book filled with stories of faith and hope found in the lives of ordinary people. In these stories, Fr. Edward Beck describes the challenges they endured, each different in their own way, and the underlying grace that helped them to reconnect with themselves, with others and with God. It would be difficult not to feel empathy or some kind of connection with those whose stories are being told. Their thoughts and feelings will linger with you.

Fr. Edward has an incredible sense of insight and his style of writing is thoroughly interesting and engaging. The stories flow very well, helping the reader become drawn into each story. As you read, you begin to believe that if we perservere through the struggles in life - as these people have - and find strength in God with thought and prayer, we will be alright. This book is an excellent reminder that ultimately we are all the same - good or bad, we all have our own stories. Hopefully Fr. Edward will continue to write and enlighten us with his thoughts and honest approach, whatever the subject may be.

This is a book about compassion. When you close the book at the end you are left with an overwhelming glowing feeling. You feel a true sense of God's love for ALL of us, a confirmation that we are all safe and protected regardless of the bumpy paths we take in this lifetime. Personally, I am going through an extremely difficult time in my life. I have a beautiful four year old child with a progressive, degenerative, life threatening illness. Reading these stories of how others have overcome challenges in their lives has helped to bring me great comfort. God loves us all no matter who we are, what we do, or what happens to us. I have had plenty of sad moments, but I choose not to be bitter because of my situation. This ordeal has actually brought me closer to God. Now that's an unlikely way home!

UNLIKELY WAYS HOME is a follow-up of sorts to Edward Beck's popular memoir/biography GOD UNDERNEATH. While it is not a memoir per se, we do see the ministry of Edward Beck as he tells the stories of people he has encountered as a priest. Each of the stories tells of people who have been alienated or hurt in life in one way or another, whether it is by an unfaithful spouse, sexual abuse, mistakes, death of a loved one, or some other significant loss or life event. Each person in the story also seems to tell us a bit about God by the ways each finds God in life. Perhaps the reason this book strikes the reader as authentic is that there are no "miracle" stories in the book, though God is clearly at work in the lives of the people Beck writes about in the volume. People struggle with actual life situations in a realistic way, which rings true to the reader and often is the only way we find God.

As we read about these unpredictable yet grace filled stories of finding God, we may discover our own "unlikely" paths and see God at work in our own lives too.

Anyone who's ever had their heart broken in high school has more depth and feeling than he tries to find in talking to people. It has to come from within or it just doesn't ring true. Being in the audience of life is no position from which to write from. The problem with "unlikely ways home" is he never left it to find out for himself what it's all about.